If there is a choice for labor between a strike or an election—always go for the strike unless there is no one on the other side like the Koch brothers and private business who will oppose the union’s election. If it is about money or taxes and dues the unions will lose all elections for those things.
All strikes must be political and all types of workers with all types of jobs and even those without jobs must be welcome to join and this will work if the strike is not a single issue and there are lots of issues to pick from, like education, universal healthcare, pensions, $15 to $18 an hour minimum wage, Black Lives Matter, inequality in income, homeless, veterans, endless wars and opportunity to better our lives.
The strikes should be hit and run—hit the streets then run back to work before you can be replaced. Also, support at places where you don’t work and hope workers at these places reciprocate. Some of the best unions to support and study at this time are the nurses and teachers. They are well educated and very organized. They also are very good speakers and can use the media to their advantage.
Labor leaders need to study the Art of War and think about using guerilla war tactics in some cases. The fight for $15 to $18 an hour minimum wage is just starting because politicians have pacified people with the promise of $15 an hour, but the measures are being slow walked to $15 and people need it now, not in three or five years. Why is it the worker has to wait three to five years to get a decent wage that will be out of step with inflation by the time they earn it, but corporations don’t have to wait to get their profits?
Unions’ long game is to get all union contracts to expire on the same day nationwide. The United Auto Workers combines contracts ends on April 28, 2028. This could then result in a mass national strike starting on May Day beeginning that year. This could then put enormous pressure on employers, but also on lawmakers. It’s the muscle and sweat of the workers that keeps this country great, not the individual company or corporations. This May Day strike would be the time to change the workers’ world for the better by negotiating for a 32-hour week with the same pay, and the U.S. adopts a healthcare for all with no out of pocket costs. This would also help the employers as they would no longer have to provide healthcare. By striking, the UAW won same pay for new workers, all UAW contracts will end on the same date, a 25-percent pay increase, a cost of living adjustments, a guaranteed right to strike over potential plant closures, and also the right to vote to unionize through the card che
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