NLRB rules that any union busting triggers automatic union recognition
Tonight (September 6) at 7pm, I'll be hosting Naomi Klein at the LA Public Library for the launch of Doppelganger.
On September 12 at 7pm, I'll be at Toronto's Another Story Bookshop with my new book The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation.
American support for unions is at its highest level in generations, from 70% (general population) to 88% (Millenials) – and yet, American unionization rates are pathetic.
That's about to change.
The National Labor Relations Board just handed down a landmark ruling – the Cemex case – that "brought worker rights back from the dead."
At issue in Cemex was what the NLRB should do about employers that violate labor law during union drives. For decades, even the most flagrantly illegal union-busting was met with a wrist-slap. For example, if a boss threatened or fired an employee for participating in a union drive, the NLRB would typically issue a small fine and order the employer to re-hire the worker and provide back-pay.
Everyone knows that "a fine is a price." The NLRB's toothless response to cheating presented an easily solved equation for corrupt, union-hating bosses: if the fine amounts to less than the total, lifetime costs of paying a fair wage and offering fair labor conditions, you should cheat – hell, it's practically a fiduciary duty:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/468061
Enter the Cemex ruling: once a majority of workers have signed a union card, any Unfair Labor Practice by their employer triggers immediate, automatic recognition of the union. In other words, the NLRB has fitted a tilt sensor in the American labor pinball machine, and if the boss tries to cheat, they automatically lose.
Cemex is a complete 180, a radical transformation of the American labor regulator from a figleaf that legitimized union busting to an actual enforcer, upholding the law that Congress passed, rather than the law that America's oligarchs wish Congress had passed. It represents a turning point in the system of lawless impunity for American plutocracy.
In the words of Frank Wilhoit, it is is a repudiation of the conservative dogma: "There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect":
It's also a stunning example of what regulatory competence looks like. The Biden administration is a decidedly mixed bag. On the one hand there are empty suits masquerading as technocrats, champions of the party's centrist wing (slogan: "Everything is fine and change is impossible"):
But the progressive, Sanders/Warren wing of the party installed some fantastically competent, hard-charging, principled fighters, who are chapter-and-verse on their regulatory authority and have the courage to use that authority:
They embody the old joke about the photocopier technician who charges "$1 to kick the photocopier and $79 to know where to kick it." The best Biden appointees have their boots firmly laced, and they're kicking that mother:
One such expert kicker is NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. Abruzzo has taken a series of muscular, bold moves to protect American workers, turning the tide in the class war that the 1% has waged on workers since the Reagan administration. For example, Abruzzo is working to turn worker misclassification – the fiction that an employee is a small business contracting with their boss, a staple of the "gig economy" – into an Unfair Labor Practice:
She's also waging war on robo-scab companies: app-based employment "platforms" like Instawork that are used to recruit workers to cross picket lines, under threat of being blocked from the app and blackballed by hundreds of local employers:
With Cemex, Abruzzo is restoring a century-old labor principle that has been gathering dust for generations: the idea that workers have the right to organize workplace gemocracies without fear of retaliation, harassment, or reprisals.
But as Harold Meyerson writes for The American Prospect, the Cemex ruling has its limits. Even if the NLRB forces and employer to recognize a union, they can't force the employer to bargain in good faith for a union contract. The National Labor Relations Act prohibits the Board from imposing a contract.
That's created a loophole that corrupt bosses have driven entire fleets of trucks through. Workers who attain union recognition face years-long struggles to win a contract, as their bosses walk away from negotiations or offer farcical "bargaining positions" in the expectation that they'll be rejected, prolonging the delay.
Democrats have been trying to fix this loophole since the LBJ years, but they've been repeatedly blocked in the senate. But Abruzzo is a consummate photocopier kicker, and she's taking aim. In Thrive Pet Healthcare, Abruzzo has argued that failing to bargain in good faith for a contract is itself an Unfair Labor Practice. That means the NLRB has the authority to act to correct it – they can't order a contract, but they can order the employer to give workers "wages, benefits, hours, and such that are comparable to those provided by comparable unionized companies in their field."
Mitch McConnell is a piece of shit, but he's no slouch at kicking photocopiers himself. For a whole year, McConnell has blocked senate confirmation hearings to fill a vacant seat on the NLRB. In the short term, this meant that the three Dems on the board were able to hand down these bold rulings without worrying about their GOP colleagues.
But McConnell was playing a long game. Board member Gwynne Wilcox's term is about to expire. If her seat remains vacant, the three remaining board members won't be able to form a quorum, and the NLRB won't be able to do anything.
As Meyerson writes, centrist Dems have refused to push McConnell on this, hoping for comity and not wanting to violate decorum. But Chuck Schumer has finally bestirred himself to fight this issue, and Alaska GOP senator Lisa Murkowski has already broken with her party to move Wilcox's confirmation to a floor vote.
The work of enforcers like DoJ Antitrust Division boss Jonathan Kanter, FTC chair Lina Khan, and SEC chair Gary Gensler is at the heart of Bidenomics: the muscular, fearless deployment of existing regulatory authority to make life better for everyday Americans.
But of course, "existing regulatory authority" isn't the last word. The judges filling stolen seats on the illegitimate Supreme Court had invented the "major questions doctrine" and have used it as a club to attack Biden's photocopier-kickers. There's real danger that Cemex – and other key actions – will get fast-tracked to SCOTUS so the dotards in robes can shatter our dreams for a better America.
Meyerson is cautiously optimistic here. At 40% (!), the Court's approval rating is at a low not seen since the New Deal showdowns. The Supremes don't have an army, they don't have cops, they just have legitimacy. If Americans refuse to acknowledge their decisions, all they can do it sit and stew:
The Court knows this. That's why they fume so publicly about attacks on their legitimacy. Without legitimacy, they're nothing. With the Supremes' support at 40% and union support at 70%, any judicial attack on Cemex could trigger term-limits, court-packing, and other doomsday scenarios that will haunt the relatively young judges for decades, as the seats they stole dwindle into irrelevance. Meyerson predicts that this will weigh on them, and may stay their hands.
Meyerson might be wrong, of course. No one ever lost money betting on the self-destructive hubris of Federalist Society judges. But even if he's wrong, his point is important. If the Supremes frustrate the democratic will of the American people, we have to smash the Supremes. Term limits, court-packing, whatever it takes:
And the more we talk about this – the more we make this consequence explicit – the more it will weigh on them, and the better the chance that they'll surprise us. That's already happening! The Supremes just crushed the Sackler opioid crime-family's dream of keeping their billions in blood-money:
But if it doesn't stop them? If they crush this dream, too? Pack the court. Impose term limits. Make it the issue. Don't apologize, don't shrug it off, don't succumb to learned helplessness. Make it our demand. Make it a litmus test: "If elected, will you vote to pack the court and clear the way for democratic legitimacy?"
Meanwhile, Cemex is already bearing fruit. After an NYC Trader Joe's violated the law to keep Trader Joe's United from organizing a store, the workers there have petitioned to have their union automatically recognized under the Cemex rule:
With the NLRB clearing the regulatory obstacles to union recognition, America's largest unions are awakening from their own long slumbers. For decades, unions have spent a desultory 3% of their budgets on organizing workers into new locals. But a leadership upset in the AFL-CIO has unions ready to catch a wave with the young workers and their 88% approval rating, with a massive planned organizing drive:
Meyerson calls on other large unions to follow suit, and the unions seem ready to do so, with new leaders and new militancy at the Teamsters and UAW, and with SEIU members at unionized Starbucks waiting for their first contracts.
Turning union-supporting workers into unionized workers is key to fighting Supreme Court sabotage. Organized labor will give fighters like Abruzzo the political cover she needs to Get Shit Done. A better America is possible. It's within our grasp. Though there is a long way to go, we are winning crucial victories all the time.
The centrist message that everything is fine and change is impossible is designed to demoralize you, to win the fight in your mind so they don't have to win it in the streets and in the jobsite. We don't have to give them that victory. It's ours for the taking.
If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
Someday I’m gonna need to actually write about this conservative tactic of demanding we basically turn off the part of our brain that interprets words and finds meaning when we talk to them. If they don’t specifically say some exact words, well you can’t respond to those words. You can’t assume JK Rowling is saying she’s a victim of a witch hunt by trans people because she never said those exact words in that exact order.
It’s a fascinating form of intellectual cowardice, where they want to essentially say something without ever being held responsible for saying that thing.
Darkness. It surrounds, and engulfs. It permeates. It can be felt on every level. Lost within a vast forest of questions. This is your time of introspection. Focus your energy inward. Find your inner light. While at times sound advice from others is welcomed, today, the answers you seek will best come from yourself.
The path of hardship and struggle that you walk upon will in time come to an end. When you finish, you will be stronger and wiser. Do not doubt yourself. The challenges you face will be difficult, but they are not beyond your ability.
Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.
Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.
If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.
The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes
These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.
Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.
Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.
Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.
Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.
Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.
The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases
If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.
New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.
Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.
Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.
Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.
Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.
Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week
The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.
Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.
Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.
Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.
Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.
Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.
Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.
Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.
Magical Times of Day
Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.
Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.
Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.
Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.
Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.
Resources:
You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst
Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck
Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]
Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]
I know no one follows this blog and I hardly write here but also:
You can charge sigils during planetary hours that align with your goals (for example, charging a wealth sigil during Jupiter hour). I learned this technique from Gordon White at Rune Soup.
Also, though this post doesn't mention it, eclipses are inauspicious times to do magical workings. Traditionally considered malefic events (sun & moon not doing what they're "supposed" to do), doing a new moon or full moon ritual on an eclipse isn't going to yield what you want it to. Astrologer Samuel Reynolds likens it to getting a charge by sticking a knife in an electrical socket.
🌱Lemongrass- Remove Or Get Through Obstacles In Life, Developing Psychic Powers, Protection
🌱Wormwood- Divination, Protection
🌱Angelica Root- Protection, Healing
🌱Star Anise- Spirit Aid, Protection, Divination, Psychic Development
Gather all your ingredients and find a place you won’t be bothered. Cleanse the area, place a protection, and proceed to add the items into a drawstring bag. (Some drawstring bags have holes large enough for certain herbs to fall out. If this happens just place the herbs in a small sealed bag for example a plastic food bag, tape it shut, and place it in the drawstring.) When you are done, hold the bag to your third eye and say:
With these herbs and crystals,
My intuition is woken from its slumber.
Connections to the other side grows stronger.
And hidden secrets start to unravel.
So mote it be.
Have your charm bag near you whenever you need an extra boost of intuition during spiritual practices, and place it under your pillow before falling asleep for dreamwork. To cleanse and recharge, I pass it through some smoke from my cedar incense every few months but use whatever cleansing herb/cleansing method you have available. Hold the bag to your third eye and repeat the chant to activate again.💜
How is everyone doing? Lately, I find myself getting lost in the demands of meeting career and life obligations, while also trying to pretend that everything is “business as usual” in the middle of a pandemic. We may not notice right away, but if we are not careful to respond to our body’s signals, everyday stress can easily turn into chronic stress. Little problems become big problems. Worry turns into anxiety. With so much chaos around us, it is even more important that we all take time to recognize when we need to take a step back and breath. To use a familiar flight analogy, we have to put on our own oxygen mask before assisting others. Helping yourself first is not selfish. It’s making sure that you are well and taken care of so that you can continue to do what you do. This week, I would like to encourage anyone reading this to take a break. Take some time for you. Check in with yourself. What do you need at this time to feel fully supported and safe?
The PBW Witch Shop is a curated selection of witchcraft and magic related zines, books, pin-back buttons, tarot cards and more.
We focus on traditional and folkloric witchcraft, animism, chaos magic, secular witchcraft, magical herbs and plants, queer witchcraft, tarot & Divination, witchcraft & magic in politics, history, culture, and social & racial justice, and aspects of non-Wiccan forms of witchcraft, magic, and paganism.
Pre-Covid the Portland Button Works primarily made custom pinback button. Selling zines and books was secondary and more of a hobby for me to share things I’d like to read. Right now our business is pivoting to focus on books and zines that people can read in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Some items are from well known witchcraft and occult publisher and some are titles from small publishers with interesting items I don’t see in other shops but I’m excited to elevate.
Not everyone has income to buy books right now, we totally understand that, but I would love it if you were able to reblog this post or share Portland Button Works and PBW Witch Shop with your friends.
If you have been looking for a book about something specific, or if you think something would be a good fit for our catalog, get in touch. We can order almost any book in print, even if it isn’t witchcraft or magic related.
With that being said, here are some categories of items we carry:
Some good books to get you started studying witchcraft:
Grovedaughter Witchery by Bree NicGarran
Making Magic by Briana Saussy
Magical Power for Beginners- How to Raise & Send Energy for Spells That Work by Deborah Lipp
Weave The Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff
Some creative books to help build your witch craft practice:
Spellcrafting- Strengthen the Power of your Craft by Creating and Casting Your Own Unique Spells by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
D.I.Y. Magic -a Strange & Whimsical Guide to Creativity by Anthony Alvarado
Psychic Witch- a Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, & Manifestation by Mat Auryn
Urban Magick by Diana Rajchel
Standing and Not Falling - a Sorcerous Primer in Thirteen Moons by Lee Morgan
Tarot Books
Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow
Tarot for Troubled Times by Shaheen Miro & Theresa Reed
Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea
Tarot Decks
Next World Tarot (regular and pocket sized)
Science Tarot
Rider-Waite-Coleman Smith Regular sized and Mini sized
Crow Tarot
Modern Witch Tarot
Cat Tarot
Check out the tarot and divination books in our catalog and also check out tarot and divination decks in our catalog here.
Condensed Chaos by Phil Hine
Advanced Magick for Beginners by Alan Chapman
Chaos Protocols by Gordon White
Hands on Chaos Magic by Andrieh Vitimus
Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter Carroll
Other books in the Chaos Magic section
Anthologies: Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers, and Magical Rebels, Bringing Race to the Table: Exploring Racism in the Pagan Community, Shades of Ritual: Minority Voices in Practice
Magical Resistance: Witchcraft Activism by David Salisbury, Magic for the Resistance by Michael Hughes, Revolutionary Witchcraft by Sarah Lyons
Witches and Feminist Perspectives: Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici, Witches, Midwives and Nurses by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English , Witches Sluts Feminists by Kristen J. Sollee
Pagan Anti-Capitalism: Pagan Anarchism True to the Earth: Pagain Political Thology by Kadmus, All That is Sacred is Profaned: A Pagan Guide to Marxism by Ryhd Wildermuth, A Pagan Anti-Capitalist Primer
Queer Witchcraft: Witchcraft and the Gay Counter Culture, Sapphomanteion a Lesbian Oracle, Queering the Tarot
Check out the Witchcraft Culture and History and Witchcraft Politics and Resistance sections of our website.
Green Witchcraft: The Green Witch by Arin Murray-Hiscock, Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck
Plants and Herbs: Under the Witching Tree by Corinne Boyer, Under the Bramble Arch by Corinne Boyer
The Poison Path: Veneficuim: Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path by Daniel Schulke, Pharmo/Gnonsis: Plant Teachers and the Poison Path by Dale Pendell , Plants of the Devil by Corinne Boyer
Witchy Crafts: Pestlework: a Book of Magical Powders and Oils by Bree NicGarran, Sew Witchy by Rachel Henderson, Sigil Witchery by Lara Tempest Zakroff
Other books in our Plants, Herbs, and Magical Crafts section
Books on Atheopaganism
Godless Paganism (anthology)
Atheopaganism by Mark Green
Other Pagan Perspectives
Jailbreaking the Goddess: A Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality by Lasara Firefix Allen
The Wakeful World: Anismism, Mind, and the Self in Nature by Emma Restall Orr
Circling the Star by Anthony Rella
All That Is Sacred is Profaned: A Pagan Guide to Marxism by Rhyd Wildermuth
All Other Pagan books
Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary
A Deed Without A Name: Unearthing the Legacy of Traditional Witchcraft by Lee Morgan
Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft by Keldon
Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards
Besom Stand and Sword A Guide to Traditional Witchcraft the Six-Fold Path the Hidden Landscape by Christopher Orapello & Tara Love Maguire
Southern Cunning: Folkloric Witchcraft in the American South by Aaron Oberon
Folk Witchcraft by
The Flame in the Cauldron by Orion Foxwood
Craft of the Untamed by Roger Horne
Check out the rest of the books in our Traditional & Folkloric Witchcraft Section
What are zines? Small independently made magazine and pamphlets filled with stories and unique ideas that you won’t find from major publishers!
Some topics you will find in zines we carry are Secular Witchcraft, the fantastic Fiddler’s Green Pamphlets and lots of zine on the places where Politics, Paganism, and Witchcraft intersect.
Check out all of our witchy zines here.
Other Stuff
witchy buttons
magnets and hand mirrors
We carry more than just witchy books.
Here are some of the other titles we carry:
You Were Born For This: Astrology for Radical Self-Acceptance by Chani Nicholas
When Language Runs Dry: An Anthology for People with Chronic Pain and their Allies
What is Gender Nihilism?
Be Gay Do Crime by The Mary Nardini Gang
Radical Brewing by Randy Mosher
You Black Friend by Ben Passmore
Learning Good Consent an Anthology edited by Cindy Crabb
How To Talk To Your Cat about Gun Safety and Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism and Other Dangers that Threaten Their Nine Lives
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Honoring your Ancestors by Mallorie Vaudoise
Do-it-Your Self Guide to Fighting the Big Motherfucking Sad by Adam Gnade
Yes, I’m Flagging: Queer Flagging 101 by Archie Bongiovanni
Full online catalog of books, zines, buttons and more can be found at PortlandButtonWorks.com and the PBW Witch Shop can be found here.
All items are shipped from Portland, Oregon in plain packaging or United States Postal Service Flat Rate envelopes or boxes with the return address as Portland Button Works. We ship daily and most order come with small fun gifts of buttons or magnets.
Thank you so much for supporting your local witch!
Pharmako/Dynamis: Stimulating Plants, Potions, and Herbcraft by Dale Pendell
Enchantments by Mya Spalter
Slingshot 2021 Organizer in Small pocket sized and larger spiral bound
Notes: I know a lot of the Troy Books are currently out of stock because I can’t currently get them from the big book distributor. However! I’ve set up an account directly with their US distributor and should have them back in my next round of orders. I’m also out of a lot of the Three Hands Press books for the same reason and inquiring directly with them about how to remedy this.
Super stoked to FINALLY have the Modern Witch Tarot back in stock.
Weird Walk Zine #2, Weird Walk #3, & Magic Circle Zine
Modern Witch Tarot Journal by Lisa Sterle (companion journal to the Modern Witch Tarot)
Knot Magic by Sarah Bartlett (I very much disagree with the “Witch’s Oath” found at the beginning of this book but I did enjoy this book as a discussion of uses of knot magic)
Here’s a lovely spread for all of you out there who are new to tarot, recently received a new deck, struggle with bonding with your deck(s) and/or are having issues getting clear or understanding readings. Sometimes decks have personalities to them, they have their own likes, dislikes, alignments and even preferred ‘work’ to go into. They also often require bonding to get the most accurate smooth readings. I have explained before the differences in my decks and what they like to answer, and I know of others who struggle bonding or understanding who their decks are. This spread should be of help!
1. How is your deck feeling today? Are they in a good mood ready to work? Or are they just having an off bad day? I have found decks, like people, can have moody bad days. These days their readings may be harsher than usual or even not even slightly logical. Its good to see what mood your deck is in before using it for readings, especially readings for others (and especially if they are paying for them). This may also affect the questions they will wish to answer.
2. What element does your deck align with? All decks are different and some may align themselves with specific elements. Is your deck fire, water, earth, air, spirit or a combination of them? This may affect the manner which they read. Air decks may be more interested in giving creative advice and focus on individuality, free-spirited natures, the arts, and even love. Water decks tend to focus on emotions and seeking gentle fixes. Fire decks tend to be the most assertive, they are competitive, encouraging, brave, passionate but also tend to support the idea of feuds. Fire decks, also from my experience, tend to be very blunt about things. Earth aligned decks tend to be a bit calmer, they focus on bonds with people such as family and friendships. They also focus on careers, prosperity and money matters. Spirit decks, tend to like to do more of the ‘divine’. They focus on self-enlightenment, self discovery and communicating with supernatural forces, guides, and deities.
3. What Questions does your deck enjoy answering? Does your deck enjoy answering questions about love? Friends and family? Do they enjoy giving personal advice? Do they like money matters and career focuses. This could determine what questions they may be the most accurate and ones they will give the best advice on.
4. What Questions does your deck least like to answer? These are the questions they may not have the most accurate advice on. Such as my Rider deck greatly dislikes romance questions so I never use him for them because he will always just advice break-ups no matter the situation.
5. What is your deck’s current feelings towards you? Does your deck feel close to you? Is it a strong professional business bond? Or is it more like a friendship? Do they feel distant from you? Like you ignore them? Do they not understand you or feel like you are a stranger? Do you intimidate them?
6. How can you improve your relationship? How does your deck feel like you two can do to help build your relationship? Practice more or perhaps make spreads.
7. A Negative trait. Pretty self explanatory, this is a negative quality about your deck that it feels you have a right to know about. Take note that this is a negative trait in the mind and views of your deck, its something it feels is negative.
8. A Positive trait. Again, pretty self explanatory, this is a trait that your deck feels is a positive trait it has. Again, this is a trait seen as positive in its mind.
A tarot card spread of my own creation, this I use in my professional readings at holistic fairs, expos, and shows. Deeper meanings from the spread can be extracted by comparing parallel cards diagonally, horizontally, and vertically. You can also read across rows, even…
Tarot spread for when you’re feeling frustrated and blocked. When there’s something wrong but you can’t quite figure what that is.
The cork, what’s keeping card five trapped.
What you need to keep an eye out for, the negative repercussions that this reveal will give you
The positives that will come from this being let into the light
What you should do to work on the negatives of card two, how to move further through them.
The central issue, the thing that needs to be let out into the light
How the positives found in card three will inform and shape and improve your life.
This spread actually helps me a lot with shadow work - if I keep running up against an emotion I can’t figure out the reason for, I work on this, but it also helps when I’m feeling stifled.
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