[biztech-discussion] A proposal
- From: Bruce Hartford <bruceh@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: biztech-discussion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 10:21:06 -0700
While I certainly agree with Tom regarding the self-evident justice
and legitimacy of the moral and community issues and arguments he puts
forward, the sad fact is that they are the same issues and arguments
that labor has been using for years to no effect. They have failed to
move politicians, they have failed to garner widespread public
support, and they have even failed amongst the directly affected
constituencies (as witnessed by the quotes from freelance techwriters
I appended to my previous posting). Someday in the future when the NWU
and labor in general is stronger, and the political climate is better,
we might be able to win on those issues, but that time is not now.
Sometimes it is good and healthy for a union to fight the good fight
for a morally correct but impossible-to-win-at-this-time position. But
for the past many years the NWU has focused its efforts ONLY on trying
to win the un-winnable. Yes, freelance creators deserve collective
bargaining rights, but we are not strong enough to achieve that at the
present time and it was disingenuous to tell our members otherwise.
Yes, AOL-Time Warner's All Rights contracts are an abomination, but
given the actual realities that campaign used scarce resources to tilt
at an un-winnable windmill. To rebuild the NWU we now have to take on
campaigns in which we have at least a tiny prayer of achieving some
actual concrete success.
As you know, I believe that attacking offshoring from the national
security perspective provides the highest chance of success. But, --
facing reality, -- it is clear to me that as Mike so succinctly stated
that approach "creeps people out." Okay, I accept that. So let's focus
on one or two concrete issues that NWU activists will support and that
have some (slight) chance of achieving some success in chipping away
at the "globalization/offshoring-is-good-for-everyone" ideologic tidal
wave.
Let me propose that we focus on two of the issues that Al outlined in
his memo of 4/25:
1. Government subsidies and tax credits that reward the offshoring of
jobs.
2. Personal data privacy. Making it illegal to offshore personal
medical and financial data.
This year's election gives us an excellent opportunity to raise these
issues in an effective way. So I suggest we do something like the
following:
May & June. Research the hell out of the selected issues. Assemble the
facts, figures, background, etc. At the end of June publish both a
succinct summary of each issue, and an in depth "white paper" (both
website and hard-copy). The white paper to provide activists with the
info they need, the summary for wide public distribution. Also
research if there is any existing legislative proposals we want to
support, and if not, draft some proposed legislative language of our
own (as we did in the successful freelance-writer tax fight here in
California a few years ago).
July-August. Circulate petitions among our members, writers, and the
high-tech communities in support of the issues in general and specific
concrete legislative remedies. Use this as an organizing-recruiting
opportunity. Obtain support from, and work with, other organizations
and unions. Focus on key states and those Congressional Districts
where we have significant membership numbers.
September-Early October. Have local NWU members meet with and
personally present the petitions to Congressional and Senatorial
candidates. Have national NWU leadership meet with the Kerry campaign
(and other campaigns if appropriate). Ask for specific commitments to
support existing legislation (if any) or our draft legislation. Tell
all the candidates we will be publishing to our constituencies their
stand on these two specific issues. The goal is to obtain commitments
to sponsor our legislation.
Late October. Publish to our members and our broader constituencies
the results of our meetings with candidates. Use the web and email
bursts ("forward this to all your...").
Post November. Begin systematic lobbying by local NWU members to push
legislative remedies to our two issues.
--bruce
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