38 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 24 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
General News   

Why Unions are Losing the Class War

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   5 comments
Message Chris Robinson

Green Night Out, on June 2, welcomed Jim Moran, member of the Communication Workers of America, Local 38010 and founder of Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health (PHILAPOSH), who lead a discussion about why unions are losing the class war.

While consuming a delicious meal, Moran told the diners, "Union membership peaked in 1979. We should look at what unions have been doing wrong." Moran pointed to the repression of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) in 1981 by President Ronald W. Reagan as the beginning of the end for organized labor. The AFL-CIO did not support the PATCO strike. This allowed Reagan to fire 11,345 PATCO members and to ban them from all federal jobs for life.

 

Moran explained, "The American people have very little class consciousness, and they often do not support labor struggles." The reasons for this are many, according to Moran: the corporate media, echoes of McCarthyism, a cultural idealization of the "middle class," and the absence of a political party representing the interests of labor.

Moran thinks that much of the problem was caused by poor leadership of the labor movement. "There was nothing to prevent the labor movement from building a labor party," said Moran, "just as there was nothing preventing labor from building a mass movement for better wages, a shorter workweek and single-payer healthcare."

 

Green Night Out takes place monthly at Singapore Kosher Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant, www.singaporevegetarian.com , in Philadelphia, PA. Green Night Out is sponsored by the Green Party of Philadelphia, www.gpop.org . For more information about future Green Nights Out, please contact 215-243-7103.

 

Rate It | View Ratings

Chris Robinson Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Chris Robinson is a graduate of Central High School (#219) in Philadelphia, PA. He lives in Germantown and was been a member of the Green Party of Philadelphia (www.gpop.org) City Committee from 2011 thru 2017. Chris Robinson is also a member of (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Living Under Drones!

Paul Glover, PA Governor Candidate, Speaks with Green Party Supporters

Philly Green Party Endorses Campaign to Stop Drone Command Center in Horsham, PA

Green Party of Philadelphia Approves of Cancellation of PGW Sale

Evil of the Two Lessers

Will AFL-CIO Become an Independent Political Voice?

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend