Few books document a living history in real-time. This book is one of
them. With gripping, on-the-ground reporting it shows how a rag-tag
group of workers, who had never organized anything political in their
lives before, decided to take on the largest company in the world.
At the head of the group is young, handsome black man, Chris Smalls.
Smalls is not a typical union leader. He has no formal political or
organizing experience. He had a decent-paying job at Amazon which he
knew would be placed at risk by attempting to organize a union. Amazon
has labeled Smalls as a thug and claims that the union effort is being
led by outside trouble makers. But using unconventional tactics like
camping for months outside the facility and talking to workers as they
arrive at and leave work, Small and his team are close to succeeding
where big unions have failed. Today the company stands on the brink of
recognizing its first union.
The title of Making Good Trouble on Staten Island references a quote
by the storied congressional representative John Lewis: "Get in good
trouble, necessary trouble, and redeem the soul of America."' The
workers at the Amazon facility on Staten Island are heading Rep John
Lewis's call. If they succeed, history will well and truly have been
made.
