Editorials & Other Articles

marmar

(77,086 posts) Sat Feb 27, 2016, 11:05 AM Feb 2016

Unions and Cooperatives: How Workers Can Survive and Thrive

Unions and Cooperatives: How Workers Can Survive and Thrive

Saturday, 27 February 2016 00:00
By Brian Van Slyke, Truthout | News Analysis

The year 2008 was when the big banks were bailed out, but it was also the year that catalyzed one group of window makers into democratically running their own factory.

On the former industrial hub of Goose Island in Chicago, the employees of Republic Windows and Doors made headlines after they were locked out of their jobs just before Christmas without the back pay or severance they were owed. Organized by the United Electrical Workers Union, these displaced workers did exactly what the ownership hoped they wouldn't do. They refused to quietly accept the layoffs. Instead, the workers engaged in a sitdown strike at their factory, garnering local and national media attention. Eventually, the employees won the occupation, forcing Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase (Republic's primary creditors) to create a fund to give the workers their back pay, benefits, and health insurance. This became viewed as a much-needed victory for workers and unions in a desperate economic time.

And this January, more than seven years after their initial takeover, the workers finally received their last payment won from their struggle. According to the Chicago Tribune, "The National Labor Relations Board announced Wednesday that it will distribute to 270 union workers $295,000 in back pay stemming from labor law violations."

While many people know about the takeover of Republic Windows and Doors, the story of what happened next has flown under the radar. In early 2009, not too long after the workers' sit in, a company by the name of Serious Materials chose to partially re-open the factory, and many of the worker's jobs and livelihoods were restored. That is, until Serious surprised everyone by shuttering the factory again. The country was still in the height of the great recession that put the housing market in ruins, which had devastating consequences for the window industry. And, according to the workers, Serious never made their Chicago factory a priority in its business plan. This meant that in only a few short years, these same workers had to face the prospect of job loss once more, and they had to go through the hardship of another sitdown strike. ..............(more)

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34944-unions-and-cooperatives-how-workers-can-survive-and-thrive

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Unions and Cooperatives: How Workers Can Survive and Thrive (Original Post) marmar Feb 2016 OP

I wish sometimes Bernie would go into much more detail about this stuff 99th_Monkey Feb 2016 #1

I agree and disagree swilton Feb 2016 #2

I know there are good reasons NOT to. 99th_Monkey Feb 2016 #3

99th_Monkey

(19,326 posts)

1. I wish sometimes Bernie would go into much more detail about this stuff

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Sat Feb 27, 2016, 12:19 PM

Feb 2016

worker-owned enterprises, real unionism and community land trusts, with examples
of how it anchors capital and jobs into local communities like nothing else; and how
land trusts keep community assets in the hands of the 'little people'.

Burlington is effectively the US capital of worker-ownership & land trusts, yet he never
really talks about it much at all.

swilton

(5,069 posts)

2. I agree and disagree

Reply to 99th_Monkey (Reply #1)

Mon Feb 29, 2016, 01:04 PM

Feb 2016

I disagree for two reasons. One, because I feel that the science on this is still unfolding - it is something that hopefully we will all be pioneers in. Richard Wolff alludes to this in some ways when he notes the differences between capitalist and socialist centered societies. Workers cooperatives seem to me to be what socialist centered societies are all about. Uncertainties abound...I've seen discussions of how labor is commodified and how it's possible to have labor for the love of just doing the job better than anyone else.

Secondly, I think there is only so much that Sanders can say to reach the average voter. He has so much to cover and he has to keep the message simple in order to raise social consciousness.

99th_Monkey

(19,326 posts)

3. I know there are good reasons NOT to.

Reply to swilton (Reply #2)

Mon Feb 29, 2016, 01:16 PM

Feb 2016

I don't agree that the 'science is out' on worker ownership as much as you suggest,
but it's just a matter of degree.

Of course it's not in many of our history text-books, but the US Labor movement of the
1900s was mostly all about worker-owned enterprises and cooperatives, which didn't
change until around the turn of the century, when collective bargaining was adopted
wholesale.

There are times during Bernie's talks -- not during his prepared speeches, which are
very well structured, tight and not redundant -- mostly during Q&A or discussions with
pundits, when rather than delve deeper into details, examples, etc. he merely repeats
a portion of the prepared remarks, which can become tedious to listen to. <--this is
where I'd like him to elaborate on details & examples.

I know the man is brilliant, knows a LOT of important stuff, and one of the most important
contributions his campaign is making is educating the American public about issues that
effect their lives, who's screwing them over and why, how corrupt the system (and even
the Democratic party) is. I loved it when Chris Matthews (who I don't like) pushed Bernie
so hard that he went off-script and ad libbed .. and did extremely well at Univ of Chicago.

Anyways, thanks for your thoughts on this.

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