Re: Justice for sale - Police scramble to sell out to busine : Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:36 pm
Dally has a point when he says the labour movement needs to re-invent itself. For years it has been but a pale shadow of the social behemoth that took the battle, literally and figuratively, to big capital over a century ago and won. That said, we mustn't ignore the colossal forces arrayed against labour today and the near absolute power they wield. Take the media, for instance. Regardless of how weak labour is today in comparison to yesteryear it would be entirely wrong to say it is insignificant. Added together the total number of unionised employees in Britain is considerable. Yet it seems the only column inches/time slots afforded to labour in the newspapers or on the tv/radio exist to cover some "hardliner" conspiring with workers to make wholly unreasonable demands of employers - the loyalty, ethics, morals etc. of which are never questioned. Why are unions airbrushed from existence when all manner of fringe groups - such as the BNP, EDL - even the LibDems etc. are granted endless column inches?
When was the last time ANYONE saw a programme on mainstream TV which didn't lampoon, marginalise and/or vilify unions or union members? Which TV programs - fact or fiction - over the last twenty years have celebrated the achievements of unions - the bitter campaigns against corporate thugs, the bravery of its members etc.?