With apologies to Ralph Chaplin, here's Judy Bari's parody:

When the union leaders’ payoffs by the bosses have begun,

There will be no labor trouble anywhere beneath the sun,

For the AFL trade unions and the management are one:

The union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



It is we who have to suffer through the daily drudgery

While Lane Kirkland pulls a hundred thousand dollar salary;

Though he claims to lead the workers, he is just a bourgeoisie;

The union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



What do workers hold in common with a labor bureaucrat

Who’s a class collaborationist and bosses diplomat?

With the money from our paychecks, he is sitting getting fat

While the union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



They’ve aligned us with the mafia, the CIA, and more

Serving counterrevolution and oppression of the poor

‘Til the union doesn’t represent our int’rests anymore:

The union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



In our hands, we hold a power they don’t even know about;

They’ve forgotten that the workers are the union’s source of clout;

When the rank-and-file workers kick the union bosses out,

Again, we will be strong.

Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever,

Solidarity forever, again, we will be strong.



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ith apologies to Ralph Chaplin; This is from Judy Bari:

When the union leaders’ payoffs by the bosses have begun,

There When the union leaders’ payoffs by the bosses have begun,

There will be no labor trouble anywhere beneath the sun,

For the AFL trade unions and the management are one:

The union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



It is we who have to suffer through the daily drudgery

While Lane Kirkland pulls a hundred thousand dollar salary;

Though he claims to lead the workers, he is just a bourgeoisie;

The union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



What do workers hold in common with a labor bureaucrat

Who’s a class collaborationist and bosses diplomat?

With the money from our paychecks, he is sitting getting fat

While the union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



They’ve aligned us with the mafia, the CIA, and more

Serving counterrevolution and oppression of the poor

‘Til the union doesn’t represent our int’rests anymore:

The union keeps us down.

Aristocracy forever, Aristocracy forever,

Aristocracy forever, the union keeps us down.



In our hands, we hold a power they don’t even know about;

They’ve forgotten that the workers are the union’s source of clout;

When the rank-and-file workers kick the union bosses out,

Again, we will be strong.

Solidarity forever, Solidarity forever,

Solidarity forever, again, we will be strong.