Wizards of Greed {Written by participants in the 2005 Conference on Creative Organizing}
Narrator:
America, 2005.
Dorothy is a young worker, disheartened, disgruntled, and disgusted. The winds of disaster are swirling around her, a virtual tornado of calamity. (Chorus whistles)
Dorothy:
Oh no! What am I to do? Auntie Em got sick and she has no insurance. Uncle Henry’s lost his pension. That nasty old neighbor Elvira Gulch has bought up the neighboring farms and is building a Home Depot. And poor Professor Marvel lost his job in downsizing.
Chorus:
Cutbacks and mergers and bribes. Oh my!
Hunger, low wages and war. Oh my!
Oppression, injustice and greed. Oh my!
Dorothy:
Gosh Toto, this doesn’t look like America!
Narrator:
Oh, but it is, Dorothy. It is. The Wizards of greed are all around you.
Wal Mart cheats me on my hours
They’re afraid of Union power
Exploitation is their art……
Wal-Mart doesn’t pay fair wages
They’ve been screwing us for ages
If they only had a heart
En-Ron seemed to be so clever
Then their lights went out forever
Embezzlement was their game
Power black-outs and deception
Lay-offs, lies, and corruption
If they only had a brain
Politicians they should serve us
But instead they make us nervous
Corporate interest they do serve….
They could show the workers kindness
If they wouldn’t be so spineless
If they only had the nerve
Wal-Mart, En-Ron, Politicians
Made some pretty bad decisions
Greed just set them all apart
They could make the world far better
Change all our lives forever
If they only had…a heart, a brain, the nerve….
Narrator:
But in the depths of her despair, Dorothy saw in the distance a glittering bubble…
Dorothy:
Who in the hell are you?
Glinda:
I’m Glinda, the good union organizer of the north. And who in the hell are you, my dear?
Dorothy:
Well, I’m Dorothy of mainstreet, USA. What’s a union?
Glinda:
It’s an organization of workers who band together to improve wages and working conditions.
Don’t you know dear, you don’t have to struggle on your own.
Dorothy:
That sounds great! And how do I become a part of this union?
Glinda:
It’s simple dear. You just sign a card, pay your dues and get involved.
Dorothy:
What about clicking my heels?
Glinda:
That too.
Dorothy:
Wow! That sounds so easy? What next?
Glinda:
A musical number and a happy ending, of course.
Dorothy:
I kind of saw that coming.
Glinda:
We all work for the union, proud and strong,
We know deep in our hearts that this is where we belong.
Together, united in purpose, me and you,
All the dreams that we dare to dream really can come true.
So what do you think, dear?
Dorothy:
I hope you’re UAW and not Actor’s Equity.
But I’m feeling much better now.
Glinda:
See? You had the power within you all along. You just had to want it badly enough and recognize that there is strength in numbers. Now go. Infiltrate. Demonstrate. Negotiate. File grievances.