I think it's terrible that Stewart Acuff of the AFL-CIO would resort to anti-communism in calling the mining disaster a "Chinese mining disaster in West Virginia." The Chinese had nothing at all to do with the deaths of 25 coal miners in West Virginia. As Mr. Acuff knows full well, most of the mining disasters in China are in private and foreign owned or controlled coal mines. What is the purpose of attacking China because a bunch of Wall Street capitalists seeking maximum profits sacrifice the lives of working people for profit? Capitalism kills workers in this country just like in China.
The host of this radio program mentioned "at-will hiring;" in fact, "at-will hiring; at-will firing" is the major impediment to union organizing in this country... 28 states are "at-will." Many of these states are controlled by Democrats bankrolled by unions... why hasn't the AFL-CIO demanded accountability from those politicians they back by insisting "at-will" be repealed? Even the Employee Free Choice Act won't overcome "at-will hiring; at-will firing."
Workers have "lost ground" because we don't have a minimum wage that is a living wage tied directly to the cost of living based upon the calculations of the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The wars Bush and the Republicans started with full support from the Democrats now being carried out fully by Obama and the Democrats are killing people and killing jobs. For what these dirty imperialist wars are costing us we could create a world-class socialized healthcare system which would create up to ten-million new members providing the American people with free healthcare--- these wars are robbing us of healthcare and jobs.
In the 1930's and 1940's the struggle was for union representation and recognition in the mines, mills and factories... as Phil Raymond, a founder of the UAW often pointed out, the next struggle would be over protecting these jobs and he pointed out that this struggle would have to be over who will own these mines, mills and factories.
Right now over 3,700 mines, mills and factories are closed... they need to be re-opened under public ownership in order to save and create jobs. The time has come for working people to assert themselves into the decision-making process because Obama and the Democrats are not going to create the kinds of jobs at living wages unless they are facing a massive movement for this kind of real change.
Whirlpool is closing a huge refrigerator plant in Indiana... The AFL-CIO and the Crowne family with controlling interest in Whirlpool both support Obama and many of the same Democrats--- how can workers make any gains supporting the bosses' candidates and political parties... we need to begin talking about a socialist, working class political party like Canadian workers have in the New Democratic Party. Working people in this country will make little progress without a labor party.
We need to expand public ownership and control in this country because the only institutions still working are public institutions... capitalism and everything associated with the "free market economy" is faltering while capitalism itself is on the skids to oblivion.
Workers aren't buying into the Democratic Party anymore because the Democrats have refused to deliver as promised.
Acuff, like the rest of the leadership of the AFL-CIO refuses to insist on enforcement of affirmative action while making all kinds of excuses for Obama including making the accusation that it is only the right-wing opposing Obama when Stewart Acuff and the AFL-CIO should be mobilizing “warriors for justice” in attacking Obama’s Wall Street agenda.
As long as Stewart Acuff and the leadership of the AFL-CIO remain apologists for Obama and the Democrats there will be no forward movement for peace and social justice.
Acuff says he is “thrilled” with all the accolades for his new book… but, what he doesn’t say is that he “bans” people like myself from commenting on his book on his facebook page.
Funny… in the interview conducted of Acuff the interviewer talks about what a great and important book Acuff has written and then goes on to say he hasn’t even read the book yet… what hypocrites.
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