Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy SOLVED! SAMPLE! #37 - Solidarity Forever: Boycotts, Strikes, & the Labor Movement We Need
Apr 9, 2026
A lively dive into what makes boycotts actually work and why individual online outrage falls short. Discussion of REI workers calling for a coordinated boycott and how you can support collective action. Coverage of meatpacking strikes in Colorado and comparisons between U.S. and Canadian labor strategies. Ideas for strengthening and expanding the modern labor movement.
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Why Individual Boycotts Fall Short
- Individual consumer boycotts are ineffective unless they're collective and organized because social media-driven isolation turns political consumption into personal acts.
- The episode cites Jacobin and Anne LaPay research showing higher-class consumers more often use purchases as political voice, limiting broad boycott impact.
Target Boycott Achieved Measurable Concessions
- The Target boycott produced concrete concessions like restoring some DEI elements and stocking Black-owned brands, showing imperfect but measurable outcomes.
- Erin describes organized leadership (pastors, Nina Turner) that guided demands and helped force retailer responses.
How Corporate Narratives Privatize Action
- Personal-level actions like tracking carbon footprints can distract from collective policy campaigns that yield larger system-wide change.
- Jay! connects BP's 'carbon footprint' framing to individualizing responsibility and draining activist energy.