The Wisconsin protests and the re-emergence of the American working class

[Hannah Bell]

After the 1980s—-which saw the smashing of the PATCO air traffic controllers strike and the defeat of militant strikes of Hormel, Greyhound, and *Phelps Dodge workers—-the class struggle in the United States was artificially suppressed. This was made possible due to the thoroughly reactionary role of the AFL-CIO trade union, which has systematically worked to isolate and defeat every struggle of the working class, while integrating itself ever more closely into the corporate and political establishment.

(*Phelps-Dodge dynasty = relations of the Koch brothers by marriage)

Especially after the liquidation of the Soviet Union by the Stalinist bureaucracy, when the bourgeoisie’s triumphalist denunciations of socialism were at their height, some denied that the working class even existed. History—-as in the famous phrase from the Communist Manifesto, “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles”—-it was claimed, had ended.

Two and a half years into the global economic crisis that began with the financial meltdown on Wall Street in the fall of 2008, the working class in the United States is mounting its first major counterattack against the policies of the financial aristocracy. There is a growing realization that the political and economic system has failed. A new social order must emerge.

In Wisconsin, demonstrators have invoked the mass uprising by workers in the Arab world, comparing Madison to Cairo and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to Hosni Mubarak. In New York City, students protesting against school closures have chanted, “New York is Egypt.” This is entirely appropriate, and is an expression of a growing sense among workers in every country that they face a common struggle and a common enemy. The financial aristocracy that rules America is every bit as removed from and hostile to masses of working people as the dictatorial regime that was headed by President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/feb2011/pers-f18.shtml

[Kablooie]

1. We are in for a disruptive decade. This is just the beginning.

The forces of monetary might are not going to retreat mildly. If people stand up for their rights they will have to stand firm for a fierce wind will try to oppose them.
Mark my words.

[Yavin4]

5. We're Going To Have Another Crash in 4 Years

This "recovery" is nothing more than the Fed making money cheaply which won't last long. They will have to raise the cost of money soon which will lead to another, more devastating crash.

[OneGrassRoot]

2. That's a great quote:

"The financial aristocracy that rules America is every bit as removed from and hostile to masses of working people as the dictatorial regime that was headed by President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt."

Yes, indeed.

K&R

[socialist_n_TN]

3. Pretty apt observation about the AFL-CIO..........

They have been pretty well co-opted for the last few decades or so. That's why it's encouraging to see the Wobblies making something of a comeback. Now THAT'S a real worker's union.

As to the AFL-CIO though, they ARE still reps of the working class. With this assault, I don't think that they will have any choice except to become more militant in their approach. The time for accomadation is over. They, along with everyone else, MUST decide who's side they're on. I think they'll come down on the side of the workers.

[Hannah Bell]

6. i think one of the reasons this went big is because walker completely ignored the union leadership.

he didn't try to "deal".

some of the unions don't have a big problem selling out their membership so long as the leadership has a seat at the big boys' table.

imo.

a direct attack on the leadership's "place at the table" brought the leadership's strong support of the wisconsin action.

possible next act: walker et al cut a deal with the leadership & the leadership calls off the members, leaving only the most committed on the streets.

or not. we'll see.

unlike some people, i don't pretend to be a seer.

[KillCapitalism]

4. K&R...people have had enough.

As they say, you can only kick a dog so much before they'll lash out and bite.

[snot]

7. I really wish I had more info/insight into union leadership, preferably

in brief form.

It does seem as if they sold out, to some degree, I'm not sure when, etc.

In my own mind, I've been thinking part of the problem with ALL organizations is scale: once they reach a certain size, those at the top lose touch with/become less accountable to those at the bottom. I'm pretty sure this is a valid observation; at least, it seems to fit a lot of situations.

But I could use more facts/analysis re- what happened to unions in the US.

[Hannah Bell]

8. In the post-ww2 era it started with the 1947 purges of communists -- who'd done most of the work

building the unions.

The Taft Hartley Act of 1947 penalized unions whose officers failed to sign statements that they were not members of the Communist Party. Many Communists held power in the CIO unions (few did so in the AFL). The most affected unions were the ILWU, UE, TWU, United Public Workers, and Fur and Leather Workers. Other Communists held senior staff positions in a number of other unions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congress_of_Industrial_Organizations

[Norrin Radd]

9. kr

[LooseWilly]

10. k&r