Worker Justice Group seeks Democracy in the Workplace

<p> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --></style> <br>On the first Monday of every month the Flying Squirrel Community Space in Corn Hill hosts a discussion series called "Monday Mayhem."&nbsp; Topics have ranged from the housing crisis to the threats caused by fracking.&nbsp; For March, the discussion was of worker justice.&nbsp; The United States Constitution guarantees us certain inalienable rights like freedom of speech, association, innocence until proven guilty and freedom from unwarranted searches and seizures.&nbsp; But these basic principles don't apply at most workplaces.&nbsp; And that's only the beginning.&nbsp; Many workers also face unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, discrimination, sub minimum pay and denial of overtime.&nbsp; Often the employer finds it's cheaper to pay the fine than fix the problem.&nbsp; Workers who speak out face retaliation.&nbsp; What can we do about it?&nbsp;</p><p><!--break--></p><p>Throughout history unions have been an effective mechanism for righting these injustices.&nbsp; In the US today, union membership is at an all time low.&nbsp; Jake Allen of SEIU local 200 and the IWW spoke at length on&nbsp; unions, their role and public perception of them.&nbsp;</p><p>There are two models of a union's role according to Allen.&nbsp; One is the familiar "service" model where members pay a fee to the union in return for benefits.&nbsp; The benefits might include higher wages, health care, a pension through the union, and advocacy in disputes with management.&nbsp; Unions following this model may become bureaucratic and out of touch with the issues facing workers.&nbsp; This is how business and corporate media tend to portray unions as "just another business."&nbsp; The other model is one of solidarity.&nbsp; The union is a fighting organization <em>of</em>, rather than <em>for</em>, workers.&nbsp; SEIU's motto "We are stronger together" reflects this belief.&nbsp; The two models are not exclusive of one another.</p><p>Forming a union can be difficult.&nbsp; Management may bring in professional union busters, armed thugs or police to intimidate organizers.&nbsp; Fear and anti-union propaganda are employed to try and isolate workers.&nbsp; In many smaller companies workers are friends with management and don't want to "rock the boat."&nbsp; This fear needs to be countered with confidence for a union drive to be successful.&nbsp; Leaders need to be vocal, sometimes radical.&nbsp; Workers who support the union need to be on record as doing so in order to counter the apprehension of others.&nbsp;</p><p>Cooperatives are another route to a just workplace.&nbsp; In a cooperative, everyone is given an equal voice.&nbsp; Management is reduced or done away with altogether.&nbsp; Often this happens when a factory closes and the workers take it over and resume production.&nbsp; It is more common in South America but the Republic Window and Door company of Chicago, taken over by workers after it closed is perhaps the most public US example.</p><p>Whether union or cooperative another essential piece toward building just workplaces is community.&nbsp; Having the support of others in your neighborhood, city, state or nation is essential in countering fears and lies employed by management.&nbsp; A local example would be recent action by service workers at the University of Rochester.&nbsp; Students and faculty signed petitions supporting workers.&nbsp; They confronted management together and held a dance party on the lawn outside the president's office.&nbsp; The workers won a new contract and averted cuts and layoffs.&nbsp; Unions help their communities in other ways too.&nbsp; Union workers have more money to spend at local businesses.&nbsp; Union wages stay in a community, unlike the profits of multinational corporations which are siphoned off, often out of the country.&nbsp; Union wages help increase compensation of workers in non union companies as well.</p><p>Public perception of the union is important too.&nbsp; A commonly heard complaint is "the only time I see unions is in the Labor Day parade."&nbsp; Our educational system downplays unions and their historical importance.&nbsp; Films like "Hoffa" about a bureaucratic "service" union that became corrupted are the media norm not the exception.&nbsp; The US populace is not united. They do not see that properly run unions are one of the true democratic organizations that still exist and are an important counter-balance to capitalism which is inherently un-democratic.&nbsp;</p><p>For community members interested in getting involved, the Worker Justice Group meets the first Tuesday of every month from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Flying Squirrel at 285 Clarissa St.&nbsp; The group's mission is to have a forum to air empathy and feedback, make suggestions,&nbsp; get things more widely known, and educate the public on labor issues.&nbsp; Possible future events include a film series, more discussions, and possibly a march for a living wage on May Day.&nbsp; Those with questions or in need of transportation can reach the organizers at 585-270-0991.</p>

<p><br />On the first Monday of every month the Flying Squirrel Community Space in Corn Hill hosts a discussion series called "Monday Mayhem."  Topics have ranged from the housing crisis to the threats caused by fracking.  For March, the discussion was of worker justice.  The United States Constitution guarantees us certain inalienable rights like freedom of speech, association, innocence until proven guilty and freedom from unwarranted searches and seizures.  But these basic principles don't apply at most workplaces.  And that's only the beginning.  Many workers also face unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, discrimination, sub minimum pay and denial of overtime.  Often the employer finds it's cheaper to pay the fine than fix the problem.  Workers who speak out face retaliation.  What can we do about it? </p> <p>Throughout history unions have been an effective mechanism for righting these injustices.  In the US today, union membership is at an all time low.  Jake Allen of SEIU local 200 and the IWW spoke at length on  unions, their role and public perception of them. </p> <p>There are two models of a union's role according to Allen.  One is the familiar "service" model where members pay a fee to the union in return for benefits.  The benefits might include higher wages, health care, a pension through the union, and advocacy in disputes with management.  Unions following this model may become bureaucratic and out of touch with the issues facing workers.  This is how business and corporate media tend to portray unions as "just another business."  The other model is one of solidarity.  The union is a fighting organization <em>of</em>, rather than <em>for</em>, workers.  SEIU's motto "We are stronger together" reflects this belief.  The two models are not exclusive of one another.</p> <p>Forming a union can be difficult.  Management may bring in professional union busters, armed thugs or police to intimidate organizers.  Fear and anti-union propaganda are employed to try and isolate workers.  In many smaller companies workers are friends with management and don't want to "rock the boat."  This fear needs to be countered with confidence for a union drive to be successful.  Leaders need to be vocal, sometimes radical.  Workers who support the union need to be on record as doing so in order to counter the apprehension of others. </p> <p>Cooperatives are another route to a just workplace.  In a cooperative, everyone is given an equal voice.  Management is reduced or done away with altogether.  Often this happens when a factory closes and the workers take it over and resume production.  It is more common in South America but the Republic Window and Door company of Chicago, taken over by workers after it closed is perhaps the most public US example.</p> <p>Whether union or cooperative another essential piece toward building just workplaces is community.  Having the support of others in your neighborhood, city, state or nation is essential in countering fears and lies employed by management.  A local example would be recent action by service workers at the University of Rochester.  Students and faculty signed petitions supporting workers.  They confronted management together and held a dance party on the lawn outside the president's office.  The workers won a new contract and averted cuts and layoffs.  Unions help their communities in other ways too.  Union workers have more money to spend at local businesses.  Union wages stay in a community, unlike the profits of multinational corporations which are siphoned off, often out of the country.  Union wages help increase compensation of workers in non union companies as well.</p> <p>Public perception of the union is important too.  A commonly heard complaint is "the only time I see unions is in the Labor Day parade."  Our educational system downplays unions and their historical importance.  Films like "Hoffa" about a bureaucratic "service" union that became corrupted are the media norm not the exception.  The US populace is not united. They do not see that properly run unions are one of the true democratic organizations that still exist and are an important counter-balance to capitalism which is inherently un-democratic. </p> <p>For community members interested in getting involved, the Worker Justice Group meets the first Tuesday of every month from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Flying Squirrel at 285 Clarissa St.  The group's mission is to have a forum to air empathy and feedback, make suggestions,  get things more widely known, and educate the public on labor issues.  Possible future events include a film series, more discussions, and possibly a march for a living wage on May Day.  Those with questions or in need of transportation can reach the organizers at 585-270-0991.</p>