RE: [Marxism] Labor Notes leader joins ABB crowd

[Joaquín <jbustelo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 >>Mike Parker, a leader of Labor Notes since its founding and author of
several great books against labor-management cooperation, has come out for
Kerry (see his shop newsletter at www.rts-tech.com/meatballs, click on
Meatballs #10).<<

I think the statement made here is false on its face. 

There is in fact no "coming out for Kerry" in the article. ALL he does is
argue with those who are planning to vote for Bush. He does so from a "good
trade-unionist perspective" that I think is way too narrow, but that is
another matter.

Joaquín

-----Original Message-----
From: marxism-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:marxism-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of andrew c pollack
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 6:34 PM
To: marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Marxism] Labor Notes leader joins ABB crowd

Mike Parker, a leader of Labor Notes since its founding and author of
several great books against labor-management cooperation, has come out for
Kerry (see his shop newsletter at www.rts-tech.com/meatballs, click on
Meatballs #10). He does so in the context of addressing his fellow UAW
skilled trades members, asking how they can possibly support Bush.  His only
mention of the Democrats is when he says: "To be clear: The labor movement
can find much better friends than the party that gave us NAFTA and
candidates like Kerry whose only mention of unions in the last debate on
economic policy was to show how he could talk tough to unionists.  But Bush
is viscously opposed to unions..." and the rest of the piece is devoted to
showing how Bush is supposedly much worse. 

Now I know the skilled trades are a rough milieu to work in, but Mike
clearly feels he can tell workers there that Kerry's no friend of labor. 
If he nonetheless comes out for a vote for Anybody But Bush, it's a
reflection not of where they're at, but where Mike has moved to -- i.e.
away from independent political action and toward voting for Democrats.

Ironically, I just finished transcribing a 1949 pamphlet in favor of a labor
party reprinted in 1979 by -- the UAW Independent Skilled Trades Council!
The pamphlet, from a speech by Robert Lynd to a UAW education conference is
also a detailed analysis of how the bipartisan corporate elite rig the
system at work, at home, and in politics to strip workers of our democratic
rights. What's even more ironic is that the preface to the pamphlet is by
the late Victor Reuther, whom Mike himself pays tribute to in Meatballs #8.

Ironic -- but not surprising.  Victor and Mike both spent decades building
the labor movement, but both would only go so far in opposing the system.
For Mike however, although I've had many tactical disagreements with him,
this is the first time I could say that he crossed the class line.

Andrew Pollack
P.S. The Lynd pamphlet should be up soon at the Marxists Internet Archive.

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