I agree with you; the leadership of the union
tend to be right wing and to thrive on apathy.
The only initiative comes from pressure from
the memebership - when it happens.
Eva
>
> >mass unemployment cuts the unions bargaining power
> >due to cut in membership and that competitive pool
> >of unemployed who are ready to work for less in
> >worse conditions. Also the mass media for the last
> >30 years was constantly hammering the idea of
> >unionism.
>
> Unemployment may well cut union bargaining power, but short-sighted strategy
> cuts union political power much more. Over the past 30 years, unions (in
> general) have chosen to focus on income over organizing and on seniority
> over solidarity. This could be explained as a defensive strategy brought on
> by necessity. Or it could be explained as a conservative strategy brought on
> by institutional inertia. I'm sure it's been a bit of both.
>
> The problem with a one-sided "unions as victim" analysis is that it really
> gives the unions no direction to change -- other than whine about how tough
> things are. Union bureaucrats are all too happy to have something to
> complain about. That way they can keep playing the conservative game and
> rationalize the predictable all too predictable losses as due to anti-union
> hostility.
> And militant rhetoric is no guarantee of strong union political strategy. My
> observation is that union officials who "talk tough" often seem to believe
> that's enough.
>
> Regards,
>
> Tom Walker
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>
