Andy Stern, "Getting Back on Track" @ Lucky Lab NW

From Bill Nothstine over at P3, an event alert for this evening at the new Lucky Lab Beerhall, at 19th and NW Quimby: Service Employees International Union (SEIU) President Andy Stern will be promoting and discussing his new book, A Country That Works: Getting America Back on Track. Stern heads up the largest and fastest-growing union in North America, and has become somewhat of a progressive darling for his split from "establishment" labor and the AFL-CIO. Stern is a proponent and supporter of the distributed political strategy espoused by DNC Chair Howard Dean, and disdains the top-down, big-money model for union campaign organizing.

Stern's a pretty dynamic guy, with lots of good ideas and the followthrough to put them in action, so I can only guess that he'd be an engaging speaker with the ability to give audiences a lot to think about. And this is the first sponsored speaker's event by the national Drinking Liberally group, so it'd be great to support not only the national, but Portland's thriving chapter. If the turnout is good for Stern, you can bet that we'll get other speakers in the future. The new 'Lab is also pretty sweet, with its beer-keg lamps and all, so even going for the beer is a good plan for the evening.