One thing I haven't heard tonight: General strike

[Bozita]

Is it even being considered? If not, why?

[aquart]

1. Do you not scroll down?

[MedleyMisty]

2. I've heard it

All over Twitter. Quite a few threads here.

[FLAprogressive]

3. Where have you been?

[mmonk]

4. Union workforce in the US isn't big enough.

It would require non union workers to join and risk job loss.

[Hannah Bell]

5. a general strike includes everyone, that's why it's "general".

[mmonk]

9. I know. But this is a big task.

I would like to see it.

[TBF]

6. Maybe not, but we have a lot of unemployed right now too. They have nothing to lose. nt

[mmonk]

10. They need to be gathered together and organized.

Who will do it?

[TBF]

16. I know, the weakening of the unions and lack of a far-left is a challenge.

Still I think we can make ourselves heard.

[Thunderstruck]

7. Word is just now going out. A vote for a general strike is apparently being called per Twitter.

[elocs]

8. As a Wisconsinite I think it is a foolish move. Public opinion strongly in our favor

would swing against us. Unions do not have the numbers in this country to pull it off without majorly pissing off the majority of people. A general strike is a flippant thing to casually call for without seriously considering the consequences which I think would be disastrous.

[Kdillard]

11. I agree.

[readmoreoften]

12. A short term organized general strike to demonstrate labor power is a good idea.

People will be always be pissed. Strikes are inconvenient. The bosses always spin the events. It's not a flippant thing to call for. It's pretty much all there is left to do. It's a lot harder to call a general strike when there aren't unionized sectors. This is a win they can't have. If they win, it only gets worse. If they win, working people are going to have to start from scratch and re-win the ugly battles--UGLIER battles--that have put us where we are.

That being said, strikes are war. And they aren't called for lightly. I say this as someone who lived through 6 months on strike and lost my job and the few assets I had. But as someone who currently lives in a right-to-work state, I say strike because its worth it.

[hollowdweller]

13. 1990 WV Teachers Strike

WV Public employees do not have ANY collective bargaining rights, nor the right to strike.

In 1990 the teachers got tired of being either 49th or 50th in pay and like 80 or 90 percent of them went on an illegal strike and shut the schools down.

So many went out it was impossible for fire them and if they would have fired some they would have STAYED out.

Even 2 of my wife's relatives who are teachers and wingnuts went out.

End result the teachers got a $5000 raise and they are now 46th in the nation while WV Public Employees are still 49th.

I don't know the situation with public support in WI, and the effect of a strike. I don't even know if enough of them would have the balls to put it on the line like WV did since they are paid considerably better already(for now)

However my guess is if they try to wait for the politcal process to work via recall Walker will be perceived as the winner, further pursue retribution agains the leaders, the public will forget about their plight and the GOP will win.

If the current situation shows anything it shows that the GOP will stop at nothing fair or unfair to fuck the public employees there.

Probably the public employees should go out and strike. Give Walker 1 week and then all the firefighters should go out, go another week and all the police should go out and force him to send it the national guard to keep people safe. Leave him setting alone in the governors mansion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Yes, Big Eddie used the word

and it's been all over the twitter

[Earth_First]

15. It's been called for...

union leaders in Wisconsin and Ohio are holding emergency meetings tonight to discuss the details...