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Detroit Labor Activists Calls for People's Unions
by General Baker and Charles E. Simmons
Detroit--Dec. 30, 2004--Across the nation, in every work place and community, working people and professionals are rapidly losing benefits and jobs as a result of the new globalization of labor and injustice. At the same time, Bosses and CEO's are being awarded giant salaries, stock options, fat pensions and bonuses.
Trade Unions, once the champion of the working people, are now standing by helplessly while their share of the organized labor force has dwindled to 9%. They are consenting to giving back benefits, renegotiations, wage cuts and outsourcing, and too often ignoring racism and sexism. They are consenting to the new employment contracts, which grant higher wages and benefits to the older workers and only a pittance to the younger workers.
Pensions are on the chopping block everywhere. Is there any hope for traditional trade unionism in an era when unskilled and many skilled jobs in North America and Western Europe no longer needed, and workers in the poor countries are lining up to get jobs in sweat shops? There are eight changes that organized labor in the U.S. must implement in order to become relevant in the 21st Century. Otherwise, its days are numbered. And working people will continue to go the way of the rocking chair.
First, there must be a reorganization of unions to empower rank and file workers and to raise the consciousness of workers about the historic role of labor, and the continuing struggles for justice based on class, race and gender. That is not the situation today and has not been since the formation of the AFL-CIO. Rank and File workers presently have to suffer an archaic and top-heavy bureaucracy in policy making and election of leadership.
Second. There must be the organization of the unemployed, not only as a support mechanism, but also as an integral part of the union democratic structure.
Third. There must be an alliance and mutual support between the workers in the rich countries with those organized and unorganized in the poor countries. Since corporations have international agreements and mergers, this will be a counter force against the International agreements that rob the workers around the planet.
Fourth, unions must demand a living wage or income for all residents. This had been a call in the Democratic Party back in the 1950s and early 1960s but was dropped after the U.S. began a war against Vietnam.
Fifth, unions must support social justice, world peace, community development, low and moderate income housing, and health care for all residents whether they are employed or not. They should direct the resources of their pension funds toward that end.
Sixth, unions must fully integrate people of color and women at all levels of the organization, and not just tokens as they are now in most unions. They must also demand complete integration of the grievance process and the hiring of people of color as arbitrators. Even in Detroit, with a population that is over 85% African American, most of the arbitrators are elderly white males.
Seventh, international unions must develop an independent foreign policy, not linked to that of the U.S. government, but based on the principles of true grassroots social and economic justice and peace.
Eighth, Unions must organize to oppose any laws, which prevents unions from supporting one another, and oppose any grievance process, which favors employers against the interests of workers.
General Baker is a retired Detroit auto worker and veteran labor activist. Charles E. Simmons is a Professor at EMU and Co-Chair of the CPR-Detroit. Both were members of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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