• astraeus@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      This isn’t even aggressive, they’re literally showing they won’t work for the company if the company isn’t willing to work for them. All the unions in the US have to play politics with the government and corporations in order to keep things flowing smoothly, one false move and the corporations have the upper hand. With that kind of advantage, it’s the corporations who are aggressive here.

      • Scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech
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        1 year ago

        I’ll never understand how the railroad workers union was only allowed to strike on a specific day for a specific time and then were forced to go back to work. Apparently they are labeled “critical” for the nation and then can’t strike??

        Like, uh, that’s literally the point of the strike. Highlighting how critical they are and that you should give them the meager asks they wanted. If some low-wage earners can shut down the entire country because they are upset about earning peanuts - well then maybe it shows they shouldn’t be earning peanuts.

    • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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      1 year ago

      There is a push for American unions to set their next contract expiration dates to 1 May 2028, specifically to enable a general strike.

      • Dominic@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        Important to note that this is a workaround. Solidarity strikes (which normally include general strikes) are illegal, but there’s no law that prevents every union from happening to strike on their own behalf at the same time.

    • Dominic@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      American unions are kneecapped by the government. The 1947 Taft-Hartley Act made solidarity strikes (and several other forms of labor protest) illegal. It also opened the door for states to enact “right-to-work” laws.

      This law is still standing in part because US courts have been anti-labor for their entire existence, aside from a brief period during FDR’s administration.