In the old Minneapolis Labor Temple there was a prominent
inscription- "An injury to one is an injury to all".
I was quiet friday night in my corner of the 'hood, but I
didn't sleep well. I'd signed up to do the Juneteenth parade with
R.T.'s contingent. I'd also just gotten my copy of the Minneapolis
Labor Review, and read the account of how Peter McLaughlin had won a
near unanamous labor endorsement.
Solidarity means putting aside your differences of opinion to
form a big enough coalition to win labor's struggles. It's a concept
much of the Green Party has yet to understand, and too many democrats
never mind republicans have forgotten. While R.T. has largely been a
friend of labor, the consensus of my Minneapolis union brothers and
sisters is that Peter McLaughlin has been a better friend.
I use the term "union brothers and sisters" literally as well
as in the classical figurative sense. I remember the time,
unemployed, that I went up to the state AFL-CIO convention in Duluth
for the day- I couldn't afford a motel. A union sister shared her
room with me and other union folks gave me tickets for the banquets
and such. I ended up staying for the whole three day convention and
helping staff the Coalition of Labor Women table. That's what
families do, my labor family included. And you stand up for your
family, you don't disrespect them. More currently my union is
fighting managements attempts to pressure older workers into
quitting, and I couldn't look my union steward that is supporting us
older workers and Peter Mclaughlin straight in the eye while
supporting R.T.
So friday night my conscience was bothering me, fact is I
damn near felt like a scab. Saturday morning at the parade lineup I
found R.T.'s contingent out of signs, T-shirts, and just about
everything else needed for a campaign. Whoever was sort of in charge
wasn't even sure if they could use the sidecar in the parade. Sensing
an opening I wandered over to the McLaughlin contingent and said
hello. I was promptly welcomed aboard and my sidecar headed up the
big McLaughlin contingent.
standing up for my union family and Peter McLaughlin in Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
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