Vote Socialist Workers!

AUSTRALIA $1.50 · canada $1.00 · france 1.00 euro · new zealand $1.50 · uk £.50 · u.s. $1.00 INSIDE Asia-Pacific conference in Sri Lanka builds solidarity with Cuban Revolution — PAGE 9 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE vol. 76/no. 41 November 12, 2012 Readers’ Mayoral ticket Vote Socialist Workers! response spurs in LA carries on Join with others to advance a fighting subscription socialist course for workers, in US and abroad goal of 3,500 campaign by Louis Martin By Arlene Rubinstein Nine hundred thirty-seven sub- LOS ANGELES—“We’re taking scriptions have been sold since the the handoff from the Socialist Workers campaign to win new and renewed presidential ticket of James Harris and subscribers to the Militant was an- Maura DeLuca, and we’re not going nounced in the paper a month ago. to miss a step,” said Norton Sandler in The international goal has been set at announcing his campaign for mayor of 3,500—the biggest effort in two de- this city in the 2013 election. cades! Sandler, a longtime socialist leader The drive is centered around regu- and production worker in an electrical lar door-to-door sales in working- assembly plant, will be joined in the class neighborhoods, with special at- race by Eleanor García, a party leader tention to those where a significant and aerospace worker running for proportion are African-American. Los Angeles Unified School Board, Continued on page 3 District 2. On Nov. 10, just days after the pres- Militant/Eric Simpson idential election, supporters of the James Harris and Maura DeLuca, SWP candidates for U.S. president and vice president. Fall ‘Militant’ campaign will hit the streets to collect subscription campaign double the required 500 signatures to by john studer porting legalization of undocumented James Harris, Socialist Workers workers, joining protests against at- put Sandler and García on the ballot. Oct. 13 - Dec. 16 (week 2) “We’re urging working people Party candidate for U.S. president, tacks on a woman’s right to choose and running mate Maura DeLuca, abortion, and marching against racist Country quota sold % 3,500 and youth from all over the country who supported Harris and DeLuca along with three dozen SWP candi- “stop and frisk” and cop brutality. UNITED STATES to join us in campaigning on the The socialist candidates have been † Longview, WA 8 6 75% streets of Los Angeles to get off to a A class-struggle course campaigning for a massive govern- Yakima, WA† 10 6 60% strong start,” said Sandler. “That in- —See editorial, p. 11 ment-funded jobs program to provide Greensboro† 5 2 40% cludes winning new subscribers to work building schools, housing, med- more campaign coverage ical centers and other things workers New Orleans† 5 2 40% the Militant and readers of books and pamphlets on working-class politics. — See pgs. 4-5 need. Prisoners† 5 2 40% “The consequences of the dictator- The deepening contraction in Seattle 210 84 40% ship of capital fall heavy on working dates for federal, state and local of- Continued on page 8 Washington 110 38 35% people,” Sandler said. “All the so- fices across the country, have been Houston 150 49 33% called major contenders for mayor— joining workers’ struggles against the Miami 120 38 32% Democrats, Republicans and other rulers’ moves to divide working peo- Gov’t response to Continued on page 4 ple—walking union picket lines, sup- Twin Cities 175 54 31% hurricane shines Des Moines 180 52 29% Los Angeles 200 55 28% S. Africa: platinum strikers stay out, spotlight on rulers’ Omaha, NE† 80 22 28% Lincoln, NE 35 7 20% gold, chrome miners return for now disdain for workers Philadelphia 150 30 20% BY SARA LOBMAN Redding, CA† 5 1 20% NEW YORK—For the second time San Francisco 225 45 20% in 14 months, working people here Atlanta 185 29 16% were left largely on their own to deal with a major storm. And once again, Claysville, PA† 5 0 0% the class-differentiated hardships † Rio Grande V. TX 25 0 0% were exacerbated by the callous re- Tampa† 15 0 0% sponse of city and state governments. Boston 28 Hurricane Sandy, which tore across Chicago 58 the Caribbean and up the East Coast Continued on page 10 New York 136 Total US 1903 744 39% UNITED KINGDOM Also Inside: Manchester 80 27 34% 937 California march backs London 200 50 25% Reuters immigrant grocery workers 2 UK Total 280 77 28% Should be Platinum miners Oct. 30 place blockade outside Anglo American mine near Rustenburg, South Africa, after rejecting company’s latest demand to return to work without pay raise. CANADA 140 50 36% Socialist Workers Party to by seth galinsky their fight for higher wages and better raise $100,000 in fund appeal 3 NEW ZEALAND 130 41 32% Thousands of striking platinum min- working and living conditions has been ers in South Africa announced Oct. 29 strengthened . NY forum discusses example, AUSTRALIA 90 25 28% that they are not ending their strike until More than 100,000 gold, platinum, legacy of Grenada Revolution 6 Total 2543 937 27% Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) chrome, iron and coal miners have been “puts something on the table.” At the involved in strikes that swept South New Zealand exhibit wins Should be 3500 778 22% same time, most gold and chrome min- Africa over the last two months. In support for Cuban Five 8 † New to scoreboard ers have returned to work. They say Continued on page 10 Dairy farmers in Calif. rally California march backs immigrant grocery workers against gov’t price squeeze b y JEFF pOWERS cost of transport to major cheese SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. markets. 18—“We have to keep fighting,” Bob “The 4b price is like the minimum Wilson, a dairy farmer from Turlock wage. It is the bottom line that de- and one of the organizers of today’s termines what we are paid,” Wilson “Rally for California Dairy Relief,” said. “Our demand is for Secretary told the Militant. “We need more ral- Ross to raise it to a level comparable lies. We are not going to back down.” with other states.” Some 150 people attended the protest “Up until a few years ago 4b was at the California Statehouse here. 30 or 35 cents below the national With approximately one out of average. We could live with that,” every five dairy cows in the U.S., Wilson continued. “Two dollars low- California has been this country’s er makes it impossible to survive. leading dairy state since 1993. The “Kraft, Hilmar, Leprino and the oth- more than 1,600 dairy farms in this er big cheese processors in California state generate $7.6 billion a year in are the ones that benefit from Karen sales. Ross’ price level,” Wilson said. “The The farms are almost exclusive- consumers do not. They still pay the Militant/Betsey Stone ly family owned. In the past few same cost. OAKLAND, Calif.—Some 200 people rallied outside the Mi Pueblo super- months, an average of one California “We are dairy farmers and we can- market here Oct. 20 against company attacks on undocumented workers. dairy farmer per week has been not strike,” Wilson explained. “We Protesters carried signs calling for a boycott of Mi Pueblo in response to forced into bankruptcy and driven cannot hold our product from the the intimidation and firing of workers fighting for union representation and the out of business. market. The cows have to be milked owner’s participation in E-Verify, a program that screens the immigration status Feed prices have reached record and we cannot store milk for extend- of workers. They also demanded that Immigration and Customs Enforcement highs because of the recent drought ed periods.” end their immigration audit of the company. and the U.S. government’s 2009 Most of the participants at the rally The call for a boycott of Mi Pueblo’s 21 outlets in the Bay Area, Salinas and ethanol mandate, which drove up the were dairy farmers from California’s the San Joaquin Valley was initiated by the Justice for Mercados Campaign, a price of corn. Central Valley. Hay farmers and coalition of unions, churches and community groups. The demonstration was organized by the Dignity and Resistance Coalition. Dairy farmers say their biggest veterinarians attended and spoke at A press statement released by the coalition on Oct. 8 said, “I-9 audits must problem is California Department the event, expressing their solidarity be suspended when a labor dispute is in progress. Such is the case at Mi Pueblo of Food and Agriculture Secretary with the dairy farmers’ fight. where an ongoing organizing drive is being conducted by United Food and Karen Ross’ decision to set the state “Nine members out of 20 from our Commercial Workers Local 5.” price of Class 4b milk, which in- campus dairy club are here,” Britlee —Betsey Stone cludes whey used to make cheese, Koetsier, an agricultural student at $2 per hundredweight below the at Fresno State University, told the national average. Class 4b milk is 40 Militant. “We had posters and signs percent of farmers’ sales. up all over the campus. Ross claims she keeps the “I cut class so I could get to Canada plant shut for weeks due to tainted beef California 4b price low because of Sacramento,” Koetsier continued. By Annette Kouri processing plant in Canada, slaughter- a surplus of milk and a shortage of “It is especially important for me to MONTREAL—Lakeside Packers, ing nearly 40 percent of all domestic plant capacity in the state, and the come. My family just lost its farm.” a beef processing plant owned by XL cattle. The 2,200 production work- Foods in Brooks, Alberta, was shut ers are members of United Food and down Sept. 27 after the Canadian Food Commercial Workers Local 401. Inspection Agency linked the facility “There’s not enough employees for to several beef products tainted with E. the 4,000 pieces they process every day coli, a bacteria that causes illness and ... and that’s why there’s this problem can lead to death. Sixteen people be- too,” production worker Wilfred Garcia came sick across Canada from food in- said at an Oct. 10 union news confer- fection. In the largest recall in Canadian ence. In 2005 Lakeside processed about ‘Militant’ reports workers’ side of story history, more than 1,800 product lines 2,500 cattle a day, now it is 4,000. were affected. The Food Inspection It took 14 days after E. coli was found “You always report what Agency allowed the plant to partially in XL beef before the public was alerted actual workers say. You told reopen Oct. 29. and another 12 days before the Food our story. In local papers we Lakeside Packers is the largest beef Inspection Agency shut the plant down. would get two sentences and

Honeywell would get whole send $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to above paragraphs. We were always The Militant address. misquoted, always misstated.” Vol. 76/No. 41 Africa, Asia, and the Middle East: For one year send $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to —Rick McConnell, Steelworker Closing news date: October 31, 2012 above address. locked-out by Honeywell Militant/Alyson Kennedy Editor: Doug Nelson Canada: For one year send Canadian $45 in Metropolis, Ill., 2010-2011 Rick McConnell, fought 14-month lockout Associate editor: John Studer to the Militant, 7107 St. Denis #204, Mon- of Steelworkers by Honeywell in Illinois. Circulation director: Louis Martin treal, Quebec H2S 2S5. Editorial volunteers: Róger Calero, Nao- United Kingdom: Send £26 for one year mi Craine, Seth Galinsky, Emma Johnson, by check or international money order Brian Williams, Rebecca Williamson. made out to CL London, First Floor, 120 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Bethnal Green Road (Entrance in Brick Published weekly except for one week in Lane), London, E2 6DG, England. January, two weeks in July, and two weeks Republic of Ireland and Continental in September. Europe: Send £85 for one year by check or NEW READERS NAME Business manager: Lea Sherman international money order made out to CL London at above address. The Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 306 W. q.$5 for 12 issues ADDRESS 37th Street, 10th floor, New York, NY France: Send 76 euros for one year to 10018. Telephone: (212) 244-4899 Diffusion du Militant, P.O. Box 175, 23 rue Fax: (212) 244-4947 Lecourbe, 75015 Paris. RENEWAL CITY STATE ZIP E-mail: [email protected] New Zealand: Send NZ$50 for one year to Website: www.themilitant.com P.O. Box 3025, Auckland 1140, New Zealand. q $10 for 12 weeks PHONE e-mail Australia: Send A$50 for one year to P.O. . Correspondence concerning subscriptions Box 164 Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia. or changes of address should be addressed Pacific Islands: Send NZ$50 for one year UNION/SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION to the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th q.$20 for 6 months floor, New York, NY 10018. to P.O. Box 3025, Auckland 1140, New Zealand. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. Submissions to the Militant may be pub- q $35 for 1 year Clip and mail to the militant, . 306 W. 37th st., 10th Floor new york, ny 10018. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to lished in the newspaper in print and digital the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, format. By submitting, authors represent New York, NY 10018. that their submissions are original and 12 weeks of the Militant outside the U.S.: Australia and the Pacific, A$8 • United consent to publication in this manner. Kingdom, £3 • Canada, Can$7 • Caribbean and Latin America, US$10 • Continental SUBSCRIPTIONS: United States: For Signed articles by contributors do not Europe, £10 • France, 12 euros • New Zealand, NZ$7 • All other areas, US$16 (Send one year send $35 to above address. necessarily represent the Militant’s views. payment to addresses listed in business information box) Latin America, Caribbean: For one year These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant November 12, 2012 Subscription campaign Continued from front page the announcement of the campaign. To During the last couple of weeks, all readers behind bars: it’s up to you to many readers discussed their experi- make sure we reach our goal! ences in the drive and the growing “I’m really glad I subscribed,” Russell interest in communist ideas among Grandstrand said. “I’ve never seen a pa- working people today, fed by the cri- per like it. You get a real inside view of sis of capitalism. labor and what is going on in the world. The local quotas printed on the front I show it to other locked-out workers.” page are a result of these discussions. Grandstrand is one of 1,300 workers Boston, Chicago and New York are in five plants locked out by American still considering theirs. Crystal Sugar 15 months ago after they A total of nine new areas have joined rejected a concession contract from the the campaign so far: Claysville, Pa.; company. He used to work at the plant Greensboro, N.C.; Longview, Wash.; in Drayton, N.D., and has been reading New Orleans; Omaha, Neb.; Redding, the paper for about six months. Calif.; Rio Grande Valley, Texas; More than one year after bosses im- Tampa, Fla.; and Yakima, Wash. posed the lockout, the sugar workers Militant/John Naubert For the first time theMilitant is add- rejected two additional company of- Stalin Harrison, left, at his barber shop in Seattle, talks with Militant distributor Edwin Fruit Oct. 24. Harrison has been reading paper for two years. “I would be honored to ing a “Prisoners” entry to a subscrip- fers and only 2 percent have crossed help get this paper out,” he said, taking five copies of the Militant to show to customers. tion chart. There are currently 60 who the picket line. According to Frank subscribe to the Militant—double the Forrestal from Minneapolis, there are Militant readers in that area have de- page.) number a year ago. And we know that currently 28 Militant subscribers in the cided to increase to 10 their initial goal “I would be honored to help get this many are showing the paper around Red River Valley—the region of north- of five subscriptions after they hit six. paper out. It covers all aspects of the and use it in political discussions and west Minnesota and eastern North One of the new subscribers is world that you don’t get in regular study groups with fellow prisoners. Dakota where American Crystal’s five Estanislado Vargas, one of Beal’s co- papers,” Stalin Harrison said when The Militant Prisoners’ Fund makes main plants are located. workers. Vargas is also a student at he was visited by Militant distribu- it possible for inmates, often with help Forrestal also joined last week Central Washington University and tor Edwin Fruit in his barber shop in from friends or family, to order sub- with Cameron Slick, a union hotel lives in Ellensburg, Wash. Seattle. Harrison is a long-term reader. scriptions at a reduced rate of $6 for bellman, going door to door in the In addition to getting a subscrip- He decided to take some subscription every six months. Half-year subscrip- Holland neighborhood of northeast tion to the Militant, Vargas bought The blanks and five copies of the Militant tions are also offered free of charge for Minneapolis. “We talked to many im- Working Class and the Transformation to show to customers and friends. those who have no means to pay. (See migrants, a park worker, a collector of Learning; Malcolm X, Black Please send me your reports, com- box on page 11.) and a restaurant server among others,” Liberation, and the Road to Workers ments, quotes and photos by 9 a.m. While our readers behind bars have Slick wrote. “With one exception, the Power; and The Cuban Five: Who EST every Monday. no means to adopt a goal, the Militant neighbors were receptive to our voice They Are, Why They Were Framed, You can order a weekly bundle of is looking toward winning at least five and the paper.” They sold two sub- Why They Should Be Free—three of the paper or subscriptions blanks at new subscribers by the end of the drive, scriptions and are planning to continue four books offered at reduced prices [email protected] or (212) 244- either in prison or sold by our readers going house to house in the same area. with a subscription. (See ad on this 4899. behind bars to working people outside. Robert Beal, a rangeland erosion We got two such subscriptions since laborer from Yakima, Wash., said that Socialist Workers Party to raise Special offers $100,000 through fund appeal by Susan LaMont ing SWP members, are organizing in The Working Class and the A new chart appears in this issue of working-class communities around the Transformation of Learning the Militant, announcing goals from country. local areas for the fall 2012 Socialist Fund supporters in New York have by Jack Barnes Workers Party fund, which started Oct. taken a goal of winning 50 new con- “Until society is reorganized so that education is a human activity 20 and runs through Dec. 23. tributors, as part of their effort to raise from the time we are very young until the time we die, there will be The SWP depends on the contribu- $20,000 for the national effort. They are no education worthy of working creating humanity.” tions of workers, young people and following Miami fund supporters’ ex- $2 with a subscription to the Militant (usually $3) other supporters to fund its work. The ample, who set a goal of winning 15 new goal for the SWP Party-Building Fund, contributors in the course of the drive. Women in Cuba: The Making of a which is organized once a year, started Contributions can be sent to the SWP Revolution Within the Revolution at $95,000. Contributors in local areas address nearest you (see page 7) or di- have already decided on a higher na- rectly to the SWP National Office at 306 by Vilma Espín, Asela de los Santos, tional goal by pledging quotas that total W. 37th St., 10th floor, NY, NY 10018. Yolanda Ferrer $99,900. Based on that response, we are “About the millions of working people—men and women, of raising the total goal to $100,000—and Susan LaMont is director of the 2012 all ages—who have made the socialist revolution, and how their can look forward to raising even more. SWP Party-Building Fund. actions transformed them as they fought to transform their world.” Supporters are appealing for con- $10 with subscription (usually $20) tributions through letters, individual discussions and special Militant Labor Malcolm X, Black Liberation, Forums that highlight the fund. Party-Building Fund A key aspect of the effort, and one and the Road to Workers Power measure of its success, will be taking Oct. 20 - Dec. 23 by Jack Barnes advantage of the political openings in Why the “revolutionary conquest of state power by a politically the working class to win more first- Area Quota class-conscious and organized vanguard of the working class— time contributors than in recent years. Atlanta $8,600 millions strong—is necessary.” Reaching out as broadly as possible Boston $4,000 $10 with subscription (usually $20) to win financial support for the party Chicago $9.500 will be integrated into the door-to-door Des Moines $2,250 sales of the Militant that readers, includ- Houston $3,500 The Cuban Five: Who They Are, Lincoln, Neb. $250 Why They Were Framed, Why They Los Angeles $8,500 Should Be Free Miami $3,000 calendar New York $20,000 Articles, interviews from the Militant Omaha $600 “We know that right is on our side, but to win we need a jury washington, d.c. Philadelphia $4,200 of millions throughout the world to make our truth known”— Unjustly Imprisoned in the U.S. for Defending Cuba: The Case of the Cuban San Francisco $13,500 Gerardo Hernández Five. Speakers: Martin Garbus, Cuban Seattle $8,500 $3 with subscription (usually $5) Five legal team member; Gloria La Riva, Twin Cities $6,000 National Committee to Free the Cuban Five; Okianer Christian Dark, Dean, Washington, D.C. $7,500 Howard University Law School; others. Other Tues., Nov. 13, 6 p.m. Howard University TOTAL $99,900 See distributors School of Law. Moot Courtroom. 2900 on page 7 Van Ness St. NW Tel.: (415) 821-6545. GOAL $100,000 The Militant November 12, 2012 3 SWP pres. candidate speaks against imperialist war drive By Edwin Fruit capitalist ruling families. SEATTLE—“The Democrats and Bryce Horvath, a restaurant worker Republicans talk about jobs, but they in his 20s, said he was glad he came to have no concrete solution how to put the meeting. “I thought the talk would people to work,” said James Harris, be kind of fringy, but in fact it was very Socialist Workers Party candidate for informative and addressed working- president, as he began a three-day class issues that neither major party Northwest tour at a rally here Oct. 20. deals with,” he said. “I wish other peo- The event was held at the Bethany ple I knew were here to hear this.” United Church. The following morning Horvath and The socialist campaign, Harris said, others joined Harris for brunch. calls for a massive, government-funded On Oct. 22, Harris addressed two jobs program to build housing, public classes at Shorewood High School in transportation, health care facilities and Shoreline, just north of Seattle. Militant/Clay Dennison other things working people need. In answer to a question about U.S. James Harris, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. president, speaking at campaign event Harris shared the podium with fight- economic competition with China, in Seattle, Oct. 20. At left, is Shelly Porter, member of ILWU Local 21 in Longview, Wash. ers from Yakima and Longview, who Harris responded that Washington have taken goals to get the Militant into seeks to bolster the position of wealthy with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Harris was interviewed by KBCS the hands of working people in those U.S. families by militarily encircling the aim is to extend the influence of the FM radio, a National Public Radio sta- areas. China. “This is a war policy the social- U.S. in that region and take advantage tion based at Bellevue College near Robert Beal, who helped organize ist campaign opposes,” he said. “As of the oil and other resources there.” Seattle. Occupy Yakima in the farming region of central Washington, met supporters of the Militant at a May 1 action for immigrant rights held there every year. LA mayoral ticket carries on socialist campaign “What impressed me the most is that Continued from front page explaining the necessity of building a time, and that kind of transformation of the Socialist Workers Party doesn’t just capitalist candidates—are actively fighting movement that demands a mas- learning—in Los Angeles or anywhere support workers,” Beal said. “They are involved in carrying out assaults on sive government-funded public works else—is impossible without a revolu- workers.” working people. program that can put millions to work tionary struggle by the working class Shelly Porter, a member of “This city is marked by rampant un- from one end of the U.S. to the other,” and our allies that takes political power International Longshore and Warehouse employment—the greatly understated the socialist candidate said. out of the hands of the capitalist rulers.” Union Local 21 in Longview, also ‘official’ figure is some 12 percent— In announcing her campaign, García Campaigners who come to Los spoke. Her local fought for eight months and drastic cuts in social programs are pointed out that “California schools Angeles in November to support the so- to stop union busting at the EGT grain devastating the lives and livelihoods of are the most overcrowded in the coun- cialist campaign will also join in going terminal there. In February EGT agreed workers, youth and the elderly,” Sandler try. Frisk ‘em, send ‘em through metal door to door with the Militant in work- to hire ILWU longshore workers. explained. “Cop brutality and killings detectors and sniffing dogs in the hall- ing-class neighborhoods and in sales at Throughout the 24-hour pickets, dem- by the cops and L.A. County sheriffs ways, cram ‘em anywhere you can— local factory gates, García said. onstrations and other actions over those are unrelenting. call it a classroom and an education. SWP presidential candidate James months, she said, “the Militant was the “The socialist candidates will be “We get a hearing when we explain Harris, himself a resident of Los only paper that told the truth about our boldly that so-called schooling under Angeles, will introduce Sandler as the struggle.” capitalism is class divided and that for party’s candidate for mayor as part of Porter has taken a quota of eight sub- working people it’s nothing but drill- the nationwide hookup of election-night scriptions for the nine-week fall cam- ing to be obedient to a boss,” García gatherings across the country of sup- paign and has already sold six in south- said. “Real education is impossible un- porters of “the working class, labor, so- ern Washington and Oregon. “The less it’s something universal, for a life- cialist campaign” (see ad on page 5). Militant is important to me and I want everyone to read it,” she said. The challenge confronting working people in the U.S. and elsewhere, SWP vice pres. in New Orleans: Harris said, is—through effective struggle against all the assaults on our ‘bosses pit us against each other’ class worldwide—to begin organiz- Militant/Nick Castle BY JACQUIE HENDERSON and jobs in the reconstruction of pub- ing a revolutionary movement to take Norton Sandler, Socialist Workers candi- AND MICHAEL FITZSIMMONS lic housing, which was devastated by political power out of the hands of the date for mayor of Los Angeles in 2013. NEW ORLEANS—“Millions are Hurricane Katrina in 2005. unemployed and there is no end in “Black workers face a lot of com- sight to this crisis of capitalism,” Maura petition for jobs,” said Charles Pitts, a DeLuca, Socialist Workers Party vice construction worker and member of the Vote for Socialist Workers candidates! presidential candidate, told a class of group. “When we look for a job they use California Minnesota 40 political science students at Tulane the excuse you’re a convicted felon, and Gerardo Sánchez, US Senate Frank Forrestal, US Senate University here Oct. 24. you can forget about it. Carole Lesnick, Congress,12th CD Tony Lane, Congress, 5th CD “They try to pit us against each other “The majority of our communities Arlene Rubinstein, Congress, 33rd CD in competition for fewer jobs. The work- are unemployed,” Pitts said. “Then the Ellie García, Congress, 34th CD Nebraska ing class, labor, socialist campaign of bosses turn around and exploit immi- Joe Swanson, US Senate Florida Callie Miaoulis, 29th District Neb. Legis. James Harris and myself is putting for- grants with bad conditions and low pay. Naomi Craine, US Senate ward a fight for a government-funded They say that we are the law-breakers, Tom Baumann, Congress, 17th CD New York jobs program to put millions to work but they break their own laws about im- Anthony Dutrow, Congress, 20th CD Róger Calero, US Senate building schools, homes, hospitals, child migrants. What can we do about this?” Dean Hazlewood, State Atty, District 11 Seth Galinsky, Congress, 8th CD care centers, roads—and other things he asked. Georgia Deborah Liatos, Congress, 13th CD Nancy Boyasko, Congress, 15th CD workers need.” “The laws against immigrants don’t David Ferguson, Congress, 3rd CD Discussion continued after the class only target these fellow workers, they Rachele Fruit, Congress, 4th CD Pennsylvania John Benson, Congress, 5th CD at a book table where two students sub- are aimed at all workers, to keep us Osborne Hart, US Senate scribed to the Militant. weak and divided,” DeLuca responded. Illinois Chris Hoeppner, Congress, 1st CD Michael Cox asked DeLuca how “This is why the only answer is to fight John Hawkins, Congress, 1st CD Texas the public works program she outlined for the rights of immigrants and legal- Laura Anderson, Congress, 3rd CD Dennis Richter, Congress, 7th CD Jacquie Henderson, US Senate would be funded. “I like the idea but I ization of their status.” Alyson Kennedy, Cook County Atty Steve Warshell, Congress, 18th CD don’t see where there is the money for “What about gays and lesbians? Do Cindy Jaquith, Congress, 19th CD it,” he said. you support same-sex marriage?” asked Iowa Mike Fitzsimmons, Congress, 29th CD “There is no lack of resources,” LaToya Lewis, a member of the group David Rosenfeld, Congress, 3rd CD Maggie Trowe, State Senate, District 18 Washington DeLuca responded. “Workers create all and a student at Southern University Helen Meyers, Iowa House, District 36 Mary Martin, Governor wealth through our labor, much of which here. John Naubert, US Senate is taken away from us by the bosses.” “We oppose any discrimination Massachusetts Laura Garza, US Senate Washington, DC DeLuca also met here with activists against people for their sexual orienta- Sarah Ullman, Congress, 7th CD Omari Musa, Delegate, US House of Rep. in Stand With Dignity, a group that or- tion,” DeLuca said. She pointed to a ganizes to fight for affordable housing Continued on page 11

4 The Militant November 12, 2012 Iowa socialist candidate debates Democrat, Republicans on radio BY HELEN MEYERS Batcher called for throwing all the in- SHENANDOAH, Iowa—David cumbents out to start with a clean slate. Rosenfeld, Socialist Workers Party Boswell said that members of Congress candidate for U.S. Congress in Iowa’s must work together to bring down the 3rd District, debated his opponents on federal deficit by enacting budget cuts KAM Radio here Oct. 17 and stood out and “efficiencies.” Latham said bi- as the only candidate that spoke for the partisanship has improved under the interests of working people. Republican-controlled House. The other candidates were incum- Rosenfeld rejected the premise of bent Congressmen Leonard Boswell, the question. “In fact, I think it’s bet- a Democrat, and Tom Latham, a ter when this government has trouble Republican. The fourth was Scott working with itself,” he said. “The only Batcher, a self-described independent reaction they have to the economic cri- Republican. sis we face is to continue to batter down The debate began with a question on the rights and living standards of work- the Affordable Care Act, also known as ing people, and to try to desperately put Obamacare. Boswell said he supports off an economic collapse. Why would Militant/Jacob Perasso the law with “a little tweaking.” Latham I want a government that could do that David Rosenfeld, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. Congress in Iowa’s 3rd C.D., at and Batcher support repeal. “Draconian better?” debate with Democrat and Republican candidates broadcast on KAM Radio Oct. 17. cuts coming to providers will dra- matically effect costs to seniors,” said Latham, who also said the plan is too costly. Opponents of anti-gay bigotry campaign against laws in 4 states “With both Obamacare and the pro- byt john s uder of four across the country where efforts marriage laws. “We will oppose threats gram the Republicans are putting for- “This is an issue of equality and to defeat discriminatory state marriage to the 14th Amendment guarantees of ward, working people will pay the equity,” James Bible, president of laws are on the ballot. It is an issue im- equal rights under the law in any state price,” Rosenfeld said. “We need health the Seattle chapter of the National portant to the working class and the fight where this issue is raised.” care, not health insurance. As long as Association for the Advancement of to strengthen class unity in struggle. An NAACP statement said support- health care is bought and sold as a com- Colored People, said Oct. 23, urging In three states—Maryland, Maine ing civil marriage as a right goes back modity those that don’t have money will a yes vote on state Referendum 74. and Washington—the ballot measures to the battle to defeat racist efforts by get the short end of the stick.” If passed, the measure would amend make marriage legal for all, while one Virginia officials in the 1960s to outlaw Rosenfeld described health care in discriminatory state marriage laws in Minnesota would reinforce legal dis- the marriage of Richard and Mildred Cuba as a model where “a person walks that perpetuate anti-gay prejudice and crimination on the basis of sex, placing Loving, one Caucasian and the other into a clinic and gets care, no insurance bigotry by denying equal protection to a ban on same-sex marriage in the state Black, and jail them for it. “I support card and no money change hands. That’s individuals on the basis of their gender constitution. the freedom to marry for all,” Mildred what we need here. Health care should or sexual orientation. “The stakes are high for working Loving wrote in 2007, the last year of be approached as a human right.” “It’s up to organizations that protect people in fighting for civil rights and her life, “Black or white, young or old, When the debate turned to jobs and and promote civil rights to support such equal protection under the law,” Mary gay or straight.” the economy Rosenfeld, who spoke first, protections for everyone,” Bible told the Martin, SWP candidate for governor in As sentiment has shifted, President said, “Jobs is the question out of every Seattle Times. One of his grandparents Washington said in a campaign talk at Barack Obama has reversed his earlier politician’s mouth. But what is striking was Swedish, the other Black. When Tacoma Community College Oct. 30. position and now opposes laws restrict- about it is that none of them— Barack they married, “it led to a cross-burning “We join with those calling for a ‘Yes’ ing marriage to a man and woman. He Obama, Mitt Romney, my opponents in on their lawn here in Seattle,” he told the vote on R-74.” has called for a vote in favor of referenda this race—offer a plan of putting people Seattle Gay News. Referenda to expand or curtail indi- in Maine, Maryland and Washington, back to work. We have 17 million unem- Labor support has come from the vidual rights to civil marriage over the and for a no vote in Minnesota. ployed. What we need is a fight against statewide and Seattle AFL-CIO; the past few years have been on the ballot In Minnesota, the Catholic Church this capitalist government, a fight to International Association of Machinists; in 32 states. In each case to date, restric- hierarchy and affiliated organizations force the government to put tens of mil- Service Employees International Union; tions denying equal protection have pre- have contributed half of the $2 million lions to work. There are tremendous Washington Education Association; vailed. backing the effort to engrave discrimi- As the debate has deepened, there’s social needs when we talk about the Washington State Nurses Association; nation against gays and lesbians into the been a substantial shift in public opin- state constitution. infrastructure: roads, schools, bridges, Joint Council of Teamsters for ion, with support for overturning dis- “The union of man and woman is not child care. It’s through a fight like this Washington, Alaska and N. Idaho; criminatory laws gaining ground. An only good for the couple, but for the en- that working people will get confidence and numerous union locals from the ABC News and Washington Post survey tire community of believers and for hu- in ourselves, in our worth and our col- United Auto Workers, United Food and this year showed 53 percent in favor of manity,” Maryland Archbishop William lective power.” Commercial Workers, and AFSCME. legalizing same-sex marriage compared Lori said Sept. 26, hosting a meeting of “We need to activate Made in The Washington referendum is one to 36 percent in 2006. Among adults 30 opponents to same-sex marriage. America,” said Boswell, who claimed years old or younger some 70 percent But workers and others who are mem- economic improvement and “steady Recommended reading: are in favor. bers of the Catholic Church strongly growth” under the Obama administra- Among African-Americans 59 per- favor overturning such discriminatory tion. The Changing Face of U.S. Politics cent are in favor, up from 41 percent laws, 58 percent for and 33 percent Batcher called for “incentives to busi- Working-class politics and the unions just a few months earlier. “Civil mar- against. nesses that bring their work back to the By Jack Barnes riage is a civil right and a matter of The referenda in Washington, U.S.” law,” Benjamin Jealous, president of the Maryland and Maine include provisions Latham said “the problem is the regu- Building the kind of party NAACP, said at a press conference in that no church would be required by the latory burden put on businesses today working May, announcing the group’s decision to state to perform any marriage services if and the uncertainties on the taxes.” people need join in the fight against discriminatory they chose not to. When the discussion turned to abor- to prepare tion, Latham said, “I will always be pro- for coming life, I have a 100 percent pro-life voting class battles record.” through “I’m 100 percent in favor of a woman’s which they right to choose,” Rosenfeld responded. will revo- “Without the right to control reproduc- lutionize Hear SWP candidates James Harris for U.S. president, Maura DeLuca tion, women cannot achieve full social themselves, for vice president and Norton Sandler, newly announced candidate their unions, equality.” He said since the Roe v. Wade for mayor of Los Angeles, and discuss election results, what’s next for and all working people in the U.S. and worldwide, and plans by readers of the decision legalizing abortion in this society. A country, there’s been a nonstop attack on Militant newspaper to expand its circulation and win new readers. handbook for those seeking the For times and locations, contact campaign offices in your area listed that right, eroding it year after year after road toward effective action to on page 7, or check www.themilitant.com. year. “Any idea that putting your faith in overturn the exploitative system of a so-called ‘friend-of-women politician’ capitalism and join in reconstruct- has been shown to be in error.” ing the world on new, socialist Vote Socialist Workers Party! The moderator asked what needs to foundations. $24 be done to restore compromise and bi- The Working Class, Labor, Socialist Campaign partisanship in the federal government. www.pathfinderpress.com The Militant November 12, 2012 5 NY forum discusses example, legacy of Grenada Revolution BY PAUL MAILHOT education among other things— Clark NEW YORK—The Grenada said. Revolution of 1979-83 “changed my “The most important gain of the life,” said Shirelynn George to an audi- Grenadian Revolution was the trans- ence of 50 at the Militant Labor Forum formation of men and women through here Oct. 26. George was describing this process. Working people began to how as a teenager she became a differ- see themselves as part of the world, to ent person as a result of participating recognize their own self-worth, to see in a revolution that brought a workers what they could do working and fight- and farmers government to power. ing together to better the conditions of The program took place on the 29th life for all. anniversary of the counterrevolution- “This explains why when a counter- ary coup by a Stalinist faction within revolutionary faction led by Deputy the New Jewel Movement, the ruling Prime Minister Bernard Coard ar- party of the revolutionary government. rested Bishop in 1983, some 30,000 Militant/Peter Thierjung Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, central Grenadians—30 percent of the nation’s Shirelynn George tells audience at New York Militant Labor Forum Oct. 26 how participat- leader of the revolution and NJM, was population—came out into the streets ing in 1979-83 Grenada Revolution changed her life. At left is other speaker, Steve Clark, murdered along with five other revolu- to free him from house arrest. The as- author of “The Second Assassination of Maurice Bishop” in New International no. 6. tionary leaders and other working peo- sassination of Bishop and other revolu- ple and youth. tionaries not only killed the revolution, age, which on Grenada included well Samuel, Kathleen’s 19-year-old daugh- George shared the platform with Steve it opened the door for the U.S. invasion over 300 articles during the revolution ter, told the Militant after the pro- Clark, a leader of the Socialist Workers that followed immediately afterward. and after its overthrow, was eagerly gram. “But until this forum I never Party and author of “The Second “Washington could never invade read by working people,” Clark said. realized how much else was happen- Assassination of Maurice Bishop,” the Grenada while the workers and farmers “I learned a lot about the Grenadian ing in the world—Nicaragua, Iran and lead article in issue six of the Marxist government led by Bishop was in pow- Revolution when I was growing up. other countries—that the Grenadian magazine New International. Their pre- er,” Clark said, “because it enjoyed the It was always talked about,” Christi Revolution was part of.” sentations were followed by questions overwhelming support of the people. and comments from participants. With the invasion, Washington sought The tyranny of Eric Gairy that was to kill and bury the revolution’s exam- Union won at 2nd NY car wash: swept away with the 1979 revolution ple. But that’s exactly what they can’t had “no compassion for its people,” do. Its powerful legacy lives on and will George said. “Maurice Bishop ushered be looked to by working-class militants ‘Of course, we will have to fight’ in a new era of possibilities. Grenada around the world.” By Róger Calero by the RWDSU and Make the Road became a country where the son of During the discussion period, ques- NEW YORK—Workers at the New York, a community organization a fisherman could get an education; tions were asked about the impact of the Webster Car Wash in the Bronx voted with offices in several of the city’s bor- where you could get a tooth filled, not Grenada Revolution on working people 23 to 5 on Oct. 20 to join the Retail, oughs. only extracted; where being a farmer in the U.S., and about the role of Cuba Wholesale and Department Store “For a long time we were getting paid was a choice, not a sentence.” and Cuban President Fidel Castro’s Union. $5.50 an hour, but three months ago they Aid and solidarity from Cuba was leadership during the revolution. The 28 workers at Webster—owned began to pay us $6.25 because we were decisive to the gains working people The Grenadian people owe a debt to by Lage Management Corp., which talking about organizing a union,” said achieved during the revolution, she said. Cuba, George said. “We will always be owns several dozen car washes here— Francisco López, a worker at Webster, “Why is a meeting of workers in the grateful for the help they gave.” became the second outlet in the city to to the New York Daily News. United States in 2012 discussing a rev- “The years of the revolution in become unionized. On Sept. 8, work- “This business makes enough to olution in a small Caribbean island in Grenada were ones where the people ers at Astoria Car Wash and Hi-Tek 10 pay us what we are asking for,” said the early 1980s?” asked Clark. Because, had hope,” said Kathleen Samuel, who Minute Lube Inc. in Queens voted 21 Hernández to the Militant. “Of course he said, what Grenadian working peo- spoke from the floor. Like George she to 5 to join the RWDSU. They are now we will have to fight for it.” ple accomplished in those five years took part in the revolution as a youth. fighting to win a contract. Supporters of the organizing drive provides an example for workers and She described the new access to edu- Workers are demanding to be paid passed out handbills to customers who farmers around the world today whose cation and health care that was unprec- minimum wage and overtime, sick lined up to drive through the car wash livelihoods, rights and dignity are under edented for the people of Grenada both days, holidays and other benefits. At and asked them to back the workers by assault by the capitalist exploiters. before and since the revolution. Many Webster, workers make $6.25 with no delivering the bills at the register as they It’s not primarily the striking exam- of those advances were aided by sup- benefits. paid. ples of how the lives of the great ma- port from Cuba, she explained. “If we don’t organize ourselves, One of the customers, upset that a jority of Grenadians improved—the The Militant newspaper chronicled the abuse, unjustified firings and mis- boss crumpled up the bill and threw it advances they were able to make as a the revolutionary developments in treatment will continue,” Heriberto in the trash bin, told the Militant that result of wresting power from the prop- Grenada, Nicaragua and Iran that all Hernández, 34, who works at Astoria “it made him angry” to see the boss ertied rulers in nutrition, health and had revolutions in 1979. “That cover- Car Wash, told the Militant. The effort do that. The majority of the customers includes both car wash workers and me- listened politely to pro-union activists chanics at the lube center. explaining the car wash workers’ de- Further reading on Grenada Revolution The unionization effort is organized mands and many expressed support. Maurice Bishop Speaks The Grenada Revolution and Its Overthrow, 1979-83 The triumph of the 1979 revolution in the Caribbean island of Grenada had “importance for all struggles around the world,” said Maurice Bishop, its central leader. Invaluable lessons from that workers and farmers government, overturned in a Stalinist-led $25 coup, can be found in this collection. New International no. 6 includes ‘The Second Assassination of Maurice Bishop’ Explains roots of the 1983 coup that led to murder of revolutionary leader Maurice Bishop, and the destruction of the workers and farmers government by a Stalinist political faction within the governing New Jewel Movement. $16

www.pathfinderpress.com Courtesy RWDSU Workers at Astoria Car Wash Sept. 8. after being the first in New York City to join union.

6 The Militant November 12, 2012 Grenada Revolution gains based on mobilization of people Below is an excerpt from Maurice living of all our people. Bishop Speaks, one of Pathfinder’s They look around and recognize that Books of the Month for November. year after year production increases. Bishop was the central leader of the Last year in the state sector, produc- 1979 revolution in the Caribbean island tion went up by over 34 percent. And of Grenada that overthrew the U.S.- in the private sector, production also backed dictatorship of Eric Gairy and rose. Last year, too, there was a tremen- brought a workers and farmers govern- dous rise in the export of nontraditional ment to power. Bishop became the na- products. The increase in the export of tion’s prime minister. fruits and vegetables last year went up The piece below is from a speech by over 314 percent, which is a mas- he gave to more than 2,500 at Hunter sive increase in a short period. There College in New York in June 1983. In are also increases in production in areas October of that year the revolution- like flour and clothing, and there was a ary government was overthrown by a slight decrease in the area of furniture. Stalinist-inspired coup led by Deputy At the same time there were some Prime Minister Bernard Coard, in increases in the area of our traditional export crops—nutmegs, cocoa, and ba- which Bishop was murdered. That be- Above, Government Information Service, Grenada trayal opened the door to a U.S. mili- Above, members of Agricultural and General nanas. … tary invasion that installed a pro-im- Workers Union join 1983 May Day rally during But our people in Grenada are perialist regime. Copyright © 1983 by Grenada Revolution. At right, Maurice Bishop, not only able to see these economic Pathfinder Press. Reprinted by permis- prime minister of workers and farmers govern- achievements in the broad terms in ment. “Our people are always at center, heart which I have described them, but they sion. and focus of revolution,” said Bishop. are able to feel what these benefits grown by over 15 percent. And last year in 1982 it went up to mean to them in a concrete and mate- Books of The revolution in Grenada started over $100 million, and then we gave rial way. Because today the money that from a base under Gairy of 49 percent them the secret: we told them that in the people of Grenada used to have to the month unemployment—one in every two a revolution things operate differently spend, for example, when they went to a people who wanted to work couldn’t than in the normal situation. [Applause] doctor or a dentist, they no longer have by Maurice Bishop get a job. And among women, 70 per- We have been able to make these ac- to spend because they now have free At a time when even the big power- cent unemployment, seven out of every complishments because in Grenada, health care. ful industrialized nations were grow- ten could not get a job. Therefore at the consistent with our three pillars of the They now understand that the num- ing backwards last year, we grew for- dawn of the revolution over 22,000 peo- revolution—where the first pillar is our ber of doctors in the country has more ward by 5.5 percent. And coming out ple who wanted to work could not find people who are always at the center and than doubled, moving from a ratio of of the old history of negative develop- work. When we did a census last year, heart and focus of all our activities— one doctor to every 4,000 before the ment and retrogression under Gairy, April 1982, the unemployment rate had we are able to mobilize and organize revolution to the present ratio of one when year after year it was backward dropped from 49 percent to 14.2 per- people to cut out waste, to cut corrup- doctor for every 2,700 of our popula- growth, over the last four years of cent. [Applause] … tion, to stamp out inefficiency, to move tion. Moving from a situation before the revolution cumulatively we have The last year of Gairy, 1978, the to planning, to look out for production, the revolution where there was just one capital investment program was $8 to check on productivity, to make sure dental clinic for the whole country, to- million. The first year of the revolution that state enterprises are not set up to day there are seven dental clinics, in- that figure was doubled to $16 million. be subsidized but that state enterprises, cluding one for our offshore islands of Books The second year of the revolution it was too, must become viable, must make a Carriacou and Petit Martinique. Novemberof the Month more than doubled again to $39.9 mil- profit, and therefore the state sector will Our people understand the value and lion. have the surplus to bring the benefits. the benefits of free secondary educa- PATHFINDER The experts were saying that this Our people have gladly been pulled tion. Because they know now that once READERS CLUB 25% is impossible—you don’t have the re- into the economic process because our their children are able to pass a com- discount SPECIALS sources, you don’t have the manage- people see the benefits which the revo- mon entrance exam and get into secondary schools, they no longer have to Maurice Bishop Speaks The Grenada ment, you don’t have enough tractors, lution has brought them. They under- Revolution and Its Overthrow, 1979-83 you don’t have any trucks, you don’t stand that when thirty-seven cents out worry about finding those fees, which by Maurice Bishop have enough engineers, you cannot pos- of every dollar is spent on health and for agricultural workers, for example, The triumph of the revolution in sibly do it. You are only lucky in 1979 education that means something. was very often impossible. … the Caribbean island of Grenada when you doubled Gairy’s. And you They look around and they under- Following the establishment of the had “importance for all struggles are only lucky in 1980 again when you stand that year after year inflation is Centre for Popular Education [ ] pro- around the world,” said Maurice doubled your own. And then when we being held reasonably in check. Last gram in early 1980, within one year Bishop, its central leader. $25. Special price: $18.75 went to 1981 and we doubled it again, year it ran at 7 percent while wages ran the illiteracy figure in Grenada was re- they said, we know you have the luck, at 10 percent, thus ensuring an overall duced to 2 percent of the entire popula- The Communist Manifesto but something is wrong. increase of 3 percent in the standard of tion. by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels $5. Special price: $3.75 To See the Dawn Baku, 1920—First if you like this paper, look us up Congress of the Peoples of the East Where to find distributors of the MINNESOTA: Minneapolis: 416 E. AUSTRALIA $24. Special price: $18 Militant, New International, and a full Hennepin Ave., Suite 214. Zip: 55414. Tel: Sydney: 1st Flr, 3/281-287 Beamish display of Pathfinder books. (612) 729-1205. E-mail: tcswp@qwestoffice. St., Campsie, NSW 2194. Mailing Polemics in Marxist Philosophy net address: P.O. Box 164, Campsie, NSW 2194. by George Novack UNITED STATES Tel: (02) 9718 9698. E-mail: cl_australia@ A communist leader defends NEBRASKA, Lincoln: P.O. Box optusnet.com.au scientific socialism—the general- CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: 4025 57222. Zip: 68505. Tel: (402) 217-4906. ization of the historic line of march of S. Western Ave. Zip: 90062. Tel: (323) E-mail: [email protected] CANADA 295-2600. E-mail: [email protected] the working class toward power— Omaha: P.O. Box 7908. Zip: 68107. E-mail: QUEBEC: Montreal: 7107 St. Denis against those who sought to provide San Francisco: 5482 Mission St. Zip: 94112- [email protected] 1015. Tel: (415) 584-2135. E-mail: swpsf #204 H2S 2S5. Tel: (514) 272-5840. E-mail: “philosophical” veneer to Stalinist [email protected] and social democratic anti-working- @sbcglobal.net NEW YORK: Manhattan: 306 W. 37th class misleaderships. FLORIDA: Miami: 7100 Biscayne Blvd., St., 10th Floor. Zip: 10018. Tel: (212) 629- FRANCE $25. Special price: $18.75 Suite 306A. Zip: 33138. Tel: (305) 757-8869. 6649. E-mail: [email protected] Paris: P.O. 175, 23 rue Lecourbe. E-mail: [email protected] Postal code: 75015. Tel: (01) 40-10-28-37. Mother Jones Speaks PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 3701 E-mail: [email protected] by Mother Jones, Philip S. Foner GEORGIA: Atlanta: 476 1/2 Edgewood Pulaski Ave. Zip: 19140. Tel: (215) 225-1270. $34. Special price: $25.50 Ave. Zip: 30312. Tel: (404) 525-5200. E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] NEW ZEALAND [email protected] TEXAS: Houston: 4800 W. 34th St., Auckland: 4/125 Grafton Rd., Grafton. Leur Trotsky et le nôtre Suite C-50L. Zip: 77092. Tel: (713) 688-4919. Postal address: P.O. Box 3025, Auckland 1140. (Their Trotsky and Ours) ILLINOIS: Chicago: 806 W. Washington Tel: (09) 369-1223. E-mail: [email protected] Blvd. Suite 202. Zip: 60607. Tel: (312) 455- E-mail: [email protected] by Jack Barnes 0111. E-mail: [email protected] $15. Special price: $11.25 WASHINGTON, D.C.: 143 UNITED KINGDOM Kennedy St. NW, Suite 15. Zip: ENGLAND: London: First Floor, 120 Join Pathfinder Readers Club IOWA: Des Moines: 3707 Douglas Ave. for $10 and receive Zip: 50310. Tel: (515) 707-1779. E-mail: 20011. Tel: (202) 536-5080. E-mail: Bethnal Green Road (Entrance in Brick discounts all year long [email protected] [email protected] Lane). Postal code: E2 6DG. Tel: (020) 7613-2466. E-mail: [email protected] WASHINGTON: Seattle: 5418 Rainier Manchester: Room 301, 3rd floor, Hilton Order online at MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: 13 www.pathfinderpress.com Bennington St., 2nd Floor, East Bos- Ave. South. Zip: 98118-2439. Tel: (206) House, 26–28 Hilton St. Postal code: M1 2EH. Offer good until November 30 ton. Zip: 02128. Tel: (617) 569-9169. 323-1755. E-mail: seattleswp@qwestoffice. Tel: (016) 1478-2496. E-mail: clmanchr@ E-mail: [email protected] net gmail.com The Militant November 12, 2012 7 Vote Socialist Workers New Zealand exhibit wins support for Cuban 5 Continued from front page the mountain of special-interest spend- worldwide production and trade, ing.” Harris and DeLuca explain, is an But the law’s only target is union po- inevitable result of the workings of litical contributions. the capitalist system. The bosses are “The SWP campaign in California pressing to restore their profit rates on is urging a ‘no’ vote on Proposition our backs. 32. Its purpose is to restrict the labor The Socialist Workers candidates ex- movement and working people from plain the need for the working class and participating in politics and support- its allies to chart a revolutionary course ing candidates,” Norton Sandler, the towards toppling the capitalists’ dicta- party’s newly announced candidate torship of political power and replacing for mayor of Los Angeles, told the it with a workers and farmers govern- Militant. (See article on front page.) ment. “As the ranks get more and more They demand immediate with- dissatisfied with the lack of a fight by drawal of all U.S. and other impe- labor officials, the bosses’ state moves Militant/Ruth Gray rialist forces from Afghanistan, the in, claiming it will ‘clean things up’ BLACKBALL, New Zealand—“Humor From My Pen,” an exhibition of Korean Peninsula and wherever they in the unions. But any intervention by cartoons by Gerardo Hernández, was opened here Oct. 22 by María del are deployed. They speak out against the government in the unions is an ob- Carmen Herrera Caseiro, the Cuban ambassador to New Zealand. The the buildup of Washington’s naval stacle to the ranks taking advantage of opening was one of the events in the West Coast town celebrating Labour Day. forces in the Pacific targeting China, new openings to take on the employers Hernández is one of the Cuban Five revolutionaries framed up and imprisoned as well as U.S. military intervention and organize independent working- in the United States for more than 14 years. of any kind in Africa and the Middle class political action,” Sandler said. Paul Maunder, the curator of the Museum of Working-Class History where East. They denounce the current ad- In Michigan, union leaders, reacting the exhibition will be displayed for a month, said the cartoons show that in ministration’s increased use of killer to recent anti-union laws, mobilized spite of the oppressive conditions under which he is held, Hernández “retains drones and special forces assassination workers to put Proposal 2 on the bal- his spirit and does so with humor and color.” The museum celebrates a historic squads. lot. The measure seeks to write into strike in 1908 by miners at the long-closed Blackball coal mine. The exhibition the state constitution the right of public “has been in Auckland, Christchurch and now Blackball—it just keeps getting Assaults and resistance sector unions to bargain collectively bigger,” Maunder said to laughter from residents of the town of 300 people. In recent months there has been a and a prohibition against the legisla- Also speaking were Tony Kokshoorn, mayor of the Grey District; Garth decline in strikes and other workers ture’s enacting a “right to work” law. Elliott, an organizer for the Engineering, Printing, and Manufacturing Union; resistance in the U.S. Workers feel the “The SWP is calling for workers to and Green Party Member of Parliament Kevin Hague. Inviting the 40 people pressure of substantial long-term un- vote for this ballot measure,” Harris said. in attendance to view the exhibition, Herrera described Hernández as “one of employment. They face constraints on “Not because restrictive laws are the the best sons of Cuba.” their fighting capacity by the cumula- reason our unions are getting weaker, a —Patrick Brown tive effects of decades of collaboration rationalization often heard from union by union misleaders with the bosses, officials. But as one part of defending vote ‘no.’” “But Proposition 34 in California, their political parties, the Democrats our unions and laying the groundwork Ballot measure LR-121 in Idaho which claims to be an initiative against and Republicans, their government. to transform them into effective work- would deny state services—from the death penalty, is full of anti-work- “Workers will find ways to trans- ing-class combat organizations against driver’s licenses to jobless or disability ing-class, anti-Black ‘findings’ and form our unions, to organize the unor- the bosses’ deepening attacks.” benefits and state aid for college—to ‘intents’ that make it impossible to ganized, build solidarity with all work- undocumented workers. State agencies support,” Harris said. Space to organize and act ers in struggle, and throw the weight of would also be mandated to report all To cite just one example, the laws the union movement into fights of all SWP candidates are joining actions such persons who apply for state ser- states: “Every person convicted of the oppressed and exploited,” Harris and speaking out to defend workers’ vices to the U.S. immigration cops. murder … shall be required to work said. “Look at the intransigence of the political rights and space to discuss “This measure is another effort to within a high security prison as many miners in South Africa—an example and debate how to chart a course to scapegoat a section of the working hours of faithful labor in each day and of how the determination, imagination build a stronger and more unified class and divide us,” Harris said. “We every day during his or her term of im- and united power of the working class working-class movement. support legalization for all immigrant prisonment.” can make its mark.” “My campaign supports and stands workers. This is crucial to strengthen Voting for such a measure, Harris But the propertied rulers are mov- with all those fighting against efforts workers’ ability to organize and fight. said, “has nothing to do with advancing to place additional shackles on the by federal, state, or local governments We urge a ‘no’ vote on LR-121. ing the fight against the capitalist rul- unions. In several states, initiatives are to deny 14th Amendment guarantees “Another question facing the workers’ so-called ‘criminal justice’ system on the ballot that would further restrict of equal protection of the laws because ing class today,” Harris said, “is fight- of plea bargains, long incarceration, unions, like measures in recent years of gender or sexual orientation,” Harris ing to get rid of the death penalty, solitary confinement—all visited in Wisconsin, Indiana, and elsewhere. said. (See article on page 5.) “We call which is used by the capitalist rulers to disproportionately against workers, “The two-party system in the U.S. for a ‘yes’ vote on R-74 in Washington, try to cow workers from standing up especially workers who are African- is set up to prevent the working class Question 6 in Maryland and Question and fighting. American and Hispanic.” from finding our own voice, break- 1 in Maine, which overturn discrimi- ing out and building our own party,” natory state marriage laws that bol- Harris said. “And ballot referenda, ster antigay prejudice. We call for a touted as ‘direct democracy,’ are yet ‘no’ vote on a Minnesota measure that another snare to keep workers off the would reinforce that state’s discrimi- Who are the Cuban Five streets and picket lines by promoting natory law.” Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando the illusion we can exercise power Amendment 6 in Florida is a ballot González and René González are Cuban revolutionaries who during the through the ballot. measure aimed at imposing further re- 1990s accepted assignments from the Cuban government to gather informa- “But workers can’t just ignore bour- strictions on women’s rights. It would tion on the activities of Cuban-American counterrevolutionary groups operat- geois elections,” Harris said. “Once or embed denial of public funding for ing in southern Florida. These paramilitary outfits, organizing on U.S. soil with twice a year they offer a distorted way abortion into the state Constitution and virtual impunity, have a long record of carrying out bombings, assassinations for class-conscious workers to speak overturn state court rulings that have and other deadly attacks, both against targets in Cuba and supporters of the out in the interests of our class. The recognized a right to privacy protect- Cuban Revolution in the United States, Puerto Rico and elsewhere. Socialist Workers campaign is urging ing teenage women from having to On Sept. 12, 1998, the five were arrested by the FBI. They were framed up workers to vote not only for the party’s inform their parents they are seeking and convicted on a variety of charges, which included acting as unregistered candidates—as a step toward a com- abortions. agents of the Cuban government and possession of false identity documents. plete working-class break with the “A woman’s right to choose abortion Without a shred of evidence, three were charged with “conspiracy to gather bosses’ parties—but also on a number is a precondition to fully participate and transmit national defense information.” of ballot measures.” in social, political and economic life,” Hernández was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder based on In California, Proposition 32 would Naomi Craine, SWP candidate for U.S. the pretext that he bore responsibility for the Cuban government’s 1996 shoot- outlaw the right of unions to use mem- Senate in Florida, said in a press state- down of two aircraft flown by the counterrevolutionary group Brothers to the bers’ dues money to donate to political ment Oct. 30. Rescue that had invaded Cuban airspace in disregard of Havana’s repeated warnings. He is serving two life terms plus 15 years. campaigns. Couched as “even-hand- “By attacking women’s right to de- All but René González remain in prison. Since October 2011 he has been ed,” the measure says, “Every year, cide when and if to have children, the serving a three-year “supervised release.” On the pretext of his dual citizen- corporations and unions contribute amendment would shut down some of ship, his request to return to Cuba has been denied. His wife, Olga Salanueva, millions of dollars to politicians, and the political space our class has won,” is barred from entering the United States, as is Adriana Pérez, the wife of the public interest is buried beneath Craine said. “I urge working people to Hernández.

8 The Militant November 12, 2012 Asia-Pacific conference builds support for Cuban Revolution Event in Sri Lanka draws delegates from 20 countries

BY RON POULSEN revolutionary government of Cuba.” AND JANET ROTH In November 1962, in the midst of COLOMBO, Sri Lanka—A con- the Cuban “missile” crisis, she said, ference in solidarity with the Cuban “many port workers in Sri Lanka went Revolution, held here October 20-21, on strike, refusing to load or unload drew more than 220 delegates from 18 goods from U.S. ships.” This was part countries across Asia and the Pacific. of “a national campaign to counter the Initiated by the Cuban Institute for threat of U.S. aggression against Cuba” Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) during that confrontation, when disci- and hosted by the Cuba-Sri Lanka plined mobilizations and military pre- Friendship Association, it was the sixth paredness by the Cuban people stayed Militant photos by Baskaran Appu (above) such gathering in the region since 1995. the hand of Washington and prevented and Martín Koppel (inset) Above, more than 200 people The meeting focused on opposing a nuclear war. participated in Sixth Asia-Pacific Washington’s long economic and po- Diego said that in Asia and the Pacific Regional Conference for Soli- litical war against the Cuban Revolution today there are committees campaign- darity with Cuba, Oct. 20-21. and on the campaign to free the five ing for the release of the Cuban Five in Inset, Estanislau da Silva of East Cuban revolutionaries who have been 13 countries and Cuba solidarity organi- Timor described Cuba’s solidari- imprisoned for more than 14 years by zations in 22 countries. ty with his country, from support to its independence struggle to the U.S. government on trumped-up Representatives of several politi- training Timorese doctors today. charges. (See “Who are the Cuban Five” cal parties and elected officials in Sri on facing page.) Lanka addressed the opening ses- recalled. “We continue on the road to social- Sizable delegations came from India sion, including guest of honor Chamal Da Silva noted that “despite its own ism,” Betancourt concluded. and Bangladesh, and half of the dele- Rajapaksa, speaker of the parliament. severe economic difficulties today,” At the invitation of conference orga- gates were from Sri Lanka. Participants Dinesh Gunawardena, chair of the Sri Cuba has trained hundreds of Timorese nizers, Mary-Alice Waters, president also came from Australia, Cambodia, Lanka-Cuba Friendship Association youth as doctors, and Cuban literacy of Pathfinder Press and a leader of the China, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, and of the conference national prepara- volunteers are working in his country. Socialist Workers Party in the United Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, New tory committee, as well as minister of Merita Monteiro, a recent graduate of States, presented two recent books pub- Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, water supply and drainage, condemned the Cuban medical program and presi- lished by Pathfinder, The Cuban Five: East Timor, and Vietnam, as well as Washington for wielding “the weapon dent of the East Timor-Cuba Friendship Who They Are, Why They Were Framed, from Cuba and the U.S. of embargo, more popularly known as Association, was also part of the East Why They Should Be Free and Women The gathering afforded delegates the ‘blockade of Cuba,’” for more than Timor delegation, along with parliamen- in Cuba: The Making of a Revolution the opportunity to meet each other, ex- 50 years. Gunawardena called for sup- tary deputy Carmelita Moniz. Within the Revolution. change experiences on their work in sol- port to “the long-standing struggle of Alberto Betancourt Roa, vice presi- To applause from the delegates, Waters idarity with the Cuban Revolution, and the five imprisoned Cuban patriots” for dent of the National Association of noted that nearly a quarter million cop- strengthen their collaboration across the freedom. Accountants and Economists of Cuba, ies of Pathfinder’s 60-some books and region. gave a clear and informative presenta- pamphlets offering accurate and truth- Delegates were especially appre- Cuba’s support to East Timor tion on how the Cuban leadership is ful accounts of the Cuban Revolution ciative of the efforts made by the Sri The opening plenary session heard confronting the economic challenges have been distributed worldwide in the Lankan committee to organize the con- reports from most of the delegations. today. last 25 years, the overwhelming major- ference in Colombo on short notice. It Estanislau da Silva, from East Timor, a He noted that “the Obama govern- ity of these sold in the United States. was originally scheduled to take place parliamentary deputy and former prime ment has intensified the blockade,” “This is not about solidarity alone,” she in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, last March, minister of that country, recounted how going after companies in other coun- said. “Understanding, defending, and shortly before an April summit meeting he had experienced Cuba’s solidar- tries—such as a recent $600 million fine emulating the course taken by the work- of the Association of South East Asian ity with the Timorese people’s fight for against the Dutch bank ING—for not ers and farmers of Cuba is decisive to Nations convened there. At the last independence against the U.S.-backed complying with U.S.-dictated sanctions. transforming the working class in the minute, the solidarity conference was Indonesian military occupation. Da When passenger flights from Europe to United States into a force capable of abruptly canceled by the local hosts. Silva said he would never forget his Cuba overfly U.S. territory, Betancourt leading the coming socialist revolution Caridad Diego, a member of the participation in the 1978 world youth said, every airline now has to give U.S. in the strongest imperialist power.” Central Committee of the Cuban festival in Havana, where “Cuba was authorities their passenger list in ad- Pathfinder’s two most recent books Communist Party and head of the Cuban under pressure” from opponents of East vance and Washington can then “decide focused on the Cuban Revolution com- delegation, thanked the Sri Lankan Timor’s independence not to accept a who flies.” plement each other, Waters said. They conference organizers. She reminded delegation from that country. Welcomed The unfolding euro crisis has also hit are about “the millions of men and participants that “just a month after by the Cuban leadership, the Timorese Cuba hard, the economist noted, be- women in Cuba who transformed them- the triumph of the Cuban Revolution marched in the opening ceremony as cause U.S. embargo measures make it selves and became different human be- in January 1959, Sri Lanka became the a national contingent, while other del- virtually impossible for Cuba to settle ings” as they fought to make and defend first Asian country to recognize the new egates “stood up and applauded us,” he accounts in U.S. dollars. “We’re quoted the revolution. a price in U.S. dollars but have to pay in The Cuban Five, she said, tells the euros,” a currency that has lost value in stories of Gerardo Hernández, Ramón The Cuban Five relation to the dollar. Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Who They Are, Why They Were Framed, González, and René González. ‘We will not go back to capitalism’ “Conducting themselves with cour- Why They Should Be Free Betancourt carefully reviewed some age, dignity, creativity, and humor, and A selection of articles from the Militant on the fight to of the recent economic measures in reaching out with solidarity to others free Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Cuba. These include steps that range who refuse to stop fighting the condi- Guerrero, Fernando González and René González. from reducing the size and scope of re- tions capitalism imposes on us, the five $3 with Militant subscription (normally $5) sponsibilities of numerous government embody the finest qualities of the revo- ministries to other measures designed lution,” Waters said. to eliminate administrative obstacles “Our confidence that the five will Women in Cuba and increase productivity. The distribu- return to Cuba is not based on looking The Making of a Revolution tion of idle land to tens of thousands of to the good will of the next chief execu- Within the Revolution Cubans willing to farm it has been an tive of U.S. imperialism, whether it be by Vilma Espín, Asela de los Santos, especially important step taken to in- Obama or Romney,” Waters told the Yolanda Ferrer crease cultivation of food crops. conference. Only a “jury of millions,” “Cuba is not going toward a capi- in Hernández’s words, can win their The unprecedented integration of women in talist economy,” he emphasized. “We freedom. That jury will be created, she the ranks and leadership of this struggle was a will maintain the basic social services explained, by the growing resistance of true measure of the revolutionary course it has that are conquests of the revolution. No working people worldwide to the conse- followed to this day. one will be left unprotected. The major quences of the global economic crisis. $10 with subscription (normally $20) means of production will continue to be This was the second Asia-Pacific re- state-owned.” Continued on page 11 www.pathfinderpress.com

The Militant November 12, 2012 9 Gov’t response to hurricane Continued from front page afternoon. “The power in our apart- the last week of October was larger ment went out last night, and the water and more destructive than Irene last this morning. I had no idea what to do. year. More than 100 people were killed, There’s no radio or television. And no 69 in the Caribbean, of whom 52 were one even came by to see if we needed in Haiti. Thirty-nine deaths had been food or water,” Elisha Reid told the reported in the U.S. as of Oct. 30. Militant. “No one came by to evacuate More than 8.2 million people across us,” her mother added. “Our building the eastern U.S. are without power. has 16 floors and a lot of senior citizens Consolidated Edison says it will take live there. The elevators are still off and at least a week to restore electricity to I couldn’t walk up that far to help them.” the 800,000 households without power The one location that doesn’t have here. a zone designation on the city’s flood As he did in 2011, New York Mayor evacuation map is Rikers Island, which Michael Bloomberg ordered the manda- holds 10 city jails with between 12,000 tory evacuation of 375,000 residents of and 17,000 prisoners. The island is sur- low-lying “Zone A” areas in Manhattan, rounded by “Zone B” land, designated Brooklyn and Queens. The order was for evacuation in the event of a Category Reuters/Andrew Kelly Family carries belongings past a fire crew in Brighton Beach neighborhood of New York, issued midday on Sunday, Oct. 28. The 2 hurricane. Oct. 31. Working people were left to fend for themselves in face of Hurricane Sandy. city then announced that the entire sub- “The land is up where they are and way system would begin shutting down jails are secured,” Bloomberg said power today, people were not left to Transportation worker Alexis at 7 p.m. that night and buses two hours Monday afternoon. “Don’t worry about deal with the disaster on their own. Martinez told Reuters that the hurri- later, some 24 hours before the arrival anybody getting out.” “Sound trucks cruised the streets cane had blown the roof off his house, of the hurricane. Administrators at the Horizon Care urging people to boil drinking water to but that he and his wife had decided to As of Tuesday night, partial bus ser- Center in Far Rockaway, Queens, one of prevent infectious disease,” Associated help the citywide effort before dealing vice had been restored, but the sub- the hardest hit areas, told the New York Press reported. “Authorities set up ra- with their own problems. “My wife is way system was down indefinitely. On Times that in spite of repeatedly asking dios and TVs in public spaces to keep mobilized for public health and me for Wednesday, lines for the bus ran for city authorities for direction, they did people up to date on relief efforts, dis- the rubble brigade,” he said. “Our son blocks and every route had delays, add- not receive evacuation instructions until tributed chlorine to sterilize water, and is with his grandmother, and the roof ing hours to workers’ commute. after the surge of water had already hit, prioritized electrical service to strategic we’ll see about later. Right now, there To force out the 46,000 residents of flooding the facility and knocking out uses such as hospitals and bakeries.” are things more urgent to do.” public housing in the evacuation areas, the generators. Reuters reported that volunteer work “The city looks like a big ant’s nest, the city locked elevators and shut off All city schools were closed, as well brigades, soldiers, convoys of trucks but organized,” Eduardo Gonzalez power and heat at 7 p.m. Sunday. Many as almost all bridges and tunnels into with cable and other supplies to repair said. ignored cops, who drove around with and out of the city. According to the the electrical system, and utility work- Dan Fein, Deborah Liatos and bullhorns in city housing developments New York Post, thousands of extra cops ers from across the country poured into Candace Wagner contributed to this demanding everyone leave. were on duty and the National Guard the city. article. Those who decided not to evacu- was mobilized to “deal with impending ate, Bloomberg said, “were selfish.” In mayhem.” New Jersey, Gov. Christopher Christie Most workers have missed at least echoed Bloomberg’s “selfish” label and two days of work, either because the South Africa miners’ strikes added “stupid.” workplace was closed or because they Continued from front page the permanent employees of the compa- While New York City opened 76 shel- had no way to get there. And with many mines, workers have selected their ny, Ramokga added, but for thousands ters, residents were urged to use them as schools closed for a third day, working own strike committees independent of of lower-paid contract workers from a last resort if they couldn’t find friends people are being left on their own to government-allied trade unions. Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Mozambique. or relatives to stay with. As of Monday, figure out child care arrangements and Workers at Amplats, the world’s larg- “We always include them when we raise shelters throughout the city were filled transportation or miss another day. est platinum company, have been on our demands,” he said. “They do the to less than 4 percent capacity. For Cuba, Sandy was the deadliest strike since Sept. 12 demanding that same work we do.” “The National Guard came to each storm in seven years, cutting directly their wages, less than $1,000 a month, In an Oct. 27 press release, Amplats door, handed out papers, and said we through the island and killing 11 people. be doubled. said that if workers did not return to ‘had to leave,’” Ramona Hernández told It hit Santiago, the country’s second- On Oct. 5 the company fired 12,000 work by Oct. 30 they will be dismissed. the Militant. Hernández chose to stay at largest city, with winds of 110 miles per of its 26,000 workers and refused to Amplats has not replied to repeated re- the public housing project in the flooded hour. The Miami Herald reported that talk with the strike committee. Instead, Continued on page 11 Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn 137,000 homes in the city were dam- the company met with officers of the where she lives. “A lot of people left, aged, including 43,000 that lost their government-allied National Union of but a lot stayed. Everybody was left on roofs and 15,000 that collapsed. The en- Mineworkers. NUM officials and the New International no. 5 their own.” tire city of 500,000 was without water African National Congress-led govern- Elisha Reid, a department store and electricity. ment have insisted that workers wait ‘The Coming Revolution in South Africa’ worker, and her mother Juanita Reid, But in Cuba, where workers and until contracts expire before raising by Jack Barnes a child care provider, showed up at a farmers made a socialist revolution in wage demands. shelter in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday 1959 and continue to wield political The South African press widely re- The social character ported Oct. 26 that the strikers had and roots of apartheid agreed to return to work after Amplats in South African capi- offered a 2,000 rand ($230) one-off pay- talism. And the tasks of Social disaster highlights need for massive jobs program ment and rescinded the dismissal no- toilers in city and coun- tices. Amplats also said they would pay tryside in dismantling The following statement was released Oct. 30 by Róger Calero, Socialist the legacy of class and the same amount as a “loyalty allow- Workers candidate for U.S. Senate in New York. racist inequality and $14 ance” to workers who were not part of forging a communist The response by the government at all levels—city, state and federal—to the strike. South Africa’s Business Day leadership of the work- the consequences of Hurricane Sandy once again shows the callousness Live reports that Amplats has lost more ing class. of the capitalist rulers and the toll working people everywhere pay under than $115 million in production since their system of domination and exploitation. the strike began. New International no. 12 The disaster, greatly magnified by social relations under capitalism, un- derscores the need to fight for a government-funded jobs program—to Platinum miners reject offer ‘Capitalism’s Long Hot Winter Has Begun’ put those who are jobless to work providing immediate relief to those Contrary to press reports, striking by Jack Barnes devastated by the effects of years of capitalist neglect to public transit, platinum miners rejected the offer. housing, the electric grid in workers’ neighborhoods and other infrastruc- “They only want to talk about going Class-struggle-mind- ed workers must face ture. This could include many projects such as flood controls, schools, back to work, they don’t want to talk a world marked by an housing, medical facilities and other things workers need from one end of about wages,” winch operator Evans the country to the other. accelerating capitalist Ramokga, a member of the strike com- crisis and Washing- The answer by the billionaire families and their government in the U.S. is mittee, told the Militant by phone after ton most far-reaching the opposite of that of revolutionary Cuba where help to evacuate millions, a negotiating session Oct. 29. “How can military shift since its along with their property and pets, is organized on a massive scale— we go back to work without touching the buildup toward World $16 where all are provided with food, medical care and all other necessities. central demands?” War II — and chart a This kind of working-class solidarity is led, not impeded by the revolution- The company had been holding sepa- revolutionary course to ary government and is possible because working people there took politi- rate meetings with the official unions confront it. cal power and continue to defend it to this day. and the strike committee, he said. The strikers are not fighting just for www.PathfinderPress.com 10 The Militant November 12, 2012 Editorial Sri Lanka conference Continued from page 9 Vote Socialist Workers in 2012! gional Cuba solidarity conference held in Sri Lanka. The Militant urges readers in each of the 50 road to the revolutionary fight for working-class The previous one, in 2008, took place during the final U.S. states and District of Columbia to vote for the power, are featured in this week’s front-page lead, months of the war waged by the government against Socialist Workers Party ticket of James Harris for as well as many other articles in the Militant week the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers). president and Maura DeLuca for vice president, in and week out. The 26-year war—with roots going back to the divide- and for other SWP candidates where they are run- That fact underlines one of the most impor- and-rule policies of the British empire, and fueled by ning. Pull the lever or demand your right to write tant and ongoing aims of the Socialist Workers decades of discriminatory measures and brutal attacks in SWP candidates listed on page 4. campaigns—increasing the growing numbers of against the Tamil minority of Sri Lankans since in- Cast your vote on ballot issues where working Militant readers who are working together to ex- dependence—ended with the defeat of the LTTE in people have a stake in defending our rights and pand the reach of the paper more deeply in the 2009. our unions, and in breaking down discriminatory working class. And who are introducing workers to In informal discussions, numerous Sri Lankan and barriers to advancing working-class solidarity and books on revolutionary politics such as Malcolm X, other delegates commented that discussion and de- militancy. Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power bate is today more open than in 2008, when security Join us in bringing solidarity to workers’ strug- by Jack Barnes and many others. measures at the conference were tight, heavily armed gles wherever they occur, as well as actions in de- Join the teams in Los Angeles beginning Nov. soldiers patrolled street corners throughout the capital fense of immigrant rights, women’s right to choose 10 to get the SWP mayoral campaign off to a good city of Colombo, and the army restricted movement in abortion, fights against police brutality and other start. Order a bundle of the Militant and sell sub- the war-ravaged north and east, where the Tamil popu- battles in the interests of working people. scriptions to coworkers, friends and other working lation is concentrated. “Today it is easier for people The Socialist Workers presidential ticket of people in your area. to see that the source of our problems is not the war Harris and DeLuca, as well as the newly an- Vote Socialist Workers on Tuesday, Nov. 6, and but those who profited from it,” commented one Sri nounced campaign of Norton Sandler for mayor of join us that evening to celebrate what we’ve accom- Lankan participant. Los Angeles, are presenting a class-struggle course plished and discuss the next steps forward. (See ad Conference delegates recalled Cuba’s assistance for working people. These perspectives, along the on page 5.) when Sri Lanka was devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Prasanna Cooray, vice president of the Sri Lanka-Cuba Friendship Association, noted how in the aftermath of the tsunami a team of Cuban doctors rushed to Sri Lanka and “under very trying conditions Strikes by miners in South Africa served the community for many months till the health infrastructure in the area was reestablished.” And in Continued from page 10 the committee, Findlay said, “Samancor has met with the 1980s and early 1990s, he said, “when there was a quests for comment. various stakeholders.” dearth of medical specialists to serve the war-stricken Strikers at AngloGold Ashanti were all back at work Unlike Amplats and AngloGold, which were com- so-called border areas, Cuban doctors defied the war by Oct. 25 after a four-week strike. Under a deal from pletely shut down by the strike, workers at Samancor’s and the rough terrain to serve the Sri Lankan peas- the Chamber of Mines on behalf of three gold com- western mine went on strike, but miners at the eastern antry.” panies, including AngloGold—the third largest gold mine did not. During the two-day gathering, many delegates company in the world—workers will receive wage in- “We tried our best to convince them to join us,” said stopped by the literature table with Pathfinder titles on creases of up to 10.8 percent, largely through moving Putuk, “But they already have some of the things that the Cuban Revolution and other topics to discuss and miners up to a higher pay grade. we are trying to get in regards to housing and trans- purchase books and pamphlets that most had never “Even though we didn’t really get what we want- port.” seen before. More than 300 copies of The Cuban Five ed, and most of the workers are not really happy with “It’s not like we lost confidence in the strike,” and more than 100 copies of Women in Cuba: The the whole process, we now see that we are more em- Putuk said. “If management does not engage in the Making of a Revolution Within the Revolution were powered and we learned some lessons,” underground negotiation process that has begun we can go on distributed at the conference. Many delegates took AngloGold miner Tshepo Moloi said by phone. “The strike again. And whatever we get, contract workers multiple copies with them for use by their solidarity fear that many workers had going all the way back to must get too.” committees. the time of apartheid has disappeared.” The Congress of South African Trade Unions, One Indian delegate, holding a copy of Women in the National Union of Mineworkers and the South Cuba, commented, “I am from a woman’s organiza- One-day sit-in at chrome mine African Communist Party organized a rally Oct. 27 tion in Kerala and this 3book will be very useful in our Miners at Samancor’s western chrome mine re- in Rustenburg, in the heart of the mining areas in the campaigns for women’s rights.” turned to work Oct. 23 after a three-week strike. North West province. The rally called for rescinding Delegates were also able to view a well-presented About 400 workers held a one-day sit-in underground the firing of dismissed workers and for better wages display of paintings of Cuban butterflies by Antonio Sept. 27. The following day officials of the NUM and and working conditions. An earlier COSATU state- Guerrero, one of the Cuban Five. other unions signed a new contract. On Oct. 2 workers ment, however, said the rally would call on miners to During the conference, delegates from abroad were went on strike. go back to work and to “retake the Rustenburg area guests of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa When this reporter called the Samancor press of- from the counterrevolution.” for a reception at his official residence, followed by a fice Oct. 29 to ask for comment, the person answer- That statement was directed at strike leaders and performance of traditional Sinhalese dance. The con- ing the phone said, “We’ve read what the Militant has at the Democratic Socialist Movement, a Trotskyist ference ended with a trip to the Yahalakele Estate, a said and it’s not true. There was no strike; the workers group. The DSM and many strike leaders are encour- rubber plantation outside Colombo famous for the re- were on leave.” She said to talk with Gillian Findlay, aging workers to disaffiliate from the NUM and join a sistance of the plantation workers, where Ernesto Che Samancor’s communications manager. competing union, the Association of Mineworkers and Guevara, a central leader of the Cuban revolutionary “The strike itself was very short,” Findlay said. “On Construction Union. government, planted a mahogany tree in August 1959 Oct. 3 we put everyone on compulsory annual leave Hundreds of strike supporters arrived at the Olympia during an international tour through Asia, Africa and [usually in December] and then extended this until stadium to oppose the rally, including Amplats strik- Europe. Oct. 19.” According to Findlay this means the workers ers and area miners. Amplats strike committee mem- The day after the conference, delegates still in will get paid. ber Ramokga said the miners felt they had to respond town attended a rally to mark the 45th anniversary The miners returned to work without a pay increase to COSATU’s statement that they “were going to of Guevara’s death, organized by the Socialist Youth on condition that wage negotiations would take place clean up Rustenburg.” Some clashed with COSATU Union of the People’s Liberation Front (JVP). In front with the strike committee, miner Solomon Putuk said members. Strike supporters were dispersed in a hail of banners demanding “Free the Cuban 5” and under by phone. of rubber bullets and tear gas fired by police before the pouring rain, more than 1,000 SYU and JVP mem- When asked if the company has negotiated with rally started. bers listened for several hours to international guests and JVP leaders and stayed for a cultural performance by JVP members. Nirsia Castro Guevara, outgoing SWP vice pres. candidate in New Orleans Cuban ambassador to Sri Lanka, told the crowd that support is needed “all over the world to win the release Continued from page 4 “We have to fight to keep governments out of our bed- of the Cuban Five.” copy of the book Lewis was looking at, Malcolm X, rooms and our lives.” Delegates concluded the regional meeting by Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power, “Yes, we say to others, let’s join together,” said welcoming the offer of solidarity organizations in which talks about the 1967 Supreme Court decision Alfred Marshall, the group’s organizer. “Books Vietnam to host the next Asia-Pacific conference in declaring state laws that prohibited interracial mar- and papers like this can help. “Marshall and Lewis early 2014. riage unconstitutional as part of the Black struggle. renewed their subscriptions to the Militant and took some copies of the paper to distribute. They Militant Prisoners’ Fund also bought all four books on special. (See ad on page 3.) Correction The Prisoners’ Fund makes it possible to send prison- In the caption to the article “Indonesia: Groups “We are going to start a library here with these ers reduced rate subscriptions. To donate, send a check Fight for Women’s Right to Abortion” in the Oct. books and papers,” said Marshall. “I got books like or money order payable to the Militant and earmarked 29 issue of the Militant, the second person in the this from Pathfinder when I was in jail in the 1980s “Prisoners’ Fund” to 306 W. 37th St., 10th Floor, New photo was incorrectly identified. Her name is and they were very helpful. We need to help spread the Atikah Hamzah. York, NY 10018. truth about our history and about our future.”

The Militant November 12, 2012 11