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are back on the excerpts and now joining us stuart ego
uh... he's the director of career as a political c_i_o_
and uh... that is your labor
it's the does indeed
for a long time as you might be able to have a look and haven't pattaya
uh... sql play need you to use drugs prospective headed come but i've been an
organizer for about thirty two years now no i don't know what did you reach that
i've had a hard time hydro throughout seller
no-man's and other kinds of trucks and uh...
i did just that every kind of job that he could do on one point or another in
my life eugene like or dislike the diner food
distressed asset
on a life through the process concert now death
isn't as if i'm not at all
the third year insists that he's the man connelly at the earliest
really should wait until i got like the right but you know i i'd probably did it
first but by the time you've been
over the road for six weeks at a time
and then you're watching a closing thought stops initial reports on
and you're sleeping in there
in the sleeper of the cabot uh...
everything itself
addresses slightly disastrous identity that it is indeed especially in the
summertime himself
of countries more christian knows what back in the seventies gap that was in
the late seventies seventy right around okay
all right now
you've been of course it organizer for all this time
honey let's bring you down the basics how do you do that any new you go into a
town
and you can't get rafts law clerk
guys emily was organizing a lot of the state well i think that it know it uh...
it starts where
his finding people who want to make a change in their lives and perfectly
change in our work lives
and it starts five finding
the folks who other people listen to on the job done
and building a committee of leaders
and teaching people how to work collectively something we forgot men
america in the age of uh...
back in the age of the individual but organizing is basically about
teaching people how to work
with each other
and had a lift everybody up at the same time
yeltsin firmly corporate media tells us to do it
now but push in anybody's side not the climate over anybody's that
buckets in the bosses to direct anybody out
but health and everybody lara
how they can lift one another up in the family sought but all at the same time
i think
uh... you know obviously i'm biased but
i think it's one of the highest ah... forms of human endeavor
because it's it's about using the social nature of our species to improve the
lives of all apart everybody around this but you know what let me challenge i
don't think so it is a key one of the things that the
about what people don't you use
is if you don't joining the near is pressure
and there is
consequences right i did the reason why you'd want to do that but he also hinted
that was a *** turn-off across america and no i i would take issue with
your question i don't think
their is consequences
uh... i i think that fair
candy peer pressure
to join just like in that the other setting
but there are there aren't
consequences that i don't know why i'm not any it larry
somebody's really chosen a major are better prepared a
right at at at at at a minimum of the progression in the light
uh... for your job for example harmony
i think i mean after right okay
that if you were in a nineteen sharpening do you mean doesn't want to
be back in a union shop
is those cattle rules for example and n enacted after some people practicing
where their word
uh... absolutely and uh...
and i i i can totally understand uh... your point there uh...
and i think that's one of the things that
as we involved
with the work force and campaign with
uh... today's work environment we need to revisit
here's my central thesis
on why do you use have
lost lost a large percentage of the
we report
the dissolution fee are
because now
politically you get you know for the last sp thirty years you've been getting
crushed again i'm just
call it like a sacrament
and it's fairly out straight now you're on the resurgence
but the reason for that was insisted you have politicians who who were
republicans and one
uh... it would democrats came to power they didn't really
deliver a lot of times in one ninety two that's right because this is at public
sentiment
that the unions are somehow
that for the economy bad for the country so that the other side has won the p_r_
battle
so how do you
reversed that i think we're we're doing that now i mean
the three scenarios that no last two years we've had the largest growth with
and generation
reporting better
then we have since we started polling twenty five years ago
uh... and i think that we're polling as well as we are because people want a
counterweight to corporate power
the people understand in america the corporate powers that way out of control
a out again
and people want a counterweight they look around for
who can counter corporate power and then and the number one
uh... candidate for that is the labor movement you know
i think that we did go through a time
when we lost the p_r_ battle but i think that time is behind us and in fact
where that their demographic that were most popular with the age demographic
is the uh... nineteen to thirty year olds uh...
and that has a again a lot to do with us
trying to access the blogs here and work at that
trying that uh... be available and excessive all too
all kinds of media uh... it's you know it's great to be on your show for
instance i'm doing
v_-twenty introduced uh...
this week bob dole is a national treasure question on that and it is with
that sounds encouraging or trying to dig up he's director of organized for their
trust you and i would say moment ruthlessly yes next question
positive people
locate what the unions did in the
obama campaign
and who had the hard
conversations in white working-class communities about race and class in the
future of the country
and who's gonna control your lives
who really challenged people
on
their feelings of discrimination are racism in a way that they had been
challenge before
it was it was
the union's and those were hard
places like pennsylvania indiana ohio
those were hard difficult conversations uh...
that could
that
absent those i don't think obama could award
what you know addy
totally agree with you and i saw a fantasy and anxious i'd feel bad that i
forgot who was myself and pasok speech
before the election rich trumka richard trumka necessary treasured a_f_l_c_i_o_
as i stated gracie shot only one bad reason not to vote for perot obama right
nowak agrees right
right and it was fantastic and we did that that that repeated
thousands of ta
incident in different ways in different
forums in there
smaller venues people's households expect the worst side you know
yeah probably made a similar speech
thousand pounds myself right
the problem because i see it on beaches
you know as we always a completely honest with you guys are in terms of hot
public perception in for my point of view zero
is that
when the democrats win and you guys do a fantastic job of backing democrats was
cuba replicate that that's what happens threat
andy field they pulled into but they always slide that's where you over
the reason is the u_n_ peacekeepers for them turn around and go
c we didn't do what he is one of her we're at work you know we're not
partisan bipartisan
he said that they were really moderate pata
in a sense of the everytime
does it go to move seems really fantastic
rectified and then it makes me think that you're spending your money in the
wrong place right well i can sing out how you would think that i i think it's
much different
president bomb in his administration look he's moving on
one the priorities that people voted for which also happen to be our priorities
delhi universal comprehensive health care
uh... changing the rules on trade
you're creating an industrial policy
moving to agreement on a main
and restoring the freedom of workers to form unions and bargain collectively
so i i i you know
as they can in the past sometimes we'd works hard in the election
and maybe we didn't have
they completed gender this time we have a complete agenda
uh... everybody understands what it is
uh... we got uh...
sign off on the agenda before the election and
uh... if you
diffuse see what's happening both in the administration in the house and senate
what uh... speaker pelosi is doing in the house and will be restored in the in
the senate
you see that they're focused on economic issues which by the way champ
is how democrats weren't is by focusing on
kitchen table economic issues that affect
average americans
i really believe and believe this
in the depths of my being
at this time
democrats have to produce real change
change that changes the quality of people's lives
change that changes the quality of kids' futures and and that means so that every
american has health care that means it
for creating good jobs instead of just had job to catch up after bad job
and he's gone back to
an economy where people work are forty hours a week
again
and can't aspire to raise their kids in the dignity of the middle class
i think that president promise on that program with the story
destroy your listeners
and so is the vast majority were completed
i'd hear you on that day for you guys on the right regularly in the wrong
many suggest to p_r_ campaign subject her to take
they're gonna buy used to write
uh... if you're looking at this all fifty four year old bald guy group
obviously don't know a lot of f_d_r_ but glad that i had a little bit that you
know he has a pretty savvy theft so uh... stronger together
as if he missed
for strength
or castle along took event number two together work together right
soliciting painted as you know
were to split up the workers and you're on the side you're on that side in
letter was stronger to your exactly right who it is accurate number two is
uh...
who before you come to me
how we push dismissed too late
is solicited isn't having just gone
when there's a debate as to what to do with the
labor guy you know for example the genome of workers a chrysler workers
the spots is not what you want is a mess everything up
asu to come on
uh... how do you get those guys on and number two should be just flat out wrong
per month
well we are running commercials in support of the employee free choice act
where
herb weary and we intend to spend it
uh...
several million dollars star running commercials his foreign policy choice
act
we don't ronan positioning
or feel good commercials i mean we're on a commercial
it's got case-specific strategic point
this welfare state
because this is people's smugmug
this is the these are
these are paid by by to start but i hear you but you know this value in building
a prayer
estos white coat does it i mean probe is what a waste money just like his little
waste money they believe that the issue could return
for a great into built and the bread for example is stronger together correct
right usurp and have for the email and i would be for them to you by the way
right for you
the and that's a that is a very good point
are what are you
that when we split up
the funds that are excessive both of us
you know we have to prioritize
real strategic war
election work organizing work
policy work
that again
is aimed at changing the quality people's live
and in fact ac
you know right now
the best commercial for the labor movement in in
in the united states is president mama
talking about unions and which he's done openly and
honestly in very positively
most before the election and after the election
but you're right there's a lot of things we could do better there's no there's no
question about that
and and in one is
uh...
appealing to people better with were constantly
searching for
stop staring at her naval and
and the externally focused uh...
and and we do that and perfectly but uh... it is a priority for us
and i want to come back to have it a plea issue
effects employee free choice act in one question but let me just
but overall moment
discipline is that your question
you know i've been on so i won't boxes officer inviting and they'd been and
about their own flocks uh...
ten times as the democratic convention uh... done
story there is an alaska airlines from cnbc
and sometimes interviews on fox a very hostile
uh... it's much better have a hostile interview
and be able to make your point even if if you have to have sharp elbows to get
to a your point made
then it is to see
that airtime to to just a negative
perception right so we uh...
we we actively seek interviews and we need
take interviews false or not
and uh... are appreciative of the opportunity to talk to the people of the
country abuse that's happening ok so that was good to have an employee
the distance
effect simply creatures that because was
when you talk about that specific issue
i think you know you have good points you know they're gonna make counterpoint
since and i get all that but this is the reason i bring up
this foundation is because they feel that you win or lose
based on the foundation
this by the time you get to the specific issue people have said in their minds
either jesse would help the lean towards the union at this point
it in the countries you know
or did
now you know what it's like and how that's going to hurt right issue out of
this error that now so that that informs how do how they think of employee free
website is there that recognition within the union will absolutely lowell
absolutely
uh...
we need to have worked very hard to at
canceling and antiquated
uh... outdated image of unions uh... and we've worked very hard
at uh...
making sure people understand that this is there
unions push for the issues are that positively affect the majority of
americans so
who stopped the privatization of social security well
a lot of people but the foundation of it was a leiberman
is who has been
the most outspoken
on promoting universal comprehensive health care
the labor movement hamas
uh...
did as much as they could to stop
bushes domestic agenda
the labor movement
who for the first time
hand and it's just really
took a position against award
uh... on foreign soil they are still scenario came out against them in the
invasion of iraq
and then after the invasion came out against
ed
you know that their continued war in the occupational
so we're rear who'd
the labor movement has always seen itself in this country and every other
country
as the voice for average workers whether they were union members are not
and hands the engine
of the movement for social and economic justice it sounds like you told me this
we're for you
we are for you
okay
uh... i twelve well you know i was in the employment
because you have 'cause then you're not brother you know my sister
your math aunt earmarked alkyl
you know went by
locate union members icy america i mean rick honest-to-goodness you know we
represent about
there thirteen percent ansari fifteen percent for the american work force
all altogether there's no other institution that represents fifteen
percent of the average american
we represent
gun owners
we had represent pro-choice to represent pro-life represent
every spectrum of the other public
every part of the political spectrum
but we focus on
those issues that affect
the economic quality people's lives
like and
one one last piece of business advice for me now and i know this is how to
enjoy this conversation okay
the is abundant
okay thank you
and that's important in american
mentality black to pieces
so eternal liberal into a uh...
about work
they turned union into about
predicate their conservative media kit fact and corporations that
if you let people know hey you know what
the corporation spent a lot of money to turned union into a dirty word
because we were trying to look out for you
nyserda underground is the way i say that because i think a lot
we exist approach down wealth and power
from those who have too much to those who have too little
and in in the corporate funded medium were always going to be unpopular for
that reason
but understand
adsense this counterweight for corporate power
john mccain as president
uh...
tom delay as speaker the house
uh... and mitch mcconnell is run in the senate so soldiers here benefit benefit
value
technet
we don't have a minimum wage reckoned he you know my bottom line down the stairs
i think that
as with all things is a spectrum
sometimes things lean-to for the ride sometime soon for the left in any
country including this country right
and sometimes it might be in any country that you lean
that you use have too much power to little i'd and i think it's in arguable
at this point of view years
lakewood that country could be helped by the year is having a little bit more
perhaps a little right at seven might become a day with you guys have to watch
from right we're not near that nightmare that day and rapid mass did not know
that that's why
immigrant regardless of the eight deaths the details of employee free choice act
i feel like we need to put a farm on the scale in favor of the union's at this
time magazine
innovate let me
let me tell you what's really at stake here
in part because he or listeners are in the car and parking close to your
treatments
if we don't change america right now in very fundamental words my generation
fifty four years old
will be the first generation in history of this country
believer cake kids and grandkids with all this talk to us
has across ethnic lines across gender lines s cross regional lines
the history of america from the beginning from the colonies has been the
struggle to leave each succeeding generations
better off
uh... and we are and
uh... if the if we have made the change we have made in
impelled
last november
we would have been a first generation to leave the succeeding generations were
solved
so that's what's at stake
that's really what's the story
in whose interest is this economy going to work
we now know that
we now have
proof positive thirty years of failed trickle-down economics if you leave
though
wealth and money at the top of stays at the top
does it trickle-down
it might take hold down but it does it take over it
uh...
and back if we're going to this country out of the case that it's in mail
we have to give workers the ability bargain collectively with their
employers
for greater share of the wealthy reproduce the return
yeahh registers
you know i'm activities at the right now but it didn't work
topped one hundred company c_e_o_s just did
forty five to one
type of the average employee which is a healthy difference forty-five wife but
now it's in the ballpark it wasn't for hundreds of one i'd read somewhere
fifteen hundred or you know for design
depends on how they they measured by the activists for and conservatives for a
group of right
that's that's too much it's ridiculously fifteen by exceeds too much as a matter
of logic not as a matter of motion
i don't see it at all because hey you know what we should we get more right
active technically on the c_e_o_ of the interplay charlotte
so i thought that it's a matter of
wealthy fireman on the basis of the shareholder in that business very
i don't think it logically skin do the business and good for the c_e_o_ to get
that much more fun
uniting value out of that in fact he's going to want to cheat in his own
interests rather the core hello stella bo but i think i think i think that's
absolutely true that i thought right at this juncture in american history that's
why i do want to know if you will need a more standing statistic
richer listeners don't know
in the last thirty years
worker productivity in america's gonna pay seventy five percent
for twenty of those years wages are stagnant flap line
the last ten years wages have declined
average take-home pay today is less than it was in nineteen seventy three
median family wealth is less than it was in two thousand one
workers are slipping behind as we produce more and more wealth
it's just not right
sarah all rights to a cup director board as they are kelsey
simplicity decision there was a great conversation christian or it will be
right back
young turks