read yr marx
Aug. 6th, 2020 06:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sabotabbyWe are being forced to confront that the social contract is a lie, and always was. But the velvet gloves are off of the iron fist now.
We are being forced en masse to bear the failures of capitalism at an individual level.
When we are death-marched into dangerous workplaces such that we have to strip off our clothes when we return home, the time spent cleaning those clothes and the cost of replacing them when they wear out, is time and money that is stolen from us as workers.
When school boards are allowed to hold virtual meetings to decide whether schools will reopen because it's not safe to meet in person, but we have to stop seeing our friends and family because we will soon have hundreds of direct and indirect contacts, this is hypocrisy and robbery.
More of our time and money is being used to compensate for their failures. In little ways and bigger ways. And some of our lives will be used to compensate for their failures, too.
If we don't resist now, this closing-in of our worlds will become status quo.
We are being forced en masse to bear the failures of capitalism at an individual level.
When we are death-marched into dangerous workplaces such that we have to strip off our clothes when we return home, the time spent cleaning those clothes and the cost of replacing them when they wear out, is time and money that is stolen from us as workers.
When school boards are allowed to hold virtual meetings to decide whether schools will reopen because it's not safe to meet in person, but we have to stop seeing our friends and family because we will soon have hundreds of direct and indirect contacts, this is hypocrisy and robbery.
More of our time and money is being used to compensate for their failures. In little ways and bigger ways. And some of our lives will be used to compensate for their failures, too.
If we don't resist now, this closing-in of our worlds will become status quo.
no subject
Date: 2020-08-06 10:14 pm (UTC)I am almost as angry at your union as at Ford, that they are not fighting this and going on strike like the Chicago teachers.
no subject
Date: 2020-08-06 10:39 pm (UTC)I am almost as angry at the Board, which can at least mitigate the suffering, and won't, and operates completely ignorant of the daily reality of what goes on in schools and what kids are, and is increasing our work on purpose because it doesn't trust us to do our jobs, while risking our lives.
I am feeling utterly betrayed by my union, which is spending all of its time making sad little noises about elementary kids. They represent secondary teachers and have an obligation to fight for our rights as workers and to defend our collective agreement, which is being violated.
no subject
Date: 2020-08-06 11:02 pm (UTC)I see that they are highly critical of the government's plans, they are "concerned" and "dismayed" (according to the latest bulletin) at the way the government is excluding them from discussions, but they're not even hinting at the possibility that they might be able to do anything about it beyond continuing to express concern, advise, urge, etc. etc. etc. It's like they think they're a pressure group and not an actual fucking labour union with industrial power.
no subject
Date: 2020-08-06 11:05 pm (UTC)They are terrified of "the public." But "the public" hates us anyway so we might as well fight.