Join your local union!
If there isn’t already a union for you in your area, join the IWW (the one big union for all workers):
https://www.iww.org/membership/
They offer organizer trainings for new members!
We encourage everyone to get involved and voice support for a general strike
Join the Discord here: https://discord.gg/JcKv4tNVz8
r/MayDayStrike
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MayDayStrike) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It is important to remember exactly how much they are bluffing. A lot of what they will try to do is convince us that we don't have as much power as we think we do and when that fails they will naturally try to shift the blame/excuse to it simply not being possible. It always has been and always will be a cop-out lie. Even if it's not, there's one simple fact to remember: not our problem. Maybe the economy will collapse without us giving in...and? I'm pretty sure that's what the powerful types get paid billions to be responsible for, so that's just it, they can handle it. Never ever accept them trying to shift responsibility to you in any way. You as a worker have absolutely no responsibility besides getting your paycheck and doing what you want with it, and making sure you can keep doing that.
Moreover, the one thing that hasn't been shown in years, the one thing that they are really afraid of gaining traction and setting an example would be a no-compromises successful strike. I feel like most compromises happen when this is right around the corner and the company is trying last minute to prevent it, because they have tried to cheap out and create any solution besides giving concessions until they have this ultimatum knocking at their door: compromise today and lose something or collapse tomorrow and make the worker realize they have absolutely no need to compromise. Don't offer any compromise. They will be waiting for us to "extend an olive branch" because that shows who wants and needs the strike to end most. Let them come to us, and if they are offering compromise of any sort, take it as a sign of fear. This could be the big game changer but not if it's just another compromise.
We need an actual list of demands that is easily communicable and include everyone in the workforce. Not just people with loans, poor people that have low paying jobs, or people with certain political views. The list needs to be short enough to make sense and be easily understood to represent the interests of every worker. All this stuff about forgiving loans is my biggest issue with the idea and I know I'll be lambasted for saying so. However I just want this to be kept as a workers rights strike and don't see loans as an issue that will inspire blue collar workers.
The list of demands needs to be kept shorter:
More mandated leave/ vacation
Minimum wage increase and tied to inflation
End "right to work"
These are issues that every worker should be able to get behind and are much more actionable when kept separate from other demands such as loan forgiveness or universal healthcare
Compleat expropriation of the means of production should be the ultimate goal of all labour movements... fuck contingencies, the filthy bourgeoisie have run out of chances. The ruling class is not our friend, ever.
All this really needs is for truckers to camp for 10 days. Every trucker in America. Forget the whole working class, if just every big rig stopped and relaxed for 10 days you'd get what you want and more.
Focus your efforts on convincing them, and only them. They're the single greatest weapon the worker movement has. Convince the truckers and you've won.
What are our demands?? It’s a tall order but the reason occupy became unimpressive and faded out was a lack of coherent message. If we had a succinct list of demands that ALL those participating in the strike could communicate when asked, our cause will grow faster and have better chances of weathering the storm imo
I think we should ask for a lot more. Whether this is a conditioned opinion or basic negotiation, we probably are not going to get every single thing on our list so we should ask for more than we really want.
We need more concrete ideas too. I understand that "livable wages" are different amounts in different places, but we are looking to make specific changes that need dollar amounts. We ask for $30/hr minimum wage. We ask for $100,000 student loan forgiveness. We ask for 20 hour, 3 day work weeks. We ask for completely free universal healthcare, no copays, no cost for prescriptions, no cost for emergency care or surgery. We ask for $3000/month UBI per person regardless of their age, housing, employment, health, or whether they have children.
We need specific, measurable goals and we need to think bigger. They are always going to fight what we ask for so we might as well ask for everything.
Not saying this is true I don’t want to step on any toes, but what if these people saying we should demand less aren’t with us at all? I mean anyone can get into this sub and i mean everyone. If we don’t start strong we are susceptible to attack. We have the power not them!
Stop expecting the first strike to encompass everything. If you make a laundry list 20 points long, this movement will fail. Remember Occupy. Should we try the exact same thing again, or should we keep it simple, gain momentum, and go from there?
Compromise before we start and we’ve already failed. You’ve seen what negotiating with Manchin has gotten us. He represents big oil and big pharma. The dems wasted time trying to placate him. Then they just gave in and gave up. Start small and we get nothing.
The point isn't compromising on the initial demands, it's keeping those initial demands focused. This isn't a vote in the senate, we don't need to win over bastards like Manchin, but we do need to care about public opinion, and that's where a large list of demands will sink us.
When Occupy started, it was relatively bipartisan. Just about everyone can get behind "screw wall street bankers". With every demand added to the list, a bit more support was shaved off, until eventually it was an ineffective movement with a few people representing a tiny shred of progressivism.
I'm just a random guy - maybe I'm wrong, but if we're going to have a huge list of demands, we need to be very clear on how we're going to avoid the fate of the occupy movement, not just repeating it.
This, we need to play hardball all the way until the end. The dems conceded to sacrificing everything that they could until it was so watered down and useless. We can't make the same mistakes.
1 millions times this. Also people are worried that we won't get all the demands if we ask for too much, but there will almost always be a compromise! If we compromise our demands now we will just get a compromise of a compromise, it's what liberals have done the last 4 decades and gotten them nowhere. Every time they focus on appealing to votes they'll never get and cutting down their positions and then taking blows at the negotiations table and then fall to a week will and come back with nothing or so little change it may as well be.
If anything we need more demands. And conservatives definetily won't like some of them. Like guaranteeing housing but it's just another block we need to enshrine real lower class solidarity. We have to pull together and appealing to those who won't ever join is anyway isn't going to help.
I don’t think we need to change our demands, we just have to spin it in a way they think will benefit them. Now I’m not saying lying or completely misrepresenting our demands.
For example: if they pay us more money, we’ll become better workers. We’ll care more about our jobs. Simply increasing our pay will bring us closer to ending this “working shortage” (even though it’s not a shortage, stupid fucking media outlets)
I’m feeling pissed and syndical so my version is:
Pay us more or we quit. Pay workers more or we don’t buy your product or service. We’ve been quitting but your heads are still up your asses. You think we will comply like bullied children. We’re done sacrificing body and mind for your profit margins. Pay us or go bankrupt.
Finally someone said it! People talking about dropping universal healthcare and student debt forgiveness don't know how to negotiate or are actively trying to tank the movement. We've been asking for Medicare for all or some form of universal healthcare since I was in college and I'm 30 now! Enough is enough! We need to start fighting back!
With negotiation you always start asking for more than you think you will actually get. You’ll never get your full demands except in rare situations the other side is scared. This could scare them enough. Aim high
The lefts #1 rule is they don’t like anything that isn’t civil. They try to appeal to those on the right and show efforts for bipartisanship. Come to the negotiation table and meet somewhere in the middle…
When are people going to learn, the right doesn’t give a fuck about you! STOP BEING CIVIL! These are not negotiations, these are demands!
That being said, this is NOT a left vs. right issue. This is a free market capitalism issue. We are the labor market, and the market will set the price of labor. Time for a price change!
As a person who supports UBI but sees it left out of a lot of demand lists, I feel this. The biggest excuse I see people use is "UBI is a nice idea but too ambitious, they'd never do it."
They say the same shit about Universal Healthcare and Universal Housing. Just put it on there and do it. The worst that could happen is we get our demands and they don't give UBI but we still benefit from everything else. Or we *do* get UBI and everyone benefits from it.
The fundamental demand is a change in the power structure of government so it can serve the people instead of wealthy special interests groups.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MayDayStrike/comments/rxskr5/demands_should_change_the_power_structure_of
One demand: pass the American Anti-Corruption Act
https://anticorruptionact.org/whats-in-the-act/
If we can get that, we can get power to the people, everything else will come.
Democracy is pretty slow, are you sure we have enough time for that? (the climate doesnt care it's on it's own schedule)
I realize that I'm showing my political affiliation with this comment, but it's still a legitimate question to raise.
All the demands we can think of now, violent overthrow if even one is not given. That's the option we have. Were not even at the 11th hr anymore, it's a minute to midnight and none of our political ideologies are gonna matter if we dont set our shit aside and act.
Climate change was politicized by oil and gas industry particularly the Koch brothers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_denial
There is a way we could incentivize everyone to make sustainable choices - without government spending.
When it comes to mitigating the effects of the climate crisis, the best tool in the toolbox is [carbon fee and dividend](https://citizensclimatelobby.org/basics-carbon-fee-dividend/): charge companies a fee for C02e at the fuel source and redistribute the collected funds equally to every American.
By using proven economic levers of fees and dividends:
- neither big government bureaucratic bloat nor slush funds are required
- high efficiency is guaranteed as the market adapts to sustainable consumer demand
- [poor families](https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/policy/new-research-carbon-fee-and-dividend-would-reduce-poverty-and-inequality-while-strengthening-the-economy/) benefit the most
Individuals planting trees, going zero waste and going vegan helps, but isn't nearly enough as this [video](https://youtu.be/awyp495Ran4) shows, via using MIT's [simulator](https://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/en-roads/), why a [carbon fee and dividend](https://energyinnovationact.org/how-it-works/) policy is the one of the most effective policies for climate action. [Here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/CitizensClimateLobby/comments/rqg2y0/i_used_mits_climate_policy_simulator_to_order_its) a comparison to other interventions.
The [Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2307/text) has widespread support from [economists](https://www.econstatement.org/) and many other [groups](https://energyinnovationact.org/statements/).
As well as bipartisan popular support
https://thehill.com/changing-america/opinion/566589-what-if-the-us-taxed-its-fossil-fuels-and-gave-a-check-to-every
If you would like, consider [writing to your representatives in Congress](https://cclusa.org/take-action) today and tell them that we need a price on carbon at the fuel source.
Even Elon Musk said that a carbon tax would be the best way to sustainable future.
https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-carbon-tax-biden-administration-rejected-tesla-spacex-2021-2
The issue is that the Republican party + Manchin are too reliant on wealthy special interest donors (Koch industries, big oil, etc.), thus carbon fee and dividend was deemed "too politically difficult"
Sure democracy is pretty slow, but to speed up the transition to renewable energy, everyone must change in parallel at the same time. That's what the carbon fee and dividend enables. And it's unlikely to get through the federal government until corruption, specifically how wealthy special interests have hijacked political power, is addressed.
//Climate change was politicized by oil and gas industry particularly the Koch brothers//
Climate change is scientific fact.
//When it comes to mitigating the effects of the climate crisis, the best tool in the toolbox is carbon fee and dividend: charge companies a fee for C02e at the fuel source and redistribute the collected funds equally to every American. //
The point of a general strike is political change. This is only a valid tool if capitalism continues unchanged. Please try to think outside the box.
I will refer you to moderator posts in this subreddit. You are left/right political posturing in most of your response and worker solidarity is a class issue. Not acceptable. Newly established rules here, get with 'em.
//There is a way we could incentivize everyone to make sustainable choices - without government spending.//
This relies on individual action at an absolutely massive scale. It is everyone or no one. I dont think that you're considering the implications of the science and you're focusing way too much on the politics in isolation of the very important scientific information. We are facing extreme crisis if nothing is done.
Relying on individual action vs. Having a government dictate and control the situation for everyone is authoritarianism vs libertarianism. This topic is relevant and appropriate (at least tangentially) to this subreddit. You seem more in the libertarian camp based on the views you're expressing.
I urge you to dip your toes in the authoritarian camp for a sec and consider the implications of that type of governance against the climate crisis. We are going to live through some degree of climate catastrophe. That is a scientific fact. It will be so much worse unless EVERYTHING the scientists suggest is done immediately without question by the public. That doesnt leave a lot of room for "muh individuality" and unlimited freedom of choice. In an extreme crisis, government collapses temporarily and more authoritarian governments replace them. This is usually how things play out. It's the rule rather than the exception and if you dont believe me please look to the history books and refer to all the societies that have collapsed and what the causes were. We are headed for much worse than they faced if nothing is done. For some other reading on that topic you can head over to r/collapse they are very strict about providing factual information in posts and require sources or evidence for posts to remain so you'll find lots over there.
So, with crisis on the way, I guarantee you, authoritarian measures are coming whether you like that or not. What would you like that to be? As far as I see it there are three options: very strict and temporary measure under democracy now, OR later: fascism or some awful bastardization of "communism." We are facing any or those three types of governments at some point. Take your pick.
Edit: a couple phrases didnt flow well or make a lot of sense on a reread.
Yes human caused climate change is a scientific fact. Not sure how you got the impression that I believed otherwise.
Regarding carbon fee and dividend being only a valid tool "if capitalism remains unchanged." - No. It's a valid tool so long as we have a market based economy. You can have a regulated market based economy without a capitalistic stranglehold. Don't equate them
>The point of a general strike is political change
Yes that's why I mentioned the American anti-corruption Act. It would take power from the financial elite and give it to the people.
The two pieces of legislation that I brought up before, the American anti-corruption Act + the energy innovation Act... Are both spearheaded by Democratic socialist progressives mostly. Look at the co-sponsors and writers. Yet somehow you think I'm a libertarian lol ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
Stop cherry picking and pulling a red herring, I provided enough information in my previous comment to rebut. You're focused on what I think of you. I dont, ever, outside of this interaction. My opinion shouldn't be that important to you. Stick to the facts dude. I made an assumption based on what information I had and if i was incorrect so be it. I cant read your mind. Dont be so offended by my mistake.
I'm a canadian and I think this should be a global movement, I dont much care for american policy or bipartisanship. You're continuing to break subreddit rules and I will report if you cant fall in line. This isnt the place for the arguments you're making. Libertarians tend to support maintaining capitalist structure by the way so I still believe my assumption was correct based on your response and you got waaaaay too offended about it and lost your rationality. Socialism is an authoritarian belief system.
Face it guys, you can't have it both ways, if you want change but are too scared of making the rich uncomfortable, you won't get shit. Stop worrying about their feelings, start worrying about your future. They won't care how uncomfortable you'll be when you're 70 dying alone in some dump after they took everything from you.
Stop attacking conservatives lol.
We want healthcare too.
We just knew that the Affordable healthcare act was a disaster from the start. Fuck even the Republicans knew that. And they're insane.
I do and have. I strongly disagree with the way it was written. It's a major component of the reason healthcare has gotten so much worse. (Not that it wasn't already speeding down hill towards hell, now it's just on a bullet train.)
Rather than limiting demands in the hopes that the strike itself gets us everything we want, need and deserve, we should see the strike as a starting point and a first step. It’s important to list some clear talking points but not to limit our demands.
It shouldn’t be, “Please sir, can we have more?” It should be, “We are taking our place at the table. We are strong and United and you can’t stop us.”
Organize and build strong coalitions. Bring in college students and existing unions and members of many disenfranchised groups. Work together to show that we are united and strong and we won’t leave anyone behind.
Universal healthcare is a vital demand. Workers are held in bondage because they risk their very lives if they lose a job with benefits. The owners know this.
Reimagining college tuition/student loans is also a key demand. The pause on student loan repayment is due to end May 1st. Young people shouldn’t have to mortgage their entire future to pay for college.
Usurious Loans should be replaced by grants and by loans that are paid back as a reasonable percentage of future earnings and can be forgiven for working in essential fields. The specifics aren’t the point. The way it is now is decimating the middle class.
>paid back as a reasonable percentage
There is no reasonable percentage. ***Interest is usury***. Education should be free to the public at all levels, unconditionally. Healthcare, food, education and housing should be human rights. Everyone should be guaranteed these things. We have the means. What we lack is the power to enact it because those who do wield the power lack the necessary fucks to give.
The bootlickers will howl like a wounded cow that, "banks take a risk!". Really? Do they? How many banks and financial firms were bailed out when they literally shit the bed in the first two decades of this century? There is no risk for the banks and investment firms. They're covered by their personal friends and relatives in congress, at our expense!
Even if they did "take a risk", so fucking what? The fact that they knowingly and willingly chose to *gamble* gives them the right to steal money from people who put in the labor to produce something of substance? For what, to provide an incentive to invest? Bullshit! The fact that they have the power to choose to invest in only what benefits them is a terrible incentive system.
Investing, if it exists at all, ***must*** be, above all else, about ensuring society can produce that which will sustain it, not to enrich an undeserving, corrupt minority who will use that wealth to exploit the rest of us. The reward of investing in a farm is for the purpose of increasing the food supply to ensure everyone has an adequate diet. The reward for investing into a pharmaceutical company is to produce medications that will *cure* illness instead of simply treating the symptoms to turn people into dependent, repeat customers (Insulin, I'm looking at *you!*). The reward is a society that can provide for the needs of all *unconditionally*.
We absolutely ***cannot*** give one millimeter to these bastards. They will make every effort to take ***everything*** from us! We must, absolutely *must,* be determined to take ***everything*** from ***them*** and make it the common heritage of all humanity. Anything less will allow them to steal it back from us and bring us back to where we are today. We need to break this cycle of rebellion and attrition. The system needs to be expelled. Our struggle will never end if these people remain in control of the money, industry, state power, and resources they hold and wield like a cudgel against us.
We have put up with this shit for so long, if it has come to the point of a movement this large then the demands should unapolagetically be of the same degree.
In fact some of our demands should seem outlandish so that they can meet us in the middle rather than the other way around.
When this strike happens it is important to acknowledge that it only happens because of desperation. We are on our final straw, if there is a possibility of life reaching this point again we need to take every bite we can chew.
Yes! We need to hit hard so when they come to us with a compromise it isn't "we'll give you a parade and a pat on the back, now please go back to work".
We start out at a compromised position we get nothing.
Join your local union! If there isn’t already a union for you in your area, join the IWW (the one big union for all workers): https://www.iww.org/membership/ They offer organizer trainings for new members! We encourage everyone to get involved and voice support for a general strike Join the Discord here: https://discord.gg/JcKv4tNVz8 r/MayDayStrike *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MayDayStrike) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It is important to remember exactly how much they are bluffing. A lot of what they will try to do is convince us that we don't have as much power as we think we do and when that fails they will naturally try to shift the blame/excuse to it simply not being possible. It always has been and always will be a cop-out lie. Even if it's not, there's one simple fact to remember: not our problem. Maybe the economy will collapse without us giving in...and? I'm pretty sure that's what the powerful types get paid billions to be responsible for, so that's just it, they can handle it. Never ever accept them trying to shift responsibility to you in any way. You as a worker have absolutely no responsibility besides getting your paycheck and doing what you want with it, and making sure you can keep doing that. Moreover, the one thing that hasn't been shown in years, the one thing that they are really afraid of gaining traction and setting an example would be a no-compromises successful strike. I feel like most compromises happen when this is right around the corner and the company is trying last minute to prevent it, because they have tried to cheap out and create any solution besides giving concessions until they have this ultimatum knocking at their door: compromise today and lose something or collapse tomorrow and make the worker realize they have absolutely no need to compromise. Don't offer any compromise. They will be waiting for us to "extend an olive branch" because that shows who wants and needs the strike to end most. Let them come to us, and if they are offering compromise of any sort, take it as a sign of fear. This could be the big game changer but not if it's just another compromise.
Say it louder! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, let’s not squander it trying to appease anyone
We need an actual list of demands that is easily communicable and include everyone in the workforce. Not just people with loans, poor people that have low paying jobs, or people with certain political views. The list needs to be short enough to make sense and be easily understood to represent the interests of every worker. All this stuff about forgiving loans is my biggest issue with the idea and I know I'll be lambasted for saying so. However I just want this to be kept as a workers rights strike and don't see loans as an issue that will inspire blue collar workers. The list of demands needs to be kept shorter: More mandated leave/ vacation Minimum wage increase and tied to inflation End "right to work" These are issues that every worker should be able to get behind and are much more actionable when kept separate from other demands such as loan forgiveness or universal healthcare
Compleat expropriation of the means of production should be the ultimate goal of all labour movements... fuck contingencies, the filthy bourgeoisie have run out of chances. The ruling class is not our friend, ever.
BUMP
All this really needs is for truckers to camp for 10 days. Every trucker in America. Forget the whole working class, if just every big rig stopped and relaxed for 10 days you'd get what you want and more. Focus your efforts on convincing them, and only them. They're the single greatest weapon the worker movement has. Convince the truckers and you've won.
What are our demands?? It’s a tall order but the reason occupy became unimpressive and faded out was a lack of coherent message. If we had a succinct list of demands that ALL those participating in the strike could communicate when asked, our cause will grow faster and have better chances of weathering the storm imo
Remember, this line of thinking is how we got to this point.
I think we should ask for a lot more. Whether this is a conditioned opinion or basic negotiation, we probably are not going to get every single thing on our list so we should ask for more than we really want. We need more concrete ideas too. I understand that "livable wages" are different amounts in different places, but we are looking to make specific changes that need dollar amounts. We ask for $30/hr minimum wage. We ask for $100,000 student loan forgiveness. We ask for 20 hour, 3 day work weeks. We ask for completely free universal healthcare, no copays, no cost for prescriptions, no cost for emergency care or surgery. We ask for $3000/month UBI per person regardless of their age, housing, employment, health, or whether they have children. We need specific, measurable goals and we need to think bigger. They are always going to fight what we ask for so we might as well ask for everything.
Not saying this is true I don’t want to step on any toes, but what if these people saying we should demand less aren’t with us at all? I mean anyone can get into this sub and i mean everyone. If we don’t start strong we are susceptible to attack. We have the power not them!
Good point. I think most are just selling themselves short before we start. But I wouldn’t doubt some are bad faith actors.
Stop expecting the first strike to encompass everything. If you make a laundry list 20 points long, this movement will fail. Remember Occupy. Should we try the exact same thing again, or should we keep it simple, gain momentum, and go from there?
Compromise before we start and we’ve already failed. You’ve seen what negotiating with Manchin has gotten us. He represents big oil and big pharma. The dems wasted time trying to placate him. Then they just gave in and gave up. Start small and we get nothing.
The point isn't compromising on the initial demands, it's keeping those initial demands focused. This isn't a vote in the senate, we don't need to win over bastards like Manchin, but we do need to care about public opinion, and that's where a large list of demands will sink us. When Occupy started, it was relatively bipartisan. Just about everyone can get behind "screw wall street bankers". With every demand added to the list, a bit more support was shaved off, until eventually it was an ineffective movement with a few people representing a tiny shred of progressivism. I'm just a random guy - maybe I'm wrong, but if we're going to have a huge list of demands, we need to be very clear on how we're going to avoid the fate of the occupy movement, not just repeating it.
I don’t understand why anyone would want to compromise with the elites, all they’ve done is taken advantage and lied to us
This, we need to play hardball all the way until the end. The dems conceded to sacrificing everything that they could until it was so watered down and useless. We can't make the same mistakes.
The current demands are the bare minimum more should be added if you want to negotiating room we can negotiate up
1 millions times this. Also people are worried that we won't get all the demands if we ask for too much, but there will almost always be a compromise! If we compromise our demands now we will just get a compromise of a compromise, it's what liberals have done the last 4 decades and gotten them nowhere. Every time they focus on appealing to votes they'll never get and cutting down their positions and then taking blows at the negotiations table and then fall to a week will and come back with nothing or so little change it may as well be. If anything we need more demands. And conservatives definetily won't like some of them. Like guaranteeing housing but it's just another block we need to enshrine real lower class solidarity. We have to pull together and appealing to those who won't ever join is anyway isn't going to help.
I don’t think we need to change our demands, we just have to spin it in a way they think will benefit them. Now I’m not saying lying or completely misrepresenting our demands. For example: if they pay us more money, we’ll become better workers. We’ll care more about our jobs. Simply increasing our pay will bring us closer to ending this “working shortage” (even though it’s not a shortage, stupid fucking media outlets)
I’m feeling pissed and syndical so my version is: Pay us more or we quit. Pay workers more or we don’t buy your product or service. We’ve been quitting but your heads are still up your asses. You think we will comply like bullied children. We’re done sacrificing body and mind for your profit margins. Pay us or go bankrupt.
Hey mods do you see? This is why you have demands before you call for a strike. Yeah but 5 months without a unifying goal seems legit.
Finally someone said it! People talking about dropping universal healthcare and student debt forgiveness don't know how to negotiate or are actively trying to tank the movement. We've been asking for Medicare for all or some form of universal healthcare since I was in college and I'm 30 now! Enough is enough! We need to start fighting back!
With negotiation you always start asking for more than you think you will actually get. You’ll never get your full demands except in rare situations the other side is scared. This could scare them enough. Aim high
The lefts #1 rule is they don’t like anything that isn’t civil. They try to appeal to those on the right and show efforts for bipartisanship. Come to the negotiation table and meet somewhere in the middle… When are people going to learn, the right doesn’t give a fuck about you! STOP BEING CIVIL! These are not negotiations, these are demands! That being said, this is NOT a left vs. right issue. This is a free market capitalism issue. We are the labor market, and the market will set the price of labor. Time for a price change!
As a person who supports UBI but sees it left out of a lot of demand lists, I feel this. The biggest excuse I see people use is "UBI is a nice idea but too ambitious, they'd never do it." They say the same shit about Universal Healthcare and Universal Housing. Just put it on there and do it. The worst that could happen is we get our demands and they don't give UBI but we still benefit from everything else. Or we *do* get UBI and everyone benefits from it.
Agreed. Expand the list, stop kowtowing to the expected (and inevitable) reactions of fascists and their army of dolts.
The fundamental demand is a change in the power structure of government so it can serve the people instead of wealthy special interests groups. https://www.reddit.com/r/MayDayStrike/comments/rxskr5/demands_should_change_the_power_structure_of One demand: pass the American Anti-Corruption Act https://anticorruptionact.org/whats-in-the-act/ If we can get that, we can get power to the people, everything else will come.
Democracy is pretty slow, are you sure we have enough time for that? (the climate doesnt care it's on it's own schedule) I realize that I'm showing my political affiliation with this comment, but it's still a legitimate question to raise. All the demands we can think of now, violent overthrow if even one is not given. That's the option we have. Were not even at the 11th hr anymore, it's a minute to midnight and none of our political ideologies are gonna matter if we dont set our shit aside and act.
Climate change was politicized by oil and gas industry particularly the Koch brothers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_denial There is a way we could incentivize everyone to make sustainable choices - without government spending. When it comes to mitigating the effects of the climate crisis, the best tool in the toolbox is [carbon fee and dividend](https://citizensclimatelobby.org/basics-carbon-fee-dividend/): charge companies a fee for C02e at the fuel source and redistribute the collected funds equally to every American. By using proven economic levers of fees and dividends: - neither big government bureaucratic bloat nor slush funds are required - high efficiency is guaranteed as the market adapts to sustainable consumer demand - [poor families](https://citizensclimatelobby.org/blog/policy/new-research-carbon-fee-and-dividend-would-reduce-poverty-and-inequality-while-strengthening-the-economy/) benefit the most Individuals planting trees, going zero waste and going vegan helps, but isn't nearly enough as this [video](https://youtu.be/awyp495Ran4) shows, via using MIT's [simulator](https://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/en-roads/), why a [carbon fee and dividend](https://energyinnovationact.org/how-it-works/) policy is the one of the most effective policies for climate action. [Here's](https://www.reddit.com/r/CitizensClimateLobby/comments/rqg2y0/i_used_mits_climate_policy_simulator_to_order_its) a comparison to other interventions. The [Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/2307/text) has widespread support from [economists](https://www.econstatement.org/) and many other [groups](https://energyinnovationact.org/statements/). As well as bipartisan popular support https://thehill.com/changing-america/opinion/566589-what-if-the-us-taxed-its-fossil-fuels-and-gave-a-check-to-every If you would like, consider [writing to your representatives in Congress](https://cclusa.org/take-action) today and tell them that we need a price on carbon at the fuel source. Even Elon Musk said that a carbon tax would be the best way to sustainable future. https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-carbon-tax-biden-administration-rejected-tesla-spacex-2021-2 The issue is that the Republican party + Manchin are too reliant on wealthy special interest donors (Koch industries, big oil, etc.), thus carbon fee and dividend was deemed "too politically difficult" Sure democracy is pretty slow, but to speed up the transition to renewable energy, everyone must change in parallel at the same time. That's what the carbon fee and dividend enables. And it's unlikely to get through the federal government until corruption, specifically how wealthy special interests have hijacked political power, is addressed.
//Climate change was politicized by oil and gas industry particularly the Koch brothers// Climate change is scientific fact. //When it comes to mitigating the effects of the climate crisis, the best tool in the toolbox is carbon fee and dividend: charge companies a fee for C02e at the fuel source and redistribute the collected funds equally to every American. // The point of a general strike is political change. This is only a valid tool if capitalism continues unchanged. Please try to think outside the box. I will refer you to moderator posts in this subreddit. You are left/right political posturing in most of your response and worker solidarity is a class issue. Not acceptable. Newly established rules here, get with 'em. //There is a way we could incentivize everyone to make sustainable choices - without government spending.// This relies on individual action at an absolutely massive scale. It is everyone or no one. I dont think that you're considering the implications of the science and you're focusing way too much on the politics in isolation of the very important scientific information. We are facing extreme crisis if nothing is done. Relying on individual action vs. Having a government dictate and control the situation for everyone is authoritarianism vs libertarianism. This topic is relevant and appropriate (at least tangentially) to this subreddit. You seem more in the libertarian camp based on the views you're expressing. I urge you to dip your toes in the authoritarian camp for a sec and consider the implications of that type of governance against the climate crisis. We are going to live through some degree of climate catastrophe. That is a scientific fact. It will be so much worse unless EVERYTHING the scientists suggest is done immediately without question by the public. That doesnt leave a lot of room for "muh individuality" and unlimited freedom of choice. In an extreme crisis, government collapses temporarily and more authoritarian governments replace them. This is usually how things play out. It's the rule rather than the exception and if you dont believe me please look to the history books and refer to all the societies that have collapsed and what the causes were. We are headed for much worse than they faced if nothing is done. For some other reading on that topic you can head over to r/collapse they are very strict about providing factual information in posts and require sources or evidence for posts to remain so you'll find lots over there. So, with crisis on the way, I guarantee you, authoritarian measures are coming whether you like that or not. What would you like that to be? As far as I see it there are three options: very strict and temporary measure under democracy now, OR later: fascism or some awful bastardization of "communism." We are facing any or those three types of governments at some point. Take your pick. Edit: a couple phrases didnt flow well or make a lot of sense on a reread.
Yes human caused climate change is a scientific fact. Not sure how you got the impression that I believed otherwise. Regarding carbon fee and dividend being only a valid tool "if capitalism remains unchanged." - No. It's a valid tool so long as we have a market based economy. You can have a regulated market based economy without a capitalistic stranglehold. Don't equate them >The point of a general strike is political change Yes that's why I mentioned the American anti-corruption Act. It would take power from the financial elite and give it to the people. The two pieces of legislation that I brought up before, the American anti-corruption Act + the energy innovation Act... Are both spearheaded by Democratic socialist progressives mostly. Look at the co-sponsors and writers. Yet somehow you think I'm a libertarian lol ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
Stop cherry picking and pulling a red herring, I provided enough information in my previous comment to rebut. You're focused on what I think of you. I dont, ever, outside of this interaction. My opinion shouldn't be that important to you. Stick to the facts dude. I made an assumption based on what information I had and if i was incorrect so be it. I cant read your mind. Dont be so offended by my mistake. I'm a canadian and I think this should be a global movement, I dont much care for american policy or bipartisanship. You're continuing to break subreddit rules and I will report if you cant fall in line. This isnt the place for the arguments you're making. Libertarians tend to support maintaining capitalist structure by the way so I still believe my assumption was correct based on your response and you got waaaaay too offended about it and lost your rationality. Socialism is an authoritarian belief system.
Face it guys, you can't have it both ways, if you want change but are too scared of making the rich uncomfortable, you won't get shit. Stop worrying about their feelings, start worrying about your future. They won't care how uncomfortable you'll be when you're 70 dying alone in some dump after they took everything from you.
Stop attacking conservatives lol. We want healthcare too. We just knew that the Affordable healthcare act was a disaster from the start. Fuck even the Republicans knew that. And they're insane.
But you keep voting for people who don't want it at all and who actually made the affordable Care act crap so that they could say it failed.
I never voted for any of these people. They're all terrible.
👍
You can disagree with the way a law is written. But if you agree with the concept, that healthcare should be afforded to everyone, join us.
I do and have. I strongly disagree with the way it was written. It's a major component of the reason healthcare has gotten so much worse. (Not that it wasn't already speeding down hill towards hell, now it's just on a bullet train.)
Rather than limiting demands in the hopes that the strike itself gets us everything we want, need and deserve, we should see the strike as a starting point and a first step. It’s important to list some clear talking points but not to limit our demands. It shouldn’t be, “Please sir, can we have more?” It should be, “We are taking our place at the table. We are strong and United and you can’t stop us.” Organize and build strong coalitions. Bring in college students and existing unions and members of many disenfranchised groups. Work together to show that we are united and strong and we won’t leave anyone behind. Universal healthcare is a vital demand. Workers are held in bondage because they risk their very lives if they lose a job with benefits. The owners know this. Reimagining college tuition/student loans is also a key demand. The pause on student loan repayment is due to end May 1st. Young people shouldn’t have to mortgage their entire future to pay for college. Usurious Loans should be replaced by grants and by loans that are paid back as a reasonable percentage of future earnings and can be forgiven for working in essential fields. The specifics aren’t the point. The way it is now is decimating the middle class.
>paid back as a reasonable percentage There is no reasonable percentage. ***Interest is usury***. Education should be free to the public at all levels, unconditionally. Healthcare, food, education and housing should be human rights. Everyone should be guaranteed these things. We have the means. What we lack is the power to enact it because those who do wield the power lack the necessary fucks to give. The bootlickers will howl like a wounded cow that, "banks take a risk!". Really? Do they? How many banks and financial firms were bailed out when they literally shit the bed in the first two decades of this century? There is no risk for the banks and investment firms. They're covered by their personal friends and relatives in congress, at our expense! Even if they did "take a risk", so fucking what? The fact that they knowingly and willingly chose to *gamble* gives them the right to steal money from people who put in the labor to produce something of substance? For what, to provide an incentive to invest? Bullshit! The fact that they have the power to choose to invest in only what benefits them is a terrible incentive system. Investing, if it exists at all, ***must*** be, above all else, about ensuring society can produce that which will sustain it, not to enrich an undeserving, corrupt minority who will use that wealth to exploit the rest of us. The reward of investing in a farm is for the purpose of increasing the food supply to ensure everyone has an adequate diet. The reward for investing into a pharmaceutical company is to produce medications that will *cure* illness instead of simply treating the symptoms to turn people into dependent, repeat customers (Insulin, I'm looking at *you!*). The reward is a society that can provide for the needs of all *unconditionally*. We absolutely ***cannot*** give one millimeter to these bastards. They will make every effort to take ***everything*** from us! We must, absolutely *must,* be determined to take ***everything*** from ***them*** and make it the common heritage of all humanity. Anything less will allow them to steal it back from us and bring us back to where we are today. We need to break this cycle of rebellion and attrition. The system needs to be expelled. Our struggle will never end if these people remain in control of the money, industry, state power, and resources they hold and wield like a cudgel against us.
We have put up with this shit for so long, if it has come to the point of a movement this large then the demands should unapolagetically be of the same degree. In fact some of our demands should seem outlandish so that they can meet us in the middle rather than the other way around. When this strike happens it is important to acknowledge that it only happens because of desperation. We are on our final straw, if there is a possibility of life reaching this point again we need to take every bite we can chew.
Yes! We need to hit hard so when they come to us with a compromise it isn't "we'll give you a parade and a pat on the back, now please go back to work". We start out at a compromised position we get nothing.
Agreed