Why don’t we, labor wage slaves, have organizations, other than labor unions, fighting for our workers? The right wing has not only anti-labor think tanks, but also many undercover organizations, such as American Legislative Exchange Council; the right wing group the Lincoln Club of Orange County, California; Manufacturers Association; and the local, national and international Chamber of Commerce.
These are just a few of the organizations that have come out from under their rocks and are getting laws or propositions on the ballot before we wage slaves even know what’s happened. This always puts us on the defense, which we must stop in order to counter their actions. They have the money, but we have the people. Whether or not they lose they will have depleted our treasury and worn our people out.
What we need to do is take the fight to them, which will remove what they are doing to us. We could do this by using our labor councils and spin off organizations to work on propositions and laws to benefit us, the working people, such as raising the minimum wage to a living wage of $14-$15 an hour in cities and counties; and card check. This can be done and then the oligarchies would have to start spending their money and resources. They just have money. We have some money but a lot of people. We could turn the fight upside down now that we have won the election and have the momentum.
Unions are in a crisis. Union organizers are being stretch to the breaking point. We have a lot of retirees, most with little to do, and they are a resource being wasted. They should be recruited to work with union members, teaching them the ropes and union and American history. By using the retirees, they are kept involved; their union bonds are reinforced; and they are reminded of where they came from. By ignoring them we are leaving them to fall under the spell of Fox News and anti-union labor factions and then they vote against their best interests.
I hope that I am wrong, but what I see at this time is our unions are going to be in the fight of their existence. This is the most perilous time of our life. The life we had is threatened like never before. Unions are the largest organized group of people who can save our country if things keep going the way they are heading at this time. We need to all stand together for power, but we each must prepare and plan to take care of ourselves and our families. We can fight the big fight and not be distracted by worry about things that can and should already be taken care of. For instance, stashing at least one month’s pay and at least a month or even a year’s worth of food, whether the food is staples (pasta, rice, canned goods) and meat or chicken in the freezer. Keep your vehicles' tanks full and if possible a gas can full. It’s in your best interest to also save money for house or rent payments plus extra. This is not new thinking for us old trade workers who had to prepare when...
Comments
Post a Comment