This book gives us the exceptional opportunity to hear members of this local tell about their activism as they experienced it. These rich, eloquent narratives show the dedication and bravery that went into reshaping class relations and greatly expanding the freedom of the 'common people' in America.

This study discusses the legacy of the Communists in the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) from the 1930s through the 1950s. How did the Communists win and hold power in the CIO unions, and what did they do with it once they had it? Did they subordinate the needs of workers to those of the Soviet regime? Stepan-Norris and Zeitlin find that Communists were more egalitarian and most progressive on class, race and gender issues. They were also leading fighters in exemplary workplace struggles to enlarge the freedom and enhance the human dignity of America's workers.

This study discusses the legacy of the Communists in the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) from the 1930s through the 1950s. How did the Communists win and hold power in the CIO unions, and what did they do with it once they had it? Did they subordinate the needs of workers to those of the Soviet regime? Stepan-Norris and Zeitlin find that Communists were more egalitarian and most progressive on class, race and gender issues. They were also leading fighters in exemplary workplace struggles to enlarge the freedom and enhance the human dignity of America's workers.