In the1920s, the corporations representing capital (money) mobilized for war of the extermination on all labor organizations in the United States, and they never stopped. They have just changed tactics and leaders overtime.
Today, the one who is leading this charge is back by the Koch brothers is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who recently signed the right to work legislation into law. This means workers in a union do not have to pay union dues, but still get the same union benefits as dues paying workers. How the hell does this work?
When they take away union funds it is like tying one hand behind your back, and then trying to fight a two-handed bully. The anti-union money people have never given up on breaking unions or breaking up the New Deal. The other tactic union busters use is the old divide and conquer—pitting working people against working people so they will tear down their neighbors, who are lucky enough to have union jobs—and this seems to be working.
Labor was warned about this tactic back when Walter Reuther, United Auto Workers president from 1946 and 1970, who told his union that they had to go after the non-union, low-wage workers and help fight for them to eliminate wage and lifestyle inequality between the two groups.
If unions do not make the wage fight for all, the Scott Walkers of this country/world will kick our collective asses. We must resist being divided and conquered. We must focus our energy and the conversation on $15 an hour minimum wage (counter all the lies against this wage hike), free education, universal healthcare, pensions, and pushing to be compensated for our Commons, like the citizens of Alaska.
Remember, the April 15 Fightfor$15 rally for increased wages, do all you can to support this, even if you just stop by a fast food place and support them by asking if they would like to make $15 an hour – this gets them thinking and believing they can earn a decent wage for their work.
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...
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