WALD and labor issues

[sokol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Wojtek Sokolowski)]

Dear Ms. Buffington,

Thank you for your response to my e-mail re. the discussion of labor issues
and long distance companies on the Progressive Economics group.  I forwarded
your response to the the list.

While I appreciate WALD's efforts to address social problems in this country
and abroad, which is the main reason why I have been using WALD as my long
distance carrier for several years, despite lucrative offers received from
other carriers, I also believe that WALD could do more to promote democracy
at the the workplace and worker's right to self-management and union
representation.

As of now, corporation is a stronghold of totalitarianism, where the
workforce not only is banned for any meaningful participation in business
decision making, but also decisions unilaterally made by business leadership
has profound consequences on the lives of the emlpoyees and entire
communities.  At the same time, the articles of incorporation effectively
shields the corporate brass from any responsibility, be it social, fiscal,
or legal, for their own actions. Even conservative thinkers, such as Francis
Fukuyama, recognize this fundamentally un-democratic character of the modern
corporation.

It seems that this fundamentally undemocratic character of the most powerful
and, arguably, important institution of modern society is the root cause of
most of the social problems WALD and other progressive groups try to
address.  It stands to reason that addressing the causes of a problem is a
more efective strategy than addressing its symptoms.  Therefore, I urge you
to focus more attention on labor issues in your social justice campaign.

There is an ongoing effort on the part of some unions, such as UNITE!, to
promote social and economic justice for women and minority workers through
grassroots activism and community organizing. The recognition of the fact
that unions are more than just 'wage cartels,' as managerial ideologies tend
to portray them, and play an important role in building a civil society
should be an important part of any campaing for social justice.  Therefore,
I also urge you to develop a program that aims at aiding the progressive
labor unions in their efforts to build workplace democracy and civil society.

Sincerely,
wojtek sokolowski
johns hopkins university
baltimore, md 21218
sokol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx