AN INJURY TO ONE
IS AN INJURY TO ALL!
¡UN DAÑO PARA UNO
ES UN DAÑO A TODO!
Labor/Union
AN INJURY TO ONE
IS AN INJURY TO ALL!
¡UN DAÑO PARA UNO
ES UN DAÑO A TODO!
WE GIVE GOOD CARE— EVERY DAY!
WE’RE WORKING SHORT–EVERY DAY!
WE NEED A CONTRACT—-EVERY DAY!
WE NEED PROTECTION— EVERY DAY!
WE NEED INSURANCE—- EVERY DAY
(as heard on the SEIU District 1199 NE
picket line SUNRISE Group Home workers 11/21)
CAN WE DO IT? ———- YES WE CAN!!
PROTECT OUR FAMILY?– YES WE CAN!
PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS?YES WE CAN!
PROTECT OUR FUTURE?—- YES WE CAN!
BILL OF RIGHTS?————-YES WE CAN!
(or SI SE PUEDE!)
(as heard on the SEIU District 1199 NE
picket line SUNRISE Group Home workers 11/21)
_________HEAR OUR PLEA
SOME DAY YOU’LL BE ELDERLY.
MANY DYING, CAN’T YOU SEE
TIME TO FIX THIS INDUSTRY!!
(as heard on the lively SEIU District 1199NE
picket line SUNRISE Group Home workers 11/21)
DIGNITY RESPECT
MORE MONEY IN OUR CHECKS!
(as heard on the SEIU District 1199NE
picket line SUNRISE Group Home workers 11/21)
THE PATIENTS—-NOT PROFITS!!
(SEIU District 1199 NE rousing picket line
SUNRISE Group Home workers 11/21)
HERE WE GO AGAIN
SAME OLD CRAP AGAIN
OUT HERE ON THIS PICKET LINE
_______MUSTA LOST HIS MIND!
(as heard on the SEIU District 1199NE picket
line SUNRISE Group Home workers 11/21)
TRUSTEES CEASE YOUR MYTHIC FABLE
RETURN FORTH WITH TO THE BARGAINING TABLE.
WHAT DO WE WANT?
SAFETY!!
AND IF WE DON’T GET IT?
SHUT IT DOWN!!!
_____SAYS YES We say no!
_____ SAYS HELL YES We say hell now!
______SAYS FIRE We say hire!
_____ SAYS LAYOFF We say shove off
_____SAYS CUTBACK We say fight back!
_____ SAYS GIVE BACK We say fight back!
_____ SAYS TAKE AWAY We say no way!
(ex: Trump, Boss, etc…)
WE’RE GONNA BEAT–BEAT– BACK THE BOSS
WE’RE GONNA BEAT BEAT BACK THE BOSS.
or: WE’RE GONNA BEAT –BACK– THE ______ ATTACK
WE’RE GONNA BEAT BACK THE _______ ATTACK.
or:WE’RE GONNA DUMP– DUMP– DONALD TRUMP
WE’RE GONNA DUMP DUMP DONALD TRUMP
(sing-song marching cadence)
Call: I DON’T KNOW BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD
ECHO: I DON’T KNOW BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD
THE PEOPLE HERE ARE MIGHTY BOLD
– THE PEOPLE HERE ARE MIGHTY BOLD
THERE”S ONE THING THAT’S CLEAR TO ME
– THERE’S ONE THING THAT’S CLEAR TO ME
THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE UNITY
– THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE UNITY
LIES AND THREATS WILL NOT DIVIDE
-LIES AND THREATS WILL NOT DIVIDE
THE PEOPLE STANDING SIDE BY SIDE
-THE PEOPLE STANDING SIDE BY SIDE!
YOU TAKE ONE OF US ON
YOU TAKE ALL OF US ON!
1-2-3-4– WE WON’T TAKE IT ANYMORE
(or WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE MARCHING FOR)
(or OUT HERE FOR)
(or NO ONE SHOULD BE WORKING POOR)
5-6-7-8 –LOVE NOT HATE MAKES AMERICA GREAT!
(or SIT DOWN AND NEGOTIATE)
SONG/CHANT
(Tune: We Will Rock You by QUEEN)
WE ARE UNION (OR WE ARE VOTERS)
WE ARE, WE ARE- UNION (or VOTERS!)
(Thump, thump clap – thump, thump clap)
WE ARE, WE ARE-UNION
(Thump, thump clap – thump, thump clap)
WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU (2x)
(Thump, thump clap – thump, thump clap)
WE WILL, WE WILL BLOCK YOU (etc)
(clap-thump, thump X2)
WE WILL, WE WILL STOP YOU ( etc)
UNO, DOS, TRES, CUATRO
¡QUE QUEREMOS UN CONTRATO!
(trans: 1-2-3-4
WE WANT A CONTRACT
¿NO CONTRATO? ¡No trabajo!
¿NO JUSTICIA? ¡No hay paz!
(trans: No contract? No Work!
No justice? No Peace!)
WHAT’S DISGUSTING? Union busting!
WHAT’S OUTRAGEOUS? Sweatshop wages
(or: stagnant wages,
poverty etc..)
WHAT’S APPALLING? Bosses stalling!
EXPLOITATION AIN’T THE WAY
_______DESERVE EQUAL PAY!
(Farm workers, etc..)
BE FAIR– TO THOSE WHO CARE!
(Tune: Traditional marching cadence)
CALL & ECHO
_____ IS A UNION TOWN
_____ is a union town
YOU CAN’T KEEP THE PEOPLE DOWN
You can’t keep the people down.
or: Get UP! —Get DOWN!
Get UP! —Get DOWN!
______ IS A UNION TOWN
_____ is a union town!
UNION TOWN THROUGH AND THROUGH
Union town through and through
YOU FOR ME AND ME FOR YOU.
You for me and me for you!
_____ IS A UNION CITY
____ is a union city
THE WAY YOU TREAT US IS A PITY.
The way you treat us is a pity
UNION CITY IN AND OUT
Union city in and out
WeE WON’T REST UNTIL YOU’RE OUT.
We won’t rest until you’re out.
or: ON STRIKE, SHUT IT DOWN
___ is a union town
or: ORGANIZE, DON’T BACK DOWN…
or: ORGANIZE, CAN’T KEEP US DOWN etc.
_________YOU’RE NO GOOD
SIGN A CONTRACT LIKE YOU SHOULD
or: NEVER VOTED LIKE YOU SHOULD.
WHAT DOES_______HAVE TO HIDE?
SWEATSHOP PRODUCTS MADE INSIDE.
WE’RE ______WORKERS FIGHTING BACK
(Hospital, nursing home, cafeteria…)
WE’RE OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID
ARE YOU READY TO FIGHT?
DAMN RIGHT!!!
WE DESERVE A LIVING WAGE
‘CAUSE WE’RE NO ONES’ WORKING SLAVE.
TIME TO TAX THE ONE PER CENT!
UP WITH THE UNION —- Yeah!! Yeah!!
UP WITH THE WORKERS–Yeah!! Yeah!!
DOWN WITH THE BOSSES Boom!! Boom!!
THAT CHEAP BOSS—— Boom!! Boom!!
THAT GREEDY BOSS——Boom!! Boom!!
THAT LYING BOSS—- Boom!! Boom!!
UNION YES!! _________NO!
UNION BUSTING’S GOTTA GO!
(Tune: Traditional marching cadence)
UNION POWER ON THE RISE
Now’s the time to organize!
GIVE OUR CHILDREN BETTER LIVES
Now’s the time to organize!
NO MORE BOSSES’ TRICKS AND LIES
Now’s the time to organize!
TELL THE WOMEN, TELL THE GUYS
Now’s the time to organize!
ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE!!
Now’s the time to organize!
WE NEED STAFF
They just laugh
WE NEED SUPPLIES
They roll their eyes
WE NEED MONEY
They think it’s funny
BUT IF WE FIGHT
They’ll do what’s right.
UNION STRONG! UNION PROUD!
EVERYBODY-SAY IT LOUD!
TEACHERS AND FAMILIES MUST UNITE
EDUCATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT!
HEALTHWORKERS AND FAMILIES MUST UNITE
HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT!
SWEATSHOP LABOR? NO WAY!
GET______AND MAKE THEM PAY
(Tune: Chain of Fools a la Aretha Franklin)
PAY, PAY, PAY—-PAY, PAY, PAY
PAY, PAY, PAY—-PAY, PAY, PAY
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME—-SHAME ON YOU
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME—-SHAME ON YOU
PAY YOUR WORKERS-SHAME ON YOU
PAY YOUR WORKERS-SHAME ON YOU
PAY CUTS FOR TEACHERS? We say NO!
TAX THE PEOPLE With lots of dough!
NO CONTRACT No work! (health care, etc…)
NO DAMN CONTRACT No damn work!
NO JUSTICE No peace! etc..
NO CONTRACT—no work, no peace…..etc..
NO RESPECT—-no work, no peace…etc..
NO DIGNITY— –no work, no peace…etc..
LAYOFFS, CUTBACKS, THEY’RE THE WORST
TIME TO PUT THE PEOPLE FIRST
or- SERVICE CUTS, THEY’RE THE WORST…etc
.
Hey HEY, Ho HO
POVERTY WAGES HAVE GOT TO GO
or: WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY GO?
or: UNION POWER ON THE GO
or: UNION BUSTING’S GOT TO GO
or: GET UP OFFA THAT DOUGH- HUH!!
HEY____RICH AND RUDE
WE DON’T LIKE YOUR ATTITUDE
HEY_____ YOU’RE NO GOOD
TREAT YOUR WORKERS LIKE YOU SHOULD!
HEY_____! IT’S ABOUT TIME
WHAT YOU PAY US IS A CRIME!
HEY____! HEAR OUR CRY
WE NEED A ____ THAT’S NO LIE
(pension, raise, etc…)
CHOP FROM THE TOP
NOT FROM THE………….(students)
CHOP FROM THE TOP
NOT FROM THE………….(janitors)
etc…
BANKS GET BAILED OUT
WE GET SOLD OUT!
AW –TOOT! TOOT! GET UP OFF OF THAT LOOT!
AW–BEEP! BEEP! _______ IS CHEAP
CUTS IN HEALTH CARE No more!
CUTS TO MEDICAID No more!
UNDERSTAFFING No more!
CUTTING CORNERS No more!
STAND UP FOR PATIENTS Right now!
BETTER STAFFING Right now!
BETTER FUNDING Right now!
(Tune: HOT! HOT! HOT)
OLE OLE OLE OLE
OLE OLE OLE OLE
____’S HOT,HOT,HOT (union’s)
_______IS NOT, NOT, NOT!(boss)
or: OLE (4X)
PACK YOUR BAGS AND GO AWAY etc…
or: _____ IS HERE TO STAY
or: The union yes, the bosses no
They should have settled long ago!
DO–THE–CONGA
DO THE UNION CONGA
SIGN–THE–CONTRACT
SIGN THE UNION CONTRACT
JOIN THE PICKET
JOIN THE PICKET
DO THE RIGHT THING
Union is the right thing!
Good Chants is also available as a free download and for sale as a pocket sized book published by Syracuse Cultural Workers.