What better way to kick off the Buy Union, Buy American month of December than with a handy list of the best in union made clothing – starting with our friends in the Northeast. Proud members of UNITE HERE associated with the New England Joint Board (NEJB) make some of the finest clothing in facilities located throughout Massachusetts. These union members’ hard work and dedication to quality has earned them a first-class reputation for the great clothing that they make.

The next time you go shopping, check out these clothes below made by UNITE HERE members and consider buying union made. And stay tuned for future lists of additional Union clothing manufacturers. Or click  on the “Apparel” link here for a complete list of union-made clothing options.

When most people hear the phrase, “union made,” they assume, reasonably, that the product or service in question was actually made by union members.

Apparently, one company disagrees with that premise. ‘Union Made’ – a very upscale clothing store in San Francisco and Los Angeles is very aware that it is selling products that are mostly NOT union made. But it is stealing our good name and reputation anyway.

What’s better than a good beer?

A good UNION beer!

Each time you buy a union beer, you’re helping support good middle class American jobs. Thousands of union members of all over North America produce quality beer and do so while earning fair wages and good benefits.

By Michael Messina

I am a fan of baseball. I am also a Giants fan, and needless to say these past few weeks have been both torturous and blissful. And because I am posting this entry on a web site that was originally devoted to the city of Los Angeles, I’m asking you Dodgers fans to bear with me (The recent past for the Dodgers organization has been tumultuous to say the least, and I firmly believe next year will be better for them, but I digress). Without even looking for it, what I am now calling the Union World Series plopped right into my lap with the two great cities of San Francisco and Detroit going head-to-head for the whole ball of wax.

According to a recent survey, more Americans than ever will be getting in the Halloween spirit this year. Halloween has now become one of the fastest growing and most widely loved holidays in America. We here at Labor 411 love Halloween because it’s all about the candy- and so much of it is union made! You can get a complete list of union-made candy by clicking here.

Sometimes buying union candy can be confusing, mostly to do with what we call “bridge companies”, which can make some of their products both in the U.S. and out of the country. So if a company is listed in our directory but you’ve heard they make candy out of the country, just check the label. The label will say if the candy was made somewhere other than the U.S.

We dare you to try these creepy, squiggly, Halloween-tastic union recipes below. We have one for kids and one for adults made will all union products!

By Michael Messina

Lasting institutions have never been built on a whim. In this Internet age I have seen millions of less-than-inspirational ideas thrown up on that glowing screen and it’s often difficult to predict which ones will stick. Labor 411 is not one of those transient ideas. It is part of a greater movement, and it is held up by you, and by an affirmation of those leading the movement.

That’s where the Labor 411 Foundation comes in. We are proud to say that several major unions and leaders on the labor front are on board with Labor 411 and its buy-union message. They, like I, discovered an unmatched tool to help bolster the American middle class.

When I first starting tracking organized labor and all of its ideals, I found myself in unfamiliar territory.

Fall is here and I’m already nostalgic of Summer. I find myself daydreaming about going to the beach, camping, BBQing, eating ice cream, and tanning… and I’m sure I’m not the only one. So for this Union Test Kitchen, I thought we could bring one of the classic tastes of Summer from around the campfire into the Fall. We here at Labor 411 decided to take the classic S’more and turn it into a truffle that’s easy to make using all union-made ingredients! (No campfire required to make this tasty treat!)

By Michael Messina

The net worth of 400 people account for one-eighth of the entire U.S. economy.

When I read that statistic for the first time I had to read it again. That is an absolutely staggering number. My stomach muscles tightened and a sudden twinge in my neck signified that a part of me didn’t want to believe what I had just read. I knew the numbers were big, but when put into that perspective it became saddening. What it truly signified is an ever-looming loss of control.

By Michael Messina

Aminul Islam. It’s a name you probably don’t know. It’s one I didn’t until I read a piece in the New York Times on the life a labor leader from Bangladesh. Islam was a man a great integrity. Unfortunately, I say ‘was’ because the practice of organizing workers in that country is batted down with lethal enforcement. The story is a sad one of a free spirit wanting to lend a hand to his fellow worker so that all could live a better life in a country where Gap and Tommy Hilfiger clothes are made for $37 a month. I encourage you to read the whole story.

By Shelly Lurie

Everyone loves pizza. It warms our hearts, our bellies, and of course our ovens with its melty, gooey, delicious cheesiness.  The great thing about pizza is you can satisfy everyone in the family because there are so many different toppings to choose from!  Whether you enjoy a classic Plain Jane cheese pizza, a meat-lovers pizza, or a veggie covered pie, adding different toppings is so easy. I would like to argue that you can put almost anything on top of a pizza and it will taste good! And for those of us who may not be the most seasoned chefs, homemade pizza is easy and fun to make! I do suggest though that you grab a friend or two to help.

What’s even more special about this particular pizza recipe is… it can be made with ALL union-made ingredients! When you make this pizza, not only will you be satisfying your stomach, but also satisfying America’s hunger for good jobs! This is the first of a series of recipes we here at 411 will be trying that are made with almost entirely union-made products!