Boulcolonialboy wrote:
Start with small stuff (unless its a reaction to a particularly aggressive attack on existing tetrms and conditions/agreements) and build confidence. It does work - but keep at it its all so easily knocked back.
Keeping it small to begin with, winning it, builds confidence. Not only with those that have been involved but also with those workers who aren't quite ready to jump, when you first go for it.
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difficult situation and no easy answers. I think as a militant you have to expect to be putting in a bit of an extra mile anyway. Never have i been in any constructive situation where that hasn't been the case (before being political had couple nice spontaneous walkouts where everyone was just so angry that no organising was needed - not that any of us would have known a first thing about it!).
But it is a delicate balance to act, and you have to continuously ask: is what i do empowering people, is what i do forwarding the idea of direct democracy, mutual aid and all that bollocks. Quite often the answer is no, and you end up doing it anyway
But thats why i would try to avoid union official positions if possible, because that is just the way things are these days that union officials are seen as service providers and you end up trying to use your whole term to try to shake that off.
I tell you one thing what my friend did in a metal factory. He was elected as a shop steward which was pretty revolutionary as pretty much 100% of the shops are run by either social democrat or leftist union member in finland. Anyways, in the first mass meeting of workers he told people to stand up, and hesitantly everyone stood up. He then started talking how no one should ever listen to anything he says uncritically and why the fuck would everyone stand up just because he as a shop steward said so
can't see myself ever doing that, but the idea is good: to get people critical and questioning what leaders, be it bosses or the union officials are saying.