Sit outside at the Grand Place in Brussels, its cobblestoned main square since the Middle Ages and a UNESCO World Heritage Site today and take time to slowly sip your Trappist Triple Ale which, when you ordered it, was offered to you at six, eight, or ten degrees Celsius. Yes, the Belgians are that serious about their brews; this nation of 12 million people makes 1,500 of them.
Aside from the grandeur of that ale, there is something much bigger to ponder here. The Grand Place is a stunning central square known for its ornate architecture and historical significance. The square itself is approximately 110 meters long and 68 meters wide – slightly larger than a futbol pitch (that’s soccer field for Americans) surrounded by imposing guildhalls, the Town Hall, and the King’s House (Maison du Roi). It creates not only a remarkable visual experience, but an undeniable reminder of the prominence and importance of unions and guilds through the ages. To cut o the chase…
Yes, unions should endorse candidates.
Now the back story – the way I see it…
Unions – or guilds before them – have been, for nearly a millennium, a pillar of national and regional economies, and of societies in general.
The Hanseatic League was a powerful economic alliance of trading cities in Northern Europe, active from the late 12th century to the 17th century. It included cities from Germany, the Baltic, and the North Sea, working together to protect trade routes, establish mutual trade rights, and promote economic interests. Alliances today have been fashioned after the Hanseatic League.
Guilds played a crucial role within the League, serving as associations of merchants and craftsmen that regulated trade practices, set quality standards, and protected their members’ interests. The combination of the League and guilds facilitated the growth of commerce, leading to prosperity and security.
Does that sound familiar? The guilds exercised due influence, for the betterment of individuals, towns, regions, and so on. Their influence was merited and was much entwined in the historic development of northern Europe which, as we know, is made up today of affluent, educated, developed nations like The Netherlands, Germany, the Baltics, and Scandinavia. The guilds exercised due influence and, in doing so, left a legacy of good.
Then, aside from 1594, when Phillp II established an eight-hour workday for construction workers, nothing happened for a while. And then…
The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, one of the three great revolutions that began in the late 18th century (American, French, Industrial) immediately exposed potential and problems, both of enormous proportions. We know the immediate and ongoing successes – textiles, steam power, iron making, machine tools – but we tend to forget the problems: 10 to16-hour days, 6-day weeks, child labor, poor working conditions, etc.
Enter a progression of socially-conscious, highly effective change agents who led movements around the world that spawned labor organizations and, ultimately, unions. All along the way, the improvements and advances that were made had everything to do with, among other things, the work that unions did.
So, should unions endorse candidates? In effect, haven’t they been doing so all along?