Happy Labor Day
www.slowboring.com
The fact that DCPS starts school just before Labor Day throws me off my game every year. But, whatever, it’s a three day weekend so we’re going to take some time off and enjoy.
Here’s “Parade” by Pretty Girls Make Graves, one of the best mid-aughts indie rock songs about union organizing.
Anyone want to talk about House of the Dragon?
I like collective bargaining.
Unions in America became very dysfunctional and corrupt.
German unions seem to have fared much better.
It is my sincere hope that this moment is not used simply to re-empower the same old dysfunctional unions.
I hope we try something new, and learn from the Germans.
I am discouraged by what happened in the Chattanooga VW plant. The UAW fought more to keep out a German union than they did anything else. I think this is because they realize once the workers realize the German union is more functional, the UAW will be under existential threat.
I’ve been in UAW plants, and German plants. Any American would see the difference is shocking if they could experience it. This has to stop.
I am discouraged because the politicians seem more than happy to just go back to the old way. Further, I have heard almost no talk about unions v2.0 (or 3.0 or whatever - I'm no union historian).