Psy
15th October 2008, 05:14
I've been thinking about sabotage through bureaucracy. After I seen Riot Cops Detain IWW Union Supporters at Mall of America (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnK3I_zDuk0) I started thinking how the transit workers could have resisted the riot cops without openly resisting the riot cops (of course transit workers calling a general strike right then and there would be the best outcome but I was thinking how transit workers could have been in solidarity without being require such a commitment).
Then I thought of the industrial bureaucracy I deal with and started realizing that there are times when the lines break that the workers collective agree to fudge when it was fixed (and the maintenance workers are in the con since it makes it look like they really do to bust their ass to get the line back up).
So what does this have to do with the IWW and the riot cops at the rail station? Well if the train conductor, dispatchers and mechanics are covering each other ass then theoretically the conductor can radio in to the dispatcher that the train is disabled and to radio the station master to make the announcement that the train is out of service and everyone has to leave the train, then watch the police confused by being told by the railway authority that the passenger must disembark and all the workers say their hands are tied and have to follow their orders (ie."Sorry officer, they all have to disembark as this train is going to a siding") . The mechanic would just be tying up the loose ends by writing up a problem for the train when it comes.
Could even make it more interesting by radioing transit police to the station that are bound by the same bureaucracy you are using to sabotage the riot police actions. Basically telling the transit police to tell the riot police they have to make way for the passenger or the transit police will have no choice but to start mass arresting the riot police (that would be interesting to watch)
Then I thought of the industrial bureaucracy I deal with and started realizing that there are times when the lines break that the workers collective agree to fudge when it was fixed (and the maintenance workers are in the con since it makes it look like they really do to bust their ass to get the line back up).
So what does this have to do with the IWW and the riot cops at the rail station? Well if the train conductor, dispatchers and mechanics are covering each other ass then theoretically the conductor can radio in to the dispatcher that the train is disabled and to radio the station master to make the announcement that the train is out of service and everyone has to leave the train, then watch the police confused by being told by the railway authority that the passenger must disembark and all the workers say their hands are tied and have to follow their orders (ie."Sorry officer, they all have to disembark as this train is going to a siding") . The mechanic would just be tying up the loose ends by writing up a problem for the train when it comes.
Could even make it more interesting by radioing transit police to the station that are bound by the same bureaucracy you are using to sabotage the riot police actions. Basically telling the transit police to tell the riot police they have to make way for the passenger or the transit police will have no choice but to start mass arresting the riot police (that would be interesting to watch)