The bosses are crying poverty and that they cannot afford decent wages and benefits. These are the criminals who have filled their own pockets and looted the system over the past decades. Now they demand the tax payers bail them out and the workers take cuts in wages and benefits. The demands of these arrogant criminals must be rejected.
Unfortunately the union leaders are cowed and intimidated by these bosses and their system. There are two main reasons for this. One is that the union leaders themselves live high of the hog in this system. They have wages and benefits and job security way above the workers who are their members. But the main reason the union leaders are cowed and intimidated and will not fight is that they can see no alternative to the present economic and political system of capitalism. So they think that there is no point in fighting. Worse they think that if they mobilize the workers to fight this will lead to chaos. And not only chaos but also to a radicalization of the workers which will threaten their own positions and the system. So they refuse to fight the bosses and instead they organize to crush their own members who try to fight.
The workers movement needs to establish a simple principle. This is: not a single concession to be made in wages and benefits. Any company that says they cannot afford to increase wages and benefits this company must open the books to see what their condition is. And open the books going back as far as necessary, not just a year or two. If the books show they can pay then they must pay, if the books show they are broke then the company has to be nationalized under workers control and management. The management of such a company has forfeited the right to continue to own that company. The banks and finance houses which have been shown to be broke have been partially nationalized to bail them out. What is good for them is good for other companies.
Along with this simple principle the labour movement must take up the struggle for a $15.00 an hour minimum wage or a $5.00 wage increase whichever is the greater. And along with this free health care and education. And along with this no foreclosures or evictions and instead a housing program of a home for everybody which costs no more than 15% of family income. And along with this a public works program to build roads, bridges, schools, hospitals at union rates and conditions to create jobs for the unemployed. And along with this the workweek should be reduced to 35 hours with no loss in pay to also provide jobs.
There is a mood of anger in the country against the employers and their system. Wall Street and Washington are hated. A mass workers movement can be built in this climate. This is the task that the union leaders should be taking on. Not as they are doing, agreeing to re-open contracts and reduce wages and benefits. Some of the unions such as SEIU and AFSCME are going to the bosses courts to try and get the bosses courts to force the bosses to act in the workers' interests. These are policies which will lead to defeat and demoralization.
The rank and file activists as well as pointing out the wrong policies of the union leaders and how these must be changed must organize rank and file Hands of of wages/benefits and jobs committees in the workplaces and unions. These bodies can become the nucleus for a fight back that can build a new movement. They also must be prepared to build a movement that will occupy plants and mobilize the full power of the workers' movement. The occupation Of Republic Windows and Doors shows that workers are ready to take such militant action. The union leaders must stop holding them back. Us union activists must organize our organized nuclei in the workplaces and unions as an alternative. Build Hands of our wages/jobs/benefits Committees in the workplaces and unions. Prepare to go on the offensive against the bosses. No concessions on any front.
Sean
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