Why has there not been a general strike

[timo]

Why have all the unions not stood up and joined in a general strike to show solidarity with Wisconsin??

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

1. People love to "talk" about solidarity,,, taking action? not so much.

[inademv]

3. Solidarity protests around the nation

those happened. The whole pizza deliveries from around the WORLD were a rather unique and amazing show of solidarity. What more can we do without fucking things up?

[timo]

4. pizza??

yeah that showed'em!!

[inademv]

6. I believe that it did

having pizza and messages of solidarity from unions and nations around the entire world supporting our fight in Wisconsin.

[timo]

9. pizzas

pizzas are a band aid when you need a truama center, boots on the ground is what will make a difference, not cheese and pepperoni hold the anchovies!!

[inademv]

11. 50-70,000 people in daily protests

I mean, the beltway media didn't cover it much but goddamn there were tons of people there in Wisconsin and thousands more in solidarity protests around the nation. It's not like we here on the left are doing nothing.

[inademv]

2. I remember reading a line from a union head

that if Walker's "budget bill" got passed that they would organize a general.

To why there hasn't been one yet, general strikes are a big fucking deal. They completely shut down the sectors they are a part of and can cause significant financial impact even on the short term. In an environment where the workers and the people are already being strangulated by the purse strings, it is doubtful that a strike would do much if anything to help their case; it is more likely that it would hurt their position than anything right now.

[AKDavy]

5. I've already notified the AFL-CIO (AFSCME) that I will...

honor any call for a national boycott or strike.

I think credible leader willing to put it all on the line has stepped forward yet.

You know what we could use? Some AUDACITY!

[sufrommich]

7. For the same reason there was no general strike for the

thousands of other union jobs lost in the past 50 years. Nobody pays attention until it hits them personally.

[ipfilter]

8. Most CBA's have a no strike/lockout clause that is in effect

for the duration of the CBA. So, a union cannot legally strike during a CBA for their own benefit...much less a general strike.

[timo]

12. nutted

by their own rules and regulations

[City of Mills]

10. Because a strike is disruptive

The public will turn against us and we go unpaid...a strike is considered a last-ditch option. What if it doesn't work? What else can you do? Nothing.

How about "Work to Rule"? How about we only perform the job functions listed in our contracts? That alone would be pretty disruptive.

I think there are steps being considered, but I'm afraid something like a strike won't happen until after the Dems return to WI and Walker wins this idiotic battle.

[timo]

13. I thought

the whole reason of a strike was to be disruptive and flex your collective muscle and get what ya got coming to you?? public image be damned whats right is right .....right???

[blindpig]

14. Exactly so.

This is no time for 'asking nice', it is time for demands...or else.

[City of Mills]

16. It sounds nice

But remember, MSM controls perception. You will see pictures of people on strike outside grilling food. Smiling. Stupid crap like that. The rich will use the media to distort the public perception even more than now.

By the way, many if not most unions do have clauses against strikes. Some people will not strike for fear of arrest or other retribution. I know that sounds dumb, after all if you can't strike, you're basically a fangless snake.

BTW I'm all on board, if my union says we're hitting the streets, then guess what? I'm hitting the street.

However, like I mentioned - there are other job actions that would send a powerful message without resorting to a strike.

If we walk out now, what will we say? Walker's threatening to take away collective bargaining, so we have to strike??? I don't see it happening. No, Walker will win the battle and WI workers will lose collective bargaining. I'm about 100% certain of this.

Then, national general strikes may be considered. Just my opinion, I've been known to be wrong ;)

[blindpig]

17. I wouldn't worry about the media too much.

Such facile manipulation loses effectiveness and indeed becomes a laugh as the atmosphere becomes radicalized.

The law is written by, of and for the ruling class, we will do what we must.

I'm afraid I must agree with you, the people will most likely lose this round. And that will make further and more radical action more necessary and inevitable.

[HereSince1628]

15. If the unionized public workers strike, they'll be fired!

Wow! There's a victory...or NOT.

Public sector unions have contracts in which they agreed to NOT strike so long as a contract is in place.
If they violate the contract they are GONE! JUST LIKE PATCO!!!!!!

This scenario makes Scott Walker drool with anticipation at the prospect of an excuse to hire non-union workers.

There will not be a general strike until the contract ends and all negotiation is called off.

[backscatter712]

18. It'll only happen when the public learns the only way to win is to fuck with the oligarch's money.

That's what a strike does - fucks with their money. Shut down the oligarch's factories, shut off their profit-making systems, and then and ONLY then will you get that smug smirk off their faces and force them to deal with you.

Protests for show won't work - that's why Code Pink is completely ineffective - they shriek during a congressional hearing, the sergeants at arms drag them out, throw them in jail, then the oligarchs smirk and go back to fucking us.

What does work is French tactics like general strikes and blocking highways - it delays everyone, prevents goods, services and money from being delivered, and hits the oligarchs right in the pocketbooks.

That's why they get more done than we do - we're too chickenshit to hit the subhuman fucks in their pocketbooks, so all they do is laugh at us.

[leftstreet]

19. +1

[TBF]

21. Absolutely - and thanks for making this an OP as well.

Many need to read it.

[progressoid]

20. Walker pulling a Reagan and firing striking public employees is not out of the question.

IMHO.

[JoePhilly]

23. Won't work.

If Walker pulls the trigger, the impact is local to him and his future as WI Governor.

[JoePhilly]

22. Because it would not work.

The US is far to distributed for a "general strike" to work. The GOP has done a great job destroying Unions around the country.

Strikes need to be targeted.

You might also notice that there are no strikes in WI so far. Given that, calling for a "general strike" is kind of stupid.

The approach being taken in WI is working. Walker's disapproval is now around 60%. Efforts to recall some of the GOP members are well underway. That's the right way to go.

A strike would hurt people who did not cause this problem ... Walker caused it ... let him and his cronies suffer.

Personally, I'm waiting for the Fox News host to quit the Union they belong to so they can show Solidarity with Walker.

Not that that will ever happen.

[socialist_n_TN]

24. Because a general strike is a big fucking deal........

and not to be entered into lightly. When it's called, it's all in. When Walker signs the bill, do it. Not til then.

[Chris_Texas]

25. Simple

This is not seen as a battle between the "haves" and "Have-nots" but rather a battle between haves and haves. When it was time to fight for EVERYONE (meaning not just those making fifty to sixty grand plus benefits) the democratic party, including these fine teachers, were nowhere to be found.

Healthcare for all? Liberals decided to use their mandate to fuck the people. Ending the wars? Liberals are pro-war now that they won. Patriot Act? Liberals now support expanding it. TSA? Liberals are apparently just as scared of vagina bombs as conservatives. Taxcuts for billionares?

Hell yes! Liberals love the hell out of these!!!

Almost half the country now work in retail service jobs making barely over minimum wage. They have no hope, no future, no healthcare, no benefits, they are drowning in debt, watching the coutry going bankrupt while billionares rake it in and laugh... and the Democrat's idea of helping them, their BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT, was to stick a gun in these poor people's face and order them to buy health insurance. And these fine teachers? They may not know it just yet, but they are in top third of all income earners in the country. Compared to someone now working at Walmart, America's largest employer, they are rich. They are rich, and the only wages and benefits they care about are their own -- which is why they only hit the streets when someone threatened to nibble away at them.

You cannot expect the majority to stand and march with you, when you won't stand with them. You had the chance, and you didn't. You made excuses.