We need a good general labor strike.

[rateyes]

Every member of every union in this country should go on strike until single-payer health care is passed. Shut down the trucking industry, the service industry, the sanitation industry, the coal idustry, the energy production industry (let the lights go out)----basically shut down the whole damned country.

Let the people speak in this way and we'll get single-payer, and we'll get it within a damned week.

[RoccoR5955]

1. I've been saying that for quite some time.

Like since Reagan's days.

[dhpgetsit]

2. I'll stand with you.

And I'm non-union! :D

[byebyegop]

3. Not a bad idea! France does it all the time. n/t

[demosincebirth]

4. Pretty hard to make an impact with only 16% of the work force unionized and

most of them in gov't.

[Canuckistanian]

5. I'm with you!

One problem, though. I'm unemployed.

General strikes produced results in the 20s and 30s. Why not now?

[stray cat]

6. What you will have is people on strike without income who will accomplish nothing

But you may have some happy people who will take their place on the employment line

[H2O Man]

7. Recommended .....

both the OP, and the strike.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

8. Not to mention the extra high unemployment that maybe willing to cross the line.

[Laelth]

9. Hear, hear! n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[OutNow]

10. Great Idea, But.....

A general strike, as seen frequently in France, is a great political weapon as another person noted.

But, when you mention shutting down the trucking industry and the coal industry, you might have an idea about the strength of unions that is about 50 years out of date. While we were not paying much attention, the right wing attack on unions has been devastating.

Less than 200,000 drivers are covered by the Master Freight Agreement these days, about 1/3 of the number 50 years ago. The United Mine Workers, with a proud history of militant action, now represents about 1/3 of coal miners in the U.S.

We have taken the unions for granted for decades, and now that we could really use their political power, they are too weak to call a general strike or anything like it.

First step, pass the EFCA.

[liberal N proud]

11. More that just health care would be affected

Right now the corporations are taking back everything the unions fought so hard for.

They are nibbling away little by little;

Many companies have already lost any retirement program, wages are being frozen and benefits increasing.

Little by little they will take what was earned over years back and giving the profits from those take backs to the share holder.

[Richard D]

12. I was in Peru recently

and the people there of course hated bush. Many of them asked why the people here put up with him saying - "we would have closed down the country till he left".