%0 Journal Article
%T Community Unionism without the Community? Lessons from Labor
%A Simon Black
%J Labor Studies Journal
%@ 1538-9758
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/0160449X18763442
%X The theory and practice of community unionism has been central to discussions of alt-labor, union renewal, and revitalization, particularly in relation to union praxis at the urban or local scale. This comparative case study explores two labor-community campaigns to defend public child care services in the context of neoliberal austerity in urban/suburban space. While labor-community coalitions are a necessary¡ªif not sufficient¡ªcondition for success, in urban/suburban contexts in which community allies are weak and municipal administrations hostile, public-sector unions must continue to play a leading role in campaigns despite the risk of being cast as defenders of sectional interests rather than of the public good. In such contexts, union involvement in community organizing is a necessary precursor to successful labor-community campaigns
%K community unionism
%K labor-community coalitions
%K public-sector unions
%K public services
%K child care workers
%K austerity
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0160449X18763442