About Michael Yates
Nov 16th 2008
Michael Yates is a writer, editor, and educator. Among his books are Cheap Motels and a Hotplate: an Economist=s Travelogue (Monthly Review Press, 2007), Naming the System: Inequality and Work in the Global Economy (Monthly Review Press, 2002), Why Unions Matter (Monthly Review Press, 1998), Longer Hours, Fewer Jobs (Monthly Review Press, 1994), and Power on the Job (South End Press, 1994). He has also published more than 150 articles and reviews in a wide variety of journals, magazines, and newspapers. His works have been translated into seventeen languages. He is currently Associate Editor of Monthly Review magazine and Editorial Director of Monthly Review Press. He taught economics and labor relations at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown from 1969 until his retirement in 2001. He won the Chancellor=s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1984. He taught courses for workers from 1980 until 2008, at a number of colleges, including Penn State, the University of Indiana, Cornell University, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Yates also worked in the Research Office of the United Farm Workers Union and served as a labor arbitrator with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation. Yates grew up in Ford City, Pennsylvania. He is married to Karen Korenoski of Dunlo, Pennsylvania. They have four adult children.
Anonymous on 18 Feb 2009 at 9:14 pm #
Mr. Yates:
I am of the opinion that a combination of section 7 of the NLRA and free association of the 1st Amendment should be the driving force behind gains in the labor movement. All else flows from a robust understanding of each of these.
That said, I am interested in unionizing a certain Orange “Big Box” store, of which I (likely) will be an employee soon.
Any suggestions for resources which are not within the business unionism camp?
Thanks,
Anonymous.
Michael Yates reviews Randy Shaw on César Chávez « Talking Union on 21 Apr 2009 at 1:42 am #
[...] Copyright 2009, Michael Yates. All rights reserved. Michael Yates is Associate Editor of Monthly Review. A new edition of his book, Why Unions Matter, is just out. [...]
Victor on 23 Apr 2009 at 3:33 pm #
Thanks for revealing the seamy side of Chavez, we appreciate Chavez work but we cannot have a cult around who he was. Sexism, anti communism imploded the movement and we are still living the consequences.
Also, you might have added to the history missing in Shaw’s acount is the role of Industrial Areas Foundation training that many of the early UFW received. Alinski use the Catholic church, was anti communist and never addressed issues of race and gender issues like UPWA did.
Thanks for the truth.
Ronald Kent on 24 Apr 2009 at 12:37 am #
Hi: I worked for the UFW in 1974 and did not run into the items you raise at least not in the New York office headed by Delores Huerta or in Madison, WI. However,some of the critiques you raise in very different form appear in the book written by UFW co-founder Philip Vera Cruz, who has indeed written an accurate history of the farm workers movement. He also does not inflate the role of Chavez or those who worked in the movement. He specifically takes Chavez to task for some authoritarian moves, but hoped that the Union would correct its course and return to the original ideals that informed the early farm worker movement. The book is”Philip Vera Cruz: A Personal History Of Filipino Immigrants and the Farmworkers Movement” (UCLA Labor Center, 1992). He died before he could work toward his goals of creating a renewed organizing focus without red-baiting or personal attacks on persons of good will and differing political outlooks. The UFW I knew had those attributes in 1974, but it may have lost its way later. I hope someday it can regain the ideals of Philip Vera Cruz and other farm worker organizers who believed in left-center unity in the fight for justice. Peace, Ronald Kent
Tom Herring on 04 May 2009 at 3:09 pm #
Mr. Yates,
Your review of “The Open Veins of Latin America” has renewed my interest in a history of Latin America written by my uncle, Hubert Herring. Should you have any comment about that book I’d be most interested. Yet I am not expecting you to have to wade through it.
When Chavez gave Open Veins to Obama I wrote to the author posing the above question. No answer there yet.
As for you, Mr Yates, may you never slow down.
Tom Herring
mike on 05 May 2009 at 8:10 pm #
Dear Tom,
Thanks for the kind words. I haven’t looked at your uncle’s classic history in a very long time, but I do remember it. Your family must be proud of him.
Michael Yates
George Dixon on 12 Aug 2009 at 10:56 pm #
Hello Mike,
Just found your site (through Dick W) and plan to read more of your entries.
Aloha,
GD
Keith B. Cohick on 15 Sep 2009 at 4:15 pm #
Dear Michael,
I just had the pleasure of cataloging the 2nd edition (2009) of your “Why Unions Matter” in preparation to entering it into Central Pennsylvania College’s library.
We alreadly have a copy your 2007 publication “More unequal : aspects of class in the United States” on our shelves. My job here is as a part-time librarian (3 or 4 days a week, 15 to 20 hours).
Its a small college (an ex-business school with four-year programs only for the past ten years), and (as you might imagine) a small library; but I’m happy to say (to whomever might listen) that I once was a colleague of this author.
Best wishes.
Reno on 05 Oct 2009 at 6:49 am #
Dear Michael,
Just read your review of Shaw’s book on Chavez on Doug Henwood’s site, and I applaud your courage. The first I negs I heard about him, and I’m pretty sad about it. I’ll also be looking into the SEIU scene – that’s blowing my mind!
Sorry about your wood breathing situation – we got sick in Italy one winter with the chimney’s blowing out wood smoke. Hope you can break your lease and meet the landlord in small claims court if you have to.
The country has a LONG way to go to get straight with the environment. I wouldn’t do it, but I’m afraid anyone betting on the population in the race between us and the planet is likely to win.
Peace,
Reno
Sergio M Perez on 09 Mar 2010 at 1:17 am #
Mr. Yates,
Regarding your review of Shaw’s book on the UFW and Cesar Chavez.
Did anything positive come out of the movement? Did it make a difference in the life of the farm workers?
I for one had searched for Marshall Ganz to express my thanks for making a huge difference for this particular farm worker and my entire family.
You are correct that much work needed to be done after 1974 and the UFW needed to re-structure into a more formal organization. Legislation under Jerry Brown gave the farm worker more rights and basic protections making the push for fundamental rights less of a battle cry for the organization.
We can argue about the course that the UFW took in the 80’s and 90’s but to understand the legacy of the movement and the impact of Cesar Chavez we need to examine how the movement changed the outlook and aspirations of the farm workers and other people.
In an era of ENRON and multi-billion dollar Ponzi schemes we need to look for better leadership.
Regards,
mike on 15 Mar 2010 at 5:10 pm #
Dear Sergio,
Thanks for your note. Yes, the movement did a lot of good. Both for workers and those who worked for the union. What makes me mad, though, is the promise left unfulfilled. That and the racket that the UFW has become.
Yes, leadership is key, but it will be up to workers to demand it!