> snitsnat wrote:
>
> > I meant the idea that workers can simply get another job, not to mention
> > getting another job after they've been fired for organizing. Oh. Yeah.
>
> Not all workers can run out and get another job. But there are workers
> who look at their jobs as being temporary and transient. Take people
> working food service for example. You get fired from a restaurant, there
> are plenty of restaurants in most cities. ChuckO
>
> > The first thing I was taught was how to avoid getting in trouble by
> > saying anything bad about a former employee. I was then promptly taught
> > how to subtly convey that they sucked or were bad risks if someone
> > called for a ref check. Never used the tactic, but it's SOP. K
>
> Really? ChuckO
>
> > Also, if you think workers are going to give anyone the time of day if
> > they have to listen to some harange about how fucking privileged they
> > are, you're crazier than a 'runned over dawg." K
>
> My comments about privilege are meant for the readers of this list who
> are interested in analysis and discussion about these issues. Please
> don't go off on a tangent implying that I would use this language around
> workers! But for the sake of discussion, most American workers are more
> privileged that their counterparts around the world. Unions ought to be
> taking more risks in organizing.
>
> Chuck
Your last sentence above was the point of my post but as usual you chose to focus on other aspects that facilitate climbing up on your soap box.
I've already twice risked my job and my home to help organize workers and got screwed both times. To just ask people to keep doing this over and over is mindlessly stupid. Most people are simply not going to take such risks. It may mean nothing to you if I lose my home but try explaining to my SO that is all for the good of the revolution man! We came within just a few weeks of losing our home and my marriage took a big hit over that. To be really rude, the boy who runs home to Mom and Dad when he loses his job can stuff his lecture about risk taking up his ass. You have no fucking idea the risks I've taken and the sacrifices I've made. That goes for the rest of this list too in all probability.
The workers who consider their job transient and temporary are not usually in a position to do any of the heavy lifting required when it come to organizing workers.
I am not saying that the good old days were great for workers but when labor organizing was going full steam in the US there were social/familial institutions that helped people when they were fired. People would let others share their home and live 10 people in an apartment in order to help each other. That does not exist today. If you lose you're job and home you are too often on your own.
Kelley is right that one of the first things they teach you is how to make ex-employees less employable through what you don't say and how you present the information to prospective employeers. This makes it more difficult for fired "troublemakers" to get jobs than others. If you're having a tough time finding work this may be a big part of it.
John Thornton