Biden urges carmakers to give UAW workers more in strike talks
Biden urges carmakers to give UAW workers more in strike talks
U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday said "no one wants a strike" but that car companies have enjoyed record profits in recent years without sharing them fairly with workers, hours after the United Auto Workers began strikes at Detroit's three biggest automakers.
WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday said "no one wants a strike" but that car companies have enjoyed record profits in recent years without sharing them fairly with workers, hours after the United Auto Workers began strikes at Detroit's three biggest automakers.
Hope all you want.
Just don't work against them in actions by signing more anti-union legislation forbidding them to strike this time, Mr. "Pro-labor" President.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-signs-bill-block-us-railroad-strike-2022-12-02/
Like so many issues in this country, it would be nice to have a major party that was actually in laborer's corner. Not in CorpMurica.
Oh, and Inb4 "herp derp that was a special case it would have disrupted national supply lines" no shit Sherlock, strikes are supposed to be disruptive, that is their entire point and method of leverage. Without it, you're just a group of beggars who appointed a spokesperson.
So, he signed a bill that passed with a veto-proof majority that gave the unions everything they wanted except for paid sick days and then kept fighting for paid sick days until they got those too; what exactly is the problem?
Taking away a union's power to automously decide to strike. Any deal offering to meet all union demands today in exchange for forgoing their right to leverage later is a long-term trap. Having the right to strike maintains some power balance between laborer and capitalist, however small.
Removing the right to take collective action from laborers puts them right back subject to the whims of what the employer chooses to or not give them in the future, which is what necessitated unions and collective action to begin with.
The act of striking when demands aren't met is essential to union's long term survival. A display of labor power to the wealthy interests that choose to forget.
Good to see from Biden.
I'd be surprised if the union believes he's going to look out for them, after what happened with the rail contracts. I believe that is why the UAW has yet to endorse his 2024 campaign.