Working In These Times
What’s Missing From the Movement? Leaders!
They're needed more than ever this Labor Day
There will, no doubt, be lots of posts and articles about Labor Day, many of which will offer prescriptions for labor. Many will stress needed political and economic reforms, or focus on rank-and-file or the unrepresented majority of the working class.
These are important areas, clearly. But, what about today’s labor leaders? A vibrant movement needs and deserves leaders. Where have all the leaders gone?
I am a New Yorker, a city with the highest percentage of unionized workers in the United States. But, even in Gotham, labor has lost its muscle. And it can’t be attributed solely to a decline in union density or membership.
There was a time, as recently as the 1970s and even the 1980s, when New York’s labor movement could swing elections, when its leaders commanded public attention and were civic leaders. Feared, hated or loved, they mattered.
In New York City, Victor Gotbaum, Executive Director of DC 37, AFSCME, Albert Shanker, President of the UFT/AFT, and the Central Labor Committee’s Harry Van Arsdale, were part of the city’s power structure. They represented workers, and because of their clout, they could deliver. When New York City almost went bankrupt, it was the Gotham’s unions who used their pension funds to save the city.
And what did unions get for it? Who remembers the risks they took for their city?
Now what? Where are the leaders? Sam Roberts, writing in The New York Times in 2007 said, “What of Gotbaum, Shanker and the other labor lions of yesteryear? They’ve largely been succeeded by cubs.” That's a powerful charge.
The labor movements needs much, but this Labor Day my hope is that a new generation of leaders, representing today's workers, will soon command the attention Gotbaum received in his heyday. Wouldn’t it be nice to see that?
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Comments
Leadership is having a vision and a strategy to get it done.
The typical labor leader today was brought up in the era of shrinking unions, when they beat the union drum, no one listened. the goal was to take care of their own members, regardless of circumstance while ignoring the outside world.
Now, fear of the unknown, uncertainty of the future, and a rapidly changing country make the “old ways” impossible.
When our own leaders truly believe that unions are nothing more than workers for workers (all workers), the vision becomes clear and the strategies are galvanized. This is nothing new, we’ve done it before. The plan is written in our charters, ORGANIZE and recognize we stand for ALL WORKERS. Stern organized and was somewhat successful but he did it for the wrong reasons, he needed the cash flow.
Richard Trumka and Leo Gerard understand it but the rest of the leaders aren’t following. We are living through a golden opportunity to gain bargaining strength. Workers join unions “en masse” due to due to economic volatility or social upheaval. Today we have both. We need to open our doors and more importantly, open our hearts to succeed.
The article is on point. The comment by Chris Ricker is on point. Keep the hits coming.
This is one local labor leader who’s on board—where are my other brothers and sisters at? We’re not alone!
The article is on point. The comment by Chris Ricker is on point. Keep the hits coming.
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