THEM and US UNIONISM Cover: Mural at UE Hall in Chicago, Artists John Pitman TABLE of CONTENTS Weber and Jose Guerrero

THEM AND US UNIONISM Cover: Mural at UE Hall in Chicago, Artists John Pitman TABLE OF CONTENTS Weber and Jose Guerrero. Photo: J Burger.

3 5 7 Them and Us UE’s Them: The Organized Forces Founders of the Employers

9 11 Us: The Working The Weakening of the U.S. Class Labor Movement

13 14 16 UE Core Aggressive Rank and File Principles Struggle Control

18 20 22 24 Political International Uniting All Conclusion Independence Solidarity Workers

Published July 2020 United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE) Pittsburgh, PA • (412) 471-8919 • www.ueunion.org Them and Us Unionism

THEM

Capitalism divides society into two main AND US groups. One is those who live by owning, either directly or through financial instruments like stocks or private equity, the factories, land, buildings, vehicles, machines, intellectual property, mineral and drilling rights, and other types of property that are used to produce the goods and services we need to live. This small group can be called the capitalist class, “the 1%,” or the UE WAS FOUNDED by billionaire class. 3 workers who understood The other is those of us who live by working, how the economic system popularly referred to as the working class or “the we work under — capi- 99%.” This far larger group must sell our labor in talism — actually works, order to pay for food, clothing, and the other ne- how it functions to allow cessities of life. Not all members of the working bosses (them) to make money off of workers class are working at any given time, but those who (us), and how bosses maintain their power by are not — children, the unemployed, and retirees, trying to divide workers. Profits come from the as well as people with disabilities that prevent products and services that we produce with our them from working — rely on wages earned by labor. The less employers pay us, or the faster family members, retirement benefits or savings they make us work, the more profits they make. earned from working, or social programs won by That understanding is why ue has been able the working class through political action. to win gains for our members, resist employer Through creativity, skill, intelligence, and attacks, and play a leading role in the broader hard work, workers turn the property owned labor movement. It is why working people need by capitalists into products and services. We unions like ue now more than ever. are paid a wage for our time working, but the Them and Us Unionism

Illustrations by Fred Wright, UE NEWS cartoonist from 1949 until his death in 1984.

capitalist sells the product or service for more than what it costs to create and keeps the difference as profit. The lower the wage paid to the worker, the more profit made by the capitalist. This conflict of interest is a permanent feature of our economic system. This understanding of the economic system has allowed ue to develop the key organizati- onal approaches needed to take on the bosses

and win real gains for workers. The preamble 4 to the ue constitution contains the core ue principles of aggressive struggle, rank and file control, and uniting all workers. Over decades of experience taking on some of the most powerful corporations in the world, ue members have also learned the crucial importance of political independence and international solidarity. It is these five core principles that make ue so effective and consistent at leading struggles for justice for working people both in the workplace and in society more broadly. Despite attacks from employers, the government, and even other unions, ue has survived because the working people who founded ue, who kept ue alive, and who make up ue today know which side they are on. Them and Us Unionism UE’S FOUNDERS

We, the Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (ue) realize that the struggle to better our working and living conditions is in vain unless we are united to protect ourselves collectively against the organized forces of the employers. Realizing that the old craft form of trade union organization is unable to defend effectively the interests and improve the conditions of the wage earners, WE THE ELECTRICAL, RADIO AND MACHINE WORKERS (UE) form 5 an organization which unites all workers on an industrial basis, and rank-and-file control, regardless of craft, age, sex, nationality, race, creed, or political beliefs, and pursue at all times a policy of aggressive struggle to improve our conditions. We pledge ourselves to labor unitedly for the principles herein set forth, to perpetuate our union and work concertedly with other labor organizations to bring about a higher standard of living of the workers. — Preamble to the ue Constitution Them and Us Unionism

WATCHING UE’S founders bureaucratic, top-down control that was char- today, we might think they acteristic of the existing craft unions (where were crazy. Forty-three only skilled workers could belong). And, this workers from as far away group of workers was just as determined to as Fort Wayne, Indiana bring into their movement the hundreds of and Camden, New Jersey thousands of workers whose need for organi- plowed through a March 1936 snowstorm to zation had been, up to that time, ignored — or meet in Buffalo, New York. Their goal was to who were explicitly excluded from existing 6 set up a national union to organize the hundreds unions because of their race, gender, political of thousands of workers in the electrical, radio, beliefs or religion. and, soon, machine tool industries into a new ue is now in our ninth decade, and counts union, which came to be known as ue. among our members workers from many indus- The workers who undertook this gigantic tries and sectors. We build electrical equipment task were inspired by the need to build an indus- and machines, and we run machines to make trial organization (meaning all workers could be auto parts, locks, plastic products and many part of the union), controlled by the members, other goods. We are also social workers, health- with complete equality for all who worked in care technicians, clerical workers and education that industry. Many of these workers were also paraprofessionals. We work for schools and uni- inspired by their experiences organizing with versities, state and municipal governments, and radical unions like the Industrial Workers of the federal contractors. We process, distribute and World and the socialist and anarchist ideas that market food, and serve lunch to school children. were widespread in working-class communities ue members repair roads, transport railroad in the early 20th century. workers, and build locomotives. ue has truly ue’s founders were determined to avoid the become a “Union for Everyone.” Them and Us Unionism

THEM: THE ORGANIZED FORCES OF THE EMPLOYERS

The bosses understand the class nature THE PREAMBLE to the ue decent wage, they will be undercut in the mar- 7 of our society and will do everything they constitution declares that ketplace by another which does not. can to protect their end. “the struggle to better our Corporate domination of society also affects working and living condi- those of us who don’t work directly for corpora- — Boris Block, tions is in vain unless we are tions. Capitalists constantly attempt to privatize ue Secretary-Treasurer, 1981 united to protect ourselves any part of the public sector that they think they collectively against the organized forces of the can turn into a source of profit, and to starve employers.” those parts they can’t by cutting taxes. They ue recognizes that working people are oppose the public sector not only because they overworked, underpaid and treated poorly at want to evade taxes but also because a robust work not just because individual employers are and successful public sector demonstrates the greedy — though many are — but because they possibility of a different way of organizing soci- operate in a system that demands ever-increas- ety. This is why capitalists constantly pressure ing profits. Corporations are under constant the public sector, nonprofit organizations and pressure from their shareholders to maximize cooperatives to be “run like a business.” profit, and even more so from competitors. Though employers compete against each If one employer opts to pay their workers a other for profits, they organize and act in unity Them and Us Unionism

against any challenges to their interests as a unions were repressed by U.S.-funded military class, such as workers organizing unions or laws dictatorships), stoking a “taxpayer revolt” that give more power to workers. In the early against the public sector, and funding the rise of twentieth century, this took the form of “black- a multi-million-dollar industry of professional lists,” where employers would agree among unionbusting. themselves not to hire any workers known to be The “organized forces of the employers” union activists or sympathizers. When workers extend beyond the workplace as well, into gov- did organize and strike, employers used their ernment, media, and even culture. Corporations political power to enlist courts, police, the na- and the wealthy spend enormous sums to buy tional guard and hired thugs to break up picket politicians and otherwise influence political lines, jail leaders and in some cases murder decisions. Most of our media is owned by large strikers and their families. corporations, and “public” media is reliant on

After the growth and success of ue and large donations from corporations and the 8 other industrial unions in the mid-20th century, wealthy. Movies, television shows and most oth- corporations attempted to limit the scope of er forms of culture are produced and controlled unionism to wages and benefits. Corporations by entertainment conglomerates. worked with the government and compliant This corporate influence on all levels of unions in an attempt to crush unions like ue society has a direct impact on our working and that insisted on contesting management’s power living conditions. Laws are passed to weaken in the workplace and maintaining independent existing unions and make it harder for workers political positions. to organize new ones. Wars are fought and trade Although most unions accepted this “truce,” agreements are negotiated to ensure corpora- the companies merely bided their time, because tions have access to cheap overseas labor. The even a “loyal” union that doesn’t directly chal- media cover celebrity scandals and political lenge corporate rule still limits the amount of horse races, not issues of importance to work- profit employers can extract from workers, and ing people, and popular culture encourages us represents a threat to their power. Beginning to pursue individual success — and feel guilty in the 1970s, corporations attacked unions by when we fail to achieve it — instead of collec- moving production (often to countries where tive struggle. Them and Us Unionism

US: THE WORKING CLASS

It is we who plowed the prairies, WHAT DOES IT MEAN, society to serve the many, not only the few, can built the cities where they trade then, to “protect ourselves only be realized when we are united in purpose collectively against the and action. Recognizing that employers are Dug the mines and built the workshops, organized forces of the always seeking to divide us, ue places special endless miles of railroad laid employers”? emphasis on maintaining unity across divisions 9 Now we stand outcast and starving, For ue it has meant, of race, gender, sexuality, age and national ori- mid the wonders we have made above all, building and maintaining an orga- gin, as well as skill and job classification. But the union makes us strong nization that is independent of the employers. Building collective power requires true Unlike other unions, ue does not engage in democratic practice, so that workers feel own- — “Solidarity Forever” “partnerships,” or “win-win bargaining” with ership of their union. Democracy is more than by Ralph Chaplin the boss because we understand that labor and just holding votes — it is an active commitment capital have opposing interests that cannot be to make sure that as many members as possible brought into harmony and that only through are informed and participating in their union. struggle against those who control the economy High levels of membership participation, and can workers improve our conditions. the willingness of ue members to stand up for a ue also emphasizes that we must protect union that they control, is what allows us to keep ourselves collectively — that “the struggle to bet- our organization independent of the bosses. ter our working and living conditions is in vain In addition to working to unite our own unless we are united.” The power of working membership, we work constantly to bring the people to advance our interests, resist employ- unorganized into our ranks through organizing. er attacks on our conditions, and reshape our While some other unions have, over the past two Them and Us Unionism

decades, put increased emphasis on organizing, ue has held since our inception that organizing the unorganized is our primary task. Beyond our own ranks, ue seeks to unify the greatest possible number of working people in our struggles by reaching out to other unions and the community. This means not only in- viting others to join our struggles, but being there for other union and community struggles. Whenever there is a picket line or demonstration for issues of importance to working people in a

ue community, ue signs can usually be found. 10 This is the true meaning of solidarity: treating an injury to any member of the working class as an injury to the whole class. ue also believes it is important for working people to contest the organized forces of the employers in the worlds of politics, media and culture. We engage in independent political action, based on what our members and working Local 634 Picketers Hold Signs Outside a Meeting, 1948. people actually need — not on what is expedient for particular politicians or political parties. This includes taking an independent stand on foreign policy, based on solidarity with working people in other parts of the world. The ue news and ue social media provide not only news about ue, but independent, working-class analysis of news, politics, and culture. Them and Us Unionism

THE WEAKENING OF THE U.S. LABOR UNFORTUNATELY, most of MOVEMENT the U.S. labor movement moved sharply away from Them and Us Unionism after World War ii, and this move was part of a coor- dinated strategy by the employers. Workplace leaders, elected officials, and whole unions such as ue who embraced the principles of Them The problems of the United States can In 1947 while the Taft-Hartley bill was 11 and Us Unionism were labeled as “Communist” be ... summed up in two words: Russia before Congress, the three officers ... went or “Un-American.” In 1947, with most unions of- abroad, labor at home. into the cio Executive Board, and we had fering only token opposition, Congress passed the unmitigated gall to propose, while — ge ceo Charles E. Wilson, 1946 the Taft-Hartley Act, which outlawed labor’s the bill was still going through Congress, most effective tools and required loyalty oaths that the cio recommend to all affiliated for union officials that could be used to attack unions that they take the referendum to militant unionists. shut it down. Take a vote first. Do it in a In 1949 and 1950, ue, the International democratic way but shut down every plant Longshore and Warehouse Union, and nine in the country. other unions were expelled from the Congress — James Matles, ue Secretary- of Industrial Organizations for “communist Treasurer, 1975 domination.” The cio then joined forces with employers, the government, and the craft unions in the American Federation of Labor to try to destroy Them and Us Unionism through firing and blacklisting of union leaders, government Them and Us Unionism

subpoenas and other forms of harassment, and raiding. This witch-hunt against Them and Us Unionism was successful in taming the militancy and unity that had won the 1946 strikes in auto, steel and electrical manufacturing — the very strikes that consolidated industrial unionism. ue leaders at the time warned that the cio had “lost its spark. We saw a change in our cio associates from organizers and picket line leaders to labor statesmen.” The mainstream

of the labor movement embraced the idea that 12 workers and bosses share common interests, became even more tightly joined at the hip with the Democratic Party, and ceded the right to make all decisions about the economy and foreign policy to employers and the government. When the employers ditched any pretense of a “labor-management accord” and launched all- out attacks on the labor movement in the 1970s UE members picket the Federal Building in Chicago to protest attempts and 80s, the mainstream of the labor movement by the House Un-American Activities Committee to break their 1952 strike against International Harvester. had little idea how to respond. Without an accurate analysis of capitalism, or the ability to formulate an alternative vision, unions were unable to respond effectively or build public support for any kind of fightback. The only re- sponse many union leaders could muster was to offer deeper concessions. UE CORE PRINCIPLES

Aggressive Struggle

Rank and File Control

Political Independence

International Solidarity

Uniting All Workers

Image: Mural at UE Hall in Chicago, Artists John Pitman Weber and Jose Guerrero. Photo: J Burger. Them and Us Unionism UE CORE PRINCIPLES

Aggressive Struggle

If we don’t fight, we know we’ll lose. THE VERY NATURE of a corpo- school boards, and non-profit and cooperative 14 But if we do fight, at least we know there’s a ration in the capitalist system boards are often filled with management, law- chance we can win. And if we fight requires it to constantly strive yers, and other corporate types. and lose, then at least we have our dignity. for a higher and higher profit, This fundamental difference of interest be- so under capitalism workers tween employers and workers is why ue rejects — Ricky Maclin, ue Local 1110, 2009 have to constantly struggle against the employ- “win-win bargaining,” “interest-based bargain- ers’ drive to increase the amount of profit they ing,” “quality circles” and employee stock own- extract from us. ership plans. All of these schemes are attempts Corporate domination of our society means to trick workers into believing that the best that even employers who do not need to seek way to improve their conditions is to work to profits, such as schools and universities, state improve the boss’s profits, rather than fighting and municipal governments, nonprofits and to get more from the boss. Instead, ue embraces cooperatives, tend to emulate corporations in militancy and uncompromising defense of our their treatment of workers. Managers in the members’ interests. public, non-profit, and cooperative sectors look The backbone of our rank-and-file organi- to corporate managers as models. City councils, zation are stewards, our “first line of defense.” Them and Us Unionism UE CORE PRINCIPLES

REPUBLIC WINDOWS AND DOORS OCCUPATION

In 2008, members of UE Local 1110 made history by occupying their workplace, Republic Windows and Doors. Their militancy and unwillingness to simply accept the closure of their factory captured the imagination of a nation reeling from financial collapse, won an endorsement Stewards are elected to actively fight for the Unlike many unions, ue does not hire law- of their cause from the president-elect, rights of ue members on the job. Unlike some yers to lead negotiations. Good contracts are and forced one of the nation’s most other unions with few or no stewards, ue strives won not by legal cleverness but by mobilizing powerful banks to come to the table and to have one steward for each supervisor. Rather the membership to put pressure on the em- negotiate. than rely on legalistic approaches, ue stewards ployer. ue’s philosophy is that it is always better UE members won a $1.75 million are trained on how to organize their co-work- to solve problems organizationally — by mobi- 15 settlement — and eventually, a reopening ers to harness their workplace power to settle lizing our members around an injustice — than of their factory — by forging unity grievances. As the main link between the mem- through legalistic procedures like arbitrations across lines of race, immigration status bers and their union, ue stewards play a crucial or labor board charges. Like many ue princi- and gender, and by refusing to play by the role in building unity and involvement — and ples, this goes against the grain of our legalistic rulebook for bankruptcy, which normally has “workers lose” as the last rule. maintaining the rank-and-file nature of ue. and lawsuit-happy society. ue members engage in aggressive struggle ue’s commitment to aggressive struggle ex- in a variety of ways: petitions, mass grievances, tends beyond contract negotiations. Employers and wearing t-shirts and buttons in the work- are constantly trying to extract more work place demonstrate unity to the boss. Picketing, from us through speed-up, short-staffing, and marches on the boss, and mass attendance at often by outright violating the contract. This re- meetings of city councils, school boards or quires a strong steward system that can contest boards of directors demonstrate members’ the employer’s power in the workplace. We also willingness to take militant action. Ultimately, engage in aggressive struggle in the political we believe that workers’ greatest power comes arena, because what we win in our contracts can

UE workers occupying Republic Windows from our ability to withhold our labor through be taken away by the actions of government — and Doors in 2008. strikes and other concerted activity. especially for public-sector workers. UE CORE PRINCIPLES

Rank and File Control UE members running their union at the 2019 UE convention. Photo: Al Hart.

We are going to have a union based on rank UE’S ORIGINS and develop- local officers and stewards so that they have the 16 and file democratic principles ... that is not ment differed sharply from most skills they need to run their local, go toe-to-toe dedicated to serve a political machine ... that other unions. Many American with the boss in grievance meetings and con- is going to serve the economic and legislative unions have been built from tract negotiations, and advocate for the union interests of our members. the top down, depending on in public. organizers, lawyers and outside financial help. Those who founded our union in 1936 em- — Julius Emspak, This limits both their independence and in- phasized the principle of rank and file control ue Secretary-Treasurer, 1949 volvement by members. To a far greater extent, because of their own experience and their ue was built by workers organizing themselves, knowledge of trade union history in the U.S. local by local, from the bottom up. Some had belonged to company unions or to This gives our union a much different char- American Federation of Labor craft unions acter. ue locals are built on self-reliance, and where the rank and file were expected to pay the entire union depends on the democratic their dues but not speak up when union policy agreement of its locals and members to orga- affecting their lives was being decided. nize and grow as a national union. To facilitate Building and maintaining a union on this, ue provides education programming for such grounds is a very difficult task because Them and Us Unionism UE CORE PRINCIPLES

GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOSS, NOT THE UNION it challenges the whole direction of society. the national union play a special role. ue staff During his farewell speech at the 1985 Rather than prioritizing individual interests, we have two main responsibilities: to build the UE convention, retiring UE Secretary- seek solutions that benefit workers collectively. union and maintain a healthy ue structure. Treasurer Boris “Red” Block, a diligent ue locals are autonomous bodies, chartered They train members on how to run their union guardian of UE’s democratic principles by the national ue. High levels of membership and engage members and locals in dialogue to and financial integrity, quoted an “old-time participation are encouraged and made possible get to a democratic consensus on decisions. labor guy” to make a point about perks by the structure of our local unions. Regular They can provide help and advice on programs and salaries for officers: “I didn’t join this union to get something out of the union. membership meetings are held where the rank and policies, but ue’s constitution prohibits I joined this union to get something out and file acts on all matters affecting the opera- them from dictating the decisions of ue locals, 17 of the boss.” tion of the local. This includes everything from regions, or the national union. Ultimately, the the election of officers, to collective bargaining, running of our union is left to the members, as to the decision to call — or end — a strike. it has been since 1936. The primary function of the national union ue members pay dues so that we have a is to organize all workers around the policies strong organization that can win better wages, and programs adopted by the national conven- benefits and working conditions from the boss, tion. The national union provides advice and as- not so union officers can get big salaries or sistance to locals and regions, so that members perks from the union. The ue constitution bars can make fully informed decisions on matters officers and staff from earning wages higher that affect their locals, and active support when than workers who earn the highest wage rate the members and locals need it. The national in the workplaces we represent. The ue follows union also organizes new members, because a practice of “open books and tight fists” — we understand the fundamental reality that the expenditures beyond routine expenses must wages and living conditions of all workers are be approved by the membership, and trustees directly tied to the level of unionization. elected from among the membership perform In a rank-and-file union, the staff hired by regular audits at all levels of the union. Them and Us Unionism UE CORE PRINCIPLES

Political Independence

We have to constantly be organizing THE ECONOMIC POWER of or our nation’s health care and social security 18 that independent power base that employers has always been systems affect our lives as workers. is not trapped in that lesser of two evils translated into dominant In examining political issues, the ue recogniz- bag, because that leads us nowhere. political power as well. The es that these, too, reflect the conflicting interests victories we win at the bar- of employers and workers. Even as we are engag- — Amy Newell, ue gaining table can be either taken away or ing our employers in our workplaces, these same Secretary-Treasurer, 1988. reinforced by the action or inaction of our employers are attacking us on a second front, government (local, state and national), and the using their financial resources to pay thousands power of government has often been used to of lobbyists and make millions in political contri- break strikes. butions. Their goals are laws and policies which There are also issues and problems that we boost their profits, usually at our expense. face which cannot be addressed at the bargain- We fight on this second front through ing table, and as working people we have the independent political action — the organized right to expect that our governmental bodies effort of working people to make our voices and representatives will respond to the needs of heard by our elected public officials in order to the people. Consider how labor laws, tax laws win government policies and programs which UE CORE PRINCIPLES

19 benefit working-class people. We do this by politicians. While we recognize that sometimes A PARTY OF OUR OWN organizing opportunities for our members to we have to choose the lesser of two evils, we only communicate with their elected officials di- endorse politicians who have a demonstrated re- Throughout our history, UE has held that rectly, like political action days at state capitals cord of standing with ue and the labor movement workers need our own political party. and in Washington, DC, protests in the streets, and working people more generally. In the 1990s, UE worked with a number and civil disobedience. ue political action does We also promote political solutions for the of other unions to found the Labor Party, not include giving large sums of money to can- problems faced by ue members and working under the slogan “The Bosses Have didates in hopes that they will represent our people more broadly. A prime example of this Two Parties, We Need One of Our Own.” interests when in office. In fact, we don’t even is our decades-long support for a universal, Although the Labor Party experiment was maintain a political action fund. single-payer healthcare system, now com- ultimately unsuccessful, UE members and locals have been active in numerous Unlike most unions, ue recognizes that both monly referred to as “Medicare for All.” We other efforts to promote independent, major political parties in our country are dominat- demand Medicare for All because it would take pro-worker alternatives to the two major ed by corporate interests, which is why we insist healthcare off the bargaining table, ending our parties, and played a key role in electing that unions must take independent positions on employers’ constant demand for healthcare Independent Bernie Sanders to Congress political issues based on the interests of our mem- concessions, and also because it would benefit in 1990 and the Senate in 2006. bers, and not follow the lead of political parties or the entire working class. Them and Us Unionism UE CORE PRINCIPLES

International Solidarity

Unity and solidarity across borders OUR LIVING and working con- are often the result of military intervention by 20 is the only real possibility to confront ditions are directly linked to the US government. Our government has sup- in a meaningful way the new power those of other workers around ported and instigated coups against pro-worker of capital. the world. Globalization and governments in Central and South America, the the so-called “free trade agree- Middle East, and elsewhere, and waged wars in — Bertha Lujan, Frente Auténtico del ments” that have proliferated since the 1990s Korea, Vietnam, and twice in Iraq to defend the Trajabo, ue Convention 1994 have made that clear. General Electric CEO Jack profits of US corporations. ue has consistently Welch famously said in 1998 that “ideally you’d opposed all forms of military adventurism that have every plant you own on a barge,” so it could put the children of working people in harm’s be moved to wherever wages are the lowest. As way while benefiting only the wealthy and long as there are places where workers toil for corporations. starvation wages without health and safety pro- Aggressive struggle to improve our con- tections, it’s hard to achieve or maintain good ditions in a global economy demands that we wages or conditions anywhere. unite with workers in other countries. To put Poor wages and working conditions in other this into practice, ue rank-and-file members countries are not natural or inevitable — they have visited and built relationships with unions Them and Us Unionism UE CORE PRINCIPLES

21 ALLIES ACROSS THE BORDER in Mexico, Canada, Japan, Italy, Brazil, India, other workers’ lives and conditions. Exchanges the Philippines, and other countries. These ex- between public-sector workers helped lead to In the early 1990s, as the US government changes are often with other workers who share the International Worker Justice Campaign in was negotiating the North American the same employers or work in the same sector the early 2000s, which brought international Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), UE was of the economy. attention to the state of North Carolina’s denial clear that it was corporations, not ue believes that the future of the labor of collective bargaining rights to public-sector Mexican workers, who were the real threat movement depends on a real commitment to workers. In 2019, when members of ue Locals to our jobs. UE developed a “strategic international labor solidarity, not only to pre- 506 and 618 struck their new employer, Wabtec, organizing alliance” with the independent vent downward pressure on wages and working unions that represent Wabtec workers in nu- Mexican union Frente Auténtico del Trabajo to jointly oppose NAFTA and carry conditions from employers threatening to merous other countries sent letters supporting out joint campaigns against shared move, but also to address the global challenge ue members, which helped these locals settle employers such as General Electric. UE’s of climate change in ways that benefit, rather their strike with a better contract. Decades of ongoing relationship with the FAT is than harm, workers. international solidarity from ue contributed to widely seen as a model of international ue’s international work has led to numerous Mexican workers’ successful struggle in 2019 for labor solidarity. concrete actions to improve ue members’ and an improved labor law. UE CORE PRINCIPLES

Uniting All Workers Fourteen-month struggle brings first UE contract at the Lanterman Regional Center in Los Angeles, 2019.

I am certain that all men of goodwill UE’S FOUNDERS had expe- historic achievements. In 1945, the National 22 are eternally grateful to that section rienced unions that were War Labor Board upheld ue’s charge that both of the labor movement which is working “unions” in name only, as General Electric and Westinghouse discrimi- so courageously to end discrimination they were based on perpetu- nated against women, with lower rates of pay for on the job for all people. ating division among working women regardless of the job content. Although people instead of uniting them. The year the the board’s authority to enforce its findings — Martin Luther King Jr. letter ue was founded there existed unions whose expired with the end of the war, ue’s case was to ue Director of Organization constitutions limited membership on the basis a pioneering effort in the struggle for equal pay. James J. Matles, November 25, 1957 of craft, age, sex, race, religion, political belief, By 1957, ue had succeeded in winning nondis- and even the state of a worker’s health! It was crimination clauses in almost every one of its that experience that led them to write into the hundreds of contracts — except Westinghouse. preamble to the constitution that they would A national campaign to win such a clause from seek to unite all workers, “regardless of craft, Westinghouse, an issue no other union negoti- age, sex, nationality, race, creed or political ating with the company took up, won support beliefs.” from prominent black leaders including Dr. The preamble pledge to engage in aggres- Martin Luther King Jr. and was eventually suc- sive struggle on behalf of all workers led to cessful in 1963. Them and Us Unionism UE CORE PRINCIPLES

UNITY CHANGES THE BALANCE OF POWER

As UE Local 1121 was going into contract ceased work, punched out, marched In the 1960s and 1970s, as employers began negotiations with Aramark Laundry out of the building and held a bilingual to employ larger numbers of undocumented Services in La Crosse, WI in 2017, the rally — the first walkout in the local’s immigrants from Mexico and other countries, boss was actively playing groups within more than 20 year history. The balance ue stressed the importance of fighting for im- the diverse workforce against each of power at Aramark had just shifted in migrant workers’ rights and won contract lan- other, targeting the Hmong women who the workers’ favor. guage protecting our immigrant members from make up a significant portion of the Company negotiators dropped workplace raids. The union demanded uncondi- workforce for significant harassment. concessionary demands, agreed to the tional amnesty for immigrant workers, realizing The union leadership focused on union’s final wage demand of $1.20 that otherwise employers could exploit them uniting the members as the key to suc- increase over three years, and even as a permanent source of low-wage labor, and 23 cessful negotiations. The first event reached a compromise on health that this would drive down wages and working the local organized was a potluck meal insurance. The local’s united struggle had conditions for all workers. ue has remained and discussion of demands at the won everything they had demanded in the forefront of immigrant rights struggles, Hmong Community Center in La Crosse, and then some. developing innovative strategies to organize with translation provided. What was immigrant workers in a variety of sectors. planned as a quick lunch turned into a Discrimination not only divides workers, several-hour conversation with Hmong workers and white workers making it harder to unite against the boss, about their shared concerns and what but also enables bosses to pay lower wages to demands to bring to the company. workers of color, immigrant workers (especially From that moment on, the local leader- undocumented immigrant workers), women and ship made sure that their outreach and workers from other oppressed groups. The in- shop-floor activity involved all creased levels of exploitation against oppressed elements of the diverse membership. groups of workers have, over generations, The grand culmination of the contract created deep inequalities of wealth and power struggle was a walkout in which Local 1121 members discuss the tentative that we must fight against in order to unite the 100 percent of the union workforce agreement. working class to achieve a just society. Them and Us Unionism CONCLUSION

UNDERSTANDING the nature The tremendous problems that face work- of our economic system and ing people in our country, and around the world,

the need to consistently call for a labor movement that understands this 24 adhere to our core princi- fundamental difference of interest, and can ples has been the basis of carry out aggressive struggle against the orga- ue’s record of struggle go- nized forces of the employers on all fronts. This ing on nine decades. booklet represents the story of one union, and For the past several decades labor leaders the conclusions that ue members have drawn and academics have proposed a wide variety of from decades of aggressive struggle to improve strategies to rebuild the U.S. labor movement: our conditions, but we believe that our story has from better communications work, to giving valuable lessons for all worker organizations. more money to politicians, to restructuring the The labor movement we need must be a labor movement and its federations, to invest- militant movement, built from the bottom up, ments in staff-driven organizing efforts. But and it must be based on clear-cut principles: none of it has worked, because none of those aggressive struggle, rank-and-file control, po- strategies recognize that the core issue facing litical independence, international solidarity unions, today and throughout history, is the and uniting all workers — in other words, Them fundamental difference of interests between and Us Unionism. ue is dedicated to helping workers and employers in the capitalist system. achieve that kind of a labor movement. Learn more about UE: WWW.UEUNION.ORG Resources for Them and Us Unionism: UEUNION.ORG/RESOURCES Subscribe to the UE NEWS: UEUNION.ORG/SUBSCRIBE Follow UE on social media: FACEBOOK.COM/UEUNION Twitter and Instagram: @UEUNION