Summary
Democrats must reclaim their identity as the party of the working class to regain electoral strength.
Despite pro-labor policies under Biden, working-class voters feel disconnected, seeing Democrats as defenders of a failing system.
The party’s decline traces back to NAFTA and neoliberal economic policies that favored corporations over workers.
A generational effort to prioritize labor rights, fair wages, and economic security while addressing working-class frustrations are needed.
Without serious reform, Democrats will continue losing ground to populist alternatives.
Other countries manage to allow for rail workers to strike though. Why should the US government and not a court of law be able to evaluate whether limiting strikes is an appropriate measure for protecting the economy?
Take German as example. There’s this union:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gewerkschaft_Deutscher_Lokomotivführer
They are one of the only unions that is willing to actually fight in Germany and have achieved results exceeding those of significantly larger unions. Why shouldn’t they be permitted to strike? Strikes in Germany can be blocked by labor courts if they cause too much economic damage by the way.
Also, as a sidenote:
Aren’t you doing something right when you get an actually decent song praising you shown on - and created by - a publicly founded TV channel?
The song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2fVMSKfI7E English translation by me: https://pastebin.com/c3YXtpGN
Further context: The song was uploaded shortly before the 2023/2024 strikes were announced by the union. Claus Weselsky, the union leader since 2008, retired after the union got its demands fulfilled.
Other countries’ systems aren’t directly comparable to the U.S., where federalism complicates labor law uniformity. Germany’s co-determination model works within its unique legal and economic framework, but applying it to the U.S. ignores vast structural differences. Rail strikes in the U.S. directly impact interstate commerce, which federal law prioritizes above all else.
GDL’s success stems from Germany’s specific labor environment, where unions negotiate under different constraints. In the U.S., rail unions face systemic hurdles like the Railway Labor Act, designed to limit disruptions. Comparing outcomes without acknowledging these disparities oversimplifies the issue.
Finally, your sidetrack about a song and TV production is irrelevant to the discussion of labor rights. Focus on substance instead of tangential anecdotes.
A mix of effort and relevance but flawed arguments and diversions.
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