If the Unions were serious about protecting themselves against Republicans

[Winterblues]

They would "Unite" and declare a General Strike in States where Republican Senators voted to bust UAW. I mean all Teamster and Labor Unions stop operating in those states. Things would come to a head in a hell of a hurry if Truckers stopped trucking and Laborers stopped Laboring and Electricians stopped and Plumbers stopped and, well you get the picture. If Unions were to actually Unite they would find themselves in a fairly strong position. The way things stand now every Union basically stands on it's own and that isn't really gunna accomplish much anymore. They can be picked off one Union at a time.

[nc4bo]

1. You bring up a very good idea here. Strength in numbers. nt

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Most Southern states are 'right-to-work' states. Few unions thrive here.

[PVnRT]

3. ...which means anyone not union who walks out in sympathy

will be summarily fired without cause, and likely have to fight for their unemployment.

[Winterblues]

8. There is a lot of stuff arrives from other states that could be halted

There is a lot of pressure that could be applied from outside areas if they actually wanted to do so. And there are indeed some Union shops in those states. There has to be a National uprising of sorts and heat would be applied. Won't happen of course because in America it is always someone else's problem.

[nc4bo]

4. Unfortunately true. nt

[Virginia Dare]

6. That may change now...

with the Smithfield vote yesterday, things may be looking up. Heading into an Obama Administration working in concert with a Democratic Congress, it's NOW OR NEVER.

[nc4bo]

11. Congrats to the new UFCW union members at the Smithfield plant in NC

http://www.newsobserver.com/100/story/1330622.html

Workers vote for union at Smithfield

By Kristin Collins, staff writer

TAR HEEL - The United Food and Commercial Workers Union has won its fight to organize at the world’s largest pork slaughterhouse.

<snip>

In 2006, the union began an intense public campaign that included a national boycott and frequent protests outside grocery stores and at company shareholder meetings. Union supporters heckled celebrity chef Paula Deen, who promotes Smithfield products, at public appearances across the country. The union also brought more than a dozen charges of unfair labor practices against the company.

The union says it is fighting to protect Smithfield workers from dangerous and demoralizing working conditions. Union representatives say they want better health care and compensation for those injured on the job.

<snip>
Workers at the remote, rural plant, which opened in 1992, do repetitive and often grueling jobs. Some pull pigs off trucks and usher them to a gas chamber. Others work in a cavernous room where freshly killed hogs are wrestled onto hooks, decapitated and sliced in half.

Some spend all day pulling out internal organs or yanking out sheets of fat. Many wield knives, and slice and debone pork as it moves along conveyor belts. Some stand for hours placing stickers on wrapped pieces of pork.

[Virginia Dare]

5. The republicons have cut their own throats..

I don't see them winning in any blue collar middle american state again for a long long time. This is class warfare, pure and simple. Unions built the blue collar middle class. The repubs, especially in the south are out to kill it here and now. They will see a backlash, if not for Obama perhaps even a violent one.

At this point I think the UAW rolled the dice and decided to ride it out for another month until we can restore some sanity in our government. I hope it works out for them.

With Cheney even declaring it's Herbert Hoover time, this just proves that the repubs are coming apart at the seams.

[nc4bo]

7. Your last sentence....

I don't have a problem with the Pukes coming apart at the seams, it's just when they shred the fabric of the country along with them is when I have a major problem.

Isn't it half-past Rapture for these morans yet?

[KittyWampus]

9. Recommended. You are exactly right.

[AndyTiedye]

10. Is Anything Unionized Down There?

[nc4bo]

12. The Tarheel, N.C. Smithfield plant just became unionized. nt