"‘A very hostile climate for workers’: US labor movement struggles under Trump"
“The NLRB’s employees just want to do our jobs and be treated with respect,” said one official. “But from day one, this administration has crippled the agency, and treated us as enemies.”
[Not linking to article because of unwarranted face in artwork.]
@salixsericea Well no it's the opposite.
These organizations have been hostile to workers, interfering in our ability to sell our labor, telling us when we can and can't work.
For once the hostility is a little bit mitigated. Just a little bit. But let's appreciate that.
Workers have a little more freedom right now to sell their labor. We shouldn't let that be spun against us.
@volkris That's quite a take.
How exactly does a neutered NLRB mean "For once the hostility is a little bit mitigated."
How does the even more impaired ability to unionize mean "Workers have a little more freedom right now to sell their labor."
Shouldn't a little more freedom include freely joining other workers to try and get better results?
@salixsericea Yes! A little more freedom does include freely joining other workers, but that's the entire point, US labor regulations that are executed by agencies like the NLRB push the pendulum to the other side, not so much allowing free joining but instead imposing membership on workers whether they want it or not.
It would be great if US labor regulations did what you described with the free joining. Unfortunately, that's not how they work on the ground.
@volkris The issue of imposed membership is complex, but I don't see how the form of collective punishment that is neutering the NLRB is beneficial.
We can maybe agree that US labor history is gloomy enough as it is.
Even companies described as "union shops" can and do limit the power of unions by using temp agencies as gatekeepers.
Take care.