(Note: I noticed Scott Marshall had viewed the same video and liked it but had nothing to say)
Stewart Acuff: US Trade Unions and the Global Economic Crisis
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On Sunday, March 21, 2010, Stewart Acuff participated in the Left Forum in New York City. He was a featured panelist at the event, speaking about the current economic crisis and the role Unions are playing ...
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March 24 at 5:30pm via YouTube · Comment ·LikeUnlike · View Feedback (8)Hide Feedback (8)
My response…
Stewart, it seems to me you are missing a few things.
The EFCA is no doubt needed; however, the main obstacle to union organizing is "at-will hiring; at-will firing.
You don't even mention the money and resources being squandered on these dirty imperialist wars. Nothing short of socialized healthcare is going to solve the healthcare mess this rotten capitalist system has spawned... in fact, a national health service or public healthcare system would create around ten-million good, union jobs providing the American people with no-fee/no-premium, comprehensive, all-inclusive, pre-natal to the grave universal public healthcare that is publicly funded, publicly administered and publicly delivered--- all for considerably less than what Obama's wars are costing us... you continue to ignore the price the American working people are paying for these terrible wars.
"Jobs, jobs, jobs" you say to get us out of this economic mess... I agree, we can only "work" our way out of this mess; but, again, you are missing important factors--- first of which as long as the working class allows mines, mills and factories to be closed by Wall Street coupon clippers, investors and financiers who seek out the cheapest sources of raw materials and the cheapest labor markets unemployment is going to continue to soar. The time has come to stop being timid and start talking about public ownership of these closing mines, mills and factories--- many of which are exemplary examples of green manufacturing and green jobs producing the highest and finest quality products in the world--- the closing refrigerator plant is but one example--- another is the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant, a plant so heavily subsidized by tax-payers over the years who have also provided Ford with free hydro power that the people actually own this operation even if they don't understand they do and Ford won't admit it.
We have some 3,700 closed, shuttered and often abandoned mines, mills and factories in this country and based on what most people in this world still require to live half-way decent lives these mines, mills and factories should be brought into production under government ownership possibly in league with the workers and unions with pension funds invested in putting America back to work instead of invested in financing overseas production--- talk about slitting your own throat.
Also, why no mention about the need to enforce affirmative action--- with unemployment levels as high as they are, do you really expect people of color, women and the handicapped to join struggles for jobs knowing they will be the last hired?
I think you have a responsibility to answer these questions; these are questions on the minds of many working people.
Here is a little formula for you to consider:
Peace = socialized healthcare + ten-million jobs
Let’s get your "warriors for justice" out into the working class neighborhoods, into the schools and into every single mine, mill and factory in this country to turn this country around... and, it wouldn't hurt to have a working class party to vote for so workers don't have to keep giving their votes to the very bosses they have to fight and struggle against every single day.
I look forward to your response.
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
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