Red Hot Summer 2023!

Have you ever thought about improving your workplace, but you don’t know how to start? Are you wondering how workers can fight for reproductive justice, Palestinian liberation, and prison abolition? And are you looking for ways to support 350,000 Teamsters as they push for a fair contract? Join YDSA’s Red Hot Summer program to learn how you can build a better world through labor organizing! 

Hear from last year’s participants:

Willem Morris, salmon cannery worker: 

“Red Hot Summer gave me the confidence and skills I needed to help myself and help my co-workers. During the program, my co-workers and I wrote a petition in our factory to have Spanish and Tagalog translations of all English work announcements, and we won. I’ll never forget how it felt to have the power to change the problems affecting us.” 

Philip Paterson, RPI YDSA:

“YDSA’s Red Hot Summer was instrumental to my development as an organizer. It inspired me to lead a YDSA chapter at my university, and gave us the tools to organize Resident Assistants at RPI to win their vote for the first union ever on campus.”

Track 1 –  Raising Expectations and Raising Hell in Your Workplace

Join Track 1 if you…

  • Currently have a job, OR
  • Have a list of your coworkers’ contact information for the fall

Track 1 participants will…

  • Actively organize their workplaces through the training program!
  • Get 1:1 support from labor leaders in Starbucks, Amazon, higher education and retail.


Track 2 – Struggles in Solidarity


Join Track 2 if you…

  • Aren’t currently working, OR
  • Work in an already unionized workplace

Track 2 participants will…

  • Learn how to organize strong solidarity campaigns for workers organizing on their campus or in their community
  • Learn how labor can support struggles for Palestinian liberation, reproductive justice, and prison abolition.

Track 1 sessions will be Wednesday nights, and Track 2 sessions will be Sunday nights. The first session for all workers in the program will be the week of June 19th. We will announce the date and time soon—sign up for the program now to make sure you are notified!

More resources: 

YDSA is partnered with EWOC (the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee), a group of organizers who provide one-on-one support to workers. If you want an experienced labor organizer to help you unionize your workplace during and after Red Hot Summer, sign up for direct mentorship here

YDSA is also partnered with RFP (the Rank & File Project), an organization supporting and mentoring young radicals who want to fight for working class power and build a labor movement by taking union jobs in locally strategic industries. RFP is recruiting for their East Bay and New York City/New Jersey cohorts right now with a plan to expand to more regions. If you are interested in getting involved with RFP organizing or joining a cohort, you can learn more and apply to join their project here