Thread by @banditelli

@JortsTheCat OK Jorts, get out of the trash can. Have Jean bring you a pipe cleaner, and get ready for a long response:

American labor law is primarily governed by the National Labor Relations Act, which was passed in 1935 as a response to a massive strike waves by unions which didn't..

@JortsTheCat ...have clearly defined rules, except in the transport industry, which to this day is covered by the National Railway Act. The constitution, through freedom of association, gaurentees the right to a union, realistically the NLRA was a measure by CAPITAL to ensure INDUSTRIAL PEACE

@JortsTheCat ...it's more complicated than this, but the tldr is since the NLRA was passed by racists, it also INTENTIONALLY excluded industries where the labor is performed by people of color, especially the service sector and farm workers, and the labor movement was never fully united...

@JortsTheCat ...to demand #UnionsForAll, even to this day the strongest legislation actively supported by all, the PRO Act, doesnt right the wrongs of the NLRA, it just makes organizing under it more viable, because that's the system people are used to. 'it's what we've always known.'...

@JortsTheCat Anyway,back to the coffee question. During World War ii and in the post war era many unions thrived, to an extent even some workers of color were successful in organizing, and through the Civil rights era heroes like Nate Smith forced unions to diversify, but LAWS didn't change..

@JortsTheCat ...so in order to win a legally recognized union, you have to get 50%+1 of workers in a bargaining unit, a bargaining unit is often defined by the bosses, so it matters who runs the National Labor Relations Board, who governs the NLRA, which governs coffee shops...

@JortsTheCat .. the current board is possibly the most pro workers NLRB in history. They've made sure WORKERS get to define the bargaining unit too. But they still exist under the racist arcane NLRA which fundamentally hasn't changed, so workers have to organize under those rules...

@JortsTheCat ... So right now workers are busy organizing what are called "hot shops" where they can get 50%+1 of workers and file with the NLRB BEFORE STARBUCKS CAN FIND OUT and pack the bargaining unit,does that make sense?

@JortsTheCat As Phoenix points out, there are more effecient ways, but besides UFW, SEIU, and unions in trifecta states(mostly California, Colorado will be big in 22), very few is really trying to push state level reforms that are legal (because the NLRA can't be expanded at the state level)

@JortsTheCat It's key to note that due to the nature of the NLRA, there are limits to how much can be expanded at the state level, and the union busters have built an anti-worker SCOTUS as well. Hope this helps.

@JortsTheCat If you made it this far, California fast-food workers are fighting for a Fast Food Sector Council. There's limits to what you can do at the state level, but while workers keep fighting for #UnionsForAll, we can do this action.fightfor15.org/a/tell-your-re…