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Labor/Workers movements thread

TownieDeac

words are futile devices
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Since I'm generally depressed about national politics, I'm gonna confine my thoughts to labor movements, organizing, work stoppages, etc. along with anything interesting I find regarding theories of work, automation, etc.

Here's a story about an Amazon VP resigning, calling the company "chickenshit" for firing workers who organized protests:

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/...any-chickenshit-for-firing-protesting-workers
 
JK

I'm with you man. National politics is sad because neither major candidate is going to do anything to fix the real problems face Americans. This country is fucked. May as well just focus on the little stories that makes us happy.
 
Have you been following the COLA protests out west, Townie? UAW sold the rank-and-file out with an awful contract so unionists in Santa Cruz entered into a two quarter long wildcat strike, which has now inspired the union to change course and support a COLA for all member campuses.
 
Have you been following the COLA protests out west, Townie? UAW sold the rank-and-file out with an awful contract so unionists in Santa Cruz entered into a two quarter long wildcat strike, which has now inspired the union to change course and support a COLA for all member campuses.

Have been a little, yeah, but it's not the part of the country where I get a lot of insider news.

The May 1 protests were a little underwhelming.

It's such a fascinating time to study labor movements. Labor can't afford to stay home but now would be the perfect time for work stoppages. I think you'd get sympathy from people who understand how scary it is to go to work.
 
That’s part of the challenge. How does labor organize large scale public protests around the fear of going back into public life?

There needs to be some effective counter to the AstroTurf “back to work” protest that are just white supremacist recruiting fronts.
 
The labor organizing part isn't the issue; it's getting media to cover that story instead of the astroturf "I want Red Lobster" protests.
 
I can only speak from the view of public school teachers, but I feel that our union efforts are very weak. The only way you get to the right wing hacks that control Raleigh is to disrupt cash flows and/or the daily lives of taxing paying parents. Obviously now is not the time, but in the future teacher strikes or marches should be scheduled for days in which it would do the most harm to state economy and/or parent's schedules. Teachers have far more influence than we realize. And I have no doubt that we will be the first group to lose promised pay raises/benefits/etc once the state returns to "business as normal".
 
grad union plz

I’m happy to connect you with some folks if you’re interested? I was part of a recruiting drive at a previous institution and know folks at the state-level and my local UAW. Also, I don’t know how you feel about IWW but I could put you in touch with them, too.
 
I can only speak from the view of public school teachers, but I feel that our union efforts are very weak. The only way you get to the right wing hacks that control Raleigh is to disrupt cash flows and/or the daily lives of taxing paying parents. Obviously now is not the time, but in the future teacher strikes or marches should be scheduled for days in which it would do the most harm to state economy and/or parent's schedules. Teachers have far more influence than we realize. And I have no doubt that we will be the first group to lose promised pay raises/benefits/etc once the state returns to "business as normal".

You should step up, man! If Arizona and West Virginia proved anything, then it’s that the movement just needs a future charismatic leaders to spark mass strikes and marches.
 
I’m happy to connect you with some folks if you’re interested? I was part of a recruiting drive at a previous institution and know folks at the state-level and my local UAW. Also, I don’t know how you feel about IWW but I could put you in touch with them, too.

nice. i'm already working on the grad campaign here tho. we're with the united steelworkers.
 
You should step up, man! If Arizona and West Virginia proved anything, then it’s that the movement just needs a future charismatic leaders to spark mass strikes and marches.

I've actually thought about doing something, but not within the framework of our current union set up. The NCAE just doesn't impress me. Maybe start a FB group or other social media platform with eventually evolves into more a movement. IDK.
 
There are so many realizations right now about the necessity of schools simply through a what the fuck do I do with my child when I need to go to work lens. There's no opening the economy without childcare through schools, camps, etc... Yet, I am sure that within X amount of time all of that will be forgotten and people will go back to teachers don't work enough, free summer vacation and so forth because we have a dumb society that's easily manipulated and distracted.
 
nice. i'm already working on the grad campaign here tho. we're with the united steelworkers.

Grad students always find the strangest unions to organize with: autoworkers, steelworkers, teamsters. Awesome, though! I'd love to follow y'all's progress if you can keep us posted on here every once and awhile.

I've actually thought about doing something, but not within the framework of our current union set up. The NCAE just doesn't impress me. Maybe start a FB group or other social media platform with eventually evolves into more a movement. IDK.

Definitely! There's no time like the present, Brasky, and fwiw you see like the kind of dude that colleagues would listen to and rally behind.
 

Good read; fits well for white collar and high margin businesses especially. It's a good alternative or supplement to UBI and problems automation will cause too, in the longer term, and there are lots of successful case studies for businesses to model after.

My company CEO sent a video via email saying anyone who doesn't want to or can't for child care reasons shouldn't have to return to any office we have in 2020. He said the exec team is considering (for a 2,000+ person company) plans for full remote work among options for continuity planning.
 
If a company has you work from home, you should get a raise commensurate with how much your not being in a facility of theirs saves the company. The more expensive the city, the bigger your raise should be.

However, as good a telecommuting sounds, I think long run it will harm creativity and innovation.
 
There are so many realizations right now about the necessity of schools simply through a what the fuck do I do with my child when I need to go to work lens. There's no opening the economy without childcare through schools, camps, etc... Yet, I am sure that within X amount of time all of that will be forgotten and people will go back to teachers don't work enough, free summer vacation and so forth because we have a dumb society that's easily manipulated and distracted.

Yep. DeSantis wants to be all "Let's get the economy going" but he closed schools for the rest of the year weeks ago.

You should step up, man! If Arizona and West Virginia proved anything, then it’s that the movement just needs a future charismatic leaders to spark mass strikes and marches.

Good point.

The labor organizing part isn't the issue; it's getting media to cover that story instead of the astroturf "I want Red Lobster" protests.

That's a big part of the challenge. And there also needs to be more focus on the "leaders" of the astroturf "protests" as well.
 
If a company has you work from home, you should get a raise commensurate with how much your not being in a facility of theirs saves the company. The more expensive the city, the bigger your raise should be.

Don't most companies lease their real estate? What is the real cost savings? Utilities and perks?
 
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