Union Songs

Union ABCs

A song by Kristin Lems©2009 Kleine Ding Music (BMI)

- [play]

It's time to learn your Union ABCs
Just sing them and repeat them till they come right out with ease
The more you study them, the more you will know
So here's the song, sing along, this is how it goes

It starts with A for Action
B for the Boycott's clout
C is for the Contract we will not work without
D is for Demands we make, like
E the Eight-hour day
And for Equal Right and Equal Work with Equal Pay

F is for the Fight for a contract that is fair
G, it feels Good when we get there!
H is for our Heroes that we never will forget
I for their Integrity inspiring all they met

Like J, Joe Hill and Mother Mary Jones
Giving us, K, the Knowledge, that we are not alone
Fight like "L," Mother Jones would always say
In M, all of the Mines and Mills where workers toil away

Saying N, No, Nobody can treat me like a slave
O, go Organize from the cradle to the grave
P is for the Power of a Picket or a strike
And Q is for the Quality and pride in work done right

Singing "R" you with us? Tell me which said are you on?
S, Solidarity goes singing on and on
T and U, Talkin Union! And V for Victory!
And W stands for We Will Win and soon the world will see
That if you sign your "X" on the union line
There's better days for you.
Y do we struggle? For bread and roses too.
Z is for the Zeal we feel when we sing this song
And now you've learned your ABCs,
The union makes us strong…

(out on Solidarity Forever)

Notes

Many thanks to Kristin Lems for permission to add this song to the Union Songs collection.

Kristin writes:
'I just discovered your excellent resource from someone in Labor Heritage Foundation, who suggested I send you my song(s) ... Thank you for a wonderful site. I will go there many times now that I know it's there. It's the equivalent of Neil Young's anti-war collection!'

This song is from Equality Road her Double CD.

Visit Kristin's website at http://kristinlems.com/

Find more of Kristin's work in this collection