Recent struggles led by organized workers have produced progressive labor laws at various levels of government- city, state, and national- in both the United States and Europe. These legislative measures seek to improve working conditions, curb exploitative algorithms, and enhance job security. They target abusive practices widely deployed by major employers such as Amazon within the logistics, warehousing, and transportation industries. However, while pro-worker legislation is essential, the law can only be as strong as its enforcement; labor standards on paper do not by themselves improve working conditions.

Workers organize and participate in a wide range of activities to shift power, including traditional labor reforms, independent unions, and worker-owned cooperatives. In this colloquium, we will critically examine these approaches while exploring the relationship between political and economic democracy.