“My dear friend and comrade, Gene Bruskin, presented a beautiful poetic tribute to Jane McAlevey at her memorial on February 18th in NYC. Supporters and comrades there to celebrate and honor her included many Amazon workers. Jane’s teachings and training will live on with workers worldwide.”  Peter Olney

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Hey Jane

Good to talk with you again

I just wanted to say a few things

You were my friend

Comrade

Inspiration

Teacher

Sister

Sometime partner in crime

I remember visiting you in your tiny cabin in Marin

And meeting your beloved horse 

And hearing your story about how getting a horse as a little girl saved your spirit after your mom died

I want to thank that horse

One of my finest memories of you

Was when you decided to include the Justice@Smthfield campaign

In No Shortcuts

And indeed, I watched you work on this project

Taking NO shortcuts

As you documented, the successful 15-year Smithfield worker struggle for a union

You always liked winning.

You said-I am coming to DC to see you on this

Bring up Smithfield workers to meet with me

I blanched

That is not easy, Jane-they live 5 hours south

And they’re working, you know

I need to talk to the workers, you said

So, I made it happen

Then you said,

“Get me Every single relevant Document”

Really, all I asked?

15 years’ worth?

This is only one chapter

Yes, I mean every document, you insisted

Leaflets, planning documents, videos, legal documents-everything

And you read them all, including all the sealed court documents that I took when leaving UFCW

And you asked me question after question, detail after detail and sent me draft after draft

And you created the Justice@Smithfield chapter for No Shortcuts 

A beautiful combination of attention to both vision and detail

Which has been gobbled up by the many thousands of mostly young workers and organizers hungry for knowledge

I was proud to play a part

Of the power and scope and reach of the book

But most importantly

You brought the story back to life

The successful victory of 5,000 slaughterhouse workers in the South

When the national union ignored it

And it lives, in part, through your book

And Jane, it led so many people to me

People say “Hey, Are you the guy in Jane’s book?”

Can you talk about the lessons in that big campaign in the South?

So, the Smithfield victory matters more than ever.

Thanks Jane

And then of course

Our adventures with the Amazon Labor Union on Staten Island, the ALU

As soon as they won (again, you always like winning) I got your call- “Gene, get me in. I want to run the campaign with these workers.”

Again, I thought. No small feat

But they couldn’t resist you and in you came

And we conspired 

I loved strategizing with you

Blow by blow

Watching you operate

And operating with you

Sharing love and respect

It meant a lot to me

I loved learning from you

I loved that you trusted my judgment.

And let me reign you in from time to time

While being awed by the integrity of your vision

And the way you connected to the workers

Watching you deal directly and definitively but always with respect

Teaching, challenging, leading, backing leaders

And to this day they often talk about you at JFK8 on Staten Island

“Like Jane said…” they say

And they throw around words like: Natural leader, structure test, super majority actions

And by the way Jane,  the other day they told me that 40 ALU workers signed up for your latest Organizing for Power training

They know that you will be watching

And they say “she gave us her time, when she didn’t have much time left to give”

You left a permanent mark at ALU

Like you have with so many workers and organizers in so many places

Like the permanent mark you have left with me

Lastly, I remember when I visited you at your precious NYC apartment

As you counted down your final days

As you cooked me a pesto pasta lunch as we had a warm chat  

We talked about health, our families, strikes, and even did some prep for your  panel that afternoon with Sean Obrian

To the end, you were never one to miss an opportunity to teach

Hey, you asked, what should I say?

And so, we talked.

As I left, knowing your days were numbered, I missed you already

And I will always miss you

Never forget you

Cherish our friendship

And the lessons you taught.

And your love for the struggle and the people

Jane, you have moved on

But you will never be forgotten

Long live Jane McAlevey!

…

A video of the Jane celebration made by the Nation can be seen here