Cultural and Sports Programs Can BreedUnion  Members’  Loyalty  and Solidarity

By Harry Kelber

Imagine a symphony orchestra composed of union members
offering a concert of classical composers to a public that has
considered ordinary working people as  uncultured and poorly
educated. Couldn’t we develop such an orchestra from the many
tens of thousands  of unionists who can play a musical instrument?

We could have a labor chorus, jazz bands, string quartets,  piano
recitals and other musical events that would give  union members
a chance to display their talents and participate in competitions
between locals.

We could do the same thing with painting and the visual arts, with
prizes for outstanding performances  There are tens of thousands of
amateur painters in unions, and most would be delighted at the
opportunity  to show their work.

What the AFL-CIO needs is a Department of Culture and Sports
to organize the events.  The interaction between participants
will be helpful in solving one of the Federation’s long-standing
problems: that members are not interested in union activities
because they are often so boring. The intramural contests in
musical and athletic performances will build both loyalty and
solidarity.

Many Intra-Local Sports Contests in the 1930s

The same upbeat attitude can also be promoted by sports competitions. In the 1930s, there was rivalry between bowling
teams, sponsored by local unions. There were intramural
basketball leagues, with members turning out to cheer for their
local union team.  There were also tennis and ping-pong contests.
There were plans for a “Field Day for Labor,”  similar to the
Olympics, but it never came off.

A union’s investment in uniforms and equipment would be small,
compared to the millions that are spent on local and national
elections. One of the best ways to build loyalty for the union
is having its members identify with its sport teams.

Labor  solidarity can be developed through competitions
between local unions in various sports events. It is here
where members from one union become acquainted
with members from many other unions, and cooperation
and solidarity have an opportunity to flourish.

Solidarity is especially important at a time when the labor
movement is faced with serious crises.

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One fact worth remembering and repeating in Michael Moore’s
speech to tens of thousands of people at the protest meeting in
Madison, Wisconsin is that 400 wealthiest people have stocks,
bonds, property,  cash and net assets equal to that of 155 million
people combined
Isn’t it time for a change?—Harry Kelber