May 6, 2012 – Labor Combat/Labor Rising had its first training class. The Foundations and Advanced classes are built on 474 pages of research begun in Sept of 2007 by highly successful Organizers from various trades. 124 blogs have been written which challenge the existing status quo from before 2007 to the present day.
The research in the book, the content of the training, Blogs and White Papers produced have all gone UNCHALLENGED by senior leadership in the respective building trades unions. UNCHALLENGED!
After today’s blog, we at Labor Rising will write predominately on the specific structured solutions needed to get back on the winning track of market share. This will take several weeks of blogs and will outline how to win again. 609 participants from 276 locals have been through the program so far and approx. 72 locals use some or all of the Labor Rising structure to win back market share. As they have adopted the integrated structure of winning back our jobs, many if not most are met with the existing entrenched culture of the strategies of the BT which to date has produced a “NET” losing market share!
The Building Trades leadership should have had no problem challenging these writing and programs. Why they go unchallenged is that they are true accounts and numbers of the condition of the Building Trades, and are accurate when fact checked. Also in acknowledging this work, it would give authority and standing to the Labor Combat/Labor Rising group. A no-no in politics and the entrenched power based culture of the trades today!
Building Trades leadership has granted their blessing to other 3rd party experts of various types. Topping that list is Breslin, given millions of dollars of membership money for over a decade, and the Building Trades has a decidedly negative loss of market share using his and other collaborative strategies for working with management. Many other programs where the instructors/workshop leaders looked good on paper with their titles, however almost all of it is a veneer. The overwhelming number of these individuals that instruct have in fact zero success as organizers and/or market development reps.
Understand here and now that the very definition of what successful organizing and market development is, is tainted beyond recognition. So stripping and recruiting is considered organizing, and getting a PLA in lieu of a CBA are all considered organizing for the better part of many decades. What the BT calls success is in fact a negative over time for the trades.
The facts that cannot be disputed are that the more we collaborate with the predominantly non/anti-union construction world – the more work we lose.
ORGANIZING/MARKET DEVELOPMENT has 1 standard and only one standard – how many non-union/anti-union companies did you sign or put enough pressure on to leave the market or go out of business, period! This is not a politically correct statement for the better part of nearly 3 decades. The trades has lost its ability to impose its will on the construction industry.
Our solution for every issue/problem of the trades from working with the workers to addressing management at all levels of construction is always – LETS TALK TO THEM!
To the Facebook army of practical union journeypersons out there that know that the trades are dying – please share this and upcoming blogs on the structure to win.
In the next several weeks we will outline the specific steps to a winning program to take our jobs back legally and lawfully. Respect will again be earned in the community, non-union workers and reluctantly given by management. We can win!
“if you see a good fight – get in it”
Danny L Caliendo
Organizer
Labor Rising
