I am not the me,
not the me you thought I’d be,
not the one to set you free
and not the one you once believed
would stem the tides of seas.
I am more than me,
not the one you had foreseen,
but just like you I had a dream –
a delicate contingency –
depending on a “we.”
*
The poem above was written over a year ago, during the last few months of the 2008 Presidential campaign. When I scribbled the first few lines, I was thinking about all the people in the country who were talking about “change” and “hope.” And I was thinking about then-candidate Obama, who had given a voice to the dreamy-eyed idealism of millions of Americans.
But one thing that disturbed me even then was how some people imagined President Obama would right all the wrongs done by our federal government, especially those done over the past 8 years. Sadly, there were far fewer people who seemed to understand that any substantive change in our political system was going to rely not only on the people at the very top, but also on those at every other level.
Some thought voting was all they had to do. Others went a step further, working tirelessly on the campaign. But far too many seemed to think that once the election was over, there was nothing more to do.
By the time the poem was finished, I realized there are folks who think this way not just about national politics, but also about local politics — and even union politics.
**
As a shop steward for most of the past nine years, I’ve been approached by many who want solutions, who want things changed for the better. Many of them are willing to step up and be a part of their own solution, but some believe that their part ends once they share their problems with someone like me.
Some people believe that shop stewards and business agents can work magic all by themselves. And yes, every once in a while, we may seem to get magical results. We may even get you exactly what you want without you having to lift a finger. But more often than not, you need to be involved if you want real solutions.
Sometimes I remind those who come to me for help that I might need their help to get them what they want. This is how it is for us as union members — we have to stand up for our rights. If not, we have no one else to blame when those rights continue to get trampled. When we make the mistake of thinking our leaders will do everything for us, we set ourselves up for frustration.
***
So when you come to me with a problem, don’t be surprised if I ask what you’re willing to do to help solve it.
If your rights are being disregarded in the workplace, but you aren’t willing to file a grievance, your problem probably won’t go away any time soon.
If you’re unhappy with the way you’re being represented, but you’re unwilling to make your voice heard, you’ll probably remain unhappy for a long while to come.
If you see problems, but you aren’t willing to work toward fixing them and supporting others who do, you probably shouldn’t expect too many solutions.
Any time we fall into the trap of thinking of our union as something “they” run, we surrender control of our union. The union isn’t just the elected officers, business agents or shop stewards. It’s every single member — we are the union.
And if we want something, we can get it, as long as we’re willing to work for it.
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Filed under: I.B.T., Rank-and-File, Teamsters Local 384, editorial, politics, solidarity, unionism
