There's Always Work at the Post Office: African American Postal Workers and the Fight for Jobs, Justice, and Equality - Softcover

Rubio, Philip F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0807833428 ISBN 13: 9780807833421

Publisher: University of North Carolina Press, 2010

Synopsis

This book brings to life the important but neglected story of African American postal workers and the critical role they played in the U.S. labor and black freedom movements. Historian Philip Rubio, a former postal worker, integrates civil rights, labor, and left movement histories that too often are written as if they happened separately. Centered on New York City and Washington, D.C., the book chronicles a struggle of national significance through its examination of the post office, a workplace with facilities and unions serving every city and town in the United States.

Black postal workers--often college-educated military veterans--fought their way into postal positions and unions and became a critical force for social change. They combined black labor protest and civic traditions to construct a civil rights unionism at the post office. They were a major factor in the 1970 nationwide postal wildcat strike, which resulted in full collective bargaining rights for the major postal unions under the newly established U.S. Postal Service in 1971. In making the fight for equality primary, African American postal workers were influential in shaping today's post office and postal unions.

About this title

Book Description

"A vitally important study--full of memorable characters, patient struggles, dramatic turns, historiographical insights, and meticulous research. In giving us the exciting story of African American postal workers, Rubio recasts the whole story of postal unionism and indeed of postal work."--David Roediger, author of How Race Survived U.S. History

From the Inside Flap

Rubio, a former postal worker, brings to life the important but neglected story of African American postal workers and the critical role they played in the U.S. labor and black freedom movements. Having fought their way into postal positions and unions, black postal workers--often college-educated military veterans--became a critical force for social change. Centered on New York City and Washington, D.C., the book chronicles a struggle of national significance through its examination of the post office, a workplace with facilities and unions serving every city and town in the U.S.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0807833428
• ISBN 13: 9780807833421
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 472