When the Revolution Comes: A Fight for the Future of the Working Class

From one of the most influential figures to emerge from the modern American labor movement comes the remarkable story of the fight to establish the first Amazon union in the United States—and a powerful call to action on behalf of working people.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, warehouse worker Chris Smalls and his colleagues continued reporting to work while much of the world shut down. Already frustrated by Amazon’s working conditions, Smalls reached a breaking point when coworkers began falling ill and company leaders failed to provide transparency or adequate safety measures. Alongside fellow employee Derrick Palmer, he organized a walkout that ultimately cost him his job. What began as a demand for workplace safety evolved into a broader movement for dignity, fairness, and economic security, inspiring labor organizing efforts at companies including Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, and Apple.

When the Revolution Comes is the riveting inside story of how a young Black man from Hackensack, New Jersey, with limited resources, led a determined group of Staten Island warehouse workers in an unlikely battle against Amazon, one of the nation’s largest private employers—and won. This modern-day David-and-Goliath story traces Smalls’ journey from a challenging childhood and years of financial uncertainty as a father of three to becoming a leading voice in a new generation of labor activism.

Part memoir, part labor history, and part call to action, When the Revolution Comes offers a revealing look at working-class life in America and an inspiring testament to what can be achieved when ordinary people unite to demand change.