In the 1980s American labor's solution to globalization was American protectionism. Today labor is entertaining new solutions to old problems, most specifically pursuing an agenda, however inconsistently, of global solidarity and cross-border organizing. A combination of the changing economic climate, new leadership, and innovative social movements outside of labor has nudged, and at times, pushed labor into a global justice agenda.
With 13 million members, the AFL-CIO has the ...