| 12-11-2008 Flash: UE Workers Victorious in Chicago --- force banks to pay them the money owed to them. Their action in seizing the factory, their strength in hanging in there, and their courage in fighting for justice is an example and a model for all of us in working America. When we unite the many we can defeat the few! Yes, it works once we get beyond greed and self important egoism and organize to use our power! |
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Labor Page of UTMDTF
| Unite the many, defeat the few ---fight for democracy! |
Foto left: Workers and community
activists in Los Angeles demonstrate
at the Pershing Square Bank of
America branch in solidarity with the
Chicago UE workers who occupied
the Republic Windows when the
business closed without notice. The
Chicago workers are real working
class heroes for defeating the effort
by the ruling elites to make workers
pay the costs of the dysfunctional
economy.
foto by H. Stewart
activists in Los Angeles demonstrate
at the Pershing Square Bank of
America branch in solidarity with the
Chicago UE workers who occupied
the Republic Windows when the
business closed without notice. The
Chicago workers are real working
class heroes for defeating the effort
by the ruling elites to make workers
pay the costs of the dysfunctional
economy.
foto by H. Stewart
As I drove through the rugged country side along US 95 and 395 returning from Idaho to Los Angeles on December 8th I followed the story of the Chicago Republic
Windows factory seizure and occupation by the UE members. Their actions invigorated me to write the following statement and analysis. Please read it and share your
comments with me using the contact us page. I think that this historic moment may be a watershed time in the history of our species and if we, in the words of
the 60s, Seize the Time, we may see at last the progressive change necessary to put together an economy that Serves the People. Such an economy could
solve the ecological disaster, move to a society of "plenty" where resources are used by plan to meet the needs of the world's population, and this
would engender a smaller world population as people have and choose alternatives and futures that make large families an undesireable value, etc.
Note, I wrote this just before I learned that the UE members were successful in their occupation and have won a settlement with the company. It is unclear whether the
company will re-open, I would guess probably not, but this is a victory that can be a model for other struggles as we deal with the disaster created by the upper crust,
social Darwinist, laissez faire greed driven capitalists who don't care if the Chicago workers or you or I live or die..
Hope to hear from you soon,
Hollis
_________________________________________________________________________
On Strategy: Mass Action To Resolve Social Contradictions:
Implications of the UE Members actions against Republic Windows
Hollis Stewart, 12-11-2008
The work of a “democratic” organization is to fight for the betterment of society and of the populace of the organization: the members. It may seem as though there is
a contradiction but not if one understands that in a truly democratic society that is motivated by cooperation and not greed that the individual progresses and lives
better as the total environment of the society is enhanced through collective action. The contradiction between the individual and the totality is a contradiction of
capitalism that flows from the effort of the greedy few to defeat and take away a decent life from the many. The few who seek to control do it in the belief that they are
a privileged class that has a right or duty under ignorant or corrupt “social Darwinism” to survive as the strongest and smartest. What Darwin said and what evolution
is actually about is the change over time of all LIFE, including the human species, in its relationship to the environment, internal and external, to meet the changing
needs of the organism: natural selection and the survival of the species. Of course the few are neither the smartest or the strongest and the wealth and power that
they use depends not on their strength or intelligence but upon the strength and intelligence of the totality of the people in the masses of humanity that have
comprised and comprise the human species through evolution. It is true that there is a desire to live more safely and better in all “sane” people but that desire is
transformed and distorted hatefully by our current economic system that has set people against each other in the pursuit of greed. At one time in human history
capitalism was a “progressive” force for technological and social change that benefited human society by organizing a mass force of workers to increase production
using tools/machines but that time is past and now it is time on the world stage for a new social relationship of production in which the needs of the many take
precedence over the greed of the few --- a continuation of the process of evolution.
Therefore, when thinking strategically we must find ways to move our objective, a better society, forward by highlighting issues in a manner so that the democratic
decision makers find socially good alternatives are the best alternatives. A good current example is the seizure of the factory in Chicago, Republic Windows, by the
UE workers who were wronged by the company and Bank of America. If the workers had resorted to violence, beating up or imprisoning the heads of the company
then it would have been impossible for all sorts of leaders and other unions and organizations to rally to the workers support and lift this issue into a national event
that has mobilized energy to confront injustice and “financial and economic decisions” that were made in the service of the few and not the many. The workers, acting
in concert, in a well organized manner through their UE union, local 1110, acted in a disciplined and responsible manner highlighting the injustice that was being
perpetrated on themselves, their families, and the community as well as all working people. They understood that they were fighting in solidarity with all working
people at plants and businesses that are being closed across the country and that as people across the country organized in support of them that the battle being
fought and won non-violently could offer promise for a better day. On the other hand, it should be emphasized that if the UE workers at Republic Window had reacted
to their jobs disappearing by becoming despondent, isolating themselves one from another, and simply prayed for help then they would have been lost.
Our economic system does not answer prayers, it answers to action in the resolution of the contradiction of the crisis: the needs of the many in contradiction to the
actions of the greed of the few. And when as in the union members work together: discuss and define the situation, consider alternatives, and reach a decision to act,
choose actions that are solid and involve as many members as possible (but with the flexibility to meet changing circumstances), then the contradictions can be
dramatized through action and offer leaders of unions, community organizations, political leaders, churches, and so on the opportunity to work in solidarity and
increase the impact of the “action” exponentially. An impulse to justice and fair play in the survival of the species, solidarity and cooperation, has been a motor force
for change and democratic structures allows the best of the human “spirit” to come to the fore and make itself manifest in communal and joint action across time and
space.
At this time in our history in the United States the contradictions between the few and the many are becoming clearer than they have been for many decades. The
economy is in a decline and the efforts of the few in the uppercrust to get their hands on the federal and state treasuries to “bail themselves out” at the expense of the
many, the workers, who do the work of society and pay the vast majority if the taxes; is highlighted by actions such as the plant seizure in Chicago and the
demonstrations against foreclosures and for a comprehensive single payer universal medical care program. The few are using their money power, including their
lobbyists who are the fourth and unconstitutional branch of government, to wrest away the resources from government that could be used to resolve the economic
crisis in favor of working people with the rich being forced to contribute instead of greedily feeding their gluttony getting fat from the blood of the middle class workers
and lower income workers as well as the medically indigent, retirees and the disabled who are disproportionately effected by “shrinking the social investment of
government funds”. It is time to http://unitethemanydefeatthefew.com. We the people have the power to determine our own destiny but to achieve it we must organize
into large membership organizations (unions, community organizations, issue organizations, professional associations, etc) to mobilize our power and bring it to bear
upon the resolution of issues in favor of the many. Prayer won’t do it, it takes action. The UE members at the Republic Window company are us, and we the people
are the leadership that we have been waiting for --- let us get busy!
| On Strategy: Mass Action To Resolve Social Contradictions: Implications of the UE Members actions against Republic Windows |
| 12-11-2008 Open Letter to Workers and Friends, |
| Late word, mid January, 2009 has it that the Window plant in Chicago will be bought by new owners and kept open in another victory for UE and the union workers at Republic. Read more at the union website: United Electrical Workers --- a fighting Union! |
| The movie to the left was filmed during the Labor March for Jobs and Community sponsored by the LA County Federation of Labor and held 3/26/2011 with probably 30,000+ marchers. Click below or to the url at the left to view the video. |
