First off, (just got to get this off my chest):
WE WON!!!!1!
Not only did Proposition A pass in San Francisco, but Proposition 30 passed in California, marriage equality was passed in two states and passed important hurdles in two more, recreational marijuana was legalized in two states (you know, if you’re into that kind of thing), our first Hindu was elected to the House of representatives, our first Asian American was elected to the Senate in Hawaii, our first lesbian was elected to the Senate in Wisconsin… Everything pointing towards a tipping point in the struggle to make America a more sane, tolerant and progressive place. Oh yeah, and some guy named Barack Obama won reelection to the presidency of the United States. Word.
But anyways, we’re not resting on our laurels or smug senses of satisfaction. No, we’re back in the trenches just in time for Black Friday to remind people of the important contributions unions have made through out history. With Hostess and Walmart so big in the news, it’s important to remember that unions are not, in fact, the devil, and are actually the most important step to protect workers from being treated like property since the destruction of slavery.
So as we’re giving thanks for so many victories this November, let’s also remember the continuing struggle of workers the world over to exercise their rights to organize. Please stand by Walmart strikers this Friday by boycotting Walmart on Black Friday… In fact, I’m a big proponent of celebrating Buy Nothing Day during this zenith of consumerist culture, but to each their own.
Oh yeah, this one was written by Audrey and drawn by Audrey, Mikey and me.
As much as unions have done for a lot of workers, and
even adult entertainers, I think the unions of public sectors need to
be addressed. For example, the lobbying of prison gaurd unions
have made a lot of state prisons even worse and have caused
more non violent drug offenders to be locked up to generate more
tax generated revenue for prison gaurd salaries. The oakland police
union has also kept a lot of bad cops on the force from even getting
the sentencing they deserve, much less losing their jobs. Not saying all
unions are bad, just when they are manipulated for profit and to
work with a failing system.
I agree that the police and prison guards’ unions do a lot of harm to our state and lead to increased injustice, but I don’t think the fault is necessarily the unions instead of the fucked up role that police and prisons play in our society in general. The role of a union is just to improve life for and advocate for its workers, which both the police and the prison guards’ union do extremely effectively. The problem is, what benefits corrupt cops and prison guards doesn’t benefit society. Rather than attack the unions in this case, I think it’s more important to reexamine and change the institutions they’re charged with representing.