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Teamster Politics
Four books on the 1930s strikes and organizing drive that transformed the Teamsters union in Minnesota and much of the Midwest into a fighting industrial union movement. Written by a leader of the communist movement in the U.S. and organizer of the Teamsters union during the rise of the CIO. Indispensable tools for advancing revolutionary politics, organization, and trade union strategy.How rank-and-file Teamsters led the fight against antiunion frame-ups and assaults by fascist goons; the battle for jobs for all; and efforts to advance independent labor political action.
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First published June 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 19, 2025
Unlike the first two volumes - "Teamsters Rebellion" and "Teamsters Power" - this is just bland Trotskyist dogma with little unique insight.
October 31, 2025
Farrell Dobbs had originally counted on this being a Teamster trilogy, but when it came time to start on the third, he discovered that there were too many questions that he hadn't covered in the other two. One of these was forced into the book by events in the class struggle--the battle of owner-operators for decent wages and conditions. It probably would have gotten in there anyway, but perhaps in less detail.
There is some overlap between the second (Teamster Power') and this third volume, but it couldn't be avoided. And better to mention things twice than to leave them out of the narrative. Some of the most important issues dealt with in this volume are the Trotskyists' tactical maneuvering in the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, and the importance of the labor party question in revolutionary politics. The other is the battle against the incipient-fascist Silver Shirts, and the organization of a union defense guard (open to all union members) to protect the union against fascist attacks. This became a big issue in the Treason Trial (see the last volume, Teamster Bureaucracy, and also Socialism on Trial: Testimony at Minneapolis Sedition Trial).
There is some overlap between the second (Teamster Power') and this third volume, but it couldn't be avoided. And better to mention things twice than to leave them out of the narrative. Some of the most important issues dealt with in this volume are the Trotskyists' tactical maneuvering in the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party, and the importance of the labor party question in revolutionary politics. The other is the battle against the incipient-fascist Silver Shirts, and the organization of a union defense guard (open to all union members) to protect the union against fascist attacks. This became a big issue in the Treason Trial (see the last volume, Teamster Bureaucracy, and also Socialism on Trial: Testimony at Minneapolis Sedition Trial).
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews