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Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

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Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#81

I don't actually agree with unions, but not for the "usual" reasons. Unions are a scotch-tape fix to a broken economic system, which gives enormous powers to the capitalistic class at the expense of all others. The correct solution is to fix the actual system. All large companies should be by constitutional law (controlling) majority owned 1/n by their workers. All this exploitation will disappear because workers wil…

Funnily enough, Sweden came close to doing this in the 70s, forcing joint ownership of firms by employees. Unfortunately, it fell apart, and the whole country went down a more neoliberal path after the assassination of Olaf Palme and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#82

Meanwhile, statement from the Union: https://www.arbetaren.se/2023/11/13/if-metall-strejkkassan-r... "Our strike fund is enough to keep this up for 500 years."

On one hand, that is epic. On the other hand, it means the union has leached a monumental amount of capital out of the workers and industries they are involved with. A union should not have that much cash in the bank.

> A union should not have that much cash in the bank.

Why not? They've clearly been able to leverage it to negotiate better terms for their members. Their members are better off for the union having the warchest.

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#83

Meanwhile, statement from the Union: https://www.arbetaren.se/2023/11/13/if-metall-strejkkassan-r... "Our strike fund is enough to keep this up for 500 years."

On one hand, that is epic. On the other hand, it means the union has leached a monumental amount of capital out of the workers and industries they are involved with. A union should not have that much cash in the bank.

That is the fund for the whole nation, they can keep strikes up forever since the strike is just a small part of their workers. This is how unions can compete with capital and politicians on an equal ground.

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#84
post #23

Important context which I could not find mentioned in TFA: A key reason for the sympathy strikes is that Tesla brought in scabs which is a big no-no in Scandinavian labor markets.

What is a scab? (not the wound)

[flagged]

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#85

I don't actually agree with unions, but not for the "usual" reasons. Unions are a scotch-tape fix to a broken economic system, which gives enormous powers to the capitalistic class at the expense of all others. The correct solution is to fix the actual system. All large companies should be by constitutional law (controlling) majority owned 1/n by their workers. All this exploitation will disappear because workers wil…

That solution doesn't work in practice because a nontrivial number of those workers are perfectly willing to exploit others for their own personal gain. Turns out people have flaws.

Unions are the best compromise anyone's found between capital and labor.

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#86

I don't actually agree with unions, but not for the "usual" reasons. Unions are a scotch-tape fix to a broken economic system, which gives enormous powers to the capitalistic class at the expense of all others. The correct solution is to fix the actual system. All large companies should be by constitutional law (controlling) majority owned 1/n by their workers. All this exploitation will disappear because workers wil…

The system cannot be "fixed" because the winners of it have so much resources that they will not let it be fixed, undermining democracy itself if that's what it takes. Barring a revolution this is what we'll have for the rest of our lives.

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not insulting people that disagree with you and need the work is a good reason. Even as a frenchmen, I don't think strikes are sacred.

[flagged]

hardly call it stealing. they decided to no longer work for the previously agreed upon compensation package. the employer found new employees that would do the work they need done.

no one stole anything. I agree and encourage unions and collective bargaining, but a strike breaker is hardly a thief, they are just a worker who needs money like the guy striking

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#88

Good for them. I love to see workers uniting. In this increasingly globalized world, each country is still different. You can't expect swedish workers to accept that you treat them like american workers just because your company is big. I really like this part: > Even postal workers will stop delivering mail to Tesla

Maybe the phone company will block Tesla fax machines too. /s

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#89
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If I'm legally required to work, isn't that forced labor?" Not if you signed a contract declaring that you will show up. So a strike is in one way organised contract breaching - but one that is allowed under certain circumstances under the bigger contract, the state laws (which you accept by being in that state).

> Not if you signed a contract declaring that you will show up. Yes, even then. A contract violation is not a violation of law. My question is about it being illegal.

> Yes, even then. A contract violation is not a violation of law. My question is about it being illegal.

Breach of contract is a violation of civil (but not criminal) law. It's illegal but it's not a crime. The question is more of enforceability and of compensation due, if any.

Re: Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

#90
post #15

Sweden GDP is roughly equal to Tesla market cap. It's a fair fight.

This illustrates how ridiculously overvalued Tesla is.

It illustrates more that GDP and market cap have nothing to do with each other.
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