Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Willie Pep

(841 posts)
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 08:53 PM Sep 2017

Why the Left needs to stop attacking unions

Erik Loomis over at Lawyers, Guns and Money has a great post on the devastating impact the judiciary has had on organized labor.

As I have said repeatedly, for all that so-called union reformers want to blame unions for their own problems today, it just doesn’t fit the evidence. Even if many union leaders were (or are) lame and making questionable decisions, it’s far more accurate to place labor’s demise at the hands of the government.


You can read the entire post here: http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2017/09/courts-devastated-organized-labor

I think this is an important post for Labor Day weekend because there is a strong tendency among some left-wing people today to blame unions and union officials for all of the problems of the labor movement. Some on the Left like to repeat talking points about union leaders that you would likely hear on talk radio or Fox News, including attacking unions for being too close (some would say subservient) to the Democrats and spending more time on politics than organizing. But as Loomis points out, whether organizing is successful or not is heavily dependent on the legal environment that unions find themselves in, which means that unions have to care about things like who makes appointments to the judiciary and the NLRB which means that unions have to care about politics whether they want to or not. This is why labor unions are usually close to the Democratic Party, because they need political allies and most Democrats are much more receptive to labor than are most Republicans.

Finally, in a related piece Loomis throws some cold water on the tendency of some on the Left to romanticize working-class activism. Many working-class people are not liberals and this includes many union members, so the theory that unions just need to be more radical is a bit unrealistic when you take into account the fact that many union members are far from being liberals, let alone left-wing activist types.

See: http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2017/09/labor-historians-white-working-class-trump-voters

I am not trying to argue that all union leaders are super liberals either or that corruption and incompetence doesn't exist in the ranks of organized labor but union leadership is usually more liberal than the rank-and-file and tends to understand the importance of needing political allies and getting people to the polls for the Democrats in most cases. Some people on the Left are naive about the prospects of working-class radicalism and they would be wise to stop attacking the people who are in the trenches doing most of the fighting these days. Honestly, I am tired of seeing the Left spend more time attacking the Democrats, unions and other allies instead of the Republicans, the Koch brothers and other right-wing forces.
14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

nini

(16,670 posts)
1. Nothing pisses me off more for a union member to bash unions
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 09:01 PM
Sep 2017

My brother in law cashes his pension check then complains about them. This I've got mine so screw eveyone else mentality is not a leberal trait. If anyone on the "left" has that view they cannot claim they support the working class.

Willie Pep

(841 posts)
2. My father hates unions other than his own.
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 09:10 PM
Sep 2017

He constantly talks about how much he hates the teachers unions, SEIU and pretty much any union that he perceives as not white enough or manly enough. I honestly think racism and sexism is a factor here. The unions that I see getting the most hate are often the ones with a lot of female or non-white members.

But you are right that an "I've got mine, screw you" mentality is at work here too. Everyone is greedy except me, I deserve what I get but not those other people.

nini

(16,670 posts)
3. Every year i go to the labor day parade in the LA harbor area
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 09:15 PM
Sep 2017

I expect this one to be fired up big time. I was raised in that area by union parents and grandparents. They fought for all we have now and if we dont fight to preserve it we're not going to have any middle class left.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
8. So agree,here this type of garbage
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 10:07 PM
Sep 2017

umpteen times a week. Proud to say,I am a retired Teamster,and yes we had a couple asshole thieves as Presidents of our Union in the past,but the rank and file all benefited by our ability to make living conditions for our Members some of the best in the world.

And with every new Union Agreement,every like industry or Business had to raise wages and increase benefits each and every time we Negotiated a new National Freight Contract.







BigmanPigman

(51,430 posts)
4. My grandfather was with the teamsters, my dad was with AT&T
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 09:42 PM
Sep 2017

and I was with the NEA and CTA (teachers). Reagan killed unions! He was the beginning of what we currently experience from the greedy, hypocritical GOP. Moral Majority, trickle down economics, and "I do not remember" BS have worked out so well for the middle class.

nini

(16,670 posts)
6. of course
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 09:47 PM
Sep 2017

It just goes to show you how the right wing propaganda since the Reagan years especially has brainwashed even some union members.

 

juxtaposed

(2,778 posts)
7. I've seen very few Dem. politicians fight for unions since raygun was president.
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 09:59 PM
Sep 2017

As jobs left the US and steel plants, and other manufacturing plants were packed up and shipped to china, no one on the left took a stand when they knew it was the middle class that these actions were destroying..

dlk

(11,432 posts)
11. When There Are No Unions, There Are No Good Paying Jobs
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 11:05 PM
Sep 2017

It's no accident, the decline in wages for U. S. workers coincides with the decline in union membership. What's wrong with a living wage and safe working conditions?

Leith

(7,802 posts)
12. I Dare Anyone to Talk Trash about Unions Around Me
Sat Sep 2, 2017, 11:21 PM
Sep 2017

I'll teach them some facts and manners in a heartbeat.

I was born in Flint Michigan and raised on memories of the sitdown strike of '36.

leroysfish

(7 posts)
14. Many Reformers should follow the lead of the UAW Working For A Living - Caucus
Thu Sep 14, 2017, 02:54 PM
Sep 2017

The Working For A Living caucus at this website surely seems to be firing on all cylinders when it comes to Labor Union Reform; especially when it their beloved UAW is involved.

The UAW Convention expected to be held the first week in June of 2018 should be an interesting event to follow as these sisters and brothers from the Working For A Living caucus are set to be successful in over throwing the now heavily tainted existing caucus!

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Why the Left needs to sto...