esrosedotblog

DISORGANIZED LABOR

I approach Labor Day as one of those non-holiday type events that give the working man and woman a day off and me a day without postal service.

But I do have to admit to a history in the union movement.

When I was a kid, I worked for A&P and was therefore an involuntary member of the Retail Clerks International Union .

I never went to meetings. I never was in on any labor action.

I did pay dues and I did get a newsletter.

I remember that the company carried out a campaign of disinformation about the union. Principally, that it was affiliated with the Teamsters who were going through a period of negative publicity. Well, they have always been in that period.

This was not true however. No Teamsters.

Somehow, despite my inactivity, my affiliation stuck with me. I have always regarded myself as a union member even though I only paid dues for about two years.

I think that I recognized early on that A&P did not have my interests at heart but the Union did.

Years later, my Dad, who had been an A&P manager for 40 some years had a moment of clarity and told them to shove their manager job. He joined the Union and became a Union Steward!

Heresy!

They were his happiest years with the company.

More positive reinforcement.

This early experience influenced my politics life-long.

Sadly, I think that even the unions have forgotten the significance of the holiday.

I am in the memory chain that includes adults who had been exploited as child laborers.

I have been up close and personal with migrant workers in the south when I worked for another food chain. These were our underpaid factory workers.

I saw sweatshops even when I was living in Boston.

Unions are still an important force for social good.

The bush years and the plutocratic movement have seen to that.

Without a union, workers are basically fucked.

Yes, I know. Unions evolved into bloated, corrupt bureaucracies.

But the worm is turning.

We will see what we shall see.

Labels: coming of age, politics