Continuing this week’s theme of telecom union density, I have a piece at Dissent on what Warren Buffett and CREDO mobile both showed us last week:

Two web petitions showed up in progressive inboxes last week. One, organized by Daily Kos in support of striking Verizon workers, was blasted out by “alternative” cell service provider CREDO Mobile. The second, organized by MoveOn, was a call for taxing the rich, piggybacking on a recent op-ed by billionaire Warren Buffett. Though neither petition itself is objectionable, together they illustrate a harsh reality: It’s easier to get the wealthy to share their money than their power.

Check it out.
Update: Good points (via facebook) from Jacob Remes:

Twas ever thus: at the height of the short hour movement (that is, the 8-hour-day movement), workers demanded shorter hours but equal pay–in effect, a wage hike. Employers often agreed to give that wage hike, but not the shorter hours, which means they would have had to pay each person more, just because they didn’t want to give over any power over working conditions like hours. Similarly, employers routinely agreed to everything the union demanded except recognition, again for reasons of power…it’s always the question of worker power that employers find most threatening.