relating information about the recent autoworkers' rally in Flint, and his
thoughts concerning 'where we go from here'. Brother Jordan clearly has a
well developed perspective on this complex situation. (I hoped that he, and
others, might appreciate my $.02).
From what we have seen, it seems fairly clear that 'Corporate' plans to
mount an intense public relations campaign against any union resistance, and
the UAW is not inclined to try to mount much of a counter-offensive. It also
seems likely that 'Corporate' is acting in league with other
mega-corporations, (with a highly organized 'Party' of Corporate Interests),
in an all-out offensive to completely break the back of Organized Labor.
These Corporate Interests, (GM-Delphi, backed by the general support of Big
Money), have already shown, (but did not actually yet play), their 'trump
card' with the Toyota pullout rumor it planted after the Detroit Auto Show
picket. The full-page anti-union ads recently taken out in major newspapers
were likely just the beginnings of a major anti-union PR campaign rollout
strategy. You can sure bet that Delphi, Northwest Airlines, and all the
other 'bankruptcies' of mega-corporations that are being used to void union
contracts, cut wage scales, scale back or eliminate benefits, and to
generally dis-empower workers, are part of a concerted effort that is shared
by a broad-based 'Party' of Corporate Interest.
The danger developing for SOS, (and other such Progressive Labor groups), is
possibly finding itself, when the battle is actually fully joined, (and
Brother Jordan is strongly hinting that irrepressible and very militant
tactics are likely to be employed spontaneously), being regarded by the
general public, (the Common Citizens), and possibly even by the
'rank-and -file', (and likely by other non-union workers in the depressed
economy of Michigan), as the 'bad guys'.
This is the powerful dynamic of the 'Race to the Bottom'. $12.50 or $15 per
hour working in a plant is always going to be better than $8.50 working at
Wal Mart or Home Depot.
If we do not develop the ability to counter this powerful anti-union PR
campaign in the Public Forum, then groups like SOS will find themselves
being blamed for causing jobs to be moved to somewhere in the South, (where
workers are not as organized), or even out of the country entirely, "where
the miners work almost fer nothin' " (Dylan).
What I am suggesting is that SOS would do well to join forces, as SOON as
possible, with as many allies as it can find, both with other Progressive
Labor groups, and also with other social activist interest groups who share
a concern for Justice for working people, for ALL the Nation's Common
Citizens.
SOS has made some very impressive advances as far as organizing a strong and
highly determined Faction of rank-and-file workers. But that alone, although
it has brought us to the point of having more options, does not guarantee
success in the longer term. SOS should carefully examine these options that
its organizing efforts have created, and carefully consider its future
tactics and strategy. I am concerned, from reading the SOS list-serve for
several weeks, (and I may very well have a skewered impression for being
based on a limited sample), that SOS is not properly considering the
imperatives of public opinion, and the kinds of political activities that
are likely to help turn public opinion in our favor.
SOS has already developed the 'street cred' to spearhead an effort to
consolidate the forces of Progressive Labor into a 'public identity' that
would have the ability to project its United Voice into the Public Forum,
(as SOS and other relatively smaller groups by themselves do not). There is
nothing overt that I can see that is stopping the formation of a United
Progressive Labor, save a lack of will to do it.
What I am trying to get folks to see is that forces are in motion that are
definitely NOT moving in our favor. In the swirling and roiled cauldron of
current events, the tide of our 'measure of success' can turn quickly. While
a group feels strong, while its intent is clearly focused and its members
are highly motivated, it should make every attempt to parlay its provisional
success into actual political power. Success without power can be very
fleeting. A tide running 'in' with success can turn and run back 'out' with
alarming suddenness and speed.
SOS has identified capable, highly committed, and properly Spirited
'Leadership'. This is a MAJOR asset, (which many similar groups seem to
lack), that SOS could use to catalyze the consolidation of forces among
Progressive Labor into a politically more powerful United Progressive Labor.
If SOS and the other forces of Progressive Labor allow the Party of
Corporate Interest to choose the ground on which these battles are fought,
long-term success for our side seems very problematic to me. But there is no
need for us to passively acquiesce to fight on the ground of their choosing.
We can use these tools at our fingertips, (which SOS especially is already
using so well), to consolidate our forces. This will multiply our options as
far as which types of ground we are equipped and capable of occupying,
defending, controlling, and expanding.
We ESPECIALLY need to develop our ability to project our voice into the
Public Forum. This is of absolutely IMPERATIVE priority. If we don't, I
think it is highly likely that we are going to LOSE!
If we are not a 'player' in the Political Arena, (which we are NOT if we
have no voice in the Forum), then we are not yet even IN this 'game'. The
battle is going to be fought in this Arena, and if we want to even have a
chance to engage in it at all, (and especially if it is our intention to
WIN!), then we'd better get busy and organize ourselves toward that end real
SOON. If we want to be more than stuck on the sidelines of the Arena, with
our noses pressed against the fence, choking on the dust as the 'big kids',
(Big Labor, Big Money, and Big Government), fight it out among themselves,
then we'd better begin to figure out HOW we are going to force our way IN to
engage in this epic war.
Fighting each battle at the plant gate, where we face off against
'Corporate' in front of us, while our own damn unions work to outflank us,
to 'take us out' (to drive us from the field) with a rear guard sweep, is
not a battle strategy that seems to me to be likely to meet with success. As
individual disconnected units, (as SOS, TDU, CDUI, LAC, AUD, ETC, ETC), we
are not strong enough to prevail with the ground sloped this steeply against
us, and with all the heights (in both front and rear) in the hands of our
opponents.
I am appealing to all who are in positions of leadership in these many
disconnected Progressive Labor groups to realize that our best (and perhaps
our ONLY) hope lies in consolidation. None of these groups, on its OWN, has
the ability to function effectively in the Political Arena, but as a United
Progressive Labor, we could IMMEDIATELY begin exerting our United Voice to
project the Truth of our POWERFUL message into the Public Forum.
We sure as all 'heck' can't win a 'debate' that we're not even IN, guys.
Zwarich
PS: * concerning use of the terms 'us', 'our', 'we', etc. I am not an auto
worker, so I am writing as a 'guest' on the SOS list. I use these possessive
pronouns, 'us' and 'our', and the subjective 'we', in a general sense,
referring to Progressive Labor in general, of which I consider myself a
part. By 'Progressive Labor' I mean that Faction of Organized Labor that
believes that the anti-democratic bureaucracy of Big Labor is a MAJOR part
of The Problem, rather than any likely component of The Solution.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Jordan"
To:
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 6:43 PM
Subject: Flint Protest A Success, Despite UAW Sabotage
Comments: http://futureoftheunion.com/?p=1986
Photos:
http://www.futureoftheunion.com/images/flintprotest/flintprotest1.zip
Around 75 rank-n-file members of the United Auto Workers demonstrated
outside the historic Flint East Delphi plant on February 16, 2006. Workers
from Saginaw, Flint and Detroit came out in force to denounce the closing of
the Spark Plug & Oil Filter production in Flint and to protest the
concessions that GM-Delphi are trying to force on Delphi workers. As the
community drove by the overwhelming amount of honks and cheers from outside
their windows sometimes drowned out the actual protesters.
"Not one dollar, Not one Dime. Cutting wages is a crime." they chanted as
they marched back in forth.
The protest was supposed to be canceled according to the leadership of UAW
Local 651. The weather would be their accuse for canceling the event. They
canceled it on Wednesday launching a press release to the local media. They
spent all day Thursday inside the factory telling people it was canceled and
not to attend. But as you can see from the video from the protest, this was
not the real reason they canceled. There was not even a school closing in
Flint on Thursday and the sidewalks around Delphi had been shoveled and made
clear early in the morning. So why was the protest really canceled?
These reactionary leaders at Local 651 according to a low level official
apparently received a call from the International UAW on Wednesday asking
them, "Are you with us or are you with them". Referring to the rank-n-file
movement called Soldiers of Solidarity whose Western Michigan members came
out in force to support the protest in solidarity. In other words, are you
with the bureaucracy or the workers?
The local hierarchy despite rank-n-file attempting to work with them
continued delaying the protest for several weeks prior to the 16th. They
finally ran out of accuses and decided to outright sabotage the event with
less that 24 hours to go. They didn't want to protest the closing or
concessions.
"They are trying to take the wind out of the sails of the membership who
want to fight back." one Flint worker told a reporter.
"It is like they want control over the membership. We elected them, they are
suppose to answer to us." another would said.
This sabotage did not set well with the people who came to the protest, the
workers who left shift change at the plant or to the membership at Local 651
who worked hard planning and organizing this demonstration democratically.
It would be the tyrannical influence of the administration who would abuse
the democratic process and declare the protest over without a single vote
cast. Union democracy died in Flint on Thursday.
Where Do We Go From Here?
President Dave Yettaw used to tell us, "The UAW is playing checkers while
the company is playing Chess."
I believe confrontation with both the botched union leaders and the
corporations at this point is only a mater of time. Many of us can't fathom
an agreement passing which contains concessions after reevaluating our
progress over the last few months and our near success with the health care
concession at both GM and Ford. People are waking up to the destructive
policies of the UAW Solidarity House and how it is directly related to the
decline of union membership. Workers are starting to perceive the historic
reality that concessions don't save jobs. Numerous people around the world
are waking up to the fact that once you give concessions they never stop
giving.
Once the dog tastes blood, we will have to put him down.
It is safe to say that there is no reason to think Miller is bluffing.
Nobody believed he would file bankruptcy and he did. He told the associated
press on June 23, 2005 that he won't seek bankruptcy protection to reduce
the company's massive labor and health care costs.
But, he did.
If anything GM-Delphi and their partners in the UAW have already worked out
a concessionary agreement against the membership. What they are doing by
delaying these motions over and over again is an endeavor to fatigue the
workers in consequence making them more disposed to take concessions. The
corporations meanwhile intend to build up inventory and try to line up as
many second source suppliers as feasible for General Motors if and when a
strike occurs due to the UAW leadership's malfunction of controling their
membership for them.
I trust that they all are erroneous conclusions as they miscalculate the
rank-n-file's ability to resist. We have seen a colossal decentralized
insurgence growing inside the union against the concessions and partnership
with the companies. We observed examples of this development in the
treachery at Flint last Thursday. We should all prepare to observe not only
wildcat industrial action without UAW bureaucracy approval, but also
militants taking control of picket lines. These are very pragmatic
possibilities. We should not be astounded when some workers occupy
departments or even entire plants. Maybe I have a different perception than
most analysts and reporters having traveled to nearly 12 cities. I have had
the extinguished opportunity of speaking for hours with thousands of workers
from Delphi directly resulting in trying to answer around 200 e-mails every
day that are frequently from workers at UAW represented companies around the
country who are mobilizing themselves.
The overall consensus remains "You can't strip away someone's way of life
through corporate domestic terrorism and not expect a fight." I sense a lot
of people in the auto industry underestimate the power of just a few
determined people and what they can accomplish. I reference the July 21
Movement in Cuba and what that small group accomplished some 50 years ago.
If GM-Delphi thinks they only have to deal with just the UAW Solidarity
House then they are seriously mistaken. If the leadership of the UAW assume
they know what the membership is in actuality thinking or prepared to do,
they would be wise to spend time in communication around the country with
the actual workers on the shop floor and not just disconnected local
bureaucrats.
It is safe to say Miller is out of his league in the auto industry. He has
by no means faced "united" auto workers on the shop floor before. He is
accustomed to union bureaucracy and compromise from elected representatives.
He won't get that satisfaction from the workers in the auto industry like he
did in the airline and steel industries. We will vote down and fight back
anything they bring down to us. No Concessions, Fight to Win! What many
analysts fail to understand is that constitutionally the membership of the
UAW is the highest authority in our union. We are obligated as members to
actively participate and do so without the need of someone's approval. At
the end of the day we heard everything Miller said about us over the last 6
months and we will not forgive or forget this, we will take action if
needed.
You better believe American auto workers will be heard and felt around the
world when their livelihoods are threatened. The Solidarity House nor
GM-Delphi will not be allowed to betray 70 years of struggle without a fight
from the genuine workers. What kind of fight that will be shall be
determined in the next few months. As far as most workers are concerned
GM-Delphi and the UAW bargained together in 1999 & again in 20003 as one
union and one company. By God we better fight together as one union. We
refuse to be sidetracked by local bureaucracy sabotage of the membership's
protests or by getting cut off from the Big Three. We will fight to win
until the last man is standing. There will be a rank-n-file meeting on March
26, 2006 in Youngstown, Ohio. I hope to see all of you there. Look for
details to be added to the website soon.
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