Conflicting agenda in DC demonstrations

The Issue: The smorgasbord of conflicting agenda at the recent
Washington demonstration vs. IMF and World Bank.

Our View: The demonstrations show the differing agenda of US labor unions vs. activists from poor countries.

The varying activist groups converged last week in Washington with differing agenda they wish to impress upon the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, including debt forgiveness for poor nations.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the disoriented demonstrations pertains to the conflicting position of US Labor Unions and activists from Third World countries on jobs.

US labor unions (whose Washington trip was paid by their respective organizations) trumpeted tired-old messages of “Protection of American Jobs”, specifically, job losses to countries like China.

Third World activists wanted more wealth and jobs creation from big corporations for their people so they can live decently amidst the confusion so triggered by the misunderstood concept of globalization.

“Adversaries of organized labor accuse unions of political expediency–supporting conflicting agendas as they struggle to defend outdated positions”.

“Their message doesn’t resonate with the public on protectionism”, said Chamber of Commerce spokesman Frank Coleman. “Job growth is at an all-time high, worker shortages are appearing. It’s kid of hard to make NAFTA-era arguments; they almost sound like tired cold-war rhetoric”.

The loss of American Jobs can’t solely be blamed on the relocation of major US industries to foreign countries. Perhaps US labor unions ought to take a second look at how technology has effectively trimmed the size of the workforce as robots replace real human beings on the various assembly lines of industries across the country.

Now, if labor unions also support the human rights movement on the creation of decent jobs in poor countries, then they should first ensure that their fellow men in third world countries are given the means to provide food, shelter and clothing for their families via wealth and jobs creation. Refinement of salient human rights issues can be taken up as more people are given the opportunity to earn a living with dignity.

It would be interesting though how labor unions reconcile their outdated positions on protecting American jobs or “Buy American” given their new commitment to follow the agenda of human rights groups. It would be a major shift to providing jobs for one and all throughout the global village and not just prospective workers in the US mainland. Si Yuus Maase`!