Unions discussing general strike if Trump refuses to accept Biden victory

[BeyondGeography]

Source: The Guardian

US unions have begun discussing the idea of a general strike if Donald Trump refuses to accept an election results showing a Joe Biden victory.

Such a move would be unprecedented in the modern era. There has not been a general strike in the United States since 1946 – and that was restricted to Oakland, California.

The local labor federation in Rochester, New York, was the first union group to officially support the idea. Union federations in Seattle and in western Massachusetts have followed suit, approving resolutions saying a general strike should be considered if Trump seeks to subvert the election outcome.

Dan Maloney, president of the Rochester-Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, said his 100,000-member group adopted the resolution to get people discussing the idea – from local unions to the AFL-CIO, the nation’s main labor federation which represents more than 12.5 million people.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/30/us-unions-general-strike-election-trump-biden-victory?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[soothsayer]

1. He can't refuse. That's not how this works.

Does it? Asking for a friend

[sandensea]

9. Cheeto and the idea of a self-coup, are like PEADs in a pod

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trumps-emergency-powers-worry-senators-legal-experts-70718059

I don't think could get away with it - but he's certainly mulling his options, I promise you that.

[Pacifist Patriot]

27. Yes, he could refuse to accept the results.

Does that affect the results, the legality of the certified vote, or the transfer of power on Inauguration Day 2021? Nope.

Whatever temper tantrum he throws when he loses doesn't mean he's going to dig in and cling desperately to his Twitter Toilet Throne as the secret service drags his orange ass out of the White House.

His refusal to accept the results would most likely be demonstrated by the filing of law suits that could make for a frustrating transition period that makes 2000 look quaint. But ultimately are unlikely to have any lasting impact. If the results are a landslide, it would be extremely difficult to litigate, especially in the court of public opinion.

[beachbumbob]

2. the teamsters union can shutdown this country in a matter of days

[dixiechiken1]

3. This ☝️☝️☝️

I had that same thought. Trucks stop rolling, this entire country is paralyzed. Billions of $$ would be lost. Talk about "essential workers"...

Hell, wouldn't take more than a couple days before the CEOs of every major corporation in this country would personally go drag his ass out of the WH.

[soothsayer]

13. I was a teamster! And a United Mine Worker. And an APWU member

Yes they could

[jmowreader]

33. Don't be so sure about that

There are many non-union trucking companies.

[beachbumbob]

34. sure but how many thousands of rigs are needed to shutdown interstate and highways?

or impact deliveries?

[orangecrush]

46. Scabs

Are called scabs for a reason.

They cross the line at their own risk.

[DBoon]

48. and do non-union truckers know how to park their trucks properly?

Something I noticed during a grocery store strike a while back. Scab truck drivers did not do a very good job.

[onetexan]

36. Yes! This is a critical time in the country where their future is dependent upon, so certainly

justifies the fearsome Teamsters' right to strike.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

4. The best strategy, but also needs a mass boycott that targets

Republican owned businesses to fully get the message across.

Without violence.

Sign me up.

[UrbanProspector]

6. This!!

And include the horse-racing MSM too.

[jaxexpat]

15. Boycott all things Republican

Has a nice ring to it.

[pandr32]

35. Agreed 100%

[RicROC]

5. Progressive Rochester NY

Living in Rochester I hear all the time how conservative Rochester is. Well, it never was. This city has always been a center, maybe not the center of the universe, of progressive politics and creative thinking.

Susan B. Anthony lived here, who was a friend of Frederick Douglas.
Rochester City Councilman Tim Mains was the first openly gay elected official in New York State

Other creative people include the inventors of the Kodak Camera, Otis elevator, the mail drop chute, Western Union, the first patent in the US for gas engines, pipe cleaners and even Jello. People who did not think like anyone else.

So, it was NOT surprising for me to read about the Rochester Labor Unions initiating calls for a general strike if Trump doesn't behave.


And we're not as cold or windy as Chicago, Minneapolis, or Iowa- we just receive more snow.
(100 inches per year, but we don't get that all on one day LOL)

[jaxexpat]

16. I have thought I was going to die in the cold.....

from the January wind off the lake. Land surveyors don't like cold.

[wnylib]

19. We'll send you some of our excess snow

from Buffalo, where we can get 7 feet in 48 hours.

And our wind chill from lake "breezes."

[lagomorph777]

21. Also Xerox

I love Rochester. I want to retire there.

[Mickju]

32. I graduated from the Eastman School of Music in the 60s.

I still have friends there and have a lot of affection for the city.

[IronLionZion]

43. I graduated from RIT and lived there 4 years

Rochester is a fine city and I would have stayed there if Xerox or someone similar had hired me. Their economy could use some new investment and more jobs.

[RicROC]

44. Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, CooperVision, Paychex, Garbage Plate

along with whoever invented the first automatic voting machines.

oh yeah, and boondoggle (from your summer camping days).

[eilen]

45. I'm in Syracuse and love our sister (Erie Canal) cities-- Roch, Buffalo, Utica and Albany

The farmers/rural people surrounding these cities are definitely more conservative but we have places here that are always Blue, (don't forget to count Ithaca, Hamilton, Lily Dale) all in upstate NY.

[EarthFirst]

47. Fellow 585'er here...

Everything you mention is extraordinarily spot on.

Rochester (WNY/CNY) is certainly not without it’s demons; however we have an extremely active progressive community as advocates & allies.

Be well; RicRoc!

[Habibi]

56. Lol, no, not all in one day

it just feels like it when you're shoveling it.

[Tommymac]

7. Solidarity.

Just announcing this is going to be a HUGE deterrent to the Rethugs who still may be thinking of supporting any quasi legal actions by the Killer Clown.

Especially those who control the REAL purse strings.

Standing Strong with my Union Sisters and Brothers.

[not_the_one]

30. Hopefully it will give the unions solidarity, and the people sufficient solidarity to support them.

It will just re-energize the republicans desire to destroy ALL unions. (Except those that support them, like police unions.)

[duhneece]

42. I have endorsements from multiple unions...and I'd be out there with them

I'd heard of other (non-union) groups of people ready to be out in the streets if Trump attempts to pull shenanigans...I'm so glad to hear this general strike being considered.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Common during political upheaval

Once the Kerensky government lost labor unions, state workers, and soldiers and sailors followed.

[sandensea]

18. And labor has also been known to foil plans to deny the top vote-getter his electoral win

The best-known such case is perhaps that of Juan Perón in Argentina.

The dictatorship at the time (1945) knew the time had come for elections - but there was a hitch: the most popular contender by far was Vice President Juan Perón, who had earned renown for his Bernie Sanders-like campaign for workers' rights as well as for his record as former Labor Minister.

Under pressure from elites and other conservatives, Perón was jailed in an attempt to bar him from running - much as Brazil's Lula da Silva was more recently in 2018.

You probably know the rest of the story: labor unions, joined (some say, led) by Perón's 26 year-old lover Evita, converged on downtown Buenos Aires - demanding Perón be released and allowed to run.

Right-wingers called them a "zoological flood." They pressed the dictator (Farrell) to declare a state of siege, and mow protesters down if need be.

But the moderate Farrell refused to attack the massive - and largely peaceful - crowds, and instead yielded to their demands.

Right or wrong, he was the people's choice - and it took a ham-handed attempt to deny them that to compel them to assert themselves.

Ham-handed, as you know, is Trump's middle name.

[Richard D]

10. I have been thinking . . .

. . . that such a general strike, extending to much of the population and virtually shutting down the country might be needed.

[PatSeg]

12. And it would slow the spread of the virus down too

Two birds with one stone!

[luvtheGWN]

14. Guess I'd better stock up on fruits and veggies

because now most of them are coming across the border.

A US general strike will do more than just cripple the US -- it would have a devastating effect on Canada and Mexico too. But I'd put up with ANYTHING that will get that monster out of the White House.

[Fritz Walter]

20. I like the Mahatma's idea

A nationwide days of "prayer and fasting."

And the evangelicals would see that someone else has much greater nationwide influence than they do.

[Richard D]

28. Yes . . .

Or deep religious practices until he concedes.

[judesedit]

11. Awesome idea

[NoRoadUntravelled]

17. Excellent idea. This eases my mind a great deal.

Solidarity is the only thing that will get us through a situation like that.

[Javaman]

22. as a former member of the 600 Cameramans Union, I whole heartily support them! :) nt

[roamer65]

23. Yeah, baby!

[Silver Gaia]

24. I love it.

Great way to start my day on a positive note!

[barbtries]

25. I think a general strike

would be the proper response to a republican theft of the election.

[olddad65]

26. Wouldn't that be exactly what Trump wants?

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

55. Maybe, but it would not be what Wall St. wants.

I imagine they would fix the "Trump problem" immediately, and permanently, before the Market began to seriously tank.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

59. What do you suggest?

Really curious.

[Paladin]

29. Excellent idea.

I hope it's not necessary---but I'm glad it's being announced in advance. Whatever it takes....

[not_the_one]

31. THIS is a reason to have hope.

To the unions!!!

[DENVERPOPS]

37. Beware of the

Law of Un-intended Consequences......

[niyad]

38. Supermarkets have around three days worth of goods. Those of us who live in snow country KNOW

what the shelves look like when blizzards or just really heavy snow close the roads.

[denbot]

39. I'm a trucker, I'll strike.

My country before my job!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

40. Maybe labor unions, teachers, government workers, but ...

... not police unions. Those are a whole 'nuther type of mob.

[Judi Lynn]

41. Good news. Thanks, BeyondGeography. n/t

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

49. Good for them.

More patriotic than anything Hissolini I has ever done.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

50. Good for them.

More patriotic than anything Hissolini I has ever done.

[Cha]

51. Why trump can't just refuse to leave office - encouraging

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100213932785

[Turin_C3PO]

61. The only way Trump could

steal the election is if the unthinkable happens and the Supreme Court invalidates all mail-in ballots or early votes, something like that. But I really dont think that's going to happen. Trump will be dragged out, in handcuffs if necessary, on Jan 21st. Then Biden will begin the long process of rebuilding our government.

[nitpicker]

52. DO you understand what this could do???

More people traveling from store to store hunting stuff.

Suddenly, the six-county Walmart becomes the 12- county Walmart.

And Remote County imports it into its churches and joins the 200-case club.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

54. I'd rather sacrifice in a struggle against fascism, than accept the illegitimate fascist takeover of

our country and the end of American democracy.

I will not accept an illegitimate Trump dictatorship under any circumstances.

"Give me liberty, or give me death."

No doubts, no questions asked.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

60. Do you understand what letting Trump get his way could do?

Suck it up.

[NorthOf270]

53. His refusal should be ignored

If need be, he will be dragged from the WH.

[ck4829]

57. K&R

[Maxheader]

58. If it begins to cost stumpys handlers too much...

They'll heave the fucker out the door...

[Brainfodder]

62. I like the unity.