So...r/workreform has finally implemented a solid credo outlining their beliefs at this time. While still subject to change and evolution as it's a new sub, it establishes a baseline of what they're about. Now...I've been critical of r/workreform in the past, it seemed to be a mild reformist sub made by people who broke off from r/antiwork due to doreengate and not seeming to understand the point of the subreddit. That said, with their stated goals, what do I think?
Some of our core beliefs:
People should not be worked to death.
I mean, sure...seems like a given, considering the long hours many r/antiwork posters suffer through.
People should be paid a living wage for their labor.
This is basic left wing labor politics at this point.
Income inequality and power inequality are the primary causes of social strife and lower living standards.
Uh...sure. I mean, the indepentarian in me kind of agrees with that. Of course for me the problem is those things compelling people to work in the first place.
Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
This is sounding a little labor theory of value-y...rather than antiwork-y.
We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Sure, but different ideologies lead to different approaches to the issue, and we're not always gonna agree.
So far I'm mixed. They have some good stuff here, but I suspect it's a bit basic and not digging deep enough to understand the real issues as I see them. This just seems like traditional labor politics to me.
Of course for a mild reformist sub that rejected actual anti work politics, maybe that's to be expected.
Some of our specific goals:
Better compensation (higher, living wages).
A minimum wage is like...so basic though.
Better worker representation in the workforce, including but not limited to unions.
This is looking like traditional labor politics.
Better and fewer working hours.
That's more like it, but still a bit of an incremental reform.
Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
This is just traditional labor politics
Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
So yeah...traditional labor politics.
This is just traditional labor politics. Unions, organizing, minimum wage. Big deal.
How will we achieve these goals?
As a community, r/WorkReform seeks to educate both itself and the wider reddit community about ways to EMPOWER WORKERS. This includes education about how to organize your own workplace and other ways to agitate for higher standards of living in your communities.
As a subreddit community, our touchstone question is: Does this help improve worker quality of life?
I mean sure, but this seems like a step backwards from r/antiwork. What about nonworkers? I guess they dont care, given how much they crapped on Doreen Ford, for example.
Going Forward
This is a brand-new community, and it’s likely these principles and goals will significantly expand and evolve! And perhaps be codified into a mission statement one day soon. But for now…
This is your movement. Let's join together and fight for Work Reform!
What do YOU think we as a community could do best to improve working conditions?
Honestly, this community is kind of lame compared to r/antiwork. I'm gonna be honest, I don't always agree with Doreen Ford and the hardline anarchists on r/antiwork myself, but....this is just standard pro work labor politics. Which is okay...but honestly, as I've been saying all week, I'm actually ANTI WORK. Like, I'm in the opinion as far as views go, Doreen Ford did nothing wrong. How dare she actually be an anti work person who not work full time. I mean really.
So I'm gonna be honest, this work reform sub is a bit lame.
However, I will stipulate one thing that will get me on their side, and I tried to express this myself in this thread.
For me to support the movement, they need to support a UBI. Most UBI supporters aren't full on anti work. Some are work reformists. After all, as expressed in my previous article, given how labor dependent our society is, we can't just go full on anti work overnight. UBI would be a stepping stone allowing us to organically move that way in my mind. But we can't just...do it now. Again, too much inflation would happen if we did.
But that said, UBI would be a suitable compromise, that's not really a compromise, as I'm perfectly willing to work with the UBI movement in general to get toward my goals.
Some other users also echoed the need for a universal healthcare system arguing we need to decouple healthcare from work. I agree. That's another goal I share.
Honestly, I can get behind movements that support UBI and universal healthcare. Movements against those things...don't typically get my support. If r/workreform supports those things I'll support them, otherwise I'm a bit leery of this new spinoff movement as it just seems a more mild coopted version of r/antiwork that divorces it from its actual anti work goals.
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