The Union Movement In The USA Died Today

[Brubricker]

Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee have voted to reject the United Auto Workers' bid to unionize the plant. While it may sound like a somewhat local event, it's difficult to overstate the magnitude of what it means for union politics in the United States. Should you care to follow the story in coming days, you can expect to see commentators comparing it to Napoleon at Waterloo, and with good reason. Some will blame the meddling of Republican politicians, and perhaps with justification, but any way you analyze this outcome it's a complete disaster for unions in the USA.

The autopsy will be conducted in the press in coming days. The reasons for my hyperbole will made fully apparent by people with better writing skills than I possess. I'm just beside myself. I need a drink.

http://m.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/feb/14/chattanooga-volkswagen-workers-reject-uaw/?breakingnews

 

[TomUS]

It was a big setback. Republican politicians & conservative groups pulled out all the stops to win the vote. They are desperate to keep the south non union to keep attracting foreign plants.

 

[malatesta32]

slightly off topic, but how did the mob muscle in on the unions? how did they get control?

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

slightly off topic, but how did the mob muscle in on the unions? how did they get control?

Can you do this on another thread please?

 

[DownwardDog]

It was a big setback. Republican politicians & conservative groups pulled out all the stops to win the vote. They are desperate to keep the south non union to keep attracting foreign plants.

Well, VW would never have built the plant in Tennesee in the first place if it weren't a RTW state.

 

[J Ed]

Good discussion here http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/after_uaw_defeat_at_volkswagen_in_tennessee_theories_abound

 

[butchersapron]

Workers threw out unions loads of times - end result = speed up and conditions so bad that the workers joined together and called for the union recognition. In fact the bosses often called in the unions to tame down what they had unleashed. Shit house unions are a problem - this is one way to get rid of them for now.

 

[butchersapron]

Actually reading round - the OP is horsehit.

 

[butchersapron]

Italy FIAT defeat 1981 - white collar workers. They beat the industrial workers at the same plant. Marco Revlli (?) article i put on line yonks ago about this. Will look.

 

[butchersapron]

Got it: please read this:

Defeat at Fiat

 

[Foggy1980]

It's hardly the end of US unionism, US workers have had open warfare waged on them and continued to organise in an environment that should have ended unionism.

 

[Foggy1980]

Just look at the history of the 20s and 30s.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Not dead yet:

http://news.yahoo.com/qb-testifies-bid-form-college-athlete-union-163941255--spt.html

 

[butchersapron]

Not dead yet:

http://news.yahoo.com/qb-testifies-bid-form-college-athlete-union-163941255--spt.html

Massive case - surprised at lack of coverage.

 

[Pickman's model]

Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee have voted to reject the United Auto Workers' bid to unionize the plant. While it may sound like a somewhat local event, it's difficult to overstate the magnitude of what it means for union politics in the United States. Should you care to follow the story in coming days, you can expect to see commentators comparing it to Napoleon at Waterloo, and with good reason. Some will blame the meddling of Republican politicians, and perhaps with justification, but any way you analyze this outcome it's a complete disaster for unions in the USA.

The autopsy will be conducted in the press in coming days. The reasons for my hyperbole will made fully apparent by people with better writing skills than I possess. I'm just beside myself. I need a drink.

http://m.timesfreepress.com/news/2014/feb/14/chattanooga-volkswagen-workers-reject-uaw/?breakingnews

when you say you're talking hyperbolics why do you expect anyone to take you seriously?

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Massive case - surprised at lack of coverage.

I'm not. If the corporate media doesn't find it in their interest to cover it, they don't.

 

[butchersapron]

I'm not. If the corporate media doesn't find it in their interest to cover it, they don't.

Even on our side though - maybe they don't get the implications. Private liberal arts college backgrounds tend to make you blind to this sort of thing though.

 

[butchersapron]

Not dead yet:

http://news.yahoo.com/qb-testifies-bid-form-college-athlete-union-163941255--spt.html

They won:

College Players Granted Right to Form Union

A regional director of the National Labor Relations Board ruled Wednesday that a group of Northwestern football players were employees of the university and have the right to form a union and bargain collectively.

For decades, the major college sports have functioned on the bedrock principle of the student-athlete, with players receiving scholarships to pay for their education in exchange for their hours of practicing and competing for their university. But Peter Ohr, the regional N.L.R.B. director, tore down that familiar construct in a 24-page decision.

The ruling centered not on the treatment of players, but on the university’s relationship to them.

“Just because they’re a good employer doesn’t mean they’re not an employer,” said Tim Waters, the political director for the United Steelworkers, a union that has worked on rights for college athletes for more than a decade.

He added: “The players won on every question.”

 

[Sasaferrato]

It was a big setback. Republican politicians & conservative groups pulled out all the stops to win the vote. They are desperate to keep the south non union to keep attracting foreign plants.

If Volkswagen follow the labour relations practices that they do in Germany, there is little need for membership of an outside union.

I think the Trades Union movement in general is finished, for a number of reasons, not least their inaction and failure to engage with the membership. I am so disenchanted with PCS's lack of activity that I am seriously considering giving up my membership.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

They won:

College Players Granted Right to Form Union

I'm sure it'll be appealed. They won't want to share their billions of dollars with mere players. They have skyboxes to build and lavish parties to throw for donors.

 

[J Ed]

If Volkswagen follow the labour relations practices that they do in Germany, there is little need for membership of an outside union.

I think the Trades Union movement in general is finished, for a number of reasons, not least their inaction and failure to engage with the membership. I am so disenchanted with PCS's lack of activity that I am seriously considering giving up my membership.

Aren't you a Tory voter? Don't you feel at least a bit responsible for this?

 

[Sasaferrato]

Aren't you a Tory voter? Don't you feel at least a bit responsible for this?

You are correct, I 'aren't' a Tory voter.

The responsibility for the decline of the union movements lies with inept unions and apathetic workers/members.

I would be interested in the view of other PCS members regarding PCS's performance at the present time.

 

[J Ed]

You are correct, I 'aren't' a Tory voter.

The responsibility for the decline of the union movements lies with inept unions and apathetic workers/members.

I would be interested in the view of other PCS members regarding PCS's performance at the present time.

So it's the fault of people on the receiving end of repressive measures which you supported because they didn't do enough to resist them? You seem very confused, surely they were just doing what you wanted them to.

 

[butchersapron]

You are correct, I 'aren't' a Tory voter.

You lying git.

 

[Teaboy]

You lying git.

I think Sas has renounced his tory voting ways (for the time being). He's part of a growing group of life-long tory voters who are deeply unimpressed with the current eton mess, my dad is like this as well. For years some people genuinely believed the tory party was for the man in the street, the man who wanted to work hard and get on in life, but with this lot in charge that pretence has all but disappeared.

 

[Sasaferrato]

So it's the fault of people on the receiving end of repressive measures which you supported because they didn't do enough to resist them? You seem very confused, surely they were just doing what you wanted them to.

It is the fault of people who are too apathetic to hold their union to account. Apathy is the killer. PCS are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard, they have stood by and watched our terms and conditions being raped. The hierarchy are absolutely divorced from the membership. The membership wanted action, it didn't happen, and now, in our office of 300, we have gone from 260 members to 180 members. More will go when direct deduction from pay stops.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I think Sas has renounced his tory voting ways (for the time being). He's part of a growing group of life-long tory voters who are deeply unimpressed with the current eton mess, my dad is like this as well. For years some people genuinely believed the tory party was for the man in the street, the man who wanted to work hard and get on in life, but with this lot in charge that pretence has all but disappeared.

I will not be voting Conservative until we have a Conservative leader of the party again, if that ever happens. Could be tempted when Boris becomes leader. (Off to look on the bookies web sites to see what odds I can get on Boris being leader within three years.)

Edited to add: 5/1. Favourite. A bit disappointing.

 

[J Ed]

It is the fault of people who are too apathetic to hold their union to account. Apathy is the killer. PCS are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard, they have stood by and watched our terms and conditions being raped. The hierarchy are absolutely divorced from the membership. The membership wanted action, it didn't happen, and now, in our office of 300, we have gone from 260 members to 180 members. More will go when direct deduction from pay stops.

I will not be voting Conservative until we have a Conservative leader of the party again, if that ever happens. Could be tempted when Boris becomes leader. (Off to look on the bookies web sites to see what odds I can get on Boris being leader within three years.)

Edited to add: 5/1. Favourite. A bit disappointing.

You are very confused. You may as well be voting for the BNP while being concerned about racism.

 

[DotCommunist]

If boris jonson ever becomes party leader and then PM, I swear I'll do time

 

[Brubricker]

If Volkswagen follow the labour relations practices that they do in Germany, there is little need for membership of an outside union.

US law prohibits those practices in the absence of a union. Volkswagen explicitly stated that they preferred unionization of the plant for precisely this reason. Now its all fucked and VW has to figure out some way to manage this plant alone in a manner different from all their other global operations.