Fucking no strike clause, what the FUCK
Liberals are fucking moronic scum, we have no freedom, we have no rights, we are granted no provisions for our betterment or even protection or basic decision making
I will destroy this evil land, I will spill the blood of oppressors and free my fellow workers from their chains
I AM RISEN
My union had this whole fight about the field workers not wanting to advocate for something only the office workers would benefit from (remote work). They threw a whole stink about it and ended up letting management take it away without a fight. Office workers are pissed and we’ve had a couple quit over it.
Like what the fuck is the point of collective bargaining if you only bargain for things everyone benefits from?
A WIN FOR YOU IS A WIN FOR ME. CLASS SOLIDARITY, MOTHERFUCKERS.
It’s part of why I have moved on from “more trade unions is the most important thing.” Yes unionization is important and more unions is better than the fewer unions in every way, but they can easily be a dead end. Between the horrible laws in the US that restrict union activity and the reactionary thinking of “fuck you what’s in it for me” that is standard to Americans, there’s only so much unions can do.
It’s why I think a revolutionary workers’ party is necessary that works closely with unions but isn’t beholden to them.
Part of the reason I went for this job is because of an episode of Revleft. I cant remember the episode and its been years now… but they spoke about a lot of trade unions being very right leaning, especially for being a union. In particular, the IBEW is especially bad. But, getting lefties into these groups and pushing then further left is possible and very impactful.
Amazon workers trying to strike in the town over? Well, good thing the utility workers have class solidarity. It’d be a shame for something to “happen” to Amazon’s power.
Man it’s amazing, I work with some super-right wing people- like borderline Q conspiracy nut jobs
But as long as I’m careful about with my phrasing, I can go almost full Marx on their ass and have them nod along. At least when it comes to labor issues.
AYYY found the episode
Climate Change as Class War: Building Socialism on a Warming Planet
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fskXlQ1Qrzf19gJlx2v0E?si=-69zj3n2Rg6k1-5Fa91AEQ
It goes back to the AFl. Gompers led a much more exclusionary union movement, and as time went on became more racist and anti-communist. However the reason a trade union federation was needed and is still a great development for that moment is because the Knights of Labor fell apart and fell apart hard. So a more organized “profession” union of trade workers with the specific purpose of collective bargaining directly with management proved effective in a time of serious reversals of labor power.
The problem is these things are not a substitute for socialism, and in fact create a stronger labor aristocracy. I can’t blame the craft unions for taking their shot and gaining those wins for themselves. It is a response that sadly makes sense even if you isolate yourselves. And as organized labor is crushed again, it is obvious that the same process is happening.
No yeah there are definitely unionized engineers, just wondering what the expectation was, cause a union advocating for non-union workers would be unusual but potentially cool
The old guard in a lot of unions is secretly against work from home because it makes it harder for reps to talk to workers.
Imo that’s terrible logic because it should be workers talking to workers with reps just there to fill the gaps, and because work from home is a reduction in working hours which is exactly what we should be fighting for.
Like what the fuck is the point of collective bargaining if you only bargain for things everyone benefits from?
I mean, the field guys have a point. They would also love to work from home, but they don’t have that option. So what is on the table for them in these negotiations?
A good union should be advocating for the entire unit, particularly when everyone is expected to stick their necks out at once. Talk about better hazard pay or overtime or sick leave as part of the negotiation package. It can’t just be field workers taking the hit in the name of “solidarity” when the office workers aren’t reciprocating.
A WIN FOR YOU IS A WIN FOR ME.
Make the implicit explicit and negotiation for benefits across the entire unit.
So what is on the table for them in these negotiations?
Literally everything you’d expect. Better pay, better retirement, more PTO, more vacation, more budget for safety equipment, etc.
We weren’t going out of our way to only cater to one group and forget about everything else. We just wanted to add one thing into the negotiation bundle.
Folks, I’m getting on my soapbox again. In America, unions are too hobbled by labor laws. Guess what isn’t really regulated in any way? Militias. Form a militia. Don’t go on strike, everybody just takes the day off for militia training which is done right out front, marching with rifles.
You know what gets regulated real fast when leftists exercise their second amendment (pfft) rights? Militias
Eventually, sure. Regulating them is probably good since about 99% of them are blatant white nationalists. I’m sure the pushback would be mostly against leftists or labor organizers, but the existing militias would take some damage too.
Law existing and law being applied are different things. There is no case the police would raid a white supremacist militia because they probably run it
Guess what isn’t really regulated in any way? Militias.
this is not true. at least in my state, forming a militia and marching with rifles outside your workplace is quite illegal and will get you v&d
It is unlawful for any body of men or women, other than the regularly organized militia of this State, troops of the United States, [and fuddy veterans orgs], to associate themselves together as a military company or organization, to drill or parade with arms in this State, except as hereinafter authorized; but, by and with the consent of the Governor, [private militias approved by the governor] and [military academies].
If you want to use your gun rights for spectacular purposes Black Panthers style, you have to actually know the law like they did. Please read your specific state’s laws before you do anything in this area, there are probably lots of pitfalls.
All 50 states prohibit private, unauthorized militias and military units from engaging in activities reserved for the state militia, including law enforcement activities.
Certainly, states with more restrictive gun laws will likely have more restrictive laws on militias. In my state there’s no restrictions. It’s probably also worth noting that “activities reserved for the state militia” would be well outside performing regular drills with your co-workers.
In Illinois performing regular drills with your coworkers is an activity reserved for state and other approved militias. In other states state-only activities are just making arrests and other cop shit. If you’ve checked the laws in your jurisdiction have at it, I just want to put a huge warning out to people that in many parts of the US militias are super illegal (for leftists at least) and you have to actually read the law to know what you’re dealing with.
Guess what isn’t really regulated in any way? Militias.
Do you know that for a fact? I’m not certain that that’s actually true. In fact I’m pretty sure all of them are (probably) illegal.
Very common in the US. You can still strike, but it’s restricted to after your contract expires. This makes the contract periods restricted to legalistic enforcement of said contract, recruiting, and training.
Some unions can avoid the no-strike provision, but they have top be strong: high engagement, large membership, good leverage, militant leadership. American unions are usually weak and driven by a collaborationist, bureaucratic leadership. It takes a lot of work to run a proper union and the larger unions have figured out that you get a higher return on investment by raking in dues and then going through the motions with little staff or effort. Many will not even accept shops that are 100% ready to unionize, all the organizing done, because they think it won’t bring in more dues than justifies staff time (really, they are working in a large overhead for the higher-ups).
On the positive side, you can always create a reform movement within your union. Get like-minded folks together, memorize your union bylaws, and begin strategizing about how you’re going to (1) take over union leadership and/or (2) use your own power and narrative-creating abilities to force leadership to do what you want. Make your own demands leading up to the next contract fight! Print your own flyers and signs. Talk to friendly media about what you want.
The good union, the IWW, had it’s members killed, arrested, and deported. The AFL-CIO was probably the compromise that capitalism was willing to allow.
That’s not really correct. The AFL-CIO had significant infighting and the side that won was allowed to exist because they then purged the communists shortly after WW2, and then got Taft-Hartley for their troubles. It was still a good tool and made up of thousands and thousands of communists in the CIO, and beyond them it was still dangerous enough for the government to weaken it substantially.
Also the police literally killed CIO members, look up the Memorial Day Massacre. Let’s not call those 10 martyrs “compromise that capitalism was willing to allow” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1H62KeDWZI
The union at my workplace has a policy where they won’t do any type of collective bargaining
It’s a bit of a long story but the existence of the union is 100% an op and controlled opposition made by the company itself at the advice of Bain consultants
This is more common than people realise. It’s called a “yellow union”. If you read about the AFL, and the later merge with the CIO, they’re pretty far down this path.
Well they’re fucking us over right now and we can’t do anything about it because of this clause, we have no recourse but to wait and the contract can technically go years without being renegotiated or reaffirmed
seems like the lack of a firm contract expiration is the bigger issue really. Either way its fucking bullshit
The one two punch of “rule 1 which is good and fair” and “rule 2 which combined with rule 1 destroys the fairness”
Then they can point to rule one and say look how fair we are! While obfuscating rule 2
“Homeless people don’t want to work!”
to get a job you need to have recent employment history, a car, a house, and stable life
“Fucking lazy homeless”
I hate this world we’ve been made to live in
It’s usually traded for no-lockout, closed shop and dues checkoff. If they don’t get those,then it’s an open shop where reps are spending all their time collecting dues and the employer can lay everyone off without just cause.
Sometime they negotiate contracts without it for the sake of a first contract, but it’s rare, and tends to reduce membership rates.
There’s a cool middle ground UE does sometimes where they get language about striking over grievances or safety issues.
IBT has another cool workaround where they can respect other unions’ picket lines.
