What a Union Is: Matewan Union Speech

We had a good discussion at the ICEUFT meeting yesterday of what a union is and how it has to talk to all members, not a slice of the membership. It came up in the context of a discussion of where MORE is heading. John Lawhead made the point that a union movement can't be led by what amounts to a club of like-minded people. That is not a caucus.

In this clip racism is rampant and challenged over how common ties bind all workers. It is a lesson some on the so-called left who are lauding the lessons of red state strikes but are missing the analysis of the politics and social attitudes that are driving the movement and uniting people of many political persuasions. Kudos to Michael Fiorillo for pointing us to this.

Haskell Wexler

Published on Nov 19, 2014

What a union is. Speech on what unionism is and where the primary strength of a union lies, in it's membership and threat of a strike denying the workforce from the employer to improve wages, working conditions, health and safety.

https://youtu.be/5RSaBoDl_9k