Kentucky Teachers Shut Down Schools But They Need Backup.

 An educator in a system of oppression is either a revolutionary or an oppressor. Lerone Bennett Jr.

These are some thoughts I have on the present ongoing struggles  in public education and in particular this week's closing of the schools in Kentucky. See previous articles about these events. It is impossible to win these battles (a) without violating the law in a mass way and the employers will always use the law against us when they need to. And (b) by isolating these battles to individual locals and even confining them to individual counties and individual states. Workers belonging to the same unions in different locals in different counties and fighting cuts in public sector jobs and services never join forces as if the bosses don't all meet on a state wide or federal basis.

We have to change this and one obstacle that has to be removed is the present leadership of the unions. These teachers/educators struggles that have inspired millions of workers have been rank and file led, the leaders have reluctantly followed and new leadership is emerging through the process.

I mention in this video when I used to stop by the UFCW picket lines in the grocery strike back in 2003. I would park my backhoe, remove my hard hat and red vest and hang out with them on the lines for lunch. As these workers spent 5 months out on strike and many were bused up north to try to get consumers to boycott Safeway Ron Lind, a UFCW official at the negotiating table was furious that the bosses were so aggressive. He made this statement in the press assuring the corporate Safeway bosses that concessions were fine just a little less please. He said that the store bosses wanted to make cuts with a chainsaw but we (the union) would use the scalpel. That's as his members lost their homes some of them after being out 5 months. One of the guys from down south I saw daily on the line e mailed me a note after the final contract agreement that ended the strike was voted up. I am honored personally to have received it from another worker who gave up so much for the future. 
It read:

From William
Hey Richard,

This is B.  I apologize, I’m so sorry for what this contract gave us.  I didn’t vote for it.  I didn’t like it.  I’ve said my piece.  But, uh, I guess a lot of people were broken down or whatever.  feel that the company won.  I feel that the union didn’t fight hard enough.  But I definitely voiced my opinion at the meeting.  So I guess I got to go with the flow.

But I apologize for anybody else who is going to have their contract coming up.  Thank you for the coffee. Thank you for the encouragement.  And thank you for being on my side.

Take care, Rich, Bye.

Richard Mellor
Afscme Local 444, retired