File spoon-archives/aut-op-sy.archive/aut-op-sy_1997/aut-op-sy.9709, message 12


Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 11:12:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Chris <red-AT-iww.org>
Subject: AUT: Company Unionism At Ford (fwd)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
/* Written 11:59 PM  Aug 26, 1997 by labornews-AT-igc.org in labr.auto */
/* ---------- "Unionism At Ford?" ---------- */

From: Institute for Global Communications <labornews-AT-igc.apc.org>

 Date:        08/23  3:25 PM
 From:        Thomas J. Laney, tlaney-AT-igc.apc.org

Hie Earl:

Have more time  right now to answer. 

At Ford, the company unionism is rampant and either supported by the
reps or they don't want to take a position against it because the
bureaucracy is so powerful and ruthless.

What is clear to me however, is that the ranks still stick together on a
very limited basis. Preventing activists from expanding the base is the
company unionism.  One part of this problem is the opportunistic academic
left which attaches itself to these company union programs in a way that
seriously damages the way ordinary autoworkers value their own experience.
Recently, "progressive" academics helped launch a UAW/Ford education 
program

in Kansas City. Members of my local who attended said the session was very
helpful. A labor educator from KC said she couldn't find any fault in the
program. But in talking with our folks I learned the program presents an
accurate view of UAW history in the 30's, ignores corporate behaivior from
the 90's and concludes we have come a long, progressive way to a terrific
relationship with the corporation. This conclusion notes that to keep the
Family Ford (almost) together, company unionism is a must to make us
increasingly more competitive.

I think you know how much work my local has done on international
competitiveness especially in terms of exploiting Mexican workers and
parts workers. I believe our local had 5 or 6 members at this session
in KC. I asked what management had to say about their behavior in
Mexico and it was like, we forgot to ask about that. They also forgot
to ask about outsourcing, whipsawing and plant closing, speedup and
work injury. I think that is because we have people on the left more
interested in kissing ass to make a few bucks than stressing the truth
in sessions that should be designed to start a conversation about how
the hell we fight corporations like Ford.

This is a huge problem that really keeps labor from jumpstarting. It
means that these vitally important opportunities to have a real
discussion about what unionism should mean - the discussion that has to
take place before we can go anywhere - is just another short-circuit by
the corporation.  Opportunities for autoworkers to take a step beyond
shoptalk, to do their own analyses and talk about action is actually
stolen and turned into a backwards experience by Ford. And, their
hirees who can't tell the truth because they'll lose their job teaching
bullshit. The enormity of this wrong is hard to overestimate. Young
workers, interested in their friends on the line and eager to know more
about their union, attend these "schools" and become part of the
problem on the shopfloor, usually jumking their own ideas and
principles and picking up those of the company/UAW. We get more people
on the floor talking about how screwed up the workers are instead of
asking how we unscrew the corporate programs that have wrecked the
union.

So that is a very big issue that needs to be addressed. What's
interesting is that all locals have their own education committees that
don't do anything. Any union conversation beyond very small groups of
workers is going to be managed by the corporation and their UAW
partners. Any group that persists with ideas of solidarity and union
action is going to be heavily attacked by the company and union.

I think activists do as much as they can in publishing newsletters and
issues fliers and contending for what space they can find in union
meetings.  In confronting company unionism, they live lives of nearly
constant confrontation themselves. So it is very irresponsible to me to
see teachers in the UAW/Ford system, the UAW's former education center
in Black Lake, Labor Ed Services at the U of M, etc. teaching about the
labor movement without talking about the company unionism that
facilitates a right wing agenda.

So, one thing I think people like yourself ought to be doing is holding
those company/union teachers accountable for what they are doing for
the corporations by restricting workers discussions and restricting the
truth about contemporary business.

Most people I value outside the UAW have a tough time understanding how
pervasive and destructive the UAW's company unionism has become. Our
own reps seem not to have noticed it. If you can imagine how a union of
almost 1 1/2 million has gone to about half that in about 15 years
without a major battle I think you begin to uderstand it. If you see
out top officers golfing, hunting, fishing and bargaining away the
gasins of another But you really have to experience the speeches,
seminars, "education" sessions, fliers, videos, pamphlets, newsletters,
official joint UAW/Ford meetings in Vegas, Reno, Palm Springs, Miami
Beach, etc.,  to gauge its depth and damage.

All of these things are going on to a lesser extent in other workplaces
including UPS where the Teamsters oppose them. So, I think that a big
thing we need is a confrontation within the teachers' movement to get
those teachers who should be facilitating honest discussions of
workers, their unions and communities, to do so.

Anyways, it's great hearing from you. Best wishes and good luck to all
you Bears fans because you're going to need it next week.

In Solidarity,

Tom

** End of text from cdp:headlines **

***************************************************************************
This material came from PeaceNet, a non-profit progressive networking
service.  For more information, send a message to peacenet-info-AT-igc.apc.org
***************************************************************************




     --- from list aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005