First & Second Thoughts

What can workers do together at work and outside of work to increase their shared power?

Write the first things that come to mind. Then think about what came to your mind - develop, question, contradict, expand, provide examples, etc.

Today's Plan Goal(s): Solidify understandings of worker

collective action Key concepts - pre-test, learn, discuss, enact Build skit on worker collective action Begin review of case study - articles, video,

assignment HW: Write analysis of 1970 Postal Workers Strike

Key Concepts

Union Labor Party Slow Down Sabotage Strike, General Strike, Takeover, Picket line, temporary

replacement worker, scabs Protest Armed revolt Wildcat, Rank and file, union bureaucracy Collective bargaining, dues check-off

Skits

Use the handout in your group of 6 work together to understand the roles make it fun but also realistic its about a strike

Skit InstructionsSituation: Your workplace has a union that's fed up with the fast pace of the work, only 5

minute breaks, the low pay, no paid vacation, and only 2 weeks paid maternity leave. Different people propose different solutions to the problem. While you all are at work, in one of the short breaks, you all discuss what to do about it.

Cast:

1. Socialist - thinks the answer is overthrowing capitalism, either democratically or violently

2. Democratic party activist - thinks the answer is changing laws

3. Union activist - thinks the answer is to make a union, do collective bargaining, if they don't get a fair offer, to go on strike

4. Undecided worker young - something's got to change, willing to take risks

5. Undecided worker old - wants change but worried about not being able to pay family's bills, too old to try to get a different career

6. Boss - thinks the answer is to make company more profitable, which will mean eventually higher wages and more jobs to share the work

Assignment: Show a breakroom argument about what to do, at some point the boss comes by. 3 minutes per group.Grading: You will be graded based on the clarity and power of your character's perspective and the voice and vividness of the skit.

Case Study - Postal Strike 1970

NYC led wildcat postal strike

Postal employees worked for the government and weren't allowed to strike or to collectively bargain (though they did have several competing unions)

The complained of low-wages, bad working conditions, no good benefits, and how long it took to move up the salary scale

What do you think?

What do you think the odds of success look like?

An illegal strike

Against the government

Against the leadership of their own unions

Halting people's welfare checks and all the other crucial mail

What could they do to win?

What should the striking workers do to win - even with all the obstacles against them?

What will be crucial to the success or failure of the strike?

Consolidating

What important ideas, questions, or skills did you develop today?

What's something you want to think more about?

HW

1. Annotate 3+ of the contemporary articles.

2. Watch a video made by the postal union https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEW-Te-jKgo

3. Write a 3+ paragraph response

- 1¶ Summary of the key events, issues, controversies

-2¶ Analysis (Connections, contradictions, crucial aspects, silences, etc)

-3¶ Significance & Questions