Hold the Date: October 10-12th In St Louis: A Unique Conference to Honor the Legacy of Jerry Tucker and Continue His Mission
Jerry Tucker was a seminal figure in the late 20th and early 21st Century U.S. labor movement. Many of you knew him, were inspired by him and mourned his passing in October 2012. He saw a militant and democratic labor movement as the central player in the pursuit of social and economic justice. A brilliant strategist of creative, member-driven union campaigns against corporate power, he was an uncompromising advocate of a vision of social unionism that connected workers struggles to the broader issues of class, race, gender and power. (See: http://www.newrepublic.com/blog/alec-macgillis/111488/the-man-who-tried-save-organized-labor)
This October 11-13, the first anniversary of Jerry’s death, we will convene a conference in the St. Louis area, at the University of Missouri (UMSL).
This promises to be an unusual and inspiring gathering at a moment in history in which many of the gains that the working class has made in the past 100 years are being attacked.
Along with his family and friends, the conference will pay tribute to Jerry’s life and legacy with music, video and personal testimony. And, following Joe Hill’s instructions to “Don’t mourn, organize!”(which Jerry would have heartily concurred with), the weekend will include workshops, plenaries and discussion to address the strategies of working class unity and struggle that he passionately fought for in his lifetime. We hope to address the broad question which Jerry articulated so well, namely: How do we build a powerful social movement and exercise the collective might of the working class through true solidarity, accountability and democracy
As part of this conference we will take time to consider the possibility of reviving the Center for Labor Renewal that Jerry championed in his later years but has not been fully realized. (http://www.centerforlaborrenewal.org/)
If you knew and loved Jerry or worked with him on his many campaigns and projects, this conference is for you.
If you are engaged in the working class struggles for justice, inside and outside of the labor movement, and are looking for thoughtful strategic discussion and debate on the direction of our movement, this conference is for you.
If you are a young activist seeking to connect with a rich history of struggle and to share your experiences and ideas, this conference is for you.
The Conference is being sponsored by: Center for Labor Renewal, UMSL Labor Studies Certificate Program, Missouri Jobs with Justice.
Please RSVP or send comments to Don Giljum at donaldgiljum@gmail.com
A conference call and speakers list will be forthcoming in early summer.
Please send this notice out widely.
NOTE: A scholarship fund in Jerry’s name is being created by Missouri JwJ: To contribute or for more information go to: Jerry Tucker Jobs with Justice Scholarship Fund at: www.mojwj.org
Mark Dudzic, National Coordinator Labor Campaign for Single Payer 201-314-2653