I was asked about the call for a general strike. Here are my thoughts:
Immigrant labor in the fields. Can you imagine what would happen if they all stopped working?
A general strike doesn’t happen because a few hundred or even a few thousand people want it; it requires millions, even tens of millions of workers determined and organized. One problem is that, as we know, many workers – maybe even most – support Trump. Another problem is that the overwhelming majority of those who don’t are waiting for somebody with real power to organize something. So, at this point, it just doesn’t seem to me that a general strike is in the cards. Here’s what I think is realistic and we should be calling for:
Already undocumented immigrant agriculture workers are staying home from work out of fear of ICE. I think we should start a movement to demand that the unions organize the agriculture workers and meat and vegetable packing workers to stay off work en masse – in other words, go on strike. Some ideas for demands:
- Full citizenship and union rights for all workers”
- Stop the ICE raids and all deportations
- A $30/hour minimum wage with full benefits
- A national health care system, including public ownership of the hospitals
- etc.
I think we should demand that the union leadership organize Trump opponents – union members and non-members alike – to take this to the fields and similar places with the pledge that we will stand the picket lines for the immigrant workers if they stay off of work/go on strike. I think it’s highly unlikely that the union leadership would do that, but if we could build a big enough movement to demand that, and if we organize such a movement from the ground up – democratically (small “d”), that is – then we can start to do that without the official unions.
Can you imagine what would happen? Within a week the grocery store shelves would be empty. And as for those workers who support Trump: In my opinion, they just support whoever seems strongest. Once they start to see the real power of the working class, including immigrant workers, and if that power is linked to some of their own needs, that would have a massive effect on their views.
So, that’s my idea.
Immigrant labor in the fields. Can you imagine what would happen if they stopped working?
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Categories: immigration, labor, Trump, United States
John, why the concentration on immigrant workers, making them take the lead and bear the brunt of Trump’s revenge? Do you think they are the most militant or the most interested? But they are also the most vulnerable, with the most to lose when federal marshals start busting picket lines. How about getting those workers interested — auto workers, say — to shut down their own workplaces? Why do immigrants have to be the ones to carry the ball for a national health care system? It’s impressive to think of shutting down the food supply, but it wouldn’t happen as quickly as you imagine. Trump would declare an emergency and drop his tariffs against Mexican fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, if TSA workers, who check passengers at airports and who recently had their union revoked by Trump, were to strike tomorrow, the nation’s airline system as a whole would instantly be paralyzed. A strike by postal workers, whom Trump is threatening with the same thing, would paralyze much commercial activity. Anyway, keep up your interesting thoughts and hopeful dreams.
In the first place, we are not suggesting that immigrant workers should bear the brunt of Trump’s attacks; we are simply recognizing the current reality that they already ARE bearing the brunt. And while many of them might be feeling in a very weak position, in fact they have enormous potential power since they are central to the food supply in this country. Also, many of them are already starting to stay away from work, so it’s simply logic – why not help this to happen in an organized way? Why not help organize it?
What Carl suggests is unrealistic for a number of reasons. First of all, both TSA workers and most auto workers are in unions. They will not act without the union officially calling on them to act. The UAW leadership already more or less supports Trump, at least as far as the tariffs are concerned. And estimates are that 40% of the members supported Trump before the tariffs. My guess is that an even greater percentage support his tariffs. As far as the TSA workers, their union leadership is even weaker and more timid than is the UAW leadership. Same goes for postal workers. In effect, what Carl is calling for is little different from the calls of some on the left for a “general strike” – looks good on paper, means nothing in practice. On the other hand, if even a section of the anti-Trump movement took up the strategy I suggest, it could have a massive effect. It would run headlong into conflict with the entire union leadership, but they have been totally missing in action so far, so why worry about that?