What I’m saying, doing and thinking

New workshop: “Fighting for Our Democracy and Our Future in the Age of Trump”

I launched my new interactive workshop on April 15th to help activists and concerned citizens learn valuable lessons from our nation’s history.  It is critical to understand Corporate America, past and present, and the Trump regime and its allies use of propaganda and “divide & conquer” strategies to advance their anti-people agenda.  Click here.

Video: “Making Retirement Security Real for Everyone” @ WA State Labor Council Convention

Check out my speech on the nationwide campaign to defend and expand retirement security, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid:

These great programs, which benefit hundreds of millions of Americans, are under relentless attacks by the Trump regime and their Republican and corporate allies. I work with a great organization, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA) which is leading this fight in Washington state. Check out our website PSARA.ORG and join the organization. It is only $20 and you get a great monthly newsletter. Please donate more.

If you are a member of an organization that would like a presentation or workshop on this important issue, please reach out to me or our organizer, Mike Andrew, at organizer@psara.org or (206) 261-8110.

I would love feedback on this video.

In the news: “Labor’s future in the age of Trump”

The Northwest Labor Press wrote me up this month in “Labor’s Future In the Age of Trump” (June 7, 2017), writing:

At union conventions, apprenticeship classes, and public forums, McDermott delivers a message: Working people need to understand and learn from history, both the good and the bad, if they want to rebuild the labor movement and take the country back.

Newsletter #3 Published

My third newsletter is a compilation of analysis and tactical solutions to aid in our struggle in strengthening democracy and building a more just, equitable and sustainable world. My central argument is that the Trump regime with Republicans would escalate their years-long efforts to suppress voting to steal future elections. Check it out and subscribe now!

Here are newsletters #1 and #2.

The theft of the next election is already under way

If you care about the right of the people to fairly choose our elected officials, you should be paying close attention to these systematic efforts: The theft of the next election is under way.

The Democratic Party is losing the working class

Understanding why is the key to rebuilding a populist progressive movement. This was published recently in the The Stand, The Democratic Party is losing the working class

 

Scroll down or use the links above to find out about upcoming events, endorsements, and more. If you want to connect please email me or visit my Facebook page.

Upcoming Events

August 28-9, 2017 Sacramento CA
Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 447

September 6-7, 2017 Madison WI
Utility Workers Coalition Conference

September 23, 2017 Tukwila WA
Teamsters Local 763 Stewards Conference

October 14, 2017 Redmond WA
Lake Washington School District Coalition of Unions

November 4, 2017 Seattle WA
Office and Professional Employees International Union Western Educational Conference

May 23, 2018 San Francisco CA
California State Pipe Trades Council Convention

Fighting for Our Democracy and Our Future in the Age of Trump

Dear Union Sisters and Brothers and Community Allies:

I have presented 290 inspiring, energizing and educational speeches, workshops and trainings for many of you and your unions and community based organizations over the past 5+ years.  Today the Trump regime and its corporate and political allies are attacking the very foundations of our democracy and many of our hard-won freedoms and rights.  These threats also create a great opportunity for our movement and other progressive movements if we seize this historic moment and move forward.  As Benjamin Franklin said in the dark days of our Revolution: “We will either all hang together or we will surely hang separately.”  What we do with this truth is our choice.

On April 15, 2017, I launched a new interactive workshop “Fighting for Our Democracy and Our Future in the Age of Trump.”  This is not the first time in our history when working people and our allies faced a hostile federal government and many state governments dominated by corporate power.  From the late 19th century through the early 1930s, working people and our allies faced national and state governments dominated by overwhelming corporate power.  What can we learn from their successes and failures during these hard times?  Will we avoid many of their critical mistakes?  This is our choice.

The great lesson from that period is:  When we were united, we moved forward; when we were disunited, we went backward.  This workshop focuses on our movement’s historic opportunity to build greater internal unity and greater unity with other movements than ever before.  In doing so, we can beat back these attacks, fight forward, and take our country back.

Creating a unity of vision, values, program and action is never easy.  Understanding the corporate power of divide and conquer is crucial.  History is a hard teacher.  If we fail to build this needed unity, our history gives us many examples of what went tragically wrong for our movement and the people.

I would love to present this new interactive workshop to your union or organization.  Discussing these issues can inspire your activists and members to help build our unity and power.

In solidarity and friendship.

Mark

Videos

“Making the American Dream Real for Everyone” focuses on the rise and fall of unions and our allies over the past 125 years in our fight to share fairly in the wealth we produce and build a more just and equitable country, and how we can rebuild or power.

“Winning Big in Hard Times” explores the rise and fall of unions and our community allies in strengthening our democracy and Corporate America in their right wing allies attacking our democracy over the past 125 years. It concluded with ideas about how we can reclaim our democracy.

“Which Side of History Are You On?” focuses on Corporate America’s counterattack against organized labor and our diverse community over the past 45 years and how disunity between organized labor and our potential community allies and movements weakened us. Most importantly we learn about many examples of major successes that new labor/community alliances are winning and how to rebuild our power.

“Speaking from the Heart to Win Community Allies” is a skill-building and messaging workshop. It emphasizes the power of our personal stories and other listening techniques to increase our effectiveness in reaching out to non-union workers and current potential community allies.

Endorsements

He is one of the best at informing and motivating

He presents a unique perspective from a historical point of view by comparing labor’s modern day challenges with the overwhelming challenges of workers’ organizing efforts in the 19th and 20 th centuries. His personal story of how he became a union activist makes for a very interesting and compelling discussion about not only the labor movement but activism in general. I have attended more conferences and listened to more speakers than I can count in my 43 years in the IBEW. Many were interesting and informative but very few as compelling as Mark. He is one of the best at informing and motivating.

Don Siegel, IBEW 3rd District International VP, Pennsylvania

2017-01-24T15:52:58+00:00

Don Siegel, IBEW 3rd District International VP, Pennsylvania

He presents a unique perspective from a historical point of view by comparing labor’s modern day challenges with the overwhelming challenges of workers’ organizing efforts in the 19th and 20 th centuries. His personal story of how he became a union activist makes for a very interesting and compelling discussion about not only the labor movement but activism in general. I have attended more conferences and listened to more speakers than I can count in my 43 years in the IBEW. Many were interesting and informative but very few as compelling as Mark. He is one of the best at informing and motivating.

I strongly recommend Mark

Mark inspired and electrified our Region 9 leadership conference with a clear message of how we, as organized labor and working people, can once again lead our nation toward greater justice and security for all. I strongly recommend Mark to any union wanting to inspire and educate their leaders and activists about the road forward.

Cindy Estrada, International Vice President, United Auto Workers Union

2017-01-24T15:56:34+00:00

Cindy Estrada, International Vice President, United Auto Workers Union

Mark inspired and electrified our Region 9 leadership conference with a clear message of how we, as organized labor and working people, can once again lead our nation toward greater justice and security for all. I strongly recommend Mark to any union wanting to inspire and educate their leaders and activists about the road forward.

We get a sense of optimism and hope

What is most valuable about Mark’s workshops is the recognition that as we remember our history, we get a sense of optimism and hope that when we come together and focus on what we have in common, rather than what divides us, we can overcome seemingly impossible odds and make progressive change.

Jeff Johnson, President, Washington State Labor Council

2017-01-24T15:58:03+00:00

Jeff Johnson, President, Washington State Labor Council

What is most valuable about Mark’s workshops is the recognition that as we remember our history, we get a sense of optimism and hope that when we come together and focus on what we have in common, rather than what divides us, we can overcome seemingly impossible odds and make progressive change.

When we were flat broke Mark did another free workshop for us

It is unbelievable that when we were flat broke, Mark did another free workshop for us and we got more financial and community support for our struggle to organize farm workers. The audience was energized with the will to fight on and we raised money to help us continue to move forward.

Ramon Torres, President, Familias Unidas Por La Justicia (independent farm worker union), Bellingham WA

2017-04-26T21:02:17+00:00

Ramon Torres, President, Familias Unidas Por La Justicia (independent farm worker union), Bellingham WA

It is unbelievable that when we were flat broke, Mark did another free workshop for us and we got more financial and community support for our struggle to organize farm workers. The audience was energized with the will to fight on and we raised money to help us continue to move forward.

What are others saying about my work?