"ne

™

*

or

50 CENTS

Bpx22

April/May/June 1986
Issue No. 1

FOR LABOR AND YOUTH — WORKING CLASS UNITY AND SOCIALISM

END DICTATORSHIP
OF BIG BUSINESS
Exactly one. hundred years ago, the U.S.
working class took up one of the most

ferocious battles of its entire history — the battle for the eight-hour day: May 1, now
celebrated by workers round the world, was

markedin 1886 by general strikes in almost

every major city of the U.S. as tens of

thousands of workers struck for a shorter
work week with noless pay.
Today,

similar battles

are

brewing once again as the wages
and conditions of workers are
coming under vigorous assault.
First-year raises in union contracts have plummeted from
about 10% in’the early 70’s to
2.4% in 1984. Real wages have
dropped by 14% from 1972 to
1984. The numberof“two-tier”
contracts almost doubled in
1984, hitting hardest at the
younger workers just entering
the workforce.
From cradle to grave, poverty
is now a wayoflife for many.
Some 20 million Americans go
hungry atleast part of the time,
onein four children under6 live
in poverty, andhalf of all black
children live in poverty. Over
12% of the aged, whose only
crime was to have worked hard
all their lives, are’now in pover-

ty too.

Perhaps the contradictions are
best summarized by theplight of
90,000 farmers in the U.S. who
are threatened with ruin and
can't sell their produce due to the
glut of grain on the world market

while millions go hungry in
every corner ofthe globe!
WORKING CLASS
But today the workingclass is
stronger than ever before and
will not give up the gains it has
made in the past 50 years
without major struggles. The
last year has seen general
strikes in Bolivia, Denmark,
Greece and Spain, the 12 month

cold miners’ strike in Britain,
and the magnificant movement
of the masses of black workers
and youth of South Africa.
The U.S. working class is now
also starting to take action. The
strikes of the cannery workers in
Watsonville,

CA,

and

‘the

Hormel workers of Austin, MN,
show that opposition to concessions is increasing. In its
preparation for the huge tasks
ahead, rank and file union
members are beginning to
develop anew, fighting
leadership.
The U.S. working class will
return once again to the traditions of the 1930's. The trade
unions will be transformed into

fighting democratic organizations, and in the process the de-

mand will be raised to break
with the politicians of big
business. The most powerful
working class in the capitalist
world will demandthat it have
its own political party — a labor
party, based on the unions.
Thiswill coincide with the rising tide of the working class
movement internationally —
both East and West. However,

the U.S. Labor Party will have

to deal with the growingcrisis of
the world capitalist system.
Throughthis struggle, through
victories and defeats, times of
turbulence andlulls, tremendous
lessons will be learned. It will

democratic control and management of the workers — for the
masses of workers to take control
of their own society, for socialism
and workers’ democracy is our
time.

This was the struggie which
seen that 500 giant corporations was started 100 years ago on
constitute a dictatorship over May Day 1886.This is still the
struggle today. The time has
USS. society.
Thecall will increasingly grow come to complete this task.
within the labor movement for
By John Reimann
the nationalisation of these maCarpenters Local 36
jor corporations under the
(personal capacity)
become more and moreclearly

VvicTO Y FOR YOUTH
State American youth.
“Youth have the fromthe
worst jobs, the worst Legislature. That’s
Teenage unemployment ofunemployment rate why we need a cam- ficially rgse to 19% last month,

and the worst oppor-- paign to defend our
tunities
and rights.”” Mary Conbecause
there’s nors,
nothing to turn to we Defense

a

Youth

Campaign
also have the worst and Labor and Trade
alcohol,

drug

and Union Group activist,

suicide problems. On explained to Labor
top of that we face Militant, At 21 Mary’s
constant
police been in and outof low
harassment,
anti- paid office and facyouthlegislation from tory jobs. Herlife and
the City Council and future is no different
curfew
proposals=to*the majority of

nearly 3 times higher than the
adult rate. More than 55% of
those youths whofind work are
madeto suffer minimum wage.
Apprenticeships or anyjob training has becomehistory. The corporations whodictate the wages
and conditions of non-union
youth expect us to be grateful for
the privilege of a job, “there's
many more where you came
from.”
“Things are getting worse. One
friend told me howhe'd worked
in construction each summer
since 1980. He used to get 6
contd. page 11

=
*

CABOR MILITANT EDI

Whatprevents the mighty U.S.
working class from carrying out
this task is the lack of conscious
alternative in the working class
socialist leadership. The AFLand the youth in the United CIO believes that capitalism is
States. American big business is
the only possible system.
Asa
in cri8is and is attemptingto offload this crisis onto the backsof result the ideas of big business
remain unanswered and the
American workers, and workers
andpeasants internationally. All power of the workingclass is not
=
it offers is increased poverty, mobilized.
LaborMilitant will answerthe
repression, wars and in the
lies
of
big
business
and
argue for
longer term of two to three
decades the threat of nuclear socialism in the U.S.A.and internationally. We will provide the
annihilation.
The 100 million strong facts and figures to back up our
American working class is the case and to arm the labor movelargest working class in the ment for the battles that lie
capitalist world. 19 million are ahead.
organized, making the American We will campaign for organiztrade union movement the ing the unorganized,andfor the
largest in the world. The work- unions to build a labor party as
ing class is the most powerful an alternative to the parties of

LaborMilitant is being produc,ed to provide a conscious socialist

force in the U.S.It, andit alone,

has the power to endthe dictatorship of the corporations over
American society and to end
capitalism.

vicious
racist oppression of
the especially oppressed racial
minorities in the U.S. We will
campaign for the labor movementto confrontthis oppression
and the special oppression of
women,andto unite the working
class and youthofall races, male
and female, within a. united

labor movement.Thisis the only

way

to

overcome

big

business’s tactics of “Divide and
Rule”andto end the special exploitation of the especially oppressed minorities as well as the
exploitation of the working class
as a whole.
Simultaneously with answering big business and those who
echo its ideas inside the labor
movement, Labor Militant will
seek to gather together the most
advanced and fighting sections of
big business, the Democrats and the U.S. working class and youth
the Republicans. We will cam- around its banner. The task of
paign ora socialist program for these advanced sections will be
to patiently explain the ideas of
the labor party.
LaborMilitant will expose the Marxism in the broader labor

RIAL

movement.

The developing crisis will
unleash events which will open
the eyes of the mass of the
workers to the crisis of
capitalism and Stalinism. If the
advanced sections properly fulfill
their role of patient explanation
andtell the truth to the working
class,it will be possible to win
USS.society
the majority in
to the struggle for socialism.
A socialist united states of
America would herald the end of
capitalism and landlordism on a
world scale. It would also end the
dictatorship of the Stalinist
bureaucracies in Eastern
Europe, Russia, China, etc. A
new world order, a Socialist
World Federation based on
workers’

democracies,

would

then be possible. This would
utilize the potential of the productive forces and the human
species to end poverty, war, oppression, racism and division.

LaborMilitant is produced by

trade unionactivists and youth
throughout the U.S.A.
We
your help to
continue its prod ‘ion and to
develop and im; “i it. Write
and give us yoursopinions and
help us to learn
our experiences and the history of our
movement,

and

make Labor

Militant a better paper.
Take out a regular subscription. Labor Militant will come
out every two months for the
next 12 months and then with
your help every month.Order extra copies to sell at your

workplace,schoolor college, or to

your friends. Labor Militant has no rich
backers. This issue has only been
posssible due to the sacrifice of
a small numberof workers and
youth over the past months.
Send us a donation to help us
continue the work of providing
an alternative to big business by
building a conscious socialist
leadership for U.S.labor.

FOREIGN POLICY
’
“” By Robert O Neill

The Reagan Administration attacks wages,
conditions and social programs at home on
behalf of the major corporations — big
business — which demandhigherprofits at
the expense of the working and middle
classes. Its foreign policy is also dictated by
these same corporations and their need to
preservetheir profits, markets, sources of raw
materials and power abroad.
The economic system of big
business, which is capitalism

and landlordism, has brought increased poverty and starvation

to the majority of the people of
the underdevelopedcountries of
the world. As a result, waveafter
waveofrevolution unfolds as the

working class and peasants of

COLONIAL REVOLUTION
The revolt of the starving
peoples of the former colonial
countries
continued.
In
Nicdragua the U.S. backed dictator, Somoza, was overthrown
and replaced bythe Sandinistas
why

initally

declared

their

these countries fight to change sojidarity with the Cuban
their societies in orderto live. révolution. their opposition to
Inevitably these revolts
.S. big business andin favor of
challenge the wealth and power evolution in all of Central
of big business. U.S. govern

ments have historicall
tervened to defedt these yevolu-

America.

The colonial revolution was
nowa sharp reality in U.S. big
business’ own backyard. Reagan
mined Nicaragua's harbors, en-

ple of this. This war resulted in
irst military defeat of the
United States.
This defeat came about
because the Vietnamese workers
andpeasants saw thatvictory for
the Vietcong,irrespective of the
lack of workers democracy that
would accompanysuch victory,
would take the weight of
capitalism and landlordism off
their back. A secret congressional report in 1967 explained
the “high morale” of the opposition forces.It stated, “The Vietcong have eliminaed the
landlords and_ reallocate
lands...to the landless...”
The defeat in South East Asia
in 1975 led to a mood ofisolationism in the U.S. The majority of Americans wanted no
repeat of the suffering and
trauma of the Vietnam war.This
weakened the ability of U.S. big
* business to defendits interests
abroadas it depends on working
class Americans to doits fighting
for it.

forced economic sanctions and
armed the thugs of the deposed
dictator Somoza, the contras,
who he then called “freedom
fighters” and set up in bases in
Hondurasto attack Nicaragua.
Faced with continued andrising revolts in Asia, Africa and
Latin America, U.S.big business
through Reagan continued its efforts to turn around the mood at
hometo enable it to intervene
more effectively abroad. It held
up the threatof “Soviet military
superiority” and stepped up
arms spending. It blamed the
Soviet bureaucracy for the
revolts in the former colonial
countries and increasingly
prepared the mood of the U.S.
people for new foreign wars.

The Soviet bureaucracy seeks

to come to an agreement with
U.S. imperialism (big business)
to divide up the world between
them into spheres of influence.
They do not seek to stir up new
revolutions as these increase
world instability and increase

the risk of their own working
¢t

ea,

=

Reagan's Contras: As they fail U.S. troops will be pushed forward.
class
overthrowing
them
and establishing workers’

democracies. Reagan in his major foreign policy speech on
March 14 quoted Gorbachov as
saying “...the Soviet Union required international calm to deal
with its internal problems.”
The colonial revolutions arise
outof thecrisis of capitalism and
landlordism. They do not result
from the promptings of the
Soviet bureaucracy in spite of
what Reagan says, and in spite
of the attempts by the Soviet
bureaucracy to get the rising

forces of the colonial revolution
into its camp andto use this in
its negotiations with U.S.
imperialism.
.
TERROR GROUPS
As well as using the “threat of
Soviet expansionism’ the
Reagan administration has
taken every opportunity to exploit to the full the lunatic actions of the individual terror
groups who bombcivilian aircraft, spray airport lounges with
machine guns and kill American
tourists. These activities
strengthen
Reagan
and
American big business by helping to confuse the U.S. working
and middle class and create a

since World WarII andsailed into the Gulf of Sidra which is
claimed as Lybian waters byLy-

bian leader Ghaddaffi. Given the
past activities of Ghaddaffi and
his use of anti-U.S. rhetoric to
keep his hold on power it was
certain he would take some actions. The U.S. government
deliberately provoked this by
their aggression, and than sank
Lybian ships and bombed Lybian
bases.
Backed by the media, Reagan

successfully associated Ghaddaffi with the individual terror
groups with whom he undoubtedly has links and won the
support of the majority of
Americans once again for U.S.
military actions abroad. The
othereffect of his actions was to
strenghten Ghaddaffi.
Big business considered this a
price worth paying as the realobject of the operation was not in
the Mediteranean but in Central
America. Simultaneously with

his aggressive Lybian actions,

Reagan pulled Nicaragua onto
centerstage. He portrayed a “hot
pursuit” action of the Sandinistas against the CIA organized contras as “a major threat to
Honduran sovereignty.”
Reagan then pressed $20
million of U.S. aid on the Honduran governmentandinsisted
new mood, “Wecannotlet them
they send troops to the border
pushus around like that and do area with Nicaragua where the
nothing.” This is a commentin- contras were based. Andin a major escalation of American increasingly heard.
The strategy of U.S. big volvement he provided U.S.
business to more aggressively de- helicopters and pilots to fly in
fend its interests abroad was these troops...¢
moved upinto highergear in the
AttheSanit time he threw his
last days of March. The U.S. opponents in Congress who opposed
his $100 million aid to the
navy assembled its largest force

tontras onto the defensive. The
Senate then proceeded to back
his package, and no doubt the
Democrats who control the
House after their ritualistic
posturing will now also approve
moneyfor the contras.

SANDINISTAS
U.S. imperialism is absolutely
committed to overthrowing the
Sandinistas in spite of the Sandinistas’ moveto the right,its increased repression of unions and
the right to strike, and its continued support for 60% of the
economy remaining in private

hands. Their determination is
because the Sandinistas came to
power through a revolution
which overthrew a U..S. backed
dictator, dared to oppose U.S.imperialism’s policies and stooges
in the area and have survived
in the backyard ofthe U.S.itself.
It is therefore a beacon to all
forces in Latin America fighting
corrupt right wing U.S. backed
regimes.

A new Cubain the area and
especially on the mainland of the
continent is not going to be
tolerated. When the Bishop
regime came to power in
Grenada, Regan used split that
developed in that regimeto invade. He is also committed to
overthrowing the Sandinistas.
It is now clear that the contras
are unableto achievethis, so he
has dragged Honduran troops
onto thefiring line. They will be
incapable of overthrowing the
Sandinistas in any war which
could be provoked between them.
At the same time as the U.S.

~

.

=
",

A SOCIALIST PROGRAM
FOR LABOR ~
Tom Williams

AFSCMEDC 37

(personal capacity)

The d

arguments fail to take into account
is that any protectionist measures
taken by the U.S, would meet with
retaliation from its rivals abroad.
With onein six jobs in the U.S. now

dependent on exports, this would

mean lay-offs for these workers.

These workers would then , be

unable to buy the goods produced
by workers for the home market
and their jobs wouldalso be lost.
Not only would protectionismfail
to solve the crisis, but it would
makeit worse. This “solution” was
tried before. The Smoot-Hawley
Act of 1930 increased tariff barriers. Agricultural exports fell
from $200 million in 1922 to ony $5
million in 1932. Auto exports fell

from $541 million in 1929 to 76
million in 1932. Similar declines oc-

ds by

are facloyers for
ing increasing opposition.In thefirst five months of

1985 there were 18 strikes of more than 1,000 workers.

In thelast five months of the year this doubled to 36.
Cannery workers in Watsonville, cessions wrested from labor since

California, print workers in
Chicago

and

meatpackers

in

the Chrysler deal in 1979 have not
saved jobs or solved the problems
of the economy. The opposite is the

Austin, Minnesota have been on
the picket lines for over six months. case. Concessions weaken theabiliThey have been joined by workers ty of workers to buy back the
at General Electric and train and’

bus workers in Massachusetts,
transit workers in Philadelphia and
flight atte:
ts at TWA.

ges of TWA
workers reduce their ability to buy
an automobile. Cuts in the wages of
GM workers reduce their ability to

The heroit resistance of the P-9
local in Austin has tapped a wide travel by plane. One worker's wage
layer of support among union
members. This reflects the rising
anger and bitterness of workers
who are looking for a lead to avenge
the cuts and attacks they have
been suffering. The strike of TWA
flight attendants shows that new
layers of workers not previously

cut is another worker's job loss.
The bosses say that workers are
pricing themselves out of jobs

ing the struggle.
As workers see that concessions
only lead to demands for more concessions, more and more of them
are saying “enough is enough”.
Thelesson is being learned — con-

workers are the cause of thecrisis,
then why didn’t the crisis happen
in the 1950's and 1960's rather

considered militant are now enter-

because their wages are too high.
There was a bigger difference bet-

cause of the decline in steel, autos

and rubber industry”.
Investment
The main reason for the crisis in
the U.S. economyis the low level of

investment by big business in new
industrial plant and industrial

capacity in the U.S. compared to its
rivals. In the 25 years of the postwar boom of capitalism between
1950 and 1975 Japan invested 30%
of its gross national products
(GNP) back into production. Inthe
U.S.the figure was only 14%. U.S.
1
Geriing their
ployers were

ween the wages of U.S. workers

profits in arms production, speculation and the service sector. This
left increasingly old and obsolete

in the 1950's and 1960's than there
is today. If high wages of U.S.

with the modernized plant of its

and the wages of workers overseas

than
now?
In
1980
U.S. workers were 7th in the wages

scale in the world. Then came the

cessions do not work. These five waveof concessions. By 1984 U.S.
years of intense attacks on labor, workers were in Ist place! Reagan's

plant and equipment in the U.S.
which was less able to compete
foreign rivals.

Set-backs
Thefailure of the labor leaders to

answer the arguments of the
bosses on concessions has led them
in many cases to support the
policies of concessions. As a result
labor has suffered set-backs over

“the past five to six years and been
thrown onto the defensive.
smashing of PATCO, have spread period, and so raised the price of
The effects of this can be seen in
through industry after industry. U.S.laborrelative to laborin other the TWA strike where flight atten-

starting with the Chrysler deal in
1979 and continuing with the

policies had increased the value of
the dollar by over 40% over this

Concessions cause
Unemployment

countries. Business Week, one of
the serious journals of big

In spite of the arguments of business, explained it clearly in

employers and
politicians

their press and
the con-

June 1982. “Laborcosts are not the
or even the most important

dants were willing to take a 15%
cut in wages in an attempt to protect their jobs. The employers
demanded @ 17% cut in pay, and
overall cuts in the region of 44%. In

this strike if these workers can gain
a settlement with only a 15% cut
they will consider it a victory! Even
five years ago this 15% would have
seemed a major defeat and an insult by these workers.

Outof these attacks, workers are

beginning to learn harsh and painful lessons aboutlife in America in

the 1980’s. Karen Lantz,vice presi-

dentof the Independent Federation
of Flight Attendants, described the
changes in attitude of TWA
workers during strike: ‘‘The
hnealin iP have probably learned
more in the last two weeks than in
the last 20 years”. Bitter and often

isolated battles are breaking out

leading to a hardening of a layer of
workers. Also, new more militant
leaders are being thrown up in a

number of locals, like at P-9 in
Austin.

Counter-offensive

The mood ofbitterness and anger
thatis building among workers will

at some stage lead to a major

counter-offensive. All the tradi-

tions of militancy and struggle of
American labor in the 1930's will
re-emerge in the new movement.
The great victories of the CIO in
the 1930’s themselves cameout of

the set-backs of the early 1930's.
The benefits lal
today

weré only won by the dynamic and
explosive CIO movement of the
1930's. Mass picketing, open confrontation with scabs mass in-

dustrial unions, and the sit-down
strikes were needed to turn the tide

in the 1930's.It is these tactics and

traditions, a glimpse of which can
be seen in the determined struggle

by Hormel workers in Austin, that
are necessary to win gains in this

period ofcrisis of capitalism.

The Unorganized
A movementof even larger proportions to that of the 1930's will
develop in the future. This will
engulf the millions of unorganized
workers in the service industries,
fast-food restaurants, sweat shops,
small manufacturing plants and offices. Unions will sweep these
workforces in a similar way to how

the CIO took industry by storm in
the period of 1936 and 1937. From

18% of the workforce organized today,it is likely to see 40%, 50% or

even 60% organized in unions as

has been achieved by workers in
somecountries of Europe.
tectionism
Rather than prepare the move-

ment for this fightback the labor
leaders look for other alternatives.
Oneof these is the demandfor pro-

8,500 IUE members strick G.E. for 3 weeks and defeated attempts to bust the union.

Foreign Policy (cont.)
have pilots and helicopters flying
Honduran troops to the trouble
spots, they have 2,500 troops in
Honduras, and they have built
large airstrips capableof taking
large military supply aircraft.
Now,in a further stepping up of
direct involvement the Reagan
Administration announced in
thefirst days of April that it was
going to send “advisors” to aid
the contras.
MILITARY INVOLVEMENT
The most likely prospect now
is for increased involvementof

U.S. troops leading towards
large scale military involvement
and war in Central America.
This is not yet certain as revolutionary events in Chile, Mexico
and throughout Latin America
could unfold with such power
that U.S. imperialism could be
forced to hold its hand.
This seems to be the only
development which can cut
across increasing U.S. military
involvement. The fact that a majority of Americans still oppose
Reagan’s Central American
policies can be overcome. The
New York Times recently

described the mood of the coun-

try “as being in a transition to

tectionism, or tariff barriers. They
argue that by stopping foreign
goods entering the U.S. markets,
jobs of U.S. workers can be pro-

tected. However, what these

“One of the dangers here is that
in such an incursion (the Sandinistas pursuing the contras)

an earlier mood — pre Vietnam.”
The Gulf of Tonkin is now some American troops might get
regularly mentioned in the U.S. killed and this could be the event
Congress and press. The U.S. that triggers a direct U.S.
governmentfalsely claimed that military involvement.”
USS.forces had been attacked by
If U.S.troops do become involvNorth Vietnamese in the Gulfof ed in a war in Central America
Tonkin in 1964, and used this as . they will become bogged down in
an excuse to commit large a drawn out conflict in the area
numbers of troops to the war in as a whole. They will be used to
Vietnam. They can easily repeat fight and kill workers and
such a fraud to change the mood peasants in the area andto deat home.
fend the capitalist and landlords.
They haveset the stage forit
by putting U.S. pilots on the
U.S. LABOR
Nicaraguan border. A U.S.
government..offiefal recently
U.S labor must mobilize its
stated,“I cannot promise you an
forces against all acts of U.S.big
American won't be shot.” And business’ aggression and to stop
the Wail Street Journal stated,

curred in other industries. By 1933
a wage cut averaging 45% had been
implemented through all of industry and there were 12-17 million
unemployed. This would be
equivalent to 30 ‘million workers
unemployed today.
Labor’s Program
The Labor leaders must put forward a program that can defend
wages and protect jobs and

mobilize the power of labor. Com-

panies who demand concessions
must be met with the demand:
“Open the books”. This means all

the financial records of the com-

pany,including those of interlocking companies and banks.

Those companies who can pay\de-

cent wages and benefits must be

forced to pay up. Those companies

which are in difficulty miust be

taken out of the hands of their
owners and nationalized under
democratic workers control and

management. Their owners have
proved they are unfit to run them.
This mustbe linked to the struggle for a public works program to
build houses, hospitals, schools,
recreational facilities and the
crumbling infrastructure. The
working week for all must be reduced to 32 hours with no loss of pay
and a national minimum wage of at
least $10 per hour established. All
working people must havethe right
to 32 hours work or 32 hours pay.
500 Corporations
This is the program which can
Meet the needs of American
workers and throw the concession

period into reverse. The wealth in

U.S.society makes its implementation entirely possible. What is
necessary is that control and
ownership of this wealth is taken
out of the hands of the top 500
privately owned corporations
which constitute a dictatorship
over U.S. society. These must be
nationalized under workers control
and management and a socialist
plan of production implemented.
Labor Party

Laborneeds its own political par-

ty to implement such a program.It
cannot rely on the Democrats and
Republicans to look after its inserests. Both parties are parties of
big, business, and will side with big
businessonall the essential issues.
A labor party based on the trade

unionscanprovide a solution to the

horrors ofa crisis ridden capitalism
and the devastation of people's
lives, hopes and expectations.
The energyof the American people could then be channelled to
building a society where the needs
of the majority of the population
would be cared for. It is only then
that the horrors of unemployment,
low wages, fear ofillness and accident, bad housing and poverty
could be ended, and the idea of the
“American Dream" could becom¢ a
reality.

a war developing in Central
America with the accompanying
slaughter’ of workers and
peasants of Latin America along
with the working class and youth
of the United States itself.
Instead, U.S. labor must link
the struggles of the working
class, youth, and especially
oppressed minorities in the
U.S. with the workers and
peasants of Central America
and Latin America ,js @
whole. They must wage 2
commonstruggle against the
big corporations which constitute a dictatorship over the
U.S. and the entire continent
of Latin America.

LABOR MUST

By

FIGHT RACISM

arcy Barnett

istrict 65, UAW

(personal capacity)

the Family
from $28 billion to $9 billion.
Theresults have beenfelt by
Deborah Williams, a black
Harlem woman and mother
of four living in a “hotel” for
homeless people one block
south of 42nd St. which runs
through Times Square. “As
Workers unity on the picket line in Boston.

There are 26 million
Black Americans. They
suffer 13% unemployment
while the national average
is 7%. 41% of black youth
are unemployed. Blacks
make up 12% of households yet own only 4% of
the nation’s wealth.
36% of blacks aud 47% of black
children live in poverty. This is in
the richest country in the world
where the number of millionaires
has now reached | million and
where over $313 billion a year is
spent on arms, which is more than
the total Gross National Productof
Canada.
Black Revolution
Life for the majority of black
Americansis a nightmare. Butit is
a nightmare which has not gone unchallenged. The most heroic of the
black revolts of this century took
place in the 1950's and 1960's.
Malcom X called it the “Black
Revolution." It shook whitecapitalist dominated America to its

which removed most of the worst
discrimination on these fronts in
the South.
This black revolt merged with the
revolt of the army in Vietnam, the
antiwar movementat homeand the
movementof organized laborin the

strike wave of 1970-1976. American

big business moved to try to cut
across the revolt. It used repression combined with promises of
concession.

foundations and inspired youth and

workersall over the world.
Hundredsof thousandsofblacks
marched and demonstrated, oc-

cupied restaurants and public

buildings, demanding civil rights,
an endto discrimination and decent
jobs and wages. Explosions took

place in the ghettos, black workers
revoltéd and organized in the armed services in Vietnam and in the

factories of Detroit.
International Movement
This revolt was part of a world

wide movement. Workers, peasants
and youth moved into struggle in
Africa

and

Hungary

in

the

entire

underdeveloped world against
capitalism and landlordism. They
fought the Stalinist dictatorship in

1956. They fought

capitalism in the advanced
capitalist countries as in the 10
million strong general strike in

France in 1968. And the youth
organized against the Vietnam

War. The “Black Revolution” looked toward and in turn inspired
these events.

C.L.0.

This revolt came outof the strug-

gles to build the CIO and the gains

the new unions meantfor black and
white workers. Black workers won
increased living standards in the
new unions and gained experience

in organizing. This raised the expectationsandtheability to struggle of the black people as a whole.

The elemental movement of the

“Black Revolution,” drawing with it
sections of the white youth, won
some victories in the area of civil
rights, voting rights and racial
segregation. These were institutionalized in the Voting Rights and
Civil Rights acts of the early 1960's
‘¢

Black leaders were murdered,

promises were made for more spending in the cities and the quota
system Mnown as Affirmative Action was introduced. Quotas of
minorities in employment were to
be monitored and enforced by
lawyers and the courts. These
measures to derail the mass movement of the "Black Revolution”

combined with other factors and
the movementtailed off. The strug-

gle against racial discrimination

was removed from the streets to
the courts and lawyers of big
business. The results were predictable. The gains made by blacks

relative to whites ‘peaked in 1970

when the quota system cameinto
force.
Camouflage
The quota system helped a tiny
minority of mainly middle class
blacks. Their gains were used to
camouflage the fall in living standards of the majority.
Between 1972 and 1982 the
number of black managers and officials rose by 83% to 445,000. The
percentage of blacks earning
$35,000 per year rose from 5.3% in
1970 to 8.6% in 1982.
For the majority of blacks, the
working class and the unemployed,
conditions got worse. The percentage of black households with an-

Labor's Program
Black Americans cannot end
their special oppression on their
own. They mustlink their struggle
to the struggle of the workingclass

benefits.
The housing and public works
programs would have as a priority

its struggle against the employers
unlessit fights racism.
Labor musttherefore fight on a
program which can solve the problemsofall the especially oppressed minorities: Native and Asian
Americans, latinos, as well as

areas of slum housing and
discrimination. This program

rates of payis central.
The struggle must be taken up

job. It mustalso set up hiring halls
and fight for training facilities

as a whole. And labor cannot win

the areas of greatest need. This
would not only mean the oppressed
ghettos of racial minorities but all

would unite all working class and

poor people in struggle.
End Discrimination
Labor must step up the struggle
for control over hiring and
fir

from organized labor.
jitalism and Racism

unemployed at the hiring halls and

minorities will also worsen. Racism,

for a 32 hour week with no loss of
pay, and for 32 hours work or 32
hours pay. A reduction to 35 hours

under union control and with full

the

payin areas of high unemployment.

The union boards which control
hiring and firing must have elected

representatives from the local
areas on them as full members.
a

campaign

to

sign

up

the

at the training centers.
Labor must also see to it thatits

own house ‘is in order. Educational
bodies and committees to fight

union rates of pay and with union

of fascist organizations, such as the
Ku Klux Klan, must be expelled

These boards must also spear-head

and against discrimination én

works program must be fought for
to build schools, hospitals and
recreational facilities and rebuild
the infrastructure. All work provided in these programs must be at

racism and discrimination must be

set up atall levels to combatthe

racist ideas of the bosses which
may have gained adherents among
workers. Racists must be banned
from holding any position in the
union movement and all members

In 1965, Malcolm X stated,“You
cannot have capitalism without
racism.” In 1966, Martin Luther
King stated, “Something is wrong
with capitalism... maybe America
must move toward democratic
socialism.” In 1968 Bobby Seale
said, “We do notfight capitalism
with black capitalism. We fight
capitalism with basic socialism.”
As the economic crisis worsens,
the nightmarish conditions for

blacks. Jobs for all on trade union

in manufacturing alone would provide 3.7 million jobs.
On top of this a crash house
building program and a public

the walls rotted, rats slithered
in throughholes. I stayed up
every night watching them,
but they got away anyway.
Latisha,
(one
of
her
daughters) wasbit bad on her
arms. We was all bit except
the baby. The rats was smart,
they did notgo near the traps/
They used to eat up all my
food,all the kids clothing.”

——s

Reagan has reducedfederal

aid for lower income housing

blacks andall especially oppressed

poverty, and unemployment can

only be ended by 4 united labor
movement fighting on a socialist
program.

Fight-Back

Harle

A Labor Militant reporter
ing in, buying up vacant
There are 171,000 families
buildings
and
occupied recently attended a meeting in
on the Public Housing list in
New York City. 230,000
buildings, forcing the tenants out Harlem of the “Coalition for a
families live doubled up.
and turning the buildings into moratorium on evictions.” The
60,000 people are homeless
$100,000 plus apartment units. Harlem Reclamation Project is
nual income below $10,000 per year and 250,00 elderly and poor
part of this. There have been
in 1970 was 37.8%. By 1982 this
90,000 evictions in the last 3
POWERFUL POLITICAL FORCE
New Yorkers are considered
had increased to 42.6%. Median
years in New York City. Two
to
be
on
the
brink
of
black incomeasa percentage of me-. The attack on Harlem’s blacks womenhavebeenkilled by the
homelessness.
dian white income rose from 55.3%
police during these.
is
spearheaded
by
thecities
rulAsis the case throughout the
in the early 1960's to 61.3% in 1970
ing elite. ““Spacial Deconcentra
United States the black populaunder the pressure of the riass
FIGHT-BACK IN HARLEM
tion”is the term used. Whatthis
movement,butfell back to 55% in
tion suffers most.
1985.
means is that Harlem’s blacks
MayorKoch of
As the meeting ended there
Oppose Reagan
are a powerful political force
the big business Democratic ParWhile the quota system did not
with traditions of revolutionary was a discussion on Harlem toty and his corrupt speculator
work as shown by the statistics
day
compared to when Malcolm
struggle.
They
have
thrown
up
associates have their plans for
above, and while it tended to drive
X was alive. One Harlem tenant
Harlem. This “prime piece. of such giants as Malcolm X. New
a wedge between workers along the
said,
“Myview is the place has
York’s big business wants to
real estate’’ sits in uptown
lines of race and sex, Reagan's atgot worse. One half of my block
drivethis force out of Manhattan
Manhattanandis easily accessitempts to dismantle the quota
is
nowvacant.”
and disperse it.
system must be opposed.If he sucble to the major airports of New
Thereis a newfight-back comThe Harlem Reclamation Proceeds in this it will give a green
York and New Jersey. The
ing in Harlem and throughout
light to racists to go on the offenpressure is on to push out the ject is leading the fightback.
all
of black America, Nsia Akufsive against the blacks and all
They organize support for
black working class and
especially oppressed minorities.
families who refuse to move or fa Bea of the Harlem Reclamaunemployed.
The labor movement must take
tion Project explained, “More
State assistance is available who “homestead,” take over a
up the fight against racism. In dopeople are talking about South
for blacks to move outof the area vacant building and repairit for
ing so it mustrealize that the quota
Africa than ever before. They
their
own
use.
ey
recently
peel
the
area.
Vacant
system offers no way forward.
beat down the black movement
linked their struggles in Harlem
houses are sold topeople 4vho can
Labor must openly confront and
to the “shanty town” protests but there is a new resurgance
mobilize its forces to fight racism.
afford $508 just’ fo makea bid,
It must put the struggle against
against apartheid at nearby Col- coming slowly.”
$35,000 deposit and who have an
racism clearly on the agenda of the
umbia University.
incomeof over $100,000. On top
labor movement.
of this the speculators are mov7

=
.

CANADIAN LABORMUST
FIGHT FOR SOCIALISM
By A Canadian
Correspondant

10.6% of the Canadian workforce is at present
unemployed. 19% Of°19-24 yea-olds are jobless. 1 in 6
Canadianslive in poverty and 1 in 25 areofficially
classified as living in inadequate housing conditions.
The economic upswing of the past 3 years has passed
these working class families by.
Economic developments in
Canada cannot be viewed separately from the US economy. Canadian
capitalism hashistorically been too
weak to stand up
the colossus
next door. 76% of
da’s foreign
trade is with the US and 7 out of

the 12 top Canadian companies are

US owned. This domination by US
capitalism is increasing as Canadian big business showsitself unilling
to invest its profits into
Canadian manufacturing industry.
In 1985, more capital flowed out
of the country than camein. Investment in 1985 was below the
level of the 1981-1982 recession.
Between 1974 and 1981 the book

value of Canadian investment in
the US quadrupled to C$27.4
billion and much of this went into

real estate. This failure to investis
what lies at the heart of the
economic crisis in Canada.
Upswing
The upswing of the past 3 years
resulted mainly from increased demand in, the US as the indebtedness of US consumers, corporations,federal and state governments increased. Canadian consumers also increased their indebtedness and the deficit of the
Canadian federal and provincial
governments rose to 9% of the
GNP.This is now between 2 and 3
times the equivalentfigure for the
US. The federal deficit alone accounts for C$34 billion. The interest on this is equal to 25% of all
federal spending, more than is
spent on pensions, health, education and social assistance programs
combined.
The US economy has slowed
drastically from over 6% growth in
1984 to just over 2% in 1985. It can
no longer continue to pile up the
deficits that fueled the upswing.
The Canadian economy is also
reaching thelimits of its borrowing
capacity. The fall in the price ofoil

and raw materials further weakens
demand.

Attacks

.

The attacks on workers’ living
standards have continued
unabated over the past decade.
Between 1978 and 1984 wage increases were below inflation. These
attacks as well as the rising
unemployment add to the
weakness in the economy. Canada
will accompany the US economyinto ctisis in the coming 12 to 18
months.
As, imports flood into the US

economy, the call for protectionism

ins
strength. The Conservative
Government in Ottawa resting
primarily on finance capital and the
section of the capitalists in

Western Canada whoare based on
oil, minerals and lumber have push-

ed for a free trade agreement with

the US.

This has led to a split with the
manufacturing capitalists mainly
based in Ontario, where 50% ofall
Canadian manufactured products
are produced and Quebec, where
25% are produced. The Liberal Party recently won control of the Provincial Governments in Quebec and

OntarioThe Conservative Govern-

ment has shown increasing indecisiveness on the issue of free
trade.
fs
Labor's Power
This “Progressive” Conservative
Government was elected in 1984

with 50% of the vote and 211 seats

to 40 seats for the Liberals and 30
for the NDP. It is now a governt

mentof crisis staggering from one
crisis and resignation to another.
The main reason for this is the
power of the Canadian working
class.

39 million workers, 42% of the

employed workforce, is unionized.
The Canadian workers have been
consistently in the top 3 to 4 of the
main ‘capitalist countries in days
lost in strikes.
The partial general-strike in
British Columbia in December,
1983, when 80,000 public sector
workers were on strike and about
to be followed out by the transport

workers, shows Canadian labor's

fighting capacity. This powerful
movement, which was the first of
its kind in the post-war period in
éither the USor Canada,is a sign of
things to come.
This combativity is rising. In
1985, wages were forced above
prices for the first time in 7 years.
Ontopofthis, the strikes for union
rights and recognition that have
been conducted in Eatons in Toron-

to and in the Commerce Bank show
that sections of workersnot tradi-

tionally militant are now also tak-™
ing action.
Labor's Program
Unfortunately, the labor leaders
have not put forward a program on
which labor can fight and solve its
problems. Their main fight is
against free trade. While it is correct to oppose any deal between US
and Canadiancapital,it is no alternative to argue for the status quo
or more protectionism.
Canadianlabor should unite with
American workers in a fight back
against the common bosses and

fight for an end to the dictatorship

of American and Canadian corporations overall of North America and
for it to be replaced by a Sociali
United States of North America.

NDP.

The strength of the working class
is also shown by the base of the
New Democratic Party — the Canadian labor party — the traditional
political arm of the Canadian working class which is based on the
unions. It won 20% of the vote in
the last Federal elections. At present, it has a majority in the polls
in all the Western Provinces except
Alberta. And in an important new

kers show their militancy and appeal for support from U.S. workers.

VICTORY IN NEWFOUNDLAND
AS WORKERS DEFY LAW

In November 1983 the workers of British
Columbia in Western Canada drove back the
breakthrough, its support in the
attacks of the Province’s right wing Social
polls in Quebec has reached 19% as
Credit Government with a partial general
the Parti Quebecois has split.
The leaders of the NDP and
strike. In the weeks of March andearly April
organized labor mustfight for an
workers in
alternative to Canadian capitalism of this year the Newfoundland
and its parties, the (so-called) Pro- Eastern Canada inflicted a defeat on the
gressive Conservatives, the
Conservative
Liberals, the Social Credits and the right wing Progressive
Parti Quebecois. It must break ell Governmentin their Province. Theyalso caralliances with conservative parties
such as it has in Ontario at present where it is propping up a

minority liberal government,

Fighting on a
ialist
program
and for a majority NDP government, the support of the majority
of Canadian voters can be won and
unity forged. between French
speaking and English speaking

Canadian workers. This would not

only offer a way out for Canadian

sworkers but would provide a

beacda for US workers struggling
to makea decentlife for-themselves
andtheir families.

OPPOSE MULRONEY AND

REAGAN.

UNITY BETWEEN CANADIAN
AND US LABOR.
FOR A SOCIALIST UNITED
STATES OF NORTH AMERICA.

ried out a partial general strike.

arrests. Over 120 workers were
arrested, but mass pickets and
strations took place and
1
all
pped work. d
They were demanding -parity they were forced to end the
with other workers in similar arrest.
The Newfoundland Federation
types of employmentandan end
to the law which designated 49% of Labor backed the 5,000
workers
on strike with
of the workers in any public sector bargaining unit as ‘essen- demonstrations and finance.
tial.” This means in any strike They threatened a general strike
49% of the workers must remain of all 80,000 workers in theprovince. The New Democratic Parat work.
ty also backed the strike. Their
Provincial leader was one of
MASS ARRESTS
those arrested for picketing.
TheStrike was settled with the
The strike of the 7Newfoundland wérkerswas illegal. Government promising parity of
The Government ordered mass wages in the coming contract
Road workers, transport
workers, clerks and court

negotiations. This strike and the
B.C. strike of 1983 shows the
magnificant fighting traditions
of Canadian Laborandits determination to fight the attempts of
Canadianbig business to off-load
its crisis on the backs of workers.
LESSONS
There are important lessons
from both these strikes. In particular U.S. Labor whichis sur-

rounded by restrictive anti-union

laws should take note. These
strikes showed that where mass
support is mobilized and a determined lead given right wing
governments can be defeated and
anti-labor laws and arrests can
be successfully defied.
In the coming period the great

industrial provinces of Ontario
and Quebec and theprovincesof

central Canada will join the militantfighters of the Coastalbelts.
When they do they will rock
Canadiancapitalism to its foundations and inspire workers
throughoutall of North America.

«as

1

The movement of the working class and
peasants which removed Duvalier in Haiti
and Marcosin the Philippines reflects theferment which exists in the underdeveloped
countries of the world. General strikes, ar-

tial general strikes, food riots and massive

demonstrations are commonplaceas revolutionary developments assume regional and

even continental proportions.
Thecrisis in the Phillipines is
accompanied by the crisis in
South Korea, Malasia, Taiwan,
Indonesia and Thailand. The
crisis in Haiti is part ofthe movementof workers and peasants in
all of the Latin American Continent. This developing revolution
has resulted in the ending of 9
dictatorships in the continent
over the past 7 years. Regimes
which appeared unshakeable
have had to give way to the
powerof the mass movements.In
Bolivia alone there were 12
general strikes in 1985.
The most powerful country in
Africa is facing the greatest

revolt in its history. The black

youth and workers are moving

against apartheid andcapitalism
in South Africa. In Sudan a
general strike overthrew the
Nemeiri regime and riots have
rocked Egypt, Tunisia, and
Morocco.
The advanced capitalist
countries are also entering a
period ofcrisis and upheaval.
The decades of economic growth,

rising living standards and
relative peace between the working class and big business, which
were the experience during the
post war boom, are now over.
Partial general strikes or one

day general strikes have taken

place in Greece, Italy, Spain,

France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and in

British Columbia and Newfoundland in Canada over the

past 3 years. These have beenac-

companied by the miners’ strike
in Britain and the IG Metal
strike for the 35 hour week in W.
Germany.
At the sametimeleft Governments have been elected with
outright majorities in France,
Greece and Spain. This was the
first time in the history of these
countries that there were majorities for the left. The left par-

ties in Belgium, the Netherlands

and W. Germanyare at present
at new highs in the opinionpolls
and the Swedish Social Democrats recently won re-election.
In the deformed workers’
states of Eastern Europe,
Russia and China a newcrisis
is also developing. The revolution in Poland in 1980 and 1981
showed the opposition of the
working class in these areas to

the mismanagement,corruption,

privileges and repression of the
dictatorial caste which rules
these countries.
Economic Crisis
Forthefirst time in history the
3 sectors of the world — the advanced capitalist countries, the
ex-colonial or underdeveloped
countries of the capitalist world
andthe Stalinist countries — are
simultaneously in crisis. At the
heart ofthiscrisisis the crisis of
the productive forces and the
slowing up in the rate of growth
in these forees and in the production of goods and services.
Between 1960 and 1973, the
Gross Domestic Product (GPD)of
the advanced capitalist countries
rose by 5% per year. During the
years 1973 to 1975 this fell to
1.7% peryear. For a brief period
of four years from 1975 to 1979
the figure rose.to.4,3%but from
1979 to 1981if*was once again
down to 1.8% per year.

By Victor Bloch

In the countries of COMECON,
which is made up predominantly of Eastern Europe and Russia,

average growth was 10% in the
1950s. This fell to 7% in the
1960's, 5% in the 1970's and in
1979 was 2.1% accordingto official figures.
While the populations have increased, the rate of growth in

production has slowed up. As a
result, the necessitiesoflife can
no longer be provided to the extent that was the case in the
years of the post-war boom.
The economic crisis in the
capitalist world is rooted in the
private ownership of the means

of production, distribution and

exchange andin the existence of
nation states. Big business can-

not overcome these contradictions so there is the development
of over-production and overcapacity. At present the
economics of the West operate at
only 80% of capacity in booms,
and 70% in slumps.This results
in plant closures and increased
unemployment and poverty, At
the same time protectionism

develops and further exacerbates

thecrisis by cutting across world
trade.
The economic crisis in the
Stalinist world is rooted in the
bureaucratic mismanagement
and corruption of the ruling
bureaucratic castes. The advantages of the planned economy
over the anarchy of capitalism
are continually lessened by the
inability of the bureaucracy to
plan efficiently. Only the
democratic participation and
control of the working class can
fully realize the potential of a
planned
economy.
The
bureaucracy can no more overcomethe contradictions of their
system that can the capitalist
class in their’s.
Reaganomics

The developing world crisis
has not been overcome by
Reagan’s upswing. The opposite is the case. The upswing
of the past 3 years has resulted
in the highest level of debt in US
history. The total debt of US con-

sumers, corporations, farmers
and state and federal governments rose 14% in 1984 to $7.1
trillion ($7,100,000,000,000).
The current upswing has
lasted longer thanthe average of
post-war upswings.This is partly due to the increased size of the
U.S. deficit. Another factor has
been thefall in the price of raw
materials, which has transferred
$70
billion
from
the
underdeveloped countries to the
advanced capitalist countries. .
However,it has also increased
the debt of the underdeveloped
countries which will push forward the revolution in these
areas in the coming years.
Reagan’s response to this has
been to increase-US intervention, shown by recent events in
Central America, Libya and

Angola.

— WORKING CL.
CAPITALISM At
Recession

Reagan’s upswing will collapse in a new and deeper
recession than the recession
of 1981-82. Inflation will soar
again. Indebted countries and
consumers, corporations and

farmers will default on their
debts and threaten banks. A new
1929 collapse will begin to apy
pear onthe horizon.
)
This threatens a returnto the
1930's for the advanced capit*
alist countries. Already “40
million are unemployed in the 24
advanced capitalist countries
grouped in the Organization for
Economic

Cooperation

and

Development (OECD).
For the underdeveloped world
it means an absolute nightmare.

Living standards fell for the majority of people in these countries
during the years of the post war
boom. Now, with the boom over,

outright starvation is the prospect. 50 million people starve to death each year and 700 million
are either unemployed or underemployed in this part of the
world.
For the working class and
peasants in Eastern Europe and
Russia the developing crisis
means an attempt by the
buraucracy to reduce their living
standards and to speed up the
rate of work. This will be accompanied by increased repression.
The coming period in world
history will be one of increased instability, with the
working class and peasants in
the West rising to end
capitalism and landlordism
and the working class and
peasants in the East rising to
end Stalinism.
Developments in
one aréa or in one country can

only be understood if viewed as
of this world crisis and
world revolution that is
unfolding.
Philippines

It is in this context that the fall
of the twenty-year dictatorship of
Marcos in the Philippines is to be
understood. In the Philippines,
70% of the populationis suffering from malnutrition while 43%
of the workforce is unemployed
or semi-employed. Less than one
per cent of the population controls 70% of the economy. While
Marcos andthe capitalist class
were getting richer and richer,
tens of thousands of young
children were dying of hunger
and
malnutrition-related
disease.
In the last two years, the
economy of the Philippines experienced a massive decline —
4.6% in real production in 1985.
As a result, the regime of Mar-

cos started to crumble underthe
increasing pressure of the
masses. The numberofstrikes
increased by 45% in 1985 with
the workers responding tothe
brutal repression of the
regime with greater militancy
and mobilization and moving

ta.
Miners families fight Thatcher.

to the leadership of the of the workers and the
struggle. The strike movement unemployed have felt their
wag_combined with riots and strength in the struggle. The redemonstrations in the towns and cent events are the beginning of
the increased activity of guer- a new revolutionary wave in the
rilla movementof the New Peo- Philippines and the entire
ple’s Army in the provinces. The region. The processes taking
unemployed, the down-trodden place in the Philippines coninhabitants of the huge slums stitute a confirmation of the
and other oppressed sections of basic ideas of Marxism that
society came forward to seek a the working class is the
way out of thecrisis. In their decisive force in the revolustruggles they sought political tion even in the colonial
world, refuting the arguments
alternatives.
In the face of these devel- that guerilla movements or
opments, the masters of Marcos benevolent liberals are the
— the more astute sections of key to removing dictators.
In Haiti, the hated Duvalier
Philipino capitalism and US.
imperialism — decided to dump regime collapsed after a series of
him despite his insi
on mass demonstrations of the
clinging to power. They were ter- youth, workers and the
rified at the potential conse- unemployed and a general
quences of a more radical leader- strike. Once again, due to the
ship emerging. It was the lack of a clear socialist leadercoming onto the streets ship in the labor movement, the
by hundreds of thousands of opportunity was lost and a new
workers who defied Marco’s unstable regime made up of
bands which decisively convinc- Duvalier’s aids filled the
ed U.S.iperialism that Marcos vacuum.The collapse of the dichad to go. However, without a tators in both Haiti and the
clear socialist alternative being Philippines marks the beginning
given by the leaders of the of a new revolutionary wave that
Filipino workingclass,
were will end either with the overunable to take powerinto their throw ofcapitalism and landlorown hands andbig business and dism or the return — over a
the landlords remained in. pierod of 5-10 years — of a new
even more vicious repressive
control.
regime. The collapse of these
regimes also hastens the end of
Working Class
Pinochet in Chile with all the exThe presidency was assumed plosive impetus that will give to
by Corazon Aquino, one of the the Latin American revolution.
“Opposition” representatives of
Stalinism
the ruling class with the support
of US imperialism. The new
The working class will also
governmentis largely made up
from representatives of the old play the leading role in the
regime. It can not and will not struggle against Stalinism. This
solve the problems confronting was shown in the mass movethe Filipino people. Aquino’s mentof millions of workers who
government represents the in- built “Solidarity” in Poland.
terests of the landowners and the Beginning in 1980, millions of
big capitalists and therefore is workers started demonstrations
unable to solve the problem of against shortages and price indistribution of the land to the creases, demanding higher
wages,the rightto a trade union
peasants.
Onthe other hand the masses organization, and called for an

ae

ASS FIGHTS
ID STALINISM
The movement in Poland was
a political revolution to establish
workers’ democracy and open the
way for a transition to socialism.

However,tragically, without a

revolutionary Marxist leadershipat its head, the Polish working class was led from the start
by a leadership that squandered
all the opportunities presented to
them, thus condemning the
e-workers to defeat. The leadership of Solidarity did not comprehendthatit is impossible to
achieve gradual reform of the
Stalinist system, or for a genuine
democratic union movement to
co-exist with the Stalinist
bureaucracy.

Martial Law

Chilean workerfights Pinochets
police.
‘

The Stalinist castes can only
maintain their rule by ruthless
police-state methods and the
destruction of the opposition of
any kind. The bureaucracy
defends in every way its
privilege, power, income and

erid to the dictatorial rule and prestige against every challenge
of the working class.
privileges of the bureaucracy.
Solidarity was set up by the
representatives of the workers in

400 factories in Gdansk and the
membershipof the organization
swelled to 10 million. The sweep
and powerof the Polish revolution and the Polish working class
is shown in the building of
Solidarity. In three months the
Polish workers built a union
with 10 million members. This
is the fastest growth of a
union in world history.
Solidarity was not in any way
a movementagainst socialism as
Reagan and other capitalist
politicians tried to presentit for
propagandistic reasons. The
demands of the workers suppor‘ting the Solidarity movement
was democratic change in the
direction of bringing the planned economy and state ownership
under workers’ control and
management.At no time did the
Polish working class ever demanda return to capitalism.

Then, after a period of com-

promise, the regime struck and
imposed martial law and jailed
hundreds ofactivists in Poland.
Solidarity was forced underground and the movement
was defeated. However, that does
not mean thatpolitical revolution is over in the Eastern European states and the Soviet
Union. The working class
created during thelast 40 years
of industrial developmentis extremely powerful as was shown
in the case of Hungary and
Poland. With even a few dozen
activists armed with a clear
perspective and program for the
political revolution at the beginningof the events in 1980, a genuine workers’ democracy could
have beenestablished in Poland.
The bureaucratic regime was
suspended in mid-air when the
massive generalstrikes occured.
The “communist” party was
totally isolated in the face of

mass oppositon and it could only rely on the security forces to
deal with the situation.
There was no force in Poland
preventing the working class
from taking state power. It was
held back from this task only by
the mistaken policies of the
leadership. The policies of the
Solidarity leaders were heavily
influenced by “dissident” intellectuals and the Catholic
Church to whom theyturnedfor
advice. Incapable of understand-

ing laws of revolution and the

processes they wereinvolved in,
Walesa and the otherleaders of
Solidarity limited the movement
to demands for partial reforms
and attempted to compromise
with the bureaucracy.

Whatthe Polish working class
needed was: a decisive and
audacious revolutionary policy
and internationalist appeal to

the working class in Russia, East

Germany, Hungary etc., to rise
with them and overthrow their
own bureaucracies.
Advanced Capitalist
Countries

case in the advanced capitalist in the Socialist and the Comcountries and is reflected in muhist parties imFrance. What
dxample of Fkance clearly
Europe in the mass left organiza- the
tions — Socialist and Communist demonstrates is a newperiod of
Parties — that came to powerin social and political upheavals for
several countries with absolute the entire European continent
majorities.It is also shown in the and the advanced capitalist
events in France in 1968 and world as a whole.
Portugal between 1974 and
North America
1975.
In France 1968, 10 million
workers joined a general strike
The unfolding crisis will see
paralyzing the capitalist state, similar developments in North
police and the military. The fac- America and Japan. The
tories were occupied and the workers parties, the NDP in ,
question of a peaceful transfor- Canada and the Socialist and
mation of society under workers Communist Parties in Japan,
control was posed. A similar pro- will also be pushed toward
cess took place in Portugal 1974, overall majorities in the coming
whenafter the removal of a 40 5-10 years. Australia and New
year dictatorship, the working Zealand have at present Labor
class and the peasantry took over Governments.
In the USAthere will at some
70% of the economy andoccupied
the land. Had a genuine marxist stage be a new movement to
leadership existed at the head of build and transform the unions
the labor movementin either of and out of this will come the
these situations capitalism could development of a Labor Party.
haveeasily been overthrown and The new Labor Partywill gain
replaced by a genuine workers massive support and win a majority as the crisis in the U.S. and
state.
The powerof the working class internationally pushes the workis shownin countries like Spain, ing class-into action.
The building of mass workers
Greece and France where
socialist governments were parties and the election of
elected with over 50% of the vote workers partiesto government
in every case.
These Govern- represents major steps forward.
ments could have nationalized However,it is also necessary
the commandingheights of the for such governments to
economy and planned production carry through programs
in order to end the economic and which can solve the problems.
In the new period of economic
social crisis. However, what they
attempted was to “reform” the crisis it is impossible to win a
capitalist system ending up — in struggle for permanent reforms
every case — with the implemen- or even a defensive struggle for
ights of the working class
tation of severe counter-reforms tl
and

In the advanced capitalist countries also the working class lead
the struggle against big
business. Struggles like those of
the thousands of shipbuilding
workers and the youth in the
barricades of Bilbao and Gijon,
those of the hundreds of
thousands of German metal
workers for the 35-hour day, the
general strikes in Greece and
Denmark and the magnificent
struggle of the British miners
andstrikes in British Columbia
and Newfoundland in Canada
are examplesofthis.
Fundamentally, the world
balance offorces is more in favor
of the working class than any
other time in history. From the

point of view of the capitalists,
the traditional force used for
reaction — the middle class —
have been reduced to a tiny
minority. This is especially the
aM

i
7

es

austerity

to

“bolster

industry”.
France, wherethe left lost its
majority
in
the recent
parliamentary elections to the
right wing shows the forces at
work. The socialists and the communists came to power in 1981
with a program for change and
reforms. The parties of the left
received 55% of thevote. During
the first 12 months the socialist
governmentintroduced a series
of reforms. They raised the

minimum wage, cut retirement

age to 60, reduced the work week
andnationalized some sections of
the economy.
Counter-Reforms

Thelesson of events
worldwide is that the working
class is now muchstronger than
before. East and West, in the
metropolitan countries and in
the underdeveloped
countries it
is moving into struggle and giv-

ing the crisis onto the backs of

11%.

After a period of massive
strikes and demoralization, the
right wing returned with a
shaky majority in parliamentin
the March 1986 election.
However, even after all those
develoments, the Socialist Party
remained the largest political

ee

Protracted

capitalism and landlordism in
the West or Stalinism in the
East. As a result the struggle
takes big leaps forward and then
suffers defeats onlyto once again
move onto the offensive. The
struggle is protracted and drawn
out.

hands of the private sector.
Under the pressure of big
business both in France and
abroad, who withdrew investmentand speculated against the
franc, the Mitterand government was pushed from their
reforms to counter-reformsforc-

Reagan
and
Thatcher.
Unemployment rose from 7 to

=

In the Stalinist countries it is
impossible to win democratic
rights and solve the economic
problems except by overthrowing
the Stalinist bureaucracies and
replacing them with workers
democracies.

the economy remained in the

measures similar to those ot

South African miners organize against bosses and apartheid.

society.

ing leadershipto all the oppressed sections of society. However,
its leadership is incapable of

However, the vast majority of

the workers and the youth. In
the second year of his government, Mitterand proceded with
counter-forms, a wage freeze,
monitary devaluations and other

BURY JOB RESERVATDAIOYN
WAY DAY—WORKERS

without carrying through the

socialist transformation of

partyin the assembly with 30%
of the vote. Many workers continued to back the Mitterand
goverment alarmed the threat
posed by the right.
e new
%Vents will open a seri of
discussions amongthe activists

bringing it to victory either over

What

is

necessary

is

the

establishment of genuine Marxist leaderships at the head ofthe

working class internationally.

This would make possible the
establishment of genuine
workers’ democracies. One such
victory in a major industrial

country either in the Kast or
in the West would transform
the political situation world
wide. The way would then be
opened to the ending of
Stalinism,

Capitalism

and

Landlordism, and to the
establishmentof a world socialist
federation. This would end exploitation and oppression, and
would lay the basis for a world
free of want and need allowing
the fullest possible human
development.

SOUTH AFRICA - COSATU
CONFRONTS REG
~

;

The launching of the Congress of South

African Trade Unions (COSATU) is a giant

step forward for the working class of all

x

:

Africa. In the very center of racist and
capitalist reaction black South African

workers have built the strongest and most
democratic trade union movement on the
whole continent.

In this article reprinted from the British

Militant — December 1985 — Paul Story ex-

plains this milestone event.

LAST WEEKEND, a conference and a

10,000-strong rally launched the Congress of

ions (COSATU). This
non-racial democratic
unions with over half a million members.

South: African Trade

brings under one banner
Every socialist in Britain
should campaign to support
COSATU and build direct
union links.
After 12 months ofheroic
country-wide insurrection in
-the townships led by black
youth, the black industrial

workers are determined to.
unite in action at the head of
the movement against the
bosses and the murderous
apartheid regime.

Fighting spirit
The workers’ fighting
spirit was expressed in the
speech of Elijah Bardyi, vicepresident of the SA NUM
ard ‘now president of
COSATU. Described in the
press as ‘‘a stalwart of the
African National Congress

before it was outlawed’’,

comrade Barayi “‘spelt out
the socialist aspirations of

COSATU” anddeclared the
workers’ intention of na-

tionalising the mites and big
businesses on taking power

(Guardian, 2 December
1985).
He delivered a militant
ultimatum to Botha, drawing

thunderous

applause.

“COSATU gives Botha six

monthsto get rid of passes.
If that does not take place we
will burn the passes...

“*T want to give PWBotha
a last warning to get rid of
the pass laws and to

withdraw the troops from

the townships before the
country burns’’.

If carried into effect in a
full-scale national campaign,
this ultimatum can provide
the focusfor the entire mass
movement in the period

ahead, and help lift union

membership towards the
million mark: COSATU,
together with the youth, in a
united front with the UDF,
must back up the ultimatum
with organisation and

power.
While the activists in SA
still show themselvestireless

in battle, below the surface

the mass movement has

begun slightly to recede
(despite continued eruptions), because of the difficulty of carrying the insurrectionary movementin its
present form beyond the
flaming township streets.

Prolonged stalemate has

meant the state gradually (if
only temporarily) regaining

the upper hand.
The resulting frustration

of the fighting youth had
begun to open a dangerous

rift with unions slow to move
into

political

battle.

A

Black South African workers rock South African capitalism.— COSATU-led campaign to
smashthe pass laws can now

provide a way forward—
within the scope of the force
presentlyin the hands of the

black working class.
In May, alone at that
time,
Jngaba
urged:
“«. were there nowto be a
really determined, wellorganised andresolutelyled
mass campaign of pass-

unionsin a situation which

will split the ruling class, thewhites, and potentially even
the troops.

Name the date

have been a good choice, but
it is only five months away

the police and troops in
opening fire.

namethe datefor the passes
to burn! May Day would

3] May is the 25th anniver-

and records offices, this
system could be thoroughly
wrecked. However, to the
extent that the matter is left
to the ruling class to decide,

of the Soweto uprising.

could moveto the abolition

of these measures”’. (;
ment, issue 16/17, p. 23)

Now the COSATU presidenthas set six months for
Botha io scrap the pass

‘laws—or the passes burn.

The regimefaces a dilemma. The big bosses and even
the President’s stooge Councilhaye recently declared in
favour of ending passes.

But, as we argued, Botha:

fears to give a signal of

weakness to the blacks.

Now he must decide: surrender in humiliation-to the
ultimatum of COSATU, or
throw all his force at the:

to draw army units away

from the African townships.
White students should be
mobilised to converge on the

sary of the white racist

it is most unlikely that they

strike action and to erect
barricades in their townships

COSATU leaders must

burning, the complete defiance of influx controllaws,

and attacks on pass courts

prepared to join one-day

Republic. Better still, 16
Juneis the tenth anniversary

What better acknowledgementof the youth’s role than
to set this date for a one-day
national general strike and
mass pass-burning in the
townships? Whatever date,
set it now!
How many passes are

there in SA? Ten million?
Thenten million passes must
burn! The 500,000 COSATU
members, the tens of

thousands of youth activists,

the women at home—all
should become campaigners
nowto prepare the day when
the passes will burn. ~
Preparations should be
made to defend the
townships on that day with

all available means against
police and troop attacks.
Coloured and Indian
workers ana youtn should be

African townships in order

to complicate the position of

Mass report-backsin all
cities on the COSATU conference should be used to
launch this campaign now.
The
Commonwealth
heads gave Botha ‘‘six
months’’ to change apartheid, or face sanctions.

That is a ‘‘dog with rubber
teeth’’

workers say.

COSATU’s ultimatum is
different. It has real teeth,

and they mustbe used or the
enormoushopesplacedin it
will
be
disappointed.

Workers around the world
should aid this historic

development in the South
African struggle in every
practical way.

By Paul Storey
(Memberof the
Editorial Board of

Ingaba ya Basebenzi,
journal of the

Marxist Workers‘

Tendency of the ANC)

BRITISH LABOR: ‘ITS
BETTER TO BREAK THE
LAW THAN TO BREAK THE POOR”
The Thatcher government
in Britain has been waging
war against the British working class and its organizations.
Conditions have become
unbearable in Britain. Official
unemploymenthas reached 13%,
and savage cuts have been implemented in social programs
andthe national health service.
It is in the inner cities where conditions have deteriorated the
fastest, and Liverpoolis one of
the hardst hit. Its official
unemploymentrate is 25%.

no cuts, no tax hike and anincrease in jobs and services. In
theirfirst 11 months in office the
Labor Council stopped a proposed cut of $10 million in services
and the lay-off of 1200 council
workers. They created 1000 additional jobs and started building
1100 new council houses.
Militant Tendency
The Socialist City Council
went on to demandthe Thatcher
government pay back money
recently cut by legislation
organized a mass campaign

throughout the workplaces and
Socialist Program
communities. This campaign
In 1983 the Labor Party won was conducted on the program
control of Liverpool City govern- and policies of the Militant
ment on a socialist program of Tendency, the Marxist wing of

the Labor Party, which has been

working class in Liverpool and
through the whole of Britain.
During the heroic struggle in
1985 the Labor Councillors, who
have a majority on the Liverpool
ty leader, Derek Hatton.
City Council, have been accused
The Socialist Council of Liverof breaking the law. The High
Court has banned the 49 Liverpool places the blamefor the conpool Councillors from office for 5
ditions of poverty and unemploymentonthe policies of the That- years and inflicted heavy fines
on them. The Liverpool Councher government andthecrisis
cillors are defiant, saying,“it is
of British capitalism. They have
mobilized the City’s workforce in better to break the law than
demonstrations and 24 hour ci- to break the poor.”
Unfortunately the Labor Party wide strikes to put pressure on
ty and trade union leaders have
the government. They argue that
not given full support to the
only by a national mobilization
struggle in Liverpool. Instead
of workers to bring down the
they have attacked the Liverpool’
Thatcher governmentand bring
Countillors and Liverpool Labor
to power a Labor government ..- Count
committed to socialist policies **“Party, calling for an investigation. At the same time they have
can any solution be found for the
elected to the leadership of the
Liverpoo! District Labor Party,
and has onethird of the elected
Councillors, including the depu-

called for expulsions of leading
supporters of the Militant from
the Labor Party, including
leading officers in the District
Labor Party and Derek Hatton
the deputy leader of Liverpool
City Council.
The struggle of Liverpool
workers and the City Councilis
a beacon to workers everywhere
In the coming years more and
more Councils will be forced to
take the road of Liverpool as the
crisis deepens. It is only bold
socialist policies and decisive
fighting leadership that can
organize an effective struggle
against big business and its
system and open up a socialist
future for all.

a
*

»

s

LATINOS EN U.S.A.

Con una poblacion de casi 20
millones,
la
poblacion
Latinoamericana es el grupo
minoritario, el segundo mas
grande en los Estados Unidos.
Enlos barrios de Los Angeles y

En el.valle del Rio Grande, por ejemplo, el

Nueva York, son los primeros

que sientenlos efectos dela crisis
economica. Este es par-i
ticularmente el caso de la juven-'

tifus (a lerpra), parasitos intestinales y tuberculosis son comunes. En California, se
descubrieron campesinos viviendo en cuevas.

En algunas, los trabajadores
tuvieron buen exito en la lucha
para construir uniones — por
ejemplo Los Campesions Unidos
(UFW)en California y el Comite
para Organizar el Labor
Agricultural
(FLOC)
en
Michigan y Ohio. Este ha sido un
paso adelante importante para
los campesinos. Por las uniones,
se han elevado los sueldos y
mejorado las condiciones
laborales por ejemplo proteccion
en el uso de los insecticidas y
prohibicion del uso del “cortitox”
en California.
Sin embargo,los empleadores en
el campo y en los ciudades mas
abusan de los trabajadores
Latinoamericanos,

tud Latinoamericana, de 20% de:

desempleados. Tambien hay la’
persecusion
constante,
especialmente en el Suroeste,
dondeel ‘‘Servicio” de Inmigracion (“La Migra) les amenaza
constantamente. Los jovenes
Latinoamericanos se moléstan
especial mente, no solo por La
Migrg, pero tambien por la
policia. Sin buen trabajo, no
tienen lugares para divirtirse.
Por ese razon, se pasan el tiem-

en eos
GRAPE
STRIKERS

po enlas calles, constantamente

EL UAWy el sindicato de farm- workers tienen que unirse para lucharlos salarios debiles pagando a los trabajadores latinos.

especialmente los que estan aqui
ilegalmente (que son un 50% a Wilson Hart, miembro del Con70% de los campesions). Sin cilio de la ciudad de Santa Ana.
derechos legales, sin la protec- Porotro lado, son una seccion de
cion del seguro para desempleo la clase trabajadora de los eu
‘o de la seguridad social, estos que esta muy aislada dela intrabajadores se explotan al max- fluencia de ‘las capialitas, Por
imo. Deseperados a causa delas ejemplo, la gran mayoria de
condicionesen sus patrias y casi ellos se opondrian una invasion
sin oportanidades aqui en los sobre Ameica Central por los
Estados Unidos, aun se usan a Estados Unidos. .
veces como esquiroles, para Por esa rzon, siguen tratatando
romper huelgas.
pasar leyes de regula esta inLos empleados estan en conflic- migracion y estas sutren largos
tos sobre esta inundacion dein- anos de tramitacion sin promigrantes ilegales (cuatro /en- ducirse. A los capitalistas, les
tran ilegalmente cada minkto gustaria el regreso del progama
del dia). En un lado,-setos ven de “braceros” — para usar los
como una fuente de labor trabajadores inmigrantesbajoel
“barata y -docil’’; ‘Nuestra control completo del gobierno y
economia dependedeellos” dijo: luego devolverlos a sus patrias

molestados porla policia.
Los Estados Unidos fueron construido por los inmigrantes, que
pensaron que Los Estades
Unidos eran la “tierra de oportunidad.””
Para
los
Latinoamericanos la crisis’
economica quese desarolla, jun-

to con el racismo de los
los trabajardoes en Los EU, jun- capitalistas y sus agentes, han
to con una camp{ana masiva para convertido este sueno en una
organizar todos}os trabajadores. pesadilla de opresion y pobreza.
cuando nolos necesitan — pero Al mismo
lempo, deben El njovimento laboral debe
las uniones son demasiado seperarse dé la politica de las
luchar contra la opresion
fuertes para eso.
capitalista y deben verespecialde los Latinoamericanos
La Migra no véa prevenir que daderamente ayudar a los
y todas las minorias y debe conmiles de trabajadores hambrien- trabajdores de Latinoamericano ectar esto con la luchacontra la
tos y. desesperados entraran en organizer uniones democraticas
represion del movimiento
los Estados Unidos, acceptando y duras; y al mismo tiempo
laboral. Esto es la unica manera
cualquiertrabajo que se ofreciera
de
avanizar enlos interes de los
deben oponerse a gobiernos como
bajando los sueldos en los los de Guatemalay El Salavador.
trabajadores Latinoamericanos y
Estados Unidos. Sin derechos, y Finalmente, deben oponerse a la
de la clase obrera de los Estados
conel miedo constante de depor- politica aasesian de los EU en
Unidos. Pop-la unificacion del
tacion, no pueden participar en Nicaragua.
7
movimiento laboraly los jovenes
la organizacion de las unionesni Estos pasos permitirian que se
—en EU internacionalmente —
enla lucha para un buen sueldo rompa completamente con las
por la unidad de la clase obrera
y buenas condiciones.
y el socialismo!
politicas de las capitalistas y,asi,
Las uniones deben luchar por tendrian que construir un parene para todos tido laboral popular eneste pais.
derechos

HUELGA GENERAL INSURRECCIONAL
Levamos casi dieciocho
meses de protestas y no se ha
convocadola Huelga General.
En la juventud en particular,
existe un apoyo enormepara
la lucha armada contra la dictadure. Sin embargo,a partir
. del Il de mayo, se ha dado una
pausa, lo que aperenta ser un
refluso. En absoluto eso
quiere decir que la lucha contra Pinochet se haya estancado o agotado.Al contrario;
se ha dadoesta pausa porgue
muchos obreros y jovenes
estan buscando un modo de
lucha mas eficaz que las
repetidas protestas, que no
superan la represion dejandonos mas de 100 muertos en

el ultimo ano.

En Ia lucha se ha dado una
pausa pero en el proximo
periodo volvera a avanzar
con mayor voluntad y mayor
fuerza.
planteamiento del paro nacionel debe partir de esta
perspectiva.
El acuerdo delos dirigentes
sindicales en abril fue lamar
al pera en un plazo de 90 dias
Por que se ha permitido el
retraso? Se podria haberjuntado una base masiva para la

huelga, piese

hubiera

Pp
a
partir dela mani stacion
del
de mayo. seen perfeccomo objetivoae derrocamiento de Pinochet.
El problema es que la direccion del movimiento obrero
esta planteando otra forma de
la protesta y que incluye en su
direccion a la D.C. y demas
sectores que se denominan=.
opositores.

Ademas, la posicion de la
cupulade la D.C.he sido la de
retrasar y frenar el proceso
hacia la huelga general Lo
que les interesa, es un para
nacional y civico, con la participacion de los empresarios
¥3todos los burgueses querecien hoy se oponen al
régimen.Silo dejamos en sus
manos, el paro sera otra protesta sin ningun objetivo
claro. De hecho, solo ahora
llegan a plantear el paro,
debido a la enorme presion
que se ha ido acumulando en
contra del regimen. Han
retrasado, inclusive, el
Hamado a un paro nacional
tapo “protesta,” porque
temen que enla accion la

’
lucha podria avanzar mucho
mas alla de lo que ellos
buscan.
Si en el movimiento obrero se
condiciona el llamadoal paro
a la cupula D.C. y demas
politicos burgueses, no hara
sino debilitar la lucha contra
el regimen.
La Cupula D.C., que ahora
hace alarde de su legitad ala
democracia, animaron y
apoyaronel golpe de! 73.
El golpe obedecia a la
ided de la bur
ia: tenian que aplastar el movimiento de la clase obrera.
Hoy se han convertido en

opositores, debido a la presion explosive que se esta
acumulando.en todos los sec-

tores de la sociedad y debido clase media ira al movimento
al dano castastrofico que el obrero, si este defiende un
Regimen Pinochetista ha programaclaro de derechos
causado a la economia - democraticos, a la vez que si
chilena. La crisis del lleva a cabo la revolucion
capitalismo se hubiers dado socialista, elevando asi el
de todas formas como en todo nivel de vida y desarrollando
el
continente,
pero
la la sociedad.
estupidez incontrolada del Los vemos comoel unico prodictadorla ha exacerbado un gramaviable del movimento
tanto mas.

El movimento obrero tiene
que plantear su lucha sin dejarse condicionar por estos
ates recien convertidos. El apoyo de la juventud,
los pobladoresy la base de la

Restaurantes

#6, luchaba

para
it
sus niveles de
vida
y tambien
para
mantener el derecho de
pertenecer a una union.
Los patrones querian romper
la Union, en 40 anos dehistoria
de la Union nunca habian tenido
una huelga, como la pasada, los
Jpatfones-obligarom la huelga
para saber hasta donde legaria

la Union.
Dijieron que si no bajaban el
nivel de vida de los trabajadores
los precios de los cuartes, tendrian que ser mas altos que el
precio corriente. Estas mentiras,
para esconder los buenos
gocios
de Nueva York, sus
precios se han elevado mas
rapido que cualquier otra
ciudad, el porcentaje de cuartos
ocupados en Nueva York es mas
alto que en cualesquier otra
ciudad.
La patronal de Hoteles, dio un
paso erroneo, cuandodeclaro la
guerra a sus empleados, no se
dieron cuenta de la decision de

la dictadura y lograr la emancipacion del proletariado y
todos los sectores dela
sociedad chilena explotados
porlos capitalistas chilenos y
por el imperialismo.

By

A Chilean
Correspondant

UELGA HOTELERA
El primero de Junio pasado,
unos 25000 trabajadores de
los hoteles,, sal erona las
calles en lucha por mejorar
sus condiciones de trabajo.
Duro la huelga 28 dias. Los
bros de la Union de
Trabajdores de Hoteles
y

obrero chileno, para.derrocar

nacionalidades y lenguas,ni de
la fuerza de la Union, Los

*patrones se sorprendieron, cuan-

s

Los piqueteosdel aho anterior
no se han terminado, debemos
todos activar en nuesra Union y
luchar para mantener nuestro
nivel, de vida, en forma permanente. Debemos organizarnos
yluchar:
,
1. Ninguna combinacion de
trabajo cuando hay trabajadores
despedidos.
2. Cumplimiento forzoso del

do despues de casi un mes de
huelga, muy pocos trabajadores contrato.
3. Unasistemafuerte de comcruzaronlas lineas de piquetes y
no aparecio la derrota de la ites trabajo en “todos, los
hoteles.
Union.
4. Organizacion para revertir
Los patrones tuvieron que
aceptar nuestras demandas;se las concesiones en el proximo
ganaron aumentos en sueldos y contrato.
5. Una campana educacional
pensiones; un‘ dia adicional
pagado por enfermedad y para porla Union en todas las lenguas
vacaciones; anteojos gratis; y una de los trabajadores, en los
beca de $3000 por ano para hoteles.
6:-Una campana masiva para
nuestroshijos.
Aunquela ‘huelga resulto-en organizar los Hoteles que no
tienen
Uniones.
.
unagran victoria paralos trabajadsres de los hoteles y todas las
Por
M.
Cutler
los trabajadores, de la unidad de uniones, muchos patrones
los trabajadores de las distintas pretenden violar el contrato. Local 6 Hotel Restaurant Union

a

~

®

10

‘Women: Cheap Labor for Bosses
Womenin America make up over 50% of the

population and 42% of the workforce. They
hold twothirds of all minimum wage jobs. The
average wage for womenis 59 cents to the
man’s dollar. At the same time they bear the
brunt of childbirth and child rearing. Under
capitalism womenare the most oppressed of
the oppressed.
The introduction of Affirmative Action legislation and
the Equal Employment Opportunity Acts in the 1960's were to
have reversed the years of
discrimination and exploitation.
In reality these reforms improved the position of a small minority ofwomen, mainly from the

middle class. But, for the vast

18 Million Live In Poverty

The crisis of capitalism has hit
womenparticularly hard. Presently 13 million live in poverty
(4.2 million are minorities
sole
rters of families). In
1973 8.2 million families headed
by womenlived below the poverty line. In 1983 that figure in-

majority ofworking class women
nothing changed. ~An exampleofthis is the Affirmative
Action program instituted
AT&T in the early
1970's. Through a court decree
womenand minority males who
were adequately qualified for
promotions were given super
seniority rights over qualified
white males. At the end of the
five year period 6.7% of women
were promoted to middle and upper management jobs as compared to the 2.1% in 1972. In
skilled jobs women increased

over 40%, with a 25% jump in
the last four years. The position
of black womenis a double horror. In 1983, nearly 42% of black

families were headed by single

mothers, up from 40.3% in 1980
and 22.4% in 1960. Their median
family income was $7,999 in
1983, compared with $13,761 for
households headed by white
women.
Womenare also denied adequate health services, materni-

ty leave from their jobs, health
facilities and are targets of sexual harassment and violence.
60% of working women have
no maternity leave. In a
survey of
6 million
employers it was found that
only 1800 offer some type of
child care.
Legislation can not put an end
to the horrific conditions working class womenface.
The only lasting gains
made by womenhavebeen those
won through the Labor
Movement.
Presently 34% of trade union
members — 6 million in all — are
women. Unionized women, compared to nonunion, have in-

creased pay, job security, senority rights and benefits. The
clerical workers at Columbia
University recently won a union
contract with an 8.5% wagein-

from 6% to 14%. However, dur-

ing this same period the
number of women employed
at AT&T declined by 10,000,
twice that of men.
Now with the
break up of AT&T thousands of
more womenhavelost jobs. The
gains made through court
ordered quotas are limited and
short lived and must be weigh“ed up against the overall position
of working class women today.

creased to 12 million, which is

crease,

improved benefits,

a

union voice in hiring and promotion and compensation for
workers whohadpreviously suffered
racial
or
sexual
discrimination.
The battles aheadfor unionization and decent working conditions will draw more womeninTWAflight attendant on the to organized labor. In a National
Bureau of Economic Research

merch in New York.

USEconomy In Crisis

In 1950 the U.S. produced
52% of all the goods and services in the world. By 1984
this hadfallen to 22%. Despite
still being the most powerful
country in the capitalist world,
U.S. capitalism no longer holds
the absolutely dominantposition
in the world it held after World
War II.
In the 1960's U.S. production
acccounted for 90% of its home
marketin the key industries of

years. Since 1965 the share of
GNP represented by manufacturing has fallen from 29% to
21%. At-the same timetheservice sector has risen from 60.4%
to 68%. This continuing decline
in

manufacturing

industry

signalsanirreversible decline in
the U.S. economy.
Lack Of Investment

Big business andits press have
tried to place the blame for this
auto,steel and machinetools. By
1984 this hadfallen to only 77% decline on the “high” wages of
for autos, 75% for steel and 58% American workers and imports
for machinetools. This weaken- from abroad. This is a
ing of the industrial base of the smokescreen to hide the real
U.S. economyis at the heart of cause whichis the low levelofinthe ever deepeningcrisis of U.S. vestment by U.S. big business
back into its industry.
capitalism.
The recent recovery has not
Rather than invest in
turned around this situation. manufacturing industry, which
The recovery was based on inalone creates wealth, U.S. big
cfeased military spending and
business wasted its profits in
“am_expansion in the service insuch areas as military spending,
dustry. Military spending, which
speculation, mergers and in the
consumes 6% of Gross National service industry. 15 times more
Product (GNP), is purely the pro- people are now employed in the
duction of scrap metal and is a
fast food industry than in the
total drain on resources, while
steel industry!
services are incapable of sustainThis crisis has created a record
ing a sound economy.
trade deficit, budget deficit and
Of the 11 million jobs created national debt. It has led to the
since the 1981-82 recession,
highest level of bankruptcies,
nearly 80% were in services, and
the deepest farm crisis and the
the Labor Department expects
1 yyment
highest level of
this to increase to 90% by 1995.
since the depression of the
Not only are service jobs dependent on a solid manufacturing
sector, but these jobs are at lower
This crisis is part of a world
pay which reduces the; home
crisis that grips all the countries
market for goods, This increase
of
the capitalist world. In every
‘in the service sectorcan not overcountry the response of the
come the crisis ofmanufacturing
employers
has been the same: to
industry.
;
shift the burdenof thecrisis onThis decline in manufacturing
to the backs of workers through
can be seen in a major shift in
rising unemployment, attacks on
“the economyin the last twenty
wages and cuts in services.

1930's.

World Crisis

The recovery of the last two to
three years will collapse into a
newrecession in the next year or
so. This new recession will be
deeper thanthe last, with a new
waveof plant closures and layoffs in all sectors of the economy
including services. Unemploymentwill rise to a level of 12%
or 13% or even higher. At some
stage in the next few years there
will be a new depression on the

scale of 1929, which shattered

the lives of working people
across the country.
The crisis is rooted in the fact
that 500 huge privately owned
corporations control between
70% and 80% of production,

distribution and exchangein the
U.S. These corporations are controlled by boards of directors
which have never been elected
by the American people. This
represents a dictatorship over
the American people. A few
thousandindividuals sit on these
boards and decide policies that

report on 200 recent sinions elec- women at work, in society and
tions it was found
fhat unions within the labor movement.This
won half of the
paigns in can begin with a program to end
which women made@up 75% or ‘low paid jobs, unemployment, job
more of the workfo!
ut only displacement through automa40% of those where less than half tion and the drudgery of
the workers were women.It will housework, a campaign for
be over these battles around pay and for all work of equal
workers rights to organize, value, as well as creation of good,
respect on the job, decent wages, accessible child, family and
etc. that the consciousness of health care facilites.
women will change.
Working class women have
Capitalism and the use of always been the most combative
women as cheap labor with and courageous fighters. With a
“second class” status are in- bold program defending the inseparable.
Organized terests of womenand uniting the
labor must take on this battle working class, women will be
through comittment to fight won to the Labor movement and
against all unequal and play a vital role in the struggle
discriminatory treatment of for socialism.

TWA Workers
Defy Bosses.

TWAflight attendants have been out on the
picket line since early March. They have
shown the most courageous spirit and determination. The issues of the case are explained below in an interview with Karen Lantz,
vice president of the Independent Federation

of Flight Attendants.

As the strike continuesit becomes more and
moreclear that if victory is to be achieved
united action must be organized with other

unions in TWAandin the industry. The law

restricting picketing to four pickets at any
point at any tie must be broken.

MOBILIZE

ed in TWA,and explain that if per month (old contract) to

IFFA is defeated then all other
workers will face further attacks.
IFFA should namethe day, at
the end of this week campaign,
when they would refuse to comply with the law and put on mass
pickets and call on all other
TWA workers to respect them.
This is the way to close down
TWA,to get enough support to
defy the anti-union laws and to
defeat Icahn andhis cuts.
In her exclusive interview with
LaborMilitant the vice presi-

$1,007 per month.
2) A two tier wage scale in
which employeeshired after the
new contract would make a
lowerrate of pay for seven years
before their pay would match
that of senior employees.
3) The right to switch the
routes of flight attendants at his
convenience.

4) The rest periods between
flights will be shortened as well
as an increase in flying time. He
has ordered eight additional
dentof IFFA, Karen Lantz, said:
flight hours which adds up to a
“The reason why he (Icahn)told
total of 320 hours away from
Vicki Frankovitch our president,
homeper month, as opposed to
that he needed more concessions
240 hours per monthin the old
from us is that we don’t have the contract.
samefinancial responsibilities to
Vice President Karen Lantz
our families as the other
employee groups who are summed up the concessions
when
shesaid that Icahn wanted
primarily men...He said we could
afford to give more forafterall them...“‘to do more work with
less
rest,
fewer flight attendants,
the other people were ‘breadwinners.’ He also said we were a for less pay.”

‘weak group’ and that we would
not stand up andfight, and that
tions of the mass of the people.
he could take what he wanted
The only solution to this crisis
because we would never stand up
to him...
of the system is to endthis dictatorship of the 500 corporations
“Icahn has stated before the
over the American people. These
strike that he needed $300
corporations should be taken out
million in employee concessions.
of private ownership and control
So far without our concessions he
by nationalizi
them under
nas $275 million in place. So
workers’ democratic control and
with our $50 million in concesmanagement, with compensasions he will have over $325
tion only in the case of proven
million. Now if he can’t turn the
need. This would make possible
company around with more cona socialist plan- of production *}cessions than what he would
under which the resources of
need, then I guess heis not the
society can be planned and
businessman hethinks heis.”
managed for the benefit of the
majority of the people, rather
TWO TIER WAGE SCALE
distorted by the needs of private
profit.

By Margaret Collins
Hotel and Restaurant
Union Local 6
(personal capacity)

IFFA should mobilize its
members in a one week campaign to get to the members of all 1) Therightto reduce theflight
other unions andthe unorganiz- attendants’ salaries from $1,360

affect the jobs, wages and condi-

than being -gestritted~ and

¥
)

Among the major concessions
Icahn wanted were:

UNION CHANGED
Shealso said duringthe interview thatthe impact of the strike
has served to pull the union
closer together. 95% of the union
has notcrossed the picket lines
and are putting up a tough fight.
“Our membership is extremely strong. They have recognized
the need to band together as a
family. They have recognized
that we are brothers and sisters.
They recognize the importance of
having a relationship with other
unions. Since the strike, they
realize the responsiblity of being
a union member, and I truly

believe that after the strike is
over, they will remain aware of
the labor movement and continue to participate in it.”

~

WA-UNITED
ACTION NEEDED

YOUTH (contd.)

bucks an hour, then five, then
four and last year he couldn’t
find any laboring work over $4
an hour.” This is the policy of
Big Business.
PROFITS
The corporations inflate their
superprofits off the backs of our
living standards and the youth
are hit worst by this. Sears
Roebuck had record profits in
1984 exceeding $1.3 billion at
the expense of the low paid-youth
in the retail trade.
The more attacks the youth
face the more determined they
becometo fight back. Recently in
Australia the McDonalds Corporation went on the move
demanding 40% wage cuts which
would have resulted in
thousands of youth reduced from
semi-slave to absolutely slave
conditions. A campaign was
organized by the Austrialian
Labor Party Youth and the
Trade Union movement which
forced back\the proposed attacks.
Last year
Britain andItaly all
saw mass national strikes by
school students against organized attacks by big business on
young workers.

the American Telephone &
Three years a
Telegraph Co. (AT&T) drove its 500,000 workers out onto the streets in a 3 week long strike by demanding concessions. The united strength of the workforce
prevented the company from taking the concessions
they demanded and won a substantial job protection

clause in the new contract.
This victory was in the minds of
the government when, through a
court order, they divided AT&Tinto several cut-throat competing
corporations. They want to split
the unions’ strength in order to
facilitate driving down living standards.
Profits
AT&T and the regional phone
companies have averaged 1% increase in profits in each of the past
2 years since the split took place.
Thenationalleadership of the Communications Workers of America
(CWA), which represents the
workforce, says that as profits are
up a strike won't be necessary.
Feeling their strength from the
1983 strike and seeing theserising
profits, the union membership
wants improvementsin their living

INTERNATIONAL

youth, who werein the firing

line of a police riot last

it initial campaign to “Defend
the Three’ who were indescriminately arrested during
the “riot.” The campaign grew at
a rate nobdy expected. The half
a dozen original Y.D.C.activists
has grown to over 120 paid-up

members. Over 70 t-shirts with
the Y.D.C. logo have been sold.
An estimated 2,000 leaflets cir-

culated and 500 buttons
distributed. The program the
Y.D.C. was built on is:
¢ End to police harassment of
Youth ¢
e Repeal all Anti-Youth
Legislation ¢
e For inexpensive decent
entertainment for youth ¢
© For decent jobs with trade
union rights and conditions for
all youth ¢
CURFEW
The particular attacks the
youth in Seattle have faced have
been massive. Big Business provides no affordable leisure
facilities for Seattle’s youth.
Addedto this their henchmen in
the City Council (Republican and
Democrats) have outlawed under
18 year olds from attendinggigs,
and the State Legislature proposed a curfew for under 17 year

olds. Such a curfew already exists in neighboring Oregon.
“From the start the Y.D.C. explained that these attacks were
not isolated, but a part of a more
general attack by the corporations who control society, on
society’s most rebellious section:
the youth. If the youth are to be
teduced to semi-slavelike condi-

tions big business, and through
it the state, must attempt to

pacify or at least subdue the best
qualities of youth: their energy
and enthusiasm. While on the
other hand an organized campaign against these attacks
should raise these qualities.
LABOR
Trotsky explained the necessi-

ty of any youth movement to

unite with labor because the
youths’ vitality is hindered by
their lack of experience and

Seattle Y.D.C. in action.

because it is organized labor
which has the industrial power
a youth movementdoesn’t have.
It is only the power of organized
labor that can defendthe rights
of youth and beyondthatit is only the organized working class
which can defeat the corporations andtake society forward to
socialism.
:
Already the Y.D.C. has received endorsements from four union
locals and the Secretary of the
(Seattle) Labor Council has applauded our campaign in its efforts to link youth and labor. The
Y.D.C. spoke before the Labor
Council receiving a huge round
of applause from delegates.
Many more union locals approached us offering endorsements and donations.

tracting, no concessions, a fyfl un-

VICTORIOUS
Our campaign has received
coverage on ldcal television,
newspapers and someradio stations. Because of the Y.D.C.,

all three defendants from the
Novemberpolice riot have
had their charges dropped or
reduced to a minor misdemeanor. In Marchthe State
Legislature dropped its proposed curfew law on a
technicality. Their motives
are clear: drop the issue now
and the movement may
subside.
But the Y.D.C. understands
that it was a tactical move and
they'll be back again with full
force.
This Y.D.C. victory will not
serve to subdue the movement
but to organize it. When we
organize, particularly with labor,
the bosses and thestate can be
forced back. From this victory we
must build the Y.D.C. forces
strengthening the ranks through
raising thepolitical level of the
membership and then go on the
offensive. We must support all
picket lines, fight two tier contracts, mobilize against the city
council’s anti-youth legislation,
help in union drives, particularly helping to unionize and raise

Mistake
As a response to the situation
arising out of the split-up, the
CWAleadership decided to move
up the expiration date of the contract
with AT&T to May31st 1986, with
negotiations expected to begin in early April. It was to expire on August
9th at the same time as the 7
regional companies; contracts with
CWAexpire. This was a mistake.
The CWAleadership says the date
was moved so the union could concen-

by shop stewart
local 9410 CWA

2
the living standards of youth and can then play their most vital
role in the working class movefight racism.
If the Y.D.C. builds on its suc- ment. We can frovide the
cess, if other Y.D.C.s spring up energy, the enthusiasm and the
in other cities (as they have spirit to go on the attack to dealready in Vancouver and fend our rights and fight for a
Portland), if we continue to socialist U.S.A. and socialist
orientate our work to the mighty world.
trade union movement, youth

trate its efforts on the regional companiesafter it finishes with AT&T.
Unless a very good settlement can
be reached with AT&T, the union
should. continue to talk until
August 9th after ‘which a national
strike can be conducted if
necessary, bringing out the
regional company workers with
those at AT&T. While this would
mean working without a contract
at AT&T for 9 weeks, it would bring back the unified expirationlate.
date. «
United Action
This would give the union the
strength to win its demands. These’
must include a 32 hour weekrith
no loss of pay, union controlof\ the!
work load, no layoffs, no subton-

capped cost of living claus€, and a
wageincrease dueto increased productivity.
At the sametime, the union must
take account of the economiccrisis,
the over-productionin general, and
in particular in the high-tech sector. The workforce as a whole,
through its unions CWA and
IBEW,muststand firm in united
action for control of the industry.

standards.

The movement of youth in
Seattle around the newly formed “Youth Defense Campaign”
reflects the international tendancyof youth to organize in defense
of their rights. Stemming from
the anger and frustration of

November, the Y.D.C. launched

ll

To order YDC T-shirts’ &
buttons or to contact YDC
for information
Youth Defense Campaign

P.O. Box 9191
Seattle

WA 98109

By A Y.D.C. Member

$5,000 FOR THE
WORKERS’ PAPER
America’s big businessbuysits a target of $5,000 to be raised by
newspaper, T.V. and radio in- July 1st when our second issue
dustryto cover up the shortcom- will be published. Send us your
ings of its system. Their media donations to help us reach this
attacks workers who are forced target.
to strike, young people whofight
The bosses show their
unemployment and especially understandingof the importance
oppressed minorities who fight of having the printed word on .
racism and discrimination.
their side. Show that you are no
Labor Militant exists to fight less conscious of your class inthe lies of the bosses’ press. The terests than they are. Finance
struggle against poverty, Labor Militant and have a
unemployment and racism will fighting paper on yourside.
be supported in our pages. We
Weare askingfor donationsof
are on the otherside of the bar- all sizes. When you buy Labor
ricades from the bosses press.
Militant do not just give 50
Wehave however,one thing in cents. Give a dollar, give 5
common.To produce LaborMili- dollars or even more. When you
tant we also need to purchase read our coverage of strikes and
paper and printing facilities. youth movements, when you
Those who produce our paper read our analysis of the Labor
haveto eat, put clothes on their Movement and the world
back and a roof over their head. economy, whenyousee usfight
Finances is necessary for all of racism makeyour solidarity conthis.
crete - send us a donation.
LaborMilitantis starting as a
Butdonot stop there, put aside
bi-monthly paper. This has been 50 cents, a dollar, 5 doHars or
possible because a small number more to send us on a regular
of workers and youth have made basis. Puta collecting jar in your
major sacrifices. It is our inten- homeandputin all your nickles
tion to come out monthly in one and dimes. Collect from your
year, proceed from that to a brothers and sisters at work
weekly and then a daily paper. when you show.them Labor MiliWeask all our readers to sup- tant. Better still get extra copies
port us-finantially: Wehave set and sell them at your union
OEE

meetings, to your workmates,
friends and relatives and collect
donations
top of the price.
Organizé a social in your
home. Getyourfriends together
and tell thety about Labor Militant, and as

having a

Good time, raise mqneyfor us.
. ‘The Press who fight the bosses
gets nefinancial backing except
the dollars and
¢€nts of workers
and youth. The taskis to collect

this financial support which exists and send it to Labor
Militant
Every nickel, every dime,
every dollar takes us nearer the
target of $5,000 by July 1st. On
top of that manyof our readers
will be able to afford larger donations. Sacrifice one of those
nights out, that newarticle of
clothing or cassette recorder,
make a withdrawal from your
savings, howeveryoudoit, send
us a donation.
The struggle against Reagan,
TWA, GM, Hormel, youth and
racial harassement will not be
won without sacrifice. This is
howthe US labor movement was
built. Make a sacrifice now and
help us build Labor Militant into a voice which can begin to
challenge the lies of the bosses
press.

°

of
12

a
x

4

e

Laber
SUPPORT
tant
li
Mi
P-9 STRIKE ©
Pa

By Bruce Hamilton
ATU Local 1202
(personal capacity)

Meatpackers at the George Hormel Com-

pany plant in Austin, Minnesota have been

on strike since August 17, 1985. Their struggle against the most profitable U.S. pork pro-

cessor, and against the policies of their
union’s national leadership, continues in spite
of a numberof serious set-backs.
Hormel has won concessions
from its Austin’ workers since
1978 by playing on workers’
fears pf plant closures and increasing
international competition in a declining market. In

with

scab

labor,

but

union

members blocked access to the
plant. The NationaiGuard was
called to keep the plant open.
Courts issued injunctions
against picketing at plant enspite of Hormel’s rising profits, trances. Dozens of meatpackers
local unions at Hormel plants were arrested.
throughout the Midwest signed
new concessionary agreements
in 1984. But Local P-9 in Austin,
with a newly-elected, militant

Georgia, Tennessee, and
Michigan have also waged
strikes in the past few months to
resist pay cuts.
Militancy
The new militancy of P-9 and
these other locals is putting increasing pressure on the national officers of UFCW. But
UFCWPresident William Wynn
and AFL-CIO President Lane
Kirkland, instead of placing the
full power of labor behind the
Hormelstrikers, have increased
their public denunciations of
Local P-9. Insteadof calling all

plant shop stewards should be
organized to call for an all-out
halt of all Hormel production.If
Hormel holds out, calling for
strikes and organizing drives at
all packing plants in the
Midwest must becomethepriority, followed by call for a halfday strike of all union workers
in Minnesota and Iowa.
Nationalization

The current fightback against
concessions in the meatpacking
industry makes it clear that
meatpackers are unwilling to accept further lowering oftheir living standards. Developing a
fighting nationalleadership with
a strategy of industrial action
wouldstart to turn aroundtheir

declining position. But the basic
problem of overcapacity in the
meatpacking industry will eventually have to be confronted.
Workers cannot continue to win
higher wages if high profit and
enormous salaries and bonuses
for executives are maintained.
An industry shakeout is

predicted, with mergers, bank-

ruptcies, plant closures, and
layoffs, resulting in renewed
pressure on wages and conditions. A new recession would add
to thése pressures. In seeking a
solution to the resulting impasse
activists in the labor movement
will begin to call for nationalization of companies like Hormel
that say they can’t pa:
wages.

leadership, refused. In retalia-

tion, the companycut wages and

benefits of the Austin workers by

23% .— a level well below the
other Hormel! plants.
The uniontried to win back the
workers’ full pay through arbitration and negotiation, but
the government ruled against
the union. The company refused
to restore full wages andinsisted
on maintaining unsafe working
conditions, weakening grievance

procedures, and reducing senority rights. Leaders of the UFCW
urged the local to accept the company’s demands anyway,telling
workers they were fighting a lost
cause. But the 1500 workers
voted overwhelmingly to strike Hormel workers face the National Guard.
Hormeland to launch an appeal
Hormelworkers outon strike, or
to the rank andfile of the labor
Mass Rallies
making any serious attempt to
movementto help them put an
win a strike they originally sancend to concessions.
With the power of the state
tioned, the UFCW in March
mobilized against them, Local
ordered P-9 to call off its strike,
Support
P-9 called on workers at other
and has nowplaced LocalP-9 in
trusteeship.
Local P-9 members have Hormel plants to strike. Hundistributed literature to half a dreds of Hormel workers honored
P-9’s
roving
picketlines
in
Iowa;
Fightback
million homes across the
Midwest. Mass mailings to Nebraska and Texas in spite of
intense company, union, and
The incorrect policies of the
50,000 unionlocals all over the
UFCWhave led activists in the
country have won substantial legal pressure. Hormel fired
labor movement to begin
support. Teams of P-9 members more than 500 of those workers.
organizing themselves for a
have spread newsof their strug- Local 431 in Ottumwa, Iowa, has
fightback. A groupcalling itself
gle to workers in several states joined with P-9 in organizing
mass
rallies
and
a
boycott
of
all
the National Rank & File
by talking with thousands of
Against Concessions was formed
union members at plant gates Hormelproducts.
Workers at other meatpacking
in Decemberto “provide direct,
_ and union meetings. At other
companies
have
also
begun
to
immediate aid to those unions
locals representing Hormel
who havechosento fight concesworkers, support committees fight back. New officers were
sions.” The group has issued nahave been established which elected in Local 304 at the Morrell
Company’s
Sioux
Falls,
S.D.,
tional appeals for support of the
have raised funds and conHormel strike and boycott.
tributed food and clothing to plantafter the old leaders agreed
to
a
$2.40-an-hourcut
in
wages.
The Austin workers understrikers and their families.
In December negotiations went The new officers led Morrell’s
stood from the start that they
could not win their struggle
to federal mediation. As workers 2500 workers in an eleven-week
alone. Their appeals to communiprepared to vote on the proposal, strike at the end of 1985 in an atHormel reported record profits tempt to regain lost wages.
ty groups, farmers’ organizations
Whenthey
succeeded
in
winning
for 1985 of $38 million (a 30% inand the broader labor movement
crease over 1984), and gave its back only $1.00-an-hour, the
have been very successful in
chairman salary increase from workers voted the new leaders
gaining support and sympathy.
out-of
office
and
replaced
them
$339,000 to $570,000.
But the major emphasis
The company responded byat- with an even more militantslate should have been on the other
tempting to reopen the plant of officers. Meatpackers in
Hormel plants, the 30,000
king
workers in the
UFCW, and in organizing
unorganized meatpackers.
Conducting boycotts and
community awareness camPublished By
paigns is no substitute for inLabor Militant Publications
dustrial action.
Hormel’s Austin plant was the
site of thefirst sit-down strike in
the movementthatled to theformation of the CIO. Currentcalls,
6 issues $7.50
‘
12 issues $15.00
to shut down the plant seek to
continue labor’s militant
Post & Package Included

LABOR MILITANT

SUBSCRIBE

Checks Payable To Labor Militant
P.O. Box 10614
Oakland, CA 94610

OVE

0%

tions. To win the strike now, a

strategy~Of industrial action
must be pursued. A Midwestwide committee of meatpacking

The wages and benefits
of union workers in the
U.S. are on average 30%
higher than non-union

wages and benefits. Safety

at work andjob security is
also better for unionized
workers.
These

are

the

reasons

big

business and its press try to turn
workers and youth away

from.

unions. They continually portray
union leaders as dictators and the
unions themselves as centers of
Mafia activity.

Smears
Despite these smears support for

labor unions far outweighs the

number of workers organized in
unions. In a~ July 1985 poll in
Business Week magazine it was

shown that 73% of Americans
agreed that unions improve wages

and conditions. Even in the South
68% agreed wth this. This shows a

huge level of support for labor and

an understanding of the key role

unions haveplayed in raising living
standards for workers.

In 1985, however, only 18% of
the workforce is organized in

unions. Big business and its press
have been attempting to prove that
unions are a thing of the past and
no longer relevant. To prove this

they point to a fall in the percen-

tage of workers organized from

35% in the 1940's to 18% in 1985.

But these figures hide the most
important process in the last 40
years. The workforce has increased

from 64 million in 1946 to 110

million in 1985. Most of these jobs

appeared in new industries,

jally the service industries,

which were not unionized. Thus the
growth in the size of the working
class must be taken into account
when considering the reduction in
the percentage of workers organiz-

ed.

19 Million

There are 19 million workers
organized in unions today. This is 4
million more than were organized in
1955 at the time of the merger of

the AFL and CIO. This makes the
labor movement potentially the
most powerful force in American
society today and the largest
organized trade union movementin
the world.

The responsibility for the low
level of organization-lies not with

an anti-union workforce but with
the policies of the trade union
leaders. The laborleaders failed to
mount a campaign to organize this
new growing workforce. During the
post-war period the AFL-CIO spent
only 3% ofits budget on organizing
while they spent 25% on “‘international affairs’.
Post-War Boom
During the last 40 years the

policies of the labor leaders have

been based on “labor-management
co-operation”. This policy had a

certain base due to the post-war
boom. The boom allowed the corporations to make huge profits,

enabling labor to win increased
wages for workers. With a powerful
working class on one side, and
super profits on the other side,

union leaders won improved con-

tracts and increased prestige. A

vast section of the working class
reached living standards never

before dreamed of while the living
standardsof the union leaders rose
above those they represented.
Organize
The present crisis and the attacks on labor have caught the

labor leaders unprepared. But
pressure is growing on them to
organize the millions of workers
outside organized labor. SEIU

spent 30% of its budget on organizing in 1985. At the 1985 AFL-CIO

convention Lane Kirkland, presi-

dent of the AFL-CIO,said; ‘‘A new
labor force has grown up around us
and the trade union share ofit has
dropped. But the good news is that

we havea hell of a lot more people
to organize, and we mean to
organize them”’.
Labor must mobilize its huge
resources to reach the ear of
millions of workers and especially
the young workers facing poverty
wages, poor conditions and job insecurity in fast-food restaurants,

the service industry, small shops,
sweat shops, and other non-union
workplaces across the country. The

main message of this campaign

should be: “Wages and benefits of

union members are 30% higher

than non-union”.

By a memberof

Local 444 AFSCME

(personal capacity)

|