A short blog looking at a small instance of solidarity in defense of a victimised workplace activist and the connections between such small acts and building a wider culture of solidarity at work.
Just after sitting down to give evidence at my workmate's disciplinary hearing, I pulled the birthday card out of a stack of papers in my hand. “Here's just a little something from all of us”, I said as I handed her the opened card.
There was a definite pause from management's side. The intention of the act wasn't lost on them. It wasn't a mass meeting or a strike, but everyone who signed that card knew it was us, the workers, verse them, the bosses.
* * *
Some time ago I gave evidence in support of a popular workplace activist during her disciplinary hearing. The details aren't important, but suffice to say that my workmate—let's call her Jessica—was being unfairly targeted as she'd been a thorn in the side of management for years.
This situation put stress on the activist layer in my workplace. For Jessica in particular, management had scheduled the disciplinary for her birthday. Although it was eventually rescheduled because of management's usual failure to follow procedure, the worker in question was on disciplinary suspension for a number of months. That meant that all of her work friends had been unable to celebrate her birthday as normal.
When it finally came time for the hearing, a few members of my workplace committee hatched a plan: we'd circulate a card for our victimised friend which would then be presented to her at the disciplinary and in full view of the senior managers conducting the disciplinary.
As I said, Jessica is very popular with the staff. For years, she's been the go-to person for not only accompanying co-workers during meetings with management, but offering kind words and advice when it came to personal as well as workplace issues. So workmates were already inclined to sign a card, but especially so given how management had treated this particular individual. Signatures and well-wishes were quick in coming until the entire card, including the back, was full-up with birthday greetings.
It was a small act of solidarity, but such acts shouldn't be underestimated. They are steps, however small, towards building a culture of resistance in the workplace. In this instance, I'm sure the birthday card was weighing on management’s mind when they decided on the outcome of the disciplinary.
Just as we think of solidarity as something we exercise against the boss, it's also something more: it's how we support each other. Whenever workers begin standing up, management will almost inevitably begin singling out “ringleaders” and “troublemakers” as an early part of their counter-offensive. For even the most dedicated of workplace activists, that can be a stressful and lonely place to be. The solidarity that goes on behind the scenes is no less important than the united front we present to management.
In Jessica's case, the combination of private solidarity, public support, management incompetence, and a good defence meant that things turned out for the best. The disciplinary panel caved and instead of losing her job—as her managers had clearly intended—she was given a lesser sanction and allowed to return to work.
Today Jessica is still making trouble on the job, continuing to not only challenge the boss but pay back the solidarity she experienced during her disciplinary. And I know she's kept that birthday card.
Comments
Hi chilli, I liked this.
Hi chilli, I liked this. Aside from all the political points, I would draw out the really human element in your story. Jessica sounds like she had her Spartacus moment by the fact that when she was in need, people reciprocated, and I guess that probably meant more to her than getting one past management. It was the equivalent of a big thank you for all her hardwork over time.
Bottom line, workplace militants need mutual aid and love.