the democratic party, the labor unions, and "big" politi: In Wisconsin Year Two
Jan & I have returned from attending this year's Labor Notes conference, held in Chicago rather than Detroit as all previous conferences have been. We attended the Friday opening plenary and workshops on Wisconsin, Chicago, & teachersnationwied (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles). The hopes triggered in Wisconsin and broadened in the Occupations are being richly fulfilled. There is a growing possibility, even probability, of a Teachers' Strike in Chicago in September, which will be (already Is being) supported by a number Chicago union locals, including postal workers. The campaign has a label: Fight Back Against the 1% Mayor." Public health workers, mostly black, mostly women, are calling n Obama to call off his attack dog. They had set up a medical tent for Occupy Chicago, when _tents_ (even awnings) had been made illegal. When the cops arrested everyone there they hesitated with the two nurses: it seems that it is embarrassing to arrest nurses, even Black ones. (These nurses have linked to the California Nurses.) They insisted on being arrested with the others however. The leader of the Letter Carrier's local has broken union tradition and joined his local to the struggle of Chicago public workers, including preeminently the CTU and its possible strike this fall.
My octogenarian memory does not retain many of the concrete details of any of the workshops, but in coming days I'll try to work out a more coherent presentation with more precise detail.
The Wisconsin speakers wre sharply critical of the decision of the state leadership of the teachers' union to offer to accept the money parts of Walker's plan if he would drop the limitations (virtual banning) of unions. It emptied the struggle of meaning for many union members and failed to achieve even its narrowed demand.
Wisconsin Year Two is shaping up to be as interesting as was Year One.
Carrol