Solidarity Solidarity& Workers’ Liberty For a workers’ government For social ownership of the banks and industry

SOCIALISM VS Pic editedfrom: World EconomicForum CAPITALISMBy Sacha Ismail socially vital industries and cor- the worst off in the US, one of porations under public owner- the world’s richest societies. he world’s richest man, Am- ship and democratic control, so Spiralling wealth worldwide has Tazon CEO Jeff Bezos, has wealth can be used to create a come about through appalling increased his wealth from $130 better life for the majority and suffering and denial of human billion to $186 billion during tackle the climate crisis. rights for hundreds of millions, the pandemic. US billionaires in But how did this situation at the sharp end of suffering for general have gained by about come about? How is it possi- billions. the same. Meanwhile poverty in ble? How did the billionaires Even to win alleviations, work- the US has exploded. get their wealth, and the as- ers must organise. It’s with good Thirty years ago US billion- tonishing power which allows reason that Bezos and his ilk aires owned less wealth than them to increase it? fear any growth and strength- the poorest half of US society. Jeff Bezos will have a- thou ening of trade unions. But in Today they own four times as sand ways to increase his many countries, including the much. wealth through trickery, but it UK, changes won by workers’ TO BEAT It’s the same basic picture does not appear in his bank movements to make things less in the UK, and worldwide. The accounts by magic. He is the brutal — higher wages, better number of billionaires in the head of a corporation which working conditions, health ser- world has increased by a third in “employs” approaching a mil- vices and welfare — are being the last year. Those 2,700-odd lion and half people — a num- demolished step-by-step. people now control combined ber which has increased by half As long as the rich remain in wealth of almost £10 trillion, up THE TORIES: during the pandemic, as logis- control of the big concentra- from £6 trillion a year ago. tics and delivery industries have tions of wealth, corporations This rocketing wealth is the burgeoned. and banks, and the human la- ≫Organise at the base flipside of deepening poverty During the recent attempt bour which creates them, they and insecurity, runaway climate to establish a trade union at will always push for more. change, and the trashing of the giant Amazon facility in The only sustainable answer Push back Mandelson even the limited political de- Bessemer, Alabama, which the is for workers to take control ≫ mocracy and social rights won company defeated through a of the main systems for over decades. campaign of intimidation, we producing wealth away from See page 2 Those who want an equal, learned about things like driv- the plutocrats, converting them Socialist policies sustainable and democratic ers pissing in bottles and shit- into the common property of ≫ Myanmar action Bill Gates and the No to Netanyahu, Union organising society need to make the stag- ting in bags because they were society and creating a new gering facts about inequality as too scared to take toilet breaks. system run not for profit but from 17 May vaccine patents no to Hamas! in the USA widely known as possible. We Such are things which have human need. □ Solidarity protests in The underside of the Answer in Israel- Traven Leyshon on need to demand emergency multiplied Amazon’s profits and many cities to back big plutocratic charity Palestine is “two ideas for strategy after • More on Jeff Bezos and the changes to unwind its growth, with them Bezos’ wealth. strikers against coup show nations, two states” the Bessemer defeat billionaires: bit.ly/ch-jb by taxing the rich and taking Amazon workers are far from Page 3 Page 6 Page 11 Pages 8-9 No. 592, 12 May 2021 50p/£1 workersliberty.org No. 592, 12 May 2021 50p/£1 workersliberty.org Beating the Tories after 6 May Keynesianism without the welfare state. policies were popular in Hartlepool. It tles against the Tories. Call it capitalism with Brexit character- does not follow that dropping those Labour will not win, and still less will Editorial istics.” policies on the electorate at the last working-class politics revive, through a In reality this agenda is about more minute would have brought victory. But demoralising focus on (unsuccessfully) active use of the power and resources instead we had a failure to advocate coaxing older voters who have been he Tories’ narrative about where of the state to benefit employers and any clear pro-working class policies at won over a long period to the national- they are taking UK politics and so- T the rich, and help them through the all, relying instead on embarrassing at- ist right — and alienating the young, the ciety is dishonest and incoherent. But it Covid turmoil. We’ll see how very little tempts to jump on the bandwagon of socially progressive and the interna- is a narrative, one strongly honed and “trickle down” there is to working-class nationalism. tionalist, including in the working class, consistently argued for. In contrast the communities after furlough and other in the process. leadership of Keir Starmer’s Labour emergency measures are ended. A record of failure The younger generation of the work- Party seems to have pretty much noth- The background since Starmer became The Tories may generate increased ing class — in big cities and small towns, ing to say about the kind of society or leader has been a consistent refusal economic activity in areas targeted for in all parts of the UK, from all back- even the policies it wants. That is an to challenge the Tories over their re- extra funding, but on the basis of low- grounds and communities — is where important part of why Labour suffered sponse to the pandemic. The attempt paid, precarious work and decimated the left must focus its energies, and serious defeats on 6 May. to rely on Starmer’s supposed “compe- public services. It would be very pre- where we can develop the activist force Attempts to claim the problem was tence” collapsed when the Tories man- mature to assume that the Tories have capable of winning older voters, too. the party not being right-wing enough aged to pull off, or at least take credit closely bonded millions of new people The deeper and harder task is to or- are absurd. Already the Starmer lead- for, an impressive vaccine program to themselves for years to come. At the ganise the widespread but diffuse and ership had reduced Labour’s criticism (achieved through extensive public moment, with the “vaccine bounce” and atomised left-wing sentiment that ex- of the Tories to little more than one of funding for development and effective lockdown-easing, the Tories’ appeal is ists in society into a strengthened and “competence”. use of the UK’s socialised healthcare working: but only last November-De- renewed labour movement, to create Former Hartlepool MP and million- system for delivery). cember, and even with Starmer’s weak- new networks of working-class institu- aire peer Peter Mandelson, writing in The Tories’ good luck with the timing ness, Labour was ahead of the Tories in tions and a working-class political cul- the Financial Times, has called for the of the vaccination successes — some- several polls. ture that can sustain a genuine revival Labour leadership to use the crisis fol- what reminiscent of electoral success of left-wing and socialist politics. lowing the 6 May losses to “wipe clean” following victory in a war, despite Lack of policies and vision Not only but particularly in the areas left-wing policies, purge the left, fur- Under Starmer what Labour has been everyone knowing about horrors and of the country where Labour has re- ther gut party democracy and break or counterposing to the Tories’ vision is blunders during it — is one thing. The treated, the younger generation has downgrade Labour’s trade union link. little more than a promise to wave the frittering away of Labour’s support and little contact with a much weakened Some Corbyn supporters, emphasis- Union Jack more “competently”. The La- activist base through pandering to the labour movement and little impact in ing Labour’s vote surge in 2017, effec- bour right’s cringe-inducing accolades Tories, the abandonment of any left- politics. Those are the basic things that tively airbrush out its decline in 2019. to Starmer ignore the reality that he wing policies or message, the attacks need changing. Mandelson airbrushes out the 2017 seems to be increasingly regarded by on party democracy and all the rest are Too much left-wing energy has been surge and also airbrushes out the great the voters as insubstantial and untrust- another. expended on passively sniping at or decline of European social-democratic worthy. The problem is both specific Turnout in Hartlepool was very low. mocking Starmer, and too little on parties following the Blair-Mandelson policies and the wider “vision thing”. There is a lot of frustration and apathy building struggles, educating for class model (France, the Netherlands, Ger- We criticised Corbyn’s Labour leader- around, but much is being channelled politics — and fighting for clear left- many...) ship for announcing a string of (good) in a right-wing direction. Starmer’s wing, pro-working class policies which Corbynism was inadequate. But not left-wing policies shortly before the weakness reinforces this channelling. can begin to rally the labour move- because continued Blairism would 2019 general election without even Labour did better on 6 May in ment. □ have done better! Rather, because it serious previous discussion of them in some parts of the country, for exam- didn’t sufficiently undo Blairism, which the party, let alone longer-term cam- ple, Wales, many cities and towns in • More: bit.ly/6may21 both expressed and reinforced a de- paigning to explain, popularise or or- the North West, the Bristol area and cline of the labour movement organi- ganise around them, and to develop a (though more weakly than expected) sations and cultures that underpinned cohesive wider narrative. The two years London. In none of these areas is the Labour’s rise and successes in the past. since the boost from the 2017 election party’s record particularly left-wing; but “Policy review”? Guardian columnist Aditya had been largely wasted, with such at least the leading local figures appear Only by Labour Chakrabortty has summed up the Tory minimal anti-cuts agitation as there was as distinctly anti-Tory. agenda, particularly in the areas of swamped by floundering over Brexit In Bristol Labour’s losses were not conference! country where it has shoved Labour and antisemitism. to the Tories but to the Green Party. In he Labour leadership talks of a aside: it “is based around buildings and Starmer’s Labour is much worse. In many parts of the country there was “policy review”. On the Labour burning red tape, state-led investment the local elections of 6 May the party a significant increase in support for T right many are suggesting left-wing and deregulation. It is about public in- said nothing about the virtual destruc- the Greens. We advocated and cam- policies should be eliminated. In vestment rather than public services, tion of local government which the To- paigned for a Labour vote and will con- practice they already have been. ries are still pushing forward. tinue to. But it is not hard to understand We need to revive left policies, weld After the Covid disasters of the why many leftish voters who swung them into a coherent whole, and last year, there was nothing in the from the Greens to Labour under Cor- get the party and movement cam- campaign about sick pay or about byn might swing back again. paigning for them. The 2019 mani- social care. A lame attempt to make Maybe Covid-19 in the UK will con- festo contained many good ideas. the election about NHS pay was tinue under control, in which case the So does the “Alternative Queen’s abandoned when it became clear Tories’ drive for cuts, currently masked Speech” put together by John Mc- that people wanted to know what by huge pandemic spending, is likely Donnell and other left-wing MPs: bit. Labour was actually advocating — to emerge into clearer view: an NHS in ly/mcd-qs The left’s fundamental ap- and it certainly wasn’t healthwork- crisis, schools cut, Universal Credit cut, proach must be to insist that policy ers’ demand of 15%. Nothing about councils decimated... Or maybe further is “reviewed”, and decided, by La- the NHS in general — after the last Tory negligence will allow a big third bour Party conference (which takes year! wave, so more emergency spending, place in four months, at the end of Polling commissioned by the Com- but with the Tories likely discredited for September). For left-wing motions munication Workers’ Union found further floundering. Either way, there being circulated for the conference, that Labour’s 2019 general election will be need and potential for new bat- see page three.

2 workersliberty.org @workersliberty @workers_liberty fb.com/workersliberty Labour conference deadlines on 11 June By Michael Elms ever “left” candidates emerge. The letter signed by Mick Whelan as eter Mandelson has effectively chair of TULO (umbrella body of La- Pcalled on Keir Starmer (Financial bour’s affiliated unions) demanding Times, 8 May) to overrule or neutralise Starmer repudiate Mandelson’s de- Labour Party conference, and to break mands shows that there is still scope or neutralise the union say in the La- for pushing back the right. bour Party. The politics of the internationalist left After conference 2020 was re- need to be re-asserted, against any and placed by a no-debate online event on all accommodation to Johnson’s Brexit grounds of the pandemic, Labour Party nationalism and anti-migrant dema- conference 2021 (25 to 29 September gogy; and for a vision of working-class, in Brighton) is an important point for socialist internationalism, rather than the left of the labour movement to re- the Blairite internationalism of NATO group and halt the retreat. and global capitalist institutions. Socialists are putting themselves for- Momentum Internationalists will be ward to be conference delegates (the seeking to organise support for the deadline for constituency delegates politics of socialist internationalism at to be chosen is 11 June). The Momen- this conference. It is backing the follow- Labour’s 2016 Conference tum Internationalists website carries ing motions: suggestions for motions to put to CLPs 1) Build Back Fairer — a motion setting setting out what the labour movement laws” for conference. The deadline for those out demands on how society should be should be demanding in terms of a se- 6) A motion on racism and policing, isn’t until 13 September, but some CLPs rebuilt in and after the pandemic rious and socially-just response to cli- setting out demands around address- may decide motions in May-June. 2) China, Hong Kong, and the Uy- mate change ing the unaccountable and racist na- Also due by 11 June are constituency ghurs — a motion expressing solidarity 4) Migrants welcome: end deporta- ture of policing in the UK and putting nominations for National Constitutional with the Hong Kong democracy move- tions and the racist Hostile Environment forward a programme for cutting the Council and the Conference Arrange- ment and the struggle of the Uyghur — a motion from the Labour Campaign social roots of racism and discrimina- ments Committee: there is apparently people against repression and gen- for Free Movement tion. □ conflict in the backrooms over “official ocide; and taking a position against 5) A motion from the Free Our Unions • Momentum Internationalists left” nominees, but Momentum Inter- Cold-War rhetoric from western powers campaign entitled “Unshackling work- momentuminternationalists.org nationalists recommend backing what- 3) Global climate justice — a motion ers from draconian anti-trade union Myanmar week of action from 17 May By Michael Elms to divest from compa- true democracy and justice in a fundraising campaign for nies supporting the its wake, rather than a return Myanmar trade unions: bit.ly/ n the week beginning Tatmadaw regime. to “business as usual”, or the myanmarfunds. Momentum I17 May Momentum In Myanmar, the status quo from January 2021. Internationalists is backing a Internationalists and workers’ movement is The American trade union solidarity statement: bit.ly/my- others will be organ- still battling against the federation AFL-CIO is running anmarsolidarity □ ising street stalls and “Tatmadaw” military small demonstrations government, which was outside premises fea- installed in a coup in turing big brands con- February 2021. Work- nected to the regime, ers’ organisations, in Upcoming meetings including the energy particular transport giant Chevron and the and factory workers, orkers’ Liberty meetings are open to all, held online over high street clothing zoom. Next, C&A, Primark and Benet- form the core of a W brands whose products are ton have suspended placing working-class movement of Sunday 16 May, 12-1:30pm: Socialist Feminist reading made in factories in cities like orders in Myanmar, but not civil disobedience and strikes, group — Rape, gendered violence: various readings Yangon. Currently, actions are made serious steps to doc- which is leading a nationwide Sunday 16 May, 6.30-8.30pm: Socialists on the Israel Pales- planned in London, Sheffield, ument the factories they use pro-democracy coalition. The tine conflict — Workers’ Liberty debates Red Flag Durham and Newcastle. and guarantee the livelihoods labour movement is pushing Tuesday 18th May, 6.30-8.30pm: Free Our Unions — Unions, Trade unionists in Myanmar and safety of their workers. for the restoration of elected Rights and disabled workers in organisations like the All- Motions for branch dona- government and democratic Wednesday 19th May, 6-8pm: Workers’ Liberty health work- Burma Federation of Trade tions are currently being put freedoms, while the military ers — organising to strike on NHS pay Unions (ABFTU) have put out a to branches of the RMT rail is using British-drafted coloni- Wednesday 19th May, 7-8.45pm: Shapurji Saklatvala and call for supporters worldwide union and local government al-era legislation. John Archer — pioneering working class & black representation to put pressure on brands branches of the Unison union Currently, a shadow “Na- Monday 24 May, 6-7pm: Workers’ Liberty students — Solidar- which are doing business with in London. The Congress of tional Unity Government”, ity with Deliveroo and other platform workers the “Tatmadaw” military junta. the University and College which was set up by a group This call has been taken up Union (UCU) will shortly de- of deposed elected lawmak- Plus by international networks like bate a motion of solidarity with ers, is in session somewhere in Weekend of 10-11 July: Ideas for Freedom 2021 festival of the Clean Clothes Campaign, the Myanmar workers’ move- territory controlled by ethnic socialist ideas. Online or in person — buy tickets now! which has specifically placed ment, after which branches will minority armed groups, out of Thursdays 8-9.30pm: Lenin’s What is to be done? reading a focus on Aldi North, Lindex, be asked to make donations to reach of the Tatmadaw. But the group and Marks and Spencer, noting the solidarity fund. UCU activ- Myanmar labour movement is Mondays, 6-7pm: AWL Students’ discussions their silence in the face of the ists are pushing the higher ed- the force that can not only beat For our calendars of events, updated details, zoom links, more coup. Other brands like H&M, ucation pension scheme USS the junta, but also guarantee meetings and resources, see workersliberty.org/events □

Events and campaigns: workersliberty.org/meetings youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK workersliberty.org/audio 3 Scotland: a weak Labour campaign By Dale Street The SNP won 64 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, in an electoral ections of the media and the right system designed to prevent any one Swing of Scottish Labour have hailed party (specifically: the SNP) securing, or Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar for coming close to securing, an absolute having run “a good campaign” in the majority. 6 May Scottish election. But Scottish The Tories won 31 seats (same num- Labour lost seats in the election, and ber as in 2016), Labour won 22 (down ended up with a (slightly) lower share two), the Scottish Greens won eight of constituency and regional list votes. (up two) and the Scottish Lib Dems Its overall score of 20% was only slightly won four (down one). Alex Salmond’s higher than its poll ratings before Sar- Alba Party and George Galloway’s All war became leader. for Unity won no seats, and hardly any Sarwar did not make any election votes. gaffes and was articulate in the tele- vised party leader debates. But the lack Turnout of improvement is the surprising thing, At 63% the turnout in the election was given that between 2017 (when Rich- over 7% higher than in 2016. In fact it ard Leonard was elected leader) and was the highest turnout in any Holy- early 2021 (when Leonard was ousted) rood election since the Scottish Parlia- Sarwar spent his time undercutting La- ment’s creation in 1999. bour by briefing the media against the The SNP’s share of the vote increased party leader. slightly in constituencies (48%, its best Even allowing for the restrictions on score ever) but declined slightly in re- campaigning resulting from Covid-19, gional lists (40%). The Tories’ share of Labour’s campaign on the ground was votes was virtually unchanged (30% particularly lacklustre. Reports from and 23%), while Labour’s vote went across the country indicate that few down by 1% in constituencies (22%) party members came out to leaflet and and in regional lists (18%). doorknock. Even on the eve of election day a high proportion of voters self-identified Back to the bad old days as undecided. And for a layer of non- The big turnouts by campaigners in SNP-voters the key question was how the 2017 and 2019 general elections to vote tactically against the SNP. were replaced by the traditional ritual Also noticeable was the vehemence of small-scale leafleting and knocking a with which many voters expressed their few doors of already-identified Labour hostility to the SNP. It was reminiscent promises. of Scottish politics in the period 2014- Younger voters, Labour-turned-SNP Anas Sarwar 16, though the venom then was mainly (Scottish National Party) voters, soft from SNP voters against Scottish La- advertising featuring Anas Sarwar ap- was a member of a mass labour move- SNP voters and first-time voters were bour. peared shortly before election day. ment. But now, thanks to the politics largely ignored. Instead, as if nothing To maintain and build support from Predictably, Sarwar’s election team and actions of people like Kate Wat- had been learnt from the disastrous voters indifferent or hostile to inde- consisted largely of right-wing syco- son, I’m reduced to being a member of “Better Together” campaign of 2014, pendence, the SNP claimed that they phants and hangers-on. Their e-mail a dysfunctional nuclear family?” there was a dog-whistle appeal to soft were a safe pair of hands who had output was even worse than Sarwar’s. Tory voters. Self-centred charlatan steered the country through the Covid- The much-vaunted 8% increase in It was the e-mail which Sarwar sent out 19 pandemic; to keep the faithful on the Labour vote in Glasgow Southside t would not be on the Friday morning after election board, they committed to a second in- (candidate: Anas Sarwar) and the 6% unfair to describe day which best sums up his self-centred dependence referendum. increase in the Labour vote in Dumbar- “I The Tories ran on opposition to a sec- charlatanism. Before a vote had been ton (candidate: the equally right-wing Scottish Labour’s election counted, before a result had been de- ond referendum. Labour focused on a deputy party leader Jackie Baillie) clared, Sarwar proclaimed success: post-Covid “National Recovery Plan” corresponded almost exactly to the ‘strategy’ as an Anas “We have run a massively positive and dismissed all talk of another ref- decline in the Tory vote in the two con- Sarwar ego trip...” and uplifting campaign, which has fo- erendum as a bit of an irrelevance. stituencies. cused relentlessly on the priorities of By any normal standards, the SNP/ It would not be unfair to describe As a post on the Campaign for So- the people of Scotland. And I couldn’t Green victory is a mandate for a second Scottish Labour’s election “strategy” as cialism/Scottish Momentum Facebook be prouder of what we have achieved. referendum. an Anas Sarwar ego trip. page summed up one of them: Before a single vote is counted I can tell At the same time, the election result Although earlier suggestions that “Priceless. That’s the only way to you one thing — we’re back.” underlines how divided the Scottish Labour list candidates might stand as describe that e-mail we’ve all just re- This hardly tallies with the actual elec- electorate is over independence. An- “Anas Sarwar — National Recovery Plan” ceived from British Army 77th Brigade tion campaign and subsequent results. ti-independence parties won 50.4% of candidates were dropped, Scottish La- Specialist Reserve Officer Kate Watson, Nor has there been any accounting the constituency vote, while pro-inde- bour leaflets appealed to voters to “use who now doubles up as Anas Sarwar’s by “Anas and his team” for the gap pendence parties won 50.1% of the list your second vote (i.e. list vote) for Anas National Election Campaign Coordina- between reality and earlier campaign vote. Sarwar’s National Recovery Plan”. And tor. ‘If it wasn’t for members like you, e-mails: “Experts say there’s just 0.5% The SNP will not be pushing for a ref- they were dominated by the pictures there would be no Scottish Labour,’ she between us and the Tories.” erendum in the very short term, having and thoughts of Anas Sarwar. writes. But it’s because of members like Scottish Labour did badly — again — promised to prioritise recovery from Many e-mails to members were re- former Better Together Director of Op- on 6 May 2021. And anyone not pre- the pandemic. But that will only delay quests for money. Given the low level erations Kate Watson that there nearly pared to look that reality squarely in the an inevitable clash with Tory-controlled of on-the-streets campaigning, what isn’t a Scottish Labour... The e-mail... face has nothing to contribute to any Westminster. □ the money was to be spent on was informs me that I am ‘a member of a potential strategy for Scottish Labour’s something of a mystery. Until billboard select family: members of the Scottish • Abridged. More: bit.ly/scot-6m Labour Party.’ I can remember when I democratic and socialist recovery.

4 workersliberty.org @workersliberty @workers_liberty fb.com/workersliberty Tories go for voter suppression By Mohan Sen one conviction and one caution for im- personating another voter. In the 2018 mbolded by their success on 6 May, local elections there were only eight Ethe Tories are proposing new meas- such allegations, with no action taken ures to (further) restrict election de- over seven of them. mocracy in the UK. What the voter ID requirement will One — a proposal to change execu- do is lower the number of people vot- tive mayoral elections from a “supple- ing. In 2019, trials of such a system in a mentary vote” system to “first past the few areas led to over 700 people being post” — is designed to make it harder turned away and not returning. The in- for opposition parties to win mayoral troduction of a requirement for ID in elections, at a time when the left-and- Northern Ireland for the 2005 election centre vote is more split than a right- saw turnout fall 6.5%, against a 2% in- wing vote consolidated around the crease UK-wide. Tories. There is substantial evidence that the Already this time around, the change change will most hit younger, poorer would have prevented Labour from and ethnic minority voters, who already winning the Cambridgeshire and Peter- A US protest against voter ID laws which generally vote in lower numbers. borough mayor, handing the position disenfranchise working-class BAME people This follows changes to electoral reg- to the Tories on the basis of 40% of the local authorities). We should also sup- is a move straight out of the Trump-Re- istration over the last decade which vote. port proportional representation. This publican playbook (bit.ly/300laws). have seen many hundreds of thou- The left should oppose the existence is a move in the wrong direction. The change will not tackle major elec- sands, perhaps millions, disappear of executive mayors, and advocate More serious is the proposal to make toral fraud, since such a problem does from voter rolls, in a sequel to the first wider democratic bodies which elect voter ID compulsory to vote in future not exist. The Electoral Commission big disappearance from rolls in the collective leaderships (including com- general elections. Supposedly in- says the UK “has low levels of proven days of the Tories’ poll tax. □ mittee-based, not cabinet, systems in tended to address election fraud, this electoral fraud”. In 2019 there was just Spy stories from the fall of Stalinism on (both historically true); and activities almost by accident. State Bank out of the hands of than a vague hope on paper. 1989 with the opening of the As an innocent East German the Deutsche Bank. He sends Alongside characters and Film review Berlin Wall and moves towards exploring the post-wall world, Walter on a joke mission to realistic presentation of the German reunification. she questions whether his en- Frankfurt to try and ensure the atmosphere of the time, the Each time we see Martin forced role has cost him his HVA has someone placed high trilogy also takes care with de- By Bruce Robinson unwillingly put to work by the humanity. up in the Deutsche Bank. tailed depiction of everything HVA to deal with the threat to Other characters try to bury from wallpaper and furniture eutschland ‘89 (currently the regime’s continued exist- More than a thriller their past and remake them- of the GDR to scenes filmed in available on All Four) is the D ence. He becomes Kolibri, an What makes the Deutschland selves. Some are unmasked as the actual Stasi headquarters. last series in a trilogy follow- accomplished spy, who be- trilogy more than a spy thriller Stasi agents. One HVA agent, It is spot on about the corrup- ing Martin Rauch through the comes sought-after by other with several subplots and a who at the start of 1989 kills tion and cynicism of a desper- 1980s. He is an East German secret services who also force somewhat unsatisfactory end- a socialist dissident, uses his ately decaying regime which border guard who has been him to work for them. Around ing that leaves open questions training to seize control of the must know the end is near. coerced into becoming a spy him there are a number of (will there be a Deutschland firm where Martin was working If you are having post Line of for the HVA, the external wing other central characters: his ‘92?) is its firm roots in histor- and to brutally transform him- Duty withdrawal symptoms or of the Stasi. aunt Lenora, a hardened ide- ical events and the picture it self into a capitalist computer if you’re interested in a fiction- Each of the three series is ologically committed Stalinist; paints of the decline and col- entrepreneur. Other socialist alised but convincing account concerned with a major crisis Walter Schweppenstette, an lapse of the East German Sta- dissidents plan a radical take- of world historic events, binge of the East German state: 1983 ambitious but more ambiva- linist state. over and transformation of the watching of the Deutschland with NATO’s stationing of nu- lent high-ranking HVA opera- Deutschland ‘89 shows how, economy that is never more trilogy is recommended. □ clear missiles in West Ger- tive who also turns out to be the HVA having failed to pre- many; 1986 with the desperate Martin’s father; and Markus vent the fall of the wall, the need for foreign currency that Fuchs, the head of the HVA, characters make their way in leads the GDR into supply- who is loosely based on his the new world. Lenora be- ing arms to the South African real counterpart, Markus Wolf. comes a terrorist, who, hoping apartheid government and Also in 1989, there is Nicole, to jolt the people out of their Our videos! pimping its citizens as guinea the teacher of Martin’s son growing infatuation with the atch Workers’ Liberty’s videos and playlists, and sub- pigs for West German Pharma Max, who falls for Martin and West, joins forces with the rem- scribe to our youtube channel! Many have subtitles. companies to test their drugs W gets drawn into his espionage nants of the Red Army Fraction Playlists include: who have been given sanctu- • The State, Crime, Prisons, and Police ary in the GDR and who suc- Second hand books! • Socialist Feminism cessfully assassinate the head • Black Lives Matter orkers’ Liberty is sell- of the Deutsche Bank. (Both of • Socialist commentary on the Covid-19 crisis ing hundreds of second which happened.) W • ABCs of Marxism, an introductory series hand-books — politics, but also Markus Fuchs absconds with • An introduction to Marx’s Capital, with Martin Thomas fiction, history and much more. his PA and much of the coun- • Tubeworker/Off The Rails, by the makers of the bulletins□ Visit bit.ly/2h-books for the cur- try’s gold and foreign currency rent stock and prices, and to to live in luxury in Italy, while Watch, subscribe, like, comment and share: youtube.com/c/ order. still plotting how to keep the WorkersLibertyUK

Events and campaigns: workersliberty.org/meetings youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK workersliberty.org/audio 5 The underside of plutocrat philanthropy

By Zack Muddle — before doing it all over again. In fact, Bill Gates — like other billion- in-hat conspiracy theory claims aire philanthropists — continues to get Tthat vaccinations are a ploy by Bill richer. Meanwhile, the Gates foundation Gates to implant tracking microchips is tax-exempt, lobbies for his ideology in our arms communicate at least two and interests, and has long-standing lies. There’s the obvious lie, that vac- investments in pharmaceutical corpo- cines contain microchips. Then there’s rations such as Pfizer and Johnson & the subtle, implicit lie: that Bill Gates is Johnson. helping net global vaccination efforts. His intentions in doing so are irrel- Way back in April 2020, Oxford Uni- evant. Socialists can have no truck versity pledged that they would make with conspiratorial world-views which any technologies that they develop identify capitalism’s evils in the mali- against the Covid-19 pandemic avail- cious intentions of a small number of able under “non-exclusive, royalty-free cartoonishly ruthless supervillains. The licences to support” free or cost-price problem is systemic. supply. They only pledged to do this Gates likely genuinely believes that for the duration of the pandemic, but his foundation is improving the world. it would have applied to — at the very But his ideology and priorities are least — what was to become the Ox- shaped by his interests and experi- Bill Gates ford/AstraZeneca vaccine. ences — as a successful member of the A few weeks later, Oxford back- porations, but without requiring them demic to capitalism, and particularly to capitalist ruling class. They are the un- tracked, and signed an exclusive deal to hand over or relinquish their “intel- the million- and billionaire sections of democratic decisions of an unaccount- with AstraZeneca, given the pharma- lectual property” (IP) in return. the ruling class. Gates — and the focus able individual, powered by wealth ceutical corporation full and exclusive on vaccines, eliding his anti-union stolen from our class. rights, with no guarantee of low-pric- Global ramifications and environmentally harmful “philan- Not that Gates, or his class, is entirely ing. Why? There is a global shortage of vaccina- thropic” activities — merely provided an immune to pressure. Biden’s adminis- Oxford had been persuaded to tions. The world’s richest states pur- illustrative example. tration recently, under pressure, has change course by the “Gates Founda- chase more than they can use, while signalled support for a temporary sus- tion”, and by Bill Gates himself. many of the world’s poorest states t is no more “moral” pension to intellectual property protec- Throughout the pandemic, and for have received zero vaccines. But even tions for Covid-19 vaccines. This was long before it, Bill Gates has been if they were more equitably distributed, or “philanthropic” against Gates’ lobbying. using the power that his billions afford “I production and distribution would be than someone who mugs The administration committed to a him to fight tooth-and-nail for so-called painfully slow. narrow scope of this waiver than pro- “free trade” backed up by a tightly po- Intellectual property hoarding and you, stealing all your posed elsewhere, the commitment has liced set of “intellectual property” re- protections prevent factories being possessions, but then not yet borne fruit, and it has been ac- strictions. constructed around the world to pro- companies with statements that “The duce cost-price vaccines using existing throwing some coppers Administration believes strongly in in- Intellectual property, politics recipes, instead forcing states in the and profit in a charity pot to ease tellectual property protections”. Yet it global south to purchase them from shows that pressure is mounting. The threat to the sanctity of intellectual the global north, often at higher prices Days after, Gates’ foundation fol- property rights, and to the belief that their conscience...” than states in the global north pay. lowed suit, conceding to support of “a their rigid policing is good, has seldom Such individuals have built their A year ago, the WHO’s “COVID- narrow waiver during the pandemic”. been sharper and more public than in wealth by exploiting hundreds of thou- 19 Technology Access Pool” (C-TAP) This came after they received height- the fight over global Covid-19 vaccina- sands, millions of workers. Their wealth looked like a promising step towards ened criticism, and as they presumably tion. is built through our labour — which sharing of IP and other knowledge. Yet recognise which way the wind is blow- Gates is often lauded for giving sig- they control — merely giving us back in it has been outstripped by the WHO’s ing. nificant funding to COVAX, Covid-19 wages enough to survive. If they donate Gates-sponsored and promoted “Ac- The working class must force much Vaccines Global Access, as well as all a section of their wealth to “charity” it cess to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator” greater concessions from the ruling three of COVAX’s directing organisa- still leave them with almost unfathoma- (ACT-A). class than liberal “philanthropist” bil- tions: “Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance”; CEPI bly large fortunes. It is no more “moral” Once again, IP, profit, and control re- lionaires will readily hand us. We must (the Coalition for Epidemic Prepared- or “philanthropic” than someone who main privatised and increasingly cen- fight to reclaim power over the wealth ness Innovations), and the WHO (World mugs you, stealing all your posses- tralised, even as funding for research, we create, to be used democratically in Health Organization). Gates and foun- sions, but then throwing some coppers development risks, and the product it- the interests of all. □ dation contribute to many other causes self are increasingly socialised; and an in a charity pot to ease their conscience too. But these are not neutral “gifts”. ideological commitment to IP and the Gates has a political and ideological free market defended. agenda, and whether there is explicit The Gates Foundation also funds, intervention or not, receipt of or reli- and thereby indirectly influences, many ance upon Gates foundation funding news organisations. This provides yet Our audio! shapes the direction of the organisa- another arm in its ideological battle. isten, download or subscribe to Workers’ Liberty audio recordings of our tions that receive it, the organisations The same IP regime, that is, which fa- Lpaper, other publications, and many meetings. Playlists include: that try to, and the prominence of those cilitates the growth of lucrative monop- that don’t. • Solidarity Newspaper olistic corporations — such as Microsoft, • Pamphlets, publications beyond Solidarity COVAX only aims to provide low in- from which Bill Gates spent around two come countries with a maximum of • Public meetings decades being the richest person in • Fighting racism: pamphlets and more enough supplies to vaccinate 20% of the world. their population. Their supply so far is • Solidarność: The workers’ movement and the rebirth of Poland in 1980-81 The harmful impacts of this so-called • Environmental pamphlet and meetings insufficient and too slow. And it aims “philanthropist” from his philanthro- to facilitate a continuation of the status py-cum-lobbying are far from unique. See workersliberty.org/audio for episodes, and for information on subscribing quo whereby billions in public finances As with the corruption and sleaze at the and using podcasts. All recent episodes can be found through most podcast are funnelled into pharmaceutical cor- heart of this Tory government, it is en- providers: search “Workers’ Liberty” or “Solidarity & More”. □

6 workersliberty.org @workersliberty @workers_liberty fb.com/workersliberty Why we should support Sharon Graham for Unite general secretary

clearly designed to favour its preferred candidate. Prominent bureaucrats, with Debate no previous association with the “left” were welcomed in just in time to vote for their favoured candidate. By Matt Dunn A large swathe of the rank and file he election for the General Secretary leadership of the “United Left”, like Tof Unite presents an opportunity to Unite Chair Tony Woodhouse, National elect a candidate with a genuinely rad- Executive local authorities rep Kathy ical vision of change — with shop stew- Smith, and Ellesmere Port Convenor ards at the centre of it — and a track John Cooper, have been expelled for record of successfully confronting em- supporting Graham. The United Left ployers with bold tactics and detailed is certainly not united and it has little strategy. It is also an opportunity to credible case for calling itself left. elect a woman as leader of Unite for the The UL is dominated by an awful Stal- first time. These are powerful reasons inoid politics which Turner is no oppo- to back Sharon Graham. nent of. He was slow to support the union Shop stewards and the backing Corbyn as he didn’t think Cor- workplace are essential first steps to rebuilding areas of Graham’s manifesto as part of byn could win the leadership election Central to Graham’s pitch is the crit- sector bargaining. consultation process. Reps are invited and he would not win a general elec- icism that Unite has drifted too far to email contributions into the con- tion — better to support Burnham. from its core purpose as a trade union Taking on bosses sultation and Graham promises that Turner has promised more power to — leading and supporting its reps to “We cannot be a union if we can’t ef- the process will go on after the elec- these regional secretaries and an easier mobilise members in defense of their fectively defend our reps” is a favour- tion and the manifesto is important for time for officials. He is the bureaucra- own workplace interests — and has ite quote of Sharon Graham. And it is holding her to account. cy’s man. His campaign launch Zoom become more concerned with West- not just a catch phrase. She developed was dominated by officials and staff. minster chatter, and dominated by the Unite’s brand of “leverage” to hit back Politics Talk to reps who have close expe- interests of its own officers and political against bad bosses (usually when the Graham has been accused of being a rience of working with him and they allies. Her slogan is, “let’s get back to rest of the union has failed). Talk to syndicalist. It is not true, but it is true to will attest to his lack of work ethic or the workplace”. She pledges to work to reps like the blacklisted Frank Morris, say that her focus is very much on the basic competence. An ex-convenor rebuild a shop stewards’ movement, to who won his job back at Crossrail after workplace and building an effective, from an airline told me recently that coordinate bargaining across sectors a leverage campaign, about how effec- fighting union — as opposed to seeing he will be backing Sharon, “you have and internationally. tive this has been and Sharon’s fighting the union as a prism through which to to remember, Steve was my national Her manifesto states, “I will immedi- qualities. view the Labour Party and Westminster. officer”. When he took over the- avia ately ramp up the resource required The record of Sharon Graham and This is a good thing. Workers will have a tion contractors’ combine, following to defend jobs, fight cuts and protect the organising department in support- powerful voice in politics first and fore- an organising campaign that had won pay... Now it is time to fight for jobs. ing action by workers — against very most if we are powerful industrially. dozens of new recognition agreements Unite and the other trade unions have real resistance from many officials, in- She was quick to back Corbyn and and brought thousands into Unite or- to deliver a serious, joined-up and stra- cluding the “left” officials and regional has been sometimes in, sometimes out ganisation, he chaired one meeting, tegic campaign in defence of working secretaries, is a good one. of the Labour Party. She doesn’t go to having not bothered to check progress Cuba or go along with the stalinoid people.” Winning thus far, got a hard time off reps who nonsense that dominates in Unite. told him they had “gone through all A hard-working ethic and a serious Sector-wide bargaining this months ago, why haven’t you done approach to strategy are qualities Gra- Support Unite is constrained by its regional your homework?” And he never con- ham brings that are largely absent else- Sharon has the support of an impres- structure. Bloated regional bureaucra- vened the combine again. cies compete with each other and du- where in Unite’s leadership. Her record sive number of the more credit-worthy plicate effort. Reps meet and, as far as it of winning — against the high street members of the Unite Executive — chair Absence of a rank-and-file goes, organise region-by-region. Capi- supermarkets on the meat organising Tony Woodhouse, Dave Williams, Jane candidate tal organises internationally — or at least campaign, against construction giants Stewart, Frank Morris, Steve Hibbert, This has been raised as a problem nationally. How do you take on a large in the BESNA and Crossrail campaigns, Therese Maloney, and others who have in this election, and of course it is. It transnational corporation region-by-re- against Honda when they sacked our been involved in recent struggles or comes from the lack of militant activ- gion, with incoherent and competing senior steward and derecognised represent well-organised workplaces.. ity in the union, activity that is not en- Unite… stands in sharp contrast to the strategies? How do reps coordinate The other candidates couraged by a lazy, timid bureaucracy. their bargaining in a structure like this? record of others. However, we did not back Ian Allinson Others have already pointed out why Sharon Graham has led efforts to or Jerry Hicks. Many of their supporters Democracy and accountability we cannot support Beckett or Coyne. gather Unite’s industrial data — pay have already announced their support This is a theme Graham has talked This leaves Steve Turner. Turner’s cre- deals and anniversary dates — and put it for Graham. about and sought input from reps on. dentials seem to mainly come down to in the hands of reps; to build industrial For sure Graham is not a Trotskyist. Ideas like making contracts and salaries “it’s his turn” or “he’s the left candidate”. combines as part of sector organising Her leadership style is highly “com- available online for members to scruti- The first point is obvious nonsense, so campaigns and to develop sector plans mand”. Simply electing her will not nise have been raised by reps. Building is he the left candidate? to organise the dominant (“top 10”) transform the union. That requires col- strong combines of shop stewards that He is the candidate of the United Left. companies in each sector to take on lective workers’ struggle and rank and can drive the industrial agenda is cer- The United Left routinely excludes gen- shared concerns — be they automation, file organisation. But there are many tainly central to her pitch. She is con- uine left activists; offers no vision of a working hours, casualisation… These positive reasons, some outlined here, sulting on a detailed manifesto — a plan fighting, winning, democratic union; issues cannot be tackled shop-by-shop why socialists should positively support for change — to which she promises to is largely concerned about who gets or region-by region. Bringing reps to- her candidacy. □ be accountable. what jobs; and is subservient to the gether and sector-wide coordination Meetings are taking place on the key leadership. Its selection process was

Events and campaigns: workersliberty.org/meetings youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK workersliberty.org/audio 7 Thoughts towards strategic organising By Traven Leyshon

he US labour movement has an un- Tfortunate practice of failing to pub- licly draw lessons from our setbacks. Yet it’s important that labour and the left learn from the Bessemer Amazon ex- perience. After all, we’ve seen a series of defeats in the South from Volkswa- gen to Nissan and now Amazon. [On 29 March a government-mandated ballot on union recognition at the Amazon Bessemer distribution centre returned a clear anti-recognition majority]. In this article we want to focus a bit on problems with the strategies and tactics used in the campaign by the or- ganisers; and especially what we need to do differently to win. One of the factors making organising at Amazon so difficult is the estimated 100% turnover. Injuries in Amazon Amazon’s aggressive campaign has not only the second largest employer, have assessed virtually every worker in warehouses are more than double once again shown the need for labour but also the second largest spender on one-on-one conversations and actions the industry average, and the com- law reform. The predominant conclu- lobbying in the US several times. Time, or strength, or will- pany has a poor record of workplace sion that top labour officials, and much ingness was lacking to run the kind of derived Covid infections. Workplace of the left, has drawn from the Amazon Daunting challenges structure tests (collective worker ac- surveillance has reached oppressive vote is to lobby congress to pass the Despite the bravery of pro-union work- tions by a majority that create confi- levels. Many Amazon workers have Protecting the Right to Organise Act ers and hard working organisers, it dence, demonstrate and test power) to to rely on food stamps to make ends (PRO Act). Labour leaders emphasize appears that there were significant prepare workers to overcome fear and meet. passing the PRO Act as a panacea. Thus problems with RWDSU’s [the union’s] boss intimidation. With conditions so bad, what explains AFL-CIO President Trumka’s view: “Am- campaign. By the eve of an election, a lead or- the defeat in Bessemer? azon’s outrageous behaviour is only Were there clear demands devel- ganiser should have a reasonably ac- We need to draw out not only why the latest reminder that our rights have oped by the workers put forward? curate, informed projection of how the Amazon won this round, but to espe- been steadily eroded by a handful of Apparently not. Just dignity, etc. They vote will break down. That the union cially consider what it would take to powerful elites. We can’t allow this soci- might have said that with our union did not make the painful decision with win at Amazon, as well as Google, Wal- etal failure to deprive one more worker we would fight for $20 or so per hour, its key inside supporters to postpone mart and other anti-union behemoths. of the freedom to organise. This is the union safety and health committees, the election seems to have been a Amazon’s sophisticated union busting fight of our time, and it starts with pass- frequent breaks, longer lunch periods, blunder. operation, some of it illegal, most of it ing the PRO Act.” less surveillance, etc. As happens all too often, Amazon fully legal — including harassing and in- Organisers chose not to do house was able to “third party” the union. And timidating workers, and telling bold lies PRO Act calls because of the pandemic. Yet the organisers appear to have contrib- — is well documented and discussed The PRO Act is an ambitious attempt at this is an essential part of a success- uted to the problem. In videos organis- elsewhere. Amazon apparently spent labour law reform which would make ful organising drive. Instead, most of ers regularly talk about “the union,” as around $25 million to defeat this union union organising easier. The PRO Act the brief contacts with workers were if a union is something other than the drive. would among other things ban captive happening on the road to the plant. workers who are trying to form one. One factor which I think is underes- audience meetings and increase fines RWDSU was also relying on “digital Their slogan “The union is on your side” timated by most commentators is the on employers who break the law. strategies” and phoning Bessemer Am- didn’t help. In a refreshingly self-critical economic desperation and low expec- However, given the history of four azon workers. These are not substitute interview with Labor Notes, the lead tations of many workers. In areas like decades of failed attempts at progres- for house-calling, identifying leaders, organiser acknowledged, “I heard us the South with historically low levels of sive labour law change, including under tasking and assessing workers. being third-partied by our own folks a unionisation, especially in the private Democratic administrations, passage of The lead organiser explained that, few times and I cringed a little bit, but sector, with few experiences of effec- the PRO Act is a long shot. The bill will “the access to worker information [the it’s not always going to be perfect.” tive collective fight back, many workers not pass without a mass mobilisation of list of eligible voters] doesn’t come A majority of workers need to be have a low level of confidence that a unions and allies which would have to until late January, so it didn’t leave us convinced that there is a credible plan union would be able make things much include protests, rallies, and workplace with a lot of time… the biggest thing to win real gains before they would be better. actions. Yet this brings us back to the that went wrong, ultimately, is that prepared to stand up to the threats and While Amazon pays below the me- reality that most unions have failed to there wasn’t enough time to have com- harassment of Amazon’s intense union dian wage in warehousing and trans- build strong member driven unions. mittee people prepare the masses for busting campaign. Yet, given the re- portation jobs, and Amazon’s pay at its And there is nothing that has pre- the union-busting campaign.” To build dundancy the company has built into distribution centres starts at just above vented organising Amazon workers a strong campaign with 5,800 workers, its logistics system, wresting meaning- $15 an hour for regular employees, its more than the passivity of most un- four to five months was not enough ful concessions from Amazon would pay and benefits are better than those ions. Currently, the PRO Act only has time. In a massive workplace, the pro- likely require significant pressure at found in the industries where Ama- the support of 48 out of 50 Democrats cess of building a strong in-plant or- more than one facility. zon recruits its workers, such as fast in the 50-50 divided Senate. The chal- ganising committee, and building In the event that the workers won food, hospitality, and nursing homes. lenge of passing the legislation also worker confidence through escalating union certification at the ballot box, Many people do flock to Amazon for highlights the power of Amazon, which actions against the boss takes time. In a Amazon would have stonewalled at those wages and benefits. has grown in recent years to become strong campaign, the organisers would

8 workersliberty.org @workersliberty @workers_liberty fb.com/workersliberty Thoughts towards strategic organising the bargaining table. Winning a first 2014, Italy in 2017, and Spain in 2018. contract is a major challenge, and al- Successfully organising at Amazon most half of new unions fail to gain a will require massive resources, far first agreement. Large companies like more than one union. The RWDSU, Amazon can probably only be effec- even with backing from its parent, the tively forced to bargain over wages, UFCW, is not going to organise this benefits, and safety conditions as well, behemoth (with 819 facilities, up from when the whole company is organised 359 two years ago. with an additional into a union. And large bargaining units 286 facilities planned for the future) by are harder for unions to organise than itself, even with a better NLRB [National smaller ones. Labor Relations Board] and in the un- Amazon has built into its supply chain likely event that Congress passes the redundancies so that it could plausibly PRO Act to make it easier. Unions will threaten to shut down the Bessemer have to learn to work together to tar- centre to foil the organising attempt. get multiple Amazon facilities across Yet US labour law typically forces work- the country at the same time. ers to win elections at individual work As far as I know, there are only two or sites of a company like Amazon, which three official union organising drives at would require hundreds of separate Amazon’s hundreds of facilities: in Al- campaigns. abama and two Teamster campaigns. Organising Amazon’s drivers is also Help elsewhere has come from the made more difficult due to Amazon’s small, resource-strapped UE union, practice of hiring its drivers through allied with DSA [Democratic Social- sub-contractors, fragmenting workers ists of America] members through the in local companies, rather than em- Emergency Workplace Organising work for subcontractors rather than for minority of workplace leaders. ploying them directly, so Amazon is Committee, or from Amazon workers Amazon itself. They’re taking the time DSA member Hannah Ehrlinspiel ex- not the direct employer. When Michi- themselves. to learn how the company operates, plains the case for socialists to take on gan Amazon drivers voted in 2017 to The organising model proposed where it’s vulnerable, and to explore internal rank-and-file organising: “The join the Teamsters, the contractor that by experienced organisers like Jane ways to organise that don’t involve im- capitalists know that logistics is far too hired them shut down. The complaint McAlevey is necessary but insufficient mediately moving to an NLRB election. important a battlefield to give up in lodged with the National labour Rela- to produce the kind of democratic, the class war — do we?” The logistics tions Board alleging unlawful retalia- unions promoting worker self-activ- Socialist tasks industry is central, not just to retail (as tion was lost. ity to successfully challenge corpora- The Teamsters may be looking to union with Amazon and Walmart), but also to To win real gains, organisers will tions’ massive powers of resistance. recognition strikes rather than NLRB global just-in-time manufacturing. So, it need to build majorities for strikes As Moody writes, this “cannot be done elections. The Teamsters National Di- is a key arena where organised workers within warehouses and coordinate with with current bureaucratic organising rector for Amazon, Randy Korgan, could potentially exercise a great deal logistics workers in other warehouses techniques no matter how refined. says, “There are many platforms to seek of structural power. □ and trucks as well as Amazon tech There are not enough staff organisers recognition, there are many platforms workers. Fortunately, Amazon workers in all the unions together to take on for workers to do concerted activities… • Traven Leyshon is a retired Teamster, in Chicago, New York, Baltimore, New even Amazon alone… it will take much Truth be told, that [NLRB] process is member of the Advisory Committee of Orleans, Portland, Denver, Southern more of the sort of worker self-activity where corporate America wants organ- Vermont AFL-CIO, and a member of California, and other places are already and initiative we saw among industrial ising to be, and that’s how they want the Democratic Socialists of America organising their own campaigns. workers in the 1930s, or among pub- it to be defined. Because they clearly and Solidarity lic employees in the 1960s and 1970s, Union decline have more of an advantage there than and that we have seen recently in the they do in other spaces…” In analysing union decline and the fail- 2018–19 strikes of education workers, Community support too is essential ure to organise the key logistics indus- as well as the first signs of action by to create a supportive context for work- Our pamphlets try and elsewhere, it certainly is correct workers at Amazon.” ers to take on Amazon. The Bessemer rowse, download, buy, or listen to point to the human rights violations It is promising that growing networks workers received strong support from to our pamphlets including: embodied in US labour law, vicious B of organisers are taking on Amazon, worker and community coalitions like union-busters, globalisation, the an- • The German Revolution: selected like the grassroots group Amazonians the Southern Workers Assembly, DSA, ti-union corporate media, politicians writings of Rosa Luxemburg United which describes itself as: “A and the political support of electeds in service to the corporations, etc., but • For Workers’ Climate Action movement of workers fighting to end like Senator Bernie Sanders. However, as Kim Moody writes, this “lets the top • Two Nations, Two States management’s domination in our work- the experience shows that without leadership, the union hierarchy, off the • Workers Against Slavery places. We organise with our cowork- deep internal organising, no amount hook for its own role in the crisis of or- • How to Beat the Racists ers to fight together for the dignified of external support can overcome the ganised labour… The problem lies in • Remain and Rebel lives we all deserve.” power of a corporation like Amazon. the whole practice of bureaucratic busi- • Shapurji Saklatvala: Socialist Amazonians United has been form- Socialist groups like DSA should be ness unionism”. Rebel in Parliament ing locals across the country, making training and supporting members who In other countries workers have been • Stalinism in the International contacts around the world, and build- take jobs at Amazon to help organ- able to organise Amazon. This March, Brigades ing on small actions, including wildcats. ise from within, either through efforts across Italy, in the first nationwide strike • Left Antisemitism: What it is and It’s also important that unions with like Amazonians United or salting for in the company’s history, Amazon work- How to Fight it significant resources like the Teamsters a union. Socialists should take rank and ers held a twenty-four-hour strike. Italy • Arabs, Jews, and Socialism: So- are planning for the long haul. The file jobs in companies like Amazon, and isn’t the only country where Amazon cialist Debates on Israel/Palestine □ Teamsters union is particularly focus- industries that are of strategic impor- workers have been on strike. Germany ing on delivery drivers, many of whom tance, and work to build up a militant workersliberty.org/publications/ was first in 2013, followed by France in

Events and campaigns: workersliberty.org/meetings youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK workersliberty.org/audio 9 An incoherent, unprincipled electoral stunt

CPB’s “socialist solutions” amount to a set of left-reformist demands like pub- Antidoto lic ownership, control of the export of capital, and the development of green energy sources, all laudable aims, of By Jim Denham course, but scarcely socialism. aving supported Labour in all elec- And one question naturally arose: Htions while Jeremy Corbyn was how should socialists vote where there leader, the Communist Party of Britain is no CPB candidate? That’s most (CPB) has started standing candidates places: the CPB reported nine candi- again. dates in the London Assembly elec- The Morning Star, which poses as a tions, and seven in the rest of England, broad labour movement publication for example. (In the London Assembly but is in reality a mouthpiece for the list poll, the CPB got 0.3%, as did the CPB, quoted the party’s general sec- Socialist Party’s Trade Union and Social- retary Robert Griffiths in its May Day ist Coalition, TUSC). edition: “That we are fielding numbers You might assume the answer would of candidates unprecedented in recent be “Labour” but it seems not; a Young decades is no accident... The latest edi- Communist League statement on the tion of our programme — Britain’s Road elections reads: made no sense. Labour had 29 of the Drakeford is a more empathetic charac- to Socialism (BRS) — has struck a chord “In areas of the country without a 60 seats. If the CPB had got more than ter than the robotic Starmer, and on the with many militant working class voters, Communist candidate, we call on their 0.2% of the list vote, that could day scored Labour’s best ever result in especially the young...” members to consult primarily with the have blocked a Labour majority. Wales). There is, of course, one obvious structures of the Communist Party for The editorial states “the destructive So what were these Stalinists playing problem, as the Morning Star had to ac- guidance on electoral strategy. Some- anti-socialism of leading English and at, calling for a Labour vote in Wales, knowledge in an editorial on 13 April: times this will mean voting for a good Scottish Labour figures is not a major but nowhere else? And how on earth “Much of the labour movement re- Labour candidate, in other circum- characteristic of the Welsh party. Anger can they explain the Morning Star’s mains sceptical of voting left of Labour. stances it might mean supporting a at Labour’s Westminster leadership is preposterous claim that “A strong Com- Despite the party’s lurch right under left-wing alternative. Please consider not a good reason to deny Welsh La- munist vote will benefit the whole of Keir Starmer, there is a widespread be- the options, and come to a collective bour a vote” (so it is a “good reason” in the Welsh Left and does not contradict lief that a non-Labour vote only helps decision.” England and Scotland?) the need to re-elect Welsh Labour”? the Tories in England and Wales, and In an editorial (4 May) on the Welsh Alongside that editorial, the paper In the Communist Manifesto, Marx the SNP in Scotland.” Senedd election, the Morning Star ran an uncritical interview with Labour’s wrote that “the Communists... have How did the editorial answer that? called for “a Labour vote in the constit- Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford. no special interests separate and It didn’t, except by stating “the left uencies and a Communist vote in the Politically, this simply doesn’t make apart from those of the proletariat as within Labour will be strengthened by regional list.” sense, unless you believe that Welsh a whole”. It would seem that the CPB’s the promotion of socialist solutions to If the CPB was serious (and honest) Labour is qualitatively to the left of Eng- “special interests” on 6 May amounted the crisis and by leftward pressure on about wanting Labour to retain control lish and Scottish Labour — and there is to an incoherent, unprincipled, sectar- Labour candidates across Britain.” The of the Welsh Senedd, then that simply simply no evidence for that (although ian stunt. □ More doubts on Malm’s water power I found out much later essary would make their timidity, in one famous in life it was the site of a this impossible. Also, dispute they dynamited the Letter water-powered strip mill supplies of coal factory owners’ mansions. Mil- where sheets of metal, are not affected by itancy and the willingness to usually steel, were cut drought. resist the vagaries of capital- would like to add some rough into strips. The river Don 3. The exploita- ist development depends on and ready comments to the I ran nearby, and further tion of the world’s a shifting, complex social and letter from Paul Vernadsky upstream was the Wortley coal reserves hardly economic reality and surely (Solidarity 591). The idea that Forge which can be vis- made for a docile can’t be reduced to a simple coal-fired steam power (as ited today. working class — coal question of what fuel is used opposed to water power) was The forge has a history Equipment at miners were in the in a particular industry. somehow adopted in order to going back centuries. Not Wortley Forge forefront of many For these reasons I would control wage labour seems to much is known about the struggles over the suggest that Malm’s “insight” me to be questionable. Cer- strip mill. The point is that this could not provide the huge years. It should also be noted is open to some doubt. □ tainly water power at one point is not exceptional. All around amounts of energy required to that in the Sheffield region in industrial development was John Cunningham, Sheffield there were dozens fire such furnaces as the Besse- workers in the water-driven very important, and not just in Lancashire of mills, forges and furnaces, mer Converter, the Siemens forges were also not noted for textile manufacture. powered by the rivers and Open Hearth and the Blast I remember as a child grow- streams flowing down from the Furnace, all central to iron and ing up in Stockbridge, about Pennines. In the late 18th and steel making and processing. ten miles west of Sheffield. early 19th century the Sheffield 2. Coal could be moved There was a place called Tin Anti-racist resources region had more watermills around the country — and Mill Wood where there was e have compiled various anti-racist resources to learn than anywhere else in Europe. abroad — relatively easily, a small lake (now owned by about anti-racist movements, and arm yourself with ideas Some of these mills were still water can’t. There is mention W an angling club) and piles of to beat back racism: readings and pamphlets, video and audio. working into the 1950s. of aqueducts but, surely the large stones lying around. Yet: 1. Water power alone sheer quantity of water nec- See workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources □

10 workersliberty.org fb.com/workersliberty workersliberty.org/audio Eating meat to prove masculinity? men surveyed said they would rather researchers showed men a “pink gift Penguin Random House. They are the Women’s die ten years early than give up eating card with a floral design” and asked self-proclaimed leaders of an “army of steaks and burgers. them to buy a lamp, backpack, and bat- fit, sexy, vegan soldiers”. The former Fightback Although a vast majority of respond- teries, they chose products that were mixed-martial-arts fighter James Wilks ents (81 per cent) said they cared about far worse for the environment than has claimed that veganism improved By Katy Dollar the climate crisis, 79 per cent said they those presented with a plain gift card. the quality of his erections. Arnold ragile masculinity is back in the were not willing to give up meat to Researchers said: “Men may shun eco- Schwarzenegger and boxer David Fnews with a new poll, which showed combat it. One 2018 study found that friendly behaviour because of what it Haye are poster boys for the new mus- almost three quarters of men would “men routinely incorporate red meat to conveys about their masculinity. cular veganism. choose to die a decade earlier over pre-empt the negative emotional states “It’s not that men don’t care about It’s perfectly reasonable to want to giving up meat. caused by threats to masculinity”. the environment. But they also tend to show that it is possible to be physically The Australian survey was commis- It gets weirder. This is not the only want to feel macho, and they worry that strong and vegan, given popular con- sioned by No Meat May, a group that environmental choice men think of eco-friendly behaviours might brand cerns about whether plant-based diets encourages people to give up meat as “feminine” and therefore lesser. In them as feminine.” can provide enough protein, but the for a month to combat climate change, 2019, researchers found that straight Vegan brands and campaigns are choice of musclemen and fighters as global food scarcity, health problems, men perceive using a reusable shop- fighting back trying to claim the manly spokespeople for veganism is about and animal cruelty. ping bag as a “feminine” act, and would mantle. There has been a rush of viral more than athleticism or health. The poll, which included 1,000 re- avoid recycling for fear of “looking gay”. marketing and media pushing the The macho culture around meat is spondents, found that almost half (47 Further research published in the message that, far from being soy boys, destructive and pathetic, but the an- per cent) of all participants thought of Journal of Consumer Research in 2016 meatless men are butcher. swer is not an equally macho veganism. meat as a “masculine undertaking”, and also showed that men will reject choices The Vegan Bros run a blog, sell an We should fight gender stereotypes almost three quarters (73 per cent) of perceived as environmentally friendly if online fitness course and, at the end of that confine and limit us.□ their masculinity is “threatened”. When last year, signed a publishing deal with No to Netanyahu, no to Hamas! By Martin Thomas should recognise the achieve that). thorities to postpone a court right of Israel to exist, The pretext for the rock- hearing on the evictions and amas, the political-Islamist i.e. the right of the Is- ets was heavy-handed Is- re-route then block a provoca- Hgroup ruling the Gaza raeli-Jewish nation to raeli police action round tive planned Jewish-chauvinist Strip, and allies, fired some self-determination. The the Al-Aqsa mosque in march in Jerusalem. 480 rockets at civilian targets large Palestinian minor- Jerusalem during Rama- Netanyahu has a political in Israel on 9-11 May. The Is- ity in Israel should have dan and threats to evict interest in keeping military raeli government responded full equal rights there. 13 Palestinian families conflict “hot”, within limits, so by bombing hundreds of tar- The bombing of Gaza from homes in a district as to derail moves to form an gets in Gaza. Escalation looks by Benjamin Netanya- of East Jerusalem which anti-Netanyahu coalition to likely to continue. hu’s government is a Jewish chauvinists have replace him after the recent Is- but that general right does not Solidarity argues for “two na- characteristically dispropor- been targeting for decades on raeli elections. Hamas has cho- justify the escalation. tions, two states”. Israel should tionate and brutal use of over- the grounds that the buildings sen for its own reasons to play Nor do the real Palestinian withdraw from the West Bank, whelming military superiority were Jewish-owned before its part in that game. grievances justify the Hamas end its blockade of Gaza, and (it is reported to have killed 1948. Neither Hamas nor the Israeli rockets. Hamas’s aim is not concede the right of the Pales- ten children so far). Israel has a That doesn’t justify the rock- chauvinists! Two nations, two liberation, but conquest of tinians to an independent state right to defend itself, to deter ets, though. In fact, before the states! □ Israel and imposition of an Is- of their own alongside Israel. attacks on its civilian popula- rockets, big protests inside Is- lamic state in the area (even if The surrounding states tion like the rockets of Hamas, rael had pushed the Israeli au- its forces are far too weak to Thrown out by events to safety in their failure in removing and ministerial manoeuvrists, are no dangerous cladding (just look at what sooner thrown out of their habitual happened in Canary Wharf on 7 May sphere by the course of events, no Letter [a fire at the New Providence Wharf sooner placed face to face with mo- block]), will further anger people. mentous contingencies, than they agree with Mohan Sen (Solidarity With other causes such as Kill The reveal themselves to be — there is no I591 ) that “Labour’s campaigns have Bill, BLM, the working class move- milder expression for it — utter and been weak”, as the Labour Party under ment can strengthen. But with this the complete fools”. Starmer hasn’t really challenged the labour movement has to organise and “The party that leans upon the work- government on the NHS and impend- unite instead of squabbling and failing ers but serves the bourgeoisie, in the ing cuts. Also, I don’t believe the left to stop further inequality. period of the greatest sharpening of should be gleeful at Labour setbacks. These two quotes of Trotsky come the class struggle, cannot but sense But I disagree that a good result for to mind when thinking of the current the smells wafted from the waiting omen’s Fightback is a socialist the Tories, which is now apparent, will situation within the Labour Party. grave” (What Next?, 1932) □ “The politicians of reformism, these Wfeminist publication by Workers’ push us way back. I’m of the belief Mo Starke Hannon, dextrous wirepullers, artful intriguers Liberty. Order issue 25, Spring 2021, that further Tory cuts, and their lack of London for £1 — or cheaper in bulk! □ care for housing, especially in regards and careerists, expert parliamentary workersliberty.org/publications

Meetings, events, campaigns: workersliberty.org/events @workersliberty youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK 11 More in-person action on campuses By Abel Harvie-Clark their allies in government are only providing cover for a further drive ne hundred students pro- for profit criteria in higher educa- Otested at SOAS University in tion, at the expense of students London on 10 May, rejecting an and university workers. A serious investigation into racism in the government bail-out of higher ed- institution as insufficient and de- ucation remains an important de- manding the removal of director mand, alongside militant campus Adam Habib. campaigns against callous univer- Petitions, online actions, and sity managements. motions in the student union and The University of Sheffield rent Unison union branch have been strikers have been forced to leave organised since back in March the their occupation after the Univer- director delivered a racial slur in versity’s Board of Trustees promised ing in the university that justice will not sity won a court Interim Posses- response to being challenged about “restorative justice” through vague be handed down from management sion Order which threatens a six month cuts to the African Studies department and non-committal actions, which have boards, but won through collective custodial sentence for any occupations and the failure to address direct ra- been rejected by students as normalis- power built from the bottom up. on the campus in the next year. Com- cial discrimination on campus, back in ing anti-Black racism in the university. The Office for Students is proposing a ments by the outgoing president of March. The investigation was set up by the 50% cut to creative arts subjects across the student union betraying the occu- Students have been challenging Ha- same Board who hired Habib in the UK higher education institutions. Pause pation did not help, and they should be bib’s position as director since his in- first place, and it employed “experts” or Pay UK, a student-led campaign, held accountable by the student body. terview with the Board of Trustees, on from the police and prisons apparatus have engaged in the government’s The Sheffield Hallam and Manchester grounds of his role in instigating vio- to carry it out. consultation on the proposal, rejecting rent strike occupations are continuing, lence against the Fees Must Fall student Students are calling for a “People’s competition between disciplines for despite security harassment. A coali- protests that took place at Wits Univer- Tribunal” to address Habib’s position funding and highlighting the value of tion of campaigns held a protest out- sity, where he was vice chancellor. and racism in the university. The on- creative arts study. side the occupation in Manchester on Protests have escalated since the in- going fees strike is also demanding In fact these consultations and in- Monday 10 May. □ vestigation commissioned by the uni- #FireHabib. There is an understand- vestigations by university bosses and

Arguing for a Otto Rühle’s society based on abridged human solidarity, version of Buy our books! social ownership Capital, putting of industry aside current Order from workersliberty.org/publications and banks, factual material, rowse, basket, and buy books, pamphlets, and publication bundles and political, illustrations, B— and find more info, related resources, study guides, reviews and economic polemics, is a so on, from the same place. Some books are free to download or as and social good lead-in for audiobooks. Prices listed exclude postage and packaging: £1 for small democracy. 182 the full book. items, £3 for larger items, free over £30. Every third publication will be pages. half-price and 15% off over £50. □ £5 131 pages, £6

A socialist dissection The 1917’s The history of A socialist approach Defending the A debate on reform, Critical history of the of Left antisemitism. revolution’s real Solidarność, from its within recent “waves” Bolsheviks and their revolution, Labour, disoriented left, and Third edition, 212 history, and lessons. dawn until the coup. of feminism. relevance today. democracy, more. the way forward. pages, £5 374 pages, £12 116 pages, £5 102 pages, £5 312 pages, £10 107 pages, £5 408 pages, £12

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12 workersliberty.org @workersliberty @workers_liberty fb.com/workersliberty Rail union: after the general secretary election From Off The Rails tion. His vote was respectable, signifi- The RMT’s current leading faction is to run the union and provide services cantly increasing his total from the 2014 consists of an alliance between an “Old and representation on behalf of mem- ick Lynch has been elected gen- general secretary election, in which he Labour” right-wing element, which bers — will be consolidated, against a Meral secretary of the RMT rail also stood. Leach stood on a platform both Cash and Lynch broadly repre- rank-and-fileist conception which con- union. Lynch won 7,605 votes in an of rank-and-file democracy and effec- sent, and a Stalinist element, involving tends that the union should be dem- election that saw 19.4% of RMT’s mem- tive militancy, differentiating himself members and supporters of the Com- ocratically controlled from as close to bers vote. The three other candidates — from both Lynch’s continuity campaign munist Party of Britain (Morning Star). the workplace as possible, and function Steve Hedley, John Leach, and Gordon and the conception of militancy offered They present themselves as serious, primarily as an instrument for struggle. Martin — won 4,352; 2,944; and 1,628 by Lynch’s main rival Steve Hedley, competent trade unionists, loyal to the With significant industrial battles on votes respectively. which conflates it with machismo. structures of the union. In practice this the horizon — including against a pay The outcome (on 4 May) was ex- Leach also stressed the need to em- has meant industrial conservatism and freeze in mainline train companies, pected: as the favoured successor power marginalised and under-repre- a consolidation of control by officers. potential job cuts in Network Rail, of the retiring former general secre- sented groups in the union. Gordon Cash’s retirement and the recent elec- and attacks on pensions in Transport tary, Mick Cash, and as the candidate Martin, the Regional Organiser for tion were preceded by a crisis at the for London — different perspectives backed by both a majority of nominat- Scotland, raised similar themes in his top of the union, in which both Cash and strategies will soon be tested in ing branches and most of the union’s campaign, along with the legitimate ar- and Lynch, then an assistant general struggle. Across the political spectrum, bureaucracy and officialdom, Lynch gument that the union’s national lead- secretary, essentially accused the un- everyone in RMT says that they want was always the favourite. While there ership is too dominated by officers from ion’s rank-and-file executive — which, in the union to be “democratic”, “fighting” is widespread desire for change in the London. With the opposition to the constitutional terms, is the day-to-day and “member-led” — or that they think union, the union’s left has not organised union’s current leadership somewhat leadership of the union — of preventing it already is. this or focused it on specific proposals directionless and divided, we will work them, senior national officers, from run- However, those rank-and-file activists for change, so defeating the continuity to ensure that discussions begun in ning the union, which they saw as their who recognise that the union has some candidate was always a tall order. Leach’s and Martin’s campaigns about role. Lynch’s victory means that their way to go to attain this ideal will only Off the Rails supported John Leach, an alternative vision for the union, and conception of what the union is — i.e., make genuine progress towards it if we the Regional Organiser for the union’s how to realise it, can continue. that it is its officers and staff, whose job organise. □ London Transport region, in the elec- NEU votes: a setback and advances BT ballot: still waiting By a Lewisham teacher By Darren Bedford But beyond a certain point, repeated announcements he National Education n 30 September 2020, that a campaign is kicking TUnion (NEU) Executive Othe Communication into “full gear” start to have elections closed on 29 April. Workers Union (CWU) an- a counterproductive effect. Disappointingly, Workers’ Lib- nounced that its “Count In reality, the campaign has erty supporter and victimised Me In” campaign against been stuck at the preparatory rep Tracy McGuire lost the na- planned job cuts and other phase for month. Surely “full tional support staff seat, after a attacks to terms and condi- gear” would involve moving vicious campaign by the mis- tions by BT was “stepping to the formal ballot workers named “NEU Left”, who have into full gear.” voted for by such an over- been as determined to remove More than seven months whelming majority in Decem- her from her Executive role as Tracy McGuire since that announcement, ber? and nearly six since CWU her employer was to sack her. have at least eight supporters cant strengthening of the ESN’s An interview with a local members voted for industrial This deprives the executive on the new Executive (four re- presence on the Executive. It rep published on the CWU’s action by a 97.9% majority of a tenacious fighter for sup- elected, four new). Workers’ is clearly the main opposition website on 7 May said that in a consultative ballot, the port staff. Tracy has fought to Liberty supporter Patrick Mur- to the current leadership. This the rep and their members union has still not launched ensure the union fully repre- phy topped the poll in West is also shown in the coming were ready to ballot “once a formal ballot. More an- sents support staff and devel- and South Yorkshire and his election for Deputy General the headquarters push the nouncements about “inten- ops into an industrial union. transfers helped ensure the Secretary (DGS), where Mar- button.” Good: but there’s a sification” and a “significant That is why the “NEU Left” election of another victimised tin Powell-Davies has already danger. If decision-making is ramping up” of the campaign fought so hard to remove rep, Louise Lewis. secured sufficient nominations happens only at “headquar- have followed, but no ballot. her. However disgusting her There are four more ESN to contest the election against ters”, with the rank-and-file A large national ballot re- defeat, it is only a temporary candidates standing in elec- Gawain Little of the “NEU membership just waiting, quires preparation. The CWU setback for the fight for an in- tions to be re-run due to a foul Left”. A “moderate” candidate, then the democratic self-or- is right to want to put itself dustrial union. up on the ballot papers, with a Niamh Sweeney, has, as yet, to ganisation needed to sustain in the best possible posi- Tracy stood as part of the real possibility of further gains. secure sufficient nominations. and win any serious dispute tion to beat the thresholds Education Solidarity Network Workers’ Liberty supporter Pat Tracy’s defeat, set against is much harder to build. of the Tory anti-union laws. (ESN), the rank-and-file op- Markey is amongst those in the the gains elsewhere for the And if the message from The campaign has been im- position in the union. In the re-runs. ESN, suggests that whilst the headquarters is that the but- pressive on its own terms, district elections the ESN will The districts result is a signifi- ESN is strong in many geo- ton is continually about to be keeping up regular commu- graphical areas, we have yet to pressed, then the rank and nication with members and develop it across the country, file may start doubting their organising large online meet- and we are yet able to match officers’ seriousness. □ ings. A socialist and anti-imperialist the electoral machine of the “NEU Left”. We must continue hapurji Saklatvala was Labour’s first to build in our districts and de- SBAME MP, and a revolutionary socialist velop grassroots militancy. We Bus workers to strike 25-26 May and anti-imperialist. Learn about his life can use elections such as the he Unite union has announced new strikes by bus drivers and struggles in this pamphlet, replete upcoming DGS vote to spread on the Metroline services in London in an ongoing dispute with lessons for today. £3. □ our message wider and sow T about the bosses’ plan to introduce “remote sign-on”. Drivers the seeds for future success. □ workersliberty.org/publications will be out on 25-26 May, and 7-8-9 June. □

Events and campaigns: workersliberty.org/meetings youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK workersliberty.org/audio 13 What we stand for oday one class, the working class, “We don’t get sick leave, just statutory” Tlives by selling its labour power pointment — tonsillitis.” encoders work, and L solders a new to another, the capitalist class, which Diary of an Me: “He’s sick? Can’t he just go plug onto the encoder signal cable. owns the means of production. home?” The encoder is a device that tells the Capitalists’ control over the econ- engineer A: “We don’t get sick leave, just stat- crane where the grab is by counting omy and their relentless drive to in- utory. He’s ok.” rotations, and the team think that the By Emma Rickman crease their wealth causes poverty, Me: “Well that’s shit. He’s only going crash damaged the connection be- unemployment, blighting of lives by he night shift operators seem to into a waste pit full of biological haz- tween the encoder and the main con- overwork; imperialism, environmen- Thave smashed the crane and grab ards.” troller. L complains: “It doesn’t help tal destruction and much else. into a wall. No one will admit fault, but A: “Tonsillitis isn’t contagious, is it?” that this soldering iron is piss-poor and The working class must unite to it’s a mess. The grabs are connected to Me: “Don’t think so.” cold.” struggle against the accumulated the crane with heavy shackles and thick S joins us once the cylinder is on the Me and the apprentices separate off wealth and power of the capitalists, steel cables. When we first inspect the floor, and immediately starts prepping to fix some lighting, and when we come in the workplace and wider society. ropes one of the guides has splayed the replacement. He doesn’t stagger back L is swapping the crane’s main The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty open, which must have taken incredi- and works quickly, but he looks misera- controller for a new one. wants socialist revolution: collective ble force. The crane engineer replaces ble and his voice is hoarse. P: “Do you need a hand, L?” ownership of industry and services, it immediately. A: “Did you get an appointment?” L: “Nah I’m all right. I’ve just got to fit workers’ control, and a democracy I assist the hydraulics contractors on S: “No. No chance, not at a time I can this and then tell the crane where it is — much fuller than the present system, the grab while the electricians work on do.” and then we’re done.” with elected representatives recall- the crane controls. The contractors — A A: “Want to go home?” J: “Radio if you need anything.” able at any time and an end to bu- and S — gather spanners, rags, paper S: “Nah I’m ok. Let’s just finish this.” L: “Can you pass that first aid kit?” reaucrats’ and managers’ privileges. overalls and work permit, then head Once we have the grab back to- L plasters a small cut on his hand and We fight for trade unions and the into the pit where the grab is parked gether, the crane maintenance engi- refuses antiseptic cream. Labour Party to break with “social on a concrete platform. neer comes down to negotiate. L: “It’s already in there, whatever bac- partnership” with the bosses, to mil- While A and I put together the lifting “You can’t test it yet sorry — we’re still teria are in the pit’s now in my hand.” itantly assert working-class interests. equipment that will lift out the dam- working on stuff up there. In a bit I’ll P: “You’re an idiot.” □ open and close it if you need.” aged hydraulic cylinder, S has disap- • Emma Rickman is an apprentice n workplaces, trade unions, and A and S go for a break while the elec- peared. engineer in a Combined Heat and ILabour organisations; among stu- tricians take parts from the crane back A: “He’s trying to book a doctor’s ap- Power plant. dents; in local campaigns; on the to the workshop. P explains to me how left and in wider political alliances we stand for: • Independent working-class rep- resentation in politics GMB votes to reject 4% in NHS • A workers’ government, based By Alice Hazel mendation, so it seems likely also reject. A campaign in- cross-union rank-and-file or- on and accountable to the labour their members will vote to volving these unions could ganisations are key to build- movement cottish NHS workers in accept. The issue in Scotland be effective and allow mem- ing democratic campaigns • A workers’ charter of trade union Sthe GMB union have re- will now be whether GMB bers of other unions to or- to push union leaderships rights — to organise, strike, picket ef- jected the 4% Scottish gov- and possibly the RCN will ganise alongside them. An to deliver and to build for fectively, and take solidarity action ernment pay offer. The RCN, ballot for action, or simply ongoing industrial action action in workplaces. • Taxing the rich to fund good who also recommended use the recommendation to campaign in Scotland over Workers’ Liberty health- public services, homes, education rejection, are expected to reject as a crude recruitment 4% will have obvious knock workers’ fraction are holding and jobs for all announce their result as Sol- ploy, as happened in the last on effect in England and an online public meeting at • Workers’ control of major indus- idarity goes to press on 11 pay round. Wales, where the offer, ex- 6pm on Wednesday 19 May, tries and finance for a rapid transi- May. Unison recommended Members should push pected in June, is likely to be “Organising to Strike for tion to a green society acceptance of the offer, and for a ballot for strike action, significantly lower. Across NHS Pay”, on Zoom bit.ly/ • A workers’ movement that fights Unite did not make a recom- particularly if RCN members the unions its clear that org-nhs □ all forms of oppression • Full equality for women, and so- cial provision to free women from domestic labour. Reproductive free- doms and free abortion on demand. A film from Kurdistan • Full equality for lesbian, gay, bi- sexual and trans people • Black and white workers’ unity Kino Eye against racism • Open borders • Global solidarity against global By John Cunningham capital — workers everywhere have ete Boggs’ articles on the Kurds (Soli- more in common with each other darity 591 and 589) suggest it is time than with their capitalist or Stalinist P for a Kurdish film. Although director another teacher befriends a group of rulers Samira Makhmalbaf is not Kurdish, her boys engaged in cross-border smug- • Democracy at every level of soci- film Blackboards (Takhté siah) was shot gling. In a hasty ceremony Said marries ety, from the smallest workplace or in the Kurdish-populated mountainous Halaleh, a widow with a child, the only community to global social organi- £20,000 by 11 July border region of northern Iran and Iraq. woman with the old men. Eventually, sation e have raised an additional Released in 2000, the film features a they find a village although there is • Equal rights for all nations, £190 this week: thanks to Dave, W group of itinerant teachers who, carry- confusion about whether this is their against imperialists and predators Sarah, Pat, Amanda, Vicki, Bas, and ing their cumbersome blackboards on home or just another ruinous product big and small Martin. Total so far, £6,110.24. You their backs, hope to find some village of the war. They cross the border and • Maximum left unity in action, and still have some time to donate to- children to teach. It is hard, dangerous Halaleh goes with them, Said however full openness in debate wards Tim Cooper’s sponsored par- work and many villages are deserted as wants to stay — “this my land”, he says. achute jump: go to bit.ly/tim-jump the inhabitants have taken flight due to A divorce is then arranged and Halaleh f you agree with us, take copies of to help encourage Tim in his daring the Iran-Iraq war. One of the teachers, takes the blackboard with her. Gunfire ISolidarity to sell — and join us! □ leap! Or send direct donations via Said, encounters a group of old men echoes in the distance and the future workersliberty.org/donate2021 □ • workersliberty.org/join-awl and helps them to locate their village; for everyone looks uncertain. □

14 workersliberty.org @workersliberty @workers_liberty fb.com/workersliberty Train guards to strike By an East Midlands railworker utive Sunday strikes rather than Satur- days, weekdays, or more than single fter a 20 month delay, due to Covid days of action per week. Planning has Aand a change of franchisee, guards also been done to further pressurise on East Midlands Railway will resume management if they don’t see sense. their fight against unfair starter- con Mindful of their role as key workers, tracts and rostering which busts terms the guards feel that with lockdown eas- and conditions with three strikes on ing and with the vaccination program consecutive Sundays starting on 16 providing more protection against in- May, the first day of the new timetable. fection, it is high time for the company Reps have paid close attention to the to materially acknowledge the impor- strike days that members wanted, with tant role these staff have played in the majority being in favour of consec- keeping the trains running. □

DVLA: who controls? steps in dispute are formulated on lead to better organisation across the the basis of the BEC discussions and workforce and stronger unions. Want to reactions of members. No proposed John Moloney help? Contact the campaign. settlement will be accepted without a Activist Agenda On Friday 30 April, Neurodivergent vote of all the members affected. orkers at the Driver and Vehicle Labour held an online event asking Covid safety has been the trigger, he Uyghur Solidarity Campaign and Licensing Agency (DVLA) com- “what do neurodivergent people need W but beyond the immediate dispute the Hong Kong campaign LMSH- plex in Swansea struck again from 4-8 T from our local councils?” Speakers the key matter that will increasingly KUK will protest on 4 June from 7pm May. The strike was very successful, were Andrew Berry (Islington Unison) be posed are much wider questions outside the Chinese Embassy in Lon- and built on the previous strike. Our on neurodiversity in the local govern- about how the workplace is run. It don: “Remember Tiananmen 1989 -De- picture is that more workers partic- ment workforce; Nikki Hughes (ND La- sounds grandiose, but in a very real mocracy, freedom, workers’ rights for ipated this time, so it’s good to see bour Executive) on the need for Labour and direct sense it poses the class China, Hong Kong, Tibet, and Uyghurs”. the strike is growing. The call centre, councils to engage more with the com- question, the question of political The Safe and Equal campaign is put- which is a key part of the complex, munity, including with Gypsy, Roma, economy: is the workplace run under ting together a model Covid safety sur- had more people striking than last Traveller people; John McDonnell MP the total command and control of vey. It wants health and safety reps to time. on his support for ND Labour; Gethin the bosses, or do workers, through use this period where there is a lull in The workers want to strike again, Jones (PCS activist and Senedd candi- elected representatives in their rec- the pandemic to conduct workplace so the union will announce further date) on neurodiversity in the prison ognised union, have a say? inspections and a survey of the work- dates soon. After that we are looking service and on Welsh Labour’s re- Whilst a bit player in the running of force. at ongoing selective action, with roll- cord; and Joan Martin, Osime Brown’s the dispute itself I’m more centrally Health and safety reps have a legal ing strikes across different parts of the mother, on how the local authority let involved in developing a parallel as- right to paid time off for these duties. complex, aimed at maximising impact. her son down. pect of the campaign in DVLA, which We don’t know if there will be future The dispute is being led by the You can watch or listen to the event is a legal challenge about its sickness waves coming or if the worst is behind branch. As Assistant General Secre- on ND Labour’s YouTube channel. Cam- policy, which we believe is discrimina- us. But unions should use this time to tary, I attend, in an auxiliary role, var- paigning initiatives and further events tory. On Monday 10 May I’ll also lead a find out how workers have fared during ious meetings related to the dispute, will follow. □ meeting to discuss how we can practi- the past year and to draw the lessons. but this is not a matter of senior union cally support another legal challenge, The surveys are designed to inves- • Links and info for these and other officials giving orders to a passive being pursued by the United Voices of tigate needs for in-sourcing, full sick campaigns, and suggested words for stage army of members. The branch the World union, about the potentially pay, and measures (ventilation, PPE) labour-movement motions on many is the key active element. This is es- discriminatory impact of outsourcing to address risks of airborne transmis- issues, at workersliberty.org/agenda sential to building fighting, rank-and- in Royal Parks, where we organise the sion which many employers still refuse file trade unionism: leadership and directly-employed workers. to recognise. S&E hopes the process decision-making has to be as close to In the Department for Work and of conducting these surveys will also the workplace as possible. This active Pensions, consultative ballots about leadership from below has allowed potential action over Covid safety are Subscribe to the union to be bold, calling two sets ongoing. The union’s National Execu- of four-day strikes so far, with the aim tive Committee results are due to be being to win, not to just protest. Contact us Solidarity announced next week; as I stood as Negotiations with the employer are 020 7394 8923 rial sub (6 issues) £7; Six months the Assistant General Secretary can- conducted by a small team involving T(22 issues) £22 waged, £11 un- didate from the Independent Left, I’m officials and a rank-and-file lay rep, [email protected] waged, €30 European rate. of course hoping for good results for who report back to meetings of mem- the candidates of the Independent Write to: 20E Tower Workshops, Visit workersliberty.org/sub bers and the Branch Executive Com- Left. □ Riley Road, London, SE1 3DG mittee (BEC). The members and the Or, email [email protected] BEC aren’t passive consumers in this • John Moloney is assistant general Production team: George with your name and address, or dispute; they engage critically with secretary of the civil service workers’ Wheeler, Martin Thomas phone 020 7394 8923. Standing the reports backs. Plans for the next union PCS (personal capacity). (editor), Sacha Ismail, Simon Nelson, order £5 a month: more to support Zack Muddle our work. Forms online. □

Events and campaigns: workersliberty.org/meetings youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK workersliberty.org/audio 15 10-11 July 2021 | Ideas for Freedom Camden School for Girls, Sandall Rd, London NW5 2DB SOCIALISM in an

People queue for the Covid-19 AGE of COVID vaccine in Nagpur, India workersliberty.org/ideas Book: bit.ly/iff-21 Covid: it’s not “almost over” rise of Covid from August-September, which cre- ated fertile conditions for new variants and so for Covid-19 dramatic further rises. Vaccines will limit the death and long-Covid toll of future spikes. But vaccination rates are still low A festival By Martin Thomas in many countries; no vaccine is 100%; we don’t know how long vaccines’ protection will last; and ith further lockdown-easing announced of socialist ideas, the risk remains of new variants which evade the from 17 May, many people are coming to W vaccines. ≫The experience of think that the Covid pandemic is “almost over”. featuring... The Seychelles, an Indian-Ocean archipelago, “Corbynism” and the future It’s not. The battle for social measures to under- has the highest vaccination rate in the world. But QAnon and the rise of a new far right, with of the left in Labour, with speakers pin pandemic control remains urgent. ≫ recently, and especially since reopening to tour- speakers including Joe Mulhall, Hope Not Hate including Alan Simpson, former Labour MP • Requisition the assets of Big Pharma, espe- ists with few precautions from 25 March, it has Left perspectives on Lebanon’s protest move- cially the vaccine patents and the know-how to ≫Is socialist revolution possible? Is it desirable? ≫ had a big Covid spike. Because of the vaccina- ment, with Lebanese socialist Joey Ayoub expand new vaccine-production facilities. The US Ruth Cashman, Workers’ Liberty, debates Pro- tions, the death rate is lower than it would have administration’s move to support a patent waiver fessor John Strawson been for a similar spike earlier, but still, since 25 ≫Confronting antisemitism on the left, with is a victory for campaigning here, and Labour speakers including Keith Kahn-Harris March, it is the equivalent, relative to the Sey- ≫Winning freedom of speech, with speakers in- should demand that the UK government does chelles’ small population, of 7,000 dead in Britain. cluding Shiva Mahbobi, women’s rights activist Is China imperialist? A debate similar. ≫ Countries like Australia and New Zealand have and spokesperson for Campaign to Free Politi- • Full isolation pay for every worker self-isolat- USA: where next for workers, unions, and the been able to ease most “internal” covid-distanc- cal Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI) ≫ ing because of Covid symptoms, testing, contact, left? with speakers including Traven Leyshon, ing rules, but only by keeping their borders rigidly or travel quarantine. Publicly-provided quaran- Trade unionism in and after lockdowns, with Vermont AFL-CIO and Democratic Socialists of closed, and deploying intermittent lockdowns to ≫ tine accommodation for those otherwise trying speakers including Prof. Gregor Gall and Ja- America, and Justine Canady, Workers’ Liberty contain inevitable leaks from border quarantines. to “self-isolate” in crowded housing. nine Booth, RMT activist and Workers’ Liberty The same is not possible for most countries, with The next wave of climate activism, with speak- • Take social care into the public sector, and supporter ≫ more porous borders. (Britain has 10,000 truck ers including Simon Pirani, author of Burning give care workers NHS-level pay and conditions. drivers arriving each day). ≫Organising the unorganised, with speakers Up: A Global History of Fossil Fuel Consumption • Workers’ control of workplace safety (see How to develop, step by step, a liveable longer- including John Moloney, Assistant General Sec- page 11 for the new campaign by Safe and Equal Understanding the Renaissance, with Prof. term covid-distancing and selective-quarantine retary, PCS union (pc), and Kelly Rogers, former ≫ on that). Cath Fletcher, author of The Beauty and the Ter- system, we don’t yet know for sure. It looks possi- Picturehouse striker and current activist among The news on vaccine efficacy is almost all good. ror ble with the vaccines. It will surely be difficult -un school support staff Cases and deaths are now low in Britain. But less we can win the social measures like isolation The historical roots of antisemitism on the left worldwide Covid death rates have risen again ≫From #MeToo to the future: confronting vio- ≫ pay, workers’ control of safety, requisitioning of since mid-March, are still only fractionally below lence against women, with speakers including Covid: what we know and what we don’t essential supplies. ≫ their highest-ever, and have eased off only re- Jill Mountford, Workers’ Liberty know, with Prof. George Davey Smith The Tories, after being forced into less slapdash cently and tentatively. policies from January, are now edging towards ≫What’s happening in Myanmar? with speakers Friday 9th: walking tour “Battersea vs the Brit- Even in Britain, case and death rates are not as ≫ “open up and hope for the best”. Solidarity will from the Myanmar labour movement ish Empire” □ low as last July. Then, governments across Eu- support campaigns like Safe and Equal pressing rope responded by accelerating from the step- ≫What should feminists say about sex work? Buy tickets now, either for in-person attendance for continued social-solidarity measures against by-step easing since April 2020, and rushing to Anita Downs debates Ruth Tweedale or online participation! Covid. □ reopen bars, cafés, and tourism. The result: a new i workersliberty.org Meetings, events, campaigns: workersliberty.org/meetings ii Solidarity Solidarity& Workers’ Liberty For a workers’ government For social ownership of the banks and industry

SOCIALISM VS Pic editedfrom: World EconomicForum CAPITALISMBy Sacha Ismail socially vital industries and cor- the worst off in the US, one of porations under public owner- the world’s richest societies. he world’s richest man, Am- ship and democratic control, so Spiralling wealth worldwide has Tazon CEO Jeff Bezos, has wealth can be used to create a come about through appalling increased his wealth from $130 better life for the majority and suffering and denial of human billion to $186 billion during tackle the climate crisis. rights for hundreds of millions, the pandemic. US billionaires in But how did this situation at the sharp end of suffering for general have gained by about come about? How is it possi- billions. the same. Meanwhile poverty in ble? How did the billionaires Even to win alleviations, work- the US has exploded. get their wealth, and the as- ers must organise. It’s with good Thirty years ago US billion- tonishing power which allows reason that Bezos and his ilk aires owned less wealth than them to increase it? fear any growth and strength- the poorest half of US society. Jeff Bezos will have a- thou ening of trade unions. But in Today they own four times as sand ways to increase his many countries, including the much. wealth through trickery, but it UK, changes won by workers’ TO BEAT It’s the same basic picture does not appear in his bank movements to make things less in the UK, and worldwide. The accounts by magic. He is the brutal — higher wages, better number of billionaires in the head of a corporation which working conditions, health ser- world has increased by a third in “employs” approaching a mil- vices and welfare — are being the last year. Those 2,700-odd lion and half people — a num- demolished step-by-step. people now control combined ber which has increased by half As long as the rich remain in wealth of almost £10 trillion, up THE TORIES: during the pandemic, as logis- control of the big concentra- from £6 trillion a year ago. tics and delivery industries have tions of wealth, corporations This rocketing wealth is the burgeoned. and banks, and the human la- ≫Organise at the base flipside of deepening poverty During the recent attempt bour which creates them, they and insecurity, runaway climate to establish a trade union at will always push for more. change, and the trashing of the giant Amazon facility in The only sustainable answer Push back Mandelson even the limited political de- Bessemer, Alabama, which the is for workers to take control ≫ mocracy and social rights won company defeated through a of the main systems for over decades. campaign of intimidation, we producing wealth away from See page 2 Those who want an equal, learned about things like driv- the plutocrats, converting them Socialist policies sustainable and democratic ers pissing in bottles and shit- into the common property of ≫ Myanmar action Bill Gates and the No to Netanyahu, Union organising society need to make the stag- ting in bags because they were society and creating a new gering facts about inequality as too scared to take toilet breaks. system run not for profit but from 17 May vaccine patents no to Hamas! in the USA widely known as possible. We Such are things which have human need. □ Solidarity protests in The underside of the Answer in Israel- Traven Leyshon on need to demand emergency multiplied Amazon’s profits and many cities to back big plutocratic charity Palestine is “two ideas for strategy after • More on Jeff Bezos and the changes to unwind its growth, with them Bezos’ wealth. strikers against coup show nations, two states” the Bessemer defeat billionaires: bit.ly/ch-jb by taxing the rich and taking Amazon workers are far from Page 3 Page 6 Page 11 Pages 8-9 No. 592, 12 May 2021 50p/£1 workersliberty.org No. 592, 12 May 2021 50p/£1 workersliberty.org