Playing Against the House

Posted on 23 September 2017 by James D. Walsh

In the tradition of Barbara Ehrenreich s classic Nickel and Dimed, a talented young journalist goes undercover as a casino labor union organizer in this rare inside look at the ongoing struggle of hourly wage service workers to survive in America Salting is a simple concept get hired at a non union company, do the job you were hired to do, and, with the help of organizers on the outside, unionize your coworkers from the inside James Walsh spent two years as a salt in two casinos in South Florida, working as a buffet server and a bartender Neither his employers nor the union knew of Walsh s intentions to write about his experience Now he reveals hard won and little known truths about how unions fight to organize service workers, the vigorous corporate opposition against them, and how workers get caught in the middle.As a salt, Walsh witnessed the cultish nature of labor organization and was constantly grilled by his union organizer as to whether he had enough grit and determination to win converts to the cause while remaining undercover At work, Walsh witnessed the oddities of casino life and management s stunning mistreatment of service industry employees, most of whom were hanging on to economic survival by their fingernails His meticulous reporting reveals supervisors berating workers for the smallest infractions, even as employees submit to relentless scrutiny, ever changing work schedules, and the callous behavior of casino customers.A clear eyed and balanced account, Playing Against the House explores the trials of day to day life for the working poor and the face of twenty first century union organizing and union busting in unprecedented detail. Read Playing Against the House Author James D. Walsh – kino-fada.fr Trade unions have historically done good, essential work for workers Opinions can vary between many about their need or effectiveness in today s society This is before you look at different attitudes towards trade union membership and activity in different countries around the world No matter your view on the matter, this book was an interesting look at attempts to get trade union recognition and membership within U.S companies operating in sectors that were often quite anti union, showing h Trade unions have historically done good, essential work for workers Opinions can vary between many about their need or effectiveness in today s society This is before you look at different attitudes towards trade union membership and activity in different countr...Sometimes you don t need to be a great writer Sometimes all it takes is a great idea It s hard not admire James Walsh s ambition in deciding to go undercover as a salt in a Miami casino someone who takes a job a non union workplace in order to help unionize it and write about his experience While his unseasoned, naive style shows through in glaring ways throughout the book overlong descriptions, irrelevant historical digression, overwrought and cliched metaphor the book itself is Sometimes you don t need to be a great writer Sometimes all it takes is a great idea It s hard not admire James Walsh s ambition in deciding to go undercover as a salt in a Miami casino someone who takes a job a non union workp...While I might question the ethics of James Walsh s undercover work as a union salt, I was intrigued by this story and felt like he did his best to be fair to those he deceived in order to get it I d be interested to know how it s been received by Unite He...Couldn t put this book down, riveting and ultimately heartbreaking and infuriating Oh, and this week the Supreme Court handed down their anti union Janus decision.Walsh s book is a blessing and a curse It is a window into the tireless, admirable work of union organizing, the shocking situation of so many working poor, the venality and duplicity of management and owners I hope many young, idealistic people read this and grow the labor movement Yet the book is cursed since it will be read by management and anti labor lawyers who will learn valuable tricks of the trade, rendering workplacespoliced, atomized and unorganizable Walsh worked as a s...A wonderful book exposing the lengths that organizations will go to in fighting a unionization effort This book is an amateur ethnography with the author spending about 2 years of his life working in the food and beverage industry in South Florida casinos in an effort to promote unionization The book has some real insights into the daily struggles of these service workers as well as a good take on contemporary unionization efforts.I read the book in just a couple of days It s well written and A wonderful book exposing the lengths that organizations will go to in fighting a unionization effort This book is an amateur ethnography with the author spending about 2 years of his life working in the food and beverage industry in...A great page turner about union organizing in the US Loved this bookAn essential read to fully understand labor in America.Interesting look at how unions organize The author s commitment to his cause, working undercover, is admirable.

23 September 2017

James D. Walsh