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Edited on Wed Aug-24-11 08:45 AM by Tipring
Unions have lost, lost and lost some more since I joined CWA as a field telephone cable repairman in 1973. It saddens me to know what people of my grandfather's and great grandfather's generation went through so we could have the right to organize and bargain, to see where we are now and appear to be going. From the Pinkerton goons that beat and killed workers to the the other violent abuses throughout the 1920's and 1930' That we as labor answered, often in spades. We have come to the point now where those rights are slipping through our fingers. Is the answer more violence again like the old days? Is the answer violence against property as Jimmy Hoffa was rumored to participate in using a few gallons of gas?
Seems to me that we lost it when Meany (AFL-CIO) crawled in bed with Reagan and did not shut down the country by demanding all member unions strike nation wide over the air traffic controllers. That is when it became respectable for business to crush the working man.
Me, I do not know, but I know this: The Republicans objective is to destroy labor and they are having remarkable success. The Democratic Party I often wonder why their behavior involving labor Issues seem so nonchalant. I feel my Democrats do not really take us seriously because they seem to use us and our people around election time, then make lots of chin music about our objectives but our legislative agenda is never important enough to be on the front burner. With Clinton it became gays in the military but never was the permeant replacement bill given the presidential and leadership push we hoped for. Forget Bush, a dark time, that was 8 years of the Department of Labor becoming the Dept. of Anti-Labor or maybe Business. Along comes Obama, as with Clinton, we go to the mat for him. The Card Check bill must be laying in the same dusty file as the replacement bill. More of the same disrespect we have become accustomed to....damnit.
What is it gonna take???
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