Labor Notes
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersDetroit, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Labor Notes does
Labor Notes, legally operated by the Labor Education and Research Project (a Michigan not-for-profit corporation), is a media and organizing project founded in 1979 that serves rank-and-file union activists, union locals, labor educators, and union staff in the United States. The organization publishes a print magazine eleven times per year with labor news and analysis written from a rank-and-file perspective, distributes bundle subscriptions (5-200 copies at $50-$2,000 per year) to union locals for use at membership meetings, and operates the Labor Notes Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Beyond media, Labor Notes runs the annual Labor Notes Conference, Troublemakers Schools (day-long educational training events for union activists), and the Troublemakers Awards, and sells union-made Troublemakers Union branded merchandise through an online store.
Labor Notes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Labor Notes
- Legal name
- Labor Education and Research Project
- Website
- https://labornotes.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Labor Notes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Labor Media and Journalism
- NAICS
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Labor, Worker Rights & Employment Policy Advocacy (BPAGAFAH)
Keywords
Where Labor Notes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Detroit
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Labor Notes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Magazine Subscriptions: Individual subscriptions at $30/year for 11 issues, supporting subscriptions at higher tiers, institutional subscriptions, and bundle subscriptions for unions/local chapters (5-200 copies monthly ranging from $50-$2000/year)
- Merchandise Store: T-shirts ($20-$35), hoodies ($65), knit caps, baseball caps, baby onesies, all union-made merchandise featuring Troublemakers Union branding
- Events and Conferences: Annual Labor Notes Conference registration, Troublemakers Schools educational day events, Troublemakers Awards
- Donations and Fundraising: Donations from supporters to fund operations as not-for-profit labor media organization
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Subscription - $30/year for 11 issues in U.S. |
| Subscription | Annual | Bundle Subscriptions - $50-$2000/year based on quantity |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | T-shirts - $20-$35 each |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hoodies - $65 each |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories - Various prices |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Labor Notes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Labor Notes is a nonprofit media and organizing project that publishes a monthly labor news and analysis magazine (11 print issues per year) written for rank-and-file union activists, sells bundle subscriptions for distribution by union locals, produces the Labor Notes Podcast, hosts an annual Labor Notes Conference, runs day-long Troublemakers Schools organizing training events, and sells union-made Troublemakers Union branded merchandise. The organization has been the voice of union activists seeking to put the movement back in the labor movement since 1979, funded by subscriptions, donations, merchandise sales, and event registrations.
Product overview
Labor Notes is a media and organizing project focused on labor movement journalism and education. The core offerings include a monthly magazine (11 issues per year) with labor news and analysis written for rank-and-file union activists, bundle subscriptions for distributing multiple copies to union locals, the Labor Notes Podcast distributed across major podcast platforms, and Troublemakers Schools which are day-long educational training events. The organization also sells Troublemakers Union branded merchandise including T-shirts, hoodies, caps, and accessories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Troublemakers Union: The Troublemakers Union brand encompasses merchandise including T-shirts, hoodies, knit caps, and baseball caps sold through the Labor Notes store
- Troublemakers Schools
- Labor Notes Podcast
Products and services
- Labor Notes Magazine A monthly print magazine (11 issues per year) offering news and analysis on labor struggles, organizing tactics, and union strategy written for a rank-and-file union audience; individual subscriptions available at $30/year in the U.S.
- Bundle Subscriptions Monthly bundles of 5 to 200 copies of Labor Notes magazine intended for distribution at union membership meetings and workplaces; priced from $50/year (5 copies) to $2,000/year (200 copies), available only for U.S. mailing addresses.
- Troublemakers Union Branded Merchandise Union-made apparel and accessories featuring the Troublemakers Union branding, including kids t-shirts ($20), regular t-shirts ($30), long-sleeve solidarity shirts ($35), zippered hoodies ($65) and knit/baby onesies, sold via the online store.
- Labor Notes Podcast Weekly labor news and interview podcast with new episodes every Friday, available on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
- Troublemakers Schools Day-long educational events providing hands-on organizing training and skills development for union activists and workers, organized regionally by Labor Notes.
Companies that use Labor Notes
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Labor Notes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Labor Notes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Workday MagazineminorSarah Lazare, Editor for Workday Magazine, contributed reporting on Minnesota unionists targeted in federal indictments. Original story appeared in Workday Magazine before republication on Labor Notes.
- Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC)coreLabor Notes publishes roundtable contributions from EWOC organizers as part of 'How Can Unions Defend Worker Power Under Trump 2.0?' series. EWOC is part of the organizing ecosystem Labor Notes supports and covers.
- In These TimesminorAlex Han, Executive Director of In These Times magazine and former union organizer, contributed to Labor Notes roundtable on labor strategy under Trump 2.0.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Labor Notes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- The Forge: Labor movement strategy and news outlet focused on organizing tactics and rank-and-file strategy. Comparable niche focus on practical organizing content and union reform.
- Jewish Currents: Independent progressive magazine covering labor, politics, and culture. Less of a direct labor focus but shares a niche mission-driven nonprofit magazine model with staff crossover (Diana Varenik came from Jewish Currents to Labor Notes).
- Labor Network for Sustainability: Labor-focused nonprofit addressing climate change and just transition for workers. Overlaps with Labor Notes' expanding climate/labor beat through recent hire Keith Brower Brown.
Others
- EPIC (Economic Policy Institute): Nonprofit think tank producing research and analysis on labor, wages, and economic policy. Serves overlapping policy-aware and labor-interested audiences but as research rather than journalism.
Direct peers
- Portside (Portside.org): Left/progressive news aggregation and original content organization serving the labor movement and progressive activists. Competes for similar email newsletter and content audience.
- Jacobin: Left-wing socialist magazine and media organization covering labor, politics, and culture. Competes for the same progressive/labor activist audience with similar mission-driven journalism and subscription model.
- Dissent Magazine: Left-leaning magazine covering politics, labor, and culture with a tradition of labor movement engagement. Comparable publishing model targeting similar intellectual and activist readers.
- Workday Magazine: Labor-focused online publication that partnered with Labor Notes on cross-coverage stories. Targets similar working-class and labor activist readership.
- In These Times: Independent labor and progressive magazine publishing news, analysis, and strategy for the labor movement since 1976. Direct peer in mission-driven labor journalism with overlapping content and editorial partnerships (Alex Han of In These Times contributed to Labor Notes roundtables).
Broad incumbents
- The Nation: Long-running progressive political magazine (founded 1865) covering labor and politics. Broader in scope than Labor Notes (covers politics, culture broadly) but shares the activist-left audience segment and labor beat.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Labor Notes social profiles
Digital presenceLabor Notes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Labor Notes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles21 records
Labor Notes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Labor Notes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Labor Notes
What does Labor Notes do?
Labor Notes is a nonprofit media and organizing project that publishes a monthly labor news and analysis magazine (11 print issues per year) written for rank-and-file union activists, sells bundle subscriptions for distribution by union locals, produces the Labor Notes Podcast, hosts an annual Labor Notes Conference, runs day-long Troublemakers Schools organizing training events, and sells union-made Troublemakers Union branded merchandise. The organization has been the voice of union activists seeking to put the movement back in the labor movement since 1979, funded by subscriptions, donations, merchandise sales, and event registrations.
Is Labor Notes a public or private company?
Labor Notes is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Labor Notes founded?
Labor Notes was founded in 1979. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Labor Notes based?
Labor Notes is headquartered in Detroit, United States, in the North America region.
How does Labor Notes make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Store, events and Conferences and donations and Fundraising.
Who are Labor Notes's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are The Forge, Jewish Currents and Labor Network for Sustainability. EPIC (Economic Policy Institute) is listed as an others. Direct peers are Portside (Portside.org), Jacobin, Dissent Magazine, Workday Magazine and In These Times. The Nation is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Labor Notes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Labor Notes.
What industry is Labor Notes in?
Labor Notes's product category is Labor Media and Journalism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAH, Labor, Worker Rights & Employment Policy Advocacy. Its NAICS code is 8139 and its SIC code is 2721.