Statement on ACLO strike
As an ACLO member, I voted against the proposed strike. I would also like to note that there is an extremely flimsy mandate for a strike, given it tied with mediocre turnout and one member publicly switched his vote afterwards but this was not recognised by the ACLO leadership. In any case, the strike is the wrong action at this time on its merits. As I said at the time, that the federal government is working towards the goals that PSOL has set, and a strike would cause unnecessary disruption to the economy and health system. We have taken a pro-worker approach to getting Atlasia through this crisis and to a fairer future. Going on strike makes this mission significantly harder, by hampering our efforts to save people's lives and the economy. In these circumstances, it is a really radical measure that should only be used when there is a dire need for it. This is not the case right now, indeed the government is already on your side. So I of course won't be striking, and I hope all Atlasians ignore this strike. If you're already going to work, please keep going to work.
The strike will end fairly quickly if our demands are met in a speedy manner through Congress or EO. The fact of the matter is that it took a fair amount of brouhaha to bring about the now passed bill for subsidized wages—and considering that proper protections to workers during this crisis are still inadequate across the private sector, the trouble with producing and distributing PPE, the lack of protections and acknowledgement of migrant labourers that are left to fend for themselves and work in unsafe conditions or face deportation and destitution, and the plight of homeless individuals still without a proper place of residence that plagues this nation—I’d say a strike was necessary given that the current government has shown itself to not have a proactive response to this crisis.
Instead of realizing this, there has been a smear campaign of saying something on “low turnout” or “technicalities”. This is clearly hypocritical given the immense timeframe the union has allowed people to vote in, the already democratic structure of this union, and the fact that there was no easy way to break this tie. Ultimately, these statements are just a way to say something when one has absolutely nothing else. I cannot speak for the A.C.L.O., but what I can say for certainty is that plugging your ears and covering your eyes in a monkey show while flinging nonsensical s••• at the union is not a winning strategy in ending this strike.
