State of the Unions: How Labor Can Strengthen the Middle Class, Improve Our Economy, and Regain Political Influence

Dine has written a superb book, looking at a landscape of America that has far too much vanished from the sight of most Americans in recent decades. With the economic turmoil that has arisen since the book was written, the themes that Dine set forth with great insight and specificity should return front and center. True, there are difficult issues to be faced on the labor front just as on every other front. But it is time we as a country began to face squarely the imbalances which have far too much favored the wealthy and powerful. Dine's anaysis and examples are a valuable contribution toward that effort.

There are so few U.S. labor reporters left on the beat. Phil Dine happens to be one of the best and offers a unique insight into why labor unions are faltering and how they can hopefully change course. I would personally recommend this book to any labor leader, labor communicator, or union member who truly cares about strengthening the labor movement to improve the lives of future generations.

Seems to me State of the Unions could be renamed, given the importance of the issue, to State of our Country... The book addresses our country's labor movement problems and the author, a renown Washington journalist, deftly shows how the issue affects every aspect of our political, economic and social life. And he provides labor with in depth fix-its likely to spark debate. Dine's premise is that labor's tight-lipped tendencies have pushed it to near extinction. Labor doesn't get its message out, so the typical mainstream union news story these days is about picket lines and corruption. "Labor's complicity in the muzzling of the American working class amounts to self-inflicted damage that unions can ill afford, particularly in today's wired world." And Dine doesn't just blame labor, he blames media, too. Yet -- thankfully for all of us who work for a living -- the book isn't all about blame. In State of the Unions, Dine shows, sometimes through colorful on-the-job anecdotes, what can happen when unions get their message out. In one chapter in particular, he recounts the Delta Pride strike in the Mississippi Delta, when a group of female, largely uneducated workers win their campaign by getting their stories out, thereby putting a human face on their boycott. In another, using the firefighters union as an example, he reveals how the political clout of a union has the potential to redirect a national election. The book then looks to the future, giving unions a bounty of advice on how to return to political effectiveness, including simply to "find your voice and make it be heard." It's clear why so many notables -- Ted Kennedy, Mike Wallace, Stephen Hess, Richard Hurd, Chris Van Hollen, etc. -- doled out praise such as "beautifully written," "masterful" and "an astonishing new book." Dine's book is a wake-up call and anyone who works for a living -- and who cares about the future of our country -- should read it.

It's no surprise that author Philip Dine was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and has received numerous journalism awards; as Mike Wallace says on the front cover, "Phil Dine tells a compelling tale -- and he writes beautifully..." The veteran news correspondent couldn't be more correct. State of the Unions is a deeply reported, beautfully written narrative that captures the struggles and the triumphs of labor unions all around the US who have taken a stand to fight for their future. Through the author's storytelling, readers will become emotionally invested in those who have struggled to keep the labor movement afloat, and understand why the union's fight is everyone's fight -- why an organized movement that ultimately uses its credibility, resources, and insights on work, community, and economic fairness issues will impact an entire population. This is a thoroughly inspiring read that is sure to spark a national debate. I couldn't recommend it more highly.