Questions about the Northwest mechanics' strike

[smoogatz]

Dropped off a friend at MSP airport today (Minneapolis-St. Paul); all seemed to be running smoothly. The only picketers in evidence were along the back fence of the airport, facing Rt. 494. Is that a security thing? I seem to remember in the past, strikers actively picketing in FRONT of airports. Question two: why are the flight attendants and pilots--also union workers--crossing the mechanics' (imaginary) picket line? What happened to good old solidarity?

[wli]

1. Taft-Hartley and Right To Work states n/t

[Another Bill C.]

2. Solidarity started fading

years ago. Many years ago I was a member of the Musicians Union. We went on strike but the bartenders and waitresses went to work as normal. We lost our bargaining power and our jobs. Today the only musician union contracts are with large orchestras and theaters.

There's little support for unions even among the members. They don't remember the days of peon wages, unlimited work weeks, no vacations or sick leave, and certainly no health insurance.

[Spinzonner]

3. They will if Republicans keep in power

The new wage and hour regulations that the administration tried to impose was a first step at trying to roll back things.

And we know what companies have been doing to benefits and wages - when they haven't been just eliminating and outsourcing jobs.