There’s a real disconnect between white progressives and the working class, and I’m going to assume that the fact that the new local fitness center is being built in Fishtown, right in the middle of Hipster Heaven, with non-union labor, will give the intended patrons even a moment’s pause.
I’d love to be wrong, of course.
There’s been a real effort over the past how-many years to create an artificial divide between so-called white-collar and blue-collar workers. Exempt vs. non-exempt status that sort of thing. I’m convinced it was developed for the sole purpose of creating the artificial or perceived disconnect you bring up. Thereby isolating each segment of the workforce, making them easier to pick off. Apparently it’s worked well for our owners.
BTW. It would be a positive outcome of the current high unemployment rate among the ‘exempt’ side if it highlights the phoniness of this disconnect. How many can’t afford the luxury of the gym in our new plutocracy?
The metal workers and carpenters have been flyering and picketing the site and it has been discussed on the fishtown us board. But most “hipsters”– as you call the “new” residents–are excited because the gym in question is extremely low cost/no frills and close location–myself included.
I am pretty sure that most of the work in the Pt Richmond plaza gets done with non-union work too, the various locals have picketed a bunch of stores over the years. Is the patronage of the various dollar stores and other businesses in the plaza built by non-union work by the working class old-line residents worthy of attention?
In any case, I will rationalize my patronage of the low-cost gym that is literally one block from my home in this manner:
Many of these picketing union workers sold out my neighborhood and backed the abominable slots casino as well as Arlen Specter the REPUBLICAN and Rick “Santorum” Santorum the REPUBLICAN repeatedly over the years…
I don’t recall any being made claims on left-wing solidarity then.
Do you?
There were simply economic arguments made about support for river dredging, construction jobs, etc. Never mind that other locals opposed those GOP candidates and various local construction/development projects–those guys picketing the gym are the same ones that supported building a freaking WAL MART against the grocery workers local!
During the whole casino fiasco, it was shown over and over again that many of the protesting union workers attacking the local anti-slots opposition didn’t even live in the city!
So, maybe you might remember this when you start throwing terms like “hipster heaven” around and bemoaning the lack of progressive solidarity in Fishtown…
In this case, I ain’t gonna feel real guilty.
sorry “claims being made”!
I’m guessing you didn’t grow up in a union household. For years, I didn’t shop at the wonderful new supermarket two blocks from my house because 1) they used non-union labor to build it and 2) they employ only non-union cashiers and clerks. It’s just how I roll.
I don’t go out of my way to identify which are non-union locations, but once it’s brought to my attention, I won’t patronize them.
As you point out, it gets murky, and the unions don’t always make it easy to identify the good guys in these fights. But especially in hard times, I will always support unions over cheap prices. Will I stop shopping at the Shop-Rite because the new Walmart superstore on Aramingo will be so much cheaper? No, I will not. Even though (ahem) I DON’T EVEN HAVE A JOB and it would save me a shitload of money.
Here’s the difference between you patronizing that gym and the locals patronizing the dollar store: You have alternatives — and a degree of knowledge of the economic consequences of your choice. A lot of the people around here don’t have the option of going someplace more expensive, nor do they understand why they would want to. You do.
The moral burden falls onto the people who know better.
And if this is the first time you’ve heard Fishtown referred to as Hipster Heaven, you must not get out much. (Why, I’m so old, I remember when Northern Liberties was Hipster Heaven! And before that, Olde City…)