10

Late 70's, early 80's. Possibly Amazing Stories/Science Fiction Science Fact or similar periodical, possibly a reprint (astounding ?).

I am pretty sure this was not a comic, and for many years I believed the title was "The Union Forever" but not Barry N. Malzberg's.

All persons acquire a living allowance by means of a stock grant at birth. Employment is lucrative but nobody seems particularly interested in giving up their free time.

Employment is by frequently dodged draft.

The main character is drafted into a systems admin role, for which he is surprisingly qualified by comparison to the incumbents who are rorting the system (possible anti-socialist story line), having been taught (punched card) processing by an aged relative, possibly a grandfather.

Ala "Winston" in "1984" he attracts attention, and the "Union" makes a move...

Improve this question
5
  • 1
    What means "rorting?" I wot not this word.
    – DavidW
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 3:24
  • Riding the gravy train, not actually working. Fraudulently misrepresenting their time cards etc.etc. Basically being as useful as mammary glands on a bull, but still cashing their paycheck.
    – mckenzm
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 3:28
  • 3
    Probably "The Union Forever", a novella by Mack Reynolds in Analog, December 1980 but I don't seem to have a copy of that issue, so I can't confirm that the story matches your description.
    – user14111
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 3:34
  • I'll check that by Monday, I do have that issue. Possibly from wandering down this path before. It would match his MO. I could be wrong about the title as well.
    – mckenzm
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 5:25
  • 1
    The part about every U.S. citizen being issued some shares of "Basic Common Stock" at birth, thus giving him a small but steady source of income even if he never finds a steady pay, was a basic assumption in many of Mack Reynolds's stories. As soon as I read the question, I figured it had to be something by Mack Reynolds.
    – Lorendiac
    Commented May 31, 2019 at 9:02

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7

As speculated in the comments above, this is "The Union Forever" by Mack Reynolds which appeared in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, December 1980.

It can be read at the Luminist Archives by scrolling to the bottom of the page.

A brief synopsis:

Like his father and grandfather, Perry Altshuler is a trained IBM punched card tabulating operator. He is listed under that category for the Labor Draft, but doesn't expect to ever be chosen in the draft lottery because computers use tape now. Like everyone, he was issued an Inalienable Basic income at birth and doesn't have to work to survive. However, there are still a considerable amount of punched cards in storage that need transferred to the new data banks. Since he is the only one of eligible draft age listed with this skill, he is drafted for the job.

Perry is very good at his job and gets various promotions, pay raises, and increased security clearance. Representatives from two unions come to see him several times seeking his membership. One is the big union of the capitalist establishment that everyone typically joins. They pay him bribes to encourage his membership. They eventually reveal their plan to overthrow the government and install a union dictatorship. The other union turns out to be a group of revolutionaries who want to replace the current capitalist system with socialism and communism.

Puzzled by the bribes, Perry uses his increased security clearance to investigate the background of the big union boss. He discovers evidence among the punched cards of involvement in past financial corruption that would ruin the career of the big union boss if it became public knowledge. The big union boss is alerted about the background check on him and sends his armed henchman over to retrieve the evidence which they were never able to locate in the past which explains why they were so generous with their bribes. The henchman shows up, holding Perry at gunpoint, retrieves the evidence, and tells Perry he has to decide between his only two options, either join with their union or join with the socialist communist revolutionaries. Perry realizes there is a third option which is the one he chooses.

Perry gets himself fired so he doesn't have to join either union and returns to his unemployed life of leisure a much richer man.

There is also a full page illustration that prominently features punched cards.

Improve this answer
2
  • It's astounding that this didn't get answered before. I think people just forgot about it :-)
    – Valorum
    Commented Apr 13 at 12:15
  • 3
    The old, forgotten questions need love, too.
    – David Noble
    Commented Apr 13 at 12:18

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.