We have to revitalize our Unions.

[dotymed]

Didn't President Obama promise us (as a candidate) that he was going to pass a law that would make it much easier for Americans to Unionize? That is one of the few hopes left to a citizenry who has watched as our jobs are outsourced, our wages have actually declined in the last thirty years, we (even with Degrees) are forced to either accept low paying jobs with no benefits or starve. We sit by and watch the "Ruling Class" get paid bonuses and salaries that are 400-500 times more than the average worker is paid. In the 1950's these same management positions were paid 4 or 5 times that of the Average worker. Let us Unionize and collectively bargain. Our legislators can help us by raising the tax rate on the wealthiest Americans to the level that it was when the other 95% of Americans made decent wages and could support their families while owning a home. The distribution of wealth in America is concentrated in the hands of a few, more than ANY "civilized" nation on earth. This redistribution of the wealth has already taken place. In the last 30 years, our nations wealth has been flowing up wards at a rate not seen since the mid 1920's. This never bothered the teahadists. It is time for a "Second Bill of Rights", to be passed. One that benefits the 95% of Americans who deserve to earn a living wage, health care, home ownership and college futures for our children. We had this, before we let the politicians and banksters DEregulate our market and pass their tax burdens onto the working class, we are not working and while we did get tax breaks, the wealthy are not paying what has historically been their share. Now, most corporations do NOT pay taxes. They give billion$ to their CEO's as bonuses and outsource what were once good paying, reliable jobs for the other 95% of Americans. The current professionals whose salaries exceed $100,000.00 do not realize, yet, the ramifications of this. They stood by with the "I've got mine attitude" while the middle class was decimated. Now those careers like pharmacists and finance are being outsourced to low paying countries. Soon we will see a mass exodus of these professions and "they" will be just like "us." It may be too late at that point,soon to come, but if all we 95%'ers stand together we can take to the streets if necessary to demand our rights. The teahadists (who belong to the 95%) may never "get it" or they may realize how they have been used by the wealthy as a distraction, while they lined their pockets with our money. Either way, we must make a stand. The pro-Unionization bill would help but without REregulation, it won't help the other 95% much. We hear the teahadists railing against "wealth re-distribution. They have no idea that yes, the wealth has already been redistributed to the now wealthier, and they didn't make a peep.

[ensho]

1. agree

nt

[Brickbat]

2. I have to say the current lack of leadership on EFCA has been my personal disappointed sparkle pony.

[zipplewrath]

3. I suspect it may be more of a case of evolving, that revitalizing.

The basic union model hasn't changed in the better part of 50 years or more. Much of what unions were formed to protect is now a matter of law (overtime pay, EEoC, OSHA, etc.). There is a good case to be made that unions may want to move in the direction of becoming more of a collective advisory function, across companies, within a particular industry.



Oh, and by the by, ya might wanna exercise some formatting. A bit more like this makes it readable.

Didn't President Obama promise us (as a candidate) that he was going to pass a law that would make it much easier for Americans to Unionize? That is one of the few hopes left to a citizenry who has watched as our jobs are outsourced, our wages have actually declined in the last thirty years, we (even with Degrees) are forced to either accept low paying jobs with no benefits or starve. We sit by and watch the "Ruling Class" get paid bonuses and salaries that are 400-500 times more than the average worker is paid. In the 1950's these same management positions were paid 4 or 5 times that of the Average worker. Let us Unionize and collectively bargain.

Our legislators can help us by raising the tax rate on the wealthiest Americans to the level that it was when the other 95% of Americans made decent wages and could support their families while owning a home. The distribution of wealth in America is concentrated in the hands of a few, more than ANY "civilized" nation on earth. This redistribution of the wealth has already taken place. In the last 30 years, our nations wealth has been flowing up wards at a rate not seen since the mid 1920's. This never bothered the teahadists.

It is time for a "Second Bill of Rights", to be passed. One that benefits the 95% of Americans who deserve to earn a living wage, health care, home ownership and college futures for our children. We had this, before we let the politicians and banksters DEregulate our market and pass their tax burdens onto the working class, we are not working and while we did get tax breaks, the wealthy are not paying what has historically been their share. Now, most corporations do NOT pay taxes. They give billion$ to their CEO's as bonuses and outsource what were once good paying, reliable jobs for the other 95% of Americans. The current professionals whose salaries exceed $100,000.00 do not realize, yet, the ramifications of this. They stood by with the "I've got mine attitude" while the middle class was decimated. Now those careers like pharmacists and finance are being outsourced to low paying countries. Soon we will see a mass exodus of these professions and "they" will be just like "us."

It may be too late at that point,soon to come, but if all we 95%'ers stand together we can take to the streets if necessary to demand our rights. The teahadists (who belong to the 95%) may never "get it" or they may realize how they have been used by the wealthy as a distraction, while they lined their pockets with our money. Either way, we must make a stand. The pro-Unionization bill would help but without REregulation, it won't help the other 95% much. We hear the teahadists railing against "wealth re-distribution. They have no idea that yes, the wealth has already been redistributed to the now wealthier, and they didn't make a peep.

[Doctor_J]

4. With the current fascist courts, it is not going to happen

sorry.

[RM33]

5. Good point but it does not go far enough.

That fact that the US is not unionized is a major problem.

But evern worse, American union are balkanized. What good are unions in the US when they are shattered in a million pieces.

In Sweden, over 90% of the workforce is unionzed and in Sweden there are only 2 or 3 unions. ( BTW, I am researching this at the moment. But am very sure that its either 2 or 3 unions in Sweden.)

In the economic book called "False Choices" by Robert Kuttner, the author mentions that a strong unionized workforce is key to making liberlism work.

[amborin]

6. Obama lent very weak support to EFCA, which is now effectively gutted

Obama owes his prez victory to organized labor, yet he has dissed labor in so many ways, not least with HCR "reform"