Comments on: The Chicago Factory Sit-In http://revolutionaryact.org/2008/12/the-chicago-factory-sit-in/ "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act" - George Orwell Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:43:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stocks and Bonds » Blog Archive » The Chicago Factory Sit-in | Revolutionary Act http://revolutionaryact.org/2008/12/the-chicago-factory-sit-in/comment-page-1/#comment-691 Stocks and Bonds » Blog Archive » The Chicago Factory Sit-in | Revolutionary Act Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:55:18 +0000 http://revolutionaryact.org/?p=468#comment-691 [...] Dick Durbin of Illinois said from the shuttered plant that he would talk to fellow senators about reminding banks that taxpayer dollars are not for dividends or executive salaries. ”We have been sending billions of dollars to banks like …[Continue Reading] [...] [...] Dick Durbin of Illinois said from the shuttered plant that he would talk to fellow senators about reminding banks that taxpayer dollars are not for dividends or executive salaries. ”We have been sending billions of dollars to banks like …[Continue Reading] [...]

]]> By: Jeff Napolitano http://revolutionaryact.org/2008/12/the-chicago-factory-sit-in/comment-page-1/#comment-690 Jeff Napolitano Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:22:56 +0000 http://revolutionaryact.org/?p=468#comment-690 The militancy of the sit-down strike has been a part of Latin American labor movement, but it extends beyond that to the 1900s in the U.S. This tactic has some of its most memorable roots in the Flint Sit-Down Strike in the 1930s. Seeing this sort of labor tactic is a very good indication of the liveliness and boldness of today's labor movement. Let's hope this is just the beginning. On the other hand, whereas the Flint Strike was declared illegal, this strike seems to be a case of the workers simply trying to enforce existing laws (re: 60 day rule, etc.), while politicians merely offer praise. It also comes as no surprise that the union behind the strike is United Electrical (the UE), one of the most progressive and democratic unions in the U.S. The UE survived the Red Scare in the 1940s/50s, after being attacked not only by institutions like the House Un-American Activities Committee, but also by other unions (like the UAW and the Steelworkers). Other unions in the country would do well to follow the UE's example. The militancy of the sit-down strike has been a part of Latin American labor movement, but it extends beyond that to the 1900s in the U.S. This tactic has some of its most memorable roots in the Flint Sit-Down Strike in the 1930s. Seeing this sort of labor tactic is a very good indication of the liveliness and boldness of today’s labor movement. Let’s hope this is just the beginning.

On the other hand, whereas the Flint Strike was declared illegal, this strike seems to be a case of the workers simply trying to enforce existing laws (re: 60 day rule, etc.), while politicians merely offer praise.

It also comes as no surprise that the union behind the strike is United Electrical (the UE), one of the most progressive and democratic unions in the U.S. The UE survived the Red Scare in the 1940s/50s, after being attacked not only by institutions like the House Un-American Activities Committee, but also by other unions (like the UAW and the Steelworkers). Other unions in the country would do well to follow the UE’s example.

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