Could America Have A General Strike Like France? | The Class Room ft.
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2023
- When millions of French protesters shut down their country over the president's decision to raise the retirement age, U.S. commentators said it could never happen here. But why?
To find out why, we went back through decades of U.S. and French history. We took a look at the different narratives we tell ourselves about strikes and the different laws protecting the right to collective action in the United States and Europe.
Written & Hosted by Alice Cappelle.
Man on the street sequence filmed by Nehemiah Stark.
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You know, making secondary strikes illegal should be a first amendment violation.
Find a good labor lawyer and argue this constitutional right in court. It may not win, but it is about sending a message and forcing the liars who claim to be pro union to reveal themselves.
@@elihan9that's an interesting idea. It would require careful planning and use of media to make a loss useful but it probably could be done with enough planning.
@@theaconite1400 "I don't fight fascists because I think I'll win.
I fight fascists, because they're fascists." - Chris Hedges.
@@darinsingleton3553
Excellent quote.
@@elihan9 the problem is in the US, lawsuits against large entities are not affordable for the average person. Especially the government.
In France, the government is scared of the workers.
Here, we're scared of the government.
That's because most of the people supporting the supposedly pro-union party (who also made it illegal for railroad workers to strike) also advocated for the people to be disarmed to the point that they government doesn't care about abusing them.
The people are divided mostly by bigotry
@@publicutility So true, all conservatives, (that are politically stupid that is) are unironically socialists, like you can EASILY trick a con into supporting socialism, as long as you never say the term socialism. It hurts so bad that they just keep voting repub when if they ignore gay people for even half a second, they would see they are handicapping themselves, and actively going against their own beliefs.
This is why we must call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete.
With the appropriate checks and balances, you could have a national digital forum where qualified professionals can debate the issues in a public setting without all the disinformation and bad faith antics, hatespeech etc. Any vote would need to pass the 70% threshold, with a veto option that would be 30% and the option to ask for a rewrite. The issues would be debated, the public educated, and then a vote taken. Votes that fail will have to wait a year before trying again. Any new proposal (Citizen Initiated Referendum) would have to reach a threshold of support before it made it onto the register. This would all be subject to a Social Contract (New Constitution) that forbids human rights abuses and discrimination.
It works in a way that obligates people to better educate themselves ( that is to use logic and evidence in their reasoning ) for a better understanding of the issues, and then take responsibility for the outcomes. As opposed to the divisive US v them and bi-partisan finger pointing the current Capitalist Pyramid Scheme runs on.
This is why Elon shut down Twitter, the last thing the top .01% want is a working Public Forum, which is also why we don't have any in our communities.
@@Uncanny_Mountain that can't happen unless voters have the power.
A large number of the American people still think that Reagan was the best president we ever had which is embarrassing.
Lmao yep. The boomers that gobbled up all that extreme individualism and reagonomics bullshit
And then they blame Biden for the current state of affairs
@@zerobullets6935yeah Reagan pissed on the american people and promised it was rain and some people are still drinking that shit to this day
Guy literally committed literal treason to steal his election and he's still worshiped to this day. America is the most propagandized country on the planet. Worse than China and North Korea in terms of our propaganda. Even Chinese citizens know their government is lying to them, but they mostly suck it up because at least their government sometimes does things for their people like high speed rail. Here, there are actual people who think we live in a democracy.
He was the one made retired people pay taxes on there social security. To pay for his tax breaks for the rich.
I’m French and I went on strike this year. I’d just like to point out that it’s a sacrifice: you lose a day’s pay, you risk getting hit by the police or arrested during the demonstration, and it might be legal, that doesn’t make it popular with your boss. Plus, you know, we failed: they did change the retirement age, and managed to do it without it being voted in Parliament, so…
yea but don't feel defeated. Shithead Macron will not run again come election day. We need progressive candidates who don't lick the wealthy's ass. Cuz this is what Macron is about
Its continuous fight, u only fail when stop fighting ur right.
We from developing countries cheering French in their fight for workers rights.
If company move here, they will paid us slave wages and using digital shackle/bracelet in the name of modern tech and management.
while in otherhand our politicians smugly cut the ribbon for new factories.
Keep fighting and we will lignite the souls of everyone around the world, don't give, recouperate, regroup and replan.
That's why in America, it's a good thing we have guns because if something were to drastically change that we don't agree with, we can take matters into our own hands.
@@kegand8472well the issue seems to be that when someone pulls the rug very slowly, you guys end up killing each other in culture wars while the billionaires win the class war
Im glad that, worldwide, we can all rally around the banner of "Fuck Ronald Reagan"
Reagan didn't do this by himself and there have been thousands/ millions of people who continue to support the destructive policies.
Yes! Lmao
Nice try
Well, he f*cked the whole world 😳
@@tenaciousminion8753 Yeah the video said it well. Reagan was the culminations of the ideology, but he definitely wasn't the sole criminal here.
As an aside, check out the Dupont mansion in Delaware. The guy who owns the company that poisoned the world will let you check out his mansion where he collects George Washington and hyper-nationalist paraphernalia. It's pretty closely watched... but many of the things there are priceless and one of a kind!
I'm an Air Traffic Controller in the US, you can thank Regan firing PATCO. Unions were gutted since 1980. It's a shame.
He gutted a lot of things.
You can thank Regan for the downfall of this country. He sold the soul of this country for corporate greed.
Wasn't improving safety systems (that didn't get improved for decades) a big reason for the strike?
Arguably, the more overt attacks, or at least, overt antagonism of unions, began with Reagan; but lets be clear: Neoliberalism, Reaganism, Thatcherism, whatever you call it, continued to steamroll unions under Clintonian Corporate-centric trade deals & predatory economic strategies as well.
BOTH political parties have blood on their hands; BOTH political parties despise unions; it is simply, that there is only one party which will honestly acknowledge their hate.
They got what they deserved.
Americans screaming freedom yet they literally get stomped on by their police for protesting
American freedom is just to drive a car everywhere. That's it.
@@K1989L and buy stuff.
@@TheDarthbinkyand shoot people in broad daylight.
more dollars more freedom... America brand itself as a 'free-to-play' but at the very core of it's system, it's ultimately a 'pay-to-win' as a society.
You think in France the police goes around handing roses? Google "police brutality in France".
The answer is yes, but why not? People should rally for a living wage, safe work environment, paid sick leave, maternity leave, and good benefits.
Tell that to the conservatives, they will call you the "S" or the "C" word.
@@bibianaguadalupeislasherre9880 so what if they were? We are NOT in the 1950s anymore. They can go suck it!!
Did you know that 98% of United States population is the working class, be they current, future, or retired. The working class also represents 98% of all eligible voters in the United States.
@@oldreprobate2748we can't vote on these legislations, we can only vote in the next puppet of the rich that sounds the most pleasant. We're a representative republic not a direct democracy so the only way to guarantee change is direct action.
@@TheClassConscience also building up local communities - when those get enough support and recognition, they can easily take over local political positions (especially since a lot of small elections have candidates running unopposed)... people tend to prefer to vote in someone from the local group that helped them out and that they can see doing work on improving the situation around them
and if that happens enough - those groups can coordinate and take on higher up positions and start affecting larger changes
though to be honest... this is going to be a slow process that likely takes decades of constant pressure (and direct action like protests, strikes and others will be needed alongside it)... but it works
Protest and revolt is more than just "causing a lot of trouble": It is the MEANS of a Democratic process. If someone is trying to stop or prevent a protest, rather than acknowledge it, then they are trying to circumvent, ignore, and/or silence the will of the people, which is NOT democracy.
It looks like France knows what democracy looks like, is all I'm saying.
I would argue it is a citizens civic duty to strike.
@@TheZombieButler ooh, I really like that idea. Thought-provoking, it encourages engagement both in action and discussion. It's not so easily dismissed at a glance.
Protests are _supposed_ to "cause a lot of trouble". Change needs to be uncomfortable.
We live under a capitalist so-called democracy, and they run the show.
@@gta4everrrIf you CAN be ignored you WILL be ignored.
This video really shows the truth that French labor history and US labor history are much more similar than they are different. And despite everything, I still believe that workers in both countries can win the rights they deserve!
The French don't have the cult of self. We subscribe to rugged individualism to a self-destructive fault. We all too often isolate ourselves in political bubbles that leave us deaf to the cries of others outside of our very small ingroups. That and they haven't surrendered their right to strike like we have. BLM and Occupy Wall Street were too small and unfocused to matter and then we have the most powerful deep state in the world. I fear the USA will never have freedom until another nation or the world itself destroys us because we are too far gone as a country. Many people can be saved/spared but the country will need an event like the USA did to Japan at a minimum, hopefully without the nukes.
Only by demand. Did you know that 98% of the United States population is the working class. And that the working class is 98% of all eligible voters. Visualize the collective power in that.
Yeah, like getting paid for working instead of doing it at the point of a gun! Oh wait....
ONLY IF THE LAW IS CHANGED TO UNIONIZE AN ENTIRE CORPORATION OR BUSINESS AT ONE TIME, INSTEAD OF ONE STORE OR ONE FACILITY OR ONE WAREHOUSE OR ONE ANYTHING AT A TIME! BECAUSE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY EMPLOYEE SUICIDE! SOLIDARITY MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS KEY! YOU MUST STAY TOGETHER! 💙 🇺🇲 💙 ⚖ 💙
American protests for civil rights end up with riot police and it would be no surprise if those cops served big businesses. But the core issue is simply that people in the U.S. are far too disconnected from the things that maintain their well-being politicially while being misdirected to idolizing political leaders, starting culture wars, and dividing people based on those things. It also doesn't help that the people are raised to overvalue individualism rather than see the commonality and value of its citizens. Unions have been severed since their post civil war inception. It's created a place where our biggest enemies are our co-workers rather than the people who've been tasked to ensure we get what's owed to us and not just the people at the top.
We are probably the biggest divided and conquered and redivided and reconquered country ever.
Well said. I would include the fact that Americans have had it so good for so long that we are indifferent to the "greater good," and too complacent with the status quo. Until the majority of the so-called middle class lose the ability to provide themselves with their "toys," apathy will reign.
exactly, well said!
Cop city in Atlanta strikes me as a pinkerton training program
I love this.
well there is definitly multiple imaginary class lines with very real economic consequences in the united states, i think what is primarly missing is mutual aid networks.
Or rather. The upper middle income wanna be farmers make beliving in thier million dollar cabin type out there flying thier Trump flags while most certianly being racist power hungry pigs
Are the only ones who actually have a mutual aid network
I like that ending note, "it is only the beginning"
One of the biggest lies told to us was that we are at the end of history. I say no. We are at the beginning of the future.
We are in the 20 year phase of the eighty year cycle which is the crisis era and chaos is it's motivator. The decision to be made is, do we the 98% working class commit the chaos, or do we let wall street investor backed by government continue to wage it on us unfettered by human will.
@oldreprobate2748 I'm getting a Frenzied Flame vibe from that statement, man. Have you spoken to Shabriri and seeked an audience with the Three Fingers?
@@elihan9 The fact that you bring in video games to this issue shows how disconnected you are from reality.
Grow up! Actually take things seriously.
"Right to Work" makes me so angry because it's so blatantly utter power of the employer, meaning they can fire you at will for any reason without recourse. Talk about abusive.
The French have a national healthcare system
exMichigan in 🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇺 I LOVE my public health service here👍
And we could too
If things don't start improving we're going to need to revisit that "take the bread" sentiment.
Emma Goldman had some great ideas. Her works are eye opening!
I would love to have a nation wide general strike. It's what we need. Collectively come together against the Oligarchy. ✊🏽
Be a shame to do it all without a clear goal, This is why we must call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete.
With the appropriate checks and balances, you could have a national digital forum where qualified professionals can debate the issues in a public setting without all the disinformation and bad faith antics, hatespeech etc. Any vote would need to pass the 70% threshold, with a veto option that would be 30% and the option to ask for a rewrite. The issues would be debated, the public educated, and then a vote taken. Votes that fail will have to wait a year before trying again. Any new proposal (Citizen Initiated Referendum) would have to reach a threshold of support before it made it onto the register. This would all be subject to a Social Contract (New Constitution) that forbids human rights abuses and discrimination.
It works in a way that obligates people to better educate themselves ( that is to use logic and evidence in their reasoning ) for a better understanding of the issues, and then take responsibility for the outcomes. As opposed to the divisive US v them and bi-partisan finger pointing the current Capitalist Pyramid Scheme runs on.
This is why Elon shut down Twitter, the last thing the top .01% want is a working Public Forum, which is also why we don't have any in our communities.
Against oligarchy, yes, but that's only the thinnest slice of the electoral pie. General strike would do more as a wakeup call to complacent suburban middle-class white folks more concerned with protecting their investments than to act in solidarity with the working class. Unfortunately, line keeps going up, so they're content to carry on as normal.
There's power (edit: and anonymity) in large numbers. Would be awesome in the big cities but in small conservative towns like mine most people wouldn't know about a general strike much less participate. I live in Idaho where there's so much political apathy. Also people wouldn't want to piss off their employers even if they did know about it. ☹️
Sadly everything possible has been done to divide and defame each other for decades
@@maxfastest yet Unions are the strongest they've been in nearly a century
The General Strike, folks! Sign your strike card if you want to commit to participate!
Strikes take a level or organization not in place yet.
Strong unions can help organize a general strike.
But You need a way to keep transportation, health care and food services going during a general strike.
Most people are living paycheck to paycheck and may lose thair homes if they participate in a general strike.
So low pay is just another means of control.
@@jamesphillips2285if there is a general strike followed by mass evictions that would be monied interests overplaying their hands and run the risk of having massive support (is there wasn't already) for those striking.
@jamesphillips2285 Yep, we are working on making support available to those who need it during a strike. Some of us have means to share in such a situation. There is organization going on in the background! It's exciting!
@@KrranskiThat's very reassuring to read as my solution has always been taking over supply and distribution lines as we create it, it's the fruit of our labor so it's our to commander until paid enough to afford it but that of course requires a very high level of solidarity, coordination and security.
I've been expecting it!!!!!!! American workers all need to join together. All unions bring the workers together. The people have all the power!!!!! Stand up for their rights!!!!!!!! GO UNIONS AND GO BLUE
What do you think you can contribute to meet that end?
Ranked choice / preferential voting locally and nationally
Won't happen. Americans are too lazy to do anything.
Thats a good start but we need to beyond 'blue'
This is why we must call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete.
With the appropriate checks and balances, you could have a national digital forum where qualified professionals can debate the issues in a public setting without all the disinformation and bad faith antics, hatespeech etc. Any vote would need to pass the 70% threshold, with a veto option that would be 30% and the option to ask for a rewrite. The issues would be debated, the public educated, and then a vote taken. Votes that fail will have to wait a year before trying again. Any new proposal (Citizen Initiated Referendum) would have to reach a threshold of support before it made it onto the register. This would all be subject to a Social Contract (New Constitution) that forbids human rights abuses and discrimination.
It works in a way that obligates people to better educate themselves ( that is to use logic and evidence in their reasoning ) for a better understanding of the issues, and then take responsibility for the outcomes. As opposed to the divisive US v them and bi-partisan finger pointing the current Capitalist Pyramid Scheme runs on.
This is why Elon shut down Twitter, the last thing the top .01% want is a working Public Forum, which is also why we don't have any in our communities.
The United States is all about the Corporation. NOT "We the People"
Wrong
Haven't you heard? Corporations are people too... That is what our own SCOTUS has ruled as law.
@@The_king567 what is it about then?
@@ianhomerpura8937 we the people control everything
@@The_king567 SURE. Sure Jan. SURE.
You, keep telling yourself that lie.
The military-esque police force is the only thing stopping us here
It's almost insane she doesn't mention it. Like unbelievable
not the only thing but a big part of it.
I'm sure France also has militarized police as well
Well, I believe there's a huge lack of interest generally that causes people to never even bump up against that fear
@@katieadams5860 Didn't France burn because the cops killed one person? It'd be a massacre in the US
One thing I've never understood is this idea of "regular people" vs "workers" as though "regular people" are people who don't work, but are just swanning around enjoying themselves until the awful "workers" come and put a crimp in their plans. It's always felt a bit like a divisive plan by those in power to make 9 to 5 Mon - Fri office workers feel like they are on their side, while the "workers" are not. It's just a bit bizarre that people fall for this. As front line staff for London Underground I can tell you that I care far more for our passengers then our management do.
Targeted strikes. Targeted protests. Targeted boycotts.
Build up to bigger events.
Also have a clear goal. This is why we must call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete.
With the appropriate checks and balances, you could have a national digital forum where qualified professionals can debate the issues in a public setting without all the disinformation and bad faith antics, hatespeech etc. Any vote would need to pass the 70% threshold, with a veto option that would be 30% and the option to ask for a rewrite. The issues would be debated, the public educated, and then a vote taken. Votes that fail will have to wait a year before trying again. Any new proposal (Citizen Initiated Referendum) would have to reach a threshold of support before it made it onto the register. This would all be subject to a Social Contract (New Constitution) that forbids human rights abuses and discrimination.
It works in a way that obligates people to better educate themselves ( that is to use logic and evidence in their reasoning ) for a better understanding of the issues, and then take responsibility for the outcomes. As opposed to the divisive US v them and bi-partisan finger pointing the current Capitalist Pyramid Scheme runs on.
This is why Elon shut down Twitter, the last thing the top .01% want is a working Public Forum, which is also why we don't have any in our communities.
@@Uncanny_Mountain capitalist destroyed the nuclear power option by their incessant greed.
The quickest way to achieve progress is ranked choice preferential voting, locally and nationally.
I agree representative government is obsolete. Justice is a disgusting sick joke from the top down by design.
“Everyone has a place im society” maybe this is what we need to start breaking down. Why do we want a society where only some people can be successful and everyone else has to be a worker?
There used to be much more syndicalism and protest back before the Reagan administration screwed as much as it could. Add to that the myth of the rugged individualist pioneer and the self made millionaire with the bootstrap hardworking immigrant living the American dream and you've got the modern American dissonance with the world of worker rights and protest.
Amazing collaboration by the way.
That’s your problem right there mate, ya went the route of the anarchist, they’ve never taken power for a reason; however, I guess your country did away with the communists before they had a chance🤷♂️
Divided people with bigotry
This stuff is also actually rampant in the UK. I know we may overall seem to have it better than America in key areas (healthcare). But the country really is fucked up and people fully support the worst shit and back crack downs on protests and strikes because "who's gonna pay for it."
@@IshtarNike Ya think that’s bad mate, ye should have a look at the Yanks excuses for not actin, I pointed out I grew up durin the conflict in occupied Ireland when they said the constabulary was more brutal in their country; as if there is even a metric for it and they said they in fact do😳
Healthcare is tied to employment and the police would crack down in a way that would make the French police crackdown look like an episode of Care Bears
If any sector should see a nation wide strike it should be K-12 education. Teachers suffer so much it is sickening. Many teachers have to leave the teaching profession because the income is too low to cover living costs.
Back in the day America did. Before conservatives and Supply Side Jesus decided trickle down was another of their from the top alternative facts.
Hey Dude, if lawmakers tries to change America's retirement age, you can bet we will be out protesting.
But will most Americans join in or are they just too self absorbed to even care.
@@r.pres.4121 Many white americans Will say thats not me thats people of color 😂
Nah y'all won't. Not enough to make the government change their mind anyway. It happened here too and nobody did a thing.
Please, we're not going to even have a retirement age
No, too many things in America are tied to employment. They’ve, made it so many can’t go without wages for a week.
Food deserts?
@@pallasydoor7116 are you having a stroke
violence is sometimes the awnser
Sometimes not all the time though.
The big problem is obedience to an unjust law.
No, because we're too busy risin' and grindin'. And also, in this country, we've been trained to think that other poor people are our enemies, not the rich.
You missed one very important point - as the rest of the civilized world moved to government run health care, America put that into the hands of the corporations and made slaves of workers that way, too.
I always love the content by Alice Cappelle. Another great piece!
This is SUCH a good series
I OBNOXIOUSLY recommend these videos all the time 🙌🏽
The union needs to cut the job to employment ties. A nation wide strike not only could but would change that.
There's a great deal of differences in the narratives (and legal frameworks) about strikes within Europe, most notably between France and Germany, but also within Germany (East and West)
So stoked to see Alice in More Perfect Union!
SHARE THIS VIDEO,WE NEED A NATION WIDE STRIKE. RECORD PROFITS,RECORD RAISES💯
Cant have a protest in America when not enough people agree on anything common to them.
The US do have a lot of labor uprisings in the late 19th and early 20th century, rivaling that of France or even exceeding it in many cases. It's all about rekindling that long-dead spirit.
No because France doesn’t have fifty plus independent states where the law changes the second you cross state lines, furthermore, France has the EU which protects workers rights, the US uses union busting to prevent workers coming together.
The EU uses neoliberal economic policies. It doesn't protect workers rights; it has just had to be careful not to remove workers rights too quickly due to the potential for backlash from unions and leftist political parties. Watch the video to see how she explains that. French workers have had their rights repealed since WWII--just slower.
Are you sure? The UPS had to worry about a teamsters’ strike and it had to be averted without government intervention.
@hey-lk3zmtwo? It's all of them
A lot of people on the right recognize all of these struggles but they are told it's poor people and immigrants fault. We need to ease them in to realizing who is the real enemy. Once that anger is directed the right way we'll have massive protests
Working class Americans abandoned their unions, so been there done that I'm afraid. Thank my own teevee-ed out generation. One NEW thing could be to review the corporate structure itself, and ask if a monopoly-seeking privateer model of merchants and seamen seeking plunder really makes sense as a universal business construct today.
Fear! Fear. Fear. Programmed by fear to submit to authority from birth.
We had one. It was called Occupy Wall Street, but that's what it actually was -- and it didn't get anywhere and people gave up pretty quick. The modern American seeks pleasure and avoids pain at all costs, so no, I doubt this will happen without biblical level famine.
Also, its kind of hard in the US to stick to your guns when you have biils to pay & not enough resources to sustain your movement. The beast system doesn't fear nor resoect the people, & really has no need to.
Being a nyc resident, I remember that occupy wall street was dispersed by the NYPD.
It wasn't even close to the actual wall street ,but it hurt wall street feelings
@@EagleZtoTheGraveworkers fighting for better conditions have always had bills to pay and bosses who don't respect them. That's nothing new.
All I remember was it didn't affect anything in Wall Street, but affected small businesses trying to survive. Half the protests weren't even in New York!
I'm a proud member of SEIU Local 1, a branch of the SEIU Union in Chicago. Gotta say I love unions.
The day all working class Americans are unionized or working for a Union backed employer, that day the Middle class will return to the United States. Even if you're not a Union member the benefits of a Unionized company will affect you positively.
Alice is fantastic. Great way to look at this. As some Americans have been inspiring the French to protest, we should take inspiration from their protests and keep fighting (and voting)!
I hope to high heaven that we in the US will have the guts to do the same as the French. The "owner" class (as George Carlin called them) is not going to willingly give in and do right by their workers. We need to force their hands.
With all of these strikes happening, aren’t we somewhat there already?
Hatchet gangs lol
Im from the States anc born in 1980, but I'd never heard of the PATCO strike until like a week ago. Then I srarted reading My Best Friend's Exorcism and the main character's dad got laid off from his job as a well paid air traffic controller for participating in this strike, and his life spiraled after that. I was glad I had a reference when read that part of the book
If the American Revolution was a people’s revolution and not a merchant revolt then maybe this could maybe happen in America…
Did the French strike even help? Didn’t they stick with the same retirement age? Can someone confirm
They are still protesting and in the process of fighting against it. Strikes do traditionally work and are one if the only things to force employers and bigger controls to change. So will see
Using the logic of the Citizen's United SCOTUS ruling, outlawing secondary strikes should be unconstitutional, right?
The French people tend to be more vocal about their rights due to their Revolution where they were so abused by the royalty and then Napoleon!
And we aren't abused by our "royalty"?
@@MrMonoposon We are because like a disease they have infected the halls of power and convince a substantial portion of society that all they do is "good"!
solidarity forever ! if you know the words and idea of a work week and weekend thank the Labor Union ! Employers and their GREED have broken these concepts to keep us from earning a fair living. Corporations MUST be fought like the common enemy of humanity that they are !
“Though they offer us concessions, change will not come from above”
People who love in Ontario Canada please come to protest in Toronto at the opening of the legislature Sept 25. Save our province from privatization, austerity and crony capitalism under doug ford.
Should I tell canada's far right news network's viewers the truth
I hope France can serve as an inspiration for us here again, to revolt and roll out the guilllotines.
The greed and individualism of capitalism has been beaten far too deep into the minds of Americans for them to be able to organize to the extent required for effective social action to occur
"We still know where the pitchforks are."
Just my opinion as an American. Many of us are too afraid to lose what little we have. I quit my job and I'm Not Looking Back. But I was only able to do that because my partner makes good money
Fabulous segment. Thanks for putting this out there.
In Canada there is no law limiting striking workers powers to strike. However there's a culture around hating unions. I'm not sure how it started but when I first entered the work force as a carpenter it was in fashion to trash talk the unions, so I did as well. Even to this day construction workers hate unions but I've changed, although I don't talk about it out of fear I'd be ostracized for it.
Like Jane McAlevey says, American "labor" law is really just bosses law.
Americans are not taught to be united they are taught to be divided, there is always some group for another group to "dislike".
But are French taught the same? They have burqa bans and a survey has said that a plurality of French people don’t feel comfortable with their next-door neighbors being of other races.
It's great to see Alice on this channel! If y'all don't know her, you're missing out - BIG time!
Excellent video...I learned so much in 15 minutes...well done, MPU!
🎉😮It’s already about 1000 of us in my city striking September 1st! Words getting around offline now. The numbers joining are growing daily. 🎉 We have no choice but to do something to wake the people up to the real issues . Fed min wage needs increased, universal healthcare, free college edu, and ❤ADOS Reparations NOW!✊🏾❤
Things that are missed is America is a huge country thats pretty spead out. we can protest and get new laws locally but its hard to do it nationwide. Also our police tend to side with bussiness owners and will crack down on civilians given the chance.
You can use the Gandhian model of protest, police brutality can be used against them to gain moral support all over the world, just don't let politicians highjack your movement.
@onemoreabsurdist lol you mean like the George Floyd protest that were overwhelming non violent?
I think a large portion of this comes from people feeling powerless in America. Most elections only see 60% voter turnout (most likely less for national congress and state congress elections). Our ability to have laws passed is tied to our representation in congress, and that's out of our control due to gerrymandering. Not to mention we elect by first past the post, which is mathematically one of the worst systems for getting reflective representation.
Then there is the means tested to hell public welfare system. People rely on employment for being able to afford basic necessities. While it is illegal for employers to prohibit workers from voting. Some people are just overloaded with work to find time to make it to the polls.
These are all reasons that there should be strikes and revolts, but a lot people feel strikes are fruitless.
I’m pretty sure that SCOTUS cases have ruled that gerrymandering does have its limits.
The strike of 1968 in France was initiated by students striking over the uni cost and continued with the removal of deGaulle and his long, tight,control.
Right to work is more insidious,the employee didn't have to join a union by paying for a membership, but they recived any of the benfits that the union fought or run on
.As to the air traffic controllors they went on strike because they were overworked and overwhelmed and were asking for more
air-traffic controllers.Reagan's move made a lot of noise,but the loss of those highly trained aired air traffic controllers have left America's skies at a dangerous point which led to many
accidents during this period.Alot of this news was massaged by MSM.
This is such a cool collab!!!
Love seeing all the creators I follow fighting the fight on this channel!
Lafayette, we may stumble, we may scrape our working knees. But, we are here.
It was raised in 1983, I was 12 years old, didn't know about it. So the people they did it to were too young to be aware or go out and protest. We have had many protests about cuts in pay, high taxes on the elderly. I'm now 54. Looking at my future and it's bleek. My oldest son might not even have social security and he's paying into it. We should pay for our own retirement. Why do we rely on them at all?
Businesses cut costs to be more "efficient" by cutting wages and/or outsourcing workers to other countries where labor is cheaper. This allowed companies to sell products cheaper, helping American consumers at all class levels, while undercutting the workers. So workers lived off of debt, accepted a lower standard of living, and were powerless to resist. In fact, the reason that China has risen to be so powerful today is because it produces a large percentage of consumer goods that America and others buy from them, instead of from companies in America. If you want to give more power to workers, you would have to go against this paradigm. Rich managers who dont know how to do anything except give commands aren't going to give up their positions of power without a fight. Workers that do jobs where they are easily replaceable are vulnerable, but college educated workers are really just as replaceable now that everyone goes to college, and workers from other countries are readily available and willing to work for less. This is an incentive for white collar workers to organize, but the propoganda from management and the right wing in general has discouraged it, and apparently not knowing any better, workers listen. With covid being so harsh on workers, they were forced to reevaluate their options. Unfortunately, workers turned to getting educated, which only increases their debt load, doesnt guarantee a job at the end of it, and gluts the market for white collar workers. The best move is for all workers of all class levels to unionize so that they can push back against the leadership which increasingly only looks out for corporate level interests. The politics of democracy and equality for all, can only be approximated by providing social welfare programs to ensure that no one falls too far when jobs fail the workers. Corporate interests have been pushing this guaranteed minimum down for a long time now, and the only way to reverse this is through unions. Otherwise you are employed only at the whim of a boss who probably doesnt like you.
Most people can't afford to miss a day of work, much less a week or month or more, seems pretty simple to answer the question.
Yep. I save 20% of my income, but wish I do higher. I work in the entertainment industry and have been on strike for months. Most of us have other jobs of course, but not everyone, so living off unemployment and savings is not doable for many here in the US.
Great idea to team up with Alice, her work is informative with a hint of snark! Love that reciprocity of inspiration across the Atlantic 🇺🇸🇫🇷 We make incremental changes every day... Real change is coming ✊ Keep correcting the record, good information is so important
France like more most countries in the world are more left/liberal/progressive friendly were as the U.S. is predominated by people who hold right-wing/conservative views.
Are you sure about this? There has been a rise of the far-right in France and I think they have a burqa ban.
USA is professionally inhumane.
I don’t mean to sound hurtful, but wouldn’t France be if they raised their retirement age and there are these riots and protests to begin with?
Great and entertaining and useful - hopefully the workers will start to listen.
Thank you for this, Alice. It really clarifies why a lot of things are the way they are here in the US. I also appreciate that you gave glimpses of how there can be hope here, and that things can be different.
Also, it's nice seeing you in The Classroom!
Excellent presentation! I am a new fan and thank you very much for being smart, precise, cogent, and incisive!
We should. I'm only 42 and my first job was at Wendy's when I was in high school. I moved around a little after that until I worked up to where I wanted to be up to date. Over the past maybe 10-15 years, I've noticed something that has been trending that is not right... Places of employment have designed work schedules to not have breaks. No 30 minute lunch and not two 15 minute breaks. They tend to have their employees power through an 8-10 hour work day without a break. That is a federal violation, yet it seems like a blind eye is being turned! When it comes to pay, I am fair enough to not blame the company for the cost of living hikes. The way I feel about it, when a company is forced to pay more to their employees, they do lose money and reduce staff along with putting a 2 man work load on one and then don't want to let that one man or woman to pull away for a break, just for the sake of productivity. It is our governments' fault local and federal for raising the prices on everything with taxes on properties and commodities only because they want to spend spend spend and on things that not all people can take advantage of. I'm pretty sure others has a story to tell when it comes to the bullshit between companies and our governments. This madness has got to stop. We work so hard with most of us for so little with the government still spending money they don't have and raising the cost of living to make us foot the bill! We vote these people in to manage our lifestyle and what do they do? They get paid a high dollar pay check that is six figures to make decisions that makes us can't afford life anymore.
Fucking hell, Reagan literally "said you will be Terminated" like he was the literal fucking killer robot from The Terminator. Just casually threatening working class people, whilst he's dressed like Vincent (evil Tom Cruise) from Michal Mann's Collateral (2004). No wonder literally almost every good American film (that wasn't propaganda) from the 80's is about the horrors of American hegemony, patriotism and capitalism.
I think this video raises some of reasons why mass strikes haven’t taken place in the US. Mainly focused on a legalistic framework. However mass strikes did happen in the past here state repression took place, so it’s not just the externalities of state repression as to the reason. I think what is one major reason left out is the international demobilization by union leaders after the NLRA was passed. There was a complicity to drive out ‘reds’ from union positions, from the state side but also within the union side. Union leaders in top executive positions have broken the law, particularly in terms of embezzlement and corruption- so they are not afraid of breaking the law, but have not broken the particular laws like Taft Hartley in some concerted effort. It’s not just the external factor of government laws causing social/political inertia. once a certain level of privilege position was established a policy of conservative union servicing became normalized. This was both encouraged by the state and disciplined into place where it wasn’t followed. I think while relatively small there have been worker lead movements within unions to push back on this but it has been fairly localized (no pun intended). Unions could break the laws tomorrow and call for general strikes, and mobilize their members to do it. But the question is will their leaderships risk their positions and salaries etc? So far this hasn’t happened. so from the pov of a radical left position that element of conservative leaning leadership needs to be a factor in looking a labor power in the US too, and it’s a tougher look in the mirror in a lot of ways for pro union folks. Why don’t the union tops mobilize and get these things changed? Fear? Complacency? Decades of de-mobilization and de-radicalization. Regardless as always social change will come from the bottom and unions in there existence force to be relevant should look seriously consider the how for the working class the crisis is only set to deepen and be bold about what role unions can play today to transform the future. No law on Earth can stop the working class if properly mobilized! It’s something for unions and left leaders to consider before we lose the small footing we have left for good
Two of my favorite channels
Thank you. I've often wondered why we don't have big strikes.
that news persons says at 0:48 "from JUST 62 to 65" with out even thinking that a large amount of people are now going to die before they even reach 65.
we need to organize agitate and educate. This battle will continue as long as capitalism exists. Workers of the world must unite!
One of the American working class’s biggest weaknesses is our mistrust of political organization. We’ve had such bad experiences with political organizations that we tend to reject all political organization. That’s why liberal idealism and its radical cousin anarchism are so popular. Liberal idealism and anarchism require very little effort or serious commitment. Socialist organizing takes a commitment and understand things won’t change overnight or after the next election.
Learning about this is a great first step, I've known voting people that think that unions are given by corporations out of their kindness 🤣🤣🤣
I just want to add, that the U.S., like France, also has a deep history of protest. And this isn't talked about as much as it should be, even if parts of it's are well known from the Civil Rights Movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement, the women's liberation movement, the gay liberation movement, the American Indian Movement, the anti-nuclear proliferation movement to the AIDS protest struggles, direct action done by disability rights activists, occupy wall street, the protests against the Iraq War, the BLM movements protest periods, and protests against Trump's family separation policies. And that does not include our own very long history of often violent labor struggle or other protest movements throughout our history. We've literally originated so many protest movements. I know the French are synonymous in the Anglo world with protest, but Americans really are just as willing to protest too.
Protesting doesn't work, but strikes do. Either way, full credit to the brave French People!
Never named the new era. Left a string untied.
This is why we must call for Direct Digital Democracy without parties or politicians. Citizen initiated referendums with thresholds and a social contract means Communities can vote their own laws. As well as a Public Authority to audit police and prosecute bad actors in our own courts. Thorium energy renders their global energy monopoly obsolete.
With the appropriate checks and balances, you could have a national digital forum where qualified professionals can debate the issues in a public setting without all the disinformation and bad faith antics, hatespeech etc. Any vote would need to pass the 70% threshold, with a veto option that would be 30% and the option to ask for a rewrite. The issues would be debated, the public educated, and then a vote taken. Votes that fail will have to wait a year before trying again. Any new proposal (Citizen Initiated Referendum) would have to reach a threshold of support before it made it onto the register. This would all be subject to a Social Contract (New Constitution) that forbids human rights abuses and discrimination.
It works in a way that obligates people to better educate themselves ( that is to use logic and evidence in their reasoning ) for a better understanding of the issues, and then take responsibility for the outcomes. As opposed to the divisive US v them and bi-partisan finger pointing the current Capitalist Pyramid Scheme runs on.
This is why Elon shut down Twitter, the last thing the top .01% want is a working Public Forum, which is also why we don't have any in our communities.
Ironic because the French riots have really impressed all the people I talk to (those Americans who even know about a single event happening elsewhere in the world- which is not wholly our fault, look at our media echo chamber...sad) and you can see in the comments below the videos posted online that we are really surprised at the boldness and commitment of the French, so we are very inspired by the French protesters, the French in general.
I've been a worker in America for 38 years and don't have a clue how to make this change. I currently work in an industry where i work 65+ hours a week with no overtime pay.
Easier said than done: but unionize. You don't have to start a union from scratch. You can often contact an existing union for help with a unionizing drive.
@@jamesphillips2285But some people are ineligible for unionization because they are salaried.
it’s amazing the working class people who are against themselves
I truly believe this is what we need in America