Out of the Wilderness

I've got a new piece up at The Guardian's Comment is free America about the Republic Windows & Doors story and how it's come to be a larger symbol.

One Democratic US representative from Illinois, Jan Schakowsky, categorised the sit-in as part of a re-emergent labour movement, saying: "This story has resonated around the world". Everyone from Obama to local commentators have cast the protesters as a symbol of the American worker in an increasingly volatile economy and resultingly hostile and unpredictable workplace. Meanwhile, Bank of America – which has itself been bailed out by the Feds to the tune of $25bn so far – has become the face of what's wrong with the bail-out.

Says the blogger Angry Black Bitch accurately, bluntly:

Between the lack of home-owner considerations in the first bailout plan to the general disregard towards worker protections in the current proposals, there is a serious disconnect between the proposals to stimulate the economy and the creation of plans that actually reach workers who are the engine that will actually stimulate the economy. … This reality, the worker's reality, is what we need to consider as our government tosses billions at companies without so much as a "go fuck yourself!" to address the workers at those companies who will be left out in the cold when the money machine goes off line.

As they have been ever since November 4, all eyes look to Chicago, straining to get a glimpse of what our future will look like.

The whole thing is here.