It is a rather sad commentary on the state of the labor movement - which is also true here, as US truckers fear cheaper Mexican labor. In essence, labor fights for a protection of its relatively privileged status threatened by foreign workers and technologcial / organizational innovation. It is thus reactionary and isolationist, instead of progressive and internationalist. No wonder so few people want to identify with it - the progressive minded people find little reason to fight for an old-boy-network-lite, while the xenophobes prefer the stringer and more virulent versions (e.g. right wing groups).
The ideology of free market espoused by many knowledge workers is a much more attractive proposition than the paleo-labor demand for paternalistic corporatism. Granted, "free market" is cynically used by the corporate class as a store front for crony capitalism and justification of their own privileged status - but so was "socialism." However, the ideologial message of free market prominently features:
- meritocracy and irrelevance of social inheritance in the market place (equal opportunity) - embracing technological progreess and innovation - transcending national boundaries (aka "globalization") - secularism
In a word, "free market" espouses the very same ideals that "communism/socialism" did 60-80 years ago. It is a sad commentary on the state of the left and labor politics today - not only did they loose political power, but the battle for the "hearts and minds" as well.
Wojtek