After posting I encountered this interview with economist Michael Hudson.
The movement began on the first day of January with a post on the internet by the eccentric and mysterious billionaire from Zambia, Melon Husk, with an offer of forming a world wide workers union. Husk offered to provide a 'bottomless' strike fund to support the workers while they were on strike. It was a brief message with a web address where workers anywhere in the world could register and join the union. There was no trouble convincing the labor force to join.
The movement began on the first day of January with a post on the internet by the eccentric and mysterious billionaire from Zambia, Melon Husk, with an offer of forming a world wide workers union. Husk offered to provide a 'bottomless' strike fund to support the workers while they were on strike. It was a brief message with a web address where workers anywhere in the world could register and join the union. There was no trouble convincing the labor force to join.
The message
said: "If you are underpaid, if the quality of your life is not to your
liking join the Worldwide Workers International Labor Collective.
The WWILC
will make your life better."
At the
website the goals of the WWILC were simple. A living wage, completely paid
healthcare, affordable housing, ample free educational opportunities, paid
vacations, and one year of fully paid maternity leave for each parent.
The idea
spread like a virus in a daycare facility and before the first day of March
a billion workers worldwide had joined and more were learning about it and
joining daily. There was to be, on the first day of April, a worldwide strike. And so there was.
On April 1 the entire WWILC membership of slightly more than one billion workers did
not show up to work. Instead they were on the sidewalks with informational
brochures explaining the strike and the conditions which caused the workers to
organize. Around the world commerce ground to a halt.
Banks could
not open, no restaurants opened, no gas stations opened, grocery stores were
closed, the doctor might be in his office, but his staff was not. Every aspect
of life that required labor to provide a service was affected.
It was a
successful strike that lasted the entire month of April. Every sweatshop around the world ceased
production and when it was over The People had won. The strike came to be known
as "The April Fools Movement" and the first day of April is now
celebrated annually and the workers lived happily ever after.
If you have not heard the song "Banks of Marble" listening to it may inspire you to rise up and improve your chances which are growing slimmer every passing day.
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