Union reformism/wildcat strikes/"unorganization"

[Dunk]

I've had discussions with others over unions and their (in)capacity for revolutionary activity. Specifically, I've been convinced of the reformist nature of unions today and of the necessity of wildcat strikes, which would open the door to worker councils to form.

The sticking point I still have trouble reasoning through is in the "unorganization" from which coordinated action is expected to spring forth. I can only speak from experience when I say how cut off I am from the people I work with. We see each other at work, never really have time to discuss anything (are even discouraged from speaking with one another but I think this may be particular to my workplace), and then go home.

My question is how are we supposed to overcome this gulf between us when there is no organization? Should we expect that one day, the straw that breaks the camel's back will fall and a we will simply turn to one another and say "Let's get the fuck out of here" and everyone will follow?

I'd like to remind everyone who participates in this thread that I'm not posting this in an effort to kick off flame wars, I genuinely want these ideas fleshed out and to learn. Thank you.

[theblackmask]

The sticking point I still have trouble reasoning through is in the "unorganization" from which coordinated action is expected to spring forth. I can only speak from experience when I say how cut off I am from the people I work with. We see each other at work, never really have time to discuss anything (are even discouraged from speaking with one another but I think this may be particular to my workplace), and then go home.

If this is the case, you're doing it wrong. In most workplaces, we are not only alienated from the product of our labor, but from each other. It takes months, maybe years, to form the kinds of bonds that can lead to real revolutionary activity.

I really don't think it is about a single event igniting a walkout, or whatever....things happen at work that piss people off many times a day. The key is developing strong ties amongst you and your coworkers so that one day when something does happen, people feel that they have the power to oppose the status quo and start something.

Simple things like shittalking the boss, purposeful work slowdowns, hanging out outside of work, not ratting people out who steal, and even diffusing bad blood between coworkers all add up to have a big effect on the way that people view work. In most workplaces it's common for everyone to hate the job, it's our job as revolutionaries to spread those feelings and make people understand that we have the power to shape our own destinies.

[Dunk]

If this is the case, you're doing it wrong.

You mean as far as how divided I personally allow my coworkers and I to be? I don't want to paint the picture that it's impossible to develop connections and relationships with my coworkers, but it is true that the boss makes rules to try to stop things like that from happening at my workplace. In my earlier post, when I said "...never really have time to discuss anything", I mean having meaningful discussions. Our discussions are limited; we can have bits of discussions, have to hop back to work, and then continue the conversation after another ten or fifteen minutes. I've actually had a ton of discussions with coworkers criticizing the management, or other coworkers who sell out and become management's pet. I even had discussions with coworkers about taking the e-mail list for the employees of our company and organizing our own "curb meeting" (what our management calls our off-the-clock training sessions they coerce us into attending) for our ~100 person work force. Trouble is, none of us - including myself - know what the hell would even come of it. I guess one of these meetings would at least establish the means for us to communicate to one another as a group, but I wouldn't know where to go from there. I mean, I know what we're capable of doing together, but I know these kids I work with aren't radicals, and the proposal of remotely challenging the boss to say, demand that off-the-clock work end or even to demand an end to the policy of no pay raises would frighten these kids into thinking they're risking their jobs. Which of course, they'd be right.

I did just get an idea I should have thought of a long time ago. I could make a by-invitation, private facebook page for my coworkers and invite all of them who aren't sellouts to management.

EDIT: Although, I should say that the idea of a face to face meeting with the majority of my coworkers would be immensely more productive than any online interaction could possibly be. I'd like to arrange a curb meeting, I just don't know what the hell they'd be willing to do after, if anything. My guess is nothing, and that word would get back to management that such a meeting took place, and then I'd be inviting suspicion on any other coworkers who were enthusiastic about such a meeting.

[Paulappaul]

I can only speak from experience when I say how cut off I am from the people I work with. We see each other at work, never really have time to discuss anything (are even discouraged from speaking with one another but I think this may be particular to my workplace), and then go home.

This is what the Capitalist Class has done to try and stop the rank and file workers' movement. It's called Casualisation. Keep the workers fragmented, disorganized, atomized, automated and scared of losing their job. Keep them employed for a few months or years rather then how the workers were employed say 50 or 60 years ago when a worker could expect to hold a job for 20 or 30 years. Socialists have turned this on its head with the conception of a "flying picket". This process of Casualisation which rendered the work period shorter and rate of unemployment higher (cause workers could only expect to have their jobs for a short amount of time) made it possible for people who could easily move around absent of any formal union and picket workplaces. So say, when someone is fired unjustly, the flying picket goes and pickets till they rehire him or give fair compensation. The tactic has been applied to prevent eviction too.

This is a good way to render help from the community if you're ever in a labor dispute. 10 or people with pickets can do alot.

As far as revolution goes, beyond simple labor disputes. I think in your condition, a reaction to the times and events, will force you all together to go on strike. Say a General Strike in your area is taken up over some Political event and it affects similar industries. If that Political event relates to you and your comrades, go your comrades and say, "hey we should strike" and chances are they will if the attitude is in the air.

[theblackmask]

You mean as far as how divided I personally allow my coworkers and I to be? I don't want to paint the picture that it's impossible to develop connections and relationships with my coworkers, but it is true that the boss makes rules to try to stop things like that from happening at my workplace.

Then you need to identify who you are closest with, and start hanging with some people outside of work. Revolutions spring up through friendships, not alliances.

[Hoipolloi Cassidy]

Having done a touch of organizing, here's a paradoxical suggestion: organize as if you were trying to form a union. The more you fail and the longer you take to fail or to succeed, the stronger you'll be. That's because there are two steps in the existence of an American union shop: the first is the organizing, where the union brings all of its pretend radicalism out, and its considerable legal and organizational resources, and is even willing to back up the rads. Then comes the moment when the union's got its shop going, it's collecting dues, and anything that's going to upset the apple cart has to go - including, of course, the real radical organizers it's been using up until then. It's a hell of a balancing act, and the part where the union tries to stick the revolutionary genie back into the bottle will be nasty. But if you play your cards right you'll have a revolutionary workplace by-and-by.

[Dunk]

http://www.revleft.com/vb/reformism-t39648/index.html?t=39648&highlight=redstar2000

Whoa, just discovered Redstar2000's website and his posts here. This thread is currently blowing my mind. Love it.