On Jun 1, 2008, at 7:22 PM, Joseph Catron wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 1, 2008 at 10:15 AM, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Man, that's like a Republican talking point.
>
> I'm sorry, what is? Organizing workers?
That is exactly what I mean. No, organizing workers is not a Republican talking point. Saying things like "CNA is a union buster" over & over. Or saying that "Fitch thinks that home care workers aren't real workers." Or "CNA is an elitist craft union." Or, presenting yourself like Stern does as the great friend of minority and women workers, meaning that his critics aren't. Endless repetition with a devious twist.
>> How the
>> workers fare over the long term is uncertain.
>
> How so? In the largest and most successful of these campaigns, SEIU
> Local 880 won raises averaging 35% for 49,000 Illinois child care
> providers.
Is "largest and most successful" representative? And does the initial contract tell you much about the long term?
>> But in any case, this
>> has nothing to do with organizing the retail sector, which is a much
>> bigger and more important nut to crack.
>
> "Important" in what sense? Because improving the conditions in which
> people sell and buy stuff is more "important" than improving the
> conditions in which children experience their first years? I cannot
> begin to count the ways in which you are wrong.
Wow. I said home care, not child care. They're not the same thing, you know. And there are about 750,000 home care workers in the U.S. There are more than 15 million retail workers - about 20 times as many as home care workers. Wal-Mart isn't only our largest employer, it's been a great influence on the broader evolution of the U.S. economy. To steal Anwar Shaikh's phrase, it's achieved the status of a "regulating capital." It sets standards that others follow. So I'd be interested to hear some of the ways in which I'm wrong.
> You've previously apologized for union-busting; now you disparage
> union organizing. I only hope these discussions reflect your desire to
> score cheap points instead of your actual beliefs.
You're the one who said you can see becoming a Republican some day, not me.
Doug