Has labor forgotten the past or has it just been sleeping or both? For what is happening today had already happened in the years between 1919-1929. Overproduction in general, as a matter of fact, was one of the largest micro organizations whose poisons were set free by the economic crash of 1929. We prided ourselves on being the most productive nation on the planet. More and better goods were produced at greater speed and efficiency during the 1920s than at any time in our history.
This was a good thing only if the producers could sell what they made or grew, and during the ‘20s they could not. They could not sell enough at home, wages were low and falling because of the loss of union power and membership so workers could not afford to buy the very goods they were producing.
The triumph of the industrial Republicanism after the end of World War I had nearly killed the labor movement. But, after World War II, with the help of the New Deal and some new labor laws, labor fought back and had regained new power and good wages with benefits.
But the anti-unionists have never given up. They changed tactics, using such things as ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), buying state governments, and now American City Council Exchanges that aims to control the city governments, which will write anti-labor laws to break unions. As wages go down or cease to exist, people turn to credit and then public or private help and when that dries up some will turn to crime.
At this time, a new labor movement of some type is the Have Nots only chance to win higher wages of $15 to $18 an hour minimum wage, single payer healthcare, pensions and free education. Remember that this is all owed to the people of the world by the people who are profiting off our Commons and not paying rent for the use of these Commons, which are roads, bridges, air, water, oil, gas, protection of investment in other countries, the enforcement of laws, patent rights, and our courts.
The money and means to make the world a better place for all is there. We, proletarians, just need the will and the commitment to make it happen, and a strong labor could be the tipping point.
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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