On Strike

So here I am, at home on the 7 Mar 2006, on strike action.

Why am I on strike? This question has to be separated into 2 parts. Why I am in the union and why I am on strike. Only the first need to be answered because the second is merely fulfilling my duties as a union member.

Why I am in the union.

The easiest answer of course is to say – I am female, minority race and foreign worker. Statistically, I run the highest probability of being victimized.

The true answer is more complicated. After all, I grew up in a very entrepreneurial environment. My family is in business, and very capitalistic in orientation. Our family money is made on the belief that there is no free lunch, and will give none either.

The truth of the matter is that the more I do research in business, and in the market economy, the more I am inclined to see the power imbalance in favour of self-interested opportunistic firms and organizations. This is not to say that I believe in ‘the evil’ firm but rather, that the current market system, and the capitalistic model we subscribe to does not give a platform to allow for kindness, compassion and understanding. That means that businesses are without a 'soul'. Some would argue that this is what businesses should be. I disagree. I believe that businesses have been conditioned into not having a soul, because the environment preaches that having a ‘soul’ is a weakness not to be tolerated, and that having a ‘soul’ is somehow irrational. I am in the union because I believe, fundamentally, that the union serves as a critique of the large organization. A reminder that underneath all that profit and drive are people and it is people that should matter in the end. I don’t believe that one should subject employees to improper treatment, in the name of productivity, efficiency and rationality. My purpose as a union member is to tilt the power so that there is a better balance. However, I am equally not convinced that power should belong to the unions – I only wish for one to inform and critique the other. It is therefore balance that I seek (yes, I am a centrist).

So would I welcome a union if I were the CEO of an organization? Yes. If it serves to remind me (and my managers) of what my firm should value. And in some way, gives me a 'rational' reason to be human ('we've got to keep the union happy' excuse). Sad, but that's the way it is. I think the organization has an accountability to both sharedholders (profit) and employees (pay). The world today is unfortunately very much tilted towards shareholders. Call this logic of mine an ideology of 'enlightened capitalism' if you wish. It's what I believe in.

Odd that I have to examine what I believe in this way. One thing I am always fascinated with, when I’m in the UK, is how the surroundings and the circumstances constantly makes you evaluate your principles, your values and your identity. In so many things that we do, we have to examine our conscience, and the need to be honest, to stay honest, and true to ourselves.