Comment on Who to vote for?
zero_gravitas@aussie.zone 2 months ago
I’ve been voting in this country for 30 years, and for the last 20, it doesn’t seem to make a difference beyond undoing the last governments work…
By all means vote, but you shouldn’t expect significant change to come from voting.
MPs and their parties are beholden to their own interests that are roughly aligned with the status quo.
Significant change only comes about when grass-roots social movements can exert real pressure upon those in power.
So if you want to make a difference politically, get involved in organisations that are building a social movement. Joining and getting involved in your union is one way to start.
karma@aussie.zone 2 months ago
Have you tried this approach?
zero_gravitas@aussie.zone 2 months ago
Yep!
karma@aussie.zone 2 months ago
Did you have much success?
My union (CPSU) is a bunch of useless boomers so I don’t subscribe.
zero_gravitas@aussie.zone 2 months ago
Working on it!
I participate in grass-roots activism both within my union and activist movements in the general community. So by no means are unions the only option for participation in social movements.
That said, I would in general recommend people join their union, though I don’t know much about the CPSU in particular. Unions will have your back with legal support if you need it, and they help to buoy up wages and conditions for everyone. (One notable exception is the SDA, if you want an example of a shitty union, take a look at them. Anyone in the SDA should join the RAFFWU instead.)
In any case, as a member you can work to change the union itself. Most unions will have various collections of rank-and-file members working as pressure groups within the union, as well as participating in broader activist movements. E.g. www.instagram.com/cpsu4palestine/