this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2023
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Work Reform

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[–] nikt@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Keep in mind most of that machinery nowadays is made by workers elsewhere in the world, primarily in China, where the union membership rate is something like 45%.

[–] Omniraptor@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

If workers rights in China improve capital may simply move on to idk Mexico, India, lots of places with cheaply exploitable labor and pliable governments.

[–] nikt@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The majority of those unionized employees in China belong to government-controlled unions. The Chinese government has the last word on all this, and the employees’ “rights” are ultimately subject to the CCPs whims. Basically both the company and the union are ultimately controlled by the same entity.

It’s absurd, as it defeats the whole point of a union.

This is what eventually seems to happen under every attempt at communism that we’ve seen so far.

The majority of those unionized employees in China belong to government-controlled unions.

Source? For all three claims please.

Chinese government has the last word on all this

That is the thing with states, i.e. the USA, the state power enforces laws. Just as Max Weber's theories go.

However in the USA it often seems that corporations and economic elites do have quite a say in things that are related to doing away with employee laws, without many push-back.

Anyhow, are you in a union? Make your friends get into unions. However if you do you have to be willing to strike, willing to be internationalists and willing to organize. Try to achieve 45% union membership rate within your company and the subcontractors working with you.

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