Work Reform

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There's a reason for the date! The UAW has called for a potential general strike in the United States on May 1, 2028.

UAW president Shawn Fain has invited other unions to align their contract expiration dates with April 30, 2028, setting the stage for a coordinated national strike on May Day 2028[1][3].

This call comes after the UAW's successful strike against major automakers in 2023. The union sees this as an opportunity to unite workers across industries and flex collective labor power[1][3].

The proposed 2028 strike aims to address broader working class issues beyond just the auto industry. Some advocates suggest focusing on demands like Medicare for All[2][4].

To make this general strike a reality, unions would need to start planning now to align their contract dates. It would require unprecedented cooperation between major unions[3].

While ambitious, this proposal is seen as more credible coming from a large, established union like the UAW rather than social media activists[4].

Critics note that organizing an actual general strike is extremely challenging and rare in the US. However, supporters argue that even the process of organizing towards this goal could reinvigorate the labor movement[2][3].

The success of this initiative depends on whether other major unions embrace the idea in the coming months and years[3].

Citations: [1] The UAW Strike May Have Finally Set Us Up for a General Strike https://www.teenvogue.com/story/uaw-general-strike-no-class [2] May Day 2028 National Strike: Focus on Medicare for All - PNHP https://pnhp.org/news/may-day-2028-national-strike-focus-on-medicare-for-all/ [3] A General Strike in 2028 Is a Uniquely Plausible Dream https://inthesetimes.com/article/uaw-auto-workers-general-strike-contract-labor-unions [4] The UAW's 2028 National Strike Should Center Medicare for All https://jacobin.com/2024/03/uaw-general-strike-medicare-for-all [5] 'We want everybody walking out': UAW chief outlines mass strike for ... https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/22/autoworkers-uaw-shawn-fain-may-2028-national-strike

I am not sure that's entirely it. Like... Those "exclusive neighbourhoods" basically just means "has fence and security system". If you didn't care about getting caught - basically spree killer style martyrdom- there isn't much to stop you. Most CEOs are notorious creatures of habit and they publicize where they will be fairly regularly. Just hang out by the right golf course and you'll find em.

I think it's just a different mindset. Maybe picking a specific target is more of a cold blooded logic killer thing not a hot blooded spree killer thing and the two require entirely separate buy ins? Or the target type is the difference. Spree killers tend to pick big populations for shock value or because it represents a wider social movement. They also take a bunch of people with them which probably satisfies a feeling of making it "worth it". It is kind of a "fuck that guy in particular" kind of premeditation you would need combined with a conviction to essentially light yourself on fire to burn someone else... And a one to one trade isn't exactly a feel good catharsis.

I don't think it's a matter that a couple of isolated incidents wouldn't cause a panic or not be consequential on a wider scale. I feel like the allure of extreme wealth would lose it's luster pretty fast if suddenly people felt the need to have extreme security details all the time. I don't think it would stop people from dragon hording but it wouldn't take too many incidents before they all would be too afraid to walk to the corner to grab a coffee in person at least for awhile. Generally being rich comes with the idea that it gives you more freedom, not less.

I think it's something on the horizon though. A lot of the language around the extreme wealthy is pretty dehumanizing. Like "He seems like a robot" or "souless narcissistic dirtbag" or "eat the rich" type rhetoric is pretty normalized. I think it's just most people value themselves more highly then taking out a single CEO regardless of the differing scope of individual impacts. We are kind of wired to look at the extreme wealthy as both above and apart in ability to impact the world stage... While simultaneously being kind of non-special people who aren't more or less worthwhile than we ourselves. It might just be that there's still enough hope around that things will change through non-violent means... But I think it is something more about the basic mental math.

I personally just hope we can tax the everliving bajeezus out of them and start some sensible basic quality of life initiatives and electoral reform before it starts getting properly ugly.