New York City, Grand Central station restaurant, workers on strike

[Michael Costello]

The workers at the Oyster bar in Grand Central station have been on strike for over two months now. They are on the picket line and handing out leaflets Monday-Saturday until 9PM or so every day. Stop by, ask for the strike captain, and help pass out fliers or stand on the picket line for half an hour or so.

People seem to forget that the strength of the Democrats is tied up with the strength of organized labor - the Democrats held the house of Representatives from the 1950s to the 1990s, until the number of unionized workers for private companies dipped down to 10% or so (it's now 9% or so). Nixon's #1 on his enemies list was the AFL-CIO political point man. Weak labor means a weak Democratic party - just look around - 7 of the 9 Supreme court justice are Republican-appointed, Congress is Republican, the white house is Republican.