Jaz Brisack's Get on the Job and Organize offers a vital and inspiring narrative at the heart of America's burgeoning labor movement. Drawing on compelling accounts from the Starbucks and Tesla unionization efforts, Brisack, one of the exciting new faces in labor activism, presents a powerful argument: while toxic workplaces often spur organizing, it's equally crucial to organize when you genuinely love your job.

With an accessible voice and keen insight, Brisack contextualizes today's organizing efforts within America's rich history of labor movements. This book is more than just a historical overview; it's a practical guide for anyone looking to unionize their own workplace. Brisack covers essential ground, from educating oneself and colleagues to anticipating and combating backlash, and even redefining what "victory" looks like, particularly when a formal union win isn't immediately achieved. Get on the Job and Organize is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding and participating in the current wave of worker empowerment and collective action.

I picked this up on a whim, curious about its promise to inject some order into chaos. Brisack’s style is refreshingly direct, mixing practical advice with quirky humor. It’s not just a manual—it’s more like a pep talk for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by the daily grind. I found myself nodding along, ready to tackle my own cluttered life.

This is a great pick if you’re seeking some motivation to get your act together without feeling lectured at.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

The author does a great job of giving a history of the labor movement, a run-down of what is wrong today, and gives clear action items on what exactly we can do about it in our own workplaces.

"Get on the Job and Organize" is a call to action and a how-to guide, and it’s exactly the kind of fuel today’s labor movement needs. As a key organizer behind the Starbucks and Tesla union drives, Brisack delivers an engaging and deeply personal account of what it takes to build worker power in an era of corporate greed and union-busting theatrics. The central thesis—that you don’t have to hate your job to fight for it to be better—flips the script on tired stereotypes about who organizes and why. With war stories, historical context, and tactical advice (including the art of "salting"), she demystifies the process of workplace organizing, making it feel not just possible but urgently necessary. Her wit and candor cut through the jargon: this isn’t a dry academic treatise but a playbook for the fed-up and the hopeful. The chapter on overcoming fear and apathy alone is worth the price, offering concrete scripts for tough conversations with coworkers and bosses alike.

Bottom line: this is essential reading for anyone who’s ever thought, "Things don’t have to be this way."

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Really impressed with this book; it's a must have for any student or worker in understanding the New American labor movement. Greatly appreciated the focus on empowering workers and salting, a practice that must be revived.