Tuesday, August 28, 2018

US labor organizing declared dead -- skip that part


Quick reset of the American labor market:

FIRST, recognize that old fashioned union organizing as we knew it may safely be declared dead (forever!) in this country.  Even if we now make union busting a fed felony and hire (tens of?) thousands of fed investigators, what's to keep millions of business owners and managers from laughing it off, asking: "What are you going to do, lock up all the business know how of the country?"

SECOND, observe Repub: H.R.2723 (115th Congress) -- Employee Rights Act
"(2) require union recertification after a turnover in the workforce exceeding 50% of the bargaining unit"
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2723

THIRD, think blue wave Dem modification: H.R.2723 (1/2) -- 116th Congress -- All Employees Rights Act
"(1) Require union cert/recert/decert elections at all private workplaces -- option for one, three or five year cycles, local plurality rules."
  *  *  *  *  *  *

Remember; all those blue collar, swing states that have swung supposedly irretrievably into the Republican column voted for Obama -- not just over Wall Street Romney in 2012 -- but over Viet war hero, half-sensible Republican John McCain in 2008.  Looking for someone thought might finally hear out their complaints (no joy)

 (late note: just learned Jesse Jackson won 1988 Dem primary in Michigan with 54% over both Dem rivals, Dukakis and Gephardt)

Promise their own econ and pol power back any time they want to vote to cert and they can easily be persuaded to return to the party of their long belonging.
https://www.motherjones.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/blog_wwc_lean_democratic_1992_20164.gif

ADDENDUM
Quick debunk of neoliberal (or any) econ ideology:
The gears of the economic engine are all trying to take the vehicle in their own direction -- unlike the gears in your drive train which are working towards a common destination.  Ergo, any verbal maxim is useless -- if not matched to a specific set of facts.