The Hammer: Power, Inequality, and the Struggle for the Soul of Labor by Hamilton Nolan (review).

The Hammer: Power, Inequality, and the Struggle for the Soul of Labor explores the potential of the labor movement in the United States and the challenges it faces in responding to workers' growing desire for union representation. Through various vignettes, the book highlights the disconnect between rank-and-file workers seeking organization and the established labor leadership, particularly critiquing the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) for its lack of urgency and innovation. Nolan emphasizes the importance of national coordination in organizing efforts, showcasing successful examples like the Culinary Union in Las Vegas while contrasting them with isolated worker struggles. The book ultimately argues for a revitalization of labor efforts to address the existential crisis facing unions today. [Extracted from the article]