Teamster Power [Hardcover]

Farrell Dobbs (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A book by a militant about militants of the past for militants of today." -- Hibernia

"A significant and enjoyable book on labor history.... highly insightful.... represents a classic case in which a genuine rank and file movement can force a bureaucrat to either build the movement or destroy himself.... Must reading for revolutionaries and militant workers." -- Nebraska Dispatch

"An inside account of the 1934 Minneapolis Teamsters strikes told by men who were the actual leaders.... Dobbs' writing style is so interesting and readable that the reader will feel compelled to complete the book in one evening." -- Minnesota Daily

"Dobbs has written a vivid and sympathetic account of this labor upsurge from his vantage point in the midst of the turmoil.... exciting and partisan history.... provocative and instructive." -- Minneapolis Tribune

"Instructive and enjoyable reading for anyone interested in labor history--especially Teamster history.... Dobbs' writing is about the courage of workers and their determination to extract from the bosses justice and decent conditions. It is about workers' solidarity and it is about militancy. Dobbs describes in fascinating details the leadership processes and the tactical and strategic considerations along the road." -- Missouri Teamster --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Pathfinder Pr (September 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913460206
• ISBN-13: 978-0913460207
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,927,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DON'T MOURN, ORGANIZE, PART2!!, May 20, 2006

By 

Alfred Johnson (boston, ma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Teamster Power (Hardcover)

THIS REVIEW IS ALSO BEING USED IN TEAMSTER REBELLION THE FIRST PART OF THE STORY PRESENTED HERE. THE POLITICAL POINTS APPLY TO BOTH BOOKS.

ORGANIZE WALMART! ORGANIZE THE SOUTH! These are the slogans which outline the tasks that the American labor movement, particularly the organized trade union movement under the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win Coalition, need to address. With those tasks in mind it was refreshing for this old militant to re-read Farrell Dobbs' analysis of the fight to organize the truckers in the 1930's. This volume, and an earlier one detailing the struggles to organize truckers in Minneapolis, are little handbooks for model labor organizing. Dobbs himself was instrumental in organizing the truckers of Minneapolis in the great strikes in that city in 1934 and as documented here the later, successful organizing of the over the road drivers in the Midwest which created the modern, powerful Teamsters International Union. He was, more importantly, a supporter of what later in the decade became the Socialist Workers Party- American section of the Trotsky-led Forth International.

Whatever else may be true about Dobbs this man could organize workers. Why? The last sentence in the previous paragraph gives the answer. In the modern labor movement it is not enough to be a militant on the picket line but one must also have a political approach to labor actions. With the merging of corporate and governmental interests on the labor question in the modern state militants better think politically. As the December, 2005 unsuccessful struggle of the transport workers in New York City demonstrated militants better know the enemy and his tactics well. Moreover, these days, unlike in the 1930's when it went without question by advanced workers, it is as important to know there is an enemy. On the other hand think what it would be like to have a political militant like Dobbs organizing the drivers of those 7000 trucks that Wal-Mart owns to distribute its merchandise. You get my drift. Read what he has to say carefully.

To even introduce this militant labor leader of the 1930's is to state the fundamental problem of today's labor leaders. They do not exist in the modern labor movement. Yes, there are militants out there in the rank and file but militant leaders are no longer produced and that is the rub. Unlike the strategy of independent political action which underlined Dobbs' work the strategy of today's labor leaders can be summed up in two words-class collaboration. That is a strategy of dependence by the labor movement on the good will of the `friends of labor', essentially the Democratic Party- not to fight for victory in the streets but by what at times amounts to parliamentary cretinism. Just start to organize Wal-Mart seriously or organize the South and militants will quickly see who their `friends' are.

The natural audience for this book are today's labor activists so the reviewer would draw attention to the following issues that Dobbs and his associates had to confront and which militants today will confront in any serious organizing efforts. (1)The role of the labor bureaucracy in limiting the scope of struggle. (2) The role of governmental mediators, courts, legislation and the above-mentioned `friends of labor' in curtailing the struggle. (3) The role of scabs and others, including government troops, who will try to break the up the struggle.

On the positive side- the following should be noted; have your own publicity organ (newspapers, etc.) to get out your message; organize other labor and pro-labor sources to assist in strike action; anticipate that governmental and corporate sources will try to `freeze' workers out so have your own transport, commissary and medical operations. Finally, in the words of the old Wobblie song by Joe Hill- "Don't Mourn, Organize!!