WM: What other option did they have? Knuckle under and try to get back what they had in the misty distance of a possible future? Find other jobs? They're not stupid for having been pushed into a corner. This is class warfare and the "under class" is not stupid for attempting to bring the issue to the bargaining table. There appears to be some assumption that the ATU could have somehow gotten a fair contract from collective bargaining in this situation. That was not possible from the day Pawlenty was elected, though I'm not sure that the ATU or anyone else understood the depth of hatred and class solidarity that would be directed against the majority.
PS: I agree with you, Wizard, this is class warfare, but the only casualties of this strike are the working poor. Meanwhile, Pawlenty, Bell, and DFLer Steve Murphy (chair of the Senate Transportation Policy and Budget Committee) are getting exactly what they want: a weakened urban transit system which may not survive the strike unless it's privatized. And will a privatized transit system give the strikers their jobs back? I don't think so. The Union could've considered a few other strategies. One would've been to accept the current offer and work like heck to defeat Pawlenty and Murphy. A better strategy might be civil disobedience in place of, or in addition to striking--that is collective action that would actually hurt the ruling class and bring them to their knees, instead of further marginalizing low-income transit dependent folks. Surprise your opponent at every turn. But if you're getting beaten retreat and plan for the next battle. Do you think the transit workers are going to get what they want from this strike and their poorly attended pep rallies? Not a chance. And to make a bad situation even worse, Ron Lloyd is asking former state Senator Roger Moe to come on board. Moe couldn't even run a halfway decent gubernatorial campaign two years ago. What's next? Perhaps, Ron will as Joe Biernet and Brian Herron to be the union's legal consultants. Or maybe he'll ask Jackie Cherryhomes to be their media consultant. If the rank and file of transit workers have any sense at all they'd tell Ron to get lost. It's time for the Transit Union to really put the heat on management or retreat, otherwise their riders will soon be turning against them. Obviously, Ron Lloyd is not up for the job. In response to Terrel's question, Mark Snyder posted a nice piece a few weeks ago regarding why transit workers are entitled to the best possible health care benefits. Try being a bus driver working under a lot of stress in all kinds of inclement weather. And what about the mechanics breathing in all the fumes in the garage? The transit workers' cause is just. But their tactics, so far, are idiotic. Face it folks,Pawlenty and Bell ain't going anywhere (at least until 2007) and most Minnesotans don't care about the transit workers or those who need buses to get around. For the sake of the transit workers and their transit dependent customers it's time for Ron Lloyd to step down. Peter Schmitz Downtown Saint Paul ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
