Sydney, Australia Paper of the Anarcho-Syndicalist Network 50c Vol. 27 No.4 (201) Oct. - Nov. 2008 Rudd ALP Govt. Stabs Workers in The Back With “Revamped” Work Choices & Building Industry Watch Dog Committee!

NEW RUDD GOVT. IR LAWS; GLOBAL CREDIT CRISIS; NSW RAILWAY NEWS; SUPERANNUATION & THE FINANCIAL CRISIS; STATE TRANSIT NEWS; SYDNEY MARITIME NEWS; VICTORIAN RAIL NEWS; BRITAIN TODAY; BRAZILIAN LABOUR NEWS; NZ TRAM NEWS; ITALIAN SYNDICALISM; BOOK REVIEW CORNER ON ANARCHISM IN THE UK; DEATH OF AN OLD MILITANT; NEWS & NOTES 2 Rebel Worker

ing funny money to keep the whole rotten would like to thank the poor and marginal- Rebel Worker is the bi-monthly system ticking over. The more funny ised for being so understanding and kind. Paper of the A.S.N. for the propo- money printed, the greater the risk of hy- Just in case you get radical ideas in your gation of anarcho-syndicalism in perinflation and the middle classes seeing head like using taxpayer funds to help the Australia. all their illusory wealth wiped out over- poor, dispossessed and disenfranchised, night. When governments faced with eco- we have laws to deal with scum like you. If Unless otherwise stated, signed nomic calamity and their own demise these laws don’t work we can get the me- Articles do not necessarily represent begin printing money the value of which dia to denigrate you. If that doesn’t work the position of the A.S.N. as a whole. they can’t meet, the writing is on the wall the National Guard can deal with your Any contributions, criticisms, letters for the death of an economic system based type. If that doesn’t work the United States or on the creation of over increasing profits spends a trillion dollars a year on a de- Comments are welcome. irrespective of the human, social and envi- fence system that can send your type to ronmental costs that has not only caused Kingdom Come. It is wonderful to be a REBEL WORKER the current economic calamity but has citizen of the greatest nation on earth. P.O. BOX 92 brought the human race and the planet to Where else can you help the rich and pow- BROADWAY 2007 NSW the brink of a calamity of unparalleled erful? I know, the land down under - AUS- E-mail: proportions. TRALIA. [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION RATES: RUDD’s REVAMPED AUSTRALIA: $12 a year BAILOUT OF PRIVATE “WORKCHOICES” OVERSEAS BANKING $25 (Aus.) by Air It seems the Rudd led Labor govern- $20 (Aus.) by Sea mail I’m pretty excited about the open ended ment is singing from the same song Free to Prisoners trillion dollar bailout of the private sheet as the Howard led Liberal/Na- Supporters Subs. $40 pa banking and financial sector. It is won- tional government when it comes to workplace relations. The Rudd govern- Receives copies of RW & ASN derful to see that the folk who got the world in the current financial mess are ment’s new workplace relations bill is a Pamphlets as published. the very same people who will be re- stab in the back for all Australian work- Send to the above. Send Postal Orders warded, courtesy of the American tax- ers. Mr. Rudd and his parliamentary made out to Rebel Worker. payer. The wonderful thing about the colleagues seem to have forgotten that United States government is they’re al- Labor was elected to power as the con- ways willing to lend a hand to folk in sequence of a vigorous was conducted need. Take the banks and financial in- by both the trade union movement and stitutions that have just had their bad community activists. National News debts written off. To support legislation that financially pe- We wouldn’t want those poor men and nalises and criminalises workers for with- women to do without their multimillion drawing their labour outside recognised dollar salaries, would we? Take all those enterprise bargaining periods, reduces FUNNY MONEY? poor investors whose greed brought the workers to the role of wage slaves. A world to the brink of financial annihila- worker’s ability to improve their pay and I must be stupid, I’m having a great tion, we wouldn’t want these nice folk to conditions is directly related to their abil- deal of trouble working out where all lose their money, would we? Successive ity to freely withdraw their labour if they this money is coming from to bail out United States governments have always are unhappy with their pay and conditions. the greed is good crowd. Every day we had the interests of the rich and powerful For a Labor government to actively pro- hear stories about Reserve banks as their first responsibility. Where would mote legislation that removes the funda- around the world pumping billions of the world be without the rich and power- mental right of workers to withdraw their dollars into the privately owned bank- ful? labour goes against everything the Labor ing sector to provide liquidity for world When taxpayer’s money is at stake the Party has ever stood for. Rudd needs to re- markets. In the United States, the gov- movers and shakers always come first. member he is Prime Minister because ernment finds itself in the invidious po- United States citizens are proud of the fact Australians rejected WorkChoices. To sition of funding a trillion dollar war they pay taxes to help the rich and power- alienate the government’s most loyal and while bailing out some of the biggest in- ful in their time of need, when the shit hits dependable supporters to curry favour vestment banks, mortgage funds and in- the fan in the United States you can be re- with the very people who championed surance companies in the world. I can’t assured that taxpayer’s money will be used WorkChoices, highlights how out of touch help asking myself where is all this to help the rich and powerful. It would be a the Rudd Labor government is with the money coming from? shame to bypass all those rich folk in the fi- concerns of Australian workers. If he con- Billions of dollars of taxation revenue nancial and banking sector and use that tinues to champion the interests of that have been diverted from public infrastruc- trillion dollars to help Americans feeling small section of society that owns the ture, public health, public education and the pinch of the current economic down- means of Production, distribution and ex- social security benefits into the coffers of turn pay their mortgages or provide uni- change above the people that have sup- some of the world’s largest privately versal health care for all Americans or ported his government, he and his owned corporations, forcing the public to improve Americans wages and conditions. government run he very real risk of being pay a huge price for the incompetence and It has always been un- American to help one term wonders. greed of the private sector. the poor at the expense of the rich. Why As the financial retreat turns into a rout, have government if you can’t use it to help Thanks to the Anarchist Age governments will be tempted to start print- your rich mates when they run into trou- ble? On behalf of the rich and powerful, I 3 Rebel Worker N.S.W. RAILWAYS NEWS

If and when the planned reforms go ahead did RailCorp go to the expense of doing a EBA Update the “no extra claims” clause contained mass mail out of Federal Government pro- within it will ensure that no compensation paganda telling us what a Workplace By Crimson Coconut productivity pay rises will be forthcoming Agreement is? from the improvements envisioned. Even The whole voting process has been care- if they had been promised, we still have Final voting for the RailCorp EBA has fully stage managed in case there was fresh in our minds the lack of action over taken place across the state. As ex- any dissent along the way to the vote. This the share of the productivity savings which pected a majority of voters, who are in may have had something to do with the were to come out of the “Job and Work Re- desperate need of a pay rise, have sanc- ballot to go on strike in the middle of EBA design” project from 10 yrs ago. They tioned the Agreement for a 4% PA in- negotiations. The ensuing vote ended in never eventuated. crease over the next 2 years. almost unanimous support for industrial The usual platitudes about “management Many rail workers had not seen the con- action. This was rescinded at a later date prerogative”, management’s right to use tents of the Agreement and there had been by the unions without any consultation staff reviews in consultation with the un- little or no discussion before or after the with members. Was there fear and uncer- ions over any reforms also begs the ques- unions gave their approval. In previous tainty about the result of the EBA vote be- tion as to why the clause was included at years copies of agreements had been cause of the previous rejection by rail all. Once the EBA is ratified by the com- mailed to workers homes for perusal. In workers? mission a timetable will be formally set in the case of EBA 2008 things were played Backdating the agreement to April and ap- very close to the chest, although there were copies for viewing on the RailCorp Intranet and a few booklets were delivered to the Station Masters office at the various locations. Despite this, RailCorp and the unions gave joint presentations across the state on the virtues of the agreement despite there being little or no actual discussion or debate on the changes contained therein. It still doesn’t sit right with me seeing union and man- agement singing from the same hymn book on the virtues of the agreement during their joint presentations. Surely there are some disagreements and differences of opinion or would they have us believe that it is all rosy and harmonious in RailCorp as things place for the reform process to begin. Is- proving the full 4% during negotiations stand? sues of consultation make a mockery of with the State Government paved the way trade union representation within for general acceptance of the agreement. It EBA 2008 marks another stage of the RailCorp, so we can seek no satisfaction was a hollow victory of sorts since we had “award modernisation” process that is on being consulted there. given little away and have lost little, required by the Workplace Relations Act though the 4% pay increase is not enough which continues under the Rudd Labor Except for an extension of paid and unpaid for us to keep up with the high cost of liv- Government. The new EBA is allowed to maternity leave, none of the demands ing. The government by comparison had contain only the basic award conditions. made by the unions or shop floor workers been seen to have backed down from con- Elements of our old conditions of employ in the log of claims succeeded in being in- - frontation and acquiesced. At the time ment are now contained in a separate deed cluded. Many of the anomalies such as those that exist in the areas of family leave Transport Minister, Watkins, writing in between the custodians union and man- the Sydney Morning Herald warned that agement. This part of the EBA has seen lit- and “absence control” which rail work- all the conditions for achieving the 4% tle or no change. ers raised as issues earlier in the process were still not addressed satisfactorily. were conditional on the planned reforms The new award contains a clause that Areas such as “shift work” which and that the Government had certainly not spells out a commitment to “station re- needed to be looked at remain as they are. backed down. form” and “station cleaning reform” Since then there have been big changes in by April 2009. Changes to Train Crew ros My main concern though is over the voting - the composition of the NSW Government tering is also highlighted. I personally process. The fact that rail workers had to amid charges that NSW finances have could not vote in favour of the EBA while attend a briefing session to be able to vote fallen in a hole. Big business on the other RailCorp refused to list their intended re- is rotten. hand is openly calling for heavily pruning forms. If such a clause referring to the re- What was wrong with the way votes were carried out for previous EBA’s when bal- the rail workforce. EBA 2008 opens the forms was contained in the EBA and door to staff reviews which can expedite didn’t give us the details of them, we lot papers were sent to people’s homes? If that process. should ask why was it inserted in the EBA the cost of mail outs was an issue then why at all. 4 Rebel Worker

If there was a large national pool of retire- ment funds, governments could use these Superannuation - A Rational funds to create jobs at home, rather than exporting them overseas. New and bold conservation projects could be under- Alternative Needed taken, such as funding and extending pub- lic transport services throughout the country. Also privatisation of government As workers slowly see their hard ment, something that the private sector assets such as electricity generating plants earned retirement savings squan- could never do. That’s how things were 15 could be avoided because governments dered away in speculative deals by to 20 years ago State Super was once guar- could no longer use the arguments about big capital they despair that they anteed by the State Government, as were funds not being available to build new will never have enough money to savings in the Commonwealth Bank ones. retire on. For many impending retir- which were guaranteed by the Federal Other major environmentally friendly pro- ees the credit crash in the US this Government. Re-regulation, or should I jects such as water conservation infra- month has had its effect on pension say deregulation, since then, has exposed structure and construction of solar power workers savings to the chaotic vagaries of funds, it brought into focus the ri- alternatives could be undertaken on a mas- the international financial system which is diculous situation regarding retire- sive scale with money from the readily itself flawed. ment pensions. Workers’ hard available retirement funds. The funds earned cash is being shuffled Government’s borrow heavily on the open would also become part of our social capi- around the world in a lottery that money markets at international interest tal as it would add to our quality of life benefits only a small global elite. rates to fund large projects. Quite often through completed projects. much of this borrowed money is advanced The loss of retirement savings coupled In return for adding our contributions to for start-up projects in the private sector, with rapidly rising prices for transport, the funds a guaranteed interest rate pay- for example, the new Clyde train mainte- fuel, food and rents will see many retiring ment equivalent to what would be paid on nance facility or the $700+ million that workers poor and desperate. Many will be the open money markets for borrowed homeless, forced onto the streets and into money should be returned by government. parks where they will be forced to live on This naturally adds to the value to the the scraps of the working throw-away so- funds. Superannuation benefits could be ciety. paid as it is now (i.e. according to the The traditional trade union movement has amount contributed) or preferably as a provided dubious financial impetus to a pro-rata retirement pension that is univer- flawed retirement scheme that it holds up sal, but, based on the level of contributions as beacon of success for the Australian and needs. Government funded pensions trade union movement. Its real success and top-ups should never be dispensed though is to continue to position Labor un- with and are essential for promoting equity ion spin doctors at the head of the lucrative in our communities. superannuation feeding trough in a jobs If the existing private funds failed it would for the boys scheme that is neither moral be catastrophic for the government and nor politically progressive. people alike. In a worst case scenario of a The huge size of the industry super funds substantial financial meltdown the provi- (now worth over $1 trillion and quadru- sion of government pensions for all would pling in size every 10 years) has dire con- add a further burden to tax payers and re- sequences for working people if and when tirees that is unjustified and yet is com- they fail. The need for a safer and more so- pletely avoidable. If the government was cially responsible method of self funding unduly exposed financially then maybe no for retirement is absolutely necessary. Not pension would be paid out at all as a retire- that self funded retirement is the ideal ment safety net. method for providing for our non wage was advanced by government for the con- With a National Superannuation Scheme earning years. Events show that we could struction of the Airport Line and the M5 that excludes the private sector we could and never will be able to rely on the market motorway which is still attracting subsi- have had some small measure of control to ensure that we have a comfortable re- dies. Government interest on this bor- through the ballot box. With the present tirement. rowed money flows out of the economy self appointed union, Labor Party hacks So, what is the solution to all this gloom and the country and eventually becomes a and merchant bankers presiding over our and doom for retirees? burden for all taxpayers who are the real nest eggs any talk of democratic control A national pension (superannuation) underwriters of such projects. over our own funds is classed as heresy. scheme is what we, unions and pensioner This adds to our balance of payments We won’t hear the call for a National re- groups should be advocating. All contri- problems as no goods are exchanged for tirement savings scheme from them or any butions to such a scheme would be consol- this repayment of interest. That’s why the of our present elected representatives. But idated into one large national pool NSW State Government is so concerned we should raise our voices loudly despite controlled and guaranteed by a govern- with its AAA rating. Any lower interna- their opposition for a superannuation ment agency inside Treasury. It would be tional financial rating than AAA would scheme that’s owned by us all and that we similar in scope to the original Medicare mean higher interest rate charges for gov- take responsibility for. A better world and scheme before it was emasculated and bro- ernment loans and action taken by the a better retirement system is only possible ken up. World Bank and IMF to open up the econ- if our representatives have the vision and There should be watertight guarantees that omy further to reforms which benefit pri- they govern in our interests. contributors could never lose their invest- vate capital. 5 Rebel Worker STATE TRANSIT NEWSFLASH

For the STA boss razor gang paranoid the STA bosses are showing their inability STATE TRANSIT FREE FALL about spiralling overtime costs for ur- to be open to drivers and passengers con- OLYMPICS! gently required bus maintenance - silver cerns. The STA architect of the route plated medals. shortening was invited to attend a commu- Did you know the STA bosses are run- What was the score? I have no idea, as we nity meeting to discuss the change to the ning an Olympics without STA work- weren’t invited. However, we know the route. However on learning he would be ers knowing about it? Their own severe impact in regard to STA staff, the facing a hostile reception, he declined to Olympics! community and bus routes. attend the meeting. The elimination of the second loop in the route in a likely move The corporate athletes will be wearing In place of such corporate events, a genu- ine peoples Olympics needs to be organ- by the STA bosses to sabotage the entire slightly bizarre sports outfits in the shape route and discourage commuters patron- of business suits. That sounds like the ised free of corporate racketeering open to all people. age. So later on, it can be completely abol- ideal cover for these corporate athletes. ished. Another route facing cuts is the 360. Their “physiques” will be also somewhat RW: What are your thoughts on driv- unusual for the usually thin and trim sports WAVERLEY DEPOT NEWS ers’ health? people in the form of massive beer guts and expansionist waist lines achieved dur- WB: We need to encourage self help pro- ing many merry STA Corporate lunches Rebel Worker: What’s happening with grams to help tackle the health problems and dinners. However like many Olym- the routes? which we suffer due to the job. One impor- pics contestants the high octane STA Waverley Busie: An important develop- tant problem we often face, is excessive bosses will be reliant on performance en- ment on this front is the proposed shorten- body weight. A good way to reduce the ki- hancement drugs which are apparently le- gal. The usual suspects, the ALP and Liberals power brokers who like them cut each other’s throats and strive for the most “gold” through insulting each other will be sponsoring the “games”. Together with the Business Council of NSW, the RTA, Veolia Transport, Taxi Council of NSW, the boss of Cabcharge and the Coach and Bus Owners Association. Like the many suspect characters in the business world, these sponsors don’t expect to get some- thing for nothing. No matter what, they ex- pect huge amounts of return. They outbid each other in who does the worst job. How far they can go. The Forbes 500 billion- aires will also have a considerable finger in the affair. According to a reliable source, Olympics merchandise will include plastic steering wheels, bongs, Turkish water pipes, and cubes of crack cocaine all tastefully in- ing of the 311. It’s proposed that it los is via taking advantage of alternative scribed with the STA snail logo. terminates at the park outside St. Vin- Chinese medicine. A likely flow on effect Whilst the Olympics toys will include cent’s Hospital. The shortening of this of this therapy and drivers’ improved STA Corporate Gorilla suits and cowboy routeis ofconcerntous,asthereareno fa- health particularly in regard to diabetes, hats with dollar sign patches and stamps cilities for drivers to have ablutions at the control of your body and self esteem will and coins with Bill Gates of Micro Soft new terminus. Whilst there is a likelihood be better relations with passengers. Cur- profile. of trouble with drug users in the summer. rently some drivers are having difficulties I have found out that like the IOC (Interna- It’s definitely not a safe place at that time. with the bosses over this issue. tional Olympics Committee), the STA The shortening of the route will inconve- RW: What’s the latest on the Global consultants will dictate the holding of nience a range of groups such general pas- Warming crisis? events such as the bus route and budget sengers, elderly people, tourists and those WB: Is the STA looking down the barrel of “axeman” competitions where routes such visiting Elizabeth Bay House, as they will a gun? Will the bosses and the Govt take as the 311, 360 and others across the city now have to change buses to get to their measures to massively increase the num- will face the chop. Whilst the finalist of the destinations. There is now much less buses ber of passengers on buses to curb car us- most incompetent boss in State Transit going through the area. Particularly given age? The build up of atmospheric green competition will be awarded by Sparks a the elimination of the 312 during peak house gases is the biggest issue confront- gold plated medal. With this medal and hour which used to service the area. Whilst ing us in a lifetime. It’s just as important as 10c, he will be able to buy a cup of coffee. drivers will lose runs and have shifts re- WWI and WWII combined to other gener- duced. In taking this highhanded action, 6 Rebel Worker ations. There are a range of different ways RW: What’s the latest with the inspec- RW: What’s the latest with the depot for the STA to become environmentally tors? fleet? friendly and reduce green house gases and WB: There is a move afoot by Strawberry WD: 255 buses are being introduced into budget expenditure. By taking such mea- Hills to eliminate over 40 inspectors. the STA fleet. The new gas buses and sures, the STA can adopt the slogan, “Take Why? Is this just another cost cutting mea- Volvos are being sent to Ryde, Leichhardt a ride with us. We are taking cars off the sure. Where is the STA’s vision? They are and in particular Pt Botany. Whilst as road and reducing your carbon foot an extremely valuable group in the STA, usual Waverley is receiving no new buses, print!” Is the STA going to do it? No. They given their extensive experience in tack- only hand me downs. On a separate note, are still caught up in the old management ling on the job issues Waverley has for the second time been model of survive and fix it, lack of related- RW: What are your thoughts regarding nominated as depot of the month. How- ness, withholding information, not work- the issue of “communication” on the ever there has been no mention of this ac- ing as a team, being manipulative and job? complishment in Transit Times. Any other defensive. Is your union executive also do- depot would have had article on the front ing these things on this list? WB: This issue has been highlighted to me recently involving several incidents. page regarding such an achievement. The There are several ways to tackle the prob- When off duty I boarded a Pt Botany bus STA bosses must hate Waverley! lems of reducing green house gases and and tried to get into a conversation with wastage in the STA. the driver. I mentioned that I was a driver LEICHHARDT DEPOT NEWS One simple way of tackling green house like him. However he remained unrespon- gases and general waste is improved sive. At terminuses during the cold RW: What’s the latest at the depot? plumbing so as to eliminate leaky taps and weather, I have noticed that drivers keep blocked toilets requiring 2-3 times to flush the bus doors closed while they wait for Leichhardt Busie: The bosses are continu- which are at chronic levels. At Waverley their run to begin. Rather than opening the ing with their onslaught over drivers who the men’s toilets are in an appalling state. doors to allow passengers to get on and so have 3 accidents. I have noticed lately that The STA bosses are totally oblivious to the be able to establish a rapport with them. Drivers with 10 and 20 years experience whole issue. I recently spoke with the This indicates to me a failure of communi- on the job and who have had accidents are manager of the Captain Cook Hotel near cation with passengers. Involving some being sent to retraining. This seems to me Moore Park, who told that he had im- drivers lacking confidence in dealing with a waste of resources. A more appropriate provements to the plumbing in his pub and passengers. To change this attitude, re- way of tackling the problem would be for was able to completely eliminate leaky training schemes introduced by the bosses the bosses to sit down with drivers who taps. As a result he was able to reduce his are inadequate. Drivers need to be encour- have been having accidents and give them water and electricity costs by $50,000 pa. aged to see passengers to be people just a lecture. They are also continuing with The scale of water wastage in the STA is like themselves and relate to them appro- their rampage in regard to damaged bus on a much greater scale and the savings priately and so be comfortable with them mirrors. They fail to take into account that from plumping improvements such as on the job. due to the location of the mirrors on the gas buses that, there will always be a like- electronic taps which stop running when The STA has refused to open lines of com- lihood of damage which is out of drivers’ you remove your hands would be enor- munication with drivers as illustrated with control and we should not be held respon- mous. Solar panels could be installed on the problem of the bendi bus brakes. They sible. Why isn’t the union organising a pe- the rooves of all STA installations to pro- refused to take any action when drivers tition on the issue to get some action? vide electricity for hot water systems and raised concerns on the issue. Eventually a massively reduce power costs. It has re- crisis occurred involving the problem Another worrying development is drivers cently come to my attention that an envi- which got on the TV. Here again we have a who are scabbing on each other. I’ve no- ronmental shop in the new Westfields case of the STA taking a defensive and un- ticed on weekends drivers who are running complex at Bondi Junction successfully responsive stance on an issue, until it ex- a few minutes late on their runs back to the negotiated with the complex management plodes into a major crisis. depot, having their next run pinched by to have solar panels installed on the roof to other drivers. power the shop. RW: What’s the latest with the mechan- ics? On a positive note, a certain worker who There is great wastage in the STA in re- has engaged in racist abuse of others at the WB: STA corporate axemen have their gard to tissues. Instead of the usage of 6 depot has disappeared from the scene for eyes on the workshops. Are the bus work- tissues now when washing your hands, a some strange reason. Construction work shops being looked at for privatisation? better quality paper towel could be intro- in regard to the depot enlargement and ren- Whilst the overtime budget for the work- duced. Requiring the usage of only a sin- ovations is continuing. It’s expected that shops has been further tightened up. Only gle paper towel. The STA currently the depot fleet will be expanded from 110 100 hours per month is now being pro- wastes considerable sums on fumigating to 260 buses. An underground car park vided which is grossly inadequate given buses with poisonous chemicals to counter for drivers‘ vehicles is currently being the need for urgent bus maintenance. cock roaches in the buses. This expendi- dug. It’s likely that the renovations won’t ture could be drastically reduced and harm RW: What’s happening in regarding to be completed for years. I’ve noticed lately to the environment eliminated with the us- the union at Waverley? we are having a lot of Burwood buses at age of cockroach baits sold at shops in Waverley Driver: Phil Hope, our assistant the depot, pointing to the eventual move of China Town. You can get two boxes for union rep who was injured on the job and is the Burwood fleet to Leichhardt with the $5. One box would be sufficient for each now on workers compensation is facing completion of the renovations. bus and its effects would last for years. the sack. Nobody should be sacked for be- RW: What’s happening on the road? ing on compensation. When I was a clerk By the STA putting its corporate physique LB: We are continuing to have problems in Rail Corp from 1973 to 1979, I never behind such ideas it could win an award in regard to Loftus Street. We now are not came across an instance of someone being from environmental groups for the most allowed to drop off passengers in Loftus sacked for this reason. With this high- innovative in adopting power saving mea- Street as occurred in the past. Conse- handed and draconian approach , I con- sures. quently we are facing considerable com- sider the STA bosses are definitely going in a neo-nazi direction. plaints and swearing from passengers over 7 Rebel Worker the issue. The passengers are particularly buses i.e. Market Street, Railway Square, drivers will be removed from operations unhappy about having to walk in the rain Johnston Street, Leichhardt Town Hall, work which will be taken over by white to the Quay. Many drivers are unhappy amongst other places. Now you only see shirts who have lost their positions in other over the issue. Action needs to be taken them at Victoria Rd Rozelle and Druitt parts of the STA. urgently to remedy the problem such as a Street in the city checkingthe Ryde buses. RW: How are things with the union sign at the corner of Bridge and Loftus rep? Streets that advises this is the last stop be- BURWOOD DEPOT NEWS BD: It seems we’ll be seeing less and less fore the Quay and we don’t terminate in of him and he will be doing less and less in Loftus Street. There is great chaos in the position, as he has put out the word RW: What’s the latest at Burwood? Broadway near the shopping centre, due to that he won’t be running for the union rep buses on different routes stopping there. Burwood Drover: There has been a major position when the next elections occur. Its urgent that a series of bus stops say 1,2 management shakeup which the bosses RW: What is happening with the work- & 3 is created for buses on different have been very secretive about. The posi- shops? routes. Like which exists at Railway tion of Depot Operations Manager is be- Square. Currently we even have situations ing replaced by two duty managers and BD: I’ve noticed constant out sourcing of of buses blocking Bay Street. three staff mangers. The operations man- mechanical work which was in the past RW: What do think of the moves to ager positions are to be performed by done in the workshops. It has involved eliminate many inspectors? those who held CSC’s 2 and 3’s positions body work and air conditioning. This which has now been abolished. The 3 outsourcing has led to considerable de- LB: When you need one, you can never lays in getting buses back on the road. In find one. They always in their vans driving staff manager positions are being created which will be filled by existing manage- one recent case, so far it has taken 3 around. I have noticed over the years a months for maintenance to be completed dramatic reduction in their role in regard to ment. However, their role in operations has not been up to expectations and so on one bus. It’s still not been returned to bus operations. In the past they would be the depot. located at quite a few locations, checking their management role has been changed. Associated with these changes the shed

As I have explained to workmates, the only reason I chose to write under the SYDNEY MARITIME NEWS moniker of “Port Botany Wharfie” was to fit in with the general approach of Sparks, where contributors use pseudonyms to avoid victimisation in the rail and bus in- Rebel Worker: I understand that your leave copies of Sparks in the lunch room. I dustries. Nothing more. last Sparks article has caused a bit of a even put my name to the article I wrote I am so anonymous that local delegates stir at DP World Port Botany? and officials knew exactly who to ask Port Botany Wharfie: It certainly has. A about the Sparks article –me. The whole handful of people took offence to the part saga is more than a little ridiculous. of the article that, when referring to the RW: Last time you filled us in on the few permanent jobs on offer (including a state of EBA negotiations at DP World? health, safety and environment facilitator Have negotiations progressed at all? position) stated: “some of the more cynical Port Botany Wharfie: Yes, they are draw- among the workforce think that members ing to a close. In principle agreement was of the union site committee will end up reached on September 10. The new EBA at with these jobs for “services rendered” to Port Botany will be put to the vote in the the company. But only time will tell”. next few weeks. The article clearly did not take an opinion In June I told you about how I thought the on this question one way or the other. It Maritime Union’s claim for a 20% wage merely reported the existence of this senti- rise over three years would most likely get ment among the workforce. But that was whittled down to a 5% per year wage rise. enough to get me accused of causing “dis- Unfortunately, I was spot on. That is the unity”, “undermining elected commit- exact figure that the national negotiators tees” and everything else under the sun. have decided to accept. With inflation cur- The stupidest part of all this was that I was rently running at 4.5%, 5% per year isn’t accused of photocopying and putting on a exactly hitting home runs. noticeboard only the portion of the article The sweetener in the deal this time around that contained the offending paragraph. Why would I stick up only one of three is the company agreeing to pay back pay back to July 1, something it hasn’t done in pages on a noticeboard when I distribute the last few EBA agreements. copies of Sparks with the whole three page article in it? But as always - what they give with one hand, they take with the other. The com- I should at this point explain who the “Port pany want to outsource the first aid posi Botany Wharfie” is. I am Shane Bentley - tion, which has traditionally been a job for and I have worked on the waterfront for about the planned privatisation of Sydney MUA labour. In fact the position is noth- over nine years. Not that I thought the Ferries in the March issue of Sparks. identity of the “Port Botany Wharfie” was ing short of a waterfront institution. What Yet some have accused me of writing has got people’s backs up even more is the any real secret. I regularly and openly “anonymous shit sheets”. fact that the latest Maritime Workers’ Journal reports that the MUA held on to 8 Rebel Worker the first aid position at Patrick / Toll in RW: Is there anything else to report The purpose of the speech was twofold – their recent EBA - and still got the new about the DP World EBA? retain an air of militancy while in effect health & safety facilitator position. We are Port Botany Wharfie: Yes, we had a two scare off the ranks from actually taking ac- being told we have to lose the first aid posi- hour yard meeting on Tuesday September tion. tion to get the health & safety job! 16. The most interesting thing was the lo- Many took his speech as good coin. Others The system of upgrade payments for cal MUA branch secretary’s response to a saw through it. But it might just backfire – higher skilled jobs is also under attack. comment from the floor. A member asked for some are starting to see that the only The company seems to have got its wish, why the union isn’t taking action for better way to makes gains is precisely by taking with the proposed EBA making it so we conditions – now that John Howard is action on the job. It’s becoming increas- have to work for 2 hours in an upgraded gone and we now have a Labor govern- ingly obvious that the EBA process – in its position before getting paid for it. In the ment in power. After all, the Liberal gov- present form - will never deliver solid case of a workthrough (working 45 min- ernment has been the excuse for the not gains in the wages and conditions of the utes while most people are on a break), the taking action for the last ten years. waterfront workforce. full shift upgrade will now be halved. MUA Branch Secretary Warren Smith’s Maintenance workers are also going back- response was interesting. It was certainly [Shane Bentley produces “Vigilance”, a wards. For instance, the company plans to passionate. In essence, he said that if we socialist bulletin for MUA members in change the general maintenance roster are willing to take action, the MUA Sydney. See www.vigilancebulletin.org]. from 33.6 hours a week to 35.48 hours per Branch is 100% behind you. But he then week. I am unsure if these workers will be warned that it was not his job on the line, it fully reimbursed for the extra hours they was ours. will have to work. Victorian Rail News

In the last issue of Rebel Worker we Melvin: I have been a Conductor for over RW: This is contempt. If they want to touched upon the alleged corruption in three decades and before that I worked on create new positions, then all jobs the Human Resources area of V/Line the stations. should be open for all comers. Not auto- Passengers. In this issue we interview RW: I understand that quite a few peo- matically give these O.T.S. people the two people who currently applied for ple applied for the positions. jobs. new conductor/supervisor positions Marla-Melvin: Yes it was like a Mel- Melvin: Correct! These OTS people have within V/Line. Names have been bourne Cup Field. There were five posi- an unfair advantage over other people who changed to protect the people. tions in Melbourne for both jobs and there have applied from within V/Line as man- RW: I wish to know what made you to were about 40 applicants. agement has trained these people and sent apply for these jobs? RW: I understand that V/Line had su- them to training seminars. Thus they have Marla: I applied for a position of Conduc- pervisors already doing these jobs. the qualifications. tor Services Manager as the job descrip- What was the reason for the change? Marla: So much for equal opportunities. tion said it was a career path for Melvin: They want to create an empire so RW: Who got these jobs? Conductors. some manager will have to justify his job. Marla – Melvin: They were filled by exist- Melvin: I applied for a training position Marla: Yes they do but what we did not ing OTS persons and their supervisors. In for Conductors. know was that in Country Locomotives other words No Conductors obtained the RW: How long have both of you people such as Thewelyn and Seymour, the act- positions. So much for Conductor Career been on the job? ing on the job supervisors were automati- Paths. Marla: I have been on the job for just two cally given their jobs and the positions RW: In other words the interviews were years. I was in the teaching profession were not advertised. conducted so as to keep Human Re- and was looking for a career change and sources in a job. What a sham. promotion. on September 18 after it discovered Union tween the CEPU and Union Solidarity AUSTRALIA POST Vs CPEU Solidarity was organising a picket for later which meant the union could be held re- Via Union Solidarity? that day to prevent mail trucks entering or sponsible for the picket even if it wasn’t leaving its Dandenong Letters Centre. directly involved in its organisation. 8 October 2008 Commissioner Dianne Foggo made the Australia Post presented what it argued order prohibiting all Australia Post work- was evidence of a historical connection The AIRC has rebuffed an attempt by ers employed at, entering or leaving the between the two organisations, including: Australia Post to establish a connection DLC, and four named employees who between the CEPU(Postal workers Un- * the listing of CEPU postal and telecom- were CEPU delegates at the DLC, from munications branch Victorian secretary ion) and left-wing community protest participating in the picket . group Union Solidarity. Joan Doyle as a contact on Union Significantly, however, she rejected Aus- Solidarity’s website; * references to each Australian Post applied to the AIRC for tralia Post’s argument that the CEPU other on their websites; * personnel from orders to stop unlawful industrial action should also be bound by the order. both organisations attending union rallies; Australia Post barrister Chris O’Grady and * the CEPU’s failure to publicly ad- told the Commission that a princi- vise Union Solidarity not to participate in pal/agent style relationship existed be- industrial action. 9 Rebel Worker

RMT activist suspended for BRITAIN TODAY union activities by Alan 11 October,2008 Andy, a track worker at Metronet has been a rep for over 12 years. He is known for his complete dedication to the health, safety London Buses Strike London: Thousands of Bus and welfare of all workers; Metronet em- Drivers Strike ployees and agency staff alike. He was in- October 4th, 2008 by Ed strumental in the RMT’s recent Unite members at a further eleven bus successful campaigns in September last October 10th, 2008 by Steven. year which stopped management from de- garages in London are set to join the 5000 bus workers with Metroline and 3,500 bus workers who have been tak- valuing Metronet staff’s pensions by 10% First Group walked out at 3 a.m. This and halted mass job cuts, and in April this ing strike action on Friday 10 and morning in a row over equal pay caus- Wednesday 22 October. year opened up the Transport for London ing massive disruption across the capi- pension scheme, free travel on TfL and The 2,500 Unite members who work for tal. subsidised travel on Network Rail to new Metroline voted 88.5 per cent in favour of The drivers will be out on a 24 hour strike starters, all previously denied to them by strike action in a recent ballot by the union. to protest at the huge pay disparity be- Metronet. Unite submitted a London wide claim to tween the 18 London bus companies. all bus operators in March of this year to METRONET MANAGEMENT HAVE Several sources report solid support for the challenge the current system whereby DECIDED TO SILENCE ANDY, USING action, with very few drivers crossing drivers (and other grades) performing AFIT-UPDISCIPLINARYTHAT identical jobs within the TfL regu- WOULDEMBARRASSTHE lated industry, receive hugely SPANISHINQUISITIONCOME varying pay and conditions. Bus SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AND DE- workers at First Capital East, First MAND THAT METRONET DROP Centre West and Metrobus have THE FAKE CHARGES AND REIN- already been out on strike during STATEANDYLITTLECHILD September. NOW! Unite members at Transdev Sov- ereign, which covers North and Local Government Pay North West London, have just Dispute: Unions Cave In voted in a consultative ballot by 98 per cent in favour of strike action with a full postal ballot now set to September 24th, 2008 by Steven. proceed. Unite is calling for a single rate of Following a sham “consultation” ex- pay for drivers of £30,000 a year, ercise UNISON negotiators, backed based on a 38 hour week. Cur- picket lines, many routes completely can- by Unite and the GMB, have called in rently the eighteen London bus companies celled and others running only minimal government arbitrators ACAS to make a all operate with different pay structures, services. binding agreement which members will be unable to vote on. with pay inequalities of up to £6,000 a Unite the union submitted a London wide year. claim to all bus operators in March of this Following one of the UK’s biggest strikes Peter Kavanagh, Unite Senior Regional year to challenge the current system where in years, when half a million council work- Organiser, said, “There is a startling dis- drivers (and other grades) performing ers walked out for two days against a sub parity between bus drivers pay in the capi- identical jobs within the TfL regulated in- inflationary 2.45% pay offer, unions have tal, with rosters in some companies seeing dustry, receive hugely varying pay and blocked further action. many drivers’ complete nearly 60 hours conditions. Blaming a poor vote for further action in a per week. 1000 workers at Metrobus were due to join recent consultation exercise, which UNI- “Not only is this unsafe, it is unfair to have the strike, but the employers were granted SON half heartedly undertook while many bus workers across London doing the an injunction against the stoppage at the workers were on summer holidays, offi- same job for less money or having to put in last minute. cials decided there would be no further much longer hours. strikes, but instead to call in ACAS and Unite is calling for a single rate of pay for hope for the best. “Our members will continue to strike and drivers of £30,000 a year, based on a 38 we will continue to ballot further bus com- hour week. Currently the eighteen London Any decision made by ACAS is binding panies until Boris Johnson listens up and bus companies all operate with different on both parties - unions and employer - re- engages in serious discussions for equal pay structures, with pay inequalities of up gardless of the wishes of the unions’ mem- pay for all London bus workers.” to £7,000 a year. bers. Arriva South and North, and East London Arriva South and Arriva North, and East One local government worker and UNI- and East Thames buses are being balloted London Bus Group and East Thames SON member told us: this week in time for strike action planned Buses (owned by Boris Johnson’s TfL) “This latest blow to workers follows a se- on Wednesday 22nd October. were balloted last week in time for further ries of attempts to sabotage the dispute by strike action planned for Wednesday 22nd union officials. UNISON’s leadership, October. while talking militant in public, sent out initial consultation documents on the pay offer giving the employers arguments. 10 Rebel Worker

“When surprised by a significant vote in “Instead, following the first strike workers Despite UNISON claiming to be leading favour of strike action, they responded were told to go back to work and wait for the fight for co-ordinated action across the with almost no preparation for the national the professional negotiators, while their sector, it has now called off further action strike, very few and very poor publicity morale ebbed.” before a proposed national cross-union materials, and no future dates for strike ac- The demobilisation of local government demonstration, and before teachers and tion for workers to prepare for or to be used workers could hardly come at a worse time civil servants are due to begin new waves as leverage against the employers. for other public sector workers opposing of strikes. their pay cuts. Brazilian Labour News

Wave of strikes in Brazilian in November (3.6 per cent real increase September 6. The ABC Metalworkers’ plus 7.15 per cent in-line with inflation). Union, representing workers in the coun- car industry Workers also negotiated a one-off pay- try’s main auto industry centre, had threat- ment of R$ 2,000 (about US$ 1,150). ened to call a strike, but this was not October 5th, 2008 by Ed The strikes forced the companies to im- required, with workers accepting the em- Workers at major car industry plants prove their offers, which were initially ployers’ proposal two days before the date in Brazil went on strike during Septem- very low. The increase in real wages in ad- set for the strike. The Taubaté union also ber in support of their demands for im- accepted the proposal after bringing proved pay. Volkswagen and Ford factories to a halt. On September 1, workers at the Volks- The São Paulo federation agreement con- wagen-Audi factory in the city of Curitiba sisted of an 11.01 per cent pay rise (3.6 per began a one-week strike. Workers at the cent real increase plus 7.15 per cent in line Volvo and Renault/Nissan plants in the with inflation) for workers on wages of up same town also went on strike on the same to R$ 7,500. day. Workers with above R$ 7.500 received a During that week, 24-hour strikes oc- 7.15 per cent pay rise in line with inflation curred at Ford, General Motors, Toyota, plus a fixed amount of R$ 289.30. The Mercedes Benz and Scania in cities in the minimum wage for the sector was in- interior of Sao Paulo state. creased from R$ 1,110 to R$ 1,250, an in- The first workers to reach an agreement crease of 12.6 per cent. were those at Volvo, on 4 September and dition to the inflation-linked pay rise, to- Similarly, ABC and Taubaté auto workers Renault/Nissan, on 5 September. The un- gether with the one-off payments, received a one-off bonus of R$ 1,450 ions accepted a 2.66 per cent real increase represent a major victory for metalwork- (US$ 845) on September 22. Including in pay plus 7.15 per cent in line with the in- ers. “This is why we say it is worth putting this payment, the pay rise was five per crease in the National Consumer Price In- up a fight. Now we are going to get ready cent, a historic victory for the union. dex (INPC) over the last twelve months, for the next round of pay negotiations, for The President of the ABC Metalworkers’ making a total pay rise of 10 per cent. auto parts in October and metalworking Union, affiliated to CNN/CUT, Sergio They also negotiated a one-off payment of and machinery in December,” said Sergio Nobre, said that after 18 hours of meet- R$ 1,500 (about US$863). Butka, President of the Curitiba Metal- ings, an agreement was reached “worth a Meanwhile, the dispute continued at workers’ Union and of Força Sindical in significant amount”. He added that the VW-Audi in Curitiba where workers de- Paraná state. growth of the auto industry in recent years manded a 12 per cent pay rise. On Septem- The CUT-SP Federation of Metal- created the conditions for workers to seek ber 9, workers ended the strike after workers’ Unions reached a good agree- these pay rises. accepting an 11 per cent pay rise starting ment for all auto workers in the state on

duced by 19% in 2007 as a result of shift Kevin O’Sullivan was elected the new changes desired to restrict access to pen- Wellington Tramways Secretary. The for- N.Z. Tram News alty rates. The company’s current pay of- mer secretary Phil Griffiths passed away fer stands at only 6.2% and in addition the suddenly in June of this year. Kevin Wellington Tramways Union rejects company wishes to introduce a draconian worked alongside Phil for 15 years as the complaints procedure for drivers. This of- Wellington Tramways President. Go Wellington Pay offer and elects un- ion exec fer was rejected by 208 votes to 23 and “Wellington bus drivers have held onto drivers also voted to take limited indus- conditions such as double time on Sun- 05 Sep 2008 trial action if the company didn’t come up days which most other drivers lost after with an improved offer. the employment contracts act and deregu- At Wednesday’s stop work meeting The The stop work meeting also elected a new lation of the bus industry in the late Wellington Tramways Union rejected Go executive for the Wellington Tramways 1980’s”, said Kevin. “I hope to continue to Wellington’s latest inadequate pay offer who represent drivers at Go Wellington, good work of the Wellington Tramways and elected a new union executive. Valley Flyer in the Hutt Valley and Mana Union that happened under Phil’s leader- According to company figures, drivers in Newlands buses out in Porirua and the ship”. Wellington had their annual income re- Kapiti Coast. 11 Rebel Worker

Interview with Italalian anarcho-syndicalist

For part of the last year, South London Local of SolFed (Solidarity Federa- tion – British Anarcho-Syndicalist grouping) has had Cesare, from Unione Sindacale Italiana (USI), the Italian section of our Interna- tional, as our comrade and guest. As he is returning to Italy, we took the opportu- nity to interview him about USI, and the situation for workers organising in Italy.

SLSF: What is the size of USI and how is it broken down by region and indus- try?

Cesare: We have about 1000 Comitati di Base - Confederation tor and we also organise there. The dues paying members and about of Rank and File Committees) be- co-ops often employ workers who 500 more who are in arrears. We cause we offer autonomy for every are not co-op members so they are are concentrated in the north of It- section and are not a centralised or- like a normal employer. aly, particularly Lombardy and ganisation. Emilia. At our last Congress we had new sections join from Genoa, Our biggest national union is in SLSF: How has the USI growth Fiat workers from Portense and health; we also have national un- been over the last 20 years? health workers in Tuscany. ions in the post office, local coun- cils, education and engineering. In Cesare: In 1991, USI called a strike We have a problem in the south, addition, there is a small national only having sections in Portense against the first Gulf War with two union which groups together work- of the Cobas. This was the first time and Naples and scattered individ- ers on the land with retail workers, ual members. The north is where there had been a strike that wasn’t such as some in an organic food called by one of the big reformist most of the work is, while the south shop in Milan. is very poor with high unemploy- unions. It proved that we were a un- ment. Most of our membership is in the ion and not just a propaganda public sector as it is very difficult group. It was from The attraction of USI is that we are federalist - this is what attracts new to organise in the private sector. sections. Sometimes they have split There is a strong co-operative sec- from Cobas (Confederazione dei 12 Rebel Worker this strike that the Milan Milan airport, where Alitalia is Healthworkers union joined. My about to be sold, the bosses talk to section joined in 1994, because the big unions but the majority of USI was the only union that was workers are in the alternative un- federalist. The difference between ions. USI and the other unions is the in- There are seven or eight Cobas; ternal organisation - we stress fed- each has a different political posi- eralism and autonomy. tion, usually related to which left Since the split in 1994, we have group set it up. The biggest alterna- grown because people see us as the tive union is the CUB real USI. We were left with only (Confederazione Unitaria di Base - one national union, in the Post Of- Unitary Rank and File Confedera- fice, after the split. We have had to tion), but it is close to Rifondazione mandates in the unions for schools rebuild credibility by our activities Comunista, the reformed Commu- engineering, and councils. They in the workplace. For example, the nist Party. There is not much differ- decided to make an agreement with section in San Rafaele hospital in ence between the various Cobas, another union to get union rights. Milan has a majority of workers, but the political differences make it This other union was in a different but was only set up 2-3 years ago. difficult for them to take action to- international. Their approach to The anarchist movement has de- gether. this alliance was authoritarian. cided in the last two or three years USI is in a similar position to the They claimed thousands of mem- that we are the real USI, for exam- Cobas, but is the only union that bers but it was all just a fake. The ple in Genoa and Parma, FAI stresses its federalism, and its sec- same few people held lots of posi- (Federazione Anarchica Italiana) tions’ autonomy and has a very dis- tions. For example the person who members have joined. tinct internal organisation. It can be was national secretary of the educa- At our next congress we will dis- very difficult to change the Na- tion union was also deputy national cuss pushing the union in places tional Secretary of the Cobas - one secretary of the engineering union. where we don’t already have a of them has had the same guy for 20 This goes against all of our prac- presence, learning from the experi- years - even though they are liber- tice. The Rome people also had a ences of the Spanish CNT. tarian. USI has difficulty in rotating strong relationship with tasks at times, but at least we try to Rifondazione. They have a big of- change mandates regularly SLSF: How do you relate to the fice in Rome, but it was not clear other unions? Workers, not bureaucrats, should who had paid for it. Now, they only run the union. have 2 sections, in Rome and a very Cesare: There are four big reform- small one in Milan. The statistics ist unions who decide everything. SLSF: Can you tell us about the branch they had, which was quite The bosses prefer to deal with strong, has joined CUB for the ne- them. For example in split with the USI-Roma? What caused it? gotiating rights Cesare: When the split happened in 1994, Rome had many national SLSF: How do they operate and how is it different to USI? Cesare: The Rome people are better at press releases, the Internet and so on. They use the name USIAIT to confuse foreign readers that they are part of the In- ternational Workers’ Asso- ciation, even though its initials in Italian are AIL. There have been times when we have called a strike and they have written to the government saying that the USI is not striking. This happened in education where the headmaster

See Page 20 13 Rebel Worker BOOK REVIEW CORNER

revolutionary class has long been Anarchy in the UK # 3 by Graham Purchase Concluding out-classed, re-classed and de-classed by Black, Women’s, Green and Gay Libera- Second Part of a book review article critiquing B. Franks’ tion Movements. A working class ‘iden- “Rebel Alliances: The Means & End of Contemporary tity’ is just one among a great diversity of ‘identities’ with corresponding British Anarchisms”. oppressions and social hierarchies com- peting for revolutionary importance and In the UK the rich get richer whilst it’s scribed historical mission” and can “now public attention. misguided peoples whatever their in- be abandoned, ignored or explained away” Contemporary Anglo-American philo- come, gender, race or sexual orienta- (p.273). Franks’ is found guilty of every sophical anarchism (British postism and tion are obsessed with wealth, sport and charge levelled by Leier. Bookchin in U.S.A.) attack hierarchy in- aping celebrity lifestyles. Meanwhile a Escapism, class-denial, stead of class in order to illustrate and in- handful of British ‘anarchist’ intellec- pseudo-radicalism, glorification of minor- tegrate their belief in the existence and tuals with university posi- need for resistance to a multiplic- tions do little more than ity of oppressive hierarchical engage in sophistry. structures, relationships, tradi- Toying with meaningless but tions and institutions that they impressive sounding new consider are equally if not more words acquired from across important than fighting capital- The Channel. All recent UK ism and economic class division. liberal academic philosophi- Franks is haunted by a Kafka- cal studies of anarchism dis- esque world where all people are play an unappealing and exploited or oppressed to some depressing similarity of degree in some context or an- method, discourse and pre- other. But everyone in turn op- sentation. These books start presses someone or some other discussing anarchism before group in some other context or rapidly moving on to situation. Franks characterizes post-modernism and then our ‘hierarchical society’ (dis- “post-structuralisms” without placing the term ‘capitalist soci- ever attempting to explain or ety’) as a complex interactive define either of these aca- mish-mash of pervasive oppres- demic monstrosities or how to sive ideologies, traditions, prac- distinguish between them. tices, attitudes, habits, beliefs I couldn’t tell you what and structures in which differing Franks’ means by “activist individuals and identity groups post-structuralisms”. Is intel- exist within a nexus of exploita- lectual fog an active force in tion and discrimination such that: the world? Franks remarks All are simultaneously victims that “post-structuralisms” are of oppression and guilty of hav- equivalent or “consistent with ity or lifestyle identification, ing exploited and oppressed ideal type anarchism” (p.159) and the “an- do-nothing-ism and academic ego- ‘The Other’:“An individual or group in archist ideal subject” (p.153). If anarchism ism—these counter-revolutionary fanta- one social position may be subjected to in ‘ideal and subject’ is more or less the sies and fallacies infect every page of forces that place them in a subordinate po- same as post-structuralism why not just Franks Book. Franks explains how iden- sition, yet in another context they may use the plain old term anarchism? Anar- tity groups oppress each other in a myriad wield oppressive authority. Oppression chism is already an intimidating, poorly of ways. This realization or insight neces- does not have one ultimate source, so con- understood and often ill-defined word. sitates and allows for abandonment of sequently there is no vanguard or universal Postisms add unnecessary or unhelpful se- old-style class analysis and its outmoded agent whose liberation ends all oppression mantic complication and confusion. Mark and simplistic solutions. We are told that (p. 154-5)”. Leier in his highly recommended new the industrial working class in “Examples are unemployed people who book, Bakunin: A Biography (2006) sug- post-modern societies is a small intimidate their gay neighbours, or gests postism is an “elitist” and “banal lib- incohesive group among populations businesspeople that face domestic vio- eralism” (p.204) enabling and whose individual members primarily lence or racial prejudice in other aspects representing “the flight of intellectuals identify themselves with particular of their life (p. 159)”. “The essentialist he- from radical politics” into “identity poli- age-sets, sexualities, lifestyles, ethnicities, gemony in which all subjected positions tics and resignation”. Leier further ob- cultures or places rather than, according to are unified under production and class is serves how posties believe “the working their position in traditional economic class rejected. In its place there exists a multi- class” has “somehow failed in its pre- hierarchies that are now blurred, trans- tude of subjugated positions, based upon formed or disintegrating. It is suggested class, race, age, sexuality, ethnicity or gen- that the idea of the working class being the der. There is no irreducible single contra- 14 Rebel Worker diction, such as that between Worker and gested in his masterpiece Nationalism the local and global capitalist assault upon Capital, just as there is no revolutionary and Culture) that, nationalism and racial- the US working poor who lost their health subject. Forms of power and their intersec- ism involve mass collective group pas- cover and “well-paid” auto-jobs to Mexi- tions are in continual flux, often respond- sions that can be so disadvantageous to cans who now risk losing them to Chinese ing to countervailing forms of resistance, progress that we must seek to keep them in slave labour. so too arenas of antagonism and identities check whilst developing new cultural of radical subjects are also altering (p. 192) identities, economic relationships and hu- Identity Politics and ”. “There is no objective position from man ideals. Ongoing ethnic or nationalist which to predict precisely which catego- violence throughout the world shows us Revolutionary Inertia: ries of people will be oppressed by the ex- how nationalism is not something that can pansion of free market practices and what be reformed as Kropotkin and Bakunin Elderly women are consistently among subject identities will be created. Neither supposed. It is often overlooked that some of the poorest people in many soci- is it possible to foretell what forms of re- Kropotkin thought that mutual aid rarely eties. Gays fear the spectre of the death sistance will be adopted or which groups extended beyond the group and that hostil- penalty in some states. will coalesce in networks of solidarity ity and aggression was the norm towards Immigrants and minority communities (p.243) ”.Franks says it isn’t clear who are outsiders. Kropotkin thought that the bio- frequently face oppression and discrimi- the oppressors or who will become revolu- logical tendency for animals and humans nation. I don’t wish to minimize the im- tionaries. Also, situations change so rap- through the practice of mutual aid to create portance of the struggle for women’s, idly that it is pointless seeking answers to strong group-psychologies fostered intol- gays and immigrant rights. But, that said, these questions and the attempt to do so is erance and hatred that had led to cata- these movements have little to do with an- futile or an authoritarian exercise in strophic conflicts between different archism in particular because they impact ‘essentialist vanguardism’. The only thing peoples such as World War 1. The nega- upon all political and cultural outlooks we can know for sure is that we don’t know tive side of the human individual’s ten- and movements. In the newspaper I am against whom and with whom to organize dency to develop strong group identities reading right now I learn that a closet gay the revolutionary transformation of soci- can be readily observed in gangs, religious Gangsta Rappa has felt compelled to ety. Franks is telling us nothing whilst pro- fundamentalism, nationalism and hatred ‘come out’ and, how Al-Qaeda and similar viding unprincipled recipes for doing toward foreigners. The group has allowed Jihadi websites are receiving anonymous nothing. for collective economic survival but also posts from frustrated Muslim women The concluding two sections of Frank’s manifests itself in opposing xenophobic pleading for these men-only organiza- long book discusses Jean Baudrillard’s tendencies to ridicule, humiliate, distrust, tions to accept and enable them to fight or “alluring pessimism” (p.341). suppress, oppress or destroy The Other. become terrorists. Although gay or immi- Baudrillard’s banal, silly and dangerous This fact of nature is something that the bi- grant rights groups practice self-help and theory of “hyper-passivity” and “total dis- ological right and left can agree upon. may sometimes engage in direct “exter- engagement” claims the French are only Richard Dawkins and Kropotkin both un- nally undirected self-organized” (p.211) interested in “football” so radicals should derstand the dangers of group psychology. actions of one sort or another they remain consume more until the capitalist system Franks is right to point out that the tradi- essentially minority interest or lobby or- “bursts” (p.344). We may have a barely tional left neglected racialist-nationalist ganizations with the goal of expanding the habitable planet long before this undesir- beliefs and conflicts that continue to dog premises of liberal-capitalist democracies able eventuality and we should question the human quest for social-environmental to include and protect groups identified or why Franks’ book subtitled “contempo- peace and harmony. But, Franks promo- identifying themselves as disadvantaged rary British anarchisms” concludes with a tion of identity groups explicitly includes or oppressed in a variety of ways and con- long discussion of Baudrillard’s hy- (along with gays, children etc) minority texts. In the USA a black and women can- per-stupidity. racial and ethnic struggles against oppres- didate compete with one another in the “British anarchisms” is a subject matter sive or dominant national states or cul- presidential race. An Indian immigrant that Franks exploits as a launch-pad for tures. women heads Coca Cola Corporation. Just discussion of French postism which has Franks is a confused or straightforwardly this week Cuba nationally celebrates sex- little to do with British anarchism. The contradictory position because it is not ual diversity whilst public monuments are British people don’t need advice from possible to solve the problem of racialism unveiled commemorating a gay politician French philosophers suggesting they whilst encouraging strong minority ethnic in California and victims of Nazism in do-nothing and consume more as they identity grouping. The attempt to con- Germany. In the UK Lesbian couples won have no problem managing that for them- struct the New Society around identity the right to have children by artificial in- selves. One can only hope for a politics that includes racial or ethnic iden- semination. Such everyday achievements mass-migratory return to substantial is- tities reinforces regressive and divisive of liberal reformism, involving ‘victories’ sues; an end to post-radical dispersal group psychologies that anarchism (and and expanding personal liberty for Gays, flights to nowhere or the far-flung outposts any ideally perfect future world vision) Blacks and Women in the USA and else- of identity politics and remote academic should be fighting to overcome. where don’t alter the fact that 47 million islands of post-what-ever-ism. B. Obama is not riding on a Black Presi- Americans don’t have health cover. The Group Identities and Racial- dential platform but on a Post-Racial one. ‘working poor’ in the richest country are ist-Nationalism: Marx, Bakunin and The modern and progressive meaning and denied basic healthcare whether they are Kropotkin all thought in nationalist terms values associated with post-racialism has gay or black or anything else. In South Af- sometimes expressed in ways now consid- become apparent to a large number of rica scores of ‘foreign’ black immigrants ered offensive or racialist-nationalist. The Americans whom have rejected Franks have recently been brutally murdered in a inherent dangers and destructiveness of Pre-Modern politics of racial grievance, ‘spontaneous’ eruption of black on black racialist-nationalist-statism was realized polarisation and identity group ghettoism. violence causing 100, 000 people to flee and illustrated by two terrible world wars The waxing of the American liberal party their homes. In contrast to this shameful last century. It is generally agreed by all political circus gathers momentum with a rabble the initiative by South African but the far right (as Rudolf Rocker sug- black and greener presidential candidate Dock-Workers a few weeks before these but we are unlikely to see any waning of tragic events had successfully prevented 15 Rebel Worker the unloading of a Chinese arms shipment or wholly dependent upon the dissolution tite beauty pageants attract large national bound for the Mugabe dictatorship of of nation-states and the overthrow of the TV audiences whilst their winners be- neighbouring Zimbabwe. Sth. Africa’s in- global capitalist system. Social animals come presenters and advertise beauty ept Imbeki government endorsed the ban from Meerkats to elephants also treat for- products. The idea of parity or equity (not several days after the worker’s had already eigners, women, young, the old and men equality) between elemental so- directly acted and focused the global spot- differently. The treatment or categoriza- cial-biological groupings or minority sex- light upon the issue. Only an international tion of people according to age, gender or ual expressions and identities is workers movement that fosters group membership is pre-human and associated with liberal, socialist, anarchist de-racialised non-nationalist solidarity pre-capitalist. Franks is suggesting that and ‘modern’ thought in the broadest against WalMart-ization, off-shoring and ‘anarchism’ as he redefines it should pay sense. But liberalism only asks that for- dictatorship can conceivably overcome less attention to working-class politics and eigners and members of other natural racism and nationalist hatred between the concern itself more with the cultural ex- classes be accorded universally applicable World’s peoples. That the workers’ move- pression of these elemental or underlying and legally enforceable individual human ment has failed to prevent two world wars bio-social sets around which animal soci- rights and freedoms whilst providing no is no more relevant than the likelihood of eties and human cultures evolve. solution to the gross exploitation of poor the U.S. Government failing to prevent Before agriculture the specific status, role, people, resources and environment by Iranian nationalists from making a nuclear function and treatment of these natural global capitalism. Liberalism seeks only bomb. sub-communities and within-group identi- to reform or humanize nationalism and Oscar Wilde spoke very highly of capitalism through NGOs or legislation Kropotkin but in both contemporary and outlawing or preventing such things as historical terms the gay lib movement has the neglect, abuse or enslavement of always been a minority group interested children. These are big and important is- only in gaining acceptance, normality or sues but liberalism is addressing the so- liberal-individual freedoms. Gays have cial-environmental symptoms of gross not in any general sense or way sought to economic inequality and nationalism end oppression. In India urban male gay rather than attacking its root capitalist sex mostly consists of middle class mar- causes. ried men buying sex from working class Franks “post-anarchism” can be differ- rent boys. Sex is about getting your rocks entiated from ‘banal liberalism’ only in off and not about organizing or creating a terms of the emphasis placed upon the fair society. Along with sexuality, gender need or practice of “unmediated” and and ethnicity environmentalism is an- “direct action” by members of these “op- other refuge for Francophile pressed subject groups themselves” post-radicals on their flight-paths away (p.210) rather than, reliance upon local from economic class confrontation to politicians or liberal legislative reforms. who knows where. The idea that the pres- NGO’s of all political hues that conduct ent environmental crisis can be decoup- protests and pranks or emphasize and fa- led from the global consumer capitalist cilitate ‘self-help’ and independence monster is a dangerous lie. ties varied from culture to culture and among disadvantaged or neglected place to place, much as it does today. Age groups are modern liberal-activist tactics Group Identities and and/or gender hierarchies may have been that approach anarchist notions of local and direct action. Franks falsely conflates Inter-Group Hierarchies: prominent in one early culture but not in another. The lack of economic classes and and confuses contemporary lib- the extreme economic interdependency of eral-activism with anarchism by arguing Franks slots human social dynamics into the close knit extended family and/or clan that because, some of these many and vari- two basic categories: Groups and Hierar- and tribe meant that, natural gender ous “non-workplace” (p.196) identity, chies. Individuals identify themselves and groups and age-sets typically performed protest, local single-issue or minority “mi- are identified and stratified by others ac cro-political” activist groups that he - specific essential but complimentary roles cording to race, place, ethnicity, gender, champions, sometimes or often use often balancing one another by carrying sexuality. In his view the goal of contem- “anti-hierarchical and participatory tac- similar power or value. Homophobia is porary anarchism is to breakdown hierar- tics” (p. 351) paralleling methods and ap- more an invention of authoritarian reli- chies that place one of these several proaches traditionally used by or gion than of historical practice. Brothers identity groups higher than another such compatible with anarchist theories that, and Sisters were told by Muslim and that male heterosexual whites are consid- anarchist and the myriad of mi- Christian conquerors and missionaries ered better or more normal than women, cro-political liberal-minded activist that they were sinners. In Greek civiliza- gays or blacks. This is nothing but the lib- groupings existing in the world today tion homosexuality was tolerated but am- eral-democratic notion of tolerance, re- somehow amount to the same thing be- biguously situated. India has always had spect and legal protection for ‘other’ cause, identity groups rather than eco- large transvestite communities whom individuals, sexualities, religions, peo- nomic class divisions are what really prior to colonization were not discrimi- ples, nationalities, ideas, views and “ex- matter and concern people. This may be nated against and in some places revered. periments of living”. true but it doesn’t turn anarchism into lib- Indian Tirunangais (trannies) now occupy eral-activism. Anarchism is not changing Liberal-western democracies through a a lowly but recognized niche in society or expanding. process of legislative reform and cultural visiting every marriage ceremony in ex- change are addressing many gender and pectation of alms. The Thais whom es- Anarchism is being diluted by UK posties sexual minority concerns upon a daily ba- caped colonization have traditionally to include the burgeoning catalogue of sis. The liberal state can’t control environ- accepted sex-as-it-comes and applied no left-liberal activist and marginal or local mental destruction and nationalist forms stigma to different sexualities. Transves- interest groups representing an ideological of racism because their resolution is partly scrambled egg or dog’s dinner the ingredi- 16 Rebel Worker ents for which are readily obtainable from networks. Observations of groups of wild political inherited or accumulated) inequi- the life-style or identity group chimps, baboons and bonobos reveal very ties maintained and expressed in class hi- super-market. Kropotkin saw the flourish- different and highly complex structures of erarchies and upheld by national or ing of global mutual-aid and interest interacting hierarchies and networks regu- international forces of Law and Order. groupings as a distinctive feature of the lating the behaviour of individuals and late 19th century that he predicted would sub-groups in relation to one another. In evolve as intellectual tolerance, technol- the light of these broad and indisputable Conclusion: ogy, education and communication im- biological or evolutionary antecedents we proved. It was the vast potentiality for should be less demoralized when formally Rebel Alliances though philosophically liberal mutual aid and interest networks ever-so radical students or union shop inept is a competent survey of the hope- that Kropotkin saw as an organizational stewards appear to so readily and rapidly lessly ill-organized, messy, uninspiring, fact of recent human social evolution that ascend the organizational or political ca- ineffective, misdirected, silly or degener- concretely supported and illustrated the reer elevator and abandon their former fel- ate assortment of marginalia and fuzzy possibility of a global civilized anarchy. low workers. The social-behaviour of thinking that has characterized what But, unlike Franks, Kropotkin didn’t con- animals suggests an innate tendency in the passes for Anarchy in the UK for the last fuse and conflate the growth and increas- very structure of our brains responsive to quarter century. Franks concludes his ing sophistication of liberal mutual aid, status symbols and one’s position on so- study by voicing “misgivings” about interest and activist networks with the po- cial ladders. Anarchists following from membership of an “elite institution” and, litical and economic goals and practices of Kropotkin’s original analysis assume that how his “cultural and social background” anarchism as an organized international hierarchy and status are unnatural or re- may have led him to inadvertently commit worker’s liberation movement. cent in human evolution. But we were hi- errors in his analysis of the importance of erarchical before we were human. working class (p. 351). Age-hierarchies are a natural outgrowth Apology accepted. Please don’t re-offend. Nature, Anarchy and or inherent/integral feature of the family Anarchism requires Anglo-Francophile Hierarchy: and primary teaching/learning experi- Post-Structuralism like a fish needs a bicy- ence. The trainee is necessarily at the bot- cle. Franks is a confused intellectual prod- Kropotkin, Bookchin and Franks all agree tom of a natural hierarchy until the uct maintained by an institution whose that “at the heart of anarchism is the rejec- candidate learns or masters the job or offices, side-walks, halls, bathrooms, rose tion of Hierarchy’ (p.156). Appeals for trade. The hierarchies of a boy’s gang or gardens and coffee outlets are serviced by anti- or non-hierarchical tactics, organiza- girlie clique are naturally, universally and workers whom ensure a pleasant venue for tion, social-relationships etc., occur in ev- collectively elaborated by children them- educating his undergraduates about how ery section of Franks book because selves upon the street or in the school play economic class divisions aren’t so very opposition to social hierarchy is the One ground/locker room (read Lord of the important these days. What more can one and Only principle that is shared by All Flies).We mustn’t despair of eradicating say to a generation of students that may movements inspired by anarchism (how- (economic class) hierarchies. perhaps find capitalist info-tech compa- ever misguided or degenerate) or of inter- Among animals hierarchy is collectively nies exciting or cool and, socialism boring, est to anarchists. Moreover constructed by the social group rather than old-fashioned and probably dead? Over anti-hierarchical ideology differentiates determined genetically. Similarly, human the last decade serious, book-length pub- anarchism from All other major alterna- economic-class, sex or racial hierarchies lished Anglo-American anarchist theory tive political philosophies and practices. have been collectively and culturally con- has been conducted, can be characterized Unfortunately anti-hierarchical ap- structed rather than genetically deter- or has consisted of Bookchinism V. Primi- proaches provide a convenient intellectual mined. Humans have a strong genetically tivism (Watson et. al.) in the USA and, in flight path for Bookchin and UK posties to inherited innate preference for sweet fatty the UK an exclusively scholarly effort bypass the workers. foods known to be unhealthy. conducted by liberal academic post-modernists working independently The idea that hierarchy can simply be We try to moderate our natural obsessions of each other but whom all positively con- wished away is simplistic and based upon with junk food and TV dinners to lessen trast their individual post-modern concep- an absolutely false notion of animal and the social epidemic of obesity. Contracep- tions or interpretations of ‘21st century human collective social behaviour that tion is unnatural but beneficial to social anarchism’ with ‘traditional anarchism’ Kropotkin first introduced in Mutual Aid. health and women’s liberty. Economic which they see as on par with boring old Social animals do not live in egalitarian class hierarchies of state-capitalism cause discredited rationalist workerist-Leninist communal groups as Kropotkin supposed, global social, environmental and individ- essentialism (p.260) blah, blah. With the exception of goldfish, cock- ual psychological harm. Anarchism says roaches and other lowly animals that natu- that: It is necessary to moderate our natu- In reality, Bookchin doesn’t take us be- rally live in small non-hierarchical groups, ral obsession with celebrity, money, status yond Kropotkin and post-anarchism does- All social animals above this level (sea- symbols and trashy Las Vegas culture; to n’t take us anywhere. Bookchin’s huff and sonally) collectively compete for mates liberate the economically enslaved and puff and UK postism’s fluff and guff, it is and/or territory in the creation of eco- save the planet by the self-organization of all duff. Kropotkin’s social-ecological vi- nomic and/or reproductive hierarchies. the working poor according to town, city, sion remains as valid today as it did more Hierarchical and egalitarian forms of col- trade, industry and ecological region in than a century ago. It is really about how lectivity coalesce and coexist in animal opposition to capitalism and state. Anar- one fights, argues and most effectively re- and human groups and societies. All the chism uniquely and in contrast to the alizes post-capitalist bio-regionally inte- Meerkats in a colony will collectively de- left-liberal-capitalist or communist party grated autonomous green-cities serviced fend their territory as an egalitarian group political state seeks a society that goes be- by local and global workers and interest but females aggressively compete with yond capital’s formula of co-existence associations struggling towards a happy, one another for exclusive dominance of a where formal equality exists alongside peaceful and sustainable world of health single reproductive female hierarchy. All cavernous and self-defeating economic or and plenty. primate groups collectively construct re- productive and economic hierarchies and 17 Rebel Worker

escape was not an easy task. Nevertheless, one of the government’s policies was to DEATH OF AN OLD MILITANT assemble them in groups and let them es- cape to Italy. Perhaps to appease the Italian government many were sacrificed to this George Hristov (Kartalsky) political game. In groups they were es- corted to the border to cross it. Some of the groups were completely wiped out but George was lucky. Then from Italy, he ar- What can be said of a lifeless body of a anti-hierarchical in favour of horizontal rived in Australia in 1950 or 51. man, whose lips are irrevocably sealed organizations and since it stresses the im- George was one of the founders of the Bul- by the macabre dance of death, and who portance of direct action as a tool to chang- garian Anarchist group and then Sydney cannot respond, since his voice is voice- ing society it is spurned by the Anarchist Group. Later he sided with Bill less? Eulogies! They will bury the real establishment. As soon as the Communist Dwyer an egocentric anarchist. George George in the debris of illusions? No! To Party, for which the Popular Front was a was involved with Liberty Hall trying to save George from superficiality of ritu- paravant, captured the government its first work with libertarians. Many initiatives als and religious ablutions, it is neces- task was to crush the enemy of the State, had taken place there. There were discus- sary to put his image in proper the anarchists. Seven months after the col- sions on Reich, Freud, and Marx. There perspective. lapse of fascism in 1945 the first anarchist were many papers on sexuality, freedom George was an anarchist as well as a com- conference took place. In the middle of the and many other socio-political issues. It rade of mine. Authentic anarchist com- conference the police burst into the build- was an excellent place and very central. radeship means an infusion of ethical ing and arrested all delegates. Many were But the libertarians also made it a regular relationships, ethical values and reciproc- tortured and dispatched to concentration Thursday party’s place. As a result it had ity. Neither hierarchies nor slave master camp. This was the beginning of the anar- to be closed. George had short contact with syndrome. His praxis was a paradigm the Sydney Push ditto the Liber- case of anarchism. His own place was tarians. They had the gift of the a microcosm of harmonious existence gab. Promiscuity was their of many nationalities. motto. They talked of sexual For him the present day society not freedom and argued about only was deceptive but also suffered clitoral or vagina orgasms but in from an acute authoritarian malady. It fact they remained very conser- had suppressed many facets of life by vative socially and have no im- creating fear, anxiety, hate, competi- pact on social issues whatsoever. tion and phobias. The struggle for They shun marriage. They re- freedom has been a metaphor for con- fused to proselytize. Instead they quest, domination and exploitation. proselytized among themselves. The quality of life has been translated Only at one point did they for- into drudgery existence, high mort- sake their principle and some of gages, dysfunctional relationships and them got involved in the green dysfunctional families. Humans are ban movement in 1970’s, associ- reduced to commodities. ated with the militant NSW B.L.F. (Builders Labourers’ In George’s mode of thinking, the re- Federation) . bellious spirit of Prometheus has re- mained enchained while the vultures Nonetheless George continued of the corporative sector continue to his struggle as an tear the flesh of the workers and the anarcho-syndicalist in the trans- carcass of community. At the same port union. But he knew that the time the death’s instinct has become a official unions were not inter- symbol of life and democracy a psy- chist Odyssey: Gaols, out of gaols, arrest, ested in the emancipation of the chedelic parade of sacrificial gifts to incarceration, tortures, back in gaol etc. working class. They shun direct action and Molock. Finally to break the anarchist resistance instead supported the delegation of power. In other words the workers lost their self George was born in Western Bulgaria in a the government ordered the arrest of all confidence as a factor of social transfor- family of seven: two sisters and five broth- known anarchists in 1948. Thousands were rounded up and domiciled in various mation. By delegating their own decision ers. It was his mother who had nourished making to the bureaucrats they pave the the flame of rebellion. The father was a re- labour camps. Many fine men and women who survived the fascist hell were now way for the aggressive assertion of corpo- ligious bigot. When he died the religious rative capitalism. George died with the relic was thrown out of the window to let destined to enter the dungeons of the com- munist proletarian ‘heaven’. George’s hope that one day the workers may refresh the light of freedom shine in the house. their brains by washing out the established The tyrant, the patriarch, the father figure brother was not spared either. He ended in Belene, an island in the Danube River, the values of hierarchy and take in their hand were destroyed but the tyrant embedded in their economic and political destiny. the State remained and the struggle for camps of death. freedom continued. The defeat of fascism His brother, an ex-partisan, with George The last time I saw George he was suffer- opened the floodgates of anarchist resur- and his other brother organized a brilliant ing from excruciating pains. It was the ag- gence and the latter spread like fired but escape to Yugoslavia, which in that time ony of existence versus the inevitable orgy not for long. broke from the Eastern European Bloc. of death. Watching the despair engraved in his face, despair of Since anarchism negates the State in fa- They were held in Yugoslav’s gaols but later were allowed to work. However the resignation and not vour of free associations, since it is a twinkle in his See Page 20 18 Rebel Worker Factory committees in the Russian Revolution

The idea of revolution in Russia bility for everything from produc- Only in Ukraine did a sizeable free had been growing since the gen- tion, distribution and the acquisi- federation of soviets and commit- eral strike of textile workers that tion of raw materials to the tees appear. Even though Ukraine shook St. Petersburg in 1896. payment of wages (or payment in was signed over by Trotsky to Aus- The Russian anarchists argued kind) and the organisation of work- tria under the treaty of Brest- that Russia would not have to ers’ militias. Anarcho-syndicalists Litovsk a guerrilla army, organised have a bourgeois revolution simi- were gaining more influence as by the anarchist Nestor Makhno, lar to those witnessed in Ger- they urged the development of beat back the invaders. This en- many and France and that the these committees and assemblies in abled over two million workers to way forward was the revolution- the direction of workers manage- take part in the first test of libertar- ary general strike. Mass strikes ment over all industries. ian communism through free sovi- continued throughout the next Both the anarcho-syndicalists and ets and factory committees under two decades up to the beginning the Bolsheviks successfully re- the direct management of the work- of the First World War. sisted attempts by the moderates to ers and the community. Initially the The repression in Russia and the absorb the factory committees into Bolsheviks allied themselves with growth of Zubatovian (state con- the trade unions. Although the in- Makhno in his fight against the trolled) unions meant that inde- fluence of the anarcho-syndicalists Tsarist White Army but once the pendent mass workers increased, and was disproportion- time was right Trotsky marched the organisations and trade unions ate to their actual numbers, it was Red army against Makhno to sup- which were common in Britain and the Bolsheviks with their central- press the revolution and bring Germany during the same period ised organisation and leadership Ukraine under Bolshevik rule. did not develop. In the revolution that gained the most ground. The With the defeat of the revolution at of 1905 the unrest was sparked and factory committees had been ini- the hands of the Bolsheviks, their co-ordinated not by the political tially rejected by the Bolsheviks implementation of the ‘workers parties, but by factory committees but when Lenin returned to Russia state’ and dictatorship of the prole- elected directly in the workplace. in April 1917 he realised the mood tariat revealed the true face of bu- Strikes were called spontaneously and feeling was definitely libertar- reaucratic despotism. and often spread beyond a single ian and the Bolsheviks rallied be- The factory committees during the factory to become local or regional hind the anarchistic slogans of Russian revolution showed but a general strikes. This level of action ‘factories to the workers’ and ‘all glimpse of the ability of the work- proved its worth and workers be- power to the soviets’. At the 1918 ing class to be masters of their own gan to elect delegates from local All Russian Trade Union Conven- communities, workplaces and factory committees to co-ordinate tion Lenin declared that “the fac- lives. action within the locality. These tory is a self-governing commune committees became the embryo of producers and consumers”. This Thanks to Direct Action from which would grow the Coun- was sheer opportunism in order to cils of Workers’ Deputies, which gain support until they were able to were later to become known as the seize power and use the state to en- Soviets. force their will on the committees At the outbreak of the 1917 revolu- and soviets. tion factory committees sprung up Before the workers had time to es- and mass assemblies came to full tablish a federation of producers maturity as many workers, instead and consumers, the Bolsheviks as- of staying out on strike, took their serted central control over industry workplace over and carried on pro- under the banner of ‘war commu- ducing for the community. They nism’. They stripped away piece by did not look to any central planning piece all expressions of workers but began organising production management until the factory com- and distribution themselves. The mittees became nothing more than factory committees took responsi- an appendage of the state. 19 Rebel Worker

NEWS & NOTES A.S.N. DIRECTORY Where we stand:

Some of the most important news lately in ASN Sydney Local 1.Our aim is to create a free and equal soci- ety NSW, has been the defeat in the NSW PO Box 92 Parliament of significant aspects of the Broadway ALP Govt’s plans for the privatisation of 2. We are a revolutionary labour movement the electricity industry. Latest news is that 2007 NSW that uses as its only means of struggle, direct the Govt will still be proceeding with the action in all its forms – occupations, strikes, privatisation of the retail aspects of the ASN Melbourne: boycotts, sabotage, etc. We are independent electricity industry. J.Dixon from all reformist and hierarchical unions In other Govt. Owned industries in NSW E-mail: and political parties, and we are creating an alternative to these and to existing society. similar privatisation moves are afoot. In [email protected] the case of the NSW railways, the re- We do not seek to gain political power, but cently approved RailCorp Enterprise rather to see it distributed amongst all. Agreement will open important doors for the restructuring of CityRail for The Anarchist Age 3.We are a network of anarcho-syndicalists privatisation. It involves workers and the PO Box 20 practising co-operation and mutual aid. We rail union’s compliance with so called Parkville Vic. 3052 have an equal part in the making of deci- “rail reforms” which will see massive sta- sions. Responsibilities within the network tion staff cuts and steps toward the re- are subject to agreement by the members. moval of guards from trains. The union Newcastle Anarchist Group hierarchy worked closely with manage- PO Box 532 4.We are engaged in struggle where we ment to manipulate approval amongst the Newcastle 2300 NSW. grass roots on the job for the EBA. (See ar- work and where we live, to develop self ticle Page 3.) managed production, distribution and ser- SPARKS vicing for the world community, to meet hu- (Anarcho-Syndicalist Transport man needs rather than profit. We give In State Transit in NSW, there are similar Paper) solidarity to others in these struggles. restructuring for privatisation moves in PO Box 92 Broadway the pipeline. These initiatives by manage- ment include plans to cut out many bus 2007 NSW 5.We are fighting to abolish all authoritarian routes they regard as unprofitable, the Web site: http://www.sparksweb.org institutions such as the State (including its elimination of a layer of low level man- communist variety), capitalism, all hierar- chical and oppressive divisions between agement comprising inspectors and the JURA BOOKS privatisation of bus workshops. (See arti- people. 440 Parramatta Rd cle Page 5.) Petersham 2049 NSW 6. We have no country and are organised on Ph. (02) 95509931 Rebel Worker has an internet web site. Its an international basis in opposition to op- address is www.rebelworker.org pression everywhere. The ASN is striving to build a viable revolutionary syndicalist Many articles from back issues of Rebel SPARX movement in Australia as part of a world Worker are available in the archive sec- DIRECT ACTION wide movement able to meet the challenge tion on the site. FIRE FIGHTERS’ PAPER of the global employer offensive. [email protected]. Help Build Rebel Worker! Your Help is particularly sought with distribution. So WORKING CLASS why not order bulk copies to distribute UNITED and sell at your local shopping centre on TO FIND OUT MORE Saturday Mornings, leave at the lunch Http://workingclassunited room at work, and at your local café or li- Googlepages.com/home I would like more information about the brary. NSW 2500 Anarcho-Syndicalist Network. Please send Your assistance on the financial plane is me information. also very welcome. Grassland Infoshop 207B Nicholson St. Footscray 3011 Vic. Name ...... Address...... General Secretary PO Box 532 Newcastle 2300 NSW. REBEL WORKER WEB SITE www.rebelworker.org If undeliverable, return to PO Box 92 Broadway NSW 2007 POSTAGE PAID AUSTRALIA

Continued From Page 18 eyes, a Christ that in the Kingdom of shadows Anyhow George is not any longer among thought of there is nothing but death!’ Christ cursed us and many people will miss him. Emo- Schopenhau him and Lazarus becomes the Wondering tionally he will mostly be missed by Mary, er. He wrote something to the effect that Jew. Tina and Louise and, by many others. As the nuances of colours, lights and shade The fable is symbolic and especially in for me I am a depopulated island. George that make the sunset so beautiful are an in- the face of a dying atheist? Why it is that was the only comrade to whom I could re- dication that God exist. But George was a god is hiding behind cloudy assumptions? late and only Bulgarian with whom I could living refutation of it. In his face I read After death there is no life but immortality have a rational dialogue. But the message Dante’s quotation: ‘You who enter here of matter. But it raised an ethical question: George left is the message of Joe Hill: give up al hopes’. And remember the fa- If god is omniscient, omnipotent, and om- Don’t mourn but organize and carry in ble of Lazarus who rebuked Christ for nipresent and at the same timer a paradigm your heart the world of anarchy. preaching life after death. It goes some- case of virtue why creates the agony as a thing like that: ‘Verily, verily said Lazarus passage to death? Why false illusion of Comrade and friend, I have just come from the shadows of life? Why curse Satan for everything that Jack. death and verily, verily I am telling you is dysfunctional in nature and life.

Cont From Page 12 came and talked Our approach was to leave the attitude to federation of Labour, one of the big four) to our members the RSUs up to our sections, because of and Cobas. The National Secretary of Ed- and tried to undermine their action with it. our federalism. Most of our sections have ucation in CUB is in the FAI; the National Sometimes Cobas use the USI-Roma to now left the RSU and I think those few still Secretary of Unicobas is an anarchist. undermine us as well. We have a proposal using it will leave in the next cycle. It is Unicobas has a magazine called at our Congress to change our name in the only a bureaucracy - in the Post Office in Socialismo Libertario but its structure light of these activities, but our history is my town there has been one meeting of doesn’t reflect this. There is not much re- important to us and I don’t think it will the RSU in three years. The benefit of this flection on the unions in the anarchist pass. We have also considered taking this approach is that the workers decide for movement and no differentiation between to court, but it would have to be in Rome, themselves, rather than national congress. unions. This has recently begun to change, where we don’t have a section. USI-Roma The Health workers union were in the as USI shows the difference with federal- want the name for the historical credibil- RSU before they affiliated. The alterna- ism and autonomy. As well, younger ity, but their actions undermine this claim. tive unions measure their size by the num- workers are becoming interested. There is For example they claim to be anarchists ber of votes they get in the RSU elections. a group of young workers in my town who but recommend a vote for Rifondazione. We are the only union that has any critique may affiliate at some point, because we SLSF: What is USI’s attitude to the Ital- of them. have approached them on practical issues ian state’s industrial relations SLSF: Has the USI done propaganda and shown principles. I am the only anar- machinery? against the RSUs? chist in my section where I work. Cesare: The RSUs (Rappreseanze Cesare: Not that I know of. The smaller SLSF: What issues are coming up for Sindacali Unitarie - unitary trade union sections who are only propaganda groups you? representation bodies) are against the in- may do so, but generally we find it diffi- Cesare: Our next congress will debate the terests of workers. They are about media- cult to do propaganda. law on strikes, which is becoming more tion. The RSU gives union rights, which SLSF: What are your relations with an- difficult, especially in the public sector. include facility time for reps, meetings in archist organisations? For example, bus drivers in Milan recently work time and the ability to call meetings went on strike, but their alternative union with the boss. We don’t have this, so we Cesare: Most Italian anarchists take stitched them up by denying they had have to strike to get it. In the private sector, Malatesta’s view that all unions are re- called it and the drivers were fined. We are the reformist unions are guaranteed one formist, so are spread across all unions. also discussing our identity as a union, third of all seats on the RSUs, regardless of For example the Federazione di rather than being a propaganda group. Comunisti Anarchici (FdCA) have mem- whether they have any members in that in- Thanks to Direct Action dustry. bers in CGIL (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro - Italian General Con-