Throughout history, organized workers have been the motor behind every progressive change in society. From the general strike of enslaved workers that dealt the final blow to the system of slavery, to the sit-down strikes that led to the organization of millions of workers, history demonstrates the power of the working class: when we are organized, bold, and united, we drive forward the fight for a better future. As the Trump administration is waging an intensified war on workers and all those rights won through decades of struggle, building a fighting labor movement to overcome these assaults is more urgent than ever. But it requires organizing and empowering millions of workers to transform that potential into real power.

This course delves into the history and lessons of the labor movement, and examines why the power of the organized working class has always been central to every progressive transformation in the United States. Together, we will explore how we can take these lessons and build a bold, fighting labor movement today - one that not only defends our rights but goes on the offensive to win a world organized to meet the needs of the many, not just the few. 

This course is organized by On the Line, a media and education project that analyzes, reports on, and draws lessons from the struggles of workers across the country to build a fighting labor movement.