It does need a 10x effort, and has been obvious that since the 1980’s unions record on organizing expenditures, and political will has been a rollercoaster.
When SEIU was organizing 50,000 members a year in the decade beginning in 2000 it was spending 50%+ of its budget organizing and locals were expected to spend 20%.
SEIU from 2002 on was spending between $170,000,000 and $200,000,000 a year on organizing.
In addition many International unions were run by former organizing directors who became International President: UNITE, CWA, UFCW, Carpenters, SEIU, HERE to name a few.
And John Sweeney, the President of the AFL—CIO, was proselytizing and demonstrating action in spending resources and political will.
We now know that it takes political will, resources, and a strategic plan supported from top leadership to succeed. There can be lots of strategic debates about strategy and tactics, but organizing changes workers lives.
I wish I did. But certainly standard like putting 20% of resources to organizing as John Sweeney did would be a good start if there’s money to spend people will spend it.
This reminds me of when my mom was on the church finance committee at a church that was losing members, but building a big endowment. There were finance committee members who didn't understand they were letting the church itself die because they were only concerned about the sustainability of their investment fund.
On a related note, that committee was investing in fossil fuels and defense contractors and all sorts of things that reasonable people would think went against the teachings of the bible, but they justified it as being necessary to get good growth they could reinvest in the church if needed. I assume unions with growing funds have them invested in the stock market. I wonder how many are in index funds which invest in companies like Starbucks or Amazon.
Greetings from San Francisco, where many workers are picketing (Still! Today!) some of the big hotels over working conditions. Loud at the Westin St Francis this morning (and they go quiet at night, but still walk the line). Part of a nationwide action tho I do not know how many other places are being picketed.
Please come to Michigan. Also, why should unions — and only unions — be THE way to mitigate corporate power? Both Robert Reich and Michael Moore told me that the idea of creating a membership org — akin to the Chamber of Commerce, AARP, etc. but built to fight for for wage-earning WORKERS — was a great idea. Crossing political divides, open to anybody who works for a paycheck in *any* sector, not bound by labor union rules. Lobbying hard for the working class. Idk I still think it tracks. American Wage Earners (AWE). Tagline: “I’m in AWE.”
You're absolutely right. Unfortunately, union leaders want themselves to be the only conduit of "labor power"; and they want you to fight your own employer first, by yourself, before they'll give you the time of day.
They also only answer to their members (+ some are more "members" than others, as I've found in my union), + don't relish the idea of expanding the pool of people they must answer to.
That's understandable, to a point; but it leaves a canyon-sized hole in the labor movement, one that an organization like your idea's could address.
Workers in non-union environments could then become part of something, right under the bosses' (+ their snitches') nose, quietly; gaining some belonging + commonality + potential solidarity, which, were it to swell to a few hundred thousand members or more; "flip" into a power-wielding entity before anyone who wants to sabotage them (as bosses love to do) can get organized to.
That last part is important; the bosses of course have all their carefully-made weapons against the rise of a real opposition, + they use those against unionizing drives to the hilt. They'd double their efforts against something like this. So best make it quiet and grow it under their radar.
Will just miss you in Las Vegas! I'm here for a few days for my husband's work, but then we leave for NYC on Thursday. Hope the reading goes wonderfully!
Another way to get back to basics: Our labor regime is set up as a fight. Mostly, we treat it as a dinner party with interesting guests. So we lose the fight and wonder why.
It does need a 10x effort, and has been obvious that since the 1980’s unions record on organizing expenditures, and political will has been a rollercoaster.
When SEIU was organizing 50,000 members a year in the decade beginning in 2000 it was spending 50%+ of its budget organizing and locals were expected to spend 20%.
In 2000 SEIU organized 73,339; 2001 79,821; 2002 132,759; 2003 62,121; 2004 66,993; 2005 182,466; 2006 30,951
SEIU from 2002 on was spending between $170,000,000 and $200,000,000 a year on organizing.
In addition many International unions were run by former organizing directors who became International President: UNITE, CWA, UFCW, Carpenters, SEIU, HERE to name a few.
And John Sweeney, the President of the AFL—CIO, was proselytizing and demonstrating action in spending resources and political will.
We now know that it takes political will, resources, and a strategic plan supported from top leadership to succeed. There can be lots of strategic debates about strategy and tactics, but organizing changes workers lives.
And at the moment there is far too little of it
It takes political will
Good comment. Any thoughts in increasing the will to organize among current union presidents?
I wish I did. But certainly standard like putting 20% of resources to organizing as John Sweeney did would be a good start if there’s money to spend people will spend it.
This reminds me of when my mom was on the church finance committee at a church that was losing members, but building a big endowment. There were finance committee members who didn't understand they were letting the church itself die because they were only concerned about the sustainability of their investment fund.
On a related note, that committee was investing in fossil fuels and defense contractors and all sorts of things that reasonable people would think went against the teachings of the bible, but they justified it as being necessary to get good growth they could reinvest in the church if needed. I assume unions with growing funds have them invested in the stock market. I wonder how many are in index funds which invest in companies like Starbucks or Amazon.
Greetings from San Francisco, where many workers are picketing (Still! Today!) some of the big hotels over working conditions. Loud at the Westin St Francis this morning (and they go quiet at night, but still walk the line). Part of a nationwide action tho I do not know how many other places are being picketed.
https://sfstandard.com/2024/09/03/photos-sf-hotel-workers-strike/
Please come to Michigan. Also, why should unions — and only unions — be THE way to mitigate corporate power? Both Robert Reich and Michael Moore told me that the idea of creating a membership org — akin to the Chamber of Commerce, AARP, etc. but built to fight for for wage-earning WORKERS — was a great idea. Crossing political divides, open to anybody who works for a paycheck in *any* sector, not bound by labor union rules. Lobbying hard for the working class. Idk I still think it tracks. American Wage Earners (AWE). Tagline: “I’m in AWE.”
Unions have the right to strike, which is their fundamental source of power, unlike normal associations.
I would really like to do a book event in Detroit still. Stay tuned.
You're absolutely right. Unfortunately, union leaders want themselves to be the only conduit of "labor power"; and they want you to fight your own employer first, by yourself, before they'll give you the time of day.
They also only answer to their members (+ some are more "members" than others, as I've found in my union), + don't relish the idea of expanding the pool of people they must answer to.
That's understandable, to a point; but it leaves a canyon-sized hole in the labor movement, one that an organization like your idea's could address.
Workers in non-union environments could then become part of something, right under the bosses' (+ their snitches') nose, quietly; gaining some belonging + commonality + potential solidarity, which, were it to swell to a few hundred thousand members or more; "flip" into a power-wielding entity before anyone who wants to sabotage them (as bosses love to do) can get organized to.
That last part is important; the bosses of course have all their carefully-made weapons against the rise of a real opposition, + they use those against unionizing drives to the hilt. They'd double their efforts against something like this. So best make it quiet and grow it under their radar.
Looking forward to your 9/25th St Augustine, FL talk at Flagler
college, where you will be
introduced by well-respected historian and Civil Rights activist, David Nolan. Your home town is proud of you!
Will just miss you in Las Vegas! I'm here for a few days for my husband's work, but then we leave for NYC on Thursday. Hope the reading goes wonderfully!
Another way to get back to basics: Our labor regime is set up as a fight. Mostly, we treat it as a dinner party with interesting guests. So we lose the fight and wonder why.
Any way you can speak in Missouri?
A lot of it
Can you get the Sept 25 event in St Augustine listed here: https://www.visitstaugustine.com/events/all ?