Gomperism

The essence of Sam Gompers politics, the President of the American Federation of Labour, was reward your friends and punish your enemies.

In Alberta the politically backward trades unions, those business unions who are chartered by the American AFL, have revived this dictum for the upcoming Tory leadership race. Traditionally the building trades membership, craft unions, have supported the Liberals in Alberta politics. Several sitting Liberal MLA's are members of the Building Trades unions.

Today they have moved to support aTory right winger who has fought the unionized public sector in this province.

Union Oberg backers buying Conservative memberships

Tactics anger Dinning leadership campaign, labour federation

The Alberta Building Trades Council, an umbrella group that includes 22 local unions, apparently plans to buy as many as 10,000 Tory memberships from the Oberg campaign to give away to its members, allowing each of them to vote for the party's new leader.

A separate union, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, is giving away Tory memberships to its members as well as their families and friends. The only condition is that they support Oberg.

Typical of craft unions whose only interest is self interest, I got mine Jack. In this case as a former infrastructure minister Oberg is promising lots of construction jobs. The fact that he attacks public sector unions shows there is not solidarity in the house of labour in Alberta. Its each for their own. As AUPE proved successfully under former President Dan McLellan. He would approve this move.

The teachers union the ATA is also encouraging its members to flood the Tories with memberships.

Frank Bruseker, head of the Alberta Teachers Association
and a former Liberal MLA, has a PC membership card
and is urging his 33,000 members to buy one, too.

All aboard the gravy train. The reality is that of course this is the real election in Alberta since in a one party state the leadership race is the only time we get to choose our new leader. So shell out your five bucks and vote for our next Glorious Leader. But don't think that will save you from being screwed by the notorious anti-union government of Alberta.


See:

This is Class War

Unions

Alberta Democracy Tory Style

Alberta Lowers Voting Age

Alberta

One Party State

Klein

Democratic Deficit

Mormonism Cult of the Political Right

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