Teachable Moment: Wisconsin Workers Unite

According to labor historian Mark Naison, the movement of workers that began in Wisconsin and is now spreading to other states is “the most important labor struggle in the United States in the 21st century.” Naison explains, “With the state legislature in Wisconsion occupied and surrounded by thousands of state workers and their supporters, and with schools closed throughout the state because of teachers calling in sick, I cannot help but think of the greatest strike and building occupation in the history of the American labor movement — the Flint Sit Down Strikes of 1936-37.”

These events present a powerful opportunity to teach about labor history and the current economic and political situation. The Zinn Education Project offers dozens of lessons, books, films, posters, and websites under the themes of labor and organizing. Use the filter bar to narrow the list to the reading/grade level of your students. As you teach about labor with our materials, please share your teaching stories with the Zinn Education Project.