Forum Post: Union affiliation is a problem
Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 10, 2011, 5:10 p.m. EST by monstermash
(2)
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The only issue I have with movement is the unions latching on to it to further their own agenda. The unions benefitted tremendously during the bubble years - scoring huge pay deals and benefits packages - so much so that many of our cities and states are being bankrupted by their obligations. Now they are trying to portray themselves as victims? Hardly. Besides, their inclusion gives the movement a distinctly socialist appearance, which is not helpful.
rva - thanks for the epiphany! What does this country need? TAXPAYER UNIONS. Getting taxpayers organized in order to gain power to get a fair bargain. TAXPAYERS are tired of getting f*cked by the corporate elites AND the union elites.
Thanks alot for spreading Teabagger trash where it clearly doesn't belong. Now why don't you go attend a corporate-sponsored protest-themed event where a bunch of old people collecting Medicare and Social Security bitch about how they want less government in their lives??
Every movement needs its allies. The Union interests are in alignment with standing up for the American Worker. There is an an importance to welcoming as many into the fold as possible. Our Republic is at stake the country is being run by the golden rule. We as citizens must unite put our differences aside and work towards a common goal that our Republic work as intended.
agreed we don't want unions running the show. however we do want to let them in to the discussion. we don't need right wing nonsense trying to tell us who to relate with or talk with.
we do not need unions using this as their chance to get ahead.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/thetruth-socialismcapitalismcommunismmarxism/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/capitalism-versus-corporatism/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/no-war/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/help-me-understand/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/capitalism-a-love-story/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/sociology/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/energy-101-solution/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/ethics/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/break-your-left-right-conditioning/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/nader-kucinich-and-paul/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/5-facts-you-should-know-about-the-wealthiest-one-p/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/i-am-homeless-joe-jp-morgan-chase-accidentally-for/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/can-we-end-the-fed/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/why-end-the-federal-reserve-and-what-do-you-replac/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/teaching-the-occupation/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/this-forum-needs-structure/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/ows-is-not-your-personal-billboard-for-your-politi/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/systems-theory-primer/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/organize-inform-take-action-effect-change/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/better-website-needed/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/stop-playing-the-devils-games/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/nonviolence-the-only-path/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/ows-not-against-capitalism/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/this-is-not-about-political-stripe-it-is-about-bas/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/national-initiative-for-democracy/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/a-third-political-party-the-movement-of-the-middle/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/300-fema-camps/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/ows-is-a-false-flag-operation/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/why-this-will-not-work/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/paradigm-shift-now/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/a-proposal-for-focus/
http://occupywallst.org/forum/stop-the-bullshit-posts-and-get-organized/
Quit with the link spamming!
go to the links and quit with the forum flooding? answer. no. This is what people need to focus on. its not spam, its needed focus. Deal.
Union support of the movement should be welcomed, but any attempts by them to control the message or narrative, or co-option of ANY KIND needs to be avoided and refused.
Presently, elements within SEIU are seeking to co-opt occupations to further their partisan ends. I have it on very very good authority.
Remember though that union members and even on the street organizers will and are joining the movement of their own volition in support of the general causes promoted.
IMO, the movement needs to adopt a single central message to galvanize support amongst the involved factions, while also clearly defining what its about, so as to avoid co-option by interests.
http://occupywallst.org/forum/the-central-message-we-need/#comment-54685
Divide and conquer
+1 for union members as passengers on the bus we are all driving, like the rest of us.
People who happen to belong to unions - yes.
Treating union organizations as if they were people - no.
they are not claiming to be victims
This is a civil revolution everyone is welcome to participate regardless of whatever. Just don’t use the forum to separate the classes, lets us all get alone.
Anti-unionism must go. The decline in union membership in the private sector is one of the leading causes of the rise of inequality over the last three decades.
Unions are not perfect but they been fighting this fight for a long time, we just joined them! lol
Union leadership is just as corrupt and self oriented as any capitalist you can name. What actual gains have unions made? Leaders serve their own interest, then you guys trot out the tired old songs from the beginning of the industrial age. I will believe Union leadership is committed to workers the day the organize a strike at a slave labor factory in China. Only then can the claim the mantle of their ancestors. Trumka and the AFT are total frauds.
Unions have changed over the years and self serving union leadership Im sure can be found. There strength is 1/5 of what it was just a few decades ago. Why was unions formed to begin with and you don't think history can repeat?
I come from a family of coal miners going back 3 generations. I understand why unions were formed. If those union leaders really worried about US wages and jobs going over seas, in my opinion history might repeat itself. They would risk imprisonment and punishment, and organize those slave labor workers in Asia. The effect would be a worldwide wage increase. Until then I think they are living off the propaganda the generate from reminding current members what used to be...meanwhile they are happy to collect dues and have those same members act as political minions every election.
I dont trust them. They (big labor bosses) will hijack the movement then turn on us. They are the otherside of the same coin. They are just in it for the power and money.
It was inevitable that as the movement catches more and more steam, that people and organizations will glom onto it, hoping to use it's momentum to further their own agendas.
That said, we still need as many people as possible and unions can help provide that. The important thing to realize is that this movement is about the 99% and NOT what one fringe group advocates. If the majority of Americans do not support a goal, it will not go forward.
The number of goals/objectives that 99% of Americans can agree on is extremely small. So, don't worry about fringe elements. Instead, focus on bringing in as many people as we can to reform the government from undue corporate influence. Don't like Unions? Bring in more Conservatives!
Pretty soon they'll be taking names and asking you to sign up for the OWL anti union union association and pay $50 dues
What kind of sick people associate "unions" with "socialist appearance"?
That's ridiculous...
Union members are part of the 99% too. Their voices have just as much weights as anyone elses. Dividing us is exactly what got us in this situation in the first place.
Yes, union members are part of the 99%, but unions aren't. Unions aren't real people, they are organizations, like corporations.
Correct.
They do, as individuals, have just as much weight as anyone else. Just don't make the mistake of giving each individual union member a voice, and then giving a second voice to the union as a collective.
I agree entirely. We need to be stalwart in preserving the key facets of this movement: A) Leaderless. B) Non-partisan. C) Inclusive of the entire 99%
But it has only been through the power of unions and collective bargaining that workers have been able to gain enough leverage to win greater pay and working conditions. Unions built the middle class to begin with. Unions are about people getting organized in order to gain POWER to get a fair bargain. Without that we're all just slaves.
There may be a conspiracy in this country to destroy this power and bring the American worker down to the level of the sweat shops in third world countries around the world. Strong unions are essential in making sure this doesn't happen.
I do like the Union Fist up above! Unions been using that for years! lol.