Strangling North Dakota with no mercy
The threat of a strike in this global economy doesn't hold the power it once did. Most companies can now just opt to board up one plant and move to sunnier climes, where there is a larger and cheaper labor pool.
Uniting the workers of the world is a good idea, the power they would wield would be larger than any one government.
That's why I work for the Government... I know exactly who's boot is on my neck. Don't have to wonder if it's a Union or the Company.
Yet these are the two unions at the forefront of "Change to Win" with its ostensible focus on new organizing!
Agreements to refrain from striking are nothing new. They are standard in most collective bargaining agreements in the U.S. But I've never heard of a union entering into a contractual agreement with an employer under which the union agrees not to organize! Setting aside the dubious wisdom of such an agreement, I have doubts about its legality. Thanks to Andy Stern, and to Graeme, for giving me a good idea for a law review article!
We saw the no-strike-clause undermined by the rank and file Longshoremen on May Day.The union "leaders" soon turn into bargaining bureaucrats and all their deal making has caused a global race to the bottom. When do they grow a pair and stand up? When do workers demand real democratic processes in their unions?
As for the class analysis, Im not sure how relevent a term "employing class" is. I think this needs to be discussed and a good starting point is a book called Between Labor and Capital by South End.The arguments made in 1979 have never been resolved but much of the Paracon analysis flows from this. IWW should not be afraid to engage it either.
Lew,
that's the idea of the IWW.
Eric,
I know Andy Stern loves to talk about his new recruits, but if they get deals like this, what's the point? He rightfully was sick of giving money to the Dems, but with a dem in the white house and a dem congress, they just might be able to pass the Employee choice act. Is that a good enough reason to jump aboard the "change" bandwagon, no not for me, but it seems to be a better option than signing deals like this. I thought UNITE HERE to be a fairly progressive union, but keeping deals hidden from union members is hardly progressive.
Troutsky,
I agree that defining the employing class in such broad terms can be troublesome. A small business owner employing a dozen people shouldn't be in the same category as wal-mart. This is something that needs to be worked out.
Fred,
I like your strategy.
It is a precarious time.
A gas station can get greedy, and possibly whole towns can burn.
It's a good time to organize opposition caucuses in unions. With the economy as it's, it doesn't automatically mean unionism will be militant. At the same time, it's not ruled out.
The bureaucrats are particularly offensive, to young workers. They play them off of old. As Marx said in the "Communist manifesto," "We speak for all the working class, not just some parts."
In addition the unions are in the middle of the immigrants rights movement. They shouldn't be played off against non-immigrants.
Gotta figure out some new paradigms!
Love, C.
I enjoy reading the Wall-Street Journal. Though certainly not the only one, it functions as perhaps the strongest capitalist mouth-piece. Reading it provides a good idea of where the socialist-left ought to levy criticism and correct misinformation.
I'm curious: Where do you find yourself on the left? Any particular strain of ideology or theory? I'm just curious because I realized we had never talked theory beyond a general disdain for capitalism and a common belief that the workers should control the means of production.
I subscribe to the WSJ.
I consider myself a left libertarian. I favor direct action, simply because I think in today's world it produces the best results, but I am not against political parties that are made up of the working class. I think the idea of "the state" needs to be abolished, but that a governing body, as decentralized and directly democratic as possible, is needed. Many people seem to view the government and the state as the same thing, but I think there are real differences. I found your Federal Socialism very interesting. As i'm sure you're well aware, many Revolutionary syndicalists, who I find myself agreeing with a lot, are Federalists.
this bottom link might help, i really believe that Marxists, social Anarchists, and other critics of capitalism and the state should focus on their similarities rather than their differences. this is one of the main reasons i support the IWW. We really have no blueprint for society other than ending the dictatorship of industry by the few. I view this as similar to the fight against monarchies.
http://www.graemesblog.com/2008/...ll-for-
new.html
Also, I guess you could say i'm sort of hesitate to claim one exact ideology and say I agree with it. I sport the red and black flag, with the red on top. I am opposed to the individualist sects of anarchism.
I was a liberal democratic when I started this blog, it is interesting, and embarrassing, to look back and watch my progression. I feel as if i've barely cracked into political theories and I thank people like Larry Gambone, Ren, you (Dave), Eric, as well as many others that visit this blog for helping me develop my political beliefs. I've learned so much since I started this blog.
"i really believe that Marxists, social Anarchists, and other critics of capitalism and the state should focus on their similarities rather than their differences. this is one of the main reasons i support the IWW. We really have no blueprint for society other than ending the dictatorship of industry by the few."
This is exactly the paradigm by which social change is made. Unity around common, but nonetheless key revolutionary positions.
In my opinion these are minimally, 1. the self-activity of the working population , and thus self-management at all levels. 2. the state replaced by direct democratic workers councils, neighborhood councils and revolutionary unions.
I don't find the idea of "the left" useful.
I only endorse my comrades, and support other trends.
To say you are on the left, puts you in the company of Stalinists and other class collaborators as the Democratic Party.
The Wall St. Journal's reporting is beginning to line up more with its op-ed policies, now that it belongs to that spawn of satan, Murdoch. The staff and journalists are anxious, angry and afraid.
Love, C.
Nice post Graeme. By the way, thanks for visiting the Two Rivers GMB blog and leaving a comment. I responded to your comment and left you an invitation to Argentina.
you should email me with more info che bob!
graemeanfinson1@hotmail.com
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