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Topic: Topic: Scabbing
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bagkitty
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15443
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posted 26 September 2008 03:56 PM
I like the classics: quote:
"After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire, he had some awful substance left with which he made a scab.""A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a water brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles." "When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and angels weep in heaven, and the devil shuts the gates of hell to keep him out." "No man has a right to scab so long as there is a pool of water to drown his carcass in, or a rope long enough to hang his body with. Judas was a gentleman compared with a scab. For betraying his master, he had character enough to hang himself." A scab has not. "Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Judas sold his Savior for thirty pieces of silver. Benedict Arnold sold his country for a promise of a commission in the British army." The scab sells his birthright, country, his wife, his children and his fellowmen for an unfulfilled promise from his employer. Esau was a traitor to himself; Judas was a traitor to his God; Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country; a scab is a traitor to his God, his country, his family and his class." Author - Jack London (1876-1916)
From: Calgary | Registered: Aug 2008
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unionist
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 11323
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posted 02 October 2008 09:36 AM
I also don't believe that workers who cross picket lines while their comrades are on strike should be dehumanized. I do, however, believe that they should be stopped.If they're starving or facing eviction, and can't survive on strike pay until the strike is over, they should picket until they find another job. Preferably a non-union job. That way, they'll only starve and freeze when the boss kicks them out. Here in Québec, we've solved the problem by banning scabs from working during a legal strike or lockout. Funny... haven't heard about workers starving or freezing in the past 30 years... [ 02 October 2008: Message edited by: unionist ]
From: Vote QS! | Registered: Dec 2005
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Polunatic2
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12238
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posted 05 October 2008 07:03 AM
quote: In any work stoppage, some will feel more desperate than others. What about the single parent facing eviction, or who is out of food?
Having been on strike twice, I can say that for every scab who claims hardship, there is a striker in even more desperate straights. In our situation, our employer (Mike Harris), encouraged our own members to cross the picket line and come to work (as opposed to outside replacement workers). It was the nastiest thing I have experienced in my work life. More than 10 years later, there's still poisoned work environments. Having said that, beginning bargaining with a divided workplace is not optimal. We have made efforts to "rehabilitate" former scabs by offering them "amnesty" if they actively picketed in the next strike. That was effective for a number of former members (we kicked most of them out of the union after the first strike). So I would agree that in some circumstances, it doesn't help to totally demonize people.
From: Toronto | Registered: Mar 2006
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