> review | posted February 16, 2006 (March 6, 2006 issue)
>
> Labor Pains
>
> Kim Phillips-Fein
<snip>
> Oddly absent in Fitch's bleak account is the power of business in
> America. After all, employer violence, legal obstacles to
> organizing and the constant fear of reprisal from the boss have
> deterred untold numbers from union activism. And this, in turn, has
> helped create a climate in which corruption could flourish.
All trade unions in all countries confronted such violence, legal obstacles, and fear of reprisal from the boss. Arguably, American unions had it easier than European unions. After all, the US ruling class, unlike the European ruling class, did not impose fascism on the populace here. And yet, American unions are fatter and more corrupt than European unions. It's time to look at unions themselves to understand why.
Yoshie Furuhashi <http://montages.blogspot.com> <http://monthlyreview.org> <http://mrzine.org>