Activist Interview Sam Nelson

Jobs With Justice (JWJ), where Sam Nelson is an organizer, aims to strengthen working-class communities in the U.S. and globally by expanding the right to collectively bargain. This includes advocating for fair wages, safe conditions, and good benefits, which are seen as crucial for individual control and a healthy democracy. JWJ extends collective bargaining concepts to areas like tenant-landlord relations and community-corporate interactions. Their strategies involve running worker organization campaigns, policy formation, coalition building, and solidarity work, such as mobilizing support during labor disputes.

Sam Nelson's activism was influenced by his family's emphasis on antiracism and community, and his personal experience with job insecurity during the recession. In college, he joined the Progressive Student Union (PSU), connected to DC Jobs With Justice, and focused on empowering workers. His career path involved leadership within PSU, an internship with national JWJ, and eventually a job, leveraging his extensive network.

JWJ's core strategies for social change include building relationships, analyzing power dynamics to disrupt opposing forces, and running training programs. They involve workers in crafting policies, like the Retail Workers Bill of Rights, and focus on long-term enforcement.

Activists face challenges such as high burnout rates, systemic racism and sexism within organizations, and inconsistent funding. Despite these, Nelson highlights successes like the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, which led to discussions with Gap on gender-based violence, emphasizing leadership from Global South workers.

Common misconceptions about activism include the idea that activists are disconnected or wealthy, whereas many come from working-class backgrounds. Similarly, "big labor" is often mischaracterized as corrupt, but unions primarily serve as vehicles for collective working-class action with minimal political contributions compared to corporate influence. JWJ encourages younger generations to engage in the labor movement through reading groups, supporting picket lines, hosting events, fostering relationships with service workers, and organizing collective actions like boycotts.