Gut Awareness On the Rise

Over the last few days the newspapers in toronto have been carrying a story about a suburban triple homicide-suicide.
And for the first time there has been no attempt to blame this tragedy on "unbalanced " personalities or angry domestic situations etc.
The "only thing clear" the paper states is that the family may have "been under some financial pressure." Seems the family remortgaged their home and it is speculated that large sums were lost on the stock market in the current financial debacle.
On top of that they have an very chronically ill son , unemployed and on very expensive medication. Unable to portray so far this as an isolated event perpetrated by a "disturbed" individual-the "you never know what goes on behind closed doors" scenario-the severely dysfunctional family routine etc - they point to the economy as a key factor in this tragedy.
Two things come to mind. Apart from the unspeakable tragedy - it is the first time that I have heard the press so readily point to economic reasons and make the links to the financial crisis in a situation like this, avoiding all reference to severe emotional issues or deranged behaviour.
Clearly if they are comfortable making these assumptions re the causes of this families desperation they have something to base it on.
Granted this is an act of severe desperation in a family - an extreme reaction to being forced into economic ruin. But not isolated and we will hear more!
It would be irresponsible to view this in an opportunistic manner and exaggerate the circumstances. On the other hand it is also irresponsible not to point out the tremendous human cost at the most basic level of everyday experiences and emotional desperation ordinary working people are feeling.
Less dramatic but related is conversations at work again-all the time.
Workers are revealing in actual numbers how much they have lost in the last few months.Usually reluctant to discuss individual finances and certainly never specifics, it is starting to pour out.
I am talking ordinary nurses, some single , some double income , some single parents-none wealthy or anywhere near wealthy. How does 20 thousand sound, one 30 thousand lost in three months. This represents years of packing away as much as possible into retirement funds -sacrificing vacations and new clothing -gone.
Now talk of what next-knowing that layoffs in the health sector are probably coming.
I hear confusion and fear. For the first time I hear workers saying it seems futile that there is no permanence and absolutely no economic security in life.
This of course raise all kinds of opportunities to point to alternatives -and I do all the time. Still somewhat insulated , in highly skilled jobs in an essential services hope in the system has not been exhausted -but it is being eroded. No one cringes when i use the word capitalism and point out the advantages of a planned economy . No one laughs when I walk around the nursing station , working as we talk , saying "nationalize the auto industry under workers ownership and control."
Granted a new concept to most -but no more rolled eyes and looks like "there she goes again." Seriously! Even last night we had a brief conversation about how employers treat workers as children and are abusive - agreement across the table when I pointed out that workers are capable of self management collectively-but as one worker, a social workers stated-"sure we are and we are more efficient as well." Such bold talk !!-would not have heard it a few months ago.
But there is a huge vacuum-not a word, not a damn word from the trade union leadership. No persectives, no forewarning to the membership of the losses coming down the tube, probably sooner than later.
Not one feeble attempt to make the connections between this economic crisis and how it will affect public services and public sector workers.No organizing, nothing but passivity . They are useless and they are collaborators.
So reading all these posts it has never been clearer that we need to continue to articulate and explain and point to alternatives boldly and skillfully.I am heading out to the printer Monday to pick up some more copies of the FFWP.
No one else will do it in the workplace or in my union Local or in my union period so what the hell it might as well be me.