DW Gibson, author of One Week to Change the World, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his book about Seattle’s 1999 World Trade Organization protests and the impact unions had on the protests.
In 1999, more than 40,000 people converged in Seattle to protest the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference. From Nov. 28 through Dec. 3, a series of marches, direct actions and protests were carried out to disrupt the conference. The protests were intended to shut down the meetings, which would slow down and ideally prevent a new global trade agreement.
To help keep the story alive, Gibson authored the book to honor the 25th anniversary of the protests. The book is an oral history of the protests, with over 100 interviews that tell the story of individuals on the ground, including several union members, police officers and government officials. For Gibson, it was about telling the full story, from the internet becoming an organizing tool to the reasons behind the push against globalization.
Among the themes that Gibson discussed was the presence of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He discussed the reasons behind the Teamsters’ involvement and how they used union-organizing tactics to bring more people into the protest. Gibson explained that it wasn’t just the Teamsters involved in the protests but also the United Steelworkers among other that helped lead organizing efforts. Gibson said the book helps showcase unions' impact through community engagement and organizing.
Please listen to the show above for more on his book and the WTO protests.