May Day 2012 General Strike

[journeymom]

What do ya think?  Does this inspire you?  Would you stay home from work?  If you're a student, would you walk out of class?  Would you do something more public, other than staying home, like walk in a march? 

http://strikeeverywhere.net/

http://www.occupymay1st.org/

http://www.meetup.com/occupytogether/Oakland-CA/483082/

http://libcom.org/forums/announcements/call-international-general-strike-may-1st-2012-31122011

http://www.facebook.com/events/337068492974144/

"#OLA & #OLB are calling on all people of the world to start planning NOW for a Global Strike. The goal is to shut down commerce worldwide and show the 1% we will not be taken for granted, we will not be silenced, WE WILL NOT MOVE until our grievances are redressed. "

Does a general strike accomplish what they state above? 

Edited by journeymom - 2/10/12 at 1:20pm

[Imakcerka]

This is the first I've heard about this.  I'll read the links and get back to you.

[tinuviel_k]

I go back and forth about it. On the one hand I am well aware that so many of the labor practices in our country are horrible. On the other hand my two jobs are wonderful! Job 1: part time and temp employees qualify for insurance, we are paid pretty decently, there is a lot of flexibility, and the company donates heavily to important causes for the environment. Job 2: is a fair-trade store and cafe, a hub of the local community, treats its employees wonderfully, is strong in peace activism, and supports fair labor practices all over the world.
My husband is a state worker, and he gets get pretty generous paid time off, sick time, great insurance, etc. He's been able to negotiate his hours, and when I had severe PPD his manager arranged for folks to donate tons of sick leave so that he could be home part time with me. The union we are forced to join leaves a lot to be desired, but over all it is pretty good.

So I guess I feel like we should not take time off to participate because I wold be hurting a couple jobs that have done very, very well by us. On the other hand I want to show support and solidarity to all of the Americans who have less than amazing situations right now.

I think I might request time off, trade shifts, and then go participate. That way I am not shooting my very awesome employers in the foot but would be standing up for an injustice that I feel strongly about.

[journeymom]

Originally Posted by tinuviel_k 

I think I might request time off, trade shifts, and then go participate. That way I am not shooting my very awesome employers in the foot but would be standing up for an injustice that I feel strongly about.

What if  your employers walked out, too?  What if the cafe closed for the day?  What would the regulars who come in for their morning coffee think when they find the door closed and sign in the window, "Gone to the support the 99%, come join us!"... wouldn't that make an even bigger impression?  And then imagine non-essential services doing that across the country?  The crowds marching in the street holding signs aloft look great on TV.  It's easy for many to dismiss marchers as silly or naive. It's easy to change the channel.  But learning that a business owner takes this issue seriously enough to shut down for the day and lose money in support of those whose jobs aren't so stable- that might make a person take it more seriously.

I'm not imploring you to do this.  I'm not sure what I think about a general strike anyway.  I'm just taking that particular thought to one possible conclusion. 

[journeymom]

When they say 'Shut down commerce world-wide'  I kind of assumed they meant that employees need to stick it to their employers to make a point.  Maybe that's what they're saying, which is unfortunate.  I think my above solution makes much more sense! 

[Arduinna]

Cool, so all the people that don't want to work can give their jobs that those that do, considering we have a projected 1% growth rate for the next couple years. 

[canadianhippie]

I am SOO excieted for may day, Im so excieted to see the solidarity all over the world, so powerful, I just hope I can make it down for a march in Toronto!

I would definetly go if I can 

the chapter Im aware about for may day is that it is part of the occupy movement, which is alive and well in Toronto and numerous cities across Canada (and the states)

having a large number of my immediately family involved as organizers, occupiers and marshalls, many occupy movement protests happen all the time (oakland, portland right now, recently in downtown Toronto) but for a direct day for all to be involved in, im really looking forward to it!

[journeymom]

Originally Posted by Arduinna 

Cool, so all the people that don't want to work can give their jobs that those that do, considering we have a projected 1% growth rate for the next couple years. 

Oops, just now seeing this.  May Day is one day.  Walking out for 8 hours will not even register on the projected growth rate.  I don't see how walking out communicates that they don't want to work?  One of the many stated goals for these general strikes is to show support for the brothers and sisters who don't have jobs, are under paid, and who are in lousy work environments. 

Also, let's get the employers in on this. Like I said, it sends a much, much louder message when the business owners shut down their businesses, voluntarily loosing money (for one day) in order to join in and support 'the cause', or causes, however one defines them. 

Who knows, maybe the one-percenters and the 'job creators' would just laugh and shake their heads, "You're stupid to lose a whole day's business for that joke of a cause in support of unions, hippies, anarchists, punks, lazy leeches."

And socialists!    Regardless, I doubt any employers or business owners are going to participate in a general strike.  

Edited to add, maybe a little oomph could be added by making it a Consumer No Buy day, as well. 

[journeymom]

Here is from Occupy Los Angeles's site:

In most European countries, May 1st is traditionally a ‘Workers’ day – a day of Labor Solidarity, and a public holiday. In Los Angeles, it’s a day to celebrate and march in support of im/migrant rights. In protest against the corruption of the worldwide marketplace, which has led to illegal foreclosures, mass unemployment, low wages, high taxes and a penalization of all those who do not own the ‘1%’ of the world’s resources, and in solidarity with the im/migrant movements of May 1st, OLA decided to declare May 1st, 2012 a People’s General Strike. Instead of calling upon unionized Labor to make a specific demand (illegal under Taft-Hartley), OLA is calling upon the people of Los Angeles and the United States of America to take this day away from school and the workplace, so that their absence makes their displeasure with this corrupt system be known.

Regarding public schools, I hope people understand that schools lose thousands of dollar when students don't show up, which doesn't help anyone.  So I would hope enthusiastic students would first go to school but then walk out. 

Oh, yuck, I just read that Canadian link.  That kind of 'grab your guns, let's occupy the factories!'  talk is so objectionable. I'm deleting it, I don't want to be associated with it.