In the capitalist system, writes Fernando Luengo, “Workers offer their labor power to the owners of the means of production, who buy it in exchange for a wage. This is the essence of capitalism; far from being a peripheral or irrelevant issue, I would say that it constitutes one of the keys that explain the operation and reproduction of the system.”

In this article, I wanted to go beyond simply presenting statistics to illustrate the extent of unemployment or economic insecurity in the North Country. I thought it was important to discuss how dependence on the military-industrial complex and the prison-industrial complex make the region's economy vulnerable, negatively impacting workers and their families.

By John Collins

“We want to honor Lucy Parsons’ legacy, Albert Parsons’ legacy, and the legacy of what brought us this idea that one day, all the workers of the world will unite.” With these words from labor activist and tour guide Larry Spivack, reporter John Collins reflects on a labor history walking tour of Chicago.