Media Training Question #90 What Do the Union Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Have In Comm

April 4, 2011 - PRLog -- (To see the full story and video go to http://www.mediatraining.me)

Today is a sad day of remembrance for us all as we commutate the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968.  He was amazingly only 39 years old and had already spent years as the architect of the Civil Rights movement.  The night before he was killed he spoke at a rally of Union sanitation workers in Memphis, TN in support of their right to bargain and to a fair and just contract.

Dr. King was invited to this rally, and what most don’t know is that he was quite ill that night.  He had been fighting a terrible cold and flu and was just about bed ridden and had made the difficult decision to not attend the rally not realizing that as he was making that decision thousands of people were assembling to peacefully protest the working condition for these workers.  A call came to his hotel room telling him that the anticipation of his arrival had the crowd at peak excitement and there was some concern that if he was a no show that the crowd might turn surly.  He made the only decision he knew and immediately left for the rally.

At that rally he delivered his last speech and the memorable “I’ve been to the mountaintop” speech that has left an impactful and memorable impression on many lives, especially those in the Labor Movement, and rightfully so.

Today, all across the country there will be rallies to give pause to the life and sacrifices of Dr. King, but also to bring focus to the current unfounded attacks against Unions.  For those who love this country and their Rights today is an important and critical day for many reasons.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. understood better than most the connection between the Union Movement and the Civil Rights Movement.  He was keenly aware that the same issues that  both constituencies faced were remarkably similar and that much progress could be made for both groups by intersecting their people and their passion.  He was right.

Most who know me know that I have been a passionate defender of Unions for many years and used my radio show to the advantage of the Union Movement for many, many years.  I have walked picket lines with striking auto works and nurses.  I have sat at the negotiating table as a surrogate for Union workers in an attempt to help resolve unfair labor practices.  I have spoken at countless Union meetings and have dedicated numerous hours of on air time to educating people to the advantages and wholly good practices of Unions and their advancement of your quality of life, their dedication to social justice, and their ability to reach into the lives of every single person who works in this country and provide, even if you are not in a Union, better health care, better wages and better working conditions.

Unions create magic.

Yet here we are in the year 2011 and Unions are under attack by the government and the general public.  There is so much misinformation about Unions and great misunderstanding as to how critical their role is the workplace, now more than ever.  

If Dr. King were alive today I can assure you he would have marched in Wisconsin, rallied in Michigan and sent warnings to Indiana.  If Dr. King were here today he would remind us of the importance of peaceful protest and our rights to assemble.  He would move us with rhetoric about how critical our past is to helping us work through present day struggles and how we must transcend the media, the corporate sinners and the ill-informed; to rise above the chatter and to march as One not just as a reminder and responsibility of Solidarity but to reengage the Union membership in taking charge of their Movement and protecting their turf.  That will happen today all across the country.

If you want to find and attend a rally to support the cause please go here to see where you can go:

http://www.we-r-1.org/

Movements are messages.  Movements are an opportunity to express yourself and to empower you and your community to take back what is being taken from you.  Movements are critical connections to your past and your present and Movements are what provide and define the future.  I get that, I want you to get that, and I know Dr. King got that.

For all you think you know about Unions, I would suggest that there is fifty times more that you do not know. For every story about Union abuse there are thousands more that are enlightening and empowering.  For everyone who believes that Unions are the cause of the current economic and jobs crisis, think again.  I can’t even fathom what our jobs outlook would be without the Union protection that so many enjoy today as a direct result of Union leadership.  

Unions are in the process of reinventing themselves but not because they are in trouble as many would like you to believe.  I use the word reinventing because Unions do not and did not need to redefine themselves as I have mistakenly suggested in the past and this reinvention is more about message than direction.  When as a Movement you have to reeducate the populace it does present challenges and Union leadership is now meeting them head on and it takes time, people, and strength.  Fortunately for all of us they have all the tools they need to meet these challenges head on and today is another reminder of that.

Today as we remember Dr. King let us also remember that his passion and vision for all people is as relevant today as it has ever been.  Listen to his words resonate with truth and action.  His reality is as impactful today as it was on that April 3 back in 1968 and on this April 4, 2011 as the Union Movement and Dr. King are reunited in spirit and action that the work of the people is never done and always worthy of your effort and consideration.  We will overcome.  We must. All of us!

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As the host of his own nationally syndicated radio programs for 15 years, Tony has interviewed over 25,000 guests and appeared as a guest on over 800 radio and national television shows. He founded of his own public relations firm and he went on to author two books and became a “go to” authority on a myriad of issues from weight loss to self empowerment; from politics to pop culture. His list of media training clients number over 2000, many of them well known celebrities and authors. He and enjoys of the challenge of helping people discover their voice.Tony is respected and well known for his honesty and willingness to do what it takes to get to a core message. He works tirelessly with his clients and advocates for his clients in finding the most passionate and profound tenets of their message and then giving them the tools to deliver that message. http://www.mediatraining.me