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Comment by renewiltord | Hacker News Reader

Acting collectively with a guy standing with his knife poised above your back is a strategy you are welcome to. I don't think it's hard for you to see why I'm not keen on it.

But there is a simple way to solve this. If your union has, as a bylaw, "It is an immutable rule of this union that it shall never act to decrease or keep constant the number of immigrants to the USA. If this union acts in that manner, it shall be immediately dissolved and all membership rolls shall be destroyed after refunds for that month's membership fees", then I won't oppose it.

Considering that we are to act in solidarity, all I'm asking is for that measure of good faith. Just put down the knife and go stand in front. That's all I'm saying.

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Most unions have anti-racism and anti-xenophobia in general as a central part of their organisation. Explicit rules exist in most, but many go further with resisting deportations, exposing discrimination in workplaces, solidarity strikes with workers in exploited countries, etc.

I'd recommend you contact some local trade unionists, you'll find that they're overwhelmingly pro immigration and anti-racist. You'll also find that marginalised groups (including immigrants) are vastly over-represented in the labour movement in general, since we are exploited more.

It isn't about what it is today when life is good. It's about what it can become if life gets hard. If everyone agrees this is a good thing they'd all adopt the poison pill. After all, if the poison pill triggers, the organization is clearly acting against its principles and dissolution is better than continuation.

The fact that they won't, and instead use toothless codes that can be repealed when things change make it clear they don't believe this is an immutable part of them but is a marketing ploy.

Life is hard right now and unionised workers all over the world are fighting to make it better.

How would such a "poison pill" even be enforced? If the majority decides something they can always do it, worst case by creating a new organisation which they then all join.

The US is very racist and such attitudes persist even in the labour movement. Historically, US reformist unions used to exclude non-citizens from membership, which is why the IWW started organising all workers including immigrants. The result of this democratic struggle is that US unions now organise all workers.

You're not losing anything by joining a union. It's possible that you may not gain as much as you'd like because of bigotry where you work, but that can also be fought against.

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