(i ripped this off wikipedia real fast so sorry if it's lib)
In October 1776, the Public Universal Friend contracted an epidemic disease and was bedridden and near death with a high fever. Their family summoned a doctor from Attleboro, six miles away, and neighbors kept up a death-watch at night. The fever broke after several days. The Friend later reported that [deadname redacted] had died, receiving revelations from God through two archangels who proclaimed there was "Room, Room, Room, in the many Mansions of eternal glory for Thee and for everyone". The Friend further said that [deadname redacted]'s soul had ascended to heaven and the body had been reanimated with a new spirit charged by God with preaching his word, that of the "Publick Universal Friend", describing that name in the words of Isaiah 62:2 as "a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named".
From that time on, the Friend refused to answer to their deadname, ignoring or chastising those who insisted on using it. When visitors asked if it was the name of the person they were addressing, the Friend simply quoted Luke 23:3 ("thou sayest it"). Identifying as neither male nor female, the Friend asked not to be referred to with gendered pronouns. Followers respected these wishes; they referred only to "the Public Universal Friend" or short forms such as "the Friend" or "P.U.F.", and many avoided gender-specific pronouns even in private diaries. When someone asked if the Friend was male or female, the preacher replied "I am that I am", saying the same thing to a man who criticized the Friend's manner of dress (adding, in the latter case, "there is nothing indecent or improper in my dress or appearance; I am not accountable to mortals").
editorial note: I think this is a very cool story and I really love hearing it. We've been around forever and we've been doing variations of this forever. It's really beautiful
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The negotiating committee says: "this is probably the best deal we're going to get, it's up to membership to decide if this deal is acceptable but we recommend ratification"
The general membership seems to be saying: "we can get better."
And I can sympathize, I do think we can get better. But I don't really have faith that my fellow union members are actually willing to go to the mat to get better, or if they're financially able to. Cause I don't think this government is going to give and I think if we strike, strike pay is SHIT in the first place, they'll legislate back to work - and I don't know about the wherewithal in membership to put up an illegal strike. Cause they will fine us as a unikn, some members (mostly in leadership) will be threatened with fines and even jail time, but it's definitely a struggle we can win to get better pay which is one of the big disappointments from membership. So many of us are living paycheck to paycheck and are single parents and can't afford strike pay for months.
I hope, should we ratify, they keep that anger for the length of the contract, they build up their coffers and solidarity funds and communal stuff, so that the NEXT contract if we don't get a better raise again - then we can go to the mat and wildcat if we need to. But just shouting "fuck you" in general isn't gonna win us much better than the current offer and it could end up worse...
The struggle is so frustrating.
The stakes are so asymmetrical. For capital, they're fighting to maintain slightly more profit. For us, we battle for our livelihoods. It's to the point where we can't even fight as hard as we know we can because of that threat.
Solidarity. Whatever happens, I hope you and the workers around you make it out okay.