• GreyBeard@lemmy.one
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      15 days ago

      It is important to remember that the legal power of unions was bought in blood. Both of the workers and the their bosses. I really hope we don’t end up there again, but I do think that it can happen.

    • Avid Amoeba@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      14 days ago

      For sure. However I think having organized already would put the comms network in place needed for labor action in spite of the law, something that might become needed. We had a case in Ontario where the government passed a law for a public workers union to go back to work or face $10000 fine per person per day. The union said fuck this, if we fold, we lose our power to get better pay after years of government mandated salary freeze. Turns out that bankrupting our school servants isn’t an election winning look so the government folded within days. I don’t think anyone paid any fines. In the states things might get rougher but even there, bankrupting workers or imprisoning them is probably gonna break the camel’s back. Especially given the pro-worker facade Trump wants to maintain. I feel like stripping union power would be a general strike matter for most unions in the US.

      TBH, the Trump administration taking drastic measures against unions might be needed to break through to the union members who support him.