Nice Unions Are Weak Unions

 

Nice Unions Are Weak Unions

 

It occurred to me lately that many union members believe, have been told or have even hinted to me, warning me and worrying about me losing my temper and that is a reasonable criticism. My temper is not the cause of our Employer’s labor troubles: radicalized, anti-Union Management attacks on our weak, submissive labor union is the wellspring of Labor-Management troubles here. I am reacting angrily to Management-initiated misbehavior. I think a union activist, business agents, union officers and the members cannot build a strong union if they are not angered when they should be, but channeling it well is the duty of each of them, channeled communicatively, legally, and contractually to express their outrage in constructive ways so as to stay out of discipline trouble.

My self-defense is that we need to be angry when Management does unjust, selfish, abusive, tyrannical things in the workplace and this is routine mistreatment of union workers by Management here.

I wish to turn the table around on everyone to challenge you. You are decent, fine people as you are. I would like to see you all unitedly become angry with me when it is appropriate to react angrily, and then to express it to Management and to the work community in an appropriate manner.

If I am too angry, the rest of the Labor group here is not angry enough. When I get angry at Management and express it to them, they are up to something they should not be getting away with. That is the time for you the labor organization and its members to pile on--not on me to shut me up, to silence me, to get me to go away. We all need to get angry and pile on Management when supervisors, managers and HR are up to their contract-trampling antics. How about some constructive, channeled anger, folks? Are you sufficiently in this fight or not? 

Management has sought to isolate me as an angry malcontent just out to argue. The Facilities Director just accused me of that yesterday. No, I argue when they do wrong.) I need your help if we are to keep these radicalized, out-of-control, anti-Union managers at bay, I need your support. I cannot do this alone.

Nice is fine, but when Unions and their members are too nice, unprincipled, ruthless, aggressive, bullying Management exploits and oppresses it workers without durable opposition. Nice Unions are weak unions.