Union criticism versus Union Bashing/Snobbery (Re: [lbo-talk] a teacher in trouble and the union

Nathan Newman nathanne at nathannewman.org
Sat Mar 4 13:02:10 PST 2006


----- Original Message ----- From: "Carrol Cox" <cbcox at ilstu.edu>

Doug Henwood wrote:
> >There is more union bashing on this list than any other
> >"progressive" forum I am part of.
>
> No more than in a typical issue of Labor Notes.

-I think the word "criticism" (as a political term) is regularly misused -on this list, and is being misused here. Criticism in Labor Notes is -FROM THE INSIDE, while the tone of alleged criticism on this list always -has the tone of external carping. It's only this morning that I finally -found the word to describe that tone: Snobbery. "I am not as others are; -I'm above that; I'm not part of 'That Left Out There' or 'That Union -Movement Out THere.' I'm independent."

I basically agree with Carrol on this description of why labor criticism on this list feels like "bashing" rather than dissent.

And Labor Notes does not have the repeated references to "this is why people feel it's okay to cross picket lines" that appear on this list. And most Labor Notes criticisms discuss union reforms as benefitting the members, so the self-interest of unions is not a dirty concept.

Nathan Newman



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