Union Perspectives

The Republicans never stop attacking the wage slaves. They now have a bill HR 1406, called The Working Families Flexibility Act. If the bill passes, it would eliminate the 40-hour work week. What a bunch of crap. The 40-hour work week has been the standard practice since 1938, and is a component of the Federal Labor Standards Act. The GOP and oligarchies are relentless in their fight with our unions and nonunion wage slaves. If it isn’t the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) laws, then it is the voting rights or minimum wage. They will not rest until we have lost all worker rights, healthcare, pensions and the right to have union representation and negotiations for a good working agreement with employers, private or government. To counter these attacks we must flex what power we have left, such as a threatened general strike and let the money people know we still have the power to shut down the country and regain our respect and keep what rights we have left. Our foes will just kee...

Are we, wage slaves, and retired former wage slaves ready for a general strike? If we are ready I think top of the list on the strike banner should be a minimum wage hike to at least $15 an hour then leave Social Security alone and next strong labor laws to protect wages and the right to have a union. Also to do away with the right to work state laws, which if you belong to a union and receive benefits then you should pay your share—no free rides. You know the GOP way: nothing free. If we get the minimum wage raised we will have a lot of people thankful and see just what the power of union people can do. If the lower wage workers have $5 per hour more to spend it will be better for every worker and they can purchase better transportation to get to work and will spend more; and, in turn, help the consumer economy, which is what we have. The more we buy the more someone has to make or supply, and around it goes; but with no spending power it just doesn’t work. The corporations go to und...

Labor councils, which is already well established, can be used to counter the GOP and anti-union corporations think tanks and other anti-worker organizations, such American Legislative Exchange Council, State Policy Network (SPN), Americans for Prosperity (their prosperity, not yours, and funded by the Koch brothers), MacIver Institutes and many others. They all are well-funded, but labor has its councils, which are well established, but we just need to expand and update our effort to counter our enemies. One thing that the GOP think tanks are doing is hiring media reporters and setting up a syndication service providing right-leaning wire service, which tends to sway public opinion. We, the labor councils, could very easily do this with very little expense. Every labor council should have their own think tank. In these think tanks there should be politicians, labor, business, academia and work on the messages for the media. It is the only way to tell our story and get support. I have ...

If the wage slave really knew what they are and will be up against in their working lives. I think all would join a union. But little do most wage slaves know is there was and still a concerted effort to blacken and distort labor history. Even today most all labor news of unrest is not published for public consumption, but there is a large labor movement across the world. As a past labor organizer I thought that the wage slaves had not quite slipped to the bottom rung of the economic ladder, but I think now they are on the last rung of the ladder and can feel the bottom. They can feel the bottom and are now starting to look up and some can see a little light at the top. These workers with no means have started to organize and fight, and they are taking on one of the largest wage pollution companies, like Walmart. But they are also taking on the fast food, car wash, oil changing companies in hopes of a good wage of $14 to $16 per hour. I also am noticing that middle management slaves...