Gary

•

"I am in the slime," I say
to Gary, my first year
after being elected chapter chair—
Gary, fellow union activist,
long-time mentor in union things.

"A new opposition slate
has developed within the union,"
I explain, "a slate with some better positions
around fighting back."

"But the bureaucracy is still in control," I add,
"and the bureaucracy has been known
to withhold servies for locals
whose leaderships don't support
their candidates."

"Do I back the opposition slate
because it has a better program
—though it has no
chance of winning—

or do I back
the old guard slate
to protest my members'
bread and butter interests

and live to struggle another
day?"

"I had the same issue
last time around," Gary says.
I didn't know the next step
either."

After much discussion we decide
to go with the tactic
of building the new
within the shell of the old.

I decide to back
the opposition candidate for vice president
because of her fightback
program.

I decide to back
the old guard candidate for president
until next time around
I develop the base and the strength.

"But I am in the slime,"
I say to Gary,

—himself locked in a battle
to win reelection in his own local
against a divisive old guarder
and a muckraking Republican—

"I am in the slime,
no matter what I do
my members are going to be screwed
either way."

"Don't worry about being
in the slime, Chris," Gary says.
"The only people who have clean hands
are those who don't try to change things."