Can we count on your support when a group of the nations commercial pilots make the news in May?

They are tired of 1) being abused by the Railway Labor Act which prevents them from self-help except upon being released by the National Mediation Board and 2) airline execs using the bankruptcy courts to rape them even further.

operationorange.org

You don't have to "jump around and burn shit" to shut down the money making machines. Demand that if you don't get your fair share then the owners don't get jack shit either.

Refuse to be abused!

There are always the guillotines.

power of collective bargaining.

putting on their comfortable shoes.

How's that Employee Free Choice Act coming along?

We achieved every goal of EFCA through administrative means, e.g. the President stacked the NLRB for us, and enacted policy rules instead of legislation.

I'd go in detail, but it sounds like you need to read up a bit first. Perhaps if you ask your union's organizing rep.

It's time for unions to lead us into the 21st century. I don't think there is any other way to accomplish it. Unions give the working class the kinds of clout that the monied classes have. We need unions to do more than collective barganing. Think of a structure like an AARP only for the working class. Unions can become the recepticals of our 401K's. They can be the source of defined benefit programs. But even beyond that, there's no reason that we can't "take on the banking structure" through unions. They can as easily create a banking structure, a not-for profit one, through which we can get mortgages, have credit/debit/atm cards, and invest our money from 401K's or retirement savings. Think of a "national credit union". And think of one that lends money to industry to invest HERE in the US in US jobs (union ones by the by).

They could also become "legal cooperatives" that help workers who are in need of legal advice when their employers treat them unfairly, even in non-union shops. They could become the "Monster.com" for the middle class, especially in hard times. And they could get involved in the "health insurance exchanges" that the states will be setting up. Basically, unions could become the structure in which our middle class can behave more as a collective.

which is really hard to do these days. I know my trade inside and out. I STILL have to attend continuing education courses every year, and the CBA puts an artificial expiration date on most of them. I can carry a halthcare provider CPR card good for 2 years, but the CBA only recognizes it for one. Big deal. We have to be the most highly trained, skilled AND HAVE THE LOWEST WORKMANS COMP MULTIPLIERS to be attractive these days.

it would also help if the american people actually also wanted american made products. BUY AMERICAN as often as you can. Pass up foreign made stuff. Even if you buy american second hand stuff, you're still not buying foreign. I guess Im talking about tools and household stuff.

National average of unionization, across the country and across all trades is only 15%. At our height we had 30% +/- 60 years ago.
My trade, in my state, only has 7%. Its hard going out there

It is 99 to 1. The only effective tactic is to work together.

It's a losing proposition.

Then the competitor that was doing it was bragging about their product being Made In America.

It is always a losing proposition for the working person.

Don

Pitchforks, torches and Madame LaGuillotine.

we need consumers' unions or workers' unions that aren't plant-specific or industry-specific.

strikes at individual companies work decently when unions are actually strong and have enough participation and the jobs aren't readily replaced. it's far less effective when union partication is low and there's a long line of job-seekers out there. nevermind the completely anti-union attitude in the boardroom, spoiling for a fight and eager to crush whatever clout the union has left.

what we need is a modern way for "collective" bargaining unions across the entire country, joining all consumers together or all workers together. i'm not sure how to get this working, but it ALL workers were in the same mega-union, then a nationwide work slowdown would wield considerable power, even if individual union workers were far outnumbered at any given plant. unfortunately, how do you get people to join and support such a union, and actually take actions at their plant that might jeopardize their employment if called on to do so?

Massive, non-violent, resistance.

Can bring down an entire economic paradigm if massive. non-violent and daily.