This past week, in Westlock Alberta, voters agreed to ban rainbow crossswalks and flags flown by town council that aren’t town flags. The vote narrowly passed and despite the council being united in its opposition to such idiocy, a group of motivated citizens came togther to organize. The organizing enabled them to defeat the joyful, playful public art done by teenagers last summer under the guise of “neutrality.”
It’s not unknown that leaders of left organizations and unions don’t want members informed, engaged, and organized because those members present a threat to their type of leadership.
I don’t know if I can post a link here, I will try because Spotify’s algorithm makes it difficult to find with their search bar. Its probably on all the other main podcast platforms.
My local, 416, is run by 8 white men who actively suppress member engagement. In concert with management, they use intimidation tactics to prevent dissent. Many of our most vulnerable members are scared to speak out because of the risk. Almost every member I speak with hates the union and thinks it’s a corrupt racket that steals their money. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that my local has been infiltrated and taken over by the same right wing forces we should be fighting. If labour has any hope of turning the tide against the rising threat from the right, we need to start by taking back our locals, focusing on grassroots organizing and forcing the bureaucracy to live up to its stated goals.
Accurate.
Generations have been taught to fear the spread of Lenin's communism but, no one fears the Neoliberal organization.
I am desperate for a place where I can get together weekly with other people who want to build a better world.
It’s not unknown that leaders of left organizations and unions don’t want members informed, engaged, and organized because those members present a threat to their type of leadership.
I know of one example that tries to do this, there is a podcast called Les Soignantes (https://open.spotify.com/show/3vQbx1a4hM6ypK656vWQkk?si=ws32yHoNSW2tmsBSu8kvlQ) it is a feminist podcast that is co-founded and co-hosted by a union representative and a psychiatrist from my CISSS.
I don’t know if I can post a link here, I will try because Spotify’s algorithm makes it difficult to find with their search bar. Its probably on all the other main podcast platforms.
It’s interesting, because CUPE came out with a huge document last year talking about deep organizing their locals and engaging in political action, but in my local I’ve yet to see anything at all about it. https://cupe.ca/reclaiming-worker-power-strategic-directions-2023-2025
My local, 416, is run by 8 white men who actively suppress member engagement. In concert with management, they use intimidation tactics to prevent dissent. Many of our most vulnerable members are scared to speak out because of the risk. Almost every member I speak with hates the union and thinks it’s a corrupt racket that steals their money. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that my local has been infiltrated and taken over by the same right wing forces we should be fighting. If labour has any hope of turning the tide against the rising threat from the right, we need to start by taking back our locals, focusing on grassroots organizing and forcing the bureaucracy to live up to its stated goals.