Does this mean we'll start seeing more (i.e. any) labor stories on the front page now?
by RequestedUsername on Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 10:50:04 AM PDT
When they are relevant to electoral politics.
There are other blogs that do an excellent job of covering labor rights.
It's a big internet.
by kos on Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 11:07:25 AM PDT
Labor rights are always relevant to elections. The Democrats used to carry elections with no problems because they could count on a strong union vote. Now that labor rights have been decimated by years of Republican rule, the Democrats don't have the guaranteed labor vote.
<read on please>
This list is straight out of Crashing the Gate -- decentralize, empower people at the local level, focus on growing the ranks of the labor movement, take a holistic approach to progressive politics, and fight 24/7/365. straight out of Crashing the Gate -- decentralize, empower people at the local level, focus on growing the ranks of the labor movement, take a holistic approach to progressive politics, and fight 24/7/365.
AFSCME's bottom-up revolution
by kos
Fri Aug 04, 2006 at 10:37:43 AM PDT
It is the responsibility of every American to focus on growing the ranks of the labor movement. The unions are weak because we don't support them. We don't do an excellent job of covering labor rights, because we don't think they are necessary in our lives.
We must change that perception. If my website was as well read as Kos, you can bet that I would embrace any enemy of my enemy. The Republicans hate unions. They hate them so much that they are willing to attack all of our civil rights to kill the unions. And they are succeeding without a protest from the Left. Only the unions are making a dying grasp to slow their deaths. The Progressives talk about growing the ranks of the labor movement, but don't take action. They don't speak up when the unions rights are under assault and ALL of our rights to join together are being taken away. Even if you don't want a union at your jobs, we need the viable option to form unions in America. Yes, unions aren't perfect. Neither is democracy. Should we abandon the right to vote just because America elected Bush?
Lets take a holistic approach to progressive politics and help our friends and neighbors. This requires our empowering them with the option to elect a union without undue harassment. It requires our trust in the majority to be fair to the minority. Granted that trust has been violated by those in the Bush administration, but it doesn't mean that the concept of Democracy is bad.
Labor is our version of the megachurches -- a captive audience that can be educated on the issues that matter most to them. The more union members we have, the stronger the Democratic Party will become. It's not coincidence that the decline of the Democratic Party tracks the decline of the labor movement.
How did Bush win? He converted to Fundamental Christianity. Democrats must embrace and support Labor rights to win their megachurch. Have the Republicans enacted legislation that empowers churches? Then the Democrats should enact legislation that empowers unions. And if they can't pass the bills, they should speak to the people about the issues that keep us from having a viable option to form new unions. And if the leaders don't then the voters should ask about these issues.
The inability to form new unions because of the obscene violations of the National Labor Relations Act harms American Industry. Ford, GM, and Chrysler all have strong unions that they can't get rid off. But those unions aren't strong enough to organize at Toyota, Nissan, and other foreign competitors that move in to avoid import duties and take advantage of the slack enforcement of our right to organize.
The abuse of labor rights harms small business. Big Box stores pay their employees poorly and let the taxpayers pay for health care. Small retailers don't have enough employees to take advantage of the lack of enforcement of the NLRA. How do you keep a dozen employees from associating to discuss their wages and benefits? You don't. You just go out of business because you can't compete with the big box store.
Ignoring Labor Rights because they aren't high in popularity is wrong. You have a powerful platform. You can change the dialogue in America to be about labor simply by putting the issue on your front page.
If the Democrats lose again, will you be able to say that you did enough to support them?
Kos, please please please start mentioning labor rights as an important electoral issue to all of us.
*
Even if Labor rights never makes it to the front page here are actions that we should all take to preserve our right to join together for mutual benefit:
Please support the bipartisan Employee Free Choice Act!
Protest Kentucky River decision at NLRB
PS: I concede that Labor Rights are not relevant to electoral races. What I wish to explore is if this is beneficial to Democrats or Republicans.
PPS: And yes, I also concede that I am obnoxious. No debate there.