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. 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