YEE Ha
What more democracy in unions? Hell there is very little now, a little will seem like a million dollars.
Go Buzz, Go
aboutunions
Hargrove calls for more democracy in unions
Hargrove calls for more democracy in unions
Responding to criticism from departing NDP leader Alexa McDonough, CAW President Buzz Hargrove fired back today stating that while he has been critical of the NDP's policies in recent years, he has never attacked her personally. According to a report in today's National Post Hargrove, who is in Vancouver attending the Canadian Labour Congress convention, put the focus on what he believes are the real issues confronting organized labour, including the need for more democracy in unions.
She said I attacked her personally. I defy anyone, anywhere to see where I've done that. It's not my style. I stick with criticizing ideas and the facts," Mr. Hargrove said. "There has to be more democracy in labour unions and more respect for different views within the [socialist] movement. Our party was built on open debate, tough debate ... It's only in the last few years under Ms. McDonough's leadership that raising an issue means you are the enemy.
The CLCers are giving Buzz the bizness 
:
Labour opts to stand behind NDP
quote:
By ROBERT MATAS
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Tuesday, June 11 – Online Edition, Posted at 9:45 PM EST
Vancouver - Labour leader Buzz Hargrove was booed and openly ridiculed at the Canadian Labour Congress convention Tuesday as unions from across the country closed ranks to show their solidarity with the New Democratic Party.
With only a handful of dissenters, more than 2,000 delegates to the CLC convention in Vancouver reaffirmed the labour movement's commitment to be involved in NDP decision-making bodies and contribute two cents per member to federal NDP election campaigns and continuing political work.
Their endorsement came after Bob Desjarlais, of the United Steelworkers of America in Thompson, Man., received a standing ovation for a thinly veiled attack against Mr. Hargrove, the president of the Canadian Auto Workers, for openly criticizing the NDP leadership. Earlier in the convention, Mr. Hargrove was loudly booed when he rose to speak about internal union business.
Confronting the obvious, Mr. Hargrove in the end also supported the proposed position paper on political activism that set out the labour movement's relationship with the NDP.
He called for "like-minded people" to become active in the NDP leadership campaign and to "truly build a party of the left." He also urged CLC delegates not to allow those "who silence debate" to destroy the labour movement.
In a brief interview outside the meeting room, Mr. Hargrove said CLC's endorsement of the NDP reflected the views of the union leadership, not their members.
"I'm trying to challenge people's thinking. If something is not working, we should try to fix it," he said.
"Only 13 per cent of CLC members are affiliated with the NDP, through their unions. The vast majority of the people in that room, their local unions are not affiliated to the party. But [the leadership] still want to maintain the link, for whatever reason. It just escapes me."
Last week, Mr. Hargrove criticized New Democrats who embrace a middle-of-the-road, business-friendly ideology. He urged the party to be "the voice of poor and working Canadians" and lead a struggle against those who exploit them.
"There is not a single union in Canada that can claim a mandate from its rank-and-file members for continued financial and political support for the NDP," he said.
"The labour movement and the party will both be better off if we call an end to this fiction and replace it with efforts to involve rank-and-file union members in more genuine and democratic forms of political action."
The CLC delegates, however, endorsed recommendations from the NDP that called for changes in how things are done without altering the basic relationship.
Each affiliate will continue to determine the kind of partisan political activism that best suits its members. They also approved measures such as forging strong ties with social movements and developing new approaches to building political support at the riding association level.
"The key to our political success is to keep the pressure on federal and provincial legislators by demonstrating widespread membership support. This includes a presence of a viable political alternative which voters are willing to support," the members decided.
New Democrat Bill Blaikie, who is considering a run for the party leadership, said in an interview at the convention that the relationship between the labour movement and the NDP is not as weak as some people make it out to be.
Mr. Hargrove has been speaking only for his union and not the labour movement, he added.
Yvon Godin, NDP member for Acadie-Bathurst, said he anticipated the relationship between his party and the CLC will be strengthened, with the labour movement looking for ways to have more of its members support the NDP and run as candidates.
Mr. Godin, a former president of a United Steelworkers of America mining union local, said in an interview that the majority of unionists realize the NDP has to fight for "ordinary people."
What a bunch of CLC sh$$heads. They got one chance to pull the NDP out of the toilet and what do they do? Flussssssssh They boo him. 
How long does it take to figure out without someone trustworthy in top spot, no-one will vote left again, they'd rather hang with the right who at least practise solidarity in public. 
The right must be peeing their pants watching the left tussle over their table scraps.
I am so embarrassed to be left. 
I've said it over and over again. The only way we will get true democracy in our unions is to make sure that the rank and file membership has the tools to enforce the rights they already have. This can only be done, in my humble opinion, if we force the government to give us a forum where we can take our complaints without having to have a large enough bank account to hire a lawyer.
I have been trying to get an appointment with my MPP for a year now. This time I kept phoning until they gave me one. My MPP is now the Minister of Labour for Ontario and I guess he knew from the last two meetings that I had with him, what the issue would be!
I'm going in on Friday for another whack.
Before he was the Minister, he told me that he didn't think the then Minister of Labour would do much for our cause. I wonder what his line will be this time? He has already agreed that union members are sick of the treatment they receive from the paid officials.
We have to keep pushing for a Canadian LMRDA.
Get thee to thy MPP's office brothers!
One of the headers on the home page says it all:
quote:
Liberty of thought means liberty to communicate one's thought. Salvador de Madariaga
It seems as if Buzz can say anything we wants as long as no one hears it.
What's interesting is the vast majority of those attending the Convention are first timers. They do what they are told and follow what they see. They hate because they are told to hate. Buzz is bad because they are told that Buzz is bad.
It's a really good example of thought control in "democratic" organizations. This is how the umbrella orgs nurture a new generation of followers. I think the behaviour of the union officials who are telling Buzz to put up or shut up is deplorable. Are they completely oblivious to the messages they're sending to the public about what mainstream labour is really all about?
quote:
It's a really good example of thought control in "democratic" organizations. This is how the umbrella orgs nurture a new generation of followers.
People get caught in the frenzy alright. They applaud because the masses applaud, they follow 'cause the masses followed. It's a sad fact.
A light at the end of this dismal fact is, once out of that environment it's possible one or two will reflect and compare what they know with what they were told and it won't add up.
Convention frenzies are a great tool for creating dissention.
quote:
Convention frenzies are a great tool for creating dissention.
You are so correct! These financially bloated conventions are beginning to fall into the category of (Give em' enough rope, and they'll hang themselves.)
Pack mentality What's wrong with people when they blindly follow without giving their actions a second thought? Management thinks of workers as mindless monkeys, children that need to be told what to do every second of the day. When I hear about the conduct of workers at the CLC convention I have a very hard time not thinking their right. 