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Toly Rinberg

@tolyrinberg.bsky.social
629 followers 299 following 131 posts

Rank-and-file organizing with UAWD / Working on socialist labor and climate politics

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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
My only solace during the slow descent into earlier sunsets and excitement about pumpkin spice alaskapublic.org/news/environ...
alaskapublic.org
Meet Backpack, Fat Bear Week’s chunky champ
Backpack went from hitching a ride on his mom’s back to cross the Brooks River to winning the hearts of fat bear fans around the world.
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Guardian US @us.theguardian.com · 28/09/2026
Gone are the mass raids and militarized metro operations. Gone are the pomp and pageantry. But ICE arrests have hit record levels. ICE operations are no longer concentrated in large American cities. Immigration enforcement officials are also working in suburban and rural areas, all across the US.
A map of the United States that shows immigration arrests per 100,000 people since ICE's new enforcement strategy began under DHS secretary Markwayne Mullin.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Fong: Are you optimistic looking ahead? Gindin: Yes, but soberly so. It’s a really difficult thing to commit to and believe in socialism ... “Well, actually, 1 in 1,000 is pretty good. We’ll take those odds.” What else are you going to do with your life? www.damagemag.com/p/sam-gindin...
damagemag.com
Sam Gindin: We’ll Take Those Odds
Sam Gindin on the contemporary crisis of legitimacy, the importance of revitalizing organized labor, and the generation-defining project of organizing Amazon
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
One-two punch of union busting and war economy expansion. Stellantis: 1) Closes Brampton plant in Canada, Unifor rallies for 3k workers 2) Moves those jobs to Belvidere under trade war pressure, UAW cheers 3) Plans to sell Brampton to defense contractor www.freep.com/story/money/...
freep.com
Union blasts Stellantis for plans to sell idled plant to defense company
Stellantis plans to sell its idled Brampton plant to a defense contractor that has previously worked with ICE, leading the union to pause talks.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
One of the reasons I was won over to the Left is because its materialist and historical analysis has actual answers to what we collectively live through Re-listening to this @thedigradio.bsky.social episode on this day: thedigradio.com/podcast/war-...
thedigradio.com
War on Terror w/ Spencer Ackerman Part 1
Episode one of The Dig’s three-part War on Terror series the with Spencer Ackerman: 9/11, bipartisan war fever, and George W. Bush.
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Mike Konczal @mtkonczal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
BLS this morning, with revised 2Q data: "The labor share, which is the percentage of output that accrues to workers in the form of compensation, was 52.8 percent in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest level in the series, which begins in the first quarter of 1947."
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Deva Woodly @devawo.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
nbcnews.com
‘Getting no help’: Thousands in Gary, Indiana, still without power nearly 2 weeks after storms
For some in the predominantly Black city, the lack of electricity has caused medical complications, while others are cooking what food they can at local parks before it spoils.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Stellantis pulled out their whipsawing 101 playbook for this one... But instead of using this as a moment of solidarity with Unifor to oppose plant closures, UAW leaders are cheering the short term gain of job. dailystruggle.org/stellantis-s...
dailystruggle.org
Stellantis Shutters Canadian Plant and Promises Future Jobs in Illinois, UAW Leaders Cheer
Stellantis is shutting down its Brampton, Ontario, plant, devastating a Canadian community while saying it is sending jobs to the U.S. Instead of enabling Stellantis to execute on its whipsawing playb...
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More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Google AI workers in the UK have voted to unionize. These workers voted to unionize 98% to 2%, reportedly in response to the deal struck between Google and the US military to use the technology they're working on. At least 1,000 workers are in the union. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Google DeepMind workers in UK vote to unionize amid deal with US military
Exclusive: Worker pointed to Iran war and Pentagon’s Anthropic feud as indications the department is ‘not a responsible partner’
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Ah yes, content directly pandering to me
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
So much for UAW's support for strategic tariffs... www.abc12.com/news/busines...
abc12.com
GM expects $500 million tariff refund, raises profit guidance
General Motors is raising its profit expectation for this year to account for an anticipated $500 million tariff refund.
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Matthew Haugen @mjhaugen.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Maddening www.nytimes.com/2026/04/27/c...
nytimes.com
How the Trump Administration Ended Independent Science at the E.P.A.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Utility CEO pay becoming even more egregious is a useful quick proxy for how insane things have gotten, but the real problem is not a simple financial redistribution but what class gets to control the future of utilities energyandpolicy.org/utility-ceo-...
energyandpolicy.org
Utility CEOs received over $1 billion in executive compensation from 2017 - 2019
Utilities paid their CEOs over $1 billion in executive compensation from 2017 - 2019. Southern Company's Tom Fanning was the highest paid executive.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
It is with tears in my eyes that I am reading 2024 reports on the auto industry that excitedly made declarations like: "Meanwhile, a rapid shift towards battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is underway as major automakers set ambitious targets to phase out ICEV production within the next two decades"
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Energy and Policy Institute @energyandpolicy.org · 12/03/2026
🚨: Ever wonder how your utility bill is calculated or why it feels like it keeps rising year after year? Our new report, “Paying for Their Profits: How Ratepayers Foot the Bill for Soaring Utility Profits,” has answers. energyandpolicy.org/utility-prof...
energyandpolicy.org
Paying for Their Profits: How Ratepayers Foot the Bill for Soaring Utility Profits
New report finds utility companies have made billions of dollars in profit since 2021 and utility profit margins are climbing higher.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
I was skimming the widely used Borjas' "Labor Economics" textbook to understand how the neoclassical view is presented and boy, even when correlation-causation isn't being twisted with motivated reasoning, the hegemony building is very thinly veiled
Chapter 10: Are American Unions Obsolete? with a highlighted line "Finally, there was a marked increase in the labor force participation rate of women. This trend has a depressing effect on unionization rates because women are less likely to join unions"
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
One of the most important tests for the UAW and the labor movement today. If we can't contest the restructuring of manufacturing sector between EV technology introduction and policy whiplash, workers will continue suffer under the whims of market competition dailystruggle.org/ford-busts-b...
dailystruggle.org
Ford Busts Union and Fires 1,600 Workers as Kentucky BlueOval SK Plant Closes—How can the UAW Fight Back?
Workers at BlueOval SK, who recently unionized with UAW, lost their jobs in February as the joint venture between Ford and Korean battery manufacturer SK On was dissolved and as Ford pivots from EV ba...
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Gabriel Zucman @gabrielzucman.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
The pace at which US wealth concentration is rising is simply staggering The concentration of AI wealth into the hands of a few tech barons + plutocratic capture ==> unchartered territory
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Another step on the road to extinction? Weak labor power and lack of cross border solidarity led Canada to make deals with China to import cheap (and technologically superior) EVs The inward turn by auto unions weakens all North American workers www.wsj.com/business/aut...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Canada’s Move to Import Cheap Chinese EVs Is ‘Slippery Slope,’ GM CEO Says
Thousands of electric vehicles from Chinese automakers can enter Canada this year at a new low tariff rate.
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Thea Riofrancos @triofrancos.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
I reviewed MORE AND MORE AND MORE which argues that there’s no historical precedent for an “energy transition”; instead, we see symbiotic linkages between wood, coal, oil, and now renewables. I’m convinced. But the book’s analysis of capitalism falls short @thebaffler.com Link ⬇️
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isaac @sevier.io · 16/01/2026
Any union utility / electrical workers following me that would be up for being interviewed by a researcher i'm working with? 👀
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Appreciate the discussion, and would also love to hear insights from this group about the current situation
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
I know there's a lot going on, but also @chess.com needs to dial it back
Email from chess.com saying "Your 1 day streak is about to end!"
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Regardless if the US takes over Venezuelan oil fields or whatever else people are speculating, this openly reminds fossil capital that the full might of the US state will defend oil hegemony. Despite short-term chaos, a bunch of other structural rearrangements follow from this
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
You gotta hand it to them, US auto execs pivoting away from EVs and back to combustion engines is proving to be a pretty smart financial decision They must be feeling pretty giddy right about now
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
In the last 2 years, the auto sector reduced by +46,000 jobs, with more than 4,000 GM workers laid off during these holidays But there's nothing natural here, corporations are intentionally restructuring the industry to continue making profits at the expense of workers through the EV transition
Title: Boom and bust, understanding layoffs and the restructuring of the auto industry. Red sign that says "Danger Layoffs Ahead" in front of a cliff
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Is the current form of collective editing through google docs the highest level we're able to achieve? It's fine if yes, I just want to know
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
"We start this report from the premise that any revitalization of the labor movement will not come through existing methods, and Democrats will not deliver salvation through labor law reform."
Worker compensation, productivity, union membership over time
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Pretty broad question, but will take any leads: Is there a body of research that has systematically studied the political-economic impact of various large-scale strikes in the US? Thinking especially of manufacturing, transportation, logistics sectors
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More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Nearly 6 million US households have utility debt “so severe” that it will soon be reported to collection agencies. apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
New analysis shows more US consumers are falling behind on their utility bills
A new analysis of consumer data shows that more people in the United States are falling behind on their utility bills.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
President of a Unifor Local representing Canadian GM autoworkers, whose jobs are threatened by tariffs and EV policies, is drawing a line in the sand: "Nothing comes in and nothing goes out. If they try to remove even one single thing from the plant, we are ready to take over."
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Anyone looking to understand the restructuring of the North American auto industry should grapple with this long-but-useful piece by Sam Gindin: "Canadian Auto Isn’t in ‘Crisis’, It’s in Danger of Extinction"
Canadian Big 3 auto plant status between 2020 and 2025
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
I've been replaying this episode and find myself learning something new every time I turn it back on Strongly recommend this two-parter with @melindacooper.bsky.social
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
How come we’re not talking about how housing rental security deposits are a scam? I had a bit of an aha moment recently when I realized that as long as I’ll be a renter, I effectively never get my security deposit back: I just transfer it to the next landlord
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Work in the auto industry is often considered a high road manufacturing job. But UAW parts plants, like this one that makes car seats, often work grueling mandatory hours and in this case were being paid $14/h before UAW Local 1819 organized their contract campaign
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isaac @sevier.io · 22/10/2025
Feeling the doom spiral? We don't have to settle for this and UAWD is talking about class struggle as a means to rebuild our power over our lives: "So long as we wait for somebody else to stand up for us, things will only get worse. We have to come together and fight. Our self-respect demands it."
dailystruggle.org
A Class Struggle Vision: Why UAWD is Launching Daily Struggle - Daily Struggle
To face the threats to the American labor movement and build a better world, UAWD believes a vision based in internationalist class struggle is essential.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
UAW takes a victory lap, claiming their pressure and tariffs got Stellantis to commit $13 billion in product, bringing thousands of manufacturing jobs to the Midwest Meanwhile, 3,000 Canadian Stellantis workers at Brampton receive robocalls saying their work is moving to the US
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
After a summer of building, Unite All Workers for Democracy is releasing Daily Struggle It's a much needed project in a UAW where Locals, esp in manufacturing, are still stagnant & business unionist and the top leadership, which is creating some openings, is turning toward protectionism
Graphic from Unite All Workers for Democracy about its new release of a publication Daily Struggle. It says "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
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isaac @sevier.io · 05/09/2025
The plant makes batteries for EVs.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
Great news for organizing in the South. UAW announces majority union vote at Ford's joint venture battery plant in Kentucky. No doubt the Trump NLRB will try to undermine this win. uaw.org/uaw-statemen...
uaw.org
UAW Statement on Union Election at BlueOval SK - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America
“Tonight, BlueOval SK workers won a majority of votes in an NLRB election to unionize their plant in Glendale, Kentucky, securing a hard-fought victory. This is a major step forward for workers who st...
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Solidarity with Ford BlueOval electric vehicle battery workers who are voting in their union election today. They've been facing months of intense union busting by Ford, which is attempting to use the EV transition to divide workers kentuckylantern.com/2025/08/26/e...
kentuckylantern.com
Electric vehicle battery workers in Kentucky begin voting on whether to unionize • Kentucky Lantern
A nine-month campaign to unionize a massive electric vehicle battery plant in Hardin County will culminate in a vote by more than 1,400 hourly workers.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Ford recently announced a new platform for an "affordable" EV. It's important for at least 2 reasons: 1) Signals Ford's commitment to EVs despite Trump policy reversals & tariffs 2) Though untested, they are already bragging about "efficiency" aka workforce reduction www.freep.com/story/money/...
freep.com
Ford announces investment to bring affordable EVs to market, and talks about a new truck
Ford announced the creation of a new production process and platform to help it bring its next EV to market in 2027.
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Nina Lakhani @ninalakhani.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
By me: Con Edison, the monopoly utility in NYC, disconnected 88,000 homes from Jan to June - triple the 2024 shut offs & now wants to hike bills by 11%. Meanwhile >525 heat deaths in the city last year, and heat waves are getting worse. Energy poverty kills. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
theguardian.com
New York energy company ramps up disconnections as it seeks 11% price hike
Con Edison, city’s monopoly utility, cut off 88,000 households in first half of 2025 as climate crisis drives extreme temperatures
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
As Microsoft's market value hits a record $4 trillion today, the decoupling of their emissions and their 2030 net-zero pledge makes their priorities clear Too bad we're doing AI right now, I guess we'll deal with the climate thing next time
Plot of Microsoft's emissions increasing to 15MtCO2 per year in 2023 overlayed with their climate target emissions decreasing to 0 by 2030
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
1. This is something I've been saying for 25 years, but it's hard to get many people to listen. What counts is not the new energy sources you add, but the old ones you retire. Unfortunately it's politically easier to build renewables than to shutter fossil fuels.🧵 www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...
forbes.com
The Renewable Illusion: Why Fossil Fuels Keep Winning
Global renewables hit records in 2024, but fossil fuel use still rises. Here’s why solar’s surge isn’t enough—and what the latest energy data really shows.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Here's the president of Unifor, representing Canadian autoworkers, speaking out against Trump's tariffs. It's not a direct UAW call out, but it's easy enough to read between the lines This perspective is probably as far as unions today will go, but it still falls short www.freep.com/story/opinio...
freep.com
U.S. tariffs are hurting all auto workers. Canada isn't the enemy. | Opinion
Canada and America have an integrated auto supply chain. Punishing Canada with tariffs will hurt the U.S.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
What about what's happening makes this a transition? Just because increase in non-fossil energy is a precondition for a clean transition, doesn't mean that one is happening or will by default. Seems to me what we're seeing is global energy expansion, with wind/solar taking a big share right now
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 20/07/2025
**Contradictions intensify** Combined with a fossil captured state, the logic of competition prevents planning our way out of the climate mess
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Meanwhile, in the US, we're re-retooling major factories from combustion to EV and then back to combustion because of Biden-to-Trump policy whiplash, with the UAW cheering this along www.reuters.com/business/aut...
reuters.com
China vows to regulate 'irrational' competition in EV industry
China's cabinet on Wednesday pledged to regulate what it called "irrational" competition in the country's electric vehicle industry, vowing to strengthen cost investigation and price monitoring, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
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Toly Rinberg @tolyrinberg.bsky.social · 14/07/2025
Thinking about how Ursula Le Guin is the opposite of AI: Kids ask me, in all good faith, “When you have your message, how do you make up a story to fit it?” All I can answer is, “It doesn’t work that way! I’m not an answering machine — I don’t have a message for you! What I have for you is a story”
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