Читать книгу Bigger Labor: A Crash Course for Construction Union Organizers - Bob Jr. Oedy - Страница 5

Chapter One: Where We Are

Labor never quits. We never give up the fight—no matter how tough the odds, no matter how long it takes.

—George Meany

A friend forwarded an article about a drop in union membership in the private sector on January 23, 2010 (Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal Online.). According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of union workers dropped to the lowest level since the government started tracking them. “That’s not surprising,” I thought to myself. There’s really no reason to read it. It’s not news; union membership has been dropping for years. If union membership was to suddenly shoot back up to levels of the 1950s and 1960s, now that would be news, but that’s crazy; no one expects that to happen anytime soon.

No comprehensive plan is in place for an all out, wall-to-wall, nationwide union organizing drive. Of course, there are individual unions—and some construction unions are among them—who have embraced organizing and are reaping the rewards. It seems that what the labor movement really needs right now is solidarity. Labor cannot afford to fractionalize at a time when we have so much to gain and yet so much to lose. With the Baby Boomers nearing retirement and increased demand for skilled labor, it seems like the perfect opportunity for a cooperative of unions to achieve the goal of a revitalized labor movement. What seems more likely is that those unions that have already embraced organizing and are investing the most money in training and recruiting new organizers will grow while the others will fade into obscurity.

While studying for my bachelor’s degree in labor studies at the George Meany Center/National Labor College, the professor informed the class that “union organizing” wasn’t “faith based”, it was “science based.” She went on to say that faith and hope were great things, but they have no place in union organizing. According to the professor, every effort needs to be analyzed to see if it produced a clearly measured result. There need to be strict parameters and proven examples. She advocated comparative case studies to measure the outcome of scientific approaches to determine whether they support the hypothesis. If not, Labor needs to throw that organizing model out and try something entirely new.

While I agree that Labor needs to be able to measure success, like a business measures return-on-investment, there seems to be so much more at play. Perhaps it’s because I consider myself a person of faith. I believe organizing is about establishing relationships and empowering people. The simple fact that you are reaching out to help people succeed, whether it be in their own personal career or in growing their company, means you are already on a path to success. You cannot fail. Therefore, I recommend a completely different approach as outlined here:

•Find out what other successful organizers are doing.

•Ask them to share with you what they have learned.

•Choose what works best for you.

•Put the fundamentals into practice.

•Share what you have learned with others.

“Just Don’t Do Anything”

The only effective answer to organized greed is organized labor.

—Thomas Donahue

A friend shared some advice that was offered to him by someone with a long history of employment in the labor movement. He was told quite frankly, “just don’t do anything; you’ll never get in trouble.” We had to laugh at the absurdity of the remark, but we also had to acknowledge that it seemed to work for that individual, because he worked as a rep for the better part of 20 years.

This problem of apathy is bigger than any of us want to admit. Organizing is designed to bring change. Change makes people nervous. It’s going to put some people in a position where they feel vulnerable. Whether it’s the member on the out-of-work book who sees new members as competition, or some attorney worried that an organizer will put the union at legal risk, either way it can have a chilling effect on organizing efforts. This prospect can cause people to take the safe route and not make any waves. Don’t let it get you down. Just be aware of it.

In organizing, it’s much better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. If you really want to make a difference, you’re going to have to take some risks. You’re going to have to put yourself out there and see what happens. Be proactive. Meet challenges head on. Of course, you’re going to have good days and bad days, but to be a exceptional organizer, you’re going to need to practice the fundamentals of being a self-starter and having goals. You have to decide that you’re going to be the one to make a difference. Organizers are problem solvers; they’re self-motivated. It’s not the type of job in which you wait for an assignment, and then do the work. If you wait for someone to tell you what to do, you’ll be waiting for a long time.

“Let’s Not Do Anything for 30 Days and See What Happens”

I want you to pledge to yourselves in this convention to stand as one solid army against the foes of human labor. Think of the thousands who are killed every year and there is no redress for it. We will fight until the mines are made secure and human life valued more than props. Look things in the face. Don’t fear a governor; don’t fear anybody. You pay the governor; he has the right to protect you. You are the biggest part of the population in the state. You create its wealth, so I say, “Let the fight go on; if nobody else will keep on, I will.”

—Mary Harris “Mother” Jones, 1913

An organizing conference was attended by organizers from various states who gathered to create a strategic plan. A consultant was brought in to moderate the event. Ideas were tossed around, and some substantive conversations resulted. An outline was written up with each organizer assigned a responsibility. No idea was too small or too large, and everyone was encouraged to air his or her concerns. That’s when someone made the following recommendation; “Let’s not do anything for 30 days and see what happens.”

You might think such a statement was met with laughter, but it wasn’t. A colleague leaned over and whispered, “If the other side could see us right now, they’d all breathe a little easier.” If the statement was said as a joke, I could understand, but it wasn’t a joke. He was serious.

In many ways, this is systemic of the problem labor unions face today. Some people just don’t understand the implications of waiting around to see what happens. Consistent and persistent efforts must be made across the board. It could be said that unions are at a tipping point. Ignoring the issues will result in the demise of the unions, not to mention our livelihood.