Unite with our brothers and sisters across borders, says GM striker

Latest

Picket line at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant, one of the plants GM says it will close. Issues of the strike include plant closings, wages, pensions, the two-tier pay structure, temporary workers, and health care.
PHOTOS/JIMWESTPHOTO.COM

 
FLINT, MI — A strike against General Motors is but one battle in what is a much bigger class war waged against “US” by owners of society. To paraphrase Walter Reuther: What we gain at the bargaining table can be taken away from us in legislative halls BUT it is also being taken away by the gradual whipsawing of one section of the working class against another. Like a saw blade pendulum, corporations move work from one plant to another across the globe in a race to the bottom. They sow the seeds of hate and nativism in our minds to keep us divided and weak, pitting worker against worker in a death spiral for lower wages, benefits and working conditions.
International solidarity is necessary to fight international corporations. The bigger the bargaining unit the greater the power we have. . . .We should be aggressively organizing across borders instead of investing massive funds into phony and corrupt “joint” programs. [It] is different [today]from the past when we were unified by geography. Companies like GM would envelope an entire city. With workers living so close to one another they could develop a culture of solidarity that was strong enough to break the chains of bondage.
Now the workforce is global, split up over invisible lines in the dirt and superficial nationalistic thinking. If our goal is to regain the power we once had, the power that birthed the labor movement in the first place, we need to broaden our vision and see the global class struggle.
one of the
If unions only exist in a single nation we will simply be undercut by companies who offshore our jobs and exploit workers elsewhere. This puts downward pressure on our standard of living while the parasitic corporate class laughs all the way to the bank. To put the genie of globalization back in the bottle at this point is a fantasy.
We need to unify with our working class brothers and sisters across borders in a collective effort to win what is fair and right: the fruits of our labor.
Sean Crawford is a UAW member and GM autoworker in Flint. This article was reprinted with the authors permission.

+ Articles by this author

UAW member Sean Crawford, from Flint, Michigan, currently works at a Detroit auto plant.

The People’s Tribune opens its pages to voices of the movement for change. Our articles are written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Articles entitled “From the Editors” reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: peoplestribune.orgPlease donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement for change. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff. The People’s Tribune is a 501C4 organization.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

ICE Fears Put Pregnant Immigrants and Their Babies at Risk

Fear of deportation is deterring people without permanent legal status from critical care. Doctors are worried for the health of pregnant immigrants, and the health of their pregnancies. This story was originally reported by 19thnews.org.

Government Shutdown and the Blame Game

Using a bold-faced lie President Trump and Vice President Vance blamed immigrants, particularly the undocumented, for the government shutdown now in effect throughout the country. The Republican plan would increase Obamacare payments and make Medicaid cuts.

Emmy-Winning Journalist Deported After Reporting on Anti-Trump Protest

Emmy award-winning journalist Mario Guevara was deported to El Salvador – a country he fled over 20 years ago — in retaliation for filming law enforcement activities, says the Committee to Protect Journalists.

A Salute to Chicagoans Fighting ICE

A salute to Chicagoans fighting ICE and to the food delivery worker on a bicycle who outrode ICE agents after they tried to kidnap him on the streets of downtown Chicago.

Over 60 Lawmakers Launch Investigation Into Trump Administration’s Disappearances

Some Democrats in Congress have announced they are investigating the Trump administration’s practice of disappearing immigrants to other countries.

More from the People's Tribune