Solidarity for sale : how corruption destroyed the labor movement and undermined America's promise

American labor unions have been, it turns out, shot through with corruption from their very inception. They never really had a Golden Age. From "Big Jim" Colosimo, the patron saint of Chicago's Mafia, to Brooklyn's Sammy "The Bull" Gravano a century later, organized crime has controlled huge swaths of the mainline labor movement. It still does. Impassioned, revelatory, prodigiously researched and reported, and thoroughly convincing, Solidarity for Sale shows how the American labor movement's decent ends are continually undermined by its tawdry means — a diet of daily corruption longer than the menu at a Long Island diner. By telling the untold histories, uncovering the covered-up scandals, and even recommending a way forward, Robert Fitch builds a devastating indictment and goes beyond it to show that union corruption, stagnation, and decline are not our national destiny. Labor could regain its needed place in American life. But it would require a set of reforms deeper than anything now being proposed; nothing less than a revolutionary overthrow of its culture of corruption and its replacement by a civic culture of accountability and consent. Solidarity For Sale Shows How The American Labor Movement's Decent, Even Essential, Ends Are Continually Undermined By Its Tawdry Means - A Diet Of Daily Corruption Longer Than The Menu At A Long Island Diner. Understood Properly, Corruption Reveals Why American Union Leaders Cannot Organize, Win Strikes, Offer A Progressive Political Agenda, Keep Labor Standards From Falling, Or Reform Themselves. By Telling The Untold Histories, Uncovering The Untold Scandals, And Even Recommending A Way Forward, Robert Fitch Builds A Devastating Indictment And Goes Beyond It To Show That Union Corruption, Stagnation, And Decline Are Not Our National Destiny. Labor Could Regain Its Needed Place In American Life. But It Would Require A Set Of Reforms Deeper Than Anything Now Being Proposed, Nothing Less Than A Revolutionary Overthrow Of Its Culture Of Corruption And Its Replacement By A Civic Culture Of Accountability And Consent. Solidarity For Sale Is An Authoritative History And Analysis Of American Labor Union Corruption - And An Urgent Call For Social Justice.--jacket. 1. The Curse On The House Of Labor -- 2. The Hidden Cost Of Corrupt Unions -- 3. The Revolt Against Solidarity -- 4. The Fall Of Sam Parks -- 5. Dynamite Organizing -- 6. Solidarity For Sale, Chicago, 1905 -- 7. Totally Mobbed Up : Daily Life In The Laborers Union -- 8. Dc 37 : A Progressive Kleptocracy -- 9. Unite's Garment Gulag -- 10. Ron Carey : Martyr Or Mountebank? -- 11. Teamsters For A Democratic Union : How Bottom-up Reform Hit Bottom -- 12. Eyes Off The Prize : Reform's Rebuff In Dc 37 -- 13. Andy Stern's Dead Souls -- Conclusion : Solidarity For Real. Robert Fitch. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [339]-398) And Index.