Precarization, in its form and consequences, varies across workers, sectors and geographies. The five articles in this special issue examine ways that workers have struggled with and against precarious labor in different contexts, from low-wage retail and service workers in Canada and the USA, to manufacturing and construction workers in India and China. In particular, they show that the role of the state has been crucial in shaping the terrain of struggle at the workplace and in the wider community. They argue that against all odds protesting workers have repeatedly exercised some power to influence employer and government policies.

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This paper considers how low-income workers and urban residents can cooperate in their local communities through alliances among unions and community organizations. We focus on the case of the Connecticut Center for a New Economy, a labor-community partnership that includes the unions who represent employees at Yale University. We begin by drawing concepts from debates in political theory and labor movement practice, and then analyze recent union and community struggles in New Haven. Our analysis explores how groups may build capacity for collective voice and action, establish public spaces for social dialogue, and negotiate binding commitments around mutual concerns.