It used to be that when one group of workers were being targeted by company owners, other workers would stand in solidarity with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
If a local of one union would strike, for example, locals of other unions would join them on that picket line or even participate in their own work action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the Russian Revolution, dock workers in Western Europe went on strike in solidarity with Russian workers and to discourage their respective states from intervening in the revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That doesn\u2019t happen anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a union local goes on strike, that\u2019s it. No support from other locals. No support from non-unionized workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If young workers are paid a lower wage than older workers or workers who serve alcohol have lower wages, other workers are silent. Alberta recently debated the implementation of a lower wage for young workers, and there was nothing. Unions were silent. No massive protests in the streets by labour. Nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s not just a local issue. Workers everywhere are affected by labour struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When populist politicians promise nationalist approaches to job creation, they affect jobs globally and domestically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The economic systems of each country are interconnected. A car built in Canada can be made with parts from all over the world, and those parts can be made from raw materials from even other parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a politician slaps tariffs on Chinese steel, for example, it\u2019s not just affecting the retail price at the local Steel R Us big box store. That steel is integrated into so many so-called \u201cAmerican-made\u201d products, that vast numbers of products are affected. Products that are built by local labour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Actually, Chinese steel is a good example of the problem. Americans see it as a problem because it\u2019s cheaper, which undercuts the price of American made steel. And it\u2019s cheaper because labour is China is cheaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But that\u2019s kind of the point. If you\u2019re worried about Chinese steel undercutting American steel, don\u2019t get mad at Chinese workers, advocate for them. If you\u2019re worried about American companies moving textile jobs to Bangladesh, don\u2019t get mad at Bangladeshi workers, advocate for them. If you\u2019re worried about American call centre jobs moving to the Philippines, don\u2019t get mad at Filipino workers, advocate for them. If you\u2019re worried about American autoworker jobs moving to Mexico, don\u2019t get mad at Mexican workers, advocate for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If American (or Canadian) companies are shipping your jobs overseas, it\u2019s because they can pay overseas workers less than they have to pay you. But if they had to pay them as much as they pay you, there\u2019d be no incentive to ship your jobs elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Workers aren\u2019t the problem; capitalism is. Capitalism exploits workers. It pays workers the least amount possible and expends them when they become too expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if you think consumer prices will increase, you might be right. But guess who\u2019s to blame for that? If you guessed \u201ccapitalism\u201d, you\u2019re right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consumer prices are kept low so they can keep wages low. If the cost of living doesn\u2019t increase, workers won\u2019t demand higher wages. But even if retail prices are kept low, how are corporations still posting profits? There\u2019s only one way to create profit if your revenue doesn\u2019t increase: lowering expenses. And cutting costs virtually always includes labour costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if companies are making profit, then they\u2019re not paying workers enough. Profits are what\u2019s left over after paying for all your expenses, including labour. Nike, for example, posted nearly $2 billion in profit in 2018. That\u2019s enough to pay every employee another $23,000 ever year, more if you don\u2019t include executive or management positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Workers aren\u2019t the problem. Capitalism is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s about time workers everywhere banded together. Because an injury to one is an injury to all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n