Comment on YSK that a general strike is one of the most effective ways to push for change. There is a general strike in the works across the US for this Friday.

• I_Fart_Glitter@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  I’m in a union (SEIU) and they are definitely not going to supplement my pay. Also- I do caregiving. I don’t know how it works to strike when my client would die if no one showed up. Work without clocking in? That seems counter productive…

  source

  • lime@feddit.nu ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    medical fields usually have some sort of clause that prevents complete strike, like the postal service. you can still strike but in that case it’s without union authorisation.

    here the metalworker’s union is paying striking workers at tesla 125% of their regular salary and have the funds to continue doing that for about 200 years.

    source
• SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  The vast majority of Americans don’t have that option.

  source

  • lime@feddit.nu ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    why not?

    source

    • stickly@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      Because most places in the USA have atrocious worker protection laws. Even if you’re in a name brand, corporate job with thousands of people on board with unionizing, they can close your office or fire everyone with no repercussions.

      Just look at Blizzard, Google, Starbucks, etc… They take a chainsaw to any union talk and have never been bothered with consequences. If you’re employed by a tiny, family owned business you have even less leverage. Your personal relationship to the owner is much more important to achieving your goals than paperwork solidarity with the 2 other employees.

      source

      • lime@feddit.nu ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        but i mean… the entire reason unions work is because of a mandate from the masses. if they close an office the only reasonable counter-action is for every other office to unionise too.

        source

        • -> View More Comments
    • drunkpostdisaster@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      Because of a lack of said unions

      source

      • lime@feddit.nu ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

        from what i hear there are unions everywhere in the us. why are they not doing anything?

        source

        • -> View More Comments
• cristo@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  It’s not that simple unfortunately. Sure there are national unions, but they’re very specific in the industries they operate it. They are long standing institutions with the influence and funding to boot, your local tenant union or random coffee shop “union” does not have the resources or influence to make any of that happen. I knew some people in FL who tried to unionize their coffee shop they worked for and the owners just straight up shut the business down instead of capitulating, they were all out of a job after that.

  source

  • lime@feddit.nu ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    i mean national unions exist to strengthen the local chapters.

    source

    • cristo@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

      I guess I’m more nihilistic in my viewpoint. I’ve only seen small unions fail whether through inaction, ineptitude, or busting. In non multimillion dollar industries, they basically are impossible to form successfully. That shouldn’t mean forming them shouldn’t be attempted, it’s just the reality that I observed.

      source