Could This Be The Tipping Point ?
Looking through both the lense of history and more recent events around the world, it's reasonable to hope that working people in America will reach critical mass and demand action. I wonder if this short piece from the AP, which was also featured in my local Sunday newspaper (the editorially conservative Orlando Sentinel, page 2) and on the NBC Nightly News, could turn out to be the rallying point:
December 7, 2008Chicago workers' sit-in becomes rallying point
A sit-in by laid-off workers at a shuttered window factory in Chicago is becoming a cause celebre for those who want action to avert economic pain.
Politicians, community leaders and members of outside unions turned up Sunday at the Republic Windows and Doors company to support the 250 or so former workers occupying the plant.
Workers say they'll stay put until they're given severance and vacation pay.
Factory worker Melvin Maclin says the protesters expected to face arrest when they began the sit-in Friday. But he says spirits are high after all the backing they've received.
Supporters fill the lobby of the building, and workers take turns occupying the plant floor.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson met with the protesters Sunday
I don't know the particulars of this case, but I do think workers - and other groups - are going to have to organize to bring their needs, rights and futures into the public and political light.
Money has its own voice, and dollar for dollar, it makes itself heard. But those facing unemployment, losing pensions, losing health care, losing homes... beyond their/our individual stories, they're going to need to put it forward as a group. Go Chicago!
December 7, 2008 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Money has its own voice, and dollar for dollar, it makes itself heard.
That's part of the the problem in this country. Money has the only voice.
C
December 7, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a former Chicagoan, I am very proud of some of the residents of my former home.
This has been happening in a number of places elsewhere as well, including a community of workers in Argentina who have been reopening shuttered plants for business without "official sanction" and running them as cooperative operations.
Interesting bit of "bottom-up" action, no?
December 7, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
here's an update:
Chicago workers' sit-in becomes rallying point
By RUPA SHENOY, Associated Press Writer Rupa Shenoy, Associated Press Writer
55 mins ago
CHICAGO – Chicago workers in the third day of a sit-in on the floor of their former workplace peered through the windows of a door Sunday, amazed by a mix of supporters, politicians and journalists who packed a foyer outside.
"We never expected this," said Melvin Maclin, a factory employee and vice president of the local union that represents the workers. "We expected to go to jail."
The 200 workers demanding severance and vacation pay have become a national symbol for thousands of employees laid off nationwide as the economy continues to sour. They occupied the plant of their former employer, Republic Windows and Doors, after the company abruptly fired them last week.
At a news conference Sunday, President-elect Barack Obama said Republic should follow through on its commitments to its workers.
"The workers who are asking for the benefits and payments that they have earned, I think they're absolutely right and understand that what's happening to them is reflective of what's happening across this economy," Obama said.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson delivered turkeys to the workers, pledging the support of his Chicago-based civil rights group, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
"These workers deserve their wages, deserve fair notice, deserve health security," Jackson said. "This may be the beginning of long struggle of worker resistance finally."
Leah Fried, an organizer for the United Electrical Workers union that represents the workers, said the company told the union that Bank of America has canceled its financing.
Bank of America received $25 billion as part of a government bailout. Some workers carried signs Sunday that said: "You got bailed out. We got sold out."
The bank had said in a statement Saturday that it wasn't responsible for Republic's financial obligations to its employees. Republic has not commented on the sit-in.
One of the factory's workers, Silvia Mazon, said in Spanish that she needs the money owed to her for an $1,800 monthly house payment. The 40-year-old from Cicero said she has enough money saved to survive for one month.
"We're making history," she said.
Patrick Tyrrell, 22, of Chicago, visited the workers Saturday and returned the next day with home-cooked beans, rice, chicken and soup. Tyrrell said he felt he wanted to help, in part, because his grandfather was an electrical union member.
"This is an impressive historical event," he said.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, called it the start of a movement. "This story has resonated around the world," she said.
___
Associated Press writer Philip Elliott in Chicago contributed to this report.
December 7, 2008 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just finished posting a piece which also includes the Chicago factory sit in and tries to put it into context. I think it is a portent of things to come and I'm glad that you've mentioned Argentina because that is where I think we may be headed... if we are lucky... Weimar, if not.
December 8, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
You nailed my thoughts exactly, burtg. Thanks!
And how appropriate that this occurs in Chicago with its history of labor activism going back to Darrow, the Haymarket riot, the Pullman strike, Alinski, Terkel, etc.
I fear It's A Hard Rain's A-Gonna' Fall, but it sure ain't time to meekly wait to see what the pols and the Masters of the Universe are going to leave on the table for the working stiffs and the poor. Voices will be raised. Let's hope someone's listening.
JUST A THOUGHT: Perhaps UAW purchase of General Motors, backed with Government support as needed? Give these people a renewed sense of purpose to show how the workers of America will lead the charge into a new, green economy that will serve everyone's interests. As we've seen in the past in times of trouble, put the American worker on a clear mission (i.e. WPA; WWII; etc.) and there's little they can't accomplish.
December 7, 2008 9:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've seen michael moore in various media over the last 2 weeks advocating that the government buy GM. i like moore and respect his insight when it comes to the automotive industry, but i like your idea better. i come from a union family (both my parents were teamsters) and i think that this country was a better place when unions were stronger. the UAW buying GM would shake things up and focus the minds of the rank and file in regard to how much power they have instead of just submitting to republican attempts at union busting.
i heard chris dodd today suggesting that the ceo of GM should resign. i'm all in favor of that. i also think that the auto makers must be mandated to retool and build more fuel efficient cars immediately. after pearl harbor, roosevelt demanded that detroit retool to manufacture vehicles that were needed for the war effort. it was done and within 6 months GM went from making cars to making tanks.
what's even more important than building fuel efficient cars is detroit's need to put a massive effort into creating vehicles that have battery driven powertrains. from what i've read china, japan and korea are already making great strides in this direction and if we don't jump into the fray now, we'll be transformed from an oil importing nation to a battery importing nation in the next few decades. neither management nor the government seem to get this; perhaps the unions might.
in addition, designing vehicles with battery driven powertrains will create hundres of thousands of new jobs, staffing factories where these new batteries will be manufactured.
this is the time for all of us as a country to truly think "outside the box" and project ourselves 20 or 30 years into the future. maybe the obama administration can midwife that kind of thinking. automotive manufacturing management has proven that they can't
December 7, 2008 10:02 PM | Reply | Permalink