Eva Durant wrote,
>mass unemployment cuts the unions bargaining power
>due to cut in membership and that competitive pool
>of unemployed who are ready to work for less in
>worse conditions. Also the mass media for the last
>30 years was constantly hammering the idea of
>unionism.
Unemployment may well cut union bargaining power, but short-sighted strategy
cuts union political power much more. Over the past 30 years, unions (in
general) have chosen to focus on income over organizing and on seniority
over solidarity. This could be explained as a defensive strategy brought on
by necessity. Or it could be explained as a conservative strategy brought on
by institutional inertia. I'm sure it's been a bit of both.
The problem with a one-sided "unions as victim" analysis is that it really
gives the unions no direction to change -- other than whine about how tough
things are. Union bureaucrats are all too happy to have something to
complain about. That way they can keep playing the conservative game and
rationalize the predictable all too predictable losses as due to anti-union
hostility.
And militant rhetoric is no guarantee of strong union political strategy. My
observation is that union officials who "talk tough" often seem to believe
that's enough.
Regards,
Tom Walker
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
#408 1035 Pacific St.
Vancouver, B.C.
V6E 4G7
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(604) 669-3286
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
