The General strike organization is dedicated to creating real change by striking against The System. This country still does not work on behalf of its people. By striking we deny the corporations their greatest power - IT’s labour.
A general strike would absolutely be warranted in the US right now, so this is reasonable.
However, there is something decidedly US-like to having a “general strike” be a website looking for viral popularity instead of… you know, a general strike.
General strikes are typically called by nationwide unions, not a “if this post gets 11 million likes” thing.
Taft-Hartley made general strikes illegal. Organized labor isn’t going to openly participate in this.
Holy crap, I didn’t actually know that. Striking is a constitutional right where I’m from. Fascism is obvious, but it’s easy to forget that place was an anarchocapitalist hellhole way earlier than that.
Not that legality seems to matter much at this point, but still. I presume that’d affect this initiative as much as a union-driven strike, though, right?
If not framed as a general strike I suppose it’d have to be general mobilization and disobedience. In any case real action rather than… signature gathering.
Preface: None of this represents my opinion on whether these realities are just, only that they are realities.
I only learned very recently that general strikes are illegal in the US because someone pointed it out to me.
Striking itself isn’t illegal (usually, some jurisdictions have made it illegal for “certain industries” to strike), but labor unions are not allowed to strike in solidarity with another union.
Anyway, I brought this up as an explanation of why established labor unions aren’t involved in any general strike, and why they will never be.
General strikes are typically called by nationwide unions, not a “if this post gets 11 million likes” thing.
Use all the tools available, even the new ones, we are in unprecedented times
Sure, just… use all the tools. Don’t just use the one fancy tool that is more comfortable and forget about using the old tools.
This site is aiming to get 3% of people on board. A quick google tells me 10% are part of a union, and unions can typically mobilize non-members just fine.
New tools are nice and all, but the old tools are used because they work. I’m not sure how you mobilize millions of people if you just wait for them to state that they’re willing to mobilize first if the mobilization isn’t already out there for them to join. That seems backwards to me.
It is a step. Contact you union rep if you are a part of one. Mobilization doesn’t happen when you don’t do anything
i think what they are saying is that the real unions have to act together in solidarity with this to make it work. I’m in a union and I’m gonna follow that path. a website only comes with risk that my union doesn’t
These posts are still useful. It still pushes for action and is an opportunity for workers to contact their union reps to take part. If you just wanna wait for things to happen you can
If you just wanna wait for things to happen you can
I sure hope that isn’t directed at me. You have no idea about my place in the cog. Stay positive. even replying to you is doing something. Especially if it helps hone your message.
it’s true. we’re seeing a lot of unconventional approaches to resistance nowadays. some might not work, some might only make a dent, some might help build solidarity but have little material effects. but something else is also true: no one, not the smartest of the smarty-pants historian economist or terminally online leftist post capitalist actually - KNOWS - the specific set of steps that will be sufficient to change things forever.
all we can do is support people who are resisting in every way possible. sharing and reposting, donating money, signing petitions, calling reps, mobilizing unions, even more aggressive tactics (or giving aid to those who put themselves at risk directly).
just help each other as hard as you can, build strong relationships because look around - we literally only have each other to count on right now. be a reliable and supportive ally and it will make a difference.
I want to take part in this, but I have bills to pay. How is a working class person supposed to do this?
I worry that many people are in a similar situation to mine, and while we support the idea, we likely couldn’t afford to commit to it when the time comes. This is an intentional trapping of fascism; keep us poor, keep us compliant. But it works. I can’t afford to go homeless for a cause that, if successful, may buy us a few months of sanity, at best, before Trump makes another push toward fascism. For a lot of people, participating in this is a gamble, which would have long-term consequences with no guarantee of even short-term results.
Not trying to be dissuasive. It just all feels hopeless.
just be supportive (irl or online) of the people in your life that need the most help. keep a tight circle. as your capabilities permit, slowly grow that circle outwards to include more activities or messages. resistance movements are not made overnight.
the solution is not going to come in the form of a singular day of resistance, no matter what people tell you. even a worldwide general strike executed flawlessly will not upend the historical and cultural foundations that got us where we are today. we need a MOVEMENT. movements are made of people, like you and me.
just by showing support, and talking candidly with others helps remind each other other that we have POWER when we all align our efforts.
Spread the word to everyone you know, likely some of them will not have heard and also have the support structure to join in without risking life under a bridge.
They want you feeling hopeless. Think laterally and help in anyway you can.
I signed my card! Good to see that number growing.
