Thank you for this! THIS is one of the (few) ways that structural economic power can be changed, one of the concrete means of rolling back some of the imbalances that have been brought about over the past 40-50 years of neoliberal policies.
Particularly appreciated was the question and answer with respect to the comparative boldness, spirit and efficaciousness of local unionizing. Hopefully the national Democratic party will recognize that a shift back to support of workers is in their interests. I hope that there is some chance of that occurring.
As someone who began my working life in a union (lumber and paper mills), and ended in health care, working under appreciably more exploitative conditions (e.g. sometimes up to 17 hour days, working full-time and overtime for years without benefits such as health insurance), this is some of the best news that I have seen in years.
(My field was finally unionized as I was retiring. Oy, a little too late.)
Awesome! I guess it was assumed, some thousands of years ago, that some of us were born better than others. And the "workers" were some species apart. The cogs, gears and workhorses that provided the wealth the David Brooks "Creative Class" needed to educate themselves, write their books and Uber around town. Even here there are workers... and the public. Workers.... and consumers. Workers... and us.
Great interview and very encouraging news. My dad was involved in his labor union in the 1960s and '70s and as time went on, was frustrated that newer workers didn't understand what had been fought for and increasingly gave concessions to "save their jobs." Dad helped wrestle their pension plan away from invasive Wall Streeters. I am encouraged that workers are beginning to demand their rights again. I have worked in nonprofits for the last 18 years and have always been dismayed at the low pay and long hours workers are expected to contribute. Now I see that social workers at Preble Street (resource center for homelessness and hunger) in Portland, Maine, have successfully bargained for higher pay and benefits through joining the Maine Service Employees Association. This is huge. https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2022-04-08/preble-street-workers-score-salary-increases-with-new-union-contract
Thank you for this! THIS is one of the (few) ways that structural economic power can be changed, one of the concrete means of rolling back some of the imbalances that have been brought about over the past 40-50 years of neoliberal policies.
Particularly appreciated was the question and answer with respect to the comparative boldness, spirit and efficaciousness of local unionizing. Hopefully the national Democratic party will recognize that a shift back to support of workers is in their interests. I hope that there is some chance of that occurring.
As someone who began my working life in a union (lumber and paper mills), and ended in health care, working under appreciably more exploitative conditions (e.g. sometimes up to 17 hour days, working full-time and overtime for years without benefits such as health insurance), this is some of the best news that I have seen in years.
(My field was finally unionized as I was retiring. Oy, a little too late.)
Awesome! I guess it was assumed, some thousands of years ago, that some of us were born better than others. And the "workers" were some species apart. The cogs, gears and workhorses that provided the wealth the David Brooks "Creative Class" needed to educate themselves, write their books and Uber around town. Even here there are workers... and the public. Workers.... and consumers. Workers... and us.
Great interview and very encouraging news. My dad was involved in his labor union in the 1960s and '70s and as time went on, was frustrated that newer workers didn't understand what had been fought for and increasingly gave concessions to "save their jobs." Dad helped wrestle their pension plan away from invasive Wall Streeters. I am encouraged that workers are beginning to demand their rights again. I have worked in nonprofits for the last 18 years and have always been dismayed at the low pay and long hours workers are expected to contribute. Now I see that social workers at Preble Street (resource center for homelessness and hunger) in Portland, Maine, have successfully bargained for higher pay and benefits through joining the Maine Service Employees Association. This is huge. https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2022-04-08/preble-street-workers-score-salary-increases-with-new-union-contract