Asamblea de Trabajadores 8 Huelga hacia la victoria 8

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 62, No. 42 Oct. 15, 2020 $1 Viral capitalism Racist, sexist bosses kill jobs By Kathy Durkin

Another 1.3 million people filed for unemployment benefits during the week of Sept. 28, adding to the ranks of the 12 million workers still jobless due to the pan- demic. They and their families have lost health insur- ance, not provided by this ruthless capitalist government. Evictions and homelessness are on the rise. Food lines are everywhere. Yet no pandemic rescue plan is in sight. Despite the suffering of millions of workers and their families, the Democrats and Republicans cannot come to an agree- WW PHOTO: TONY MURPHY In one of 1,000 job actions since the pandemic hit, On Oct. 7, health care workers and other activists rallied in ment. Especially hard hit are Black, Latinx, Indigenous, thousands of California nurses strike Oct. 7-12. New York City in solidarity with California nurses and to build a immigrant and low-income workers. Undocumented Above, at Alameda Hospital. Workers Assembly Against Racism. See p. 2. workers deserve assistance, but this racist government denies them any aid, even medical care or food stamps. October 5 marked the tenth week since laid-off work- EPI says there are 6.6 million more unemployed people workers and 15.9% of young workers are still unem- ers receiving unemployment benefits failed to get the than job openings and warns that without further aid to ployed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oct. 2) White work- extra $600 weekly federal benefits that expired at the state and local economies, millions more jobs will be lost. ers are being rehired twice as quickly as Black workers end of July. Right-wing politicians refused to agree to This denial of funding comes at a time when half of due to entrenched racism. Many laid-off Black workers it. Even more workers have lost jobs since the White those laid off during the pandemic are still jobless, while have joined the ranks of the 3.8 million who permanently House halted stimulus talks on Oct. 6. That trend will 60% of those still working who took a pay cut have not lost their jobs as of last month. continue if the pandemic spikes again and businesses regained their former salaries. The labor market “recov- Denying further rescue funds will severely harm Black, close. (Economic Policy Institute, Oct. 8) ery” has bypassed Black, Latinx, low-income and young Latinx and Indigenous communities, who already suf- workers, who were disproportionately laid off or paid fer lower incomes and assets due to systemic racism. It What recovery? reduced wages. Some 56% of laid-off low-wage workers means no more federal funds for housing, health care, Job growth slowed in September, with many furloughs are still unemployed. (Pew Research Center, Sept. 24) protective equipment for health workers, COVID testing becoming permanent and the “recovery” losing steam. The jobless rate declined to 7% in September for white and treatment, or the Postal Service. While some companies are hiring, others are laying off. workers, but 12.1% of Black workers, 10.3% of Latinx Continued on page 3 Answer to fascist threat? Working class struggle! The following are lightly edited remarks internationalists. There are from around the world have experienced from Workers World Party’s Oct. 8 webi- many activists who don’t the naked arm of capitalism. They have so nar on the recent election debates, with see the fact that many of our much to teach us, and there is so much we WWP’s First Secretary Larry Holmes in problems could be solved by can learn from them. New York City, leading comrade Teresa taking money away from the This is why we have to always raise that Gutierrez in San Antonio, and comrade Pentagon. The money that’s there are no borders in the working-class moderator Ted Kelly in Philadelphia. Tune going to “defense” and U.S. struggle. We’re not just caring about the in Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT for war could be used for COVID working class in the United States. We Teresa Gutierrez Larry Holmes revolutionary analysis from WWP mem- relief, for health care, for care about every single worker. Especially bers and our allies. WWP videos are avail- education and so forth. because U.S. imperialism has created the able at youtube.com/wwpvideo. For more questions that I think are on the mind of But you can’t vote away imperialism; conditions that have forced people to information, see workers.org. the working class right now. you can’t vote away fascism. You have to leave their homelands. Teresa Gutierrez: I think Trump is a uproot it, and that’s an intense struggle. Internationalism has to be part of our Ted Kelly: We’ve talked about the fascist fascist. If it walks like a duck and talks like a I have had the privilege of traveling and program in the coming days. It is a tenet plot in Michigan [where neo-fascist militias duck, it’s a duck. But we’re not living under meeting many activists and revolution- of the Party’s work, and it has to be a tenet planned to kidnap and kill Democratic Gov. a fascist system. That’s the difference. If we aries from around the world, specifically of the movement. Gretchen Whitmer]. We’ve talked about the were living under fascism, we would not be in Latin America. We have sisters and Larry Holmes: From a Marxist per- increasing danger against our trans broth- able to have this meeting. Fascist actions brothers and family there who have expe- spective, fascism is viewed differently ers, sisters and siblings, against the tens of are happening—​that’s for sure. But we’re rienced fascism, like our Chilean com- depending on who you are in society. To thousands of im/migrants in U.S. concen- not living under fascism yet. I do think that rades under President Augusto Pinochet, us, what’s a fascist? A fascist is some- tration camps who are suffering everything there is an element of the ruling class that who was a fascist. Hundreds of thousands one who is violently racist, violently from death in the pandemic to forced steril- is getting ready for fascism. We don’t know, of workers were massacred in Chile. homophobic, violently anti-working class, izations. So—​Is Trump fascist? And if he’s we’re not in the boardrooms where we can We learn from these comrades what it wants to crush unions, wants to smash the fascist, should we not be uniting with the hear these things. But we have to be pre- takes to stay in the struggle day after day, oppressed, smash migrant workers, carry Democrats to stop Trump? What do we do pared for anything. night after night. This is why we have to out wars both beyond the borders of the if Trump doesn’t concede? Or worse yet, That’s one of the reasons why it’s be internationalist—​because our com- U.S. and inside the border. what do we do if Trump wins? These are so important to be revolutionary rades and sisters and brothers and family Continued on page 7

Racism & federal executions Indigenous Peoples’ Day 3 Jalil Muntaqim home! ICE targets VietLead activist 4 4–5 Free Kao Saelee! Book review Abolitionist 10 point program ‘Capitalism on a Ventilator’ 4 Editorial The rich, richer — The sick? Sicker 6 Indonesia 6 Greece 7 Page 2 Oct. 15, 2020 workers.org WORKERS ASSEMBLY TO HELP BUILD A MOVEMENT FOR A GENERAL STRIKE/SHUTDOWN this week ◆ In the U.S. AGAINST RACISM Viral capitalism: Racist, sexist bosses kill jobs . .1 Answer to fascist threat? Working class struggle .1 OUTDOOR ASSEMBLY • WEAR A MASK Workers Assembly Against Racism ...... 2 Indigenous Peoples’ Day now! ...... 3 Sunday • Oct. 18, 2020 • 2:00 PM ICE arrests VietLead organizer ...... 4 Book review: ‘Capitalism on a Ventilator’ . . . .4 Union Square, New York City Prison abolition 10 point program ...... 4 Another racist federal execution set ...... 5 www.ShutDownRacism.org www.facebook.com/events/3370245423060349/ Free Kao Saelee now! ...... 5 The outrageous Breonna Taylor verdict. ICE anti- The threat of a teachers’ strike forced the NYC mayor Jalil Muntaqim is home ...... 5 woman atrocities against migrant detainees. Anti- to close down the schools at the start of the pan- Asian attacks. Constant racist police killings. Armed demic. Workers in hospitals and at Amazon, Instacart, ◆ Around the world neo-fascist forces mobilizing to support Trump. A McDonald’s and on farms walked out, stopped work- Indonesian workers, youth take to streets . . . .6 great crisis looms with the Nov. 3 elections. ing and shut down business as usual. They gained PPE Trial in Greece finds fascists ‘Guilty!’ ...... 7 The working class can’t be silent! Act by mobilizing and led society in confronting the COVID pandemic. to shut down racism on Oct. 18! (shutdownracism.org) They showed what workers’ power could do! ◆ Editorial It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a union or if The time has come to act to demand more—​in you have a job: 99% of us are part of the working solidarity with Black lives, the targets of police shoot- Rich get richer, poor get poorer, sicker . . . . .6 class. And more than 60 local, regional and national ings and systematic oppression; with the migrant ◆ Noticias en Español labor unions have declared the labor movement must community, put into concentration camps by ICE organize work stoppages and general strikes against or designated “excluded workers” denied income Una Asamblea de Trabajadores ...... 8 racism and police terror. (laborforblacklives.org) support during the pandemic; with Indigenous and Obreras negras, latinx lideran huelga . . . . . 8 Fighting racism is a working class issue. Support for Latinx communities hit disproportionately hard by a General Strike/Shut Down Against Racism move- COVID; with descendants of enslaved Africans and ment must be built inside the labor movement—​ Indigenous people who demand reparations! and, just as importantly, among those of us not in Especially now, when there is Depression-level a union. unemployment and the prospect of mass evictions Most of the millions of people who recently around the corner, the general strike/shutdown marched in the streets against white supremacy, must become a weapon in the struggle to defend racism and police brutality are workers—many​ with all workers. gig jobs, and many now unemployed because of the A Workers Assembly Against Racism has the poten- pandemic. And workers who have held work stop- tial to bring leaders from workers struggles together pages in recent months to protest unsafe conditions in one place. Contact shutdownracism.org and help are in the forefront of the movement to bring back make the general strike/shutdown more than an idea. the general strike. Make it a reality! ☐

Workers World 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Fl. Join us in the fight New York, NY 10011 Phone: 212.627.2994 for socialism! E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.workers.org Workers World Party is a revolutionary Marxist-Leninist and trans people are gunned down by cops and bigots on Vol. 62, No. 42 • Oct. 15, 2020 party inside the belly of the imperialist beast. We are a mul- a regular basis. Closing date: Oct. 11, 2020 tinational, multigenerational and multigendered organiza- The ruthless ruling class today seeks to wipe out Editor: Deirdre Griswold tion that not only aims to abolish capitalism, but to build a decades of gains and benefits won by hard-fought strug- socialist society because it’s the only way forward! gles by people’s movements. The super-rich and their Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, Martha Grevatt, Capitalism and imperialism threaten the peoples of the political representatives have intensified their attacks on Monica Moorehead, Betsey Piette, Minnie Bruce Pratt world and the planet itself in the neverending quest for the multinational, multigender and multigenerational Web Editors: ABear, Harvey Markowitz, Janet Mayes ever-greater profits. working class. It is time to point the blame at—​and chal- Prisoners Page Editors: Mirinda Crissman, Ted Kelly Capitalism means war and austerity, racism and repres- lenge—the​ capitalist system. sion, attacks on im/migrants, misogyny, LGBTQ2S+ WWP fights for socialism because the working class Production & Design Editors: Gery Armsby, Mirinda oppression and mistreatment of people with disabili- produces all wealth in society, and this wealth should Crissman, Sasha Mazumder, Scott Williams ties. It means joblessness, increasing homelessness and remain in their hands, not be stolen in the form of capi- Copyediting and Proofreading: Paddy Colligan, impoverishment and lack of hope for the future. No social talist profits. The wealth workers create should be socially S. Hedgecoke problems can be solved under capitalism. owned and its distribution planned to satisfy and guaran- Contributing Editors: LeiLani Dowell, G. Dunkel, The U.S. is the richest country in the world, yet no one tee basic human needs. K. Durkin, Sara Flounders, Teresa Gutierrez, Joshua has a guaranteed right to shelter, food, water, health care, Since 1959, Workers World Party has been out in the Hanks, Makasi Motema, Gloria Rubac education or anything else—​unless they can pay for it. streets defending the workers and oppressed here and Wages are lower than ever, and youth are saddled with worldwide. If you’re interested in Marxism, socialism Mundo Obero: Teresa Gutierrez, Carlos Vargas seemingly insurmountable student debt, if they even and fighting for a socialist future, please contact a WWP Copyright © 2020 Workers World. Verbatim copying make it to college. Black, Brown and Indigenous youth branch near you. ☐ and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. If you are interested in joining Workers World Party contact: 212.627.2994 Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published monthly by WW Publishers, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., National Office Boston Dallas Portland, Ore. New York, NY 10011. Phone: 212.627.2994. Subscrip- 147 W. 24th St., 2nd floor 284 Amory St. [email protected] [email protected] tions: One year: $36; institutions: $50. Letters to the New York, NY 10011 Boston, MA 02130 Durham, N.C. Salt Lake City 212.627.2994 617.522.6626 editor may be condensed and edited. Articles can be 804 Old Fayetteville St. 801.750.0248 [email protected] [email protected] freely reprinted, with credit to Workers World, 147 Durham, NC 27701 [email protected] W. 24th St. 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10011. Back issues Atlanta Buffalo, N.Y. 919.322.9 970 San Antonio and individual articles are available on microfilm and/ PO Box 18123 335 Richmond Ave. [email protected] [email protected] or photocopy from NA Publishing, Inc, P.O. Box 998, Atlanta, GA 30316 Buffalo, NY 14222 Houston Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998. 404.627.0185 716.883.2534 West Virginia P.O. Box 3454 A searchable archive is available on the Web at [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Houston, TX 77253-3454 www.workers.org. Austin Central Gulf Coast 713.503.2633 [email protected] (Alabama, Florida, Mississippi) [email protected] A headline digest is available via e-mail subscription. [email protected] Subscription information is at workers.org. Bay Area Philadelphia P.O. Box 22947 Cleveland P.O. Box 34249 Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. Oakland, CA 94609 216.738.0320 Philadelphia, PA 19101 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 510.394.2207 [email protected] 610.931.2615 Workers World, 147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl. [email protected] [email protected] New York, N.Y. 10011. workers.org Oct. 15, 2020 Page 3

#SinkColumbus Indigenous Peoples’ Day now! By Workers World Boston bureau communities of color. As Munro said, “He’s like, ‘I agree with your point here, United American Indians of New and I don’t agree with your point there’ … England and North American Indian [but] it is not up to these white people to Center of Boston marched through Boston, decide what is offensive to us and what is several hundred strong, on Oct. 10, in important to us!” honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “Columbus is not a day, but a sym- The colonizers’ “Columbus Day” is bol of genocide, gender violence, colo- still scheduled by Boston and the state nization, slavery and white supremacy,” of Massachusetts for Oct. 12. Indigenous Chali’Naru Dones, representing the Peoples’ Day is celebrated instead United Confederation of Taíno Peoples, on the second Monday in October in told the crowd. Dones’ children joined Washington, D.C., 12 states, and hun- her in mounting the empty pedestal, once dreds of cities, towns and school commu- used to support a statue of Columbus, nities across the U.S. which was finally removed after its sec- The time and space claimed by the ond beheading in June. #SinkingColumbus action was a force of One of the children sounded a conch decolonization and cultural resistance, shell horn to thunderous applause. The centering Indigenous people and Black child who towered from the pedestal and and Brown allies. NAICOB leader Jean- On Oct. 10, hundreds march in Boston for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. WW PHOTO: G. LECHAT summoned the crowd’s attention was an Luc Pierite welcomed Palestinian activists especially pointed upending of the colo- to share the platform. A representative Indigenous Peoples’ Day and remove all “We’re here; we’re not going any- nialist narrative. from Italian Americans for Indigenous symbols of white supremacy from our where, and [Boston Mayor Marty Walsh] This powerful image of resistance Peoples’ Day spoke to combat the false neighborhoods, streets and parks.” needs to listen to us,” Mahtowin Munro, affirmed that living Indigenous people are narrative that removing Columbus is UAINE leader Moonanum James wel- leader of Indigenous Peoples Day MA reclaiming space from dead white oppres- anti-Italian. comed the crowd with an acknowledge- and UAINE, asserted in front of so-called sors—​amid increased mass awareness All speakers acknowledged a new hol- ment of the stolen unceded territory Faneuil Hall—​named for an enslaver. about the toxic founding myths of the iday is just the beginning. As NAICOB that the settler “state” is built on: “Your Kevin Peterson from the New Democracy U.S. and increasing Black Lives Matter- leader Mea Johnson put it in a press presence liberates [this land] from those Coalition—​a group leading a boycott of inspired direct action against ongoing statement, “The bare minimum action who make monuments to butchers and the racist site—​also spoke. Both crit- racist injustice. ☐ required is to change Columbus Day to rapists.” icized Walsh for his attitude toward

Viral capitalism Racist, sexists bosses kill jobs Continued from page 1 recovery after the virus peaked, it helped paying basic bills, compared to one-fourth facilities, providing childcare, staffing that the U.S. ruling class has one of their of white households. (Center on Budget big box stores and volunteering at food Jerome Powell, chairperson of the own in the White House, who cut their and Policy Priorities, Oct. 7) They are twice pantries. Federal Reserve Board, reacting to taxes and connived to undermine work- as likely to fall behind on housing payments The viral disaster has exposed gender President Trump’s order to stop rescue plan ers’ rights and labor unions. President and lack emergency funds. inequities and widespread racism in the talks, warned that if the virus spreads, more Trump not only didn’t “drain the swamp” The COVID crisis created a hunger cri- system, acutely impacting women workers businesses will close and the economy will of corporate lobbyists and magnates, he sis as parents lost incomes. Food lines of color. The pandemic eliminated many of tank. His concern is not about workers suf- “reinvented it.” (New York Times, Oct. 11) extend for blocks. An estimated 54 mil- women’s jobs in health care, education and fering but about companies losing profits This obscene wealth is an insult to the lion people, including 18 million children, transportation. By April, 16.2% of women as the economy contracts. At the core, he millions worldwide infected by the corona- many no longer receiving healthy school were out of work, compared to 13.5% of and the capitalist class fear growing mass virus. Over 8 million have been sickened in meals, aren’t getting enough to eat. One men. (NBC News, June 8) anger by the multinational working class the U.S., and 220,000 have died—dispro- in eight households lacks adequate food, Due to “occupational segregation,” and political instability. portionately Black, Latinx and Indigenous with Black and Latinx families twice as many Black and Latinx women toil in the people, plus disabled individuals and likely as white households to go without. hospitality, food service and retail indus- $10.2 trillion bonanza—to​ the wealthy seniors. It’s a slam at “essential workers” (New York Times, Sept. 2) tries with low pay and little to no job secu- One group has fared quite well during and courageous medical workers who jeop- More pain is projected for the multina- rity. Many struggled to make ends meet this pandemic—​the 2,189 billionaires ardize their lives to save others. Over 1,700 tional working class, which has recouped even pre-pandemic. These sectors were whose combined wealth soared 27.5% health workers have died from COVID‑19. only half of the 24 million jobs lost in the the first hit by COVID‑19. Shutdowns, between April and July to a record $10.2 (National Nurses United, Sept. 28) spring. Corporations say that due to the layoffs, even collapses followed. By May, trillion. UBS bank reported Oct. 7 that the pandemic crisis and the lack of more fed- 20% of Latinx and 16% of Black women rate of growth soared during the corona- In richest country, widespread poverty eral stimulus money, they must imple- workers were unemployed. virus crisis in the technology, health and There’s a crying need for another rescue ment massive job cuts. Omitted from the With many schools and daycare centers industrial sectors. (UBS.com, “Riding the plan. Some 78 million adults are having financial news is that businesses are also now closed, women have more parenting Storm”) Health industry tycoons raked difficulty paying for basic necessities due to shrinking their workforce in reaction to responsibilities. Some are reducing work in the most, spurred on by various inno- long-standing inequities, “often stemming the global capitalist economic crisis. hours to help their children with remote vations and COVID‑19 treatments and from structural racism,” in employment, Business Insider’s list of implemented learning. Single mothers must do it all. equipment. housing and health care. This has intensi- or projected corporate layoffs adds up The economic and parental burden is While much of this wealth was obtained fied with the pandemic. Nearly half of Black to a stunning tens of thousands of jobs staggering, but no government help is on through betting on the global stock market and Latinx families are having trouble lost. Disney is cutting 28,000 jobs. the horizon. United and American airlines furloughed From August through September, of 32,000 workers on Oct. 1 Numerous the 1.1 million individuals who dropped What Road to Socialism? other companies are eliminating workers. out of the labor force, 865,000 were A new Workers World anthology, confronting the burning questions and key (tinyurl.com/y54at7yg) women, including 324,000 Latinx and contradictions during this deadly pandemic and global capitalist meltdown. Sara Nelson, president of the 58,000 Black women. (National Women’s Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, Law Center) Their reasons: unavailabil- Topics include: represents 50,000 workers, 75% of them ity or insecurity of jobs, the gender wage • COVID‑19 and the deepening crisis of capitalism women. She told MSNBC on Oct. 10 that gap—especially severe for women of • Reform or revolution? furloughed workers are desperate; some color—and childcare. The unemployment • The state and building for revolution are homeless. They are waiting for a gov- rate for Black and Latinx women workers • The centrality of fighting racism ernment rescue plan, as the union had is now at 11% and rising. • The working class will make history • Fighting all forms of oppression: gender, sexuality, an agreement with the airlines that jobs Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, co-founder of disability and age and employee health insurance would be Moms Rising, stressed: “The big numbers • Socialism or death: Socialist countries lead the way to retained if a deal came through. we’re seeing in the news are not showing the future the actual tragedy below that: intense Pandemic’s impact on women workers • What is socialism? wage discrimination, compounded by Women, many Black, Latinx and immi- structural racism that moms of color are Download free ebook or PDF formats. grants, make up the majority of “essen- experiencing right now.” (Boston Globe, Also available in paperback. Visit workers.org/books to get your copy. tial” workers on the front lines at medical Oct. 2). ☐ Page 4 Oct. 15, 2020 workers.org Vietnam refugee leader arrested for protesting ICE crimes

By Joe Piette mobilized and pulled together jail support outside Philadelphia police headquarters, where Nguyen was being held in one of dozens of cold and crowded basement jail cells. Nancy Nguyen, Executive Director of VietLead, a The Philadelphia Police Department repeatedly gave Philadelphia-based Vietnamese refugee organization, the public misleading and false information to deter was handcuffed and arrested Oct. 8 as she was chang- efforts to free her. A nationally organized media cam- ing her one-year-old baby’s diaper in her Philadelphia paign #FreeNancy resulted in hundreds of phone calls home. Her arrest involved the cooperation of several to city and police officials. She was finally released 21 federal and local agencies, including the Philadelphia hours after her arrest. Police Department—​in a city that claims sanctuary status. ICE under Pham, same old ICE Her so-called crime? Not murder, not kidnapping, Tony Pham, of Vietnamese descent, was named nothing to do with drugs, no violence was involved, head of ICE on Aug. 25. At a protest of his appoint- not even property damage. Her actions weren’t even a ment, Cat Bao Le, executive director of SEAC Village—​ felony. The “crimes” that set several law enforcement a South East Asian American community in North agencies in motion were—​littering and trespassing—​ Carolina—said​ that the strategy of using “people that 250 miles away in Richmond, Va., a month earlier. appear like they come from the community” was a well-known tactic of police, ICE and other agencies. Arrested for organizing for migrants, refugees “We know that Tony Pham is being used as a puppet On Sept. 8, migrant and refugee activists in cities of this white supremacist regime. … Tony Pham is not from Little Saigon, Calif., to Miami to Washington, our family, and he does not represent us.” Directing D.C., denounced newly-installed Immigration and her comments to Pham, Cat Bao Le continued, “We Customs Enforcement director Tony Pham. Two will not let this administration use Vietnamese refu- dozen organizations signed a statement condemn- gees as a wedge to further divide us from our siblings.” ing Trump’s appointment as a racist maneuver. They (tinyurl.com/yy2cdjqv) demanded Pham “bring human rights home” by Pham, his mother and two sisters were put on addressing ICE’s many abuses: “We raise our voices as a plane to the U.S. 11 days before the fall of Saigon refugees and the descendants of refugees—​from Viet in 1975. His father, a military general in the U.S.- Nam, Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala … supported puppet regime of South Vietnam, fled to as witnesses of the wretched treatment of our refu- the U.S. soon after. gee sisters and brothers from around the world by the Tin Nguyen, board member of SEAC Village, said, Trump administration, by U.S. Customs and Border “Let’s be clear, if Tony Pham tried to come to the United Protection and by ICE.” (tinyurl.com/y3pf96lp) States today, he would be rejected by the same Trump A few activists descended on Pham’s home near administration he works for.” (tinyurl.com/yycshyyc) Richmond, Va., to plant tombstones and signs on his The attack on the leader of VietLead is a threat lev- lawn exposing ICE’s incarceration of migrant children. eled at all activist organizations, a warning that federal The head of ICE, which is guilty of imprisoning chil- government officials are raising the level of repression. dren and subjecting incarcerated migrant women to Nguyen’s arrest and incarceration reveals that, from forced sterilization, responded with crocodile tears ICE on down to local city police, the state is threaten- that protesters could “target a mom and target chil- ing working class, Black, Brown and migrant leaders dren” at his home. (WRIC.com/news, Sept. 15) who resist the inhumanity of the current administra- In line with President Trump’s many Twitter calls tion in Washington. for protesters to be punished, Pham and other gov- The misdemeanor charges against Nguyen are an ernment officials at several levels conspired to arrest attack on the constitutional right to assembly and free Nguyen, threatening to extradite her to a Virginia jail. speech—​the people’s right to protest. The charges In response, VietLead, Juntos and other migrant must be dropped now! ☐ and refugee organizations and their supporters

The impact of COVID‑19 in China & the U.S ‘Capitalism on a Ventilator’ — A WWP book review

By Ted Kelly One of the fastest growing job sectors in the U.S. is warehouse work where salaries average about $13 an “Capitalism on a Ventilator,” which chronicles the hour. But none of these massive distribution networks terminal decline of capitalism, is itself an example of were mobilized by the government to allocate PPE. cooperation by progressive working class organizations. Many of the 1.5 million warehouse workers are asking This collaborative anthology includes contribu- themselves if distributing cheap consumer goods during tions from Ajamu Baraka of Black Alliance for Peace, a pandemic is really “essential.” Margaret Flowers and the late Kevin Zeese from Popular Socialism pushes back COVID Resistance, the Greyzone’s Max Blumenthal, historian But it doesn’t have to be this way. Socialist states and journalist Vijay Prashad, and Workers World Party have shown us that a different world is possible. leaders Monica Moorehead and Deirdre Griswold. The “The success of China’s struggle against the virus brilliant political prisoner and jailhouse professor, and the U.S. failure demonstrates the success of Mumia Abu-Jamal, contributes an essay. Firsthand China’s socialist system, and the failure and dysfunc- accounts and analysis come from Lee Siu Hin of the tion of the U.S. capitalist system,” writes Lee Siu Hin. China-U.S. Solidarity Network, who also co-edited the “It also shows that the arrogance of the U.S.—​due to book with Sara Flounders of the International Action the ceaseless anti-communist cold war against China Center. --meant that the U.S. could not put aside differences The book demonstrates the successes and true poten- and learn from China’s successful experience.” tial of socialism and exposes the cruelty and injustice of Lee Siu Hin, who has appeared on Workers World capitalism. Party’s weekly live broadcasts (every Thursday at 8 p.m. Some of you may have lost a loved one to the novel ET), was in China in January 2020, and on his return coronavirus, or even contracted COVID‑19 yourself. The to the U.S. followed closely the mass mobilization of virus does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, worker power to contain the spread of the virus. nationality, or even class, as has become clear since the According to the World Health Organization: “In the White House “super spreader” event in early October. face of a previously unknown virus, China has rolled But capitalism does discriminate. “Capitalism inten- out perhaps the most ambitious, agile and aggres- tionally breaks down social cohesion,” writes Flounders sive disease containment effort in history.” (“Truth in the book’s introduction. and Propaganda about Coronavirus,” Vijay Prashad, Weiyan Zhu, and Du Xiaojun) Capitalist COVID’s toll on workers The working class of China, Cuba, Vietnam, and Millions of workers in the U.S. joined the ranks of the other socialist countries has provided us with an unemployed as of October. As their jobs vanished, so did example. Every day those of us living under capitalism their health insurance. Those who kept their jobs faced confront unemployment, racism, ecological destruc- exposure to a deadly virus. Grocery store and food distri- tion, sexism and transphobia, poverty and homeless- bution workers relied on pitiful wages without any guar- ness and terror. Capitalism tells us that’s “just the way anteed hazard pay. Even hospitals faced mass shortages the world works.” of personal protective equipment (PPE), as nurses and But socialism shows that they are obstacles that other health care workers had to reuse disposable face- can be overcome through the power of a united and masks and fashion smocks out of trashbags and tarps. uncompromising working class. ☐ workers.org Oct. 15, 2020 Page 5 Amid claims of racism, another federal execution set By Gloria Rubac Hall never denied his role in the crime especially given that jurors deliberated to abolish the death penalty. Currently, that sent him to death row. But because Mr. Hall’s fate over the span of two days half of U.S. states have either abolished The federal government has just set its his trial attorneys did no proper investi- before finally returning a death verdict.” the death penalty or imposed moratoria eighth execution for 2020. U.S. Attorney gation, the jurors never learned that Hall (tinyurl.com/y45ctdzn) on executions. General William Barr directed the Federal suffered severe trauma from growing up The DPIC reports: “Two-thirds of the Bureau of Prisons to schedule the execu- in poverty and that he and his siblings Abolish the death penalty in all states! 50 states either no longer authorize capi- tion of Orlando Cordia Hall for Nov. 19 were victims of daily violence from their Only five states carried out executions tal punishment or have not executed any- in Terre Haute, Ind. If carried out, this parents. during the first nine months of 2020. one in more than a decade. New death would place federal executions ahead of After his parents abandoned him, he Tennessee is the only state where an exe- sentences are down nearly 90% since the those by the states for the first time ever. was left alone to raise his younger broth- cution is still scheduled. If carried out, mid-1990s and executions have declined Hall, an African American man, was ers. This led him to begin selling drugs to it would total eight state executions this by 75% since the turn of the century. And sentenced to death by an all-white jury. care for them. Once, Hall saw his three- year. According to the Death Penalty more than 80% of U.S. counties have no Immediately after the Sept. 30 year-old nephew drowning in a swim- Information Center, the last time there one on death row and have not executed announcement of the upcoming execu- ming pool, and heroically jumped from were fewer than 11 executions in a calen- anyone in the past half century.” tion date, Marcia A. Widder and Robert a second-floor balcony to save the child’s dar year was in 1983, when five states put There is not a single reason for main- C. Owen, Hall’s attorneys, issued a state- life. a total of five prisoners to death. taining this legal lynching. It is racist and ment to the media which charged:“The is used only against poor and working proceedings that led to Mr. Hall’s death class people. Innocent people have been sentence were marked by racial bias executed. Its costs are in the millions of and incompetent lawyering. During jury dollars, with several states having spent selection, the prosecution team enlisted over $1 billion on executions. the help of a former state prosecutor The task that activists have taken known for keeping Black citizens from up is to totally abolish the death pen- serving on criminal juries. With his help, alty. Texas organizations held their 21st an all-white jury was seated to decide Mr. Annual March and Rally to Abolish the Hall’s fate. Death Penalty on Oct. 10 of this year. “In the years since Mr. Hall’s trial, the Unfortunately, it will be a virtual event. U.S. Supreme Court has expressly found Information is at MarchforAbolition.org. that this very prosecutor discriminated The World Day Against the Death against Black potential jurors on account Penalty began in Rome in 2003. It is of their race and then lied under oath in WW PHOTO: GLORIA RUBAC held every year on Oct. 10 to strengthen an attempt to conceal his racist conduct. The Texas Abolition Movement demonstrates on April 24, 2019, against the death penalty the fight to abolish capital punishment In this way, Mr. Hall’s case also reflects at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, where executions are carried out by the state. world-wide. The specific theme this year the significant and troubling racial dis- is “Access to Counsel—​A Matter of Life parities in the operation of the federal In a statement giving background on One reason for the low number of exe- or Death.” death penalty, in which 60% of those the case, Widder and Owen concluded: cutions this year is the COVID‑19 virus. Because access to counsel was denied currently on federal death row are people “Had they known these facts about Mr. Even so, state killings have consistently to Orlando Hall, he may pay with his life of color, including 45% who are Black.” Hall, there is every reason to believe decreased over the last 15 years. In on Nov. 19 at the federal death house in (fd.org, Oct. 1) the jury would have spared his life, March, Colorado became the 22nd state Terra Haute, Ind. ☐ Free Kao Saelee now!

By Ted Kelly governor. Like his California colleague Sen. Kamala Harris, Newsom’s persona “What is the point of sending somebody has been crafted by public relations back to a country where they don’t have experts to put a progressive face on reac- no family?” asks Kao Saelee. “I would be tionary carceral policies. frightened out of my mind.” Saelee was also one of thousands of Like many migrants kidnapped by U.S. imprisoned workers who have been dis- Immigration and Customs Enforcement patched to fight wildfires in California. since its creation in 2003, Kao Saelee is But the capitalist state, indifferent to the imprisoned at a concentration camp in heroic work he performed in 2017 and Louisiana, 2,000 miles from his home. 2018, moved to deport him anyway. Despite the fact Kao that the 41-year-old Kao Saelee is just one of hundreds of has lived in California for over 33 years, millions of workers who, by sentence or he now faces deportation to Laos. His by happenstance, calls this prison nation family fled the country after the devas- his home. Workers World Party and the tating imperialist wars waged on the region by the U.S. from the 1950s to the present day. He has not been there since he was two years old. August 6 was the day Saelee was sup- posed to walk out a free man, after 22 years in Workers World Party believes that prisons are concentration a California prison. camps for the poor and the oppressed. The U.S. mass Instead he was shack- incarceration apparatus inflicts daily cruelties and humiliations led, turned over by on millions of members of our class, a disproportionate number California state prison of them Black, Brown, and Indigenous. Anything less than guards to a private Kao Saelee the complete dismantling of the prison industrial complex mercenary and deliv- is unacceptable. Abolition is our demand and our goal. The ered to ICE for deportation. Even as he Prisoners Solidarity Committee call for major pandemic hotspots across the U.S. are in prisons. There was “transferred” between prisons, his the immediate release of Kao Saelee and is no better time than now to loudly demand — Free Them All! family was waiting on the other side of for the release of all imprisoned workers Prisoners are incarcerated workers and members of our class, the prison walls to bring him home. in the United States. the working class. These transitional demands (on page 4) The practice of handing prisoners over Sign the petition to demand are an immediate response to the mass death of incarcerated to ICE for deportation is increasingly Gov. Newsom stop ICE transfers at workers from the COVID‑19 pandemic. They are demands on common in the “blue” state of California, tinyurl.com/yyanpkoy ☐ our way to abolition. They are demands to save lives. where Democrat Gavin Newsom is Page 6 Oct. 15, 2020 workers.org editorial Rich get richer, poor get poorer — and sicker

“The rich get richer and the poor get having COVID—or​ the 220,000 of those Michigan. And about 20% of Amazon’s of that. Capitalism itself, defined by the poorer.” The old cliché is still true—​ who have died. warehouses are in Michigan and the 12 exploitation of labor by capital, is why one obscenely true. The harshest impact fell on the most states with the lowest infection numbers. class keeps getting filthy richer while the In six months, March to September—​ oppressed—​workers of color, women So Amazon claims its safety measures vast majority suffer. when the working class was clobbered by and gender-nonconforming workers, are limiting infection rates. But how safe Workers, organized and unorganized, COVID, mass unemployment and a rise LGBTQ2S+ workers, young workers, are the working conditions in communi- are fighting to keep themselves safe on in white supremacy—the​ rich got richer. workers with disabilities and others. ties where rates are fairly low? their jobs. A group of unions and envi- Specifically, the collective wealth of “In sickness and in health,” to borrow Not very, according to Amazon workers ronmental organizations has sued the this country’s 643 billionaires expanded another cliche, the rich do get richer and in Shakopee, Minn. By June 30, 45 had federal government to force application by $845 billion. That’s a 29% raise. Not the poor do get poorer. And sicker. tested positive, and the infection rate at of the Defense Production Act—​to pro- bad considering we’re in the midst of an the warehouse was 17 times that of Scott duce more personal protective equipment unprecedented economic contraction. Billionaire Bezos twists the numbers County. needed by frontline workers, especially in (americansfortaxfairness.org) On Oct. 1, under pressure from unions If Bezos sacrificed only the increase health care. And there’s more. to release the numbers, Amazon made in his personal wealth and invested in “People are dying, and more peo- Almost half of that wealth growth—​ public that 19,816 of its 1.37 million U.S. the maximum protections for Amazon ple are going to die because the Trump $401 billion—​went to the 15 rich- frontline workers have had COVID. At workers, fewer workers would be sick. administration has totally failed to pro- est billionaires. More than half of that least eight workers have died. Yet the Vulnerable older and immunocompro- tect Americans who have been on the job sum went to the notorious top five—​ company—​owned by the world’s richest mised workers could be paid to stay home. throughout the pandemic, keeping our Bezos, Gates, Zuckerberg, Musk and billionaire, Jeff Bezos—is​ trying to put a In fact, it took worker walkouts at country running,” said Communication Buffett. The highest percentage increase positive spin on these numbers. Amazon warehouses and Amazon-owned Workers President Chris Shelton. went to the “poor man” of the bunch. “Amazon said the rate of infection Whole Foods to get any workplace protec- This is a progressive lawsuit, but safer Number 15, Dan Gilbert, real estate among employees was 42% lower than tions or hazard pay—which​ was later cut. conditions won’t be won in the courts and finance capitalist and owner of the expected, compared with the ‘general pop- This is the sickness that Amazon and alone. It took strikes and sit-downs Cleveland Cavaliers, saw his net worth ulation rate’ in the U.S.,” CNBC reported. Bezos—​who fought releasing the infec- decades ago to win basic safety protec- grow 672.1% from $6.5 to $50.2 billion. “If Amazon’s infection rates were in line tion figures for months—now​ think they tions in factories, where loss of limb (americansfortaxfairness.org) with the community, the total number can obscure. and even life was a daily risk. Now rank- Not everybody has fared so well. of cases would have reached 33,952, the and-file workers, in health care, trans- Not the 30 million people in the U.S. company said.” Only class struggle keeps workers safe portation, sanitation, food processing, who have gone hungry nor the same num- If Amazon’s figures are accurate, A massive transfer to the wealthy of warehouses and retail, are showing the ber who have had to depend on unemploy- the company’s infection rate is 1,449 more wealth—​all produced by labor—​ way by withholding their labor. ment benefits. Not the 12 million who lost per 100,000 workers. That’s close to has taken place amidst a tragic pandemic. Justice can best be won at the point of their health insurance when they lost their Michigan’s statewide rate of 1,467 per This injustice is not just the result of per- production. ☐ jobs. And not the 8 million on record as 100,000. Only 12 states have rates below sonal greed, although there’s no shortage

After 55 years of repression Indonesian workers, youth take to streets By Deirdre Griswold island of the Philippines, was ordered ‘on alert.’ [Indonesian] General Nasution Thousands of workers and students had a mission in Washington. The United marched and rallied in Indonesia on States was directly involved in the day-to- Oct. 7 to protest a new antilabor law. day events.” “Labor rights activists, workers and In 1965, Time magazine reported students are protesting Indonesia’s new that the elimination of communism in labor law they say will undermine pay Indonesia was “the West’s best news for and benefits, as well as the environment. years in Asia.” (Shimrit Lee, “Memories The law is part of the president’s efforts of Massacre,” Jacobin magazine, June 19, to court foreign investors in a bid to drive 2015) economic growth,” reported the Christian Since then, U.S. businesses have Science Monitor on Oct. 7. become the biggest foreign investors in As the demonstrations spread from Indonesia. The superrich in the U.S. are Jakarta, the capital, to other cities, thou- growing even richer from an estimated sands of participants, many of them high $36 billion invested in Indonesia from school students, were arrested. 2013 to 2017, mostly in extractive indus- Police blocked the streets in the capital tries like oil and gas, according to the U.S. leading to the Parliament building and the Chamber of Commerce. presidential palace, after thousands of uni- There can be no doubt that, with so much versity students and workers announced Workers protest in Bekasi, Indonesia, on Oct. 7. in profits at stake, the policy makers for plans to hold mass rallies there. U.S. imperialism are already plotting to sti- “Similar rallies were also held in police and right-wing vigilantes. The role of the U.S. government in abetting fle any resurgence of Indonesia’s progres- Bandung, the capital of West Java prov- Indonesian Communist Party, which had mass murder. sive movements. The movement here must ince, where clashes between rock-throw- 3 million members, was totally destroyed, One of the pamphlets published by be alerted to the need for solidarity with our ing students and riot police broke out along with all the mass organizations on YAWF was “The Silent Slaughter,” a Indonesian brothers and sisters. ☐ since Tuesday, when police tried to the left. record of speeches given at a Public disperse the protesters by firing tear gas This slaughter established the bloody Inquest on the Indonesian Massacre, and water cannons,” the Associated Press regime of General Suharto, who ruled which was held at Columbia University reported. until a series of mass demonstrations in on June 2, 1966. Another AP report noted: “Thousands 1998 finally forced his replacement. The In an introduction to the pamphlet, of workers from factories in Karawang, Indonesian working class and students British philosopher Bertrand Russell in West Java, and Serang, in Banten are now again intervening openly in their wrote: province, also protested outside their own interests. “During October 1965 two represen- factories.” tatives of the Bertrand Russell Peace Protests in the U.S. Foundation, close associates of mine, Fascist coup of 1965 In the United States, one of the few were in Djakarta [Indonesia] attending Before Oct. 1, 1965, the left movement in groups to protest this 1965 slaughter was a conference [where] few had any doubt Indonesia was one of the strongest in the Youth Against War and Fascism, an affili- about what was taking place around them. Deirdre Griswold’s “The Silent capitalist world. But on that day, a military ate of Workers World Party. It carried out The United States Seventh Fleet was in Slaughter” and “Indonesia 1965: The coup opened the door to a fascist bloodbath demonstrations and rallies and published Javanese waters. The largest base in the Second Greatest Crime of the Century” that decimated the progressive forces. several pamphlets alerting people to the area, feverishly constructed by the United are available in free download at In just a few months, up to a million terrible crimes that were being committed States but a few months earlier on the workers.org/books. Indonesians were slaughtered by soldiers, against the Indonesian people—​and the southernmost point of the southernmost workers.org Oct. 15, 2020 Page 7

Greece Trial finds fascists ‘Guilty!’

By G. Dunkel Golden Dawn aimed attacks at LGBTQ+ people, members of PAME and immigrants. A blow to neo-Nazi organizations—​par- Group members were found guilty of killing ticularly in Europe, but also throughout a Pakistani fruit worker, Ssazad Lukman, the world—​was dealt in Athens, Greece, on in Athens in 2013. Abouzid Embarak, an Oct. 7. After 400 court sessions, over 100 Egyptian fisher working in Athens in a joint witnesses and five years of prosecution, the Egypt-Greece project to improve fishery tech- fascist Golden Dawn political party was con- nology, was left for dead after a Golden Dawn victed of being run as a “criminal enterprise.” attack on his boat, but he survived to testify at The parliamentary leadership of Golden the organization’s trial. Dawn was convicted of directing a criminal Pavlos Fyssas, one of the first people conspiracy, and its cadre were convicted of killed by Golden Dawn, was a political rap- “being members of a gang.” Golden Dawn A massive anti-fascist crowd demonstrates in Athens, Greece, on Oct. 7, day of the per whose lyrics skewered the group’s claim was founded in 1985 by Nikos Michaloliakos, verdict against the Golden Dawn party. to respectability. Fyssas was a metal worker a former Greek commando with neo-Nazi like his father and active in his union, which sympathies. was affiliated with PAME. He was a member The public prosecutor supervising the case recom- Communist Party Statement, Oct. 8) of the anti-capitalist political party Antarsya. His mother mended acquittals for many key party members, cit- Marches against Golden Dawn were held in Thessaloniki, attended almost all the court hearings and cried out as ing a lack of evidence. (Guardian, Oct. 7) But the three Agrinio, Arta, Volos, Ioannina, Zakynthos, Igoumenitsa, the verdict was read: “My son has won!” judges hearing the case disagreed—​68 of its members Heraklion, Ikaria, Katerini, Kozani, Cephalonia, Kardista, For a while, Golden Dawn was Greece’s third larg- were convicted, and massive marches throughout Greece Larissa, Patras, Pyrgoss, Samos, Santorini, Syros, Trikala, est party with 21 seats in parliament. But as its fascist showed popular support for these convictions. Tripoli and Chania. Videos of the marches showed careful practices were exposed, it lost influence, and in the 2019 Trade unions, particularly PAME (the All-Workers attention to pandemic hygiene. general elections did not get enough votes to gain any Militant Front founded by Communist Party of Greece Golden Dawn engaged in street violence from the seats. By the time of the trial, even the Greek president, trade unionists), progressive political parties and stu- beginning, but the 2010 financial crisis, when the Katerina Sakellaropoulou, whose role is mainly ceremo- dent groups brought out more than 20,000 people to European bourgeoisie imposed harsh austerity, gave it nial, supported the judgment. cheer the verdict in front of the Palace of Justice in a big electoral boost. It presented itself as an opponent Now a number of other groups in Greece are compet- Athens. They then marched to parliament, where they of austerity and portrayed its racist xenophobic attacks ing for the mantle of fascism. held a moment of silence for victims of Golden Dawn on Greek workers as opposition to foreign inference. The But all of them will have to confront the masses of and demanded “exemplary punishments” and maxi- organization built ties to other right-wing, fascist parties anti-fascist Greek workers, who are organized and in the mum sentences for members of this fascist party. (Greek in Europe and the U.S. streets. ☐

Answer to fascist threat? Working class struggle! United States Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation Continued from page 1 the class struggle and the necessity to do what we must do 1. Publication Title Workers World to organize our class. That’s a lot of work. But who said 2. Publication Number 53990 From the point of view of the bourgeoisie, they’ll say a that anything important would not be a big challenge and 3. Filing Date October 10, 2020 fascist is someone who wants to negate bourgeois democ- a lot of work? 4. Issue Frequency Weekly except first wk in Jan. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually 51 racy and be a tyrant, be an authoritarian leader, dismiss That understanding and a commitment to do that work 6. Annual Subscription Price $ 30.00 Congress and issue edicts, and so forth. is what makes you a revolutionary. Not just some good 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (not What Marxists understand is that fascism does not come rhetoric or a nice speech. In a crisis, are you ready to get printer; street, city, county state, zip+4) 147 W. 24th St., Fl. 2, New York County, New York, NY 10011-1911; Contact Person M. Goldberg; from some ideology. It’s not born in the heads of people, nei- down? Are you ready to do what you have to do? Are you Telephone 212-255-0352 ther the ultrareactionary nor the police state part of it. ready to put in the time, make the sacrifices? 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Fascism is a desperate, extreme response to a huge crisis Teresa Gutierrez: On fascism, people should take note Office of Publisher WW Publishers, 147 W. 24th St., Fl. 2, New York, NY 10011-1911 in the capitalist system. And the bourgeoisie argues among of this: Comrade Fidel Castro always said that fascism would 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, itself: “How are we going to save our system?” Some will not come to the United States. And I believe him. It has to and Managing Editor say, “Well, this is so bad that the only way we can save the do with the people of this country. We hate this government. Editor Deirdre Griswold, 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10011- 1911 Managing Editor Monica Moorehead, 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor system is to mobilize some social base—​the petty bour- We hate this system. But we love our working class. And our New York, NY 10011-1911 geoisie, small business owners—​and try to infect some of working class is not going to allow fascism in this country. 10. Owner WW Publishers Inc., 147 W. 24th St., Fl. 2, New York, NY the working class with racism and homophobia and sex- Fidel believed that, and I agree with him. 10011-1911; Deirdre Griswold, 147 W. 24th St., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10011-1911 ism. Go back to the past when the oppressed couldn’t even Young people know that there is no hope under capi- 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders lift their head. And do whatever is necessary to smash the talism, and that’s why a sector of them were for Bernie Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, unions and smash the working class and divide it.” Sanders, who was an open “socialist.” If the Democratic Mortgages, or Other Securities. None 12. Tax Status The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this orga- Fascism for the bourgeoisie is an extreme, painful solu- Party wanted a symbol of change, they would have selected nization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not tion to what they believe to be a terrifying existential cri- him. (Yes, he’s an old white man; they can’t seem to get changed in the last 12 months. sis for their system—​as in, if they don’t do something away from that!) But he was for Medicare for All, and 13. Publication Title Workers World 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below March 12, 2020 extreme, they might lose their system! choosing him would have been a nod to the base of the 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average No. Copies Each I believe that the whole bourgeoisie is like Trump. It’s party that was organizing and angry with capitalism. Issue During Preceding 12 Months: a. Total Numbers of Copies 3500 just that Trump lets it all hang out. But the bourgeoisie say But the Democrats didn’t do that, and they couldn’t do that b. Paid Circulation (1) Mailed Outside County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 1379 (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated the same things. All of the sexist, abominable s-h-i-t that he because they are too beholden to Wall Street. The Democratic on PS Form 3541: 58 (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including says—they​ say it amongst themselves. Trump realizes there’s Party may look different—​it may look more Black, more Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and a sector that he can reach, that he can mobilize on that basis, Brown, more union, but it is, just like the Republican Party, Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS: 60 (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS: 1200 c. Total Paid Distribution: 2697 by being “honest” and calling for attacks on the oppressed. beholden to Wall Street. Workers World Party understands d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside The question is how deep is his support in the ruling that there are immigrant rights activists and union activists County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 0 (2) Free or Nominal Rate class? And he has some support in the ruling class. And who have a little bit of hope that if they vote for Biden, this In-County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 0 (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS: 0 (4) Free or Nominal what is the strength of his social base? I think that these fascist, sexist, white supremacist president will be defeated. Rate Distribution Outside the Mail: 350 e. Total Free or Nominal Rate things will be in deep play in the coming weeks, early And he should be defeated. We’re not at odds with those Distribution: 350 f. Total Distribution: 3047 g. Copies not Distributed: November and beyond. sentiments among people who are fighting for their com- 400 h. Total: 3447 i. Percent Paid: 88.51% No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: a. Total You want to fight these fascists? The Democrats will lead munity. We’re not at odds with them. Numbers of Copies: 3000 b. Paid Circulation (1) Mailed Outside County you to destruction. 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First in small ways, in uneven ways, based on But Nov. 3 to Jan. 20 could be a sh-tstorm in this coun- 16. If total circulation includes electronic copies, report that circula- where you are, but as time passes, in bigger, more coordi- try. We know Trump’s hubris. We know the Democrats tion on lines below: a. Paid Electronic Copies 0 b. Total Paid Print Copies + Paid Electronic Copies 0 c. Total Print Distribution + Paid Electronic nated ways. This is the lesson that comrades and leaders are not capable of fighting him. And we know that the only Copies 0 d. Percent Paid 0 in the communist movement learned during the 1930s in transfer of power we must be concerned with is the transfer 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: This statement will be Italy, in Germany, in Spain, and in different ways, in Chile of power to the people. printed in Oct. 15, 2020 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or and in Greece, not just now but fifty years ago. The big So on Nov. 4, the day after the election, we have to be Owner Deirdre Griswold, Editor, Sept. 30, 2020: I certify that all informa- historical examples are Hitler and Mussolini, but they are hitting the streets to organize for COVID relief, to stop tion furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone by no means the only examples. police terror and for all the other demands for liberation who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to crimi- This is a turning point for those who view themselves as of workers and the oppressed. That’s our program. That’s nal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions radical socialists, communists, anti-capitalists, who orient what we’re fighting for. We’re asking everyone to join us (including civil penalties). toward the working class. This is about the importance of in this fight. ☐ Correspondencia sobre artículos en Workers World/Mundo Obrero pueden ser enviadas a: [email protected]

¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los paises unios! workers.org Vol. 62 Núm. 42 15 de octubre 2020 $1 Huelga de uva Delano, 1965-1970, por la Asociación Nacional de Trabajadores Agrícolas. Obreras negras y latinx lideran huelga hacia la victoria Por Kathy Durkin Los sindicatos Teamsters de sindicalizarse, una victoria sorprendente para el movi- and Electrical Workers (IBEW) miento laboral estadounidense. Votaron para establecer ¡Ganaron! honraron las líneas de piquete y ser representados por Child Care Providers United, una La histórica huelga de de SEIU Local 73 y se unieron a colaboración entre United Domestic Workers of America/ 10 días de trabajadores los huelguistas en solidaridad, American Federation of State, County and Municipal en instalaciones médi- al igual que los miembros indi- Employees Local 3930 y SEIU Locals 99 y 521. cas en tres ciudades de viduales del sindicato. Estos Esta fuerza laboral está compuesta principalmente por Illinois resultó en una valientes trabajadores demos- mujeres: negras, latinx e inmigrantes, lo que hace que esta victoria total, con todas traron que incluso en la era victoria sea aún más significativa como parte de la lucha las demandas satisfe- anti-laborista de Trump, una general por la justicia racial, de género y económica. chas. Las trabajadoras fuerza de huelga unida y fuerte Las enfermeras del Mission Hospital en Asheville, negras y latinx desem- Trabajadoras de la salud de Chicago en la ‘Huelga por puede ganar. N.C., votaron a favor de sindicalizarse en una elección de peñaron un papel deci- nuestras vidas.’ la NLRB el 16 de septiembre, en lo que National Nurses sivo en la organización ¡Las mujeres se organizan! United denominó la “mayor victoria sindical de hospita- de la huelga y en su exitosa conclusión. Muchas campañas de organización sindical y accio- les en el sur desde 1975”. Más de 4,000 miembros del Local 73 de Empleados nes laborales han sido lideradas por mujeres este año Y las enfermeras registradas en el Hospital Alameda, de Servicio (SEIU) lanzaron una huelga por prácticas en desafío a la administración Trump, que está en con- el Hospital San Leandro y Hospital San Joaquin en laborales injustas el 14 de septiembre en las instalacio- tra del trabajo y a favor de las empresas. Las personas California planean una huelga de cinco días para el 7 nes médicas de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago, designadas por Trump para el llamado Departamento de octubre para exigir que la administración proteja la Peoria y Rockford. Después de trabajar sin contrato de Trabajo y la Junta Nacional de Relaciones Laborales, seguridad de los pacientes y proporcione suficiente per- durante más de un año, ¡los trabajadoras estaban har- así como la Corte Suprema, han atacado y debilitado los sonal y PPE durante la pandemia, informa el sitio web tos! Además, como amenaza, los patrones trajeron rom- derechos de los sindicatos y los trabajadores. de la NNU. La Asociación de Enfermeras de California pehuelgas de otros estados antes de la huelga. En julio, en una votación histórica y aplastante, los pro- dijo el 26 de septiembre que la gerencia ha negociado de Esta acción laboral demostró la determinación y uni- veedores de cuidado infantil en California votaron a favor mala fe y ha tomado medidas punitivas. ☐ dad de los trabajadores del centro médico: trabajadorxs de mantenimiento, conserjes, técnicos y administrativos, terapeutas ocupacionales y otros profesionales. Presionó a los jefes de UI-Chicago para que se rindieran. Una Asamblea de Trabajadores Los contratos negociados, tentativos y de varios años garantizan aumentos salariales para todos los trabajado- PARA CONSTRUIR UN MOVIMIENTO PARA UNA HUELGA GENERAL res, incluido un salario mínimo de $15 en Chicago para aquellos en la escala de salario más bajo, medidas de Contra el racismo seguridad para lidiar con COVID‑19, personal adecuado y protección contra la subcontratación de la dirección del ASAMBLEA • ¡USE UNA MASCARA! sindicato empleos, informó el comité de negociación del sindicato el 24 de septiembre. Domingo • 18 de octubre • 2:00 PM El presidente de SEIU Local 73, Dian Palmer, dijo que el acuerdo “es una victoria para todos los trabajadoras Union Square, Nueva York de Illinois y muestra lo que es posible cuando los traba- www.ShutDownRacism.org www.facebook.com/events/3370245423060349/ jadores se unen y exigen que los empleadores nos respe- ten, nos protejan y nos paguen. Estoy muy orgullosa de El veredicto indignante de Breonna Taylor es otro movimiento de Huelga General/ El Cierre contra el las mujeres negras y morenas que lideraron esta huelga, recordatorio claro y atroz que este país no valora las Racismo debe construirse dentro del movimiento quienes convencieron a sus compañeros de huelga de vidas de los negros ni las considera merecedoras de labor, pero lo que es más importante, entre aquellos que valía la pena correr el riesgo. proteccion. Esto, además ataques anti-asiáticos, con- de nosotros que no estamos en un sindicato. “Nunca se rindieron”, enfatizó Palmer. “Estaban todos stantes asesinatos policiales racistas y fuerzas arma- El hecho es que la mayoría de los millones de per- los días al amanecer exigiendo justicia para los trabaja- das neofascistas que se movilizan por todo el país para sonas que han marchado en las calles contra el rac- dores esenciales. UIC los llamó héroes, pero su salario y apoyar a Trump si se niega a irse. Estamos ante una ismo son los trabajadores muchos adentro los últimos gran crisis en el horizonte de las elecciones del 3 de meses para protestar por las condiciones inseguras beneficios no reflejaban eso, pero UIC ahora entiende lo noviembre. están al frente del movimiento para traer de vuelta la que significa ser ‘esencial’ ”(seiu.org, 24 de septiembre). La clase obrera no puede callar. huelga general. Especialmente ahora, cuando hay un ‘¡Somos ruidosas y orgullosas!’ ¿Cómo nos movilizamos para acabar con el desempleo a nivel de depresión y la perspectiva de racismo? desalojos masivos a la vuelta de la esquina, el paro/ Alicia Uwumarogie, fisioterapeuta y representante Si están en contra del racismo, ven a la Asamblea huelga general debe convertirse en un arma en la del comité de negociación de SEIU, dijo: “¡Dejamos vic- de Trabajadores del 18 de octubre, afuera y con dis- lucha por defender a todxs los trabajadores. toriosos los piquetes en tantas áreas! Hemos ganado tancia social, para ayudarnos a construir un movi- El mundo se dio cuenta cuando los atletas pararon la confianza y la fuerza para asumir la gestión. Hemos miento para una huelga general contra el racismo. de trabajar después del tiroteo policial de Jacob Blake. demostrado nuestro poder colectivo mediante la ejecu- ¡Las Vidas Negras No Pueden Esperar! Nos recordaron que el 90% de nosotros somos traba- ción de esta huelga. Nuestros miembros estarán orgu- No importa si está en un sindicato o si tiene un jadores y que podemos mover a la sociedad con el llosos de esta victoria y de lo que hicimos en las últimas trabajo: el 99% de nosotrxs estamos en la clase poder que tenemos para retener nuestro trabajo. trabajadora. Fue principalmente la amenaza de una huelga de semanas”. Los trabajadores “seguirán luchando hasta Algo importante está sucediendo en el movimiento maestros en marzo que obligó al alcalde de Nueva que la justicia, la equidad y el respeto se conviertan en sindical. Muchos han llegado a la conclusión de que York a cerrar las escuelas al comienzo de la pan- la norma en UIC”. no es suficiente para los sindicatos simplemente demia. Cuando el gobierno no proporcionó quipo Las enfermeras en huelga del Hospital UIC se unie- emitir declaraciones denunciando asesinatos policia- de protección personal (PPE, por sus siglas en inglés) ron a los trabajadores del Local 73 de SEIU en las líneas les. Más de 36 sindicatos locales, regionales y nacio- ni siquiera a las enfermeras de primera línea,­ fueron de piquete y en una manifestación del 18 de septiembre nales, han declarado que el movimiento sindical debe los trabajadores de los hospitales y de Amazon, insta- en el centro de Chicago. Hicieron huelga durante siete organizar paros laborales y huelgas generales contra cart, McDonalds y las granjas quienes abandonaron días a partir del 12 de septiembre, con demandas que el racismo y el terror policial. (laborforblacklives.org) el trabajo, quienes dejaron de trabajar y cerraron los incluían la prohibición de subcontratar los trabajos de Ha llegado el momento de una huelga/ cierre gen- negocios habituales, y dirigieron a la sociedad para las enfermeras sindicales a enfermeras no sindicalizadas eral en solidaridad con las vidas negras, los blancos de enfrentar la pandemia COVID‑19. y con una formación inadecuada. Aunque la dirección tiroteos policiales y opresión sistémica; con la comu- Fueron miles de trabajadores los que salieron a las nidad de im/migrantes, puestos en campos de con- calles para protestar por la supremacía blanca y la del hospital obtuvo una orden judicial para prohibir que centración por ICE o designados como trabajadores racista brutalidad policial. Esto es por eso debemos las enfermeras hicieran huelga, 800 enfermeras de la excluidos, a los que se les puede negar el apoyo a los organizarnos y no detenernos hasta que todos los UIC desafiaron a los jefes y protestaron. ingresos durante la pandemia; y con comunidades negros sean libres. La Asociación de Enfermeras de Illinois informa que indígenas­ y latinx, que se ven más afectados por Una Asamblea de Trabajadores contra el Racismo se ha llegado a un acuerdo tentativo, otorgando pago COVID‑19. tiene el potencial de reunir a todos los líderes de las por riesgo de pandemia, contratando más enfermeras Es tiempo de una huelga general en contra del rac- luchas de los trabajadores en un solo lugar. Ven a la y proporcionando más PPE. La unidad de negociación ismo y para exigir reparaciones por la descendencia Asamblea de Trabajadores del 18 de octubre y ayuda de 1.400 personas votará el 28 de septiembre si aprueba de africanos esclavos e indígenas! a que la huelga / cierre general sea más que una idea, el contrato, el mismo día que se vota el contrato del La lucha contra el racismo es un problema sino una realidad. (shutdownracism.org) ☐ Local 73. (Chicago Sun-Times, 24 de septiembre) de la clase trabajadora. El apoyo para un nuevo