The Missing Link in Obama's Liberalism
Eric Alterman’s commentary on the “missing” part of President Obama’s inagural address provided insight into the “missing” commentary from organized labor.
How can the labor movement expect President Obama, or any other elected official, to continually comment on the worth of organizing and negotiation when the labor movement doesn’t present itself in the media? Having been a proud union member for over fifty years, I am always amazed that our union leadership hasn’t realized that every other entity advertises. Oh, labor tells its own story Lwith monthly magazines, or direct mail, but it doesn’t tell its own story to the general public, or even do a good job with its own members.
When the Church of Scientology had a commercial during the Super Bowl, it became obvious that labor was missing something—“The Will to Tell its Own Story.”
Every union member should be demanding the their union charge the AFL-CIO with the job of advertising labor’s stories. The AFL-CIO with minimal funding from each union member ($1 or $2 per month) could run a fully funded program to talk about the economy and why, when labor is undermined, wages go down. They could tell the American public about the disastrous effects of the “free trade” agreements that have sold out American manufacturing.
When labor begins to tell its own story, labor can expect others, including the president of the United States, to support its efforts.
Richard Slawson
Torrance, CA
Feb 7 2013 - 5:41pm











