Wake Up! We All Need a Labor Union

[Better Believe It]

December 10, 2008

Workers of America: Wake Up!
We All Need a Union
By DAVE LINDORFF

We workers of America, white collar, pink collar, blue collar, and no collar at all, have just gotten a wonderful example of the power of having a union. It’s an example that should have every unorganized employee in America looking for a union organizer.

Look what happened to the workers at Chicago-based Republic Windows and Doors. The company was losing business, and according to some of its employees, had been in recent weeks secretly moving some heavy equipment out of the plant, possibly in preparation for relocation to some lower-wage location. Then its bank, Bank of America, one of the nation’s largest financial institutions, and a recent recipient of $25 billion in federal bailout funds from the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank, informed the company that it would not supply credit for the firm to meet payroll. The workers were told by management that the plant would be shut down in three days.

At many companies across America, such news would be met by groans and tears, but by little else. What can an employee do when the boss says the company is closing its doors? Well, Republic’s workers, members of the United Electrical Workers union, didn’t take the news lying down. They took it sitting down…on the factory floor.

Then this afternoon, Bank of America folded, announcing that in the face of all the protests and the bad publicity, which focused much on the fact that the bank that was refusing to lend to a troubled American manufacturing firm had just received $25 billion from taxpayers that was intended to “unfreeze” credit at the banks, it would after all extend credit to Republic Windows and Doors.

This is a happy ending story for the workers at Republic, who will at least get paychecks through the holidays, even if the future of their company remains iffy. But more importantly, it is a powerful message to America’s workers: united we can win. Divided and unorganized, we are going to be trampled.

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.counterpunch.org/lindorff12102008.html

[Catshrink]

1. Isn't that what the $25bln was for?

And didn't BofA buy some company in Spain with some of their taxpayer sponsored windfall? It may have been another bank but damn. Buying foreign assets wasn't the intent.

Hooray for the workers at Republic Windows & Doors! They may be just the tip of the iceberg.

[Festivito]

2. Indeed, who, in fact, does not need a labor union?

And a whole life union for that matter.

We have corporations pay for our representatives, reps in name only, when they run for office. Then they get re-elected by thanking the donors and finding more donors willing to be thanked during their time in power or their next time in power.

So, we need a union, at least some entity to pay our politicians to represent us, the people, to lobby our representatives for us.

We could pay for our own elections, but I won't hold my breath on that.

[electricD]

3. Until

Until every working person in this country gets their head out of their asses and stands up together and organize. Companies across the board will continue to take advantage of us and put us in slave labor so they can have ALL the power.

IBEW L.U. 474 Memphis

[lib2DaBone]

4. 30 years... "your check is on the way.. trust me"....

For 30 years American Workers have been getting the shaft. NAFTA gave us the SHAFTA.

The reason most workers accepted it.. was because they believed the Republican mantra that they would "share in the wealth".

As George Carlin said, "this is a big corrupt club.. and you ain't part of it." "They are comin for your house, your car and your retirement. And they won't stop until they get every last penny of your hard earned money."