Inside LabourStart

I was invited to do a workshop a week ago on doing international work at the local union level and how it can help internal organizing and strengthen a local union.  The workshop was part of the annual ‘Troublemakers Conference’ which the Halifax Labour Council (a regional body composed of local unions affiliated with almost all the national unions) holds each year.

The event was aimed at activist workplace level leadership.  There were about 70 activists at the conference; 10 in my workshop.  It was well-received by the organizers of the conference and by the participants.  The conference organizers didn’t have the money for my transportation but I was able to use my frequent flyer points and to stay with friends in the area.  I had also hoped to use the trip as a chance to connect out in meatspace with a few of our volunteers in the Halifax area but had a cold and spent time in bed instead.

The ‘Troublemakers Conference’ concept flows from the American labour magazine Labour Notes and these conferences are being run in a growing number of locations in the USA and a few in Canada.  The Labour Notes folks loosely co-ordinate the conferences and make suggestions for content.  We may see some further invitations as a result.

One small note: a conference like this would have been ideal for selling our calendar. These events, where we can have a display and where the calendar can be properly viewed, have always sold out.  If or when we produce another calendar I’m thinking we might want to maintain a small inventory in Canada.  In the worst case scenario I would look at sending them out sometime in April or May as a thank-you to some of our supporters and volunteers.

If anyone wants to see the workshop outline or to use it in your neck of the woods, just let me know.

Derek Blackadder – Canada