Here's a little song in solidarity with those working this week at the Capitol in Des Moines against the majority Republican effort to gut collective bargaining rights guaranteed to public sector workers --- including educators --- by Iowa law since 1974.
The GOP now controls the Iowa House, Senate and governor's mansion --- so most likely efforts to limit bargaining across the board to wages alone will be successful, endangering health care, seniority, worker-safety provisions and other benefits now enjoyed by those who educate our younger generations, protect us and keep the government agencies that serve us working smoothly.
But I'm incredibly proud of those who are standing up for organized labor and a system that has served Iowans well for 40 years.
The song was written during June of 1940 by Woody Guthrie at a time when he was associated with the Almanac Singers. It's performed here during Pete Seeger's 2009 90th birthday concert at Madison Square Garden and features Billy Bragg, Mike and Ruthy Merenda, Dar Williams and the New York City Labor Chorus.
No comments:
Post a Comment