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March 13, 2009

Cory Doctorow reminds the internet that labour matters

Posted by Graham F. Scott at 11:04 AM ET | Comments (1)

It was a nice surprise this morning to run across Cory Doctorow's blog post on Boing Boing about Thomas Geoghegan's book Which Side Are You On?, a memoir/history of the labour movement. I haven't read the book, although now I intend to. But the reason it was a nice surprise is because labour is a huge blind spot in the mainstream blogosphere.

There's a pervasive notion in many online communities that the web is a meritocracy, a level playing field where technology demolishes all barriers and equalizes everyone. Nick Denton, founder of the Gawker Media blog network, coined the phrase "anarcho-capitalist" to describe this vibe: decentralized, anti-authority, profit-hungry, and post-political. The economics of blogging mean that most writers for online outlets write for peanuts, seldom see each other in person, and work alone. Organizing for better wages and benefits isn't on the radar: even if there was the will to do it, the business model doesn't produce enough income to pay contributors enough anyway, so why bother?

The young, globalized, culturally schizoid generation that writes and consumes blogs sees the labour movement as out of touch and irrelevant at best, obstructive and corrupt at worst. The gains in working conditions, wages, benefits, and worker safety made by labour are taken for granted by a whole swathe of young people for whom the movement is ancient history. That Doctorow, who is hugely influential in the blogosphere, is talking to his audience now about the goals and achievements of the labour movement is important and valuable.

Some of what he says:

Throughout, Geoghegan keep the focus where it belongs: on the injustices faced by working people -- from labor, from management, from government -- and on the failures of these systems to improve their lot on life, and looks deeply into history, politics and sociology to explain why and how labor has failed laborers.

Geoghegan is a lifelong, old-time labor lawyer whose practice has encompassed defending unions from management to defending workers from unions -- representing clients whose corrupt Work Agents have had them beaten up, smeared and excluded; representing workers who've been robbed of their pensions, unfairly dismissed, even arrested, under the most shameful, sleazy circumstances. He writes like a poet, like a Hunter Thompson crossed with Studs Terkel, full of humility, wry humor, and a burning anger at all that's wrong in the world. He tells the stories of the fights he's fought -- with, for and against the Teamsters, the mine workers, nurses, pilots -- from union elections to wildcat strikes.

Geoghegan is unabashedly pro-union, even though he's seen the worst of what unions can become. In a world in which employers hold all the cards -- times like now, when every worker worries about job security -- workers who fight on their own to demand justice (fair pay, safe working conditions, fair treatment, pensions) always lose. Workers who fight together can win -- have won, anyway.

More entries on: Labour

August 29, 2008

Keep the "Labour" in "Labour Day"

Posted by Graham F. Scott at 01:06 PM ET | Comments (0)

A Toronto Labour Day parade from the early 1900s, shot by Yousuf Karsh

It's Friday afternoon and around our office, we're all thinking about the upcoming long weekend. Labour Day, for many Canadians, is just another day off, the end of the summer, a chance to sleep in one last time before school starts up again (and for the clubbier set, the last chance to wear white without being laughed out of the Yacht Club). But while you relax next holiday Monday — those of you who actually get the day off, and that certainly isn't everyone — spare a thought for the Toronto workers who fought for reasonable working hours in the late 19th century, and whose actions led to the holiday we now enjoy.

For those not already up to speed on the origin story, here's the short version: The declaration of Labour Day as a major holiday in Canada followed decades of agitating by union organizers demanding that work weeks top out at 54 hours. In Spring 1872, the Toronto Printers' Union went on strike, demanding that the working day be set at nine hours per day. When George Brown, the proprietor of The Globe (which later became The Globe and Mail), tried to charge the union with conspiracy, it turned out that, according to Canadian law at the time, union activity was, in fact, illegal, and 24 organizers were arrested. On June 14, 1872, John. A. MacDonald's government passed the Trade Union Act, legalizing union work. The celebration of that strike became an annual event, and in 1894, Labour Day was made an official holiday in Canada. The Americans soon followed suit, and it became a global phenomenon.

For the full history, this Canadian Encyclopedia article offers much more.

More entries on: Labour

August 27, 2008

Mr. Layton goes to Denver (updated)

Posted by Graham F. Scott at 02:44 PM ET | Comments (0)

A press release came in this afternoon saying that NDP leader Jack Layton is spending three days at the Democratic National Convention in Denver to talk to the Dems' labour caucus, among others, and see if he can shake some important hands. Now, the NDP's electoral standing in Canada isn't exactly on par with the U.S. Democrats, and Layton isn't pulling Obama-level numbers himself (we've been over that already). However, Obama and Layton share one thing, which is that the United Steelworkers of America endorsed them both at its annual convention in Las Vegas in July. The Steelworkers' position is: Obama for President, Layton for Prime Minister.

I talked with Layton's press secretary this afternoon, who explained just what Layton is hoping to get from his Denver trip. His comments are after the jump:

"Mr. Layton has an interest in finding out more about the campaign. It's had quite a lot of attention here in Canada and we do share a lot of the same values and messaging [of] hope for working families here in Canada.

Back when Naftagate happened, We wrote to Senator Obama and Senator Clinton calling on them to stand together with us in order to favour reopening of Nafta. That's the kind of dialogue that we hope to keep going with the Democrats."

I'll update this post if I hear back from the Liberals and Conservatives. Do they have operatives in Denver, officially or un-? Or are they too busy playing electoral chicken?

UPDATE: The Conservatives tell me they have four people working the floor at the DNC. Director of Communications Ryan Sparrow says they have no specific aim, just that "Canada-U.S. relations are always important."

More entries on: American Politricks | Economics | Labour

September 20, 2007

Solidarity or death?

Posted by shawnsyms at 12:25 PM ET | Comments (0)

Acts of murder against trade unionists around the world increased 25 percent from 2005 to 2006.

According to a survey on human-rights violations just published by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), 144 trade unionists were murdered for defending workers' rights in 2006, while more than 800 suffered beatings or torture.

"Colombia is the deadliest country in the world for trade unionists," says ITUC general secretary Guy Ryder. There, as the report details, 78 trade unionists were assassinated—and many others faced threats, abduction or "disappearance."

The full report presents the deadly findings that ITUC uncovered in 138 countries around the world.

PHOTO CREDIT | ITUC | POLICE ATTACKING UNIONIST IN VENEZUELA

More entries on: Labour

September 12, 2007

Pixels and protests

Posted by shawnsyms at 10:03 AM ET | Comments (2)

UK-based LabourStart has been threatened by an employer targeted by online protests by the activist group, which supports labour struggles internationally.

According to a release by LabourStart, members of the UNISON public-service workers union who work in homes for the aged have been told by their employer, the nonprofit Fremantle, about impending pay cuts of up to 30 percent in this way: "accept these terms or be sacked!"

LabourStart promoted an email protest campaign, and within hours, over 5,000 messages had been sent. By the end of the week, the org says it received a threat of libel action by Fremantle. The protest campaign continues despite the warning.

In Canada and elsewhere, email campaigns are a popular form of advocacy. For instance, the Canadian Auto Workers have a Take Action Now feature on their website where activists can lobby MPs for political change.

Electronic means of protest are on the rise in progressive movements. ACT UP Paris was recently sued by pharma giant Abbott Laboratories after it initiated a protest whereby activists around the world could use an automated tool to overload Abbott's website traffic and bring the site down. (The charges were eventually dropped after the corp received a significant amount of bad PR.)

Meanwhile, unionists in Italy have made headlines when they announced their intention to launch a strike against IBM "virtually": within the confines of the popular 3D "digital world" Second Life. IBM has been very active in the Second Life online realm, looking for ways to utilize and profit from the service. Labour activists hope to "use the master's tools to dismantle the master's house," arousing attention and support from other SL users around the world.

IMAGE CREDITS: LABOURSTART + ACT UP PARIS

More entries on: Labour

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