America's union-bashing backlash

[CHIMO]

These are still tough times in America. Joblessness is rife, growth rates are slow and all sorts of fiscal crises loom in government. The impact of the Great Recession rumbles on and blights the lives of tens of millions of ordinary Americans.

No one should be surprised, then, that America's political system is on the hunt for a scapegoat – some bunch of villains on which to blame the nation's woes. But how odd that the current candidate turns out to be the labour movement in general, and public sector unions in particular.

Across the US, politicians are railing against the terrible abuses of powerful union bosses, especially in state government. Many of those politicians are Republicans. But far from all of them. In New York, the freshly minted Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo, has joined the backlash, asking for a wage freeze for all public workers. In many states, new laws are being considered that will trim union rights, such as the ability to get fees from their members or the right to negotiate a union contract or even form a union at all. In Ohio, a new Republican governor wants to ban strikes by public school teachers. In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie's attacks on unions have become a YouTube sensation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jan/05/andrew-cuomo-labor-unions

[awoke_in_2003]

1. the collapse of the unions...

is bringing on the collapse of the working class. K&R

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

2. It's the biggest tragedy second only to NAFTA!! n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

4. NAFTA, CAFTA,...

and now the trade relations with Viet Nam- the american people cannot compete with slave labor.

[Citizen Worker]

3. The collapse began with the Treaty of Detroit at the end of WW II. The attack became visible when

Raygun fired the air traffic controllers, who by the way endorsed St. Ronnie in 1980. Now that's payback for ya'.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. totally agree. nt

[Sherman A1]

6. Precisely