Here’s a combination of words I’ve never used before: I just got back from a long weekend at a hotel near O’Hare Airport. It’s probably not the last time I’ll haul that phrase out, though; I was attending my very first Labor Notes Conference, and I’m so glad I went. The conference was, bluntly, extraordinary. And how could it not be? I was surrounded by some 4,500 people from across the labor movement — workers, artists, writers, union leaders, and more. And every single one of them was fired the hell up.

Honestly, I don’t really have the words to neatly sum up the conference.1 I guess I’d describe it as a happy, wild blur, overwhelming and inspiring in equal measure. I sat in on panels where workers discussed shared opportunities for organizing and activism; I watched as attendees organized an impromptu protest against the genocide in Palestine; I teared up during the first plenary, when the speaker called out to Jane McAlevey with love and grateful solidarity. I was in a packed reception hall when the UAW vote was won at a VW factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, making it the first Southern auto factory to join a union since the 1940s. The room was practically exploding with joy, with relief, with exhilaration: every single person in the room knew the stakes of the election, and the significance of winning it.

I heard organizing strategies for workers across the supply chain; I heard how tech workers built digital tools to support their organizing. I got to meet some of my favorite writers, and met some new favorite writers. I spoke with nurses, teachers, warehouse workers, and more. I connected with friends new and old, and even got a chance to talk about You Deserve a Tech Union with a roomful of authors and workers. Heck, I even spotted some copies of my little book at the conference, stocked by the fine folks at Pilsen Community Books:

A table overflowing with labor books for sale, written by authors ranging from Hamilton Nolan, Kim Kelly, Les Leopold, and Jane McAlevey. Behind the table are two masked people having a conversation.

Two masked people sit behind a table overflowing with labor books for sale; the person on the right flashes two fingers at the camera in a “V-for-victory” sign. The top row of books is visible in front of them: Hamilton Nolan’s new book “The Hammer”, Kim Kelly’s “Fight Like Hell”, Ethan Marcotte’s “You Deserve a Tech Union”, Les Leopold’s “Wall Street’s War on Workers”, and Jane McAlevey and Abby Lawlor’s “Rules to Win By”.

In a weekend filled with wonderful moments, that was right near the top for me.

The conference was a lot; the conference was remarkable. I was exhausted and ready to come home when it was over; at the same time, I wish I was still there. And I absolutely can’t wait until the next Labor Notes Conference in 2026.

My head’s full, and my heart’s on fire. Let’s get to work.

  1. If you’re looking for a more detailed recap, I really enjoyed this write-up over at The Chief. (My thanks to Matt Noyes for the link.) ↩︎