Erik Loomis

But in fact, GM was fine with the cops destroying their own facility. They want to do anything to keep that union from forming. So you have men inside and then you have their... wives, sisters, daughters, mothers on the outside in what was called a ladies' auxiliary, providing support services, giving talks, making sure food got to these guys, etc.

But in fact, GM was fine with the cops destroying their own facility. They want to do anything to keep that union from forming. So you have men inside and then you have their... wives, sisters, daughters, mothers on the outside in what was called a ladies' auxiliary, providing support services, giving talks, making sure food got to these guys, etc.

And this begins to build a kind of community solidarity where people are coming out in support of the workers. And then one night GM, you know, tries to get the cops to come in and tear it up. And GM, you know, the workers inside start throwing stuff at the cops and the cops retreat. And this happens in front of everybody. And, you know, there was a lot of outrage.

And this begins to build a kind of community solidarity where people are coming out in support of the workers. And then one night GM, you know, tries to get the cops to come in and tear it up. And GM, you know, the workers inside start throwing stuff at the cops and the cops retreat. And this happens in front of everybody. And, you know, there was a lot of outrage.

But the critical thing that they did actually came the previous year. And this is an important point in terms of thinking about the relationships between unions and politics.

But the critical thing that they did actually came the previous year. And this is an important point in terms of thinking about the relationships between unions and politics.

The most important thing that workers require to win strikes is to neutralize what tends to be a frequent corporate political alliance, where the state supports the corporation in whatever is going to happen to bust that union. And workers in Michigan had elected a guy named Frank Murphy to be the governor. And Murphy had campaigned on never using state forces against the unions.

The most important thing that workers require to win strikes is to neutralize what tends to be a frequent corporate political alliance, where the state supports the corporation in whatever is going to happen to bust that union. And workers in Michigan had elected a guy named Frank Murphy to be the governor. And Murphy had campaigned on never using state forces against the unions.

And so GM is calling out Murphy to send in the National Guard. And Murphy, who's a very nervous guy, basically has an anxiety attack over this and disappears for a day or two. Cool. And then comes out and says, no, I'm going to stand up. We're not going to do that. And when Murphy refuses to send in the National Guard, General Motors gives up.

And so GM is calling out Murphy to send in the National Guard. And Murphy, who's a very nervous guy, basically has an anxiety attack over this and disappears for a day or two. Cool. And then comes out and says, no, I'm going to stand up. We're not going to do that. And when Murphy refuses to send in the National Guard, General Motors gives up.

And they sign a one-page document that is the first contract in auto worker history.

And they sign a one-page document that is the first contract in auto worker history.

The reality is people don't necessarily care what happens to workers very much. I mean, I think that's – if they don't see it, they don't necessarily think about it. But they do often care if they see it. I mean, basically you have janitors who were kind of at the forefront of a lot of the terrible work –

The reality is people don't necessarily care what happens to workers very much. I mean, I think that's – if they don't see it, they don't necessarily think about it. But they do often care if they see it. I mean, basically you have janitors who were kind of at the forefront of a lot of the terrible work –

situations that are now incredibly common, in this case, subcontracting, where basically the owners of these gigantic downtown office buildings were ending their direct employment of janitors and instead using subcontractors to bring in the janitors for much lower wages.

situations that are now incredibly common, in this case, subcontracting, where basically the owners of these gigantic downtown office buildings were ending their direct employment of janitors and instead using subcontractors to bring in the janitors for much lower wages.

And SEIU, Service Employees International Union, which today is one of the largest unions in the country, in part by organizing this kind of worker, is able to bring a lot of these workers together. A lot of them had escaped places like El Salvador and Honduras. So they're like fleeing right-wing paramilitary violence. And so they're not really that scared of the L.A.

And SEIU, Service Employees International Union, which today is one of the largest unions in the country, in part by organizing this kind of worker, is able to bring a lot of these workers together. A lot of them had escaped places like El Salvador and Honduras. So they're like fleeing right-wing paramilitary violence. And so they're not really that scared of the L.A.

cops in comparison to what they had dealt with with, say, U.S.-supported militias in El Salvador. Right. One day, right, the cops just start, I think in 1990, the cops just start beating them in the streets. And, you know, like one woman who's pregnant, miscarriages. I mean, it's ugly.

cops in comparison to what they had dealt with with, say, U.S.-supported militias in El Salvador. Right. One day, right, the cops just start, I think in 1990, the cops just start beating them in the streets. And, you know, like one woman who's pregnant, miscarriages. I mean, it's ugly.