SPRING 2018 #1783 VOLUME 115 NO. 2 $4 (U.S. IWW members) / $6 (U.S. non-members) / $7 (International) 2 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 IWW DIRECTORY IWW Contract Shops Queensland Secretary: Dave Pike, secretary@ Lithuania gmail.com New York City GMB: 45-02 23rd California Brisbane GMB: P.O. Box 5842, West iww.org.uk [email protected] Indiana Street, Suite #2, Long Island End, Qld 4101. Asger, del., hap- Southern England Organiser: Nikki Netherlands Michiana GMB: Brad Laird, del., 574- City,11101. [email protected]. San Francisco Bay Area GMB: [email protected]. Dancey, [email protected] www.wobblycity.org P.O. Box 11412, Berkeley, 94712. [email protected] 245-0605, [email protected] Victoria Tech Committee: [email protected] Upstate NY GMB: P.O. Box 77, 510-845-0540. [email protected]. Norway IWW Melbourne GMB: P.O. Box 145, Training Department: Chair - Chris Iowa Altamont, 12009. 518-861-5627. Contact for: Berkeley Ecology Center 004793656014. post@iwwnorge. Eastern Iowa IWW: 319-333-2476. [email protected] (Curbside) Recycling - IU 670 IWW Moreland, VIC 3058. melbourne- Wellbrook, [email protected] [email protected] org. http://www.iwwnorge.org, [email protected] Utica IWW: Brendan Maslauskas Shop; Community Conservation Treasurer: Jed Forward, treasurer@ www.facebook.com/iwwnorge. Kansas Centers (Buyback) Recycling – IU Canada iww.org.uk Twitter: @IWWnorge Dunn, del., 315-240-3149. Wichita: Richard Stephenson, North Carolina 670 – IWW Shop; Stone Mountain IWW Canadian Regional Organizing West of Scotland Organiser: Rona United States del., 620-481-1442. barfolumu@ & Daughters fabrics - IU 410 IWW Committee (CANROC): c/o Toronto McAlpine, westscotland@iww. Greenville/Eastern NC: 252-689- Shop; Embarcadero Center Cinemas GMB, P.O. Box 45 Toronto P, Toronto org.uk Alabama gmail.com Kentucky 7348. [email protected], del. - IU 630 IWW Shop ON, M5S 2S6. [email protected] Women’s Officer: Jen Fox, women@ Mobile: Jimmy Broadhead, del., P.O. Ohio Alberta iww.org.uk Box 160073, 36616. [email protected] Kentucky GMB: Mick Parsons, Oregon Northeast Ohio GMB: P.O. Box 1096, Edmonton GMB: P.O. Box 4197, ERA Branches Tuscaloosa: Gerald Lunn. 205-245- Secretary Treasurer, papamick.iww@ Portland GMB: 2249 E Burnside St., 4622. [email protected] gmail.com. 502-658-0299 Cleveland, 44114. 440-941-0999 97214. 503-893-2382, portland. T6E 4T2. [email protected], Clydeside GMB: clydeside@iww. [email protected], portlandiww.org. edmonton.iww.ca. Alaska Louisiana Ohio Valley GMB: P.O. Box 6042, org.uk Cincinnati 45206, 513- 510-1486, Contact for: Janus Youth Shelters British Columbia Cymru/Wales GMB: caerdydd@ Fairbanks GMB: P. O. Box 80101, Louisiana IWW: John Mark Crowder, 99708. Chris White, del., 907- del, [email protected]. https:// [email protected] Washington Vancouver GMB: IWW Vancouver, iww.org.uk www.facebook.com/groups/iwwof- c/o Spartacus Books, 3378 Findlay 457-2543, [email protected]. Sweet Patches ScreenPrinting: Seattle GMB: 1122 E. Pike #1142 Edinburgh GMB: edinburgh@iww. Facebook: IWW Fairbanks nwlouisiana/ [email protected] Seattle, WA 98122-3934. 206-429- Street, V5N 4E7. contact@vancou- org.uk 5285. [email protected]. veriww.com. www.vancouveriww. Arizona Maryland Oklahoma com Tyne & Wear GMB: tyneandwear@ Contact for: Central Co-op iww.org.uk Phoenix GMB: [email protected] Baltimore GMB: P.O. Box 33350, Oklahoma IWW: 539-664-6769. Vancouver Island GMB: Box 297 St. Tucson GMB: [email protected] 21218. [email protected] [email protected] A, Nanaimo BC, V9R 5K9. iwwvi@ Bradford GMB: [email protected] Massachusetts IWW Shop Cards telus.net Leeds GMB: IWW, Ebor Court, Cooper Arkansas Oregon Boston Area GMB: P.O. Box 391724, Lane GMB: Ed Gunderson, del., 541- Anarpsy-Mental Health Services – Manitoba Gate, Leeds. [email protected] Northwest Arkansas IWW: P.O. Box Cambridge, 02139. 617-863-7920, Manchester GMB: manchester@ 4062, Fayetteville, 72702-4062.iww. 743-5681. [email protected], www. Piraeus, Greece: [email protected] Winnipeg GMB: IWW, c/o WORC, [email protected] [email protected], www. iwwlane.org Baltimore Bicycle Works: 1813 Falls P.O. Box 1, R3C 2G1. 204-299-5042, iww.org.uk IWWBoston.org Road. Baltimore, MD 21201. www. [email protected] Sheffield GMB: IWW Office, SYAC, California Western Mass. Public Service IU Portland GMB: 2249 E Burnside St., baltimorebicycleworks.com/about 120 Wicker, Sheffield S3 8JD (0114 Los Angeles GMB: P.O. Box 74344, 650 Branch: IWW, P.O. Box 1581, 97214. 503-231-5488, portland. New Brunswick 223 2100). [email protected] [email protected], portlandiww.org Daniel J. Fornika Scientific Consult- Fredericton: frederictoniww. 90004. 323-374-3499. iwwgmbla@ Northampton, 01061 ing: [email protected] Norwich Bar and Hospitality Workers gmail.com Pennsylvania wordpress.com IUB 640: [email protected] Michigan Evergreen Printing: 2412 Palmetto Ontario Sacramento IWW: 916-672-8881, Detroit GMB: P.O. Box 32236, 48232. Pittsburgh GMB: P.O. Box Street, Oakland, CA. 510-482-4547, Nottingham GMB: [email protected] [email protected] 313-437-3404, [email protected]. 5912,15210. 412-438-3499, bst@ Ottawa-Outaouais GMB & GDC Local pghiww.org [email protected] 6: 1106 Wellington St., P.O. Box West Midlands GMB: IWW, Bike San Diego IWW: 619-630-5537, Grand Rapids GMB: P.O. Box 6629, Lakeside Printing Cooperative: 1334 36042, Ottawa, K1Y 4V3. ott-out@ Foundry, 1539 Pershore Rd, Birming- [email protected] 49516. 616-881-5263. griww@ Rhode Island Williamson Street, Madison WI. 608- ham B30 2JH (0121 459 7276). San Francisco Bay Area GMB: P.O. Box iww.org iww.org, [email protected] [email protected] Providence GMB: P.O. Box 23067, 255-1800, www.lakesidepress.org Ottawa Panhandlers Union: 11412, Berkeley, 94712. 510-845- Central Michigan: 5007 W. Columbia 02903. 401-484-8523. providence@ MoonDog’s Edibles: 54 East 200 Raymond Loomer, interim delegate, Bristol GMB: [email protected] 0540. [email protected] Rd., Mason 48854. 517-676-9446, iww.org North, Salt Lake City, UT [email protected] Reading GMB: [email protected] San Jose: SouthBayIWW@gmail. [email protected] com, www.facebook.com/SJSV.IWW Tennessee North Country Food Alliance: 770 Peterborough: c/o PCAP, 393 Water London GMB: [email protected] Minnesota Clarksville: Jonathan Beasley, del., Hamline Ave. N., St. Paul, MN. St. #17, K9H 3L7, 705-749-9694. Belgium Colorado Duluth IWW: P.O. Box 3232, 55803. 218 S 3rd St. Apt. 7-6, 37040. 931- 612-568-4585. northcountryfoodal- Sean Carleton, del., 705-775-0663, Denver GMB: IWW, P.O. Box 12451, [email protected] 220-9665. liance.org [email protected] Belgium IWW: [email protected] Denver, 80212. 814-758-7761. German Language Area Twin Cities GMB: 2 E. Franklin Texas P & L Printing: 2727 W. 27th Ave., Toronto GMB: P.O. Box 45, Toronto P, [email protected] Ave Suite. 1, Minneapolis, 55406. Denver, CO. [email protected] M5S 2S6. 647-741-4998. toronto@ IWW German Language Area District of Columbia [email protected] Houston: Gus Breslauer, del., Regional Organizing Committee [email protected]. Facebook: Paper Crane Press: 2 New Rd, Aston, iww.org. www.torontoiww.org Washington DC GMB: P.O. Box 1303, Missouri PA. 610-358-9496, papercrane- Windsor GMB: c/o WWAC, 328 Pelis- (GLAMROC): [email protected]. 20013. 202-630-9620. dc.iww. Houston IWW [email protected]. www. sier St., N9A 4K7. 519-564-8036. www.wobblies.org [email protected]. www.dciww.org, Greater Kansas City IWW: P.O. San Antonio: Daniel Miller, del. at papercranepress.com [email protected]. http:// Austria (Vienna): iwwaustria@ www.facebook.com/dciww Box 414304, Kansas City 64141. large, [email protected] gmail.com, wien@wobblies. 816-866-3808. greaterkciww@ Pedal Power Press: P.O. Box 3232 windsoriww.wordpress.com Florida gmail.com Utah Duluth, MN 55802. www.pedal- Québec at. http://wobblies.org. www. powerpress.com facebook.com/pages/IWW- Gainesville GMB: c/o Civic Media St. Louis IWW: P.O. Box 63142, Salt Lake City: Michael Garcia, del., Montreal GMB: cp 60124, Montréal, Wien/381153168710911 Center, 433 S. Main St., 32601. 63163. Secretary: stl.iww.secre- 801-891-5706, iwwmoondog@ Phoenix Health PLC: FW Jeffrey Shea QC, H2J 4E1. 514-268-3394. iww_ Berlin: Offenes Treffen jeden 2.Mon- [email protected], www. [email protected]. Treasurer: stl.iww. gmail.com. [email protected] Jones #102- 3237 Hennepin Ave. S, [email protected] gainesvilleiww.org [email protected] Minneapolis, MN. 612-501-6897 tag im Monat im Cafe Commune, Vermont Europe Reichenberger Str.157, 10999 Berlin, Hobe Sound: P. Shultz, 8274 SE Pine Montana Primal Screens Screen Printing: Burlington: John MacLean, del., European Regional Administration 18 Uhr. (U-Bahnhof Kottbusser Circle, 33455-6608. 772-545-9591, Construction Workers IU 330: 1127 SE 10th Ave. #160, Portland, Tor). Postadresse: IWW Berlin, c/o [email protected] 802-540-2561 OR. 503-267-1372, primalscreens@ (ERA): P.O. Box 7593, Glasgow, Dennis Georg, del., 406-490-3869, G42 2EX. www.iww.org.uk. 0800 Rotes Antiquariat, Rungestr. 20, Orlando: Joey Leach, del., 978-424- [email protected] Virginia gmail.com 998 9149 10179 Berlin, Germany. berlin@ 8758. [email protected]. Richmond IWW: P.O. Box wobblies.org Missoula IWW: Charles Profession Roofcare: 708 13th Bell- ERA Organisation Contacts Facebook: OrlandoIWW Copeland,del., 406-529-6404. 7055, 23221. 804-496-1568. ingham, WA 98225. 360-734-974, Bremen: [email protected]. South Florida GMB: P.O. Box 370457, [email protected]. [email protected], www. [email protected]. Access Facilitator: Sue Fortune, www.iww-bremen.org [email protected] 33137. 305-894-6515. miami@iww. Two Rivers IWW: Jim Del Duca, del., richmondiww.org Red Emma’s Bookstore Co-op: 30 W. Cologne/Koeln GMB: c/o org, http://iwwmiami.wordpress. 106 Paisley Court, Apt. I, Bozeman Washington North Avenue, Baltimore, MD. 410- Central England Organiser: Russ Allerweltshaus, Koernerstr. 77-79, com. Facebook: Miami IWW 230-0450, [email protected] Spring, [email protected] 59715. 406-599-2463. delducja@ Olympia: [email protected]. 50823 Koeln, Germany. cologne1@ Tallahassee: www.facebook.com/ gmail.com Dylan Brooks, del., x37pegasus@ Red Lion Press - British Columbia, Communications Department, wobblies.org. www.iwwcologne. IwwTallahassee Chair - Xav Bear, communications@ Nebraska riseup.net Canada: [email protected] wordpress.com Tampa Bay (Tampa, St. Pete, iww.org.uk Frankfurt a.M. GMB: Frankfurt@ Nebraska GMB: P.O. Box 27811, Seattle GMB: 1122 E. Pike #1142 Sweet Patches ScreenPrinting: Sarasota): [email protected], Ralston, 68127. nebraskagmb@iww. [email protected] Cymru/Wales Organiser: Peter wobblies.org. http://Frankfurt. Sarasota (and all points south): sara- 98122-3934. 206-429-5285. Davies, [email protected] Wobblies.org org. www.nebraskaiww.org [email protected]. Jess Grant, Worth’s Lawn Care and More: 2 [email protected]. Sarasota Solidarity del., [email protected] Sandalwood Dr., Davenport, FL. East of Scotland Organiser: Carol Hamburg-Waterkant: hamburg@ Network: 941-877-1570. Facebook: Nevada [email protected] Ince, [email protected] wobblies.org www.facebook.com/IWWTampa/, IU 520 Railroad Workers: Ron Spokane: P.O. Box 30222, 99223. Legal Officer: Guy Mitchel, Legal@ Kassel: Rothe Ecke, Naumburger Str. www.facebook.com/sarasotaiww/, Kaminkow, del., P.O. Box 2131, [email protected] iww.org.uk Twitter: @sarasotaIWW Reno, 89505. 608-358-5771. Whatcom-Skagit GMB: skagitiww@ IWW Branches & 20a, 34127 Kassel. kontakt@wobblies- [email protected] London Regional Organiser: Tawa- kassel.de. www.wobblies-kassel.de Georgia gmail.com, IWWBellingham@gmail. Local/Regional Contacts nda Nyabango Leipzig: [email protected] Atlanta GMB: P.O. Box 5390, 31107. New Hampshire com. www.bellinghamiww.com. Asia Membership Administrator: Philip 678-964-5169, [email protected], Del. at large: newhampshire@ Facebook: Whatcom-Skagit IWW Munich: [email protected] www.atliww.org iww.org Taiwan LeMarque, [email protected] Rostock: iww-rostock@systemausfall. Wisconsin Taiwan IWW: c/o David Temple, Merchandise Committee: merchan- org. iwwrostock.blogsport.eu Idaho New Jersey Madison GMB: P.O. Box 2442, 53701- 4 Floor, No. 3, Ln. 67, Shujing St., [email protected] Boise: Ritchie Eppink, del., P.O. Box Central New Jersey GMB: P.O. Box 2442. www.madison.iww.org Beitun Dist., Taichung City 40641 Switzerland: [email protected] 453, 83701. 208-371-9752, eppink@ 10021, New Brunswick, 08906. 732- Northern Regional Organiser: Sam Greece Madison Infoshop (I.U. 620): c/o Taiwan. 098-937-7029. taIW- Frowien, [email protected] gmail.com 692-3491. [email protected]. Rainbow Bookstore, 426 W. Gilman, [email protected] Greece IWW: [email protected] Illinois Bob Ratynski, del., 908-285-5426. Organising Department: Chair - www.newjerseyiww.org 53703. 608-260-0900. madinfos- Australia Tawanda Nyabango, organising@ Iceland Central Illinois, Champaign: davi- hop.wordpress.com/ New South Wales iww.org.uk Heimssamband Verkafólks / IWW [email protected] New Mexico Milwaukee GMB: P.O. Box 342294, Sydney GMB: IWW-Sydney-gmb@ Research and Survey Department: Iceland, Reykjavíkurakademíunni Chicago: Christopher Preciado, Albuquerque GMB: [email protected] 53234. [email protected]. iww.org.au. [email protected] 516, Hringbraut 121,107 Reykjavík del., 470-326-6531. X363823@ New York 630-415-7315

3 Contents May Day: A Call for Solidarity

Strikes, Past and Present •Burgerville strikes and makes gains 6–7 •1978 Bridgeport, Connecticut: Teachers walk out for fair pay Gender and Trans Issues •Gender pay inequality 10–12 •Trans job and hiring discrimination •Sexism in STEM

IWW’s First Feminists •Lucy Parsons and the Scottsboro Nine 13–15 •Emma Goldman on Independence and Anarchy

David Harvey on “Capital” •“The consequences for the laborer of 18–19 living and working in a world where the law of value rules”

Industrial Worker Editor & Designer: Periodicals postage paid Chicago, IL. Roberta McNair Postmaster: Send address changes to IW, [email protected] P.O. Box 180195, Chicago, IL 60618 USA The Voice of Revolutionary Industrial Unionism Subscriptions over rt C A : Alec Shurtz Electronic subscription for IWW members: Free Tampa Bay IWW GMB Official periodical of the Annual print subscription rate: Industrial Workers of the World Printer: • U.S. IWW Members: $16 USD Post Office Box 180195 Sommers and Fahrenbach, Inc. • Regular U.S. Subscriptions: $20 USD Chicago, IL 60618 USA Chicago, IL • ALL International Subscriptions: $28 USD (773) 728-0996 • [email protected] Annual bundle subscription of 5 copies (20 total): www.iww.org Next Submission Deadline: June 26, 2018 • U.S. Subscriptions: $60 USD • International Subscriptions: $80 USD IWW General Secretary-Treasurer: Travis Erickson U.S. IW Mailing Address: Published quarterly in the winter, spring, Industrial Worker summer, and fall. Post Office Box 180195, IWW General Executive Board: Chicago, IL 60618 Cole Dorsey, Amanie El-Hajj, Anthony Articles not so designated do not reflect the IWW’s Kaled, Tai Maag, Jesse Onland, Brianna official position. ISSN 0019-8870 Peril, and David Tucker Press Date: April 20, 2018 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 4 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018

dant. Wobbly copy, but I wish the IW to have What gets me the most is an article all little on the stage that does not pertain to about Labor & Industry Department’s gov- Our play. ernmental strides into reform. Now down, With Utmost Sincerety, or up, to a glossy quarterly, the Industrial Red, X337975 Worker will report on ameliorations formed by The State. Dear Roberta, I must admit I am a luddite; good with Thanks so much for noticing my article, limited doses– and for visiting the Women’s Rights in the Good morning Fellow Workers– Friends, being me if I had paid $4 for Workplace website. It would be a matter As I collect the mail on the way to meet- my copy I would be dissatisfied. It was like of great honor and privilege for me to have ings I was able to read through the maga- when I was given a CD of a band of re- my article on Lucy Parsons included in zine. known (The Gits). I was thankful to receive IWW’s magazine. Kindly use the same as The statement of MWA–IWW/IWOC it, glad to explore it, but done with after needed. Words won’t suffice to express how just rocked me. Learning about Mike and one play. Was good I did not pay for it. much we all are grateful to IWW’s efforts Heidi’s plight had me wish I had something This Wobbly would like to see the Indus- then, and now. for them. trial Worker be all about what the Industrial Looking forward to the publication, and Perhaps it is just the issue; I read but I Workers of the World is; manifesting and sharing it among fellow workers. have left much art behind. TV shows, mov- manifestations of reifying our Preamble. Comradely, ies– In my life, what lies right outside my This is quarterly, rare in the timespan of a Saswat Pattanayak door makes screens’ life removed, redun- year. Reprints may need to fill for lack of IW the magazine is for is at odds with suggested she wait for the Summer issue. some FWs: I came into the post I was only cursorily familiar with the Bis- of IW editor seeing the magazine bee story, but once I began to read about as the public face of the IWW. it, I knew that this rich heritage—not only This was confirmed for me when of the IWW but of other labor organizers I went through the spreadsheet of the time, including Ricardo and Enrique of subscribers to prepare it for Flores Magón, who with their newspaper the printers, and I saw that there Regeneración and the Mexican Liberal were international subscribers Party, took the labor fight across the border to Industrial Worker, as well as and worked with the Wobblies to get For some time now, Fellow Workers have subscribers in the US who were— Mexican workers in Southwest mines pay been discussing online whether Industrial and weren’t—Wobblies. equal to the (predominately) white Ameri- Worker in its current magazine format In seeing IW as how the IWW presents can workers. Their story and others wove provides what branches need for organiz- itself to the world, I have worked to choose together with the IWW history to create a ing work, including distribution to those articles and material that reflect labor rich tapestry of the Bisbee story. expressing interest in or having questions struggles and successes around the world. I For Fall 2017, I thought of all of the about the IWW. I have read a formal let- have not limited myself to what’s going on people in long-ago and recent history who ter signed by a number of Wobblies and in the IWW, because I believe that workers’ worked for the same values IWW fights followed some email threads weighing the organizing, strikes, defeats, and successes for. But they did it in the sciences, litera- pros and cons of the magazine format vs. reflect the universal struggle for those who ture, art, politics, music, social action, edu- the newspaper format. labor for others to achieve the fairness in cation, and so many other fields. I wanted When I ran as a candidate to become working conditions, pay, and hours, no to remember their challenges and achieve- IW’s editor in the Fall of 2016, I didn’t matter what union they are in—and even ments while recognizing and remember- understand that the change to a magazine if they are not union members. ing those who the IWW lost during the format was controversial in the union. I have also sought to provide added year. I believe that our work builds upon All I knew from my few years as an IWW interest by developing themes for the quar- a foundation made up of many materials member (with a break in between blocks terly issues. Spring and Fall were easy, since from many eras that give it strength and of time) was that when it came to which “May Day” and “In November We Re- endurance for the long haul. And I wanted I preferred to read, I chose the magazine, member” rightfully dominate those issues. to recognize those contributions. without hesitation. To me, the newspaper But I wanted to broaden the scope of the For Winter 2018, it seems I raised some was difficult to read. The layout was clut- issues by going beyond what I’ve seen in controversy, because it was after this issue tered and the look was unattractive to my IW before while still maintaining relevance on workers in the Arts was published that eye. Mostly, however, as someone who has to what Wobblies do and value. I began to see the discussions about going worked with the English language profes- I had serendipitous contact with a back to the newspaper format. I grew up sionally since 1978—as a teacher, writer, woman who was commemorating the in the arts. It was simply what my fam- editor, and proofreader—it didn’t read 100th anniversary of the Bisbee Deporta- ily did. To present an issue that looked at smoothly. tion, when she asked about submitting work in literature, music, films, television, The magazine seemed to me to have a something to the Spring 2017 issue. When and beyond seemed to provide a natural more universal appeal than the newspaper she noted that it would be tight for her extension from what most people consider did, which I thought was deliberate and to get an article in on time, since she was “regular” work. But for those people who for the better. And here we come to how working on an exhibit in Bisbee that was wrote those books, made those films, and I discovered that my philosophy of what going to open just before the anniversary, I “From the Editor” continues on page 17.

5 Hoping Against Hope: Sonia Brownell Orwell Review of: The Girl from the well’s choosing her as the model for Julia future and was “hoping against hope.” Fiction Department, by Hilary in Nineteen Eighty-Four. Julia was one of Like the POUM members who were un- Orwell’s most heroic characters. Sonia justly accused of being traitors to Loyalist Spurling Orwell’s social involvement continued for Spain, Sonia Orwell was unjustly accused By Raymond S. Solomon a long time after Orwell’s death and was of opportunism. As Orwell stated in “Why After George Orwell’s death, was his manifest by, among other activities, her I Write,” he wrote Homage to Catalonia to radical-labor-libertarian heritage to con- support of Biafra and Bangladesh, both defend men—foreign and Spanish POUM tinue? Were books like The Lion and the humanitarian tragedies. fighters—who were unjustly accused. So Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius Just as Julia brought love, comfort, and perhaps Sonia’s longtime friend Hilary and Homage to Catalonia going to find assistance to Winston Smith in Nineteen Spurling wrote The Girl from the Fiction a wider audience? Would his important Eighty-Four, so did Sonia for Orwell dur- Department to defend Sonia Orwell. messages for the workers of the world in ing the last period of his life. Winston In promoting Orwell’s heritage Sonia “Looking Back on the Spanish War” going Smith’s initial description of Julia must Orwell worked in collaboration with Ian to be heard? have mirrored Orwell’s initial impression Angus in editing the four-volume The of Sonia. Nineteen Eighty-Four describes a Collected Essays, Journalism, and Letters of woman full of life, like Sonia. Some who George Orwell, which were published in knew Orwell interpreted Sonia’s approach Britain and the United States in 1968. to life as selfishness or mercenary behavior, Irving Howe commented that he did especially since after so short a marriage not know the extent of Orwell’s writing Sonia became the inheritor of Orwell’s accomplishments until he saw the col- estate and had control over his work. lected works. These volumes are full of One of the things Sonia had in common so many historical footnotes that they by with Orwell was that they were both origi- themselves could constitute a great book. nally born and spent their very early years This collection was a monumental research in India, and came to England at an early achievement. In 1960, at University Col- age. A big difference was that Orwell, as a lege London, Sonia established the George child, was not close to either of his sisters. Orwell Archive, together with David Astor But Sonia had a little brother—or half- and Richard Rees. brother—to whom she was very close. Ac- As Hilary Spurling observed, Sonia went cording to Spurling, Sonia and her brother, through the daunting work of collecting two years younger, would speculate together about whether they had the same father. Sonia grew up in a cohesive Anglo- Orwell (Eric Blair, 1903–1949) met So- Indian Catholic community. Sonia hated nia Brownell (1918–1980) at his longtime- Catholic school, which she found brutal. friend Cyril Connolly’s magazine, Horizon, As an adult, she could not stand nuns. It in 1946. Horizon was a prestigious literary was similar to the Catholic schooling in magazine and was one of the many peri- pre-Republican Spain that philosophical odicals where Orwell was published. Sonia, Anarchist Francisco Ferrer rebelled against. a brilliant editor, was indispensable in run- There were separate schools for girls and ning Horizon. In one of the most personal boys, and Science was not taught. Ferrer letters in Orwell’s Collected Letters from went on to establish his network of Mod- Arthur Koestler, Koestler advised Orwell to ern Schools in Spain because of his school marry Sonia Brownell as soon as possible, experience. because she “was one of the nicest people” Spurling tells us that after the sudden he knew in Britain. death in 1945 of his first wife Eileen, everything Orwell published and cata- Sonia Brownell Orwell was of great whom he married in 1936, in addition to loguing it. Ian Angus had suggested that comfort to George Orwell in the last being very sad, Orwell was quite lonely, he receive one fourth of the royalties, but period of his life. She took good care of despite having many friends. Sonia, his Sonia increased his share to fifty percent, him both before and after their short mar- second wife, more than filled a need. She and insisted that he share the editing riage in 1949. Sonia Brownell Orwell was was able to move forward after his death credit. Sonia’s efforts helped bring Orwell’s primarily responsible for the publication of and carry on for him. important working-class messages to work- the various collections of Orwell’s writ- When George Orwell died, Sonia cried ers throughout the world. IW ings that were published after his death, for hours inconsolably. As The Girl from and therefore for Orwell becoming more I thank my Fellow Worker wife Judy for her the Fiction Department describes, she had editorial help on this article. famous then he was after the publication of believed she could save George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, and for his left-wing life. They were both looking forward to go- Spurling, Hilary. (2002) The Girl from the views being much more widely read. ing to Switzerland and Orwell’s treatment Fiction Department: A Portrait of Sonia Or- That Sonia was a kind, considerate, for tuberculosis at the Sanitarium. She had well. New York: Counterpoint: A Member of the full-of-life, and politically aware person, plans to act as his secretary, help mate, Perseus Books Group. is proved by, among other things, Or- and caretaker. She looked forward to their

Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 6 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 Trump is making it harder for low-wage workers to organize, but this fast food union could win organizers teen months, was allegedly fired for eating by accusing a 70-cent bagel without paying for it. Vaan- them of mi- dering said a manager gave him the bagel nor infrac- during a paid-break and didn’t ask him for tions that any money. While the bagel was the pretext wouldn’t for Vaandering’s termination, he believes otherwise he was let go because he was recruiting co- be enforced. workers to join the BVWU. He told the Asked about the alleged retaliations story of two earlier this year, the company released the Burgerville following statement: “Burgerville does not workers who comment on individual employee matters were re- or internal company policies.” cently let go. Earlier this year, in response to manage- One of them ment’s refusal to negotiate with the union was allegedly and its alleged retaliation against organiz- fired for put- ers, BVWU called on consumers to boycott ting a small Burgerville. The boycott call came during a amount of three-day strike that started at the com- ice cream in pany’s Northeast MLK Boulevard location By Michael Arria his coffee. before spreading to its Southeast Powell April 3, 2018, Working In These Times The other was allegedly fired for smelling and 26th store, two locations in Portland. Workers at a Burgerville in Portland, like marijuana. According to Brennan, the Mark Medina, an employee at the Oregon, declared on March 26 that they latter worker never admitted to smoking Southeast Portland store and a member of will file for a federal union election. If marijuana and the company didn’t ask him BVWU, told In These Times that, while the union campaigners win, the restaurant will to take a drug test. The employee, who is union campaign has been active for more become the first federally recognized fast black, did have a medical prescription for than 20, now is the perfect time to file for food union shop in the United States. The marijuana because of his epilepsy. “They a union election. “It took a lot of work to local effort, which has a significant chance gave him a week’s suspension and then they get where we are right now,” said Medina. of victory, offers a powerful antidote to the fired him,” said Brennan. “He’s an active “This was all built from the ground up: Trump administration’s aggressive anti- worker agenda. This move comes after years of worker or- ganizing as part of the Burgerville Workers Union (BVWU), which is an affiliate of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The workers gave Burgerville 48 hours to voluntarily acknowledge the union, which management refused. BVWU went public in 2016, seeking raises for hourly workers, affordable health- care, a sustainable workplace and consistent scheduling. In addition to these demands, workers asked Burgerville to stop using the E-Verify system, which they say targets undocumented workers. E-Verify compares employee information with Department of Homeland Security and other federal records to confirm that people can legally work in the United States. Today, six of the Washington-based com- pany’s 42 stores have publicly active unions, and workers say they’ve been fighting union busting and resistance from management union supporter, and the combination of no money, all volunteers. We’ve had major throughout the entire process. racism and anti-unionism in that is pretty strikes and many shops, and now we’ll have In an interview with the website It’s transparent to everybody.” more leverage during the process. Our level Going Down, Luis Brennan, an employee Last year, Jordan Vaandering, a Burger- of organization is concrete now. It’s better.” at Burgerville’s Portland Airport location, ville employee who had worked at the Burgerville workers’ call for a union alleged that the company retaliates against store’s Vancouver Plaza location for four- “Burgerville” continues on page 17.

7 Bridgeport’s contentious 1978 teachers’ strike By Andy Piascik and that number dropped in the days that number of picket lines, the teachers stood [email protected] followed. The Board of Ed kept elementary firm. Finally, on September 25th, after When Bridgeport public school stu- and middle schools open at first by utilizing 19 days, the teachers union and Board of dents arrived for the first day of school on a small number of teaching aides, substitute Ed both agreed to accept binding arbitra- September 6, 1978, they discovered that teachers, and ac- their teachers were on strike. The Board credited, unem- of Education and the Bridgeport Educa- ployed teachers, tion Association (BEA), the collective but only 10% of bargaining representative of the city’s 1,247 students showed teachers as well as about 100 other school up. The city’s professionals, had been at loggerheads for Parent Teacher months. Connecticut law forbids strikes by Association sup- teachers, however, and many Bridgeporters ported the strike were caught off guard by the picket lines in by rejecting a front of schools. call by the Board This does not mean the city’s residents that they assist in were unsympathetic. On the contrary, staffing schools

many parents joined the picket lines, as and helping scab Wikimedia Commons did students. On the West Side, a neigh- teachers. Bridgeport, Conn.’s William Harding High School borhood group organized its members to Mass Arrests and gather outside Longfellow School to urge Imprisonment tion. All teachers, some of whom had been students to go home and to urge parents Arrests began just days into the strike and locked up for 13 days, were released from who accompanied their children to school State Superior Court Judge James Heneby prison. The final terms of the agreement to support the strike. began levying fines of $10,000 per day were largely favorable to the teachers. National Teacher Strike Wave against the union. As the strike continued, New Legislation: A Setback? The walkout in Bridgeport was one Heneby ordered the union’s officers jailed. In the strike’s aftermath, the Connecticut of many that September, as teachers in The first jailings of teachers occurred on legislature passed the 1979 Teacher Collec- Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, Seattle, September 12th, when thirteen strikers tive Bargaining Act that mandates binding and numerous smaller cities and towns saw were handcuffed and carted off, the men to arbitration when teachers and the munici- schools closed because of strikes. Not far a prison in New Haven and the women to palities they work for are stalemated in con- away, teachers in Norwalk also went on one in Niantic some 60 miles away. Those tract negotiations. While some observers strike for five days. None of those strikes, arrested endured degradations such as strip saw the law as a victory for teachers, it re- however, was as contentious or bitter as the searches and being doused with lice spray. mains illegal for teachers in Connecticut to one in Bridgeport. Adding further insult, Heneby imposed strike. In addition, a number of changes to The teachers were seeking significant in- individual fines of $350 per person per day the law since 1979, such as one that allows creases in salaries and pensions, other ben- on the arrestees. municipalities but not unions to reject the efit improvements, and smaller class sizes. Angered by the arrests and the teachers’ decision of an arbitrator, have weakened They had accepted what many observers subsequent treatment—treatment that one the bargaining position of teachers. regarded as arrestee later called the most humiliating The law’s restriction against strikes is also a conces- event of her life—the strikers turned out problematic, as conditions for Bridgeport sionary to the picket lines the following day in ever teachers, not to mention students, have in contract in larger numbers and with greater determi- many ways worsened since 1978. In Chi- 1975, and nation and militancy. One result was that cago, where strikes are not illegal, teachers were dissat- the city and school board were forced to who struck for nine days in 2012, and for isfied with abandon efforts to keep any schools open. shorter durations several times since, have the city’s With all 38 schools closed, another 115 again shown that significant improvements offer three teachers were arrested in the next few days can be won with strikes. Those actions years later. and 274 in all were arrested during the have countered attempts by elites intent The union strike, 22% of the total in the city. Many of on weakening teacher unions and under- pointed those arrested were packed onto buses and funding schools by pitting the interests of out that salaries in Bridgeport for teachers taken 70 miles to a National Guard camp students against those of teachers. A similar and other school staff were the lowest in in Windsor Locks that was converted into a alliance of the wider public and school Fairfield County (as they are today) and makeshift prison. professionals, including 274 who endured among the lowest in the state. The union Standing Firm to Victory arrest and scandalous treatment, is what also noted the regular exodus of teachers With all of the other strikes around the enabled teachers to prevail and lift all boats from Bridgeport to higher-salaried jobs in country settled, the mass arrest and im- in their strike in Bridgeport in 1978. IW prisonment of Bridgeport’s teachers was nearby school districts, another trend that Bridgeport native Andy Piascik is a long-time remains in 2018. drawing international attention and caus- ing local elites and city residents as a whole activist and award-winning author whose novel From the outset, the strike was highly In Motion was recently published by Sunshine successful. Only 36 teachers, or less than great embarrassment. Despite the arrests, jailings, fines and some tense scenes on a Publishing (www.sunshinepublishing.org). He can 3%, reported for work on September 6th, be reached at [email protected].

Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 8 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 The people united on the Embarcadero By Charles W. Martin III longshore- In the early 1930s on the West Coast of men de- the United States, the longshoremen and the manded a $1/ sailors, who make the shipping trade possi- hour wage, a ble, were working under grueling conditions six-hour day, for low pay. The longshoremen made on a 30-hour average $40 a month, while able seamen and workweek, ordinary seamen made roughly $53 and $36 and the a month respectively. Both longshoremen creation of and sailors faced extended unemployment a union hall between jobs, but when work was avail- to remove able they were forced to work long hours. hiring deci- The longshoremen could be forced to work sions from shifts up to 36 hours straight, and the sailors the gangsters worked up to 16 hours a day. in the Blue Neither the longshoremen nor the sailors Book Union. had adequate union protection against However, these injustices. The longshoremen were the bosses channeled into the gangster-controlled had nothing Blue Book Union. Through this “union” to negoti- ILWU march down Market Street they had to use payoffs and bribes to gain ate; only a Communist insurrection to and Nick Bordoise, a member of the cook’s work. The sailors were mostly unorganized, put down. The press supported them by union and the local Communist Party. except for the small and corrupt Inter- launching a slander campaign to paint the By the end of Bloody Thursday, 2,000 national Seaman’s Union, and the even workers as Disney villains. Consider this National Guardsmen were called out and it “gem” from the San Francisco appeared that the strike was lost. Chronicle, headlined “Red Army However, that very night the people Marching on City”: of San Francisco began stirring. 35,000 people marched at the funeral for the “… the Communist army two slain men. Then, beginning with the planned the destruction of Painter’s Union Local 1158, local after railroad and highway facili- local were calling for a general strike. They ties to paralyze transporta- were ignoring the frantic cries of “Red” by tion and later, communica- the mainstream business press and Wil- tion, while San Francisco liam Green, the president of the American and the Bay Area were made Federation of Labor. All but two of the a focal point in a red struggle city’s union locals—around 160 locals with for control of government.” a membership of 127,000—walked out on Joseph Ryan, the opportunist the morning of July 16, 1934. and mob-connected ILA presi- Many of the unions in San Francisco dent, tried to scuttle the strike were run by corrupt and opportunist labor by signing an agreement with leaders, who comprised a majority of the the bosses over the heads of the General Strike Committee. They did not workers. When they told him to want the workers to go on a general strike go pound sand, he also joined in but they went along to get along in order the chorus of accusing the strik- to not be swept away by the wave of the ers of being Communists. rank and file. smaller militant Marine Workers Industrial On July 3, 1934, the police attacked the This rank-and-file wave led to the city Union that was part of the Trade Union picket line at the Embarcadero pier in San being completely shut down—nothing Unity League. Francisco and a vicious fight ensued for moved without the blessing of the General The inhumane conditions mentioned four hours. The police attacked with their Strike Committee. While the bosses owned above, along with the legal right for guns, batons, and tear gas while the strik- everything, they were nothing without workers to organize through the recently ers fought back with bricks and their fists. their workers. Not a single gear or ma- passed National Industrial Recovery Act, The next day saw a truce on the July th4 chine ran. The bosses responded to their led the longshoremen to flock into the holiday, with the fighting picking up where impotence by bringing in 3,000 additional International Longshoreman Association it left off on July th5 . That day, known as National Guardsmen and hiring vigilan- (ILA). The bosses, violating the law (which Bloody Thursday, saw other workers and tes to wreck, among other things, union they consider sacred only when it benefits students come to the picket line to rein- halls, bookstores, the headquarters of the them) refused to negotiate with the union force the besieged strikers. local Communist Party and other worker and fired four rank-and-file militants. In The police wrecked the headquarters of organizations, and even a soup kitchen run response, the longshoremen and the sailors the ILA, hundreds were badly wounded, by the ILA. In one amusing incident, the went out on strike up and down the West and two strikers were killed. The two slain police pathetically arrested 500 homeless Coast 35,000 strong on May 9, 1934. The men were Howard Sperry, a longshoreman, “Embarcadero” continues on page 17.

9 All work. No play. gram called Christian There wasn’t much substance abuse Alcoholics & Ad- treatment at CAAIR. It was mostly fac- dicts in Recovery tory work for one of America’s top poul- (CAAIR) supposedly try companies. If McGahey got hurt or operates as a diver- worked too slowly, his bosses threatened sionary treatment him with prison. program for drug And he worked for free. CAAIR pock- offenders, that judges eted the pay. “It was a slave camp,” McGahey said. “I can’t believe the court sent me there.” . . . Chicken process- ing plants are notori- ously dangerous and Men in CAAIR session understaffed. The hours By Fellow Worker Randy Gould are long, the pay is low, What happens when you combine and the conditions are capitalism with the prison system? Horror! brutal. Should we be shocked that almost no one gives a hoot what is going on as we sleep down in Oklahoma? I’m thinking, yeah, we should. While this article below focuses on one program in one state, very much similar operations are occurring all over this great land of ours. Convicts are pretty much stuck at the bottom of the “rights” can sentence barrel. They ain’t got hardly any at all. I defendants to as made like 7 cents an hour when I worked an alternative to in prison. My job wasn’t dangerous, unless prison. In reality, the power plant I was working in hap- CAAIR operates pened to blow up or something. In fact, I a labor camp, in kinda liked the job (it beat sitting around which residents doing nothing), but still 7 cents. Talk about work long hours surplus value, talk about stealing labor power. in slaughterhouses Still, I don’t much care what the pay is, what for large food com- CAAIR divertee Brad McGahey, who was injured while working on the line. is happening in Oklahoma is a travesty. panies. There is no I have no idea what it takes to simply get real “treatment” to speak of, and CAAIR Men in the CAAIR program said their people’s attention focused on something pockets the workers’ wages. Sometimes hands became gnarled after days spent like this, none, zip. I am sure of one thing, those sent there haven’t even committed hanging thousands of chickens from metal typing these words here isn’t going to do it. drug offenses; it appears to exist simply to shackles. One man said he was burned Maybe, it’s just a good way for me to get provide convict labor for large corpora- with acid while hosing down a trailer. Oth- the rage out and not get myself arrested tions. ers were maimed by machines or contract- in the process. Been there, done that, that ed serious bacterial infections. didn’t get anyone’s attention either (well, it They thought they were Those who were hurt and could no lon- got mine, I suppose). going to rehab. They end- ger work often were kicked out of CAAIR By the way, I bet dollars to donuts the and sent to prison, court records show. program operating the “diversionary” pro- ed up in chicken plants Most men worked through the pain, fear- gram here is a not-for-profit. Don’t even By Amy Julia Harris and Shoshana ing the same fate. get me started on that. Walter “They work you to death. They work you A recent report on the abuses of con- October 4, 2017, Reveal News every single day,” said Nate Turner, who vict laborers in Oklahoma chicken plants Standing in a tiny wood-paneled court- graduated from CAAIR in 2015. “It’s a should cause widespread outrage . . . room in rural Oklahoma in 2010, [Brad work camp. They know people are desper- McGahey] faced one year in state prison. ate to get out of jail, and they’ll do whatever Why isn’t this a major The judge had another plan. they can do to stay out of prison.” IW national scandal? A few weeks later, McGahey stood in To read each complete article, use the links below: front of a speeding conveyor belt inside a https://www.currentaffairs.org/2017/12/why- By Nathan J. Robinson isnt-this-a-major-national-scandal December 19, 2017, Current Affairs frigid poultry plant, pulling guts and stray feathers from slaughtered chickens des- https://www.revealnews.org/article/they- . . . Let me just summarize what Reveal‘s thought-they-were-going-to-rehab-they-end- report shows: In rural Oklahoma, a pro- tined for major fast food restaurants and grocery stores. ed-up-in-chicken-plants/

Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 10 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 Women’s gender pay inequality By Ellie Sawyer for whatever reason, the thresholds to get sions less valuable to society? You may In this time of growing empowerment, into these sciences is lower than for physics balk at the thought of teachers not being with movements such as #TimesUp, and engineering. Because women were valued, but considering the strikes taking #MeToo, and #YesAllWomen, it is easy to able to infiltrate the ranks of these careers place in Kentucky, Arizona, and Okla- think that women are about to come into with greater ease, the reputations of these homa, you would be wrong. And what of their own as equal participants in society. sciences suffered. So, we can assume, did my story? Based on the disparity between It would be easy to believe that as women their funding. But why? software engineers and ecologists in terms come forward about their stories of sexual When the 2015 study on gender wage of how seriously they are taken and how abuse and discrimination that society is inequality came out from the Department much funding they receive, you can see ready to face its role in perpetuating patri- of Labor, the statistics were staggering— how society might be set up in such a archal persecution. However, it is far from and controversial. While it claimed that way to pay more “feminine” occupations, being that simple. a white woman made 80 cents for every or occupations with lower thresholds for women, less. That is not the only source of disparity. Unfortunately, in my case, most biologists are still men, and women still face huge gender inequal- ity in biological fields—being passed over for jobs, being underfunded or under-published, and being dismissed by their bosses, peers, and even their own students. When I was at univer- sity, for example, my climate science professor was Dr. Jia Hu, an Asian- American woman. More than once a class period, my male peers would I offer a personal anecdote of sorts: As dollar a white man made (it is even less question her authority on the subject noted in my byline, my degree is in bio- for women of color, most men of color, matter—and when they were confronted logical sciences. Biology is a very impor- and people with disabilities) and provided with their behavior by the president of the tant line of science used in very necessary ample reason and evidence for this dispar- campus feminist club, one stubborn boy everyday applications. The problem is that ity, many people did not read into the evi- threw his hands up and declared, “I was whenever I mention my degree, especially dence or the reason. They assume it speaks just asking a question!” Fortunately, he to someone in a different line of STEM- to an individual level of pay inequality— was the only one stubborn enough not to related (science, technology, engineering, that in instances of a single employer, the proffer an apology to our professor, though and math) career, I am often met with male employees are being paid more than I doubt it would be the last time Jia would some scoffing variant of, “Oh, so you study the female employees of equivalent quali- face such aggression. soft science.” Having taken years of related fications. Because coursework, I can assure you that there of this, the 2016 is nothing “soft” about biology: It is not study caused great a science for the faint of heart. Sure, the contention, and a maths involved are arguably not as com- more than a few plicated, but I can attest to the fact that people dismissed it the memorization of the many different out of hand, chalk- types of muscle groups in a preserved cat ing it up to being or dogfish, or the several types of organic deeply flawed. chemical groups, is nothing to sniff at. I Let’s perform a would challenge even the smartest engineer thought experi- to attempt to identify a category of grass. ment: I’ll name Most tenured professors of botany even a few jobs and balk at the task! Even more than that, al- careers, and you though less than one percent of all STEM think about them graduates are biology majors, breaking into in terms of pay, of qualifications, and of There is always hope, of course. After a career in biology and ecology is extremely value to society. Let’s start with something the Women’s March and the March for competitive, due to lack of funding. Why? easy: surgeons? Soldiers, perhaps? How Science, women became more vocal about Well, as it turns out, it is not the only about cattle ranchers? CEOs? Pretty valu- their treatment in STEM-related careers. science to be treated this way. Psychology able people, right? Now let’s consider an- Study upon study in the last few years have and sociology are also treated with this other group: florists? Waitresses? Fry cooks? been performed, reinforcing the fact that lack of respect. Ever hear someone dismiss Secretaries? Nurses? Teachers? women are not equals in their fields, and a psychologist as “not a real scientist”? I See the pattern? Can you guess which that opportunities for them to even enter have—and I have even been guilty of do- ones get paid more? Why are people who those fields in the first place are limited. ing it myself! Many believe this because, are in what can qualify as “service” profes- “Pay inequality” continues on page 17.

11 I should be so lucky, Buddy. I ain’t got a job: The fightfor equal work By Logan Marie Glitterbomb suicide. As the slogan goes, “equal pay for equal But we work.” But what about those who still can’t cannot just even get their foot in the door to get equal see ourselves work in the first place? While cis women as victims; are still being underpaid in comparison to we must find cis men, many trans folks are struggling to a way out. even find a job at all. I can’t tell you how We must many interviews that I’ve been to where find a way the interviewer’s face sours the minute to make our they realize they are interviewing a trans own. This woman, leaving the rest of the interview is why there as just a painful display of formality and are so many unspoken bigotry with no hope of a return trans folks call. After a while it seems so hopeless that in industries you barely even bother anymore. like sex work After nearly three years of that, I am or drug sales. being more accepting. Now many of them stuck only working freelance gigs—both When you are kept out of damned near are powerful trans allies who would gladly manual labor and journalism. Sure, it’s every other industry based on the prejudice work beside other trans folks. Seeing that better than nothing, but $10 or less for of others, you do what you have to do to type of acceptance from her co-workers an article that takes me half a day or more survive. made them less fearful to hire her for jobs to write is next to nothing. Going weeks Can unions do anything to change and, by proxy, made them less likely to or even months between finding a house- this? Union shops could absolutely craft turn down other qualified people based on cleaning gig or a carpentry job means hav- anti-discrimination rules, but that doesn’t their gender. ing to pull off other hustles or beg friends necessarily change the boss’ hiring preju- But Zot was special. She was especially for food and resources to fill in the gaps. It dices: It merely provides legal recourse for brave to not only come out in her work- is an undignified, a broken-bargain-info- those already employed. Given more time place but to do so in an industry known graphic-transgender and desperate way of however, unions could definitely foster a for being much more hypermasculine than life, but it is the reality I live in, and the re- healthier work environment and help out others. Not all trans folks have the mental ality many other trans folks face every day. already employed trans folks, thus hope- spoons to deal with the inevitable backlash fully paving the that would come with such a bold act. way towards a Many face fears of violence, a loss of re- trans-friendly sources, or the threat of being fired. Many workplace that face the choice of being out and unem- would hire ployed or being employed while having to more trans go stealth and facing the constant mental folks mov- toll of having to hide and be consistently ing forward. misgendered. I personally There are no easy or fast solutions. To have seen that be honest I don’t know how we solve this happen locally problem. I don’t have the answers to these after one of our questions short of revolution. But we can’t late sisters, Zot keep pushing off these conversations while Szurgot—dual people are dying from homelessness and carder with the hunger. We can talk about equal pay for IWW and the women but let’s not forget that that only International helps those women (and non-women) Brotherhood who are employed in the first place, and of Electrical many of us are still just fighting for the Workers—came mere right to be employed. That is why it out as a trans is so important that the IWW includes the woman after unemployed within the ranks of the One already being Big Union. The voices of the unemployed employed and must be included if we wish to truly help unionized. the working class. Together we stand in It’s this state of constant struggle, on top of At first, many in her union shared solidarity with all our working class sisters, having to deal with other forms of soci- transphobic views, but through her hard both employed and unemployed. Together etal prejudice, that ends in so many trans work for the union, she proved her own we rise. IW folks being homeless or even committing and thus pushed her fellow workers into

Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 12 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 A tale of two sexists By Anonymous to put different women in a different lab technology, engineering, and math] resume Where I work, we have our share of through all the same bullshit. We cleaned means thousands less in pay and being seen spoiled trust-fund kids to deal with. A up after him and moved on. as less qualified and competent than the few years ago, I was charged with training Most men I know aren’t like K; their exact same resume with a man’s name. It is one of them: Let’s call him “K”. I don’t sexism is less obvious. They aren’t this the big question of whether or not to use know how K got to the point that he was brazen, and even if they do secretly share your full name or initials. Not because you doing rotations as a pre-PharmD [Doctor his mindset, they don’t have the connec- might be mistaken for another scientist with a similar name, but because you can’t be sure if your research will be taken seri- ously with a woman’s name on it. It is not having any women faculty or women in senior positions in my department to turn to about all these little (and big) things. All these little things build up to make you feel unwelcome, unwanted, and not good enough. I went into STEM because I thought it would be a place where I could be respect- ed for my work without my gender being taken into consideration. The truth is, I will always be a “woman scientist,” whereas the men I work with have the privilege of just being a “scientist.” This is a distinc- tion that few admit, much less understand. When men fail in a male-dominated field, it reflects badly on them personally. They don’t carry the weight of having to prove they and everyone like them deserve to be there and are capable of the job. They Disparity in income for men and women in STEM don’t have to carry this burden, or struggle of Pharmacy], if not for well-connected tions to get away with treating women like with the constant reminders to doubt family members pulling a lot of strings for pieces of shit all day, every day. But the themselves and their worthiness. They’re him. His knowledge was severely lacking. men I work with still enabled him, down- a scientist, period. That’s all I want, and I It wasn’t long before “K” became a syn- played his actions, or looked the other way. don’t think it is too much to ask for. onym for “ignorant, expensive, and easily Knowing he would not listen to me and And don’t be angry about people like avoidable mistake,” as all of his work was the other women training him, they did K. Strive to do something to stop it, no full of these, despite his belief that he al- not confront him. Most men are blind to matter what your gender. Things will not ready knew everything there was to know. their own misogyny in the workplace and change if we are complacent. Acknowl- My first impression of K was that his beyond edge your own privilege, whatever type it interpersonal skills were severely lacking— Now it is often the little stuff that gets is. Strive to recognize it, confront it, and until I saw him interacting with other men to me. Like reminding male co-workers use it for good when you can. Men like K in the lab like a normal human being. He that I was the one that trained them on a won’t listen to people like me; it is up to was incapable even feigning respect for procedure, when they see me doing it and you stand your ground and let him know women but was perfectly able to treat other ask if I know what I’m doing, or if I need that it is not okay—for him, for you, for men as equals, even mentors. K refused to any help. Little stuff like delivery people me, for anyone. IW listen to or take any advice from women. assuming I’m not a Obviously this is a problem when you’re a scientist and that the woman and your duty is to train someone, male undergrad almost but it is an even bigger problem when that half my age is, when person has access to dangerous reagents, they’re looking for expensive media, millions of dollars of someone to sign for equipment, and the priceless samples that packages or help with constitute the life’s work of many people. equipment. These and Dealing with men like this, you soon other things so small learn they will never take responsibility for that you feel crazy for their mistakes, and since they will always letting it bother you. make mistakes until they learn—and refuse But there are bigger to learn from you—all communication things, too. The fact must be come through another man. So we that putting a woman’s played that game of telephone. Eventually, name on the top of K’s time with us ended, and he went on a STEM [science,

13 Lucy Parsons: Revolutionary feminist By Saswat Pattanayak Communistic Commitments social acceptance or glory. Women’s Rights in the Workplace Parsons’ commitment to the cause of Voice of Dissent International Communism often embar- Parsons was among the first women to No legal case in American history has rassed the United States administration. join the founding convention of the IWW. been more cited than the Scottsboro Trial. The FBI confiscated her library, comprising She thundered: “We, the women of this Nine young African-American men, aged over 1,500 books and progressive works, country, have no ballot even if we wished 13 and up, were jailed in Scottsboro, soon after her accidental death—thus to use it. But we have our labor. Wherever Alabama, to await trial over an accusation preventing the country from having access wages are to be reduced, the capitalist class that they had raped two white women on a to her radicalism. But those that witnessed uses women to reduce them.” train in the Spring of 1931. Parsons’ oratory and benefited from her In The Agitator, dated November 1, The nature of racism in this instance was skills in organizing labor knew of Parsons’ 1912, she referred to Haymarket martyrs not the novelty—indeed, American society disdain towards anarchism, which she felt thus: “Our comrades were not murdered was witness to countless false charges was not capable of leading the masses into by the state because they had any connec- brought against Black people. However, tion with the bombthrowing, but because the Scottsboro Trial became a landmark via they were active in organizing the wage- the manner in which racism for the first slaves. The capitalist class didn’t want to time was fiercely and openly challenged in find the bombthrower; this class foolishly the United States. believed that by putting to death the active When the entire country was refusing spirits of the labor movement of the time, to take the side of Scottsboro Nine, it it could frighten the working class back to was the Communist Party that came to slavery.” aid the young men. International Labor She had no illusions about capitalistic Defense—a coalition formed by the Com- world order. Parsons called for an armed munists to defend the Scottsboro Nine— overthrow of the American ruling class. benefited from the active involvement of She refused to buy into an argument that a Black woman on their national board, a the origin of racist violence was in racism. pioneering champion of the labor classes in Instead, Parsons viewed racism as a neces- America: Lucy Parsons (1853–1942). sary byproduct of capitalism. In 1886, she Class, Race, and Gender called for armed resistance by the working Parsons’ commitments towards freedom class: “You are not absolutely defenseless. of the young Black Communist Angelo For the torch of the incendiary, which has Herndon in Georgia, Tom Mooney in been known with impunity, cannot be California, and for the Scottsoboro Nine wrested from you!” in Alabama were unflinching. Parsons For Parsons, her personal losses meant recognized the class system in America as nothing; her oppression as a woman meant the prime factor in perpetuating racism. Fellow Worker and Fellow Traveler less. She was dedicated to ushering in She was the foremost American feminist Lucy Parsons changes for all of humanity—changes that to declare that race, gender, and sexuality revolutions. would alter the world order in favor of the are not oppressed identities by themselves. Following the Bolshevik Revolution in working poor class. It is the economic class that determines the Soviet Union, the IWW would wit- Even as a founding member of IWW, the level of oppression people in minori- ness several of its main organizers joining she was not willing to let the world’s largest ties have to confront. Notwithstanding the Communist Party. Parsons, along with labor union function in a romanticized her social condition of being a Black and “Big” Bill Haywood and Elizabeth Gurley manner. She radicalized the IWW by a woman, Parsons declared that a Black Flynn, was among the pioneering Ameri- demanding that women, Mexican migrant person in America is exploited not because can Communists. Parsons not only had workers, and even the unemployed become she/he is Black: “It is because he is poor. It officially joined the Communist Party of full and equal members. is because he is dependent. Because he is the United States, she was also vocally op- With her clarity of vision, lifelong poorer as a class than his white wage-slave posed to distractions within revolutionary devotion to Communist causes, her strict brother of the North.” movements. adherence to radical demands for a soci- Lucy Parsons was a relentless defender Parsons criticized celebrated anarchist etal replacement of class structure, Lucy of working-class rights. To contain her Emma Goldman for “addressing large Parsons remains the most shining example popularity, the media portrayed her more middle-class audiences.” Whereas Lucy of an American woman who turned her as the wife of Albert Parsons—a Haymar- Parsons’ feminism considered women’s disadvantaged social position of race and ket martyr, who, while demanding an oppression as a function of capitalism, gender to one of formidable strength— eight-hour working day, was murdered Emma Goldman was clearly not in favor raising herself to bring about emancipated by the state of Illinois, on November 11, of a vanguard party taking up feminist working-class consciousness. IW 1887. While identifying her with Albert’s causes. Parsons, in her dedication towards Saswat Pattayanak is employed as a social justice causes, history textbooks—both liberal and working-class liberation movements, never blogger for New York law firm Women’s Rights conservative—seldom mention Parsons as lost sight of her goal, never compromised in the Workplace engaged in women’s workplace the radical torchbearer of American Com- on her principled stands on the side of the advocacy. https://womensrightsny.com/lucy- munist movement. working poor, and never aspired for mere parsons-revolutionary-feminist/

Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 14 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018

ByA Emma new Goldman Declaration of Independence 1909 Author’s note: This “Declaration” was written at the request of a certain newspaper, which subsequently refused to publish it, though the article was already in composition. When, in the course of human development, existing institutions prove inadequate to the needs of man, when they serve merely to enslave, rob, and oppress mankind, the people have the eternal right to rebel against, and overthrow, these institutions. The mere fact that these forces—inimical to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—are legalized by statute laws, sanctified by divine rights, and enforced by political power, in no way justifies their continued existence. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all human beings, irrespective of race, color, or sex, are born with the equal right to share at the table of life; that to secure this right, there must be established among men economic, social, and political freedom; we hold further that government exists but to maintain special privilege and property rights; that it coerces man into submis- sion and therefore robs him of dignity, self-respect, and life. The history of the American kings of capital and authority is the history of repeated crimes, injus- tice, oppression, outrage, and abuse, all aiming at the suppression of in- dividual liberties and the exploitation of the people. A vast country, rich enough to supply all her children with all possible comforts, and insure well-being to all, is in the hands of a few, while the nameless millions are at the mercy of ruthless wealth gatherers, unscrupulous lawmakers, and corrupt politicians. Sturdy sons of America are forced to tramp the country in a fruitless search for bread, and many of her daughters are driven into the street, while thousands of tender children are daily sacri- ficed on the altar of Mammon. The reign of these kings is holding mankind in slavery, perpetuating pov- erty and disease, maintaining crime and corruption; it is fettering the spirit of liberty, throttling the voice of justice, and degrading and oppressing humanity. It is engaged in continual war and slaughter, devastating the country and destroying the best and finest qualities of man; it nurtures superstition and ignorance, sows prejudice and strife, and turns the human family into a camp of Ishmaelites. We, therefore, the liberty-loving men and women, realizing the great injustice and brutality of this state of affairs, earnestly and boldly do hereby declare, That each and every individual is and ought to be free to own himself and to enjoy the full fruit of his labor; that man is absolved from all allegiance to the kings of authority and capital; that he has, by the very fact of his being, free access to the land and all means of production, and entire liberty of disposing of the fruits of his efforts; that each and every individual has the unquestionable and unabridgeable right of free and voluntary association with other equally sovereign individuals for economic, political, social, and all other purposes, and that to achieve this end man must emancipate himself from the sacredness of property, the respect for man-made law, the fear of the Church, the cowardice of public opinion, the stupid arrogance of national, racial, religious, and sex superiority, and from the narrow puritanical conception of human life. And for the support of this Declaration, and with a firm reliance on the harmo- nious blending of man’s social and individual tendencies, the lovers of liberty joyfully consecrate their uncompromising devotion, their energy and intelligence, their solidarity and their lives. Retrieved on March 15th, 2009 from sunsite.berkeley.edu; Published in Mother Earth, Vol. IV, no. 5, July 1909

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15 What is there in anarchy for woman? Uncredited interview with Emma busy brain. Goldman, October 24, 1897 “What does Anarchy St. Louis Post-Dispatch promise woman?” “It holds everything for “What does anarchy hold out to me—a woman—freedom, equal- woman? More to woman than to anyone ity—everything that woman else—everything which she has not—free- has not now.” dom and equality.” “Isn’t woman free?” Quickly, earnestly Emma Goldman, the “Free! She is the slave of priestess of anarchy, exiled from Russia, her husband and her chil- feared by police, and now a guest of St. dren. She should take her Louis Anarchists, gave this answer to my part in the business world the question. I found her at No. 1722 Oregon same as the man; she should be his equal “What do you call love?” Avenue, an old-style two-story brick house, before the world, as she is in the reality. She “When a man or woman finds some the home of a sympathizer—not a relative is as capable as he, but when she labors she quality or qualities in another that they as has been stated. . . . gets less wages. Why? Because she wears admire and has an overweening desire to I found Emma Goldman sipping her skirts instead of trousers.” . . . please that person, even to the sacrificing of coffee and partaking of bread and jelly, as Miss Goldman has a pleasant accent. She personal feeling; when there is that subtle her morning’s repast. She was neatly clad in rolls her r’s and changes her r’s into v’s and something drawing them together, that a percale shirt waist and skirt, with white vice-versa, with a truly Russian pronuncia- those who love recognize, and feel it in the collar and cuffs, her feet encased in a loose tion. She gesticulates a great deal. When inmost fiber of their being, then I call that pair of cloth slippers. She doesn’t look like a she becomes excited her hands and feet and love.” She finished speaking and her face Russian Nihilist who will be sent to Siberia shoulders all help to illustrate her mean- was suffused with a rosy blush. if she ever crosses the frontier of her native ings. “Can a person love more than one at a land. “What would you do with the children time?” “Do you believe in marriage?” I asked. of the Anarchistic era?” “I don’t see why not—if they find the “I do not,” answered the fair little An- “The children would be provided with same lovable qualities in several persons. archist, as promptly as before. “I believe common homes, big boarding schools, What should prevent one loving the same that when two people love each other that where they will be properly cared for and things in all of them? If we cease to love the no judge, minister or court, or body of educated and in every way given as good, man or woman and find some one else, as people, have anything to do with it. They and in most cases better, care than they I said before, we talk it over together and themselves are the ones to determine the would receive in their own homes. Very few quietly change the mode of living. The relations which they shall hold with one mothers know how to take proper care of private affairs of the family need not then another. When that relation becomes irk- their children, anyway. It is a science only a be talked over in the courts and become some to either party, or one of the parties, very few have learned.” . . . public property. No one can control the then it can be as quietly terminated as it She gazed contemplatively in the bottom affections, therefore there should be no was formed.” of the empty coffee cup, as though she saw jealousies. Heart aches? Oh, yes,” she said, Miss Goldman gave a little nod of her in imagination the ideal State, already an sadly, “but not hatred because he or she has head to emphasize her words, and quite actuality. tired of the relations. The human race will a pretty head it was, crowned with soft “Who will take care of the children?” I always have heartaches as long as the heart brown hair, combed with a bang and asked, breaking in upon her reverie. beats in the breast.” . . . brushed to one side. Her eyes are the hon- “Every one,” she answered, “has tastes Pretty Miss Goldman finished speaking, est blue, her complexion clear and white. and qualifications suiting them to some and a delicate flush mounted to her cheek Her nose though rather broad and of a Teu- occupation. I am a trained nurse. I like to as I asked her if she intended to marry. tonic type, was well formed. She is short care for the sick. So it will be with some “No; I don’t believe in marriage for oth- of stature, with a well-rounded figure. Her women. They will want to care for and ers, and I certainly should not preach one whole type is more German than Russian. teach the children.” thing and practice another.” The only serious physical failing that she “Won’t the children lose their love for She sat in an easy attitude with one leg has is in her eyes. She is so extremely near- their parents and feel the lack of their com- crossed over the other. She is in every sense sighted that with glasses she can scarcely panionship?” A thought of the affectionate a womanly looking woman, with masculine distinguish print. little darlings being relegated to a sort of an mind and courage. “The alliance should be formed,” she orphan asylum crossed my mind. She laughed as she said there were fifty continued, “not as it is now, to give the “The parents will have the same oppor- police at her lecture on Wednesday night, woman a support and home, but because tunities of gaining their confidences and and she added, “If there had of been a the love is there, and that state of affairs affections as they have now. They can spend bomb thrown I would surely have been can only be brought about by an internal just as much time there as they please blamed for it.” revolution, in short, Anarchy.” or have them with them just as often as U.C. Berkeley Library. Jewish Women’s Archive. She said this as calmly as though she had “Emma Goldman Interview in the St. Louis Post- desired. They will be the children of love— Dispatch, October 24, 1897.” . ternal revolutions” already at work in her dissensions.”

Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 16 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 Solidarity from across the ocean. On bikes.

FWs, Dear Brandon, Wanted to share this: The [International Solidarity Commission] In the face of these oppressive charges we are sending you and the informed the other unions involved in the New International IWW members facing trial this week solidarity and strength from Project about the J20 charges and the attempt to target the IWW Germany. FAU [Freie Arbeiterinnen- und Arbeiter-Union] Berlin and GDC in particular. The FAU [Free Workers’ Union] in Berlin members got together on Friday in time for the trial on the 17th. sent this picture. I believe this picture is mostly Deliveroo work- We’re sorry that we couldn’t get this photo to you before the 10th. ers, who had their own action against Deliveroo on Friday, April We are all hoping from the bottom of our hearts that the charges 13, but also wanted to express solidarity with the J20 defendants. get dropped. Great example of international solidarity in action! In solidarity, Solid, Anna & FAU Berlin Brandon S.

17

“Burgerville” continues from page 6. McDonald’s and the NLRB over a land- ing approval by an NLRB judge, remain call for a union election comes on the mark case pushed by the Service Employ- undisclosed. But McDonald’s admits to heels of a potentially major defeat for fast- ees International Union (SEIU)-backed no wrongdoing, and the settlement allows food workers at the federal level. Trump’s Fight for $15 campaign that aimed to hold the company to avoid the “joint employer” National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) the company responsible for its individual designation that would allow groups like General Counsel Peter Robb recently franchises’ labor violations. The details of Fight for $15 to unionize fast food loca- negotiated a tentative settlement between the tentative settlement, which is pend- tions more effectively. IW “Pay inequality” continues from page 10. UN’s Platform of Champions, Lean In, #YesAllWomen, the third wave of femi- There is always hope, of course. After and the National Organization for Women nism seeks to upend the Harvey Wein- the Women’s March and the March for (NOW) all are involved in the fight to steins and the Paul Ryans of the world Science, women became more vocal about ensure not only that women are receiving in every aspect, great or small, and make their treatment in STEM-related careers. equitable wages from their bosses, but also them rue their misogyny. And when the Study upon study in the last few years have that they are receiving livable wages. women of the world are valued financially been performed, reinforcing the fact that As for the drama unfolding in Kentucky, for their contributions to society, no mat- women are not equals in their fields, and Arizona, and Oklahoma, they fortunately ter how small they may seem, the fight to that opportunities for them to even enter have the power of the union on their smash the patriarchy will seem a downhill those fields in the first place are limited. side and can coordinate a united front to slide. IW Organizations such as Klossie’s Koders, demand better pay. It is my deep hope that Ellie Sawyer graduated from Montana State National Girls Collaborative Project, Mil- they receive better, ample compensation University in 2016, with a degree in Fish and lion Women Mentors, and the Scientista for their services, and that especially in Wildlife Ecology. She plans on getting a Master’s Foundation all strive to promote women Oklahoma—where teachers have been ren- degree in Wildlife Biology/Ecology and working as in science and provide resources for young dered destitute—teachers can continue the a research professor. In the meantime, she works at women interested in STEM fields. As for education of tomorrow’s voters. Overall, in Home Depot, where she continues to learn about ending the gender wage gap in general, the the age of #MeToo, #TimesUp, and the ongoing struggle between workers and bosses. “Embarcadero” continues from page 8. shoremen won wages of 95 cents an hour, us that they love us? Why do you think and accused them of being Communist $1.40 an hour for overtime, a six-hour day, they use racism to divide us? Why do you conspirators. Still nothing moved regard- a thirty-hour week, and the union hall. The think they have built a massive security less of all force the bosses unleashed. sailors won the recognition of the Interna- apparatus to spy on us including the NSA? After slowly whittling at the strikers, the tional Seaman’s Union, but they didn’t gain Why do you think they have wiped out of corrupt union officials succeeded in ending much, as it was a sell-out organization in our collective memory the history of labor the general strike after four days, with only the pockets of the bosses. movement? They are terrified of us and of the longshoremen and sailors continuing So what does this event tell me? It tells what we think. They know we have the on. The workers considered it a victory, me something that the wealthy know all power to drag the Koch Brothers out of though, as the bosses did not dare to use too well. It is something that we workers their mansions and turn those mansions vigilantes, the police, or the National sometimes don’t even realize—that their into homeless shelters. IW Guard to assault the picket line again. power and wealth rests on our backs. They Watch A Wave of Change: The 1934 West Soon after, the longshoremen and sailors are nothing without us. Why do you think Coast Waterfront Strike at https://www.you- returned to work on July 30. The long- the wealthy constantly try to convince tube.com/watch?v=7dJjTyDgqhQ.

“From the Editor” continues from page 4. Technical Director/Designer, and Costume especially because my family always stayed acted in those TV shows, that was their Maker/Box Office Manager—about being in for the credits in movie theaters and watched job. When my parents married, they took jobs that they loved and that provided them them on TV, that nearly everyone involved their shared love of music and performance with income. Although union work didn’t in making that movie or TV show belonged and applied their voice training to the San enter into much at Hillbarn, I learned about to a union. A number of the technical unions Francisco Opera Chorus, and then, when unions there. Bob and Sam—the Artistic were named in the credits, and I found out they moved with my brother down the Director and Tech Director/Designer—were what those initials stood for, because I was Peninsula to the suburbs, they gravitated on the faculty of the College of San Mateo, interested in knowing what they did. into theater, where their talents and inter- and for their work at Hillbarn they were paid I truly love what I’m doing as IW’s editor, ests could find new ways to be expressed. as instructors (and everyone who was in a and I hope I can do it for a long time. But My brother was in his first play at six, play registered and paid a small tuition). Bob I won’t be able to if it goes back to being a and I—five years younger than he is—per- and Sam were members of the California and newspaper. My disability limits me enough formed in my first play at five. American Federations of Teachers. And while that I couldn’t do more than four issues a Over the many years my family did plays I wasn’t in a union, when I formally became year. Much of the pleasure I get out of the and musicals at Hillbarn Theatre on the mid Hillbarn’s lighting designer and technician in work has to do with the format, because I Peninsula and up in the Gold Country, I the 1990s, I was paid for my designs. spend almost as much time on the graphics learned about different kinds of work that, My first crush was on a wonderful actor as I do working on the articles themselves. though generally unpaid, was still work. It my parents worked with (my parents’ age) I hope that those who see the purpose of required commitment and discipline. Nearly who had what even a nine-year-old knew was IW differently than I do understand why everyone who acted in plays or worked back- “presence.” George was a “Scavenger” who I feel that the content that’s gone into the stage had a “day” job. Being in a play meant collected the garbage up and down the SF issues since I’ve been editor has universal long hours, often away from family members. Peninsula. George also was one of the mem- value. I hope workers in all fields can see I learned from those who were paid for bers of the cooperative that owned and oper- what others do may not be what they do, working at Hillbarn—the Artistic Director, ated the Scavengers. I learned very early on, but it’s work and it’s valuable. IW Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 18 Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 Marx’s refusal of the Labor Theory of Value By David Harvey capital’s case, however, the process appears and appropriate the laborers’ inherent March 1, 2018 as not only self-reproducing (cyclical) but powers of cooperation and of divisions It is widely believed that Marx adapted also self-expanding (the spiral form of ac- of labor, to design machinery and systems the labor theory of value from [David] cumulation). . . . Value thereby becomes an of factory production, to mobilize the Ricardo [1772–1823] as a founding embedded regulatory norm in the sphere powers of education, knowledge, science, concept for his studies of capital accumula- of exchange only under conditions of and technology, all in the pursuit of rela- tion. . . . But nowhere, in fact, did Marx capital accumulation. tive surplus value. The aggregate effect declare his allegiance to the labor theory of While the steps in the argument are (chapter 25) is to diminish the status of value. That theory belonged the laborer, to create an in- to Ricardo, who recognized dustrial reserve army [mean- that it was deeply problematic ing disposable workers], to even as he insisted that the enforce working conditions question of value was criti- of abject misery and des- cal to the study of political peration among the working economy. On the few occa- classes and to condemn much sions where Marx comments of labor to living under directly on this matter, he conditions of social repro- refers to “value theory” and duction that are miserable not to the labor theory of val- in the extreme. . . . ue. So what, then, was Marx’s But the productivity and distinctive value theory and Karl Marx and David Harvey intensity of labor are perpetu- how does it differ from the labor theory of ally changing under pressures of competi- value? complicated, . . . [t]he sophistication and tion in the market (as described in the later [In Capital,] Marx begins that work with elegance of the argument have seduced chapters of Capital). This means that the an examination of the surface appearance many of Marx’s followers to thinking this formulation of value in the first chapter of of use value and exchange value in the was the end of the story. It is in fact the be- Capital is revolutionized by what comes material act of commodity exchange and ginning. Ricardo’s hope was that the labor later. Value becomes an unstable and posits the existence of value (an immate- theory of value would provide a basis for perpetually evolving inner connectivity rial but objective relation) behind the understanding price formation. . . . [But[ (an internal or dialectical relation) between quantitative aspect of exchange value. . . . Marx early on understood that this was an value as defined in the realm of circulation Money thus enters the picture as a mate- impossible hope[.] . . . In Volume 1 Marx in the market and value as constantly be- rial representation of value. Value cannot recognizes that things like conscience, ing re-defined through revolutions in the exist without its representation. In chapters honor, and uncultivated land can have realm of production. . . . In Volume 3 of 4 through 6, Marx shows that it is only a price but no value. In Volume 3 of Capital Marx makes much of the impact of in a system where the aim and object of Capital he explores how the equalization technological changes on values leading to economic activity is commodity produc- of the rate of profit in the market would the thesis on the falling rate of profit. . . . tion that exchange becomes a necessary as lead commodities to exchange not at their The changing productivity of labor is, well as a normal social act. It is the circula- values but according to so-called “prices of of course, a key feature in all forms of tion of money as capital (chapter 5) that production.” economic analysis. In Marx’s case, however, consolidates the conditions for the forma- But Marx was not primarily interested in it is not the physical labor productivity tion of capital’s distinctive value form as price formation. He has a different agenda. emphasized in classical and neoclassical a regulatory norm. But the circulation of Chapters 7 through 25 of Volume 1 de- political economy that counts. It is labor capital presupposes the prior existence of scribe in intricate detail the consequences productivity with respect to surplus value wage labor as a commodity that can be for the laborer of living and working in a production that matters. This puts the bought and sold in the market (chapter 6). world where the law of value, as consti- internal relation between the pursuit of . . . tuted through the generalization and nor- relative surplus value (through technologi- The concept of capital as a process—as malization of exchange in the market place, cal and organizational innovations) and value in motion—based on the purchase of rules. . . . And so we dive into “the hidden market values at the center of Marx’s value labor power and means of production is in- abode of production” where we shall see theory. . . . extricably interwoven with the emergence “not only how capital produces but, how Marx describes the conditions of social of the value form. A simple but crude anal- capital is produced.” It is only here, also, reproduction [meaning social inequality ogy for Marx’s argument might be this: the that we will see how value forms. from one generation to the next] of all human body depends for its vitality upon The coercive laws of competition in those demoted into the industrial reserve the circulation of the blood, which has the market force individual capitalists to army by the operation of the general law no being outside of the human body. The extend the working day to the utmost, of capital accumulation. He cites official two phenomena are mutually constitutive threatening the life and well-being of the reports concerning public health in rural of each other. Value formation likewise laborer in the absence of any restraining England . . . and other accounts of daily cannot be understood outside of the force such as legislation to limit the length life in Ireland and Belgium, alongside circulation process that houses it. The of the working day (chapter 10). In sub- [Friedrich] Engels’ account of The Condi- mutual interdependency within the totality sequent chapters, these same coercive laws tion of the English Working Class in 1844. of capital circulation is what matters. In push capital to pursue technological and The consensus of all these reports was organizational innovations, to mobilize that [the operation of the general law of

19 capital accumulation on] conditions of decency; they give up the diversions on What happens, furthermore, when the social reproduction for this segment of Sunday; in short they resign themselves presumption of perfect competition gives the working class were worse than any- to the most painful privations. Once this way to monopoly in general and to the thing ever heard of under feudalism. extreme limit has been reached, the least monopolistic competition inherent in Appalling conditions of nutrition, housing, rise in the price of food, the shortest stop- the spatial organization of capital circula- education, overcrowding, gender relations, page of work, the slightest illness, increases tion poses another set of problems to be and perpetual displacement were exacer- the worker’s distress and brings him to resolved within the value framework. . . . bated by punitive public welfare policies complete disaster: Debts accumulate, credit Marx’s value form, I conclude, is not (most notably the Poor Laws in Britain). fails, the most necessary clothes and fur- a still and stable fulcrum in capital’s The distressing fact that nutrition among niture are pawned, and finally the family churning world but a constantly changing prisoners in jail was superior to that of the asks to be enrolled on the list of paupers.” and unstable metric being pushed hither impoverished on the outside is noted (alas, . . . As Marx notes in Volume 2 of Capital, and thither by the anarchy of market this is still the case in the United States). the real root of capitalist crises lies in the exchange, by revolutionary transforma- This opens the path towards an important suppression of wages and the reduction of tions in technologies and organizational extension of Marx’s value theory. The con- the mass of the population to the status forms, by unfolding practices of social sequences of an intensification of capitalist of penniless paupers. If there is no mar- reproduction, and massive transformations competition in the market (including the ket there is no value. The contradictions in the wants, needs, and desires of whole search for relative surplus value through posed from the standpoint of social repro- populations expressed through the cultures technological changes) produce deteriorat- duction theory for values as realized in the of everyday life. This is far beyond what ing conditions of social reproduction for market are multiple. If, for example, there Ricardo had in mind and equally far away the working classes (or significant segments are no healthy, educated, disciplined, and from that conception of value usually at- thereof) if no compensating forces or pub- skilled laborers in the reserve army then it tributed to Marx. IW lic policies are put in place to counteract can no longer perform its role. . . . Thanks to David Harvey for allowingIW to such effects. . . . [V]alue depends on the existence of publish an edited form of his article. Mate- Marx (Capital, Volume 1, p. 827) cites wants, needs and desires backed by ability rial is marked in bold by the editor. Read the an official report on the conditions of to pay in a population of consumers. . . . entire very long article at http://davidharvey. life of the majority of workers in Belgium Without them, as Marx notes in the first org/2018/03/marxs-refusal-of-the-labour- who find themselves forced “to live more chapter of Capital, there is no value. . . . theory-of-value-by-david-harvey/ economi- cally than prisoners” in the jails. Such workers “adopt expedi- ents whose se- crets are only known (to them): they reduce their daily rations; they substitute rye bread for wheat; they eat less meat, or even none at all, and the same with butter and condiments; they content themselves with one or two rooms where the family is crammed to- gether, where boys and girls sleep side by side, often on the same mattress; they economize on clothing, washing and Industrial Worker • Spring 2018 Industrial Worker PO Box 180195 Periodicals Postage Chicago, IL 60618 USA PAID ISSN 0019-8870 Chicago, IL ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Preamble to the IWW Constitution The working class and the employing class have nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of the working people, and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things of life. Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organize as a class, take possession of the means of production, abolish the wage system, and live in har- mony with the Earth. We find that the centering of the management of industries into fewer and fewer hands makes the trade unions unable to cope with the ever-growing power of the employing class. The trade unions foster a state of affairs that allows one set of work- ers to be pitted against another set of workers in the same indus- try, thereby helping defeat one another in wage wars. Moreover, the trade unions aid the employing class to mislead the workers into the belief that the working class has interests in common with their employers. These conditions can be changed and the interest of the working class upheld only by an organization formed in such a way that all its members in any one industry, or in all industries if necessary, cease work whenever a strike or lockout is on in any department thereof, thus making an injury to one an injury to all. Instead of the conservative motto, “A fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” we must inscribe on our banner the revolution- ary watchword, “Abolition of the wage system.” It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not only for everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on pro- duction when capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organiz- ing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.