Mix baggage

The concept that our Local 100 has to join with other labor forces in order to advance our cause and benefit the membership sounds like a good idea and no one can object to that. The underlying message is that the current leadership under Samuelsen feels that it can not accomplish any goals single handedly and is not effective thus lets join with others. 

Lets define the goals of any union: one is to increase the wage for the benefit of the membership, two control the work practices, three protect the membership. Whether joining forces with other labor forces will accomplish those goals is debatable. However we will give Samuelsen a chance, even though the writing is on the wall.

The other issue is seeking public support or educating the general public within the realm of the political action committee and breaking away from the old style of providing funds for a politician in order to advance our cause. We agree with the latter part but object to the other.

Seeking public support or educating the general public is completely a waste of time, resources and energy. This of course is simply arrant nonsense and maybe the current leadership is trying to lead the membership astray with the Limbaugh Leap of probably finding scapegoats who don't have press or spokesmen to spin the truth. We do not recall in the history of the labor movement that such a task has ever been undertaken and we here in why did you join the union disapprove and are skeptical of this.

It is clear the current leadership is moving away from the traditional bread and butter which benefits the membership. What Samuelsen is most guilty of here is promoting the assumption that public support is nothing short of a miracle. But why shouldn’t he believe it since all of his yes man and hangers on have reinforced this myth and have egged him on with this. It is obvious Samuelsen realizes the membership are shortchanged and is being influenced by his chums. What is missing from this unremitting propaganda is the simple observation of the little boy in the table who cried out ‘But the king isn’t wearing any clothes!’ Basically someone who can call out the truth for it is.

We would recommend the following to Samuelsen, we say yes to join forces with others, yes to not giving funds to politicians but no to educating the general public because it is making our head hurt from all of the rhetorical gymnastics.