For all of our all lives, we the3 99% have had someone representing out interests. They are the members of America’s Labor Unions. Even if you have never been in a union, gains made by unions for their workers have translated to most workers, including the 40 hour week, paid vacations, sick leave and higher wages.
Unions have been fighting the 1% vs 99% fight for more than 100 years. Now the rest of us are learning that this fight is also OUR fight.
The story of organized labor has been a story of working people banding together to confront concentrated wealth and power. Unions have been fighting to get decent wages, benefits, better working conditions, on-the-job safety and respect. Now, as the Reagan Revolution comes home to roost, taking apart the middle class, the rest of us are learning that this is our fight, too.
The story of America is a similar story to that of organized labor. The story of America is a story of We, the People banding together to fight the concentrated wealth and power of the British aristocracy. Our Declaration of Independence laid it out: we were fighting for a government that derives its powers from the consent of us, the people governed, not government by a wealthy aristocracy telling us what to do and making us work for their profit instead of for the betterment of all of us. It was the 99% vs the 1% then, and it is the 99% vs the 1% now… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Truth-out>
This is just a very small taste of an in depth article on the things unions have done you the 99%. I urge you to click through to read the rest.
Unions are the best thing that has ever happened for working Americans. They deserve all our support.
7 Responses to “Unions Represent the 99%”
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I can’t dispute, nor do I want to, all the gains that labour unions have brought to the workplace, union or not.
Here in BC, the teachers and the Province have been at lagerheads — the teachers knew before the end of June 2011 that they would have problems negotiating a new contract. September came and no contract so the teachers didn’t strike, but they did withhold certain administrative services like after school sports and report cards. We are now into the seventh month of the school year and the talks have broken down yet again and the government is tabling back to work legislation. Today, students from many areas descended on the offices of Members of the Legislative Assembly in support of teachers. Kids are learning how to speak up, how to join in solidarity — again, different context, but it is the 99% vs the 1%.
It would be great if unions were no longer needed, but as long as there are greedy corporations or governments willing to sell their souls for a few shekels, then unions will be necessary.
“Unions have been fighting the 1% vs 99% fight for more than 100 years. ”
Unions are the only way to keep business honest and pay a livable wage….
That is scheduled to happen the day after bears stop shitting in the woods. 😉
What this country desperately needs today is a sustained rebirth of a very strong labor movement. We, the 99%, have been kicked around for far too long! IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME, PEOPLE!
Amen, Pope Jack!
Everything we Thought was done & law in the 70’s is now Again up for grabs from RepubliCONs working for the 1%. Union busting has been a vital part of their oppression since day one.
You are so right. In the 1960s I thought we’d made the changes we needed.