Confessions of a Union Buster: New Activist Edition

by Martin Jay Levitt, Terry Conrow Toczynski

Martin Jay Levitt was a union buster who planned and executed customized anti-union campaigns at more then 250 businesses across America, from coal mines and factories to airlines and nursing homes. Levitt reached the pinnacle of his profession by demolishing friendships, shattering families, and turning worker against worker; he routinely spied on the police records, personnel files, credit histories, medical records, and family lives of union activists in efforts to discredit them. After a twenty year career that destroyed the lives of potentially tens of thousands of people, Levitt decided to clear his conscience and expose the dirty tricks of the trade. The result was Confessions of a Union Buster , in which he lays out in agonizing detail the disgusting tactics he employed anytime workers sought to improve their lives by organizing a union. He also spoke to auditoriums full of union workers, often beginning his speeches with the words, "I come from a very dirty business...."

Now, 28 years after the publication of Confessions , this "New Activist Edition" couldn't be more relevant as the gap between the worker and executive classes has only gotten wider, reaching epidemic proportions.

A new Foreword by legendary organizer Bob Muehlenkamp, a man who fought his share of campaigns against Marty Levitt and later encouraged Levitt to write this book, outlines in shocking detail why Confessions of a Union New Activist Edition couldn't come at a better time. Also new to this edition is Muehlenkamp's "17 Elements of the Union Busting System," a perfect tool for organizers that draws from Muehlenkamp's more than forty years campaigning for workers and fighting union busters.

Genres: Labor

291 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2021

Reviews

[Yee-Kay Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riddled with typos and ridiculously misogynistic (a product of the times), Marty Levitt paints himself as a Don Draper-esque character but in reality is quite a dislikable human that epitomizes opportunism and not having a backbone in life. AND YET despite the publishing errors and infuriating, arrogant, and classist prose as one would expect of a union buster, I quite enjoyed this look into union history from the other side. How much of this book was real or genuine is hard to say: Mr Levitt has been cited as "a cheesy hustler" and "damned bullshit artist" and I'd believe it. Worth reading for entertainment? Yes. "Essential reading for any labor organizer" as noted on the cover? No. You would be better off with a history book with actual cited facts.

[Mason Wyss · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book that desperately needed an editor. I’m not sure how, but the New Activist Edition is riddled with typos and printing errors. It’s as if it was transcribed using text to speech and then published immediately. The personal details of Marty’s life were of little interest to me, and I imagine many other unionists, but I recognize their importance to establishing his credibility and showing how he has reformed. All together, one would be better off attending a union seminar about union busting tactics or watching a lecture on the topic. Being taught by a union would have the added benefit of building relationships with other unionists that reading this book alone cannot.

[Joseph Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a union member or not, you need to read this book and understand how CEO’s are not there for the worker but their own financial greed.

I usually read horror books, but this is a real horror book. Union busters that deprive American workers, competitive wages, safe and sanitary work conditions, health and benefits. Called in by CEO’s to do whatever they can, to bust a union organization effort. Just so the company executives, can still line their pocket with money and have complete control of their employees. Who cares about that factory worker, that health care worker, dishwasher, janitor, who cares if they can pay rent, feed their children and get the medical they need for themselves and their family’s health.

This should be a true crime and not allowed in a land we are suppose to be free in. Is there really freedom in the work place that is not backed by a union?

I pledge the allegiance to the Corporation of America…….

[matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usefully sets out the architecture of union busting in recognition campaigns and makes it clear how easy it is for employers, mixed with a lot of personal background of the author. The version I had had a ridiculous number of typos.