(Re)Organized Labor
A Sleeping Giant Awakens?
- Tractors Roll Into Madison, As Wisconsin Readies For The Biggest Protest Yet--Common Dreams
"The numbers tell the story of Wisconsin's resistance, and its resilience. . . ."
Buy American--Buy Union
- CREDO Mobile
'More Than a network--A Movement" - Made In USA
Made in America Product Search Engine and Database. - UAW Cars, Trucks and Vans
Cars, Trucks & Vans by Union Members in the United States (UAW) and Canada (CAW) - YouTube - Wake Up Wal-Mart
This channel highlights Walmart's negative business practices and gives voice to Associate and consumer concerns about the retail giant.
Working-Class Voices
- Equal Time Radio Show
Equal Time Radio: A political radio talk show for Progressives. - ILCA - International Labor Communications Association
The International Labor Communications Association, founded in 1955, is the professional organization of labor communicators in North America. - Prometheus Radio Project
The Prometheus Radio Project builds participatory radio as a tool for social justice organizing and a voice for community expression. - The Rick Smith Show--Where Working People Come To Talk
Working-Class talk from Carlisle, PA - SharedSacrifice--Blog Talk Radio
We serve as a free space sounding board news outlet and debating network for all sides of the progressive political spectrum A place for the Left to work out its differences reaffirm its shared vision and reclaim the commons. - YouTube - TheYoungTurks's Channel
A 20-Month Plan?
Scott Walker and the Koch Brothers don't realize that they may have spilled tea onto a hornet's nest. They may have broken public sector unions in Wisconsin, and given pro-corporate Governors in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania a "blueprint" to , but they've also re-ignited the labor movement.
But what does Labor need to do the keep the fight up into 2012?
One thing may be to organize, especially in the low-wage service sector that makes up so much of the 'base' of the American economy. Organizing Wal-Mart's, Best Buy's, Target's, etc might be a way to build ranks. This can't be done, though, without some help from what's left of what little of America's Organized Workforce remains. Unions need to convince and urge their members to boycott businesses that refuse to respect workers rights to organize, and products that are linked to people like the Koch Brothers. At the same time they need to have their members support pro-worker businesses and purchase products made by their union brothers and sisters.
A second thing that needs to be done is to tap into the 'NetRoots'. National groups like MoveOn and Democracy For America, and state groups like Pennsylvania's Keystone Progress were major sources of information and helped organized solidarity events well beyond Madison. Labor can not only form working relationships with these groups, but continue to adopt their tactics.
A third, and perhaps most difficult task, is to build a worker's media. The corps have their mouthpieces; Beck, Limbaugh, etc, with national reach to stir their listeners to act. Working American has fewer voices, it's very hard for a voice like Carlisle, Pennsylvania's Rick Smith to get national reach. Perhaps the community-based radio that Prometheus Radio works on, or the internet-based approach of The Young Turks and Shared Sacrifice is the way to get working class voices out to the masses.
Labor has an opportunity to possibly reverse 30 years of pro-corporate policies. The question is, can they do what needs to be done.
PA Solidarity Rally
Click thumbnail to view full-size
