u/sprucecassidy - originally from r/GenZhou
I’m a retail worker in California, and my workplace is unionized. Essentially, my coworkers and I had to watch a presentation about discrimination in the workplace; it included the stuff you would expect, such as racial prejudices and gender identity and such, but it also included a section about how your employer cannot fire you for political activities… unless you’re a member of the CPUSA or another “communist front organization.” I want to know if comrades getting fired for their politics is something that still happens today like it did during the Red Scare, or if employers today would even really care or even bother to look into their employees political activities to begin with. I am assuming that it’s a situation similar to how the CPUSA is technically banned but that ban was never really enforced, however I want to be cautious and not put myself into a perilous situation. And if I were to be fired, would my union be able to help me? (I don’t want to ask my union about this directly, because I don’t know what their specific politics and views on communists are.)
u/proletariatjack - originally from r/GenZhou
California law says you cannot be discriminated on based on political affiliation. However, there is also a Federal law on the books that outlaws participation in Communist activities. However this statute is almost certainly unconstitutional. Enforcement has never been attempted, but neither has a challenge, as far as I know.u/meesk98 - originally from r/GenZhouHowever, there is also a Federal law on the books that outlaws participation in Communist activities.
Wtf is that actually a thing in America? And I get libs telling me the DPRK doesn’t allow people who disagree…
u/I_want_to_believe69 - originally from r/GenZhou
It is one of the easy ways out of the army. You just tell them that you are a communist and sympathetic to international communist parties. They will put you out without giving you a dishonorable discharge since you technically didn’t do anything that qualifies for dishonorable separation.u/Comrade_Corgo - originally from r/GenZhou
One time I read someone say they told people they were a Maoist and got kicked out of the military this way lolu/pullazorza - originally from r/GenZhou
Drill sergeant: “Are you ready to wage war, recruit?!”Me: “People’s War? Sir, yes sir!”
u/Comrade_Corgo - originally from r/GenZhou
“Don’t worry officer, I also oppose existing socialist countries”
u/FaustTheBird - originally from r/GenZhou
We’d have to look at the specific law. There’s a federal law that says you can’t be discriminated against based on political affiliation but there’s an explicit carve out for communism.u/proletariatjack - originally from r/GenZhou
For those curious, the federal law I am referring to is this:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist\_Control\_Act\_of\_1954
u/SuperStalinKart1945 - originally from r/GenZhou
California is an at-will state (along with the rest of the US). They absolutely can fire you for any or no reason, even on religious, political, ethnic/racial grounds, etc. as long as those reasons aren’t mentioned on your pink slip.
u/admirersquark - originally from r/GenZhou
You probably shouldn’t be too public about it. Even if it is illegal, you could attract unwanted attention from your supervisors and that would, sooner or later, lead to termination of your contract. They don’t need a lot of excuses for firing unionized communistsu/cbaltmackie - originally from r/GenZhou
What does it say in your contract?u/sprucecassidy - originally from r/GenZhou
our contract expired around two weeks ago, however there’s no mention of anything relating to political activities in it.u/XxShArKbEaRxX - originally from r/GenZhou
I’m also in a union usually the old contract is honored till a new deal is reached
u/GenerallyIroh - originally from r/GenZhou
“Don’t be a Communist” shiiii…u/I_want_to_believe69 - originally from r/GenZhou
That is how you know that communism is good for the working class. The capitalists put riders in their contracts against it.
u/nothnkyou - originally from r/GenZhou
Isn’t it a fact kn the USA that you can fire people without giving a proper reason? Like you can’t fire someone because they’re Black but you can because you just feel like that’s best for your best.If I got that right then all these protections don’t matter tbh.
u/Hey1243 - originally from r/GenZhou
In normal circumstances yes, but if the user is in a Union then the Union contract normally stops that. There are also protections on the book for race, sex, age, religion, and ethnicity that are enforced to varying degrees in each state and administration
u/darkcalling - originally from r/GenZhou
Your employer as it is already unionized and unlikely to be waging anti-unionization surveillance and warfare is very unlikely to care what you do outside of the workplace. If you start bringing it into the workplace all bets are off. But if you go to rallies and demonstrations and like communist memes on social media I’d say the chances of getting in trouble are pretty low and lower yet because you work for a unionized company.Some caveats:
-
Do not tie your personal presence online on social media to your employer. They are much more likely to get upset if your social media profile says “communist and employed at <company>” because that’s creating problems for them and tying your communism to them. It’s generally a good rule to not let strangers online know who you work for.
-
Your biggest issue likely isn’t them snooping and finding out but some dedicated anti-communist contacting them and trying to get you fired and if they can point to an online presence that ties your politics to their company that’s likely to cause review whereas baseless accusations or conspiracy rants with photos of many people including you are more likely to be sent to the trash as they are unlikely to care to follow up on that type of thing and waste money and time.
-
Your union could potentially create problems for your employer if they tried to fire you for your politics and your employer could consider this. However the question is if they would. Many if not most unions in the US are anti-communist as a result of the red-scare and do not want the image of labor rights associated with communism. I’d say it’s some protection rather than a complete shield.
-
You should be fine to discuss workers rights and bring up theory-informed discussion with co-workers. If you’re worried about the whole communist = in trouble thing you don’t have to volunteer that fact. I wouldn’t worry a bit about bringing up workers rights and informing people about subjects like surplus value, etc.
-
u/emisneko - originally from r/GenZhou
whatever the “law” says, the real answer is yesu/neoskyline - originally from r/GenZhou
if youre a member of the cpusa can ppl find out? like how u can find out ppl are affiliated with the republican party on like info websites and record sites andshitu/I_want_to_believe69 - originally from r/GenZhou
No they are more discreet since COINTELPRO. But it’s not that discreet. I’m on the email list for the zoom meetings. So that’s not great opsec. But I live in the open
u/ripped014 - originally from r/GenZhou
you can’t be discriminated against based on political affiliation for anything other than a job where security clearance is involvedu/Guidobama - originally from r/GenZhou
Legal protections don’t really matter and won’t save you when push comes to shove. Yes, you absolutely can be fired for being a communist.u/CupcakesfromMars - originally from r/GenZhou
Yes, you can.u/Robbo666666 - originally from r/GenZhou
Essentially, if a worker is deemed to be the focal point of a unionisation drive that is costing the employer serious bucks, the employer will have absolutely no problem terminating the worker, as even if the employer is sued for illegal dismissal they will have still saved money overall. Simple cost/benefit.IE. A successful union campaign for a new union agreement = approx 5 million in extra cost for the employer over 4 years, vs illegally firing the communist worker activist who is one of the main campaign drivers resulting in approx $100 000 payout, the capitalist company will illegally sack rather than allow the communist to continue organising everytime.
A lot of the best communist worker activists do their work in a particular way which protects them mostly from victimisation: https://cpaml.org/post4.php?id=1602043799&catitem1=Marxism Today&catid1=3
u/ajegy - originally from r/GenZhou
Not only Fired, but Fired Upon. Stay safe!