8/31/2007

Let's Not Forget What The Upcoming Labor Day Is All About...

Besides beer drinking...

There Is Power In A Union, by Billy Bragg

There is power in a factory, power in the land
Power in the hand of the worker
But it all amounts to nothing if together we don't stand
There is power in a Union

Now the lessons of the past were all learned with workers blood
The mistakes of the bosses we must pay for
From the cities and the farmlands to trenches full of mud
War has always been the bosses way, sir

The Union forever,defending our rights
Down with the blackleg,all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters from many far-off lands
There is power in a Union

Now I long for the morning that they realise
Brutality and unjust laws cannot defeat us
But who'll defend the workers who cannot organise
When the bosses send their lackeys out to cheat us?

Money speaks for money,the Devil for his own
Who comes to speak for the skin and the bone?
What a comfort for the widow,a light to the child
There is power in a Union

The Union forever,defending our rights
Down with the blackleg,all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters together we will stand
There is power in a Union

6 comments:

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Excellent post. I love Billy Bragg because unlike other celebs he puts it out there on the line for everyone to see. And also because during the last coalminers strike in this area he came and gave a benefit concert. I'd have his babies if I could.

Clare said...

And let's also not forget that the rest of the world celebrates the power of the worker in May, and that the US has Labor Day at the other end of the summer so we don't start to identify too much with the common people around the world. Solidarity forever!

vikkitikkitavi said...

Gorgeous song! I love Billy Bragg!

Thank you for posting this.

Anonymous said...

Oooh, well sprach! Mine goodwife just had the opportunity to join the Teamsters Union for her new job (sorry, no personal details out here in public, lest someone be reading this and keeping tabs on me for a future character attack), and her first instinct was, "well, hell YEAH!"

Interestingly enough, a number of people hired by this same company did NOT join the union-- thought it was a Bad Idea. Said mine goodwife to herself, "and what happens when Da' Maaan calls U into his office at 4 pm and tells you to pack yo' shit? Who's on your side THEN?"

---Big Orange

Evil Genius said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Evil Genius said...

Which side are you on, Chris? Which side are you on?