Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihu1m.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxb!mhuxn!mhuxm!mhuxj!houxm!ihnp4!ihu1m!gadfly From: gadfly@ihu1m.UUCP (Gadfly) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Are Unions made in Heaven? Message-ID: <288@ihu1m.UUCP> Date: Sun, 10-Feb-85 23:31:22 EST Article-I.D.: ihu1m.288 Posted: Sun Feb 10 23:31:22 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 12-Feb-85 06:09:01 EST References: <509@decwrl.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 29 -- > The important point to understand is that the American experience > with labor organizations and management relations nearly always moved > toward COMPROMISE. In the European experience the relationship > between labor and management was nearly always one of trying to BREAK > the other side (along the lines of class warfare)... > > Ken Arndt That's American trade unionism in a nutshell--well said. (Oh, Ken, here I am agreeing with you. I'm so sorry--I'm so ashamed.:-) There have been, of course, indigenous labor movements that have felt that this compromise relationship was totally co-optive. Foremost was the I.W.W., which pushed for "One Big Union!", and refused to bargain for contracts because these legitimized wage slavery. Since American society has never been permeated with real class barriers as Europe had (and still has), the I.W.W. did not inherit a naturally sympathetic audience. Still, the brutal excesses of the mine and lumber bosses surpassed the dreams of real aristocrats, and it took the demented patriotic fervor of The Great War to put the kabosh on the Wobblies. -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 10 Feb 85 [22 Pluviose An CXCIII] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7188 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken *** ***