A resurgence in union organizing is taking hold across America, driven by a new generation of young, diverse workers employing time-tested tactics. Among their most powerful tools is "salting" - where organizers deliberately take jobs at specific workplaces with the goal of unionizing from within.
The strategy is seeing renewed prominence as union activity surges nationwide. Recent National Labor Relations Board data shows union petition filings jumped 27% in fiscal year 2024 compared to 2023, more than doubling since 2021.
"It's easier to organize people when you're in the trenches with them as a co-worker, building personal relationships and trust day-by-day on the shop floor," explains Eric Blanc, assistant professor at Rutgers University and workplace organizing trainer.
One of the most notable recent examples is Jaz Brisack, who helped spark the Starbucks unionization wave after taking a barista job in Buffalo in 2020. Within a year, their organizing efforts led to the birth of Starbucks Workers United, which now represents over 500 stores and 11,500 workers nationwide.
"With a team of 10 salts across Starbucks cafes in Buffalo, we were able to launch a campaign with enough support quickly enough that Starbucks wasn't able to prepare their union-busting efforts ahead of time," Brisack notes.
The tactic has deep historical roots in labor organizing. During the 1960s and 70s, activists involved in anti-war and civil rights movements frequently became workplace organizers. Today, groups like the Rank & File Project are recruiting young progressives to join strategic industries and organize from within.
While the undercover aspects may seem dramatic, organizers emphasize that successful salting is about building authentic relationships and having natural conversations about workplace issues. As one UPS worker-organizer explains, "You don't have to slam the socialism button. Usually someone will bring up an issue to me, and I try to connect the dots for them about collective action."
With union membership at just 6% in the private sector despite strong public support, salts are helping bridge the gap between workers' desire to organize and actually forming unions. But experts note that workers don't need to change jobs to organize - any workplace can become a union shop with dedicated organizing efforts.
As labor activism continues gaining momentum, salting remains a powerful strategy for building worker power from the ground up. The next chapter of the American labor movement may well be written by these undercover organizers working alongside their fellow employees to improve conditions for all.