I’d bet 1:2 odds that this activist wasn’t the target and they’re just trying to get some low effort dope busts.
Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
21–30 of 194 posts
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#22The accusation that the police are surveilling union organizers is extremely troubling, and harkens back to the early 20th century when cops killed union organizers. The police should stay out of such political matters; especially if they expect their continued funding to be above political reproach.
That goes the other way too, if not more so: The union should stay out of such political matters; especially if they expect their continued funding to be above political reproach. That funding is a private tax, backed by force of law, imposed on the income of the workers. Via political "donation" a large part of it goes to politicians, ensuring that the politicians continue to allow it. This is deeply corrupt. We hav…
Senseless. Money governs access to political power in this country. You would take away nearly the only alternative tool regular working people have to make their voices heard with impact and call it "deeply corrupt" - how do you reason yourself into this place?
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#23The accusation that the police are surveilling union organizers is extremely troubling, and harkens back to the early 20th century when cops killed union organizers. The police should stay out of such political matters; especially if they expect their continued funding to be above political reproach.
That goes the other way too, if not more so: The union should stay out of such political matters; especially if they expect their continued funding to be above political reproach. That funding is a private tax, backed by force of law, imposed on the income of the workers. Via political "donation" a large part of it goes to politicians, ensuring that the politicians continue to allow it. This is deeply corrupt. We hav…
Unions are democratic organizations that exist to advocate on behalf of their members. Of course they should be involved in politics.
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#24Can someone from the US please explain why would police surveil a union organizer? How is s/he a threat to the public?
In the earlier days of the US one of the police department's responsibilities was breaking strikes, often by injuring or murdering union members: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_union_busting_in_th...
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#25Interesting that they felt they had the right to tamper with what is obviously private property.
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#26The accusation that the police are surveilling union organizers is extremely troubling, and harkens back to the early 20th century when cops killed union organizers. The police should stay out of such political matters; especially if they expect their continued funding to be above political reproach.
That goes the other way too, if not more so: The union should stay out of such political matters; especially if they expect their continued funding to be above political reproach. That funding is a private tax, backed by force of law, imposed on the income of the workers. Via political "donation" a large part of it goes to politicians, ensuring that the politicians continue to allow it. This is deeply corrupt. We hav…
I'm sorry but that is just insane. What about the company employing the workers? What about the owner/CEO/board members of that company? Will they be similarly restricted?
The whole point of the union is collective bargaining and providing a united front, and they need to be able to defend their right to exist in the political arena. If they can't make political contributions, it won't be long before they are outlawed. It's not like they wield disproportionate influence, anyway. They are far outspent by the capital class, as evidenced by the gradual erosion of union power and the passage of anti-union laws such as "right to work" in recent decades.
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#27Can someone from the US please explain why would police surveil a union organizer? How is s/he a threat to the public?
Why do you think it is just the USA? Are you genuinely surprised or this just a baity-get-things-rolling type of question?
Just off the top of my head this is one of the most famous (exposed) examples in the UK https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47457330
Police were created explicitly to help with suppressing the threat that comes from anyone that earns their living by a wage from others.
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
That goes the other way too, if not more so: The union should stay out of such political matters; especially if they expect their continued funding to be above political reproach. That funding is a private tax, backed by force of law, imposed on the income of the workers. Via political "donation" a large part of it goes to politicians, ensuring that the politicians continue to allow it. This is deeply corrupt. We hav…
Unions are democratic organizations that exist to advocate on behalf of their members. Of course they should be involved in politics.
Corporations are voluntary organizations that exist for the benefit of their owners and if their owners don’t like their politics they can leave much more easily than any union member can. Of course they should be involved in politics.
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#29Irony if this was done for political reasons that it was by law enforcement who have a strong union.
Most people are driven by zero-sum power games, not philosophy and rationality.
To maintain a 'strong union', you gotta do do some dirty work every now and again. Cost of doing business, nothing personal, doing it for the mortgage, etc.
Not that different from most people here who study leet code to get a job and put up with open offices instead of lifting a finger to organize and end this insanity. Anytime there's discussion of how to make even more money by investing, these forums are ablaze with knowledgable advice. Anytime its time to lift a finger collectively, it's crickets, empty moralizing or strawman defense of the indefensible aka 'don't like it, go somewhere else'.
Re: Activists find camera inside box on power pole near union organizer’s home
#30Can someone from the US please explain why would police surveil a union organizer? How is s/he a threat to the public?
The Twitter with the pics of this claims this is related to Operation Legend, so presumably they're investigating something related to that -