Now that democracy was mentioned by yours truly it sure seemed to stir up the pot. If anybody wants to organize in your workplace then they should look at what some unions have to offer and to question critically as to how democratic their practices are. For this posting I'll copy something from the Portland IWW.Union is a good idea for all working people.There are,however, some common problems that come up over and over, and could perhaps be avoided by asking the right questions right from the start.Here's a few examples:
-How are the decisions made?
-Who has the final say on a strike settlement or a contract?
-Can the officers settle a contract;call,forbid or end a strike in your name without your approval?
-How democratic are these practices,in actual practice?
-If your local gets too militant for the International,can it be put into recievership?
-How are officers, business agents,stewards,delegates,etc.selected?
-How are they held accountable to the membership?
-How are they gotten rid of if they don't serve the members faithfully?
-How difficult are these processes,in actual practice?
-Can the local be ordered to do or not to do something from above?
-Who controls the union's money?
-Are the books open to rank-and-file inspection?
-Can the the membership actually control the spending,set the dues, make the real financial decisions?
-How difficult are these processes in actual practice?
-What does the union's track record look like?
-Is there a history of sellouts and betrayals of the rank-and-file?
-If so,is there any real, concrete reason for you to expect anything better in the future?
All working folks need a union. United we stand ,divided we fall. What we don't need, however, is another set of bosses to lead us down the garden path. A good principle to bear in mind is that what we can't control we can't trust. If somebody is offering to do it all for you, and it promises it will all be OK, but doesn't show you exactly how you can address problems that may come up, watch out.
If it's possible, within the framework that exists, for you to get screwed, you can rest assured that someone will come along to do just that. Consider all the alternatives before you commit yourself to anything. Ask all the hard questions, and make good and sure that you get all the right answers. You get what you put up with. Don't be a chump.
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