During Brother Mc Garvey’s Keynote – one sentence was the most compelling with regard to leadership’s view of a union Movement, and its members.
“They don’t understand that the only guarantee in our industry are the first 8 hours on the job that we get to prove our worth.”
The infamous “they”! The Rank & File are “they”. Here is a link to the entire Keynote for your review.
- This is the same R & F that has borne the brunt of the Value on Display failure as a strategy for nearly 20 years.
- The same R & F that has tolerated grievance after grievance going against them in decision after decision over 90% of the time.
- The same R & F that has changed in nearly every way possible to service construction management imposed on them by senior leadership.
- The same R & F that has seen a once proud and independent Building Trades Labor Movement cede its heritage to management with documents of customer service, like the crafts respective Standards of Excellence.
- The same R & F that has seen every type of concessionary bargaining to management over decades, which has led to the Race to the Bottom.
- The same R & F that pay every bill – from the International Presidents ½ million dollar salaries to the janitor at the hall.
- The same R & F that has seen their own take home pay and total “net” work opportunities continue to contract, while business profits soar!
Is this the “they” that Brother Mc Garvey is referring too?
In the field where Labor Rising lives, members who once had a career now find themselves as mere employees doing a JOB; and “they” have 8 hours to prove themselves on top of it – because no union backs them up!
Isn’t it convenient for leadership to blame member dis-interest and apathy on the workers feeling increasing alienation?
Many non-union workers have told me personally. Why join a union anymore, they don’t represent workers; and I already have 1 boss telling me what to do – I don’t need another one that I also have to pay dues too!
The rift between membership and leadership and their minions has never been greater in the trades as it is now. With that rift growing increasingly wider – traditional membership even use the word sellout of leadership. The newly minted employees of Value on Display are strictly here for the check, benefits, training and connections for as long as they can get them – employees have little loyalty – and it is usually in direct proportion as management.
Why do we continue to pay ½ million dollars a years to failed leadership – hell we can pay penny’s for that?
“if you see a good fight – get in it”
Danny L Caliendo
Organizer
Labor Rising/Labor Combat
