ISSUE #57 l OCTOBER 2019 SUGGESTED DONATION $2 WORKERS AND YOUTH FIGHT BACK

INSIDE DEMOCRATS BEGIN IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS BUILD A MOVEMENT TO p.3

subscription addresssubscription box DRIVE TRUMP OUT! WHAT WE STAND FOR WHY I JOINED SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE FIGHTING FOR THE 99% in rehabilitation, job training, and living-wage Following college, I worked as a caregiver JJRaise the federal minimum wage to $15 an jobs, not prisons! Abolish the death penalty. for a couple years in my home state of Ari- hour, as a step toward a living wage for all. JJDefend immigrant rights! Immediate, zona. I have always been passionate about social justice but this experience changed JJFree, high quality public education for all from unconditional legalization and equal rights for my perspective profoundly. I was confronted pre-school through college. Full funding for all undocumented immigrants. with the sheer callousness of the capitalist schools to dramatically lower student-teacher JJFight sexual harassment, violence against system and its total inability to take care of ratios. Stop the focus on high stakes testing women, and all forms of sexism. our most vulnerable community members, and the drive to privatize public education. J JDefend a woman’s right to choose whether either by meeting their basic material needs JJFree, high quality health care for all. Replace and when to have children. For a publicly or in respecting their right to autonomy and the failed for-profit insurance companies with funded, single-payer health care system self-determination. I was making $9/hour a publicly funded single-payer system as a with free reproductive services, including all and had to go on food stamps while working step towards fully socialized medicine. forms of birth control and safe, accessible full time. Rapid turnover of staff due to lack JJNo budget cuts to education and social abortions. Comprehensive sex education. At of training and low pay lead to an unstable services! Full funding for all community least 12 weeks of paid family leave for all. For situation that left our clients vulnerable to needs. A major increase in taxes on the rich universal, high quality, affordable and publicly abuse. I advocated the best I could within and big business, not working people. run child care. the company for the needs and rights of my JJCreate living-wage union jobs for all the JJFight discrimination and violence against clients, but was told that due to underfund- unemployed through public works programs the LGBTQ community, and all forms of ing there was “nothing we can do” to improve to develop mass transit, renewable energy, homophobia and transphobia. their quality of life. I felt helpless on my own Alycia Lewis infrastructure, health care, education, and MONEY FOR JOBS AND EDUCATION, and so left, discouraged, to find new work. My experience as a caregiver taught me affordable housing. NOT WAR Seattle, WA JJFor rent control combined with massive how vitally important every single “reform” JJEnd the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq. public investment in affordable housing. under capitalism can be to the people who that a better world is possible if you’re willing Bring all the troops home now! need them most. So when I moved to Seattle JJA guaranteed decent pension for all. No cuts to get organized and fight. It also showed me JJSlash the military budget. No drones. Shut and found out about the work that Kshama to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid! that big business is prepared to go all out to down Guantanamo. Sawant’s office- along with Socialist Alterna- JJA minimum guaranteed weekly income of protect their interests- as they’re trying to do JJRepeal the Patriot Act, NDAA, and all other tive- was doing, it immediately made sense $600/week for the unemployed, disabled, right now by wielding an unprecedented $1.7 attacks on democratic rights. to me. As an individual I had been powerless million in corporate PAC money to defeat stay-at-home parents, the elderly, and others to help the people I cared about. But by join- unable to work. BREAK WITH Kshama Sawant’s re-election campaign. ing a movement fighting for things like $15/ If we are going to protect any of the JJRepeal all anti-union laws like Taft-Hartley. For THE TWO PARTIES OF BIG BUSINESS hour, affordable housing, and taxing the rich improvements we make to the lives of work- democratic unions run by the rank-and-file JJFor a mass workers party drawing together to pay for vital social services- I could make ing people, it’s going to require challenging to fight for better pay, working conditions, workers, young people and activists from an immediate material impact on the lives of the power of the 1% head on and a complete and social services. Full-time union officials environmental, civil rights, and women’s countless people. socialist transformation of society. There’s a should be regularly elected and receive the campaigns, to provide a fighting, political The series of inspiring wins in Seattle- lot of work to do but I’m a socialist because average wage of those they represent. alternative to the corporate parties. from raising the minimum wage, to divert- I no longer believe I’m alone in the fight for JJNo more layoffs! Take bankrupt and failing JJUnions and other social movement ing city funding from a new police bunker to justice. Instead, we have the power to come companies into public ownership. organizations should stop funding and affordable housing, to divesting from Wells together in common struggle for better lives JJBreak the power of Wall Street! For public supporting the Democratic and Republican Fargo in solidarity with NODAPL- showed me and a better world. J ownership and democratic control of the Parties and instead organize independent major banks. left-wing, anti-corporate candidates and Comprehensive Rent Control Bill Introduced in Seattle JJShorten the workweek with no loss in pay coalitions as a first step toward building a and benefits; share out the work with the workers’ party. Eva Metz “Taxing big business to build the affordable unemployed and create new jobs. SOCIALISM AND INTERNATIONALISM social housing we need cannot come soon ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY JJCapitalism produces poverty, inequality, On September 23, over 250 people joined enough!” JJFight climate change. Massive public environmental destruction, and war. We Socialist Alternative’s Seattle City Council- Rent control is taking off across the investment in renewable energy and energy- need an international struggle against this member Kshama Sawant and renters’ rights country, from victories this year statewide efficient technologies to rapidly replace fossil failed system.No to corporate “free trade” organizations to pack City Hall demanding in Oregon and California to key protections fuels. agreements, which mean job losses and universal rent control. The meeting featured in New York State to strengthen and extend rent control. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria JJA major expansion of public transportation to a race to the bottom for workers and the Sawant introducing rent control legislation to Ocasio-Cortez are both calling for national provide low fare, high-speed, and accessible environment. be discussed and debated. rent control. Now, Washington is the only transit. JJSolidarity with the struggles of workers and Dozens of renters, workers, and com- munity leaders spoke in support of the draft state on the West Coast without any form of JJDemocratic public ownership of the big oppressed peoples internationally: An injury to one is an injury to all. bill for rent control. A barista named Chris rent control! If Seattle leads with a landmark energy companies, retooling them for rent control policy, citywide and free from JJTake into public ownership the top 500 explained that she came to the meeting socially necessary green production. A corporate loopholes, we can set a powerful corporations and banks that dominate the out of “desperation” because her rent in a “Just Transition” for all workers in polluting example to renters and activists across the U.S. economy. Run them under the democratic shared three-bedroom home had risen $500 industries with guaranteed re-training and country, just like with the $15 minimum management of elected representatives over three years: “This has to end, and rent new living-wage jobs. wage which was first won in Seattle in 2014 of the workers and the broader public. control can stop landlords and big developers due to the leadership of Kshama Sawant and EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL Compensation to be paid on the basis from pricing us out of our homes.” the grassroots 15 Now campaign. JJFight discrimination based on race, of proven need to small investors, not Rents in Seattle have soared 69% since As Councilmember Sawant explained, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender millionaires. 2010. Studies show that when the average rent in a city increases by $100, homeless- "building a powerful movement that can identity, religion, disability, age, and all other JJA democratic socialist plan for the economy forms of prejudice. Equal pay for equal work. ness increases by approximately 15%, often overcome what will be fierce opposition based on the interests of the overwhelming higher. With renters accounting for nearly from the real estate corporations" will be the JJBlack Lives Matter! Build a mass movement majority of people and the environment. For a half of Seattleites, these sky-high rents have "most crucial part of winning rent control.” against police brutality and the institutional socialist United States and a socialist world. pushed thousands of working families out of Our campaign for rent control is off to an racism of the criminal justice system. Invest their homes or out of the city altogether, and incredible start, but our enemies are power- Seattle was recently ranked the third most ful. Vulcan, one of Seattle’s most notorious rapidly gentrifying city in the country. real-estate developers, is bankrolling Kshama [email protected] We also need to fund public programs to Sawant’s re-election opponent to the tune of @SocialistAlt provide an alternative to the failed private $150,000 because they are terrified of our market. As Lea, a graduate student, renter, movement. We cannot let big developers buy /SocialistAlternative.USA and member of UAW Local 4121, said: this election. Please donate today at www. SocialistAlternative.org/join /c/SocialistAlternative kshamasawant.org/donate. J

2 SOCIALISTALTERNATIVE.ORG POLITICS Democrats Begin Impeachment Proceedings Build a Movement to Drive Trump Out! Socialist Alternative year’s election. Editorial We in Socialist Alternative have supported impeaching Trump from the beginning. How- As we go to press, the Democratic Party ever, we also stated that we did not accept leadership in the House of Representatives the Democrats’ narrative that Russian gov- has opened a formal impeachment investiga- ernment meddling played a key role in the tion against Donald Trump. While this is not outcome of the 2016 election. Nevertheless, the same as definitively bringing forward arti- Trump’s authoritarian tendencies are very cles of impeachment, it is clear now that this clear and we oppose his deep corruption is the direction in which things are headed. which goes hand-in-hand with ongoing voter Millions of people who hate this reactionary suppression by the right wing. regime will welcome that the Democrats have Trump and other right-wing politicians finally taken this step. around the world have risen to prominence We need a mass nationwide day of action due to distrust in the capitalist establishment to push forward a process to drive Trump out who have overseen decades of budget cuts, of office. Every day of this regime adds fuel war, privatization, environmental devastation, to racist right-wing violence, mass deporta- and union-busting. We have record income party’s establishment would like, with Bernie rallies, direct action and strikes. tion of immigrants, and a trade war can that inequality, and the politicians of both parties Sanders and Elizabeth Warren topping many A mass movement fighting for this pro- can accelerate the prospects of yet another are bought and sold by corporations and the major polls. The establishment would have gram is the best bet at taking down Trump. recession. The days of a “Predator in Chief” capitalist system they represent. The Demo- far preferred to enter the primaries with an As the Chicago Teachers Union prepare for sexist billionaire in the White House need to cratic Party leadership, which created the already anointed candidate, but Biden has a possible strike, Bernie Sanders’ hosted a be brought to a close. space for Trump, cannot be trusted to carry been unreliable in fulfilling that role. rally with them to amplify their demands for This won’t be possible if we allow the out a strategy to defeat him or the underly- Therefore the initiation of these impeach- fair pay and benefits, smaller class sizes, Democratic Party leadership to limit calls ing cause for his ascendancy. That’s why we ment proceedings can be seen as a strategy and staffing. This shows the potential that for impeachment narrowly to the issue of need a mass socialist movement to pose an by the party leadership to posture as unafraid exists for a movement that brings together Trump’s attempts to pressure the Ukrai- alternative to both right-wing populism and to take on Trump. However, with Biden as the unions as well as young people energeti- nian regime to investigate Biden. To build a corporate domination. a major subject in these proceedings, it is cally fighting for Sanders’ pro-working-class mass movement, we need to not only oppose not guaranteed that this will help him in the program. So does the hundreds of thousands Trump but also pose an alternative: Medicare What is Next? slightest. The real danger for the Democrats, of young people around the country demand- for All, a Green New Deal for working people, given their political weakness, is that they will ing “system change not climate change” and support for strikes, and a stop to mass depor- Impeachment could certainly pass in the fail to make the case with the electorate that opposing the climate denier in chief. tation and detention of immigrants. House where there’s a Democratic majority, their narrowly-defined impeachment articles In almost every single national poll, Bernie The Democratic Party leadership has and this would be significant. However, a mean the president should be removed. Sanders’ defeats Trump in a general elec- taken far too long to introduce impeach- public trial against Donald Trump will likely be A new Quinnipiac poll show 37% support tion. This is the basis on which he can be ment. For many months, Nancy Pelosi has dead on arrival when it reaches the Republi- impeachment while 57% oppose. defeated. The recent developments around held the line against moving in this direction, can-dominated Senate without a mass move- In truth, the most effective way to defeat impeachment should be seen as a welcome concerned about the impact of impeach- ment to drive Trump out or more shocking Trump as we enter the Presidential elections sign that Trump is vulnerable and now is the ment proceedings on the Democrats’ elec- revelations. It would require 20 Republican is to build a mass movement around Bernie time to begin constructing a genuine mass toral chances and also wanting to not cause Senators turning on Trump in order for him to Sanders’ campaign and program. Working- movement to bring down Trump and fight “instability” in the system. Up until recently be removed from office. class and young people are lit up by Sand- for a pro-working class, anti-racist program. it seemed that the push towards impeach- Regardless of the exact outcome, ers’ proposals for erasing student and medi- This can be a crucial step towards ending this ment had stalled. Recent revelations though impeachment proceedings will likely develop cal debt, taxing the rich, a Green New Deal, rotten capitalist system and all the racist, point to Trump putting pressure on a foreign into a political and media focal point in the national rent control, and Medicare for All. sexist, anti-worker political monsters it cre- power to help him gain advantage over Joe coming months. The Democratic primaries Fighting for this program is not just an elec- ates. J Biden, a possible rival candidate in next have become much more contested than the toral campaign, but also should include mass 50,000 GM Workers on Strike Steve Edwards In 2018 more workers went on strike at GM plants. What we found at the factory benefits. Today, workers understand that they than in any year since 1986. The increase gates was a deep anger at the arrogance and were flat-out lied to. Full-time workers on the The strike of 50,000 UAW members, in strikes has continued in 2019. Other bat- deceit of the company, which came to their picket lines expressed strong solidarity with which began September 15 at midnight at all tles loom, for example the Chicago Teach- union with a begging bowl in 2007 pleading their temping co-workers. The feeling is over- 55 GM plants in the U.S., has the potential ers Union and an SEIU local representing financial difficulties - well before the 2008 whelmingly that the UAW sacrificed to bring to mark a new stage in the revival of working ancillary school employees are preparing for recession. The union gave big but suppos- GM back to life, and that it’s time for GM to class action. GM immediately responded to strike action this fall as are 80,000 Kaiser edly temporary concessions which the com- give back to the workers, all of the workers, the strike by cutting off health care for strik- Permanente health care workers. In Southern pany has since refused to give back. These now that it’s profitable. ers the next day. California the strike threat by 47,000 grocery included half-pay for new hires as well as let- What this strike, and its motivation, poten- The GM strike is the latest sign of the will- workers forced the employers to back down ting the company hire three different catego- tially represents is a break with almost 40 ingness of wide sections of the working class on their planned attacks on health care and ries of low-paid temporary workers and also years of concessionary bargaining. This to fight back after a long “recovery” which pensions earlier this month. allowing contractual workers employed by strategy has never worked. The record has overwhelmingly benefited the rich. Not outside companies to work in GM factories. shows that since that moment, GM has only are workers perpared to fight but there is Strike Underway Despite these concession and a massive gone from 440,000 unionized employees in more sympathy and support from the broader $50 billion government bailout two years the U.S. to the present figure of just under population. Polls show public support for Socialist Alternative members in Michi- later, the subsequent 2015 contract pro- unions at a 15-year high of 62%. gan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin talked to duced no return to pre-recession pay and UAW members as the picket lines went up continued on p. 11

OCTOBER 2019 3 POLITICS Bernie Releases Program for Labor

“If there is going to be class warfare in economy in favor of the working this country, it’s time that the working class class. of this country won that war.” Bernie Sanders Point by point Sanders responds to the political demands Justin Harrison of the union leadership giving them everything that they have As the fight for the Democratic nomina- been saying they need to restore tion grinds on towards the winter and spring the economic and political power primary season, Bernie Sanders continues to that unions have lost over the work hard to differentiate himself from the past 50 years. This shift of power pack by putting forward a bold, clear, working would result in the dramatic class program to revitalize and mobilize the improvement in wages, working labor movement. He is calling on the unions conditions, health, and the overall to rally to his campaign and join him in the quality of life for the vast majority fight against the obscene accumulations of of Americans. wealth and power of the billionaire class. Based on this, every union in In a series of campaign events, speeches the U.S. should be endorsing and and social media posts this August and Sep- campaigning for Sanders right tember he rolled out his Workplace Democ- now, mobilizing and engaging racy Plan, “…establishing a national goal to their membership to fight along- double union membership….” and declaring side him to win the election and that if elected, “I'm not only going to be Com- carry out his program. mander in Chief. I am going to be Organizer in Chief.” committing to use the office of the Serious Opposition president to actively support union organizing and to mobilize mass support for his program. Big Business will not sit still Bernie Sanders walks the picket line with striking GM workers at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. Included in his plan are commitments and let Sanders win the election to guarantee the right of public workers to and carry out his plan. Even if the unions the youth, and working class com- The only way this happens is if the Demo- organize and bargain collectively, give federal he wins the nomination, corporate America munities beyond anything we have seen since crats’ public representatives end all reliance workers the right to strike, enact “card check” would rather have four more years of Trump the 1970’s. It will mean being prepared to on corporate cash, commit themselves to organizing, eliminate “right to work” laws, than a Sanders presidency. He is already take political strike action. It means building fight for pro-working class policies and if they ban the permanent replacement of striking facing the full opposition of the Democratic a new political force that contests with the are accountable to democratic structures. workers, and re-legalize sympathy strikes. Party establishment that is lining up behind corporate dominated parties alongside deter- The establishment will split before accepting Many of these proposed reforms look Warren as a reliable ‘progressive’ alternative mined, peaceful, disciplined mass actions to any of this. back to the militant fighting tactics that built to Sanders in case Biden should falter. have a chance of winning. With an intentional approach to building the US unions in the first place, tactics that If Sanders wins the election and begins sustainable local structures organized around the bosses decided were much too effective to carry out his planned reforms, he will face Time For A New Party his unifying working class program, and and used their political power to make them the most ferocious opposition from the rich linking them with ongoing struggles against and powerful, including economic and politi- We need to lay the groundwork now to racism, sexism, climate change, oppressions illegal. build a new party to fight on Sanders program These proposals would eliminate most of cal sabotage by the Billionaire Oligarchs, the and class exploitation and all oppression, Democratic Party leadership and the corpo- in the likely event that he is undemocratically Sanders campaign can initiate the work of the current legal and economic barriers to blocked from the nomination, just like 2016. organizing unions and conducting success- rate media. building a new mass party uniting all working Unfortunately Sanders has not drawn this J ful strikes, and dramatically shift the balance Winning even the most basic of these and oppressed people in America. reforms will require a mass mobilization of conclusion and continues to argue for turning of power in the workplace and the broader the Democrats into a “working class party”.

Elizabeth Warren Opens the Door EFCA - A History of Betrayal

We should ask ourselves, if Sanders wins the presidency do the to Corporate Donors Democrats have the spine to carry out this fight? The Democratic Party’s key campaign promise to the unions in 2008 was to pass the Toiyah Shester This has now opened the that promise through the gen- Employee Free Choice Act (also known as EFCA, or “card check”). door for more private fund- eral election. Warren’s tactic This would greatly simplify the legal process of organizing a union New revelations about Eliza- raising events which will fur- of fundraising through grass- and winning a first contract. This was the centerpiece of the AFL- beth Warren’s fundraising have ther bring her allegiances into roots efforts with working-class CIO’s legislative agenda, the ‘must have’ reform that would reset the brought into question how question. She has already said people was just that: a tactic, balance of power in the workplace. steadfastly she plans to reject she will not reject any money and a temporary one at that! Obama and the Democrats swept into power in 2008 with a solid corporate influence into her should she make it to the gen- Socialists like Seattle Coun- majority in both houses, but as soon as the dust settled after the campaign. She was the first eral election. When asked about cilmember Kshama Sawant and elections, opposition to EFCA revealed itself within the Democratic candidate to announce that she this, Warren claimed that the Bernie Sanders have proven that Party as the corporate establishment mobilized all its forces to fight would not take corporate PAC Republicans would be receiving progressive candidates CAN it, even threatening economic sabotage. Under this intense pressure money nor money from wealthy corporate money and stated, “I raise more money and defeat from corporate America, the Obama administration quietly dropped donors but at private events do not believe in unilateral disar- Republicans AND Democrats by EFCA and never looked back. These same forces within the Demo- has taken back that pledge. mament when it comes to win- putting forward a program that crats then lined up with the corrupt insurance and pharmaceutical Elizabeth Warren recently used ning the general election against speaks to the needs of workers companies - and the Republicans - to fight Obamacare every step money from a multimillionaire President Trump.” and youth with radical demands of the way, weakening it as much as possible and eliminating the donor in California to purchase Bernie Sanders made the that challenge this exploitative, “public option” from the final legislation, guaranteeing the continued J a voter database from the DNC. same pledge but unlike Warren, capitalist system to its core. obscene profits of the health care “industry.” J Sanders intends on keeping

4 SOCIALISTALTERNATIVE.ORG ENVIRONMENT Millions Join Climate Strikes System Change not Climate Change

Grace Fors is not enough and are ready for bold In the first half of 2019, seven million action. people worldwide were displaced by extreme There is a strong weather events. We are seeing the impact mood to hold of climate change with our own eyes as the accountable the Amazon rainforest is torched to the ground 100 corporations and the Bahamas devastated by Hurricane responsible for Dorian. Disaster after disaster has spurred 71% of emissions. a new sense of urgency about the climate We encountered a crisis. On Friday, September 20, over four lot of openness to million people in 164 countries took part in our demand to take the Climate Strike, the largest mobilization them into demo- for the environment in history. cratic public owner- ship, run by elected Youth Enraged bodies of workers and civilians, not The movement has exploded in the past wealthy executives. year following increasingly dire reports from What is pro- Students in New York City marching for immediate action to addresss climate change. the IPCC and escalating youth involvement. duced in a capitalist The first global day of action on March 15 economy, and how, strikes, greater solidarity and coordination is status quo.” drew 1.6 million, and in just a few months is decided by a gamble, a best estimate of needed between the youth movement and Despite their strategic statements of sup- participation nearly tripled for the Climate what would bring in the most revenue at the the broader working class. With the momen- port for the climate movement, status quo Strike. lowest cost. We on the other hand must take tum of the developing strike wave in the U.S., political leaders continue to frustrate the Greta Thunberg has risen to international into account the reality that the market itself there is great potential for unions to continue expectations of the best climate activists. prominence through the school strike move- is not a viable mechanism for reversing the to step up involvement in the climate strikes. As long as capitalism dominates, politicians ment and her fiery speeches that have gal- catastrophe already underway. Organized working-class participation will the will view their job as maintaining corporate vanized a whole generation. Equal credit is Only a global planned economy organized single most decisive factor in winning the profitability in an increasingly volatile world due to the thousands of young people who on the basis of human need would enable demands of the climate strikes. economy. have formed the backbone of the movement the cooperation required to implement rapid The 1,000 workers at Amazon’s Seattle History will remember the colossal failure on the ground, mobilizing their classmates change on a global scale. Such a sweeping headquarters who walked off the job in soli- of the capitalist ruling class to take action. and carrying out restless agitation. By fly- transformation will only be accomplished darity provide a stunning example of what is Emissions are higher than ever and scientists ering public transportation, organizing in through building a mass movement that can needed. Amazon responded with new targets warn that global temperature increase and schools, and using social media to get word link international collective action and strikes for transition to renewables and carbon neu- sea level rise are actually accelerating. The out they have built up the numbers to wield to bring the capitalist economy to a grinding trality, proving the effectiveness of workplace “twelve years” warning is now eleven, leaving an enormous impact. In New York City alone, halt. action to win concrete victories. However, this no time to waste. 300,000 people flooded the streets demand- is the corporation that raised its minimum The Climate Strike captured the seeth- ing immediate and drastic measures to tackle Strengthening the Movement wage to $15 only to follow up by slashing ing anger of millions who will not back down the climate crisis. hours and taking health care from part-time until something is done. Even slowing this Although the strike platforms varied While today’s youth have a particular workers at Whole Foods. We can’t take cor- process down which will buy humanity time across countries, they shared the demand for material stake in reversing the crisis, a livable porate pledges at face value and must keep will require a mass movement pushing back an immediate transition away from the use planet is in the interest of workers all over up the pressure. Distrust of big business against the fossil fuel industry. But we should of fossil fuels and to wage a fight against the the world. The working class has the most to was prominent in striking students’ home- not settle for the minimum requirements to instability, inequality, and violence exacer- lose from environmental destruction, and the made signs that read, “The wrong Amazon delay catastrophe, but rather build up the bated by climate change. most to gain from the millions of jobs created is burning.” force to reverse it entirely and achieve real in the course of transitioning to renewable City Councilmember and Socialist Alter- climate justice. The latter would require erad- Our Demands energy, building eco-friendly mass transit, native member Kshama Sawant sponsored a icating the threat at its source, the system of and restoring communities and ecosystems resolution supporting the right of city workers capitalism. Socialist Alternative and the CWI recog- ravaged by natural disasters. in Seattle to participate in the strike without Although clean air and water, guaranteed nize the enormous significance of the new Unions have started to answer the call. retaliation. This points to the role socialists housing, good jobs, and a future free of the climate revolt. 350.org reports 73 unions internationally in elected office can play in bolstering the looming threat of mass extinction are funda- Our sections from South Africa to Brazil, endorsed the strike, including Public Ser- power of workers to take a stand for the mentally at odds with capitalism, these goals from Ireland to Hong Kong intervened with a vices International and the 200-million climate. are concretely achievable with socialist plan- common set of demands linking the immedi- strong International Trade Unions Congress. ning. This moment can’t be allowed to dissi- ate crisis facing the planet to the larger fight U.S. unions such as SEIU and the American System Change pate, but must be escalated until we see with for a society that values people and planet Federation of Teachers supported the strikes, our own eyes a real transformation. Workers over profit. and many unions had contingents at the Sawant stated it clearly in her speech to and youth united have the power to build a Inheriting an existential crisis, this gen- demonstrations. the demonstration in Seattle; “Our mortal socialist alternative that guarantees a livable eration of climate activists are taking up a While endorsements from unions rep- enemy is the system of capitalism itself, planet for future generations! J systemic analysis. They know protest alone resent a major step forward for the climate and the politicians who want to maintain the

OCTOBER 2019 5 Fighting for Medicare for All

Marty Harrison tracked increasing sup- Member, Pennsylvania Association port for the measure, of Staff Nurses and Allied ultimately showing a Professionals (personal capacity) large majority of self- identified Democrats Ordinary people are increasingly demand- and even a slim majority ing an end to the dysfunctional US healthcare of Republicans favored system. The fight for Medicare for All against a Medicare for All type entrenched corporate interests can be the plan. beginning of a more decisive struggle for the Together with the kind of society we need. profound dysfunction It is the task of socialists to clearly lay out within the Republican the class divide in this fight, with “Big Pharma” Party, this new support and private insurance CEOs on one side with for Medicare for All is their paid politicians and working class people partially responsible and families on the other. Winning Medicare for the failure of Presi- for All, which would eliminate private insurance dent Trump’s repeated and create a national guaranteed healthcare attempts to “repeal and plan with no premiums, copays, or deductibles replace” the Afford- will require building a sustained mass move- able Care Act known as ment. Also, it will require building a new inde- Obamacare – one of his pendent working-class political party and to key campaign promises. build rank-and-file led, fighting unions in the The Trump administra- workplace. tion has found many ways to undermine the Sanders Brings Medicare For All positive effects of Obam- acare, but it has failed into a National Conversation to overturn it wholesale. Bernie Sanders introduced millions of Momentum continued people to the idea of “Medicare for All” during through the 2018 mid- his 2016 primary campaign though the con- term elections with initially signed on to the bills now trying to walk in the country, but management can still use it cept had been around for many years. It had Medicare for All featured prominently in the it back and put forward some “realistic” com- to hold workers hostage. Medicare for All puts gone by other names and had gained some campaigns of many successful candidates, promise which leaves private health insurance power back in our hands.” support - but it had never enjoyed the wide- particularly the young self-described demo- in the mix. Most notably, Kamala Harris’ pro- Bernie Sanders stands alone in the 2020 spread popularity it has now. cratic socialist challengers like Alexandria posal would actually expand the role of private field as he’s doubled down on his support Sanders’ 2016 campaign broke through Ocasio Cortez at the national level and many insurers in Medicare and would be phased in for Medicare for All despite the intense pres- the corporate wall of silence created by the more at state level. over ten years. sure and scrutiny that comes with launching pharmaceutical industry, for-profit hospital Senator Elizabeth Warren signed on to a national presidential campaign. He followed corporations and insurance companies who Where the 2020 Candidates Stand Sanders’ legislation and has pledged to end up his initial 2018 legislation with an improved oppose it. Sanders brought his message to private health insurance. However, unlike her version in 2019 to more closely match Pramila The growing support for Medicare for All huge crowds at rallies and to millions more hyper-detailed policy proposals on student Jayapal’s House bill. has the private medical industry fighting back, through the national media attention the cam- debt, combating fraud in Washington and Perhaps most crucially, Sanders has mobi- resulting in most established Democrats who paign attracted. Polls throughout the campaign virtually any other issue up for debate in the lized his network of supporters to the picket presidential primaries, her new statement on lines of health care workers on strike against health care is remarkably vague, general and the University of California system and to ral- short. It is silent on some of the biggest ques- lies against the closure of a safety net hospital tions, like the fate of co-pays, deductibles and in Philadelphia. He has reiterated something out of pocket expenses. The failure to be deci- that we have long said, which is that it is not sive on these questions leaves room for com- the election of one person to the Oval Office promise with health care profiteers. that will effect radical change. It will require In contrast , former Vice President Joe the building of a mass movement rooted in the Biden has never supported Medicare for All. working class. His current position is to strengthen Obam- The crisis of for-profit healthcare does not acare. Biden favors adding a public option need to be explained to working class people. to what’s left of the ACA. The public option 41% of working age Americans have medical would allow people to buy Medicare-like cover- bill problems or are paying off medical debt. age from the government as if it were any other The growth of support for Medicare for All insurance plan. shows that the rage and conviction experi- Many on the debate stages have used union enced by millions of Americans about outra- members as a stick to beat Bernie with, sug- geous healthcare costs could be turned into a gesting that Bernie’s plan strips union mem- powerful and determined mass movement. bers of their contractually negotiated health- While Sanders has real political limitations care. This is laughable in the face of the GM including accepting the framework of the cor- strike where the company has refused to pay porate Democrats,, a victory in the Democratic healthcare benefits to striking workers forc- primary would mark a historic turning point in ing the cost of healthcare onto the United the fight for health care and would strengthen Auto Workers (UAW) union itself. Sara Nelson, the working class in the U.S. For this reason, president of the Flight Attendants Association, and many others, opposition to Sanders will Bernie Sanders went with diabetes patients on a bus to Canada for affordable insulin. wrote on this: “UAW has one of the best plans be vicious and unrelenting. The multitude

6 SOCIALISTALTERNATIVE.ORG Fighting for Medicare for All The Health Care Industry Produces Profit No Compromise on Medicare for All! The cold reality is that healthcare today in America is like people with pre-existing conditions and family plans which rural safety net hospitals, increasingly unable to recover their any other industry under capitalism – run for profit. Like any covered children up to age 26. However, it also vastly enriched costs, are closing in record numbers. other industry, it is not run to provide services to meet basic the already wealthy health insurance companies by adding human needs if those services cannot be sold at a rate of millions of people to the insurance pool and providing direct Why Medicare for All is Different profit acceptable to shareholders. Even officially not-for-profit and indirect government subsidies for low income people who entities are drawn into the race to maximize profits because qualified. Medicare for All would eliminate the private insurance they must compete with the for-profits, or cease to exist. Pharmaceutical corporations are among the most profit- companies and would be an enormous step forward. How- Relying on insurance as the primary funding source for able in the economy as a whole, and the most vicious. The ever, Medicare for All would leave intact the for-profit phar- services that meet the basic, human need for healthcare is shameless profiteering and unabashed cruelty displayed by maceutical corporations, medical device companies and hos- genius for the profiteers and madness for the rest of us. In the makers of essential medications like epi-pens and insulin pital chains. Without the power to control costs, Medicare other industries, people buy insurance to protect themselves and the cold calculation of the makers of oxycontin in the for All would run into the hard limit of balanced budgets and against known, but infrequent, risks- e.g. fire, flood and car opioid epidemic further enraged public opinion. These exam- have to cut services. accidents. ples touch on the extremely problematic ethics of a system You cannot control what you do not own. Hospitals, clinics, But health care doesn’t work that way. The statistical which puts the pharmaceutical industry in control of the sci- suppliers, labs, pharmaceutical and medical device compa- chance that each and every one of us will need healthcare entific research to develop new medications and treatments. nies would all eventually need to be taken into public owner- is 100%. Preventative care, mental health care and wellness Wedged between the drug companies and the insurers, ship and run democratically in the interest of patients, health programs are on-going, daily needs, not risks to be managed. hospital corporations run their institutions like steel mills and care workers and the public at large. The insurance companies make no money if they improve the auto plants to extract every last dollar. Speedups and auto- Health care for all will not be ensured until all of the major health of their patients. mation force health care workers to meet productivity targets industries are taken into public ownership under democratic President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) contained and give care in compliance with strict protocols, rather than working-class control and their assets invested into the public several significant improvements, including protections for the unique needs of an individual human patient. Urban and good. J

of Democratic candidates putting forward added responsibility and opportunity in this watered down variations of Sanders’ policy fight. Nurses’ unions, particularly National proposals are the first line of defense for the Nurses’ United, have done ground-breaking Medical industry - designed to confuse, dis- work on Medicare for All at both the national Subscribe today to tract and divert. Securing Sanders’ nomination and state levels. These unions should explicitly and laying the basis for the mass movement make building a movement for Medicare for he himself says he’s determined to build will All a litmus test for all candidates and build a require a struggle from below. campaign that ties the presidential election to Socialist World the fight for Medicare for All, warning that the Time to Build a Powerful fight against big pharma doesn’t end with the election. Socialist Alternative’s New Political Journal Grassroots Struggle NNU has the power and the resources to The second issue of Socialist Newly elected officials at all levels of govern- organize a Medicare for All national day of ment who ran on Bernie’s program, including action before the February 2020 Iowa caucus. Alternative’s new journal Socialist Medicare for All, and who owe their victories to A public invitation to unions and union mem- World is coming out! The second their support for those policies should endorse bers to build for rallies in their cities and towns issue will include articles on: Sanders now. This crucially includes Alexan- would give supporters a way to engage their dria Ocasio-Cortez. They have the opportunity coworkers, friends and families in conversation JJ Refounding the Committee to shape the conversation and to weigh in on and then in direct action for Medicare for All. for a Workers International who becomes the frontrunner. Waiting until If taken up by unions in other industries, the JJ Ecological crisis and the the primaries are underway would be a clear campaign for the day of action could be used case for socialism statement that they are more interested in to organize new unions in workplaces in those JJ The GM strike and rebuilding their futures within the Democratic Party than industries also. in actually winning any of the policies they A bigger, stronger, more active union move- the industrial labor movement claimed to support. ment is an essential element in the fight for JJ 1989: the collapse of Stalinism As a conscious step toward building a mass Medicare for All, but it is not sufficient. Ulti- JJ Puerto Rico’s struggle movement for Medicare for All, millions of mately, this is a fight for a tremendous shift against colonialism regular people can get involved in the Sand- in power and money from the capitalist class JJ World economy facing crisis to the working class. It will be vicious and the ers’ campaign now, organizing debate watch JJ A socialist analysis of Brexit parties and groups in their workplaces, like staunchest defenders of the status quo will Teachers for Bernie, and their neighborhoods. come from both the Republican and Demo- JJ The health care crisis in the U.S. Workers in unions can organize support in their cratic parties. The working class will need a unions and advocate that their unions endorse political party solidly on its side through which Sanders. Whether they result in endorsements the fight can be waged. That party does not Subscribe to our new journal and by the national unions or not, political work- yet exist and will need to be built. Engagement place conversations can further the develop- in the Sanders’ 2020 campaign is one start- our paper for ment of a reinvigorated labor movement and a ing point in this process, but the end point is only $3.50 a month! new rank-and-file leadership. incompatible with the Democratic Party and its Visit SocialistAlternative.org/Dual-Subscription-Deal Healthcare workers and their unions have capitalist funding base. J

OCTOBER 2019 7 POLITICS When the Iranian Masses Deposed a Dictator The 1979 Revolution Didn’t Have to End in a Religious State

Seamus Whelan in 1920 and in Kurdistan in 1945. By the time of the coup in 1953 the Forty years ago, in January 1979 the hated Tudeh Party, which emerged from the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, fled Moscow-influenced Communist party, the country to the U.S. The Shah was driven had a membership of 100,000, and out by a mass movement led by workers and exerted significant influence particu- youth allied with other forces in the coun- larly among oil workers. tryside. The question of how this initially A strike wave which began in 1978, progressive revolution degenerated into the grew in strength with 65 new strikes current Islamic state controlled by reaction- reported on one day alone. Workers ary clerics is one not usually discussed by began to organize their own councils the corporate-owned media or in academia. or shorahs as has happened in every But it remains highly relevant as Iranian soci- working-class revolutionary movement ety remains wracked by contradictions as a since 1917. On International Women’s new wave of revolutionary movements has Day 1979, 100,000 protested in emerged this year in North Africa, particu- Tehran against a new hijab law which larly in Sudan and Algeria. required all Iranian women to wear The Aljazeera-made documentary, “Iran- headscarves outside their homes. Legacy of a Revolution” argues that the Aya- These mobilizations showed that the tollah was the inevitable new leader, as the consolidation of power by Ayatollah opposition had little to unite it and there was Khomeini was in no way immediate or no post-revolutionary blueprint for them to automatic. Many struggles broke out follow. But nothing is inevitable. The mass throughout 1979 and 1980 against uprisings of 1978-1979 had the potential the attempts at counter revolution led to not only replace the Shah, but throw off by Khomeini. International Women’s Day, March 8, 1979, protest against the forced wearing of the hijab However, the left in Iran failed to the yoke of U.S. imperialism and remove the (head scarf) by the newly installed government headed by the Ayatolla Khomeini. entire capitalist system in Iran. The leader- meet the challenge presented by these ship required to navigate this situation was events and failed to seize the oppor- Tudeh’s support for the Ayatollah and the found wanting. not present. tunity to win power and develop the workers new Islamic republic continued right up until The economic embargo and the nuclear councils as the basis of a workers republic. the Tudeh Party, the trade unions, and the standoff initiated by the Trump administra- Workers Lead the Struggle This failure of leadership created a vacuum rest of the left were wiped out in the 1982- tion has further exacerbated the living condi- that enabled the Ayatollah to come to power. 83 period by the new regime. Imprisonment tions of the Iranian masses. The maintenance Maintaining control over the oil and gas and the mass execution of thousands of non- of regional dominance and control over the reserves in the Middle East has always been The Outcome Could Have Been Islamic and Islamic opponents of the regime vast oil and gas resources in the area is a focus of U.S. foreign policy. In the post- were carried out. behind the West’s intervention. As the sec- WWII period, U.S. imperialism installed and Different Missing in this situation was a revolu- ond-largest country in the Middle East, Iran defended client puppet regimes in the region The argument that revolutions are always tionary organization armed with a socialist is very important to the world economy. It which enriched these leaders' as they bru- violent and lead inevitably to repressive program who could give voice to the desire has the world’s largest natural gas supply and tally repressed their own peoples. The Shah undemocratic regimes is frequently used for transformative change of Iranian work- the fourth-largest proven oil reserves. The was installed in power by a U.S./UK backed against the Iranian revolution and every other ing people and youth. Such an organization welfare and interests of the peoples of the military coup in 1953. The coup overthrew attempt to bring about a fundamental reor- would have challenged Tudeh leadership on area has never been a concern for Western or a democratically elected government which ganization of society away from capitalism. one side and taken an independent class Eastern imperialist powers. threatened to nationalize Iran’s oil and pet- The mistakes of the Iranian left unfortunately approach to expose and cut across the reac- Austerity measures imposed on the poor rochemical industry, at the time controlled by were a crucial factor which paved the way tionary and anti-democratic agenda of the and working people of Iran by their govern- British corporations. for the theocracy to successfully consolidate Islamic clerics. ment has created huge anger. The increas- Iran under the Shah was an “island of sta- power. ing percentage of the budget going to the bility” for these interests. For 26 years, the The Tudeh Party adopted the standard 1979 Holds Important families and business interests of the ruling U.S. government trained his vicious SAVAK Stalinist “two-stage” doctrine that the first clerics and the ruling-class allies has not secret police and sold $19 billion worth of stage of the revolution in neo-colonial coun- Lessons for Today gone unnoticed and has led to an increase in weapons to his regime. While the country’s tries had to be led by the “progressive” Iranian workers and youth have not sub- strikes and protests. oil wealth flowed into the pockets of the for- capitalists to end imperialist domination and mitted meekly to the rule of Islamic state. The contradictions that led to the Iranian eign oil companies and the into the pockets lay the basis for a “normal” capitalist soci- Iran has been transformed into a a predomi- revolution have not disappeared but have of Shah’s family and friends, most Iranians ety. This meant that the working class had nantly urban-based educated society. The intensified as the worldwide crisis of capital- were struggling to survive. to subordinate its own struggle for socialism overwhelming majority are under 30. For ism deepens. The rebuilding of the organiza- Over 10 million Iranians, a third of the until a later stage. In country after coun- Iranian youth, neither Western capitalism nor tions of the left, the trade unions, and the population, took to the streets and demanded try, the Stalinists betrayed the struggles of the local Islamic variation offer a way forward establishment of a genuine party of Iranian an end to the Shah’s tyrannical regime during workers and peasants by reining them in to or prospects for a future without poverty, workers and youth is needed. A socialist pro- 1978 and 1979. The crucial factor that led to this schema. This was the opposite of the exploitation, and repression – not to mention gram and leadership is a key task for organi- his ouster was the oil workers’ strikes involv- approach of the Bolsheviks in 1917 who a future with freedom to live their lives and zations and movements that will reemerge. ing tens of thousands of workers which para- urged workers not to put their faith in the express their culture. Iranians have moved to With this, a new healthy Iranian revolution lyzed the key national industry. capitalists and their “socialist” allies in the protest despite vicious state repression not could help transform the whole region and Iran has a long history of workers' strug- struggle against Tsarism but to continue the just against the rule of the Islamic clerics but the world away from the dead end of capital- gles. In the aftermath of the Russian revo- revolution until the working class took power also of late they have opposed the so called ist exploitation and Islamic reaction. J lution, workers in the Gilan region revolted backed by the mass of the peasantry. “reformers” who have been tried, tested, and

8 SOCIALISTALTERNATIVE.ORG INTERNATIONAL Amazon Wildfires: Bolsonaro’s Policies Accelerating Environmental Crisis

Bruna Leão (LSR - CWI the researchers and Brazil), adapted and specialists needed updated by Socialist to address the coun- Alternative Editorial Board try’s environmental situation. Since the 2018 Brazilian elections, there has been a marked concern about the direc- Doing the tion environmental policies would take should Jair Bolsonaro assume the presidency. Bolso- Bidding of Big naro’s declarations on the environment have Business always been controversial, because they treat The advance of any consideration for the preservation of the deforestation is con- forest or for indigenous peoples as something nected to the ecologi- that hinders the country’s economic growth. cally unsustainable Sure enough, Bolsonaro’s presidency so hunt for profits on the far has been marked by a slashing of envi- part of the corpora- ronmental funding and regulation, the cata- tions and wealthy elite strophic impacts of which are already becom- that control Brazil’s ing apparent. government. Supported by Bol- Amazon Burning sonaro, the “ruralist” powerful elite who will eagerly sell our According to Brazil’s National Institute bloc in congress representing major land- future for their own short-term gain. Demands for the Global Climate for Space Research (INPE), between August owners is aggressively pushing proposals to Climate change will have disastrous Movement: 2017 and July 2018 reports showed defor- deregulate mining, logging, and industrial consequences, particularly for the work- estation of the Amazon totalling 4,500 km², agriculture and expand them into previ- ing class, such as landslides, forest fires, JJ Immediately stop oil, gas and all forms of while between August 2018 and July 2019 ously protected areas. In the meantime they crop failures, hunger, disease, extreme hydrocarbon mining. the number rose to 6,800 km², an increase can increase the use of illegal fires to clear rainfall, heatwaves, floods, and pro- JJ Make massive investments in renewable of 64.8% over just one year! protected forest land thanks to Bolsonaro’s longed droughts. The state of São Paulo, energy technology and infrastructure to In Brazil wildfires are not uncommon at aggressive attacks on regulatory agencies. like much of northeastern and midwest- produce and distribute the energy we this time of year, but never at this scale. Data Some may have hoped the “international ern Brazil, has already been through a need without fossil fuels. from INPE’s daily satellite imaging show that, community” of states might step in to defend severe water crisis and is now experienc- JJ About 50% of climate change gasses just between August 18 and 19, 1,346 new the Amazon in this moment of crisis. But ing widespread public-health problems come from 100 companies that extract outbreaks were spotted in the country. In a for all their hand-wringing, western capital- related to air quality. The priority for us and trade oil and natural gas such as BP, one week period in August, there were 9,507 ist governments are also beholden to anti- on the left is to stand up to this short- Shell, and others. These companies will new burn points! According to the Amazon environmental corporate interests. In fact, sighted economic system, a system that never give up their profits to save life on Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), the German and Norweigan governments ignores the need to conserve natural the planet. We have to make them do this year was the least dry out of the past responded to the acceleration in forest fires resources and is only motivated by profit. it by taking their resources into demo- three, so dry weather can’t be blamed for the by cutting nearly $40 million in funding for In his book Capital, Marx states that “all cratic public ownership and directing spike in fires. There was, however, a 70% Amazon protection efforts! While the official progress in capitalist agriculture is a them entirely towards constructing a increase in illegal fires that contributed to the reason cited was a lack of faith in the Bol- progress in the art not only of robbing the fossil-fuel-free energy sector. growth in wildfire outbreaks in the Amazo- sonaro administration to correctly use the worker, but of robbing the soil.” JJ A handful of multinationals are respon- nian region. funds, simply reducing international funding The capitalist system is leading our sible for 70% of deforestation on the for environmental protections is clearly not a world into chaos, and we must topple it! planet. These companies must also be Anti-Environment Policies strategy for halting or reversing the crisis. But We can only change things by fighting for taken into democratic public ownership it is a way to cut state spending and save a socialist transformation of society, with in order to immediately shift to sustain- The government regulatory agency IBAMA money for Germany and Norway’s own cor- working people in control. We already able agricultural, logging, and mining (the Brazilian Institute of Environment and porate elite! have the technical means to plan pro- practices that meet human need without Renewable Natural Resources) reports impos- duction in accord with our needs rather destroying the planet (entirely possible ing one-third fewer fines on environmen- Climate Strike: For the Amazon, than profit, and we can establish a ratio- with current technologies). tal violators in 2019 than last year, directly for the World nal use of all the planet’s resources. This JJ Massive investments in low-cost, conve- coinciding with the rise in deforestation and means fighting for a democratic socialist nient public transportation. In big cities, forest fires. The Bolsonaro administration has Instead of looking to capitalist govern- society, with a democratic planning of transportation has to be free and acces- been cutting IBAMA’s funds, particularly for ments to solve the environmental crisis they resources on an international scale. The sible for all. inspections and oversight. themselves have created, it is increasingly construction of a force for environmen- The above-mentioned revolutionary In addition to attacking regulatory over- obvious that the only force up to the task tal and socialist struggle is the strategy changes will not be made by a political and sight, Bolsonaro’s administration is seek- is the global working class and youth. The required to respond to the attacks of the economic system that puts profits above ing to undermine environmental protections Global Climate Strike on September 20 of Bolsonaro government and of capitalism. life on the planet. Politicians and business by attacking research and data collection. this year (see article on p.5), which saw heavy Let’s continue to build off the momen- leaders have known how climate change will This can be seen in the recent firing of the participation by Brazilian youth, was just the tum of the international climate strike in unfold since the 1960s. Big business and INPE director, who challenged the presi- beginning of what will inevitably be an epic September, bringing together the forces their politicians will refuse to take any action dent by defending the technical and scien- battle between the overwhelming majority of of the youth, the working class, and all that jeopardizes their profits, their concerns tific data collected by the institute, as well humanity who wish to preserve the world for who are fighting against the destruction consist of crocodile tears and non-binding as in cuts to public universities that produce our children and grandchildren and a tiny but of our planet. J promises.

OCTOBER 2019 9 LABOR MOVEMENT Chicago Education Workers Prepare to Walk Out

Nick Wozniak went on strike in 2012 and set an example Shop Steward, SEIU 73 for the #RedforEd strike surge. But after (personal capacity) the strike, Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Democratic establishment returned with a Against the backdrop of successful teach- vengeance, closing dozens of schools, setting ers’ strikes across the country, contract schools against each other with new ratings struggles for the two major unions in the and funding systems, hounding activists, and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are escalating. driving out experienced teachers. After years As we go to print, strike action is becoming of worsening conditions many educators are more likely every day for the Chicago Teach- exhausted, frustrated, and fed up. ers Union (CTU) and SEIU Local 73 and the To push for their demands, both unions almost 33,000 teachers, educators, and are getting ready to strike by mid-October - if schools workers they represent. In prepara- necessary. This contract fight is an opportu- tion, the unions organized a mass rally fea- nity to reestablish momentum in the fight for turing Bernie Sanders who expressed his high quality public schools in Chicago. It will support for the struggle and funding Chicago also be watched by teachers and other work- schools. ers across the country who are increasingly looking toward strike action. The city establishment and the corporate and educators need working conditions that outrageous proposal to double their health elite they represent continue to push the allow them to meet students’ learning needs. care costs on top of the existing low pay and “broke on purpose” status quo in CPS. In Transform Our Schools, All Out Scandalously, only one in four Chicago abuse of part-timers. Simultaneous strike an attempt to undermine broad support for Support for CTU and SEIU 73 schools has a full time librarian and almost action from both unions, across both agen- educators, new Mayor Lori Lightfoot is focus- half are without a nurse. CTU is demand- cies would set an example of public sector ing almost exclusively on pay in order to pres- Educators and school workers are looking ing increased support staff such as nurses, unity in the face of austerity. The unions’ cur- ent teachers as greedy. In negotiations, she for real gains that will push back against the librarians, and social workers, smaller class rent demands will be implacably opposed by has offered inadequate pay increases while grinding toll of work under CPS. Compensa- sizes, and respect for prep time and profes- the developers and financiers that run Chi- ignoring the deep wounds in the schools tion that values educators’ vital work and sional self-direction, among other issues. cago. The rest of city’s labor leadership needs system that remain after decades of cuts and allows them to live in an increasingly expen- Winning these demands would strengthen to give these workers its unequivocal support, sabotage in the name of corporate education sive city is important. This is especially the our schools, improve students’ lives and edu- mobilizing its members and the public to the “reform.” case for support staff in both unions. SEIU cation, and create momentum for more gains picket lines and actively arguing for the res- For CTU and SEIU 73 this contract fight is 73 members, which include special educa- for public education. toration of Chicago’s battle-damaged public about grappling with the whole past period of tion aides, security officers, bus aides, and At the same time educators are moving schools as part of a program of building a attacks waged against educators, students, custodians, are making poverty wages while into action, 3,000 Chicago Park District work- city fit for workers to live in, instead of the and the very idea of public education in Chi- often working with the highest need student ers, also organized by SEIU 73, voted 94% in playground for the rich that Daley, Emanuel cago. Under the leadership of the Caucus population. favor of strike action in the face of the city’s and now Lightfoot seem intent on building. J of Rank and File Educators (CORE), CTU But most critical in this fight, teachers UC Workers Strike Wins Big Gains

Erin Brightwell, pay their frontline workers more. up and gotten active for the first time during Workers have learned some important les- Organizing Captain, Also at stake during negotiations were this campaign. In fighting for this contract, sons coming out of this contract fight. Most UPTE-CWA 9119 health care costs and the pension. The union UPTE had its strongest picket lines ever, as crucially, we would never have gotten the big defeated UC’s attempts to increase health new workplace leaders organized in commit- wage increases over this contract without After a long contract campaign that care premiums and weaken the pension plan tees to win more members to the idea that mobilizing and striking. included going on strike five times, 15,000 - for now. The union did concede to reopen we have to fight back if we are to get what we Winning free tuition, an end to privatiza- University of California workers in the Univer- negotiations on the pension and wages during deserve from UC. tion measures, fully funded departments, sity Professional and Technical Employees a 30-day period starting April 1, 2021. This decent wages, and quality medical care will (UPTE-CWA 9119) union have won a vic- represents a potential danger, and requires Working-Class Unity is Key take a unified struggle of UC workers and stu- tory. The new contract will give research and our union and members to remain vigilant dents. Unions should coordinate organizing technical workers 29% raises over five years and organized. Perhaps the most powerful of the five unorganized workers and a strategy for con- and health care workers 32% raises over the There are a variety of problems that UPTE strikes was in May, 2018, when UPTE, tract negotiations. Maximum unity among same period. UPTE members clearly saw the were left unaddressed by the contract, from AFSCME and CNA all struck together, rep- workers - with the coordination and solidar- deal as a step forward, with 95% voting to wage discrepancies between workers doing resenting more than 50,000 workers across ity to take action together - is the strongest approve the contract. the same job to the planned outsourcing of the UC system. There was a powerful feel- weapon there is to fight privatization and aus- UC management insisted that UPTE’s a whole new facility at UC Davis Medical ing on the picket line as workers from the terity at UC. J wage demands were “economically unrealis- Center. Building on the progress in member three unions marched together. We went out tic,” while initially offering an insulting 6-8% organization and mobilization with working together and we should have gotten a new Erin is a rank and file union activist in total increase over four years. From the rev- groups and campaigns before the next con- contract together too. Working together, with UPTE-CWA 9119 and a member of Socialist elation of a $175 million slush fund in the tract fight will be key to attacking the unre- a goal of shutting down the campuses and Alternative. She is a healthcare worker at a office of UC President Janet Napolitano to solved issues that workers face on the job. medical centers completely, the three unions San Francisco hospital. Erin went on strike for the six and seven-figure salaries paid to the Despite these weaknesses, the contract could have led a struggle to not just win ade- the first time last May when UPTE struck in bloated ranks of executives and administra- is strong economically thanks to hundreds of quate contracts but to solidify the presence sympathy with AFSCME and CNA workers at tors, it was obvious that UC could afford to UPTE activists, many of whom have stepped of a powerful and unified workers movement. the University of California.

10 SOCIALISTALTERNATIVE.ORG POLITICS

Amazon vs. the Socialists in Seattle SOCIALIST continued from p. 12 ALTERNATIVE a Green New Deal. Both are running as Demo- their brazen dishonesty, SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE crats, while I am an independent socialist some are even lamenting ISSN 2638-3349 and calling for a new mass party for working the existence of the cor- EDITOR: Tom Crean people, but the bold left platform we are cam- porate PACs. In fact, in EDITORIAL BOARD: paigning on has struck a chord with people order to even be eligible George Brown, Eljeer Hawkins, across the city. for the Chamber’s PAC Joshua Koritz, Ty Moore, Keely Mullen, We’re jointly organizing Green New Deal funding, the candidates Kailyn Nicholson, Calvin Priest, meetings with other progressive candidates had to apply for it, fill out Tony Wilsdon and our movement in different neighborhoods lengthy questionnaires, in Seattle. We’re also discussing with other and participate in closed- [email protected] campaigns about a joint event to stand against door interviews. the corporate PAC money flooding into Seat- tle’s elections. What’s at Stake NATIONAL If we can win all three campaigns, not 639 Union Street, Basement only can we block Amazon’s and the Cham- Just as big business Brooklyn, NY 11215 ber’s efforts to buy the elections, we can push has a great deal at stake from the ruling class, because of their power [email protected] this year in Seattle, so do working people. If to inspire working class people into struggle. facebook.com/SocialistAlternativeUSA the City Council further to the left and pave Twitter: @SocialistAlt the way for future victories for working-class we are able to win our struggles for rent con- If we are going to step up to the challenges movements. trol and a Green New Deal, once again that facing humanity, to fix our broken health care But first we have to unmask the fake pro- momentum would have the power to spread system, to end the crisis of affordable hous- IN YOUR AREA gressivism of the Chamber candidates, who to other cities. ing and homlesessness, and to avoid climate are all now pretending to represent ordinary All of our struggles are connected. Seattle’s catastrophe, we urgently need to fight back. NEW ENGLAND people, despite being thoroughly beholden to historic $15 minimum wage victory was instru- We need to stand up to Amazon and corpo- BOSTON, MA ����������������������������������������������������(732) 710-8345 Amazon, the real estate lobby, and wealthy mental to further victories around the coun- rate America before they take working people PROVIDENCE, RI WORCESTER, MA ���������������������������������������������(508) 335-8633 Republicans. They each say that the massive try, and Sanders’ 2016 campaign decisively over the cliff in order to protect their massive corporate PAC funding doesn’t mean any- changed U.S. politics. Socialist ideas have profits.J thing, that it is out of their control. Showing always been met with powerful opposition MID-ATLANTIC NEW YORK CITY �����������������������������������������������(347) 749-1236 PHILADELPHIA, PA �������������������������������������������(267) 368-4564 PITTSBURGH, PA ����������������������������������������������(615) 310-5555 Contact our national office for: WASHINGTON, D.C. NEW JERSEY and 50,000 GM Workers on Strike RICHMOND, VA continued from p. 3 needs to get behind Bernie Sanders’ Medicare transit systems to deal with the crisis of cli- SOUTHEAST 50,000. In 2018, GM reported $10.8 billion for All proposal, which would take health care mate change. The Big Three automakers have GAINESVILLE, FL ����������������������������������������������(352) 538-6014 off the bargaining table once and for all. all signaled their intent to outsource these Contact our national office for: in U.S. profits but announced the shutting NASHVILLE, TN down of five North American plants - four in things to non-union “start-up” corporations in the U.S. One of these, in Lordstown, Ohio was Fighting Strategy Needed yet another move in their endless shell game to undermine working-class living standards. MIDWEST closed despite the over $100 million in annual CHICAGO, IL ����������������������������������������������������(773) 771-4617 concessions that workers were told would save What is needed is for UAW leadership to The UAW should join the unions which CINCINNATI, OH ����������������[email protected] it. GM continues to make Lordstown’s last take a bold, confident approach which would advocate strong action on climate change COLUMBUS, OH ������������������������������������������������������������������������ raise the living standards of its members and GRAND RAPIDS, MI product line, the Chevy Cruze, in Mexico. in actively mobilizing support for a workers’ MADISON, WI �����������������������[email protected] GM has been one of the top corporate re-organize outsourced suppliers, creating Green New Deal, which has the potential to MINNEAPOLIS, MN ��������������������������������������������(443) 834-2870 recipients of tax breaks and subsidies from a solid basis for organizing the foreign-label create millions of new jobs. It is the fossil fuel all levels of government and workers’ pay has plants whose low pay and unrestricted speed- bosses who must be left in the dust, not the SOUTHWEST crashed. In 2007, when the UAW agreed to ups have undercut the union’s power. workers who have a key strategic role in fight- HOUSTON, TX ���������������������������������������������������(281) 635-5286 allow new hires to be taken on at half of the The union also needs to urgently reconsider ing for this industrial transition. NW ARKANSAS ������������������������������������ [email protected] the traditional strategy of striking only one of Contact our national office for: existing pay scale, this $14 hourly rate was A bold vision for the use of new technology DALLAS, TX, lower in dollar amounts, let alone buying the Big Three automakers at one time. The to create new jobs and extend union pay and DENVER, CO, UAW’s strike fund stands at a reported $800 benefits to broader layers of workers than at FORT COLLINS, CO, power, than any wage that the union had OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, agreed to in a generation. million. It could be deployed to strike all three any time since the “Rust Belt” decline of the PHOENIX, AZ, and This strike coincides with new revelations U.S.-based auto makers simultaneously, in a 1970’s can make this strike a turning point for SALT LAKE CITY, UT in a long-brewing UAW corruption scandal that move which would reverberate throughout the the U.S. labor movement. has now seen the present, and previous, Inter- entire economy as a massive demonstration of JJ End multi-tier pay and benefits, tempo- PACIFIC national Presidents of the union having their labor’s strength and power. rary and contract employment. One job, BELLINGHAM, WA ����������������������������������������������(360) 510-7797 LOS ANGELES, CA ���������������[email protected] homes searched by federal agents. one pay scale based on seniority. No PORTLAND, OR ��������������������������������������������������(503) 284-6036 Workers on the line understand that this Green New Deal and Industrial more than three years from hire to full pay OAKLAND / SAN FRANCISCO, CA ����������������������(510) 220-3047 doesn’t change the fact that the union is for entry-level jobs. SAN DIEGO, CA Policy SEATTLE, WA ����������������������������������������������������(612) 760-1980 essential to protect against corporate greed. JJ End plant closures, reopen the shuttered Instead, they’ve told us that see it as a “black One factor fueling workers’ anger is the plants! eye” that they will need to fight even harder to corporations’ use of their record profits not JJ No concessions on pensions and health INTERNATIONAL (CWI) make up for. to invest in new or retooled factories but to care. For a uniform, defined benefit pen- Socialist Alternative is in political solidarity with the Committee On the other hand, the company’s hardball pay their investors and top executives mas- sion with full health care for all! for a Workers International (CWI), a worldwide socialist decision to cut off workers’ healthcare the day sive sums via stock buy-backs. This refusal JJ Union control over health and safety. organization in 47 countries, on every continent. Join us! after the strike began, caused the union to to invest in new technology is a source of JJ Retool the auto industry - for a workers’ CANADA �����������������������������������������������������������(604) 738-1653 respond and commit to picking up these pay- the long-term decline of U.S. manufacturing Green New Deal to save jobs and fight cli- [email protected] www.SocialistAlternative.ca ments so that there will be no break in cover- versus its European and Asian competitors. mate change. J MEXICO �����������������������������������������������������������������Coming Soon age. This was the right decision and it also There is an urgent need for new technol- QUÉBEC ������������������������������������ [email protected] makes it crystal clear that the labor movement ogy such as electric vehicles and rebuilt mass www.AlternativeSocialiste.org

OCTOBER 2019 11 ISSUE #57 l OCTOBER 2019 SUGGESTED DONATION $2

Amazon vs. the Socialists in Seattle Progressives & Socialists Must Unite Against the Corporate PAC Onslaught

Councilmember infuriated by our movement’s victories and it unanimously anyway, under the pressure control and for a Green New Deal in Seattle, Kshama Sawant are fearful of what it would mean if socialist of our movement, Amazon’s lobbyists went and have energized thousands of working and Democratic Socialists of America candi- to work in the backrooms. Less than one people in our city. Over 12,000 Seattleites In what may turn out to date, Shaun Scott, and left candidate Tammy month later, our corporate tax to fund hous- have signed on to a petition for citywide rent be a preview of the U.S. Morales join us in City Hall. Now they’re ing and services was repealed, with only control, free of corporate loopholes, in just a presidential election, determined to block our struggle for rent con- myself and one other councilmember voting few months time. with the ruling trol and prevent a Seattle Green New Deal. in opposition. We are building the most powerful grass- class hellbent on Last but not least, they have a powerful aver- It bears noting that in spite of the major- roots re-election campaign Seattle has ever stopping Bernie sion to any form of taxes on big business, as ity of the Council caving on the tax, Amazon seen. In addition to our army of volunteers Sanders at was on display with the Amazon Tax struggle moved those 7,000 jobs anyway. Which just going door to door across the district, we’re all costs, big last year. goes to show, once again, that bowing down on track to raise more in donations than ever business in to bullies doesn’t work. raised before by any Seattle City Council Seattle is A Corporate Tax Haven Of course, it’s not only about Amazon. campaign, without taking a dime in corporate carrying out Boeing executives have a long record of cash. If the corporate PACs are going to break an unprecedented assault of corporate PAC As he has publicly acknowledged, Bezos extorting billions in handouts from Washing- records, working people need to as well. money against socialist and progressive can- largely based his decision to launch Amazon ton State. And a central feature of neoliber- And crucially, we will need to build left didates in this year’s elections. in Seattle on his desire to dodge taxes. Wash- alism has always been its fierce opposition unity across the city if we’re to stop big busi- The corporate elite are deeply concerned ington State has long been a corporate tax to progressive taxation and workers’ rights. ness’ attempts to buy the elections. about the rise of socialist politics, whether haven, having the most regressive tax system Trump’s tax cuts were only the latest devel- Amazon and the Chamber of Commerce my election and reelection as a socialist City in the entire nation. More than anywhere else opment in the long arc of brutal austerity and were successful in getting their purchased Councilmember in Seattle, Bernie’s self- in the U.S., the tax burden falls most heav- deepening inequality - a process that has con- candidates through in all seven City Council described democratic socialist presidential ily on working and middle-class people, while tinued over decades, whether Republicans or races this year. This includes my opponent, campaign, or AOC’s election to U.S. Con- big business pays next to nothing. This is no Democrats occupied the White House. Fun- Egan Orion, who was the #1 recipient of cor- gress. Our victories in Seattle, including our small part of why Seattle has become one of damentally, this is driven by the bankruptcy porate PAC money out of the record 55 can- historic $15 minimum wage law and land- the most deeply unequal cities in the nation. of capitalism and its long-term stagnation didates who ran in the primary. mark renters rights wins, and the growing The region’s corporate elite means to keep beginning with the 1970s. Since the end of To the Chamber’s dismay, fellow socialist national fight for Medicare for All and a Green it that way. Bezos made national headlines the post-war boom, profits have increasingly candidate Shaun Scott is also campaigning New Deal, are all completely unacceptable to last year when he bullied Seattle to stop been derived from a relentless squeezing of for a Green New Deal and to tax big busi- the ruling class. the Amazon Tax on the largest 3% of busi- social services, unions, health care, and the ness to build public housing, in the district In Seattle, already $450,000 has been nesses, aided by corporate-bankrolled Mayor working class as a whole. just north of mine. Meanwhile, in the district spent by Amazon, with nearly $2 million in Jenny Durkan and the Democratic establish- to the south, progressive candidate Tammy corporate cash overall, and it seems clear ment. Over a modestly-sized tax, Amazon Left Unity Needed Morales is campaigning for rent control and they’re just rolling up their sleeves and get- executives acted like mafia dons: threatening ting started. to move 7,000 jobs unless the City Coun- The best defense is a good offense. Our continued on p. 11 Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and big business are cil backed down. After the Council passed movements are going all out to fight for rent