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Fri Oct 30, 2020, 08:19 AM

Unions discussing general strike if Trump refuses to accept Biden victory

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

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Reply Unions discussing general strike if Trump refuses to accept Biden victory (Original post)
BeyondGeography Oct 2020 OP
soothsayer Oct 2020 #1
sandensea Oct 2020 #9
Pacifist Patriot Oct 2020 #27
beachbumbob Oct 2020 #2
dixiechiken1 Oct 2020 #3
soothsayer Oct 2020 #13
jmowreader Oct 2020 #33
beachbumbob Oct 2020 #34
orangecrush Oct 2020 #46
DBoon Oct 2020 #48
onetexan Oct 2020 #36
Roisin Ni Fiachra Oct 2020 #4
UrbanProspector Oct 2020 #6
jaxexpat Oct 2020 #15
pandr32 Oct 2020 #35
RicROC Oct 2020 #5
jaxexpat Oct 2020 #16
wnylib Oct 2020 #19
lagomorph777 Oct 2020 #21
Mickju Oct 2020 #32
IronLionZion Oct 2020 #43
RicROC Oct 2020 #44
eilen Oct 2020 #45
EarthFirst Oct 2020 #47
Habibi Oct 2020 #56
Tommymac Oct 2020 #7
not_the_one Oct 2020 #30
duhneece Oct 2020 #42
bucolic_frolic Oct 2020 #8
sandensea Oct 2020 #18
Richard D Oct 2020 #10
PatSeg Oct 2020 #12
luvtheGWN Oct 2020 #14
Fritz Walter Oct 2020 #20
Richard D Oct 2020 #28
judesedit Oct 2020 #11
NoRoadUntravelled Oct 2020 #17
Javaman Oct 2020 #22
roamer65 Oct 2020 #23
Silver Gaia Oct 2020 #24
barbtries Oct 2020 #25
olddad65 Oct 2020 #26
Roisin Ni Fiachra Oct 2020 #55
ForgoTheConsequence Nov 2020 #59
Paladin Oct 2020 #29
not_the_one Oct 2020 #31
DENVERPOPS Oct 2020 #37
niyad Oct 2020 #38
denbot Oct 2020 #39
JustABozoOnThisBus Oct 2020 #40
Judi Lynn Oct 2020 #41
Dark n Stormy Knight Oct 2020 #49
Dark n Stormy Knight Oct 2020 #50
Cha Oct 2020 #51
Turin_C3PO Nov 2020 #61
nitpicker Oct 2020 #52
Roisin Ni Fiachra Oct 2020 #54
ForgoTheConsequence Nov 2020 #60
NorthOf270 Oct 2020 #53
ck4829 Nov 2020 #57
Maxheader Nov 2020 #58
Brainfodder Nov 2020 #62

Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 08:20 AM

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

Does it? Asking for a friend

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Response to soothsayer (Reply #1)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:47 AM

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.

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Response to soothsayer (Reply #1)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:59 AM

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.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 08:57 AM

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

 

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Response to beachbumbob (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:18 AM

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.

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Response to beachbumbob (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:00 AM

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

Yes they could

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Response to beachbumbob (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 11:59 AM

33. Don't be so sure about that

There are many non-union trucking companies.

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Response to jmowreader (Reply #33)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 12:12 PM

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

 

or impact deliveries?

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Response to jmowreader (Reply #33)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 04:38 PM

46. Scabs

Are called scabs for a reason.

They cross the line at their own risk.

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Response to jmowreader (Reply #33)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 11:24 PM

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.

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Response to beachbumbob (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 12:15 PM

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.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:21 AM

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.

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Response to Roisin Ni Fiachra (Reply #4)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:28 AM

6. This!!

And include the horse-racing MSM too.

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Response to Roisin Ni Fiachra (Reply #4)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:08 AM

15. Boycott all things Republican

Has a nice ring to it.

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Response to Roisin Ni Fiachra (Reply #4)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 12:14 PM

35. Agreed 100%

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:22 AM

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)

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:12 AM

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.

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:28 AM

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."

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:41 AM

21. Also Xerox

I love Rochester. I want to retire there.

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 11:47 AM

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.

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 02:07 PM

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.

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 02:20 PM

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).

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Response to RicROC (Reply #44)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 03:37 PM

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.

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 05:07 PM

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!

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Response to RicROC (Reply #5)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 11:40 AM

56. Lol, no, not all in one day

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:31 AM

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.

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Response to Tommymac (Reply #7)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 11:14 AM

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.)

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Response to Tommymac (Reply #7)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 02:00 PM

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.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:36 AM

8. Common during political upheaval

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

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Response to bucolic_frolic (Reply #8)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:27 AM

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.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:51 AM

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.

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Response to Richard D (Reply #10)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:59 AM

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

Two birds with one stone!

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Response to Richard D (Reply #10)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:02 AM

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.

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Response to Richard D (Reply #10)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:36 AM

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.

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Response to Fritz Walter (Reply #20)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 11:00 AM

28. Yes . . .

Or deep religious practices until he concedes.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 09:59 AM

11. Awesome idea

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:17 AM

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

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:48 AM

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:56 AM

23. Yeah, baby!

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:56 AM

24. I love it.

Great way to start my day on a positive note!

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:56 AM

25. I think a general strike

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 10:56 AM

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

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Response to olddad65 (Reply #26)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 10:54 AM

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.

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Response to olddad65 (Reply #26)

Mon Nov 2, 2020, 07:19 AM

59. What do you suggest?

Really curious.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 11:14 AM

29. Excellent idea.

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 11:17 AM

31. THIS is a reason to have hope.

 

To the unions!!!



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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 12:32 PM

37. Beware of the

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 12:52 PM

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.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 01:08 PM

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

My country before my job!

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 01:14 PM

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

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Fri Oct 30, 2020, 01:45 PM

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 08:06 AM

49. Good for them.

More patriotic than anything Hissolini I has ever done.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 08:11 AM

50. Good for them.

More patriotic than anything Hissolini I has ever done.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 09:10 AM

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

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Response to Cha (Reply #51)

Mon Nov 2, 2020, 11:46 AM

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.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 09:57 AM

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.

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Response to nitpicker (Reply #52)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 10:47 AM

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.

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Response to nitpicker (Reply #52)

Mon Nov 2, 2020, 08:52 AM

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

Suck it up.

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Sat Oct 31, 2020, 09:59 AM

53. His refusal should be ignored

 

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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Mon Nov 2, 2020, 06:54 AM

57. K&R

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Mon Nov 2, 2020, 07:17 AM

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


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

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Response to BeyondGeography (Original post)

Mon Nov 2, 2020, 04:20 PM

62. I like the unity.

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