Rand Wilson
Encyclopedia
Rand Wilson has worked as a union organizer and labor communicator in the United States since the 1980s.
Wilson started in the labor movement
as a member of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW). While a member of Local 8-366, he led several organizing drives, was chief steward, and served on his local union's executive board.
For most of the 1980s, Rand Wilson worked as an organizer for the Communications Workers of America
and a member of the High Tech Research Group. In 1989 he helped coordinate solidarity efforts in Massachusetts
during a successful three-month strike by 60,000 telephone workers against health care benefit cost-shifting
.
The strike victory helped spur the formation of Massachusetts Jobs with Justice. As the founding director in the early 1990s
, Wilson spearheaded efforts in Massachusetts to support legislation for universal health care
and against international trade
deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization
(WTO).
In 1995, Wilson went to work for the Teamsters union. While at the Teamsters, he helped develop the union's 1997 contract strategy for national negotiations for 185,000 members at United Parcel Service. Wilson coordinated communications for a year-long campaign to build membership unity and get members involved in actions to support winning a good contract. When national contract talks broke down, Wilson was chief spokesperson during an historic 15 day strike. The Teamsters won a contract that created 10,000 new full time jobs, limited subcontracting and increased funding in Teamster pension plans.
After returning to Boston, Rand Wilson served as Communications Director for Service Employees International Union
(SEIU) Local 285 (later renamed Local 2020 and now part of District 1199), assisting health care workers in dozens of nursing home
and hospital contract campaigns. While working for SEIU, he helped revive the Jobs with Justice
Health Care Action Committee - pushing for coordinated actions by union members to link their struggles against cost shifting with the broader movement for health care reform
.
In 2005 Wilson worked for the AFL-CIO
's Office of Investment on a campaign to oppose the Bush Administration's
plan to privatize Social Security
. Wilson organized actions across the country exposing the conflict of interest
created by the financial services industry's support for privatizing Social Security while it managed trillions of dollars in worker's retirement assets.
In 2006, Wilson ran as the first (and only) candidate for a new Massachusetts Working Families Party
where he received almost 20 percent of the vote for State Auditor in a successful bid to gain the party statewide ballot status. Unfortunately, an initiative backed by the Working Families Party to change Massachusetts elections laws to allow cross endorsement or "fusion" voting failed.
From 2007 through 2011, Wilson was a communications coordinator for a joint Communications Workers (CWA) and Electrical Workers (IBEW) union initiative to help Verizon and other telecom workers build on-the-job unity. The project was coordinated by the national AFL-CIO.
Rand Wilson has written and lectured widely about contract campaigns, strikes, health care reform, and strategies to build workers' political power
. He is president of the Center for Labor Education and Research, and on the board of directors
of the ICA Group, the Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF), the Center for the Study of Public Policy
and the Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN).
Rand Wilson lives in Somerville, Massachusetts
.
Wilson started in the labor movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
as a member of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW). While a member of Local 8-366, he led several organizing drives, was chief steward, and served on his local union's executive board.
For most of the 1980s, Rand Wilson worked as an organizer for the Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
and a member of the High Tech Research Group. In 1989 he helped coordinate solidarity efforts in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
during a successful three-month strike by 60,000 telephone workers against health care benefit cost-shifting
Cost-shifting
Cost-shifting is either an economic situation where one group underpays for a service resulting another group overpaying for a service or where one group pays a smaller share of costs than before resulting in another group paying a larger share of costs than before...
.
The strike victory helped spur the formation of Massachusetts Jobs with Justice. As the founding director in the early 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, Wilson spearheaded efforts in Massachusetts to support legislation for universal health care
Universal health care
Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...
and against international trade
International trade
International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories. In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product...
deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(WTO).
In 1995, Wilson went to work for the Teamsters union. While at the Teamsters, he helped develop the union's 1997 contract strategy for national negotiations for 185,000 members at United Parcel Service. Wilson coordinated communications for a year-long campaign to build membership unity and get members involved in actions to support winning a good contract. When national contract talks broke down, Wilson was chief spokesperson during an historic 15 day strike. The Teamsters won a contract that created 10,000 new full time jobs, limited subcontracting and increased funding in Teamster pension plans.
After returning to Boston, Rand Wilson served as Communications Director for Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
(SEIU) Local 285 (later renamed Local 2020 and now part of District 1199), assisting health care workers in dozens of nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
and hospital contract campaigns. While working for SEIU, he helped revive the Jobs with Justice
Jobs with Justice
Jobs with Justice is a national campaign for workers' rights in the United States. It was founded in 1987, and includes both individual members and affiliated organizations....
Health Care Action Committee - pushing for coordinated actions by union members to link their struggles against cost shifting with the broader movement for health care reform
Health care reform
Health care reform is a general rubric used for discussing major health policy creation or changes—for the most part, governmental policy that affects health care delivery in a given place...
.
In 2005 Wilson worked for the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
's Office of Investment on a campaign to oppose the Bush Administration's
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
plan to privatize Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
. Wilson organized actions across the country exposing the conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
created by the financial services industry's support for privatizing Social Security while it managed trillions of dollars in worker's retirement assets.
In 2006, Wilson ran as the first (and only) candidate for a new Massachusetts Working Families Party
Working Families Party
The Working Families Party is a minor political party in the United States founded in New York in 1998. There are "sister" parties to the New York WFP in Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon, but there is as yet no national WFP...
where he received almost 20 percent of the vote for State Auditor in a successful bid to gain the party statewide ballot status. Unfortunately, an initiative backed by the Working Families Party to change Massachusetts elections laws to allow cross endorsement or "fusion" voting failed.
From 2007 through 2011, Wilson was a communications coordinator for a joint Communications Workers (CWA) and Electrical Workers (IBEW) union initiative to help Verizon and other telecom workers build on-the-job unity. The project was coordinated by the national AFL-CIO.
Rand Wilson has written and lectured widely about contract campaigns, strikes, health care reform, and strategies to build workers' political power
Political power
Political power is a type of power held by a group in a society which allows administration of some or all of public resources, including labour, and wealth. There are many ways to obtain possession of such power. At the nation-state level political legitimacy for political power is held by the...
. He is president of the Center for Labor Education and Research, and on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the ICA Group, the Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF), the Center for the Study of Public Policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
and the Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN).
Rand Wilson lives in Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
.