Sydney, Australia Paper of the Anarcho-Syndicalist Network 50c Vol.28 No.2 (203) June - July 2009

Employers Use The Cloak of the Global Downturn for Accelerated Job Destruction & Speedups!

NATIONAL NEWS; N.S.W. RAILWAY NEWS; STATE TRANSIT NEWSFLASH; SYDNEY WHARFIES’ NEWS; SHIFT WORK SAFETY; VICTORIAN RAILWAY NEWS; BRITAIN TODAY; NEW ZEALAND; SOUTH KOREA; ISRAEL; MAY DAY; BOOK REVIEW CORNER “CHOMSKY ON ANARCHISM”; SELF MANAGEMENT OR WORKERS CONTROL?; NEWS & NOTES; PLUS MORE! 2 Rebel Worker

I expect corporations to wheel and deal to vestment schemes provided employment Rebel Worker is the bi-monthly make a buck that’s capitalism If a com- to a significant number of people. The col- Paper of the A.S.N. for the propo- pany doesn’t make a profit it normally lapse of these two groups will have impli- gation of anarcho-syndicalism in doesn’t take long for it to go bankrupt I do cations for rural and regional Australia expect governments not to be a willing that will be felt for some time. Australia. participate in schemes that cost the tax- The tragedy about this whole fiasco lies Unless otherwise stated, signed payer billions of dollars The legislation directly on the shoulders of the Howard Articles do not necessarily represent surrounding managed investment schisms government that passed legislation that al- the position of the A.S.N. as a whole. was Sawed from the very first day. The lowed a flawed scheme that gave people Any contributions, criticisms, letters or collapse of Great Southern and Timber the opportunity to legally minimise their Comments are welcome. Corp. will have a significant impact on the tax by investing what normally would regional and rural economy. In an era REBEL WORKER have been public money, into dubious when more and more family farms were non-sustainable private corporations. P.O. BOX 92 feeling the squeeze and regional centres BROADWAY 2007 NSW were losing population, the managed in- E-mail: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION RATES: VIC. HUMAN RIGHTS ? rights that you believe has been commit- AUSTRALIA: $12 a year ted by a state entity (eg a Government de- OVERSEAS partment or a statutory body) you may You may remember that recently I sent a contact the Victorian Ombudsman who $25 (Aus.) by Air letter on behalf of the Wednesday Action $20 (Aus.) by Sea mail has the power to investigate alleged hu- Group to the Victorian Equal Opportunity man rights breaches by such entities”. Free to Prisoners and Human Rights Commission about a problem we were having distributing leaf- Just in case you’re wondering what the Supporters Subs. $40 pa Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Receives copies of RW & ASN lets outside Southern Cross Station (Mel- bourne’s main railway station), with the Rights Commission actually does: Pamphlets as published. private corporation that manages the sta- “Functions include providing education Send to the above. Only Postal orders tion on behalf of the Victorian State gov- about human rights, intervening in court should be made out to Rebel Worker. ernment. Successive Victorian State proceedings where questions of law arise governments have a habit of entering into about the application or interpretation of public private partnerships that alienate the Charter, and reporting annually on open public space from people. how well State and local government So far, so good. In 2006 the Victorian gov- comply with the Charter”. NATIONAL ernment, to much fanfare and mutual back It seems the Victorian state government slapping, introduced The Charter of Hu- has gone to a lot of trouble and expense to man Rights and Responsibilities Act ensure that no one is able to exercise their NEWS 2006. Before you pop the cork on the rights and if they’re arrested for doing so, champagne bottle to celebrate, it is impor- it has done a very good job of ensuring tant to know; they will never be able to obtain legal re- dress for doing so. I’m afraid the Victorian CORPORATE COLLAPSES “The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission does not have Human Rights Charter in its current form the power to receive complaints about wouldn’t look out of place in The collapse of yet another agricultural breaches of the CharterofHumanRights Machiavelli’s political treatise — The managed investment scheme highlights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (the Char- Prince. the limitations of Australia’s corporation ter)". Thanks to the Anarchist Age and taxation laws. Great Southern col- lapsed in mid May leaving debts of over It gets better... “The Charter does not pro- vide an individual with the opportunity to 750 million. Timber Corp, the other debt laden timber plantation group collapsed a take a breach of his month ago leaving debts of over 650 mil- or her human rights to a court or tribu lion dollars. - nal as a separate Over 70,000 investors in both groups lost case of action. A everything and shareholders in the compa- human rights argu- nies have been left with shares that are vir- ment can only be tually worthless. I have little time for the raised by an indi- investors and shareholders as both Great vidual to support an Southern and Timber Corp were vehicles already existing that were marketed as taxation havens. claim or matter Federal taxation laws allow people to le- which is to be gally minimise their tax by investing in brought before managed investment schemes that invest such a court or tri- in agriculture. My concerns revolve bunal”. around the nine billion dollars in possible It gets even better... taxation revenue that’s been siphoned from the public purse into debt ridden “If however, you managed investment schemes that have wish to make a complaint about a little to show for the investments. breach of human 3 Rebel Worker N.S.W. RAILWAYS NEWS

Rebel Worker: What are your thoughts Day, that there would be no trade off’s as- Duty Managers to compensate them for on the recent furore over the issuing of sociated with the pay rise and enterprise the reduced hours associated with the in- the Gold Card to Nick Lewocki, RTBU agreement. As a result, they followed the creased number of unattended stations and (Rail Tram & Bus Union) NSW State union officials’ recommendation to vote multi control of stations from one central Secretary? for the E.A. station. The bosses are also proceeding Station Assistant: In late March there was Likely outcomes of the massive staff cuts with savage staff cuts on the weekends. In a front page story in the Telegraph regard- will be major speedups in our jobs, work- the case of Lidcombe Station there is one ing the issuing of the Gold Card to ers being pushed around to work in differ- station assistant to monitor 4 platforms. Lewocki due to the intervention of the ent parts of the system and the cutting out RW: What’s been the union officials’ Rees NSW ALP Govt. despite, his lack of of overtime. response to this outcry from the grass- 30 years of employment on the railways. A petition is now circulating on the job to roots? As he became a full time union official the effect that the enterprise agreement SA: They have held meetings on the job since 1979 and has been on leave without cannot be considered enforceable as work- and spread the story that they have things pay since that time. The media also ex- ers were misled by the union officials into under control regarding preventing the posed the issuing of the Gold Card to a agreeing to it on bogus guarantees. A staff cuts, the bosses are demanding. manager who had had become an acting Member of Parliament is also being ap- Workers don’t believe it, as the EA was senior executive with 13 year’s service in proached to raise the duplicity associated signed off and they have been paid the pay this position and should have entitlement with the enterprise agreement in parlia- rise. The officials are saying they are try- to the Gold Card. Why hasn’t this breach ment. Whilst workers are being encour- ing to convince management that the staff of RailCorp regulations been picked up by aged to not vote for the ALP at the next cuts to stations shouldn’t go ahead on the internal RailCorp audit? Given few work- state election as a result of the treachery. basis that it poses a threat to passenger ers these days last 30 years on the job, the The amount of money the Govt. will save safety. However, management can coun- union needs to push for the length of ser- from the proposed job losses as part of the ter argue that the transit officers will do vice required for the issuing of the Gold station reforms is between $10 mill. to $30 roving pickets at stations and other mea- Card to be reviewed when each enter- prise agreement is negotiated. RW: What’s the latest with the Transit Officers? SA: Most of their work is being taken over by the police. Under 200 will be guaranteed jobs in RailCorp. As a re- sult, most are in a state of limbo in re- gard to their future employment prospects. This decision appears to have been made by a bureaucrat who has now moved to some other depart- ment leaving carnage in his wake. The previous system of railway police who were highly trained for the job was much more satisfactory. The current system of Transit Officers is contradic- tory as they play a customer service role which clashes with their security role as they have power to arrest peo- ple.

WE HAVE BEEN LIED TO! mill., a drop in the ocean in regard to over- sures will be introduced. A better argu- all Govt. expenditure, but likely to cause ment to make to retain station staff, is the RW: What’s the latest news with the much discomfort amongst workers. This need to ensure safety for the remaining sta- Station Reforms? money saved is likely to be splurged by the tion staff. Many in the station offices will SA: Workers were shocked to learn that as bosses on paying fat bonuses for the in- be female and in greater danger. part of the 4% pa pay rise for the current creased number of managers in RailCorp RW: What’s the latest with Rail Corp Enterprise Agreement (E.A.), 1½% of the and the English managers who are on a targeting of train crews? rise was payment for compliance with the type of “working holiday”. SA: Wheels are continuing to move be- bosses demand for 400 job losses in the Even before this staffing review is imple- hind the scenes, with the new carriages CityRail Network as part of an upcoming mented, bosses are moving to reduce sta- built in China being stored at Auburn and staffing review. Many feel confused about tion staffing. One approach the bosses Clyde. The Australian involvement with the situation and consider they have been have taken in regard to reducing staffing at the carriages has been just the final check- conned by the union hierarchy who gave stations and having unattended stations is ing and maintenance. Questions arise over the impression to us at the time, the threat- providing an 18% pay rise to SM’s and whether these carriages will be faulty ened strike was called off at World Youth 4 Rebel Worker given the poor standard of Freight Cars nies have found the project too difficult as RW: What are you impressions of the produced by 3rd World Chinese manufac- the public transport system in Sydney is- Govt’s construction of new rail lines? turers. Why didn’t the union and RailCorp n’t based on zones like with the Travel SA: Many of these extensions such as the pressure for the carriages to be built in Ten’s. MacQuarie line and the Olympic Park to Australia? Where will the new carriages Some food for thought is whether passen- Homebush lines are just white elephants or be parked as with the selloff by the Govt. gers want a faceless rail transport system dead ends such as at Cronulla and don’t of much excess railway land there is no in the future. Whilst in the case of the significantly expand the railway system space. Already the super signal control banks owning part of the railways under a capacity. boxes exist. There are problems with the Private/Public Partnership, we have seen T-Card introduction as tendering compa- the rundown in safety under such an ar- rangement in the case of the recent violent incident involving bikies at the Airport.

vour of management who have the final say on the outcome of the reviews. Staff The Station Review Sellout! have threatened to resign from the union if management’s proposal gets up. Sporadic actions at different locations urgings of the NSW Transport Minister of have been organised in resistance to de- by Crimson Coconut the day saying that the pay increase was fend jobs and conditions in the face of the contingent on a massive station operations the rail unions capitulation. At Central reform process to compensate. Station a a petition against the reforms was Leading up to EBA 2008 Sparks Maga- circulated, it received over a thousand sig- zine warned operations staff that a vote Before the papal visit rail staff had be- seeched loudly to their unions urging in- natures. This was forwarded on to the un- in favour of the EBA was akin to sign- ions and the Industrial Relations section of ing a death warrant. Within EBA 2008 dustrial action in pursuit of the 4% pa wage rise during the visit of the pope. RailCorp as well as several MP’s and the were several clauses pertaining to the Transport Minister. In response the unions review of station staffing levels and While the rail unions sought to publicise the potential of the action in the press they have organised a post card handout to the changes to train crew rostering. It public at major stations; hardly an ade- handed a blank cheque to management were singled out for criticism from the mainstream commentators as being “old quate response to their members anguish. to carry out reforms despite the effects Jannali Station has had help from a local on staff moral and rail worker’s condi- school” bullies. They need not have wor- ried, for the hard talk of union officials MP for a public petition signing at the sta- tions. tion. Other actions have taken place on the One reason we cited for not supporting Central Coast and in the Blue Mountains. the EBA was that the exact reform pro- Some local MP’s such as Black- cess was never spelt out. Job down- town’s,Paul Gibson and the Blue Moun- grades, job cuts and restructuring were tains Phil Koperburgh are expressing never mentioned anywhere in the docu- reservations about the impact on their la- ments, although anyone reading be- bour seats. NSW Opposition candidates in tween the lines saw that management several seats are capitalising on the public wanted the flexibility to use part time unpopularity of the proposed cuts to staff and temporary employees on stations numbers. In the Illawarra, to be hit hard by and that there was a move to reintroduce the job losses, several MP’s and the local their plan of Multi Control of Stations. newspaper the Illawarra Mercury have On the other hand certain union officials come out against the job cuts. The Mer- were visiting stations assuring workers cury in a hard hitting editorial says that that they were “not losing anything” for while “commuters will pay the price”... voting in favour of the EBA but that “station staff deserve much better treat- “they were actually gaining something” ment.” for a 4% PA pay rise. That “something” Meanwhile the review process ,which is to is now highly elusive and rail staff have proceed line by line, has started in the Illa- now seen though the bluster and subter- warra where most station review propos- fuge of the union’s position. was not being followed up by deed. Con- als are still in dispute. The voting process, unlike previous sequently industrial action was ruled out The process whereby stations are picked EBA’s where a secret ballot took place, as an option on the eve of the papal spec- off line by line should never have been was by a show of hands at various polling tacular despite the fact that staff had voted agreed to in the first place. It is a basic stations throughout the state. Union and in favour of action. Macquarie Street had tenet of trade unionism that “solidarity management representatives presented been let off the hook once again. keeps us strong”. By allowing manage- their cases in tandem at the polling sta- Rail staff are still telling their union repre- ment to isolate particular locations with- tions. Management encouraged rail staff sentatives in blunt terms that they are op- out the knowledge of the rest of us to vote in favour of the EBA while the un- posed to the station staff reviews and that weakens us as workers. For agreeing to ions sat on the fence saying “ it was up to they do not wish to take part in a process such a course of action the union leader- us”. Staff were duped and coerced into that is deeply flawed and would leave ship should be condemned. This is partic- voting for the reforms while not being them worse off. This is falling on deaf ears ularly bad policy in the face of widespread made aware of the consequences of ac- as the unions already have representatives condemnation of the staff review process cepting the 4% pa. This is all despite the on the review committees even though the both by the public and especially by mem- committees are heavily weighted in fa- bers of the union. 5 Rebel Worker

If the unions cannot protect their members should never be advocated. Yet the present be prepared to actively resist by gathering from job losses, cuts to services and a leadership and their cronies must be ulti- support from whatever quarters they can drops in living standards, that are pro- mately held accountable for the failure to while the union leadership is asleep at the posed under the review, then their reason carry out their duties to members accord- wheel. for existing is no longer valid. The failure ing to long held and immutable principles STOP PRESS to consult, the failure to act democratically of democratic unionism. Militant workers at Central have organ- according to the wishes of members and In the meantime members must continue ised a mass meeting on the concourse at the unions absolute suspicion of ordinary to defy management and the staff review 11am on 11/6/09 to force the hand of the members points to a general malaise in the process the best way they can. They must union to take hard hitting action to oppose transport unions. Why the secrecy? What support unions where they are active, yet the staff review and privatisation. All do they have to hide? workers in the railways and elsewhere, po- Unionism is not bad, it is absolutely nec- litical groups, other unions are welcome to essary. Leaving or destroying a unions attend.

explained Professor Bruce Armstrong, Night Shift Penalty Rate Claim Leads chair of the panel. “There is evidence that the hormone melatonin has effects that re- The Way forward. duce breast-cancer risk” he told ABC Ra- dio’s Health Report. “So if it’s unusually suppressed, then in principle the risk of In recognition of the life-threatening an illuminated environment over a long breast cancer is increased.” Just before health effects of shift work the NSW Christmas last year, the ABC’s managing Nurses Association has launched a claim director, Mark Scott, announced the clo- for higher shift penalty rates in the In- sure of the ABC’s Brisbane headquarters dustrial Relations Commission. in Toowong, due to the high incidence of This follows research in Europe and else- breast cancer. Levels were up to 10 times where which links shift work with heart the national average.ö The claim by NSW and arterial disease, breast cancer and in- nurses follows compensation claims being creased risk of all other cancers, eating dis- paid for public sector workers in Denmark orders, weight gain, miscarriage and a and Scotland an rising awareness around range of psychological effects. Numerous the world. studies have have been published, includ- The nurses claim is an important test case ing in the medical journal “The Lancet”. that will also apply to workers in the public An article in Walkley Magazine about a transport industry. For if the nurses union cancer cluster at the ABC Brisbane studios succeed in the courts the way will be quoted here reads: opened for claims from many of us work- “While testing continues at the ABC’s ing in the service sector who now know Brisbane studios, experts seem no closer to first hand the reasons for our ill health. finding a cause for the cancer cluster that saw 13 women staff diagnosed with breast Crimson Coconut cancer. Early in March, shift work was identified as a potential cause of the breast period of time leads to unusual degrees of cancer by a panel of experts. “Working in suppression of the hormone melatonin,” 6 Rebel Worker STATE TRANSIT NEWSFLASH

OPEN THE BOOKS ON THE day, 7 days a week and 365 days per year ion journal, there appears to be a clash be- are a shambles, only after 10 years since tween the old guard – the existing union BUS DRIVERS’ TRAFFIC it’s construction. The concrete in the meal officials appeared very stale and were just FINE FUND & BUS DIVISION room is frayed. Whilst the meal room and relying on their track record whilst in of- ACCOUNTS! toilets are very stuffy, lacking air condi- fice, and the new guard, particularly Ken tioning and drab. The male toilets are a Mason who ran for the National President cesspool with cubicles too small and position. Ken’s statement presented a for- SOME QUESTIONS WHICH NEED smelly with paper towels and toilet paper ward looking approach focusing on some TO BE URGENTLY ANSWERED! often discarded on the wet floor. Do we re- of the critical issues such as privatisation, ally deserve it? These are very basic facili- which surprisingly wasn’t mentioned by The Bus Drivers Traffic Fine Fund has ties and not a touch of class. In contrast the the other candidates. With the Liberals about a surplus of $60,000pa. Given toilets at Westfields have a much better de- likely to be elected at the next State elec- that $2 p/f is collected from the 3,000 sign and colour scheme. The impression tion, this is a strong possibility. Behind STA bus drivers - amounting to a guess- given of the Bondi Junction Interchange this privatisation push is the Forbes 500 timate of $150,000pa and taking away facilities is of shoddy construction and conference held some years ago in Syd- the $90,000 that’s about what is paid out lack of maintenance. How is it that Harry ney, where billionaires pushed both major for the fines. Where does the $60,000 Triganboff who owns Meritons which parties and Govt’s to taken down all the surplus go? It’s paid into the Union’s built the interchange was allowed to get barriers to selling off public assets and consolidated revenue where it is effec- tively lost from the Division and can be used for any purpose the officials see fit e.g. slush funds, literature/mail outs for election campaigns of candi- dates they support, such activities which cannot be paid from official un- ion funds because they are audited. Why isn’t this huge surplus used to in- crease benefits to drivers or to reduce premiums? Why is it that if any member who ever asks to look at the accounts for these en- tities or question them, the standard line is that they are audited and therefore are beyond question? When only the State Branch Fund is audited. However, all the money goes through the Divisional Ac- counts. Why aren’t the Traffic Fine Fund and Bus Division Accounts audited? Why aren’t regular reports issued to drivers concerning the Traffic Fine Fund away with this substandard, on the cheap utilities. The old guard candidates just fo- Status? construction, whilst escaping land tax for cused on their past record and had no for- Why, at each Bus Division Executive the 2nd mansion he owns adjacent to his ward looking approach to prepare drivers meeting, are the delegates presented only home? The STA bosses who always bray to fight the attack such as the development with a list of companies and list of dollar about being of service to all, should be of of a contingency plan in the event of amounts? service to us and pressure the RTA, privatisation moves. During the elections There are no dates, no description of what Meritons and any other relevant entities to the union officials again stooped to their the expenses are for, nothing that anyone have a facelift done on our facilities at the usual dirty tricks by issuing a “how to could use to determine what the money is Bondi Junction interchange. In the case of vote” card but without Ken Mason on it! being spent on? Why are Delegates given the Edgecliff interchange a fantastic job At Waverley this scam was a complete little time to peruse the finances and then it was done in refurbishing it - repainting it failure as most drivers didn’t take the is rapidly put to the vote to accept the ex- with a pleasant colour scheme and adding cards. Latest news is that Ken has been penses and is normally passed unani- a new roof. Full marks are deserved for the elected to the National President position mously? effort. on a grass roots control of the union plat- Would such a shambles in the bosses’ fa- form and welcomes grass roots activists to cilities at Strawberry Hills be tolerated? contact him. WAVERLEY DEPOT NEWS Would the cream on their strawberries be RW: What’s happening with the new allowed to go so rancid? timetables? RW: What’s the latest with the Bondi RW: What are your thoughts on the re- WB: The STA bosses are engaging in a Junction Interchange? cent elections? new push to tighten running times in the Waverley Busie: The meal room and male WB: From looking at the contenders state- Eastern Suburbs under the smokescreen of toilets which are used by 100’s of drivers a ments in the election supplement of the un- improving the running times. The bosses 7 Rebel Worker are using the excuse of the introduction of better. Whilst such a move will be gam- weather may delay the completion. With prepaid ticket buses from Railway Square bling with lives due to likely corner cut- the depot renovations we have been given for the new attack. The STA is moving city ting by the private companies affecting a very unappealing recreational area near block by city block to have bus services on safety in the interest of profit making. the meal room, the only view you have is a prepaid basis. While I have noticed some RW: How do you feel after a day’s work of the buses and miles of concrete which decline in cash collected for fares, many now? will be baking hot in summer. Rather than passengers still like paying for tickets in WB: As we are continued to be pushed to a better location where you could have a cash. Our roster committee has found work harder contributed by our feeling view of the city. Many drivers who are many flaws in the bosses plans for running obligated to pick up passengers left be- smokers, are angry about management’s time changes. Definitely current running hind, rest breaks are shrinking resulting in requirement that following the completion times on many runs need urgent revising. our working non-stop the halves of our of the renovations, the depot grounds will The 400’s are particularly hard hit. The shifts. As a result, there is high turnover of be smoke free. running times are in urgent need of im- drivers in the job and little time for our RW: What’s the latest with the Insti- proving. The STA bosses have to come minds to rest affecting our sleep patterns tute? down from their acid trips and take a trip causing us to become mentally fatigued. LB: When the depot renovations are com- on this run to understand the problems. There is now much less freedom due to pleted the canteen which is the main activ- Another driver from Waverley returned tiredness from the speedup in our jobs and ity of the Institute will be outsourced. from Burwood on the run 1 hour late. My the STA’s alcohol zero tolerance policy, What will be the future of the Institute? experience on the 400 is that it’s impossi- limiting our ability to socialise with Will the Institute bank account monies ble to keep to the timetable, particularly friends and family after work. which are exceedingly large be returned to due to traffic congestion through the air- the members of the Institute? Or do certain port. Whilst on a 389 early morning run RW: What’s the latest with the depot fleet? “forces of darkness” have their eyes on the which was not over busy I was 10 minutes dollars? late at Bondi Junction. I was surprised that Waverley Driver: 15 new Mercedes gas it was impossible to keep to the timetable. buses have been added to the depot fleet. RW: What’s happening with the union? If you are unhappy with the running times Most drivers have now been trained on LB: We now have officially a new union you shouldn’t just run into the office. As them and have a favourable impression of rep, Marta. Following the departure of our you could be stood down. You should first their road worthiness. All the Mercedes previous union rep Darren, to Newcastle, seek the advice of an experienced person Mk3’s have been withdrawn. an election was held for the position. There before taking any action. RW: What’s happening regarding the was little to choose from for us between the two candidates. Marta was over- RW: What’s the latest with the STA’s new timetables and rosters ? WD: On Friday 3/4/09 the new rosters whelming successful in the ballot against moves to change to change bus routes? John Malaccio. The union officials re- WB: There was a protest recently by local were rejected at a union meeting. We par- ticularly criticised the lousy running times cently held a ballot at the depot in regard to residents at Elizabeth Bay over the STA’s the log of claims for the upcoming Enter- removal of the second loop on the 311. provided for the 324’s, 325’s and 400’s. The depot manager tried to bluff the roster prise Agreement. The proposal presented Many of these residents are elderly and wasa2½%papayrise withouttradeoffof can’t cope with the increased walking re- committee into supporting the new rosters by saying that Randwick Depot was en- conditions. The proposal was overwhelm- quired to catch the service. In the past I ingly defeated. We demand a decent pay have noticed off peak services on the 327 dorsing the rosters. However according to information received from the delegates rise, given we are working harder and con- and 326 services being changed from one tinually being threatened with the big stick in half an hour to one in an hour. By such from Randwick and Port Botany, both de- pots are opposed to the rosters. by the STA bosses if we do anything initiatives in the context of Govt wrong. The increased traffic congestion in privatisation plans, the STA is doing the RW: How are things going with the En- the city is making our work ever more hatchet work for private bus companies to terprise Agreement? tougher. Whilst following the last pay rise increase profitability of routes. It’s also WD: The proposal for a 2 ½% pa pay rise there was immediately an increase in un- not promoting runs. A likely form without trade off’s was defeated at Waver- ion dues and the shaving back of many privatisation would take in the buses in- ley. We are hopeful that Raoul Boanza, shifts with 7 ½ hour shifts becoming quite volves private bus companies owning spe- our bus division union State Secretary who common, resulting in the slashing of our cific corridors. Under privatisation we are is well known at Waverley is putting a se- pay. Making a mockery of the so called likely to lose $10,000 p.a. in pay due to the rious effort into negotiating a decent pay pay rise. We recently received a letter from introduction of casualisation and part tim- rise for us and the associated removal of NSW Premier Nathan Rees for our work in ers. If drivers want to jump the ship in the the clause in the EA which allows the STA maintaining services during the recent event of privatisation they should be paid a to change drivers shift lengths in a highly power outages. However no cheque was redundancy package. discriminatory fashion. This clause al- attached. In regard to the recent state and On a recent radio program Richard Neville lowed the STA to savagely cut certain federal union elections, I noticed little lit- journalist and middle class counter culture drivers wages following the approval of erature on the policies of the different can- personality from the 1960’s, the son of the last EBA. didates to make an informed vote. Bruce Baird who is an MP for the Nth RW: How are things with the depot Shore and a medium sized business owner LEICHHARDT DEPOT NEWS fleet? appeared very relaxed about privatisation LB: With the completion of the depot ren- of public transport. Richard Neville con- ovations, the depot fleet will expand to sidered under privatisation it’s likely that RW: What’s the latest at Leichhardt? Leichhardt Busie: Currently at the depot, 400 buses. Every week now, new buses are the trains would run better. However I was being added to the fleet. There are many there is tremendous chaos associated with recently listening to an ABC Radio pro- complaints from drivers that the cabins of gram where two Public Transport experts the depot renovations affecting bus opera- tions. Latest news is that we have been the new buses are too small and you have were interviewed for the program and no place to store your belongings. stated that privatisation does not make a promised that the renovations will be com- better system, and doesn’t do anything pleted by July. However, inclement 8 Rebel Worker

BURWOOD DEPOT NEWS Safety seems to be the flavour of this manager to Karoki music in the depot month in our depot. The bosses have lobby. Has the depot manager finally lost started to make new driving lanes in the or has no work to do? May be a spell of bus You would wonder if we had union elec- depot I hope for the smaller bus fleet. Man- loading checks would fix this problem! tions recently, as the Burwood Union Rep agement is telling drivers there is plenty of Have you noticed that a new problem has has not posted the results on the union no- on- site parking at Leichhardt depot, but tice board. Is he worried about the results? arisen since prepaid services have been in- how many of the parking spaces are for the troduced. Not enough tickets are available Does it send a message to the Secretary corporate offices? and President of the Bus and Tram Divi- for sale at Kiosks and no enough change in sion to start cleaning their desks out? It has been reported that the depot manager the kiosk cash trays. The kiosk staff say was trying to dance with the depot duty it’s not our problem.

Unfortunately this was no April Fool’s joke. I couldn’t help but think of the contrast between how French workers SYDNEY WHARFIES’NEWS and the “militant” MUA has responded to the economic downturn. While French workers have turned to locking up bosses in their offices and RW: Has the current economic down- ning. This will, in the words of a DPW let- “bossnapping” them to win their demands, turn had any effect on the waterfront? ter to employees, help in “improving the MUA invites bosses to address work- Port Botany Wharfie: It certainly has. Up weekend flexibility and reducing idle ers at their union meetings! until January work here at DP World Port time. This ”temporary" change can last One interesting thing to note was the fact Botany had been going gangbusters. Re- anything from 16 to 64 weeks. that the only MUA official to speak at cord numbers of containers had been Third was the twenty-odd these two meetings was the national MUA moved in the previous few months. But supplementaries that should be upgraded official Jim Tannock. While all four Syd- then in late January/early February it to GWE after their first year of service ney Branch MUA officials attended both seemed like shipping levels came to a will remain supplementary until further meetings - including our two communists grinding halt. notice; and the fourth was the increased - none of them uttered one single word at The casual workforce suddenly went either meeting. from regularly working five and even It was Tannock that did all the talk- six day weeks to barely making their ing. When he wasn’t telling us of minimum guaranteed earnings each all the stevedoring job losses over- fortnight. Supplementaries were lucky seas and the downturn in shipping to get a day a fortnight, while many volumes, he was trying to tell us Guaranteed Wage Employees (GWE’s) how much he sympathised with and Variable Salaried Employees our plight because his two sons (VSE’s) were not making their mini- were also in the industry. mum $1,040 and $1,960 gross per fort- My personal favourite was him re- night respectively. peatedly telling us how we had to While work has since picked up quite “get on the front foot on this one”. substantially in March and April, the re- After the company approaches the sulting uncertainty gave DP World MUA with its cutback wish list, the management a chance to once again union responds by negotiating to tighten the screws. round off some of the sharp edges RW: Did management get what they of management’s attacks. If this is were after? getting on the front foot, I would Port Botany Wharfie: Certainly not ev- hate to see us on the back foot! erything. At one point there were stories The other thing to note is the con- floating about that management wanted tinued intolerance of the leading twenty redundancies from maintenance union site committee members to- and were thinking about getting rid of wards any critical questions and all the 70-odd supplementaries. comments that come from the Management did end up getting four floor. The way these meetings con- main things. The first was that twelve use of casuals for four-hour shifts of lash- tinue to be run - with those asking ques- maintenance positions were made redun- ing and unlashing containers on ships. tions and making comments continually dant. This is on top of the five positions RW: So how did the Maritime Union of- being talked over the top of and shouted that were lost as a result of the EBA voted ficials figure in all this? down - is alienating more and more of the on last November. Port Botany Wharfie: There were two rank and file from playing any part in these meetings and the union In general. The second was the temporary roster yard meetings in April - one to hear about change for operations permanents. This the proposals and one to vote on the RW: What do you know about the wild- has gone from an average 36-hour to a changes. The first meeting was held on cat strike at Patrick Port Botany that 35-hour week with a proportionate pay April 1 - April Fool’s Day - and the first was reported in the media in late Janu- cut. In the sixteen week roster cycle, two speaker at the Maritime Union meeting ary? weekend shifts have been temporarily re- was the General Manager of DP World Port Botany Wharfie Like so much that moved, but four weekend shifts have been Port Botany! goes on in the Maritime Union, informa- changed from evening only to day or eve- tion about this wildcat strike was one of 9 Rebel Worker those things that you have to slowly piece addressed the labour at DP World and As I understand it, all those Involved were the various bits of information together passed a resolution in support of recently issued with warning letters, but that was yourself In order to get something like the sacked MUA delegate Paul Patterson who about it. As far as the reinstatement of full picture. worked at Patrick’s Brisbane bulk and MUA delegate Paul Patterson, I have not I first found out about it through an article general operations. been able to find out what happened one in the Sydney Morning Herald, which re- While the resolution said that “the labour way or the other. ported on an eight-hour wildcat strike that stand ready to take whatever action is Nevertheless, action such as this is what is took place on the morning of January 29 in deemed necessary to achieve no less than needed to defend our rights. This action protest at the sacking of a delegate at Pat- Paul’s full reinstatement”, no action was would have been so much more powerful rick’s operations in Brisbane. ever taken at DP World Botany. if it had been co-ordinated - either through The article described how the strike was But the wildcat action that was taken the “official structures” of the union or not authorised by the MUA officialdom, across the water at Patrick hit the company through informal connections among vari- with MUA national secretary Paddy and the MUA like a bolt from the blue. ous delegates and site committees. Crumlin calling it a “spontaneous action”. Resolutions similar to the one I have men- [Shane Bentley - the “Port Botany Wharf- Patrick/Asciano chief Don Telford called tioned were previously passed at Patrick ie” - produces “Vigilance”, a socialist the strike “Irresponsible and illegal”. Port Botany, but no one seemed ready for bulletin for MUA members in Sydney. See Later on I found out that, on the day of the the vote on the morning of January 29 and www.vigilancebulletin.org]. wildcat, one or more of the local officials the walk-off from the site.

Misha: You can say it is a joke and you derestimated was that when he touched can see why most V/Line employees think one driver and conductor, he touched all Vic. Rail News Human Resources are corrupt and hate employees and the drivers threatened all them. hell would break loose and the conductors Manfred: When this Conductor Supervi- threatened action, so the matter was sor was a conductor he had an appalling re- dropped. In the 2nd last RW, an article appeared cord. He was obsessed with running a train RW: What a spiteful bastard. about Conductor Supervisors and the way and at a Suburban set down point, a Misha & Manfred: You can say that again they were appointed. In the last issue of woman had fallen over when alighting RW I appealed to any V/Line employee to but this idiot does not understand that from the train. Instead of attending to the management is using him up and when he come forward and tell us what it’s like to passenger, he departed the train. A station work under one of these supervisors. Two passes his use by date they will give him employee attended to the passenger and the flick. Also the other supervisors think employees have come forward and once let V/Line know but management hushed again names have been changed. he is a joke and just laugh about him to up the matter, as the train ran on time. Be- other employees behind his back. RW: What made you come forward? fore becoming a Conductor Supervisor he RW: Earlier in the interview I heard Misha and Manfred: We have come for- had ambitions of being a train driver but you say some Conductors are admitting ward to let you workers know about some because he dobbed in a driver at Spencer defeat with this jerk and admit he will of the idiots who have been appointed to Street, the drivers let it be known that if he get the evidence to sack them. this position. became a trainee driver, they would give him the works. Misha & Manfred: Yes, some Conductors RW: Can you explain? do look at defeat in the eye but if we all Misha: At one of the country depots, we RW: Good to see the drivers standing stuck together with the Drivers and have a Conductor Supervisor who is a up to him. Shunters, we could get rid of this jerk and bully as well as an idiot. Misha: As regards conductors one day he if he regressed to a Conductor then we can Manfred: Yes, this idiot struts around as if had to travel to Melbourne for a meeting give him hell. The other problem is V/Line he is Hitler. He is right and heaven help and he joined a Six Car Velocity and got management do not have the guts to stand anyone who speaks against him. He is into an empty driver’s compartment. The up to Human Resources. This department known to have a hit list of Conductors, he reason because one of the Conductors on is a law of its own and they are the ones wants to sack and likes to shoot his fat his hit list was working on the train and he who selected this jerk for the job. V/line mouth off about who he hates. wanted to spy on him. The driver of the employs less people than Connex yet it Misha: Some employees know they are on train saw what was going on and told him employs more people in its Human Re- his hit list and have accepted the inevitable to get out of the cab, or the train would not sources people than Connex. that they will be sacked. run. The service officer came forward and RW: What you need is unity among all asked the Conductor Supervisor to sit RW: How did he get the job? your employees and if you all stick to- with the passengers. He started to sulk. Manfred: I don’t know, but when he went gether and say you won’t work under RW: Good to see the driver put the boot this person, then Human Resources as for the interview, he was able to convince into him. the corrupt bastards in the Human Re- well as management will have to look at sources the he was suitable for the job. Manfred: Yes it is good, but two months the suitability of this jerk who is holding You see other people put in for the job ago the driver asked the conductor to come the position. Also management should who had many years of service but they up to the front of the Sprinter to discuss a stand up to Human Resources. I won- were passed over. When the job was up- problem. This was due to service disrup- der if management is frightened of graded to a supervisor’s job, it was not ad- tion, due to hot weather. The train arrived them. As for this On Train Supervisor, vertised for this country area so he got the at a suburban pick up and this jerk was on he should be counselled and he should job. the platform. He noticed the conductor up learn to get on with his fellow employees front with the driver and he put a report and not take a dislike to people who In other words this particular depot is about the driver and conductor. He have the guts to stand up to him. Finally stuck with this jerk. thought he could sack the conductor and thank you Misha and Manfred for com- RW: What a joke. get the driver into trouble, but what he un- ing forward. 10 Rebel Worker BRITAIN TODAY BEYOND THE USUAL UNION STRUCTURES

WORKERS AT METRONET, THE * 2005: when Metronet tried to cut jobs, transferred from LUL; however, RMT FORMERLONDON Underground simply to increase profits, the RMT used leaders were keener on getting the contract (LUL) engineering contractor, have devel- the “jobs for life deal” to grind them down, back in house than on workers’ pay and oped their Strike Committee as a form of holding a solid strike with solidarity from conditions and, as the dispute held up this rank and file organisation that represents train drivers and station staff; objective, they hastily agreed a deal over an interesting step beyond the confines of * also in 2005, Metronet tried to the workers’ heads and had to be chal- the usual trade union structures. Now that out-source train maintenance; reps were lenged over it; the track contract is back in house, they are worried about “ballot fatigue” among * last year saw the attempted victimisation rolling this organising model out across members, so they of safety rep, Andy Littlechild; the sacking the whole of the underground to become formed the Strike Committee to widen would have been the first of many in an the London Underground Strike Commit- tee. Here we look at the background of struggle against which the strike commit- tee has been built up, and the bottom up tactics that have been vital to its successes. Historically, the RMT’s (Rail Union) strength on the underground had been among train drivers and station staff. Engi- neering workers had been the poor rela- tions, and the union had relied on drivers to win disputes. In 1998 the Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the Tube was announced, with the RMT and other unions opposing it and organising a series of one day strikes. This built up resistance, delayed the PPP until 2003 and won a series of concessions in- cluding no compulsory redundancies. In addition, all staff reductions were classi- fied as matters for negotiation, not simply consultation, making them harder to im- plement and easier to organise against. This agreement, dubbed the “jobs for life deal” by the Daily Telegraph, had been won through balloting for strike action to take place during General Election week, demonstrating that well timed industrial action, or the threat of it, is more effective. The fight also turned the RMT member- rank and file involvement - 25 to 30 dele- attempt to break the union, but a 48 hour ship into fighters, and they adopted a “Tro- gates came from all parts of the workforce, strike, coordinated via the Shop Stewards jan horse” strategy of fighting the PPP a Literature Group produced leaflets and Network to coincide with planned bus from within. information, and the Negotiating Team workers’ strikes, forced management to During this period, the RMT leadership had to report to the Strike Committee to cave in; was overstretched and couldn’t attend all avoid isolation at ACAS; they won a set- * a new dispute is brewing after LUL an- of the many meetings, which consequently tlement which stopped the reorganisation; nounced 1,000 job cuts, threatening the were conducted by the workplace reps: * when Metronet went into administration “jobs for life deal” and seeking compul- displacing full timers and taking control of the union had its most successful strike, sory redundancies and a five year pay cut; the union on the underground. It is from with great solidarity from other workers; with the Metronet organising model now this, and through a series of disputes, that they not only stopped all lines maintained becoming the London Regional Transport the strike committee model of rank and file by Metronet but, through control of certain Strike Committee, the successful methods organisation on the underground has been infrastructure, they also stopped the Jubi- used in the past mean that activists are con- developed. The years between the start of lee and Piccadilly Lines, maintained by fident they will win. the PPP in 2003 up to the present have seen Tubelines; a key factor in the victory was The tactics used by the Metronet Strike the following disputes: that the strike was kept going during nego- Committee are crucial factors in its suc- * in the first pay round of the PPP the union tiations; cesses. Their organising model is built struck to win a good pay deal, raising the * the fifth dispute, when the contract went from the bottom up - the reps meet with the profile of the engineering branches and back in house, aimed to win equality of rank and file members; the reps then meet giving their members confidence; pension and travel rights for workers who with the Strike Committee; and the Nego- started during the PPP and who hadn’t tiating Team takes its lead from the Strike 11 Rebel Worker

Committee. They use the ACAS guide- able to monitor and challenge actions by fought against the PPP - even though ten lines on consultation to organise work- full time officials and, crucially, does not RMT members scabbed on the first strike, place meetings to speak with the call off any strike before a firm deal is on none of the 200 agency workers crossed membership. After talks at ACAS, the the table. picket lines. Another factor was their abil- Strike Committee meets and coordinates Some factors in their success are unique. ity to have big mass meetings, as the the activities of the reps while the Litera- They had built up a culture of resistance workforce is dispersed and has to come ture Group constantly puts out back to the depot. The RMT also has a information to the member- “short structure” where there are not too ship. When still under many layers between the rank and file Metronet they also involved and the national leadership, which other grades, like drivers and makes it easier to pressurise the leader- station staff, in the Strike Com- ship. The small number of full timers mittee. When it suited them, also worked in the reps’ favour. they also made sure that This organising model shows the possi- Metronet and LUL knew what bilities for building a culture of resis- they were doing, as it put pres- tance in any workplace, if effective reps, sure on them to back down. and affinity among them, are built up Widening involvement main- and spread out. A resolution is to be put tains rank and file control and to the RMT’s AGM to formalise the po- provides an anchor for the Ne- sition of Strike Committees in the un- gotiating Team, who could eas- ion’s structure. ily become isolated and open to Although it includes a few sops to the the suggestions of manage- Executive, it would also make them ac- ment and full timers at ACAS. countable and force them to consult The Strike Committee had even consid- from fighting the PPP; they had the “jobs Strike Committees before doing any deal ered giving the Negotiating Team a man- for life deal”; they also had a critical mass with bosses. date that would be flexible but with a of good reps - whereas TubeLines had a bottom line beyond which they would be shortage of reps and workers have suffered trusted not concede. If the Negotiating in comparison despite similar conditions. Thanks to Team were in a position where they had to Solidarity was also built up with the many Direct Action break the mandate to make progress, they subcontractors and agency workers on the would have to meet with the Strike Com- track, over health & safety issues, for in- mittee first. The Strike Committee is also stance. This paid off when the RMT

OCCUPATIONS GET THE according to some in Basildon, as much as and trade union involvement, those in- 40% less. There has also been a union con- volved are clear about the fact that it was GOODS! vener in Swansea sacked for supporting their own determination that resulted in the struggle. Rob Williams was dismissed decent pay-offs. But there will. The three Visteon plants have ended their for what was called “irretrievable break- occupation and pickets, following the down of trust”. Workers on the floor agreement of improved redundancy pack- walked off their day shift, and surrounded Parking attendants sacked for ages. The dispute came out of the immedi- the union office after the management had wildcats fight back ate sacking of all UK Visteon workers brought the police in to remove Rob by with no further payment, and instructions force. Although he was reinstated, he was Parking attendants employed by NCP in to return the next day to collect any be- Belfast have been mounting near-daily longings. As the company had filed for ad- pickets of the company’s offices on May ministration, only statutory redundancy Street. A third of NCP’s parking atten- from the government would be available, a dants were sacked in April following wild- paltry amount for people who are ap- cat action over pay and conditions, sick proaching the end of their working life and pay, rotas, uniforms and facilities for would be considered unemployable. workers. The firings followed a two weeks Workers in Belfast decided to take action, suspension. They have been supported by occupying their factory on the 31st March, anarchists from the Northern Ireland with workers in Basildon and Enfield fol- group Organise! and representatives from lowing suit on 1st April, although they had the Northern Ireland Public Service Alli- to end their occupation and settle for pick- ance (NIPSA). ets a few weeks later. Visteon were eager to distance themselves Local government workers re- from Ford, having officially become a sep- again dismissed, and workers were arate company in 2000. In reality, the ties warned to not repeat any solidarity action, ject pay offer were still there with staff on mirror con- being threatened with the sack by fore- tracts and carried Ford identification, and men. Local government workers in England, Ford secured Visteon a $163 million loan This is a victory against job cuts, a struggle Wales and Northern Ireland have rejected on May 15th. While this is a victory, the fought across different parts of Britain, re- an offer of a 0.5% increase in pay during workers still face other struggles. Their lying on working class unity and wage negotiations. The offer would repre- pensions are still very much up in the air, self-managed direct action. For all the MP sent an increase of only 3p an hour for likely to be going into the Pension Protec- tion Fund, which would mean less money; 12 Rebel Worker hundreds of thousands of low-paid work- for fingerprinting and face scanning wrote, “Our members believed the gov- ers, which is nowhere near enough to keep would be installed in chemists and post of- ernment promise that the national ID card up with the rocketing prices of food, utili- fices. We were reminded by Home Secre- would be voluntary, but they now know it ties and other essentials. tary Jacqui Smith that “ID cards will is anything but.” deliver real benefits to everyone, includ- Continuing, he wrote, “Our members must Olympic site protest met with ing increased protection against criminals, have an airside pass to operate aircraft and illegal immigrants and terrorists.” On that now discover that to get that pass they solidarity walkout basis Mancunians would be flocking to must have a national ID card. They are their nearest registration booths soon, told, “You don’t actually have to have Workers at Lindsay Oil Refinery, which surely? one” – but no card equals no pass, which was at the centre of wildcat strikes earlier Local Radio station Key 103 told a differ- equals no job. This is coercion and, by this year over the erosion of the NAECI ent story, “We’ve been on the streets of trialling the scheme in Manchester and agreement and the blacking of workers Manchester getting reactions to the an- London City airports, the government is from the UK, walked out in solidarity with nouncement. Everybody we spoke to said clearly attempting to isolate pockets of re- a jobs protest at the Olympic site in Lon- they would not be volunteering for the sistance.” This refusal is amongst a group don. Workers at the demonstration cards or they wouldn’t commit at this stressed that the issue was the erosion of point.” Furthermore the government con- the NAECI agreement through paying im- firmed that web registration would only be ported labour cheaper rates, or employing for a “small number of volunteers” to be- foreign workers under different condi- gin with. Not only that, it would be two tions, not the presence of foreign workers years until enrolment was possible in themselves. The mainstream media por- shops. Even if they got paid up front, those trayed the wildcat walkouts as being ‘over high street companies who were appar- foreign workers’, and as a xenophobic ently in “talks” with the Home Office may struggle. The actual demands presented at not want to risk installing equipment for a LOR, which were clearly anti-racist in na- controversial scheme, one that might well ture and demanded parity of terms for all end up being scrapped if the Tories win the workers, weren’t reported, as they clashed next General Election. with the official picture. All of this means that whilst we are ready of relatively privileged workers who have to fight Big Brother, we shouldn’t always already accepted a high degree of security MISTAKEN IDENTITY jump to the sound bites of a government in their jobs. But other staff will also be desperate to show it is in control in the run targetted, even those currently without up to the EU elections. airside passes. At the start of May, just before the MPs’ The only really significant story during We must all prepare to resist ID cards on allowances neutron bomb properly hit the that week was a commitment by ‘airside’ our own terms and support others who are news, there was a brief mention of the lat- workers at airports to resist being the next already in the firing line, such as overseas est ‘developments’ in New Labour’s ID cohort of guinea pigs for the new cards. In students and workers. card and database plans On the 6th of May particular on 5th May, Jim McAuslan, the Home Office announced that trials in Get more information and ideas from: De- general secretary of BALPA (British Air- Greater Manchester would offer British fending Anonymity: Thoughts for strug- line Pilots’ Association, which represents nationals the “chance” to enroll for an ID gle against identity cards". more than 10,000 commercial pilots) card. In the autumn there would be a web page to “register interest”. Later, kiosks Thanks to Resistance MAY DAY WORLDWIDE

France: A record number of Germany: Autonomists clashed with the protesters were out on the Police in Berlin, leading to arrests and the streets for May Day, with injury of 29 cops. over 300 demonstrations Turkey: The Mayday demo clashed with called by all the major unions. police, leading to exchanges of rocks, Public support for the protests Molotov cocktails and tear gas. The mas- was at over 70% as social sacre of 37 people at a May Day demon- struggle in France intensifies, stration in 1977 ushered in military shown in the wave of strikes, dictatorship 3 years later. Celebrations of occupations and May Day had been banned until this year. ‘bossnappings’ recently. Many more protests took place around the Greece: The revolutionary world, with massive events in Egypt, the movement in Greece hit the Philippines and elsewhere. The anarchist streets hard, showing that the movement in Spain mobilised thousands anger that sparked weeks of in demos around the country. rioting last year hasn’t gone ISAP, the cleaning company whose thugs away. There were demonstrations in every attacked prominent cleaner’s union activ- city in Greece, and anarchists organised ist Konstantina Kouneva with acid last their own in Athens. The headquarters of year. 13 Rebel Worker NEW ZEALAND

Flight attendants stand In speeches and on placards on the picket ing between forty and sixty thousand dol- strong against lock out lines, many unionists spoke out against lars and that we’re now asking for seventy contracting through shell companies, as thousand. In all honesty, if this was the across New Zealand | occurs with Air NZ and Zeal 320. case, we would not be standing here. While the Zeal staff are back at work, their Zeal worker A: In fact, that’s a challenge - by Asher on May 14 2009 fight for better wages and conditions con- if you would like to pay us that amount of tinues. If Air NZ doesn’t come to the table money, we’ll certainly sign on the dotted 240 flight attendants spent Thursday with a better offer soon, further industrial line, and we’ll sign today. For three years 7th - Sunday 10th May locked out from action is a possibility. In the meantime, ne- we’ve been putting up with terrible condi- work across Auckland, Wellington and gotiations between Air NZ and the EPMU tions, and the kind of contract that leaves Christchurch. The attendants are con- continue. us open to exploitation at every turn. tracted to Zeal 320, a shell Zeal worker B: We’re not company owned by Air New asking to be paid any Zealand, and operate on more than anyone else, trans-Tasman and Pacific we’re just asking for a fair routes for the airline. pay for a fair day’s work. Despite doing the same job as Zeal worker A: It’s about flight attendants contracted time they stopped treating directly to Air NZ, the Zeal us like second class citi- crew are paid significantly zens, because we’re part less. The Engineering, Print- of Air New Zealand and ing & Manufacturing Union they need to recognise (EPMU), which represents that. the workers, has been negoti- We’re not some dirty se- ating with Air NZ for months, cret that they can keep but Air NZ have been unwill- from the general public, ing to move towards pay par- it’s out there now, and ity for the Zeal staff. we’re gonna be heard. The Zeal staff have been en- Solidarity: Have you gaging in low level industrial ever been on a picket be- action since late March, in- fore? How has it been? cluding breaking the uniform policy and refusing to do pa- Zeal worker B: I’ve never perwork (see Solidarity, Issue been involved in a picket 2). The action was escalated or a strike before … we’re with the announcement of all standing here because four days of strike action for we know that what we’re May 7th - 10th. Air NZ re- asking for is only fair. We sponded to the strike action know that the New Zea- by announcing the workers land public would agree would be locked out for the same period. that we deserve to be Zeal 320 Interview treated fairly … and that’s why everyone In the build-up to the lockout, at least 30 has taken this stand against Air New Zea- Zeal staff were suspended for breaking the The following interview with two locked land. uniform policy. These suspensions were out Zeal 320 workers was conducted in short, only lasting until the next shift, as Zeal worker A: It’s worth it for us to be out Wellington on the last day of the lockout, here, and we will come out in the cold, and due to understaffing there would not have May 10th. been enough people to replace any Zeal the rain, and nothing’s going to deter us, Solidarity: What has been the build-up because, this is worth it for us, we’re staff who were suspended for longer. An to this lockout? EPMU spokesperson mentioned that there gonna fight hard. We’re going to show the had been some issues with pay resuming Zeal worker A: Over the last couple of company that the little people have big when the suspensions finished for some months we’ve been having a few voices, and we’re not going anywhere workers. sit-downs with the company, basically try- mate. ing to negotiate a fair contract and fair pay. Across the four days of the lockout, Zeal Every time we’ve gone back to the table, This article and interview taken from Soli- workers and their supporters picketed at the offers have been getting progressively airports and Air NZ Holiday Shops in all darity, free monthly newssheet of the worse. The last offer that they gave us was Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement. three centres and the Air NZ headquarters laughable. in Auckland. In addition to the EPMU, members and staff from at least 8 other un- Zeal worker B: And it’s quite hard for us to ions were present to show their solidarity. accept that the company says we are earn- 14 Rebel Worker

Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC), to give Workers in South Korea up management control. Court-appointed managers have since struggled to turn the respond to mass edundancies company around through job cuts and cost savings. with strike action The programme calls for the sacking of 2,646 workers or 36% of the workforce, in what would be the country’s first mass lay- Debt-stricken Ssangyong in February won offs since the onset of the global economic by Ed court protection from creditors. The court crisis in September. The programme also on May 25 2009 proposes the firm take out a new bank loan of 250 billion won (200 million dollars) by offering its factory as collateral. Workers at South Korean automaker Union leaders representing 7,100 workers Ssangyong Motor went on strike on immediately rejected the job cuts and de- Thursday in protest at plans for mass lay- manded managers minimise sackings offs to save the firm from bankruptcy. As- through job-sharing. sembly lines at its plant in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, stopped at 1:30pm, said Ssangyong, which specialises in union spokesman Lee Chang-Geun. sport-utility vehicles and luxury sedans, posted a net loss of 709.7 billion won last “Management should come to talk with year on sales of 2.5 trillion won. In the first the union on avoiding the proposed mas- three months of this year, its sales sive job cuts,” Lee said, adding that the du- nosedived 76% to 6,471 units. SAIC still ration of the strike would be decided holds a 51% stake in the firm. Friday. told its Chinese majority owner, Shanghai Thanks to Libcom

security takes absolute preference over personal safety and security in Israel’s ISRAEL RAIL NEWS employment policy; secondly, it reveals that these security concerns are used to camouflage double standards in favour of Tue, 21 Apr 2009 tain Israel’s level crossings. Israel Rail- Jewish Israeli workers because a) the job ways explicitly stated that the new em- of crossing guard has so far not required ployment policy is designed to give bearing arms, b) other railway workers, Arab railway workers in Israel priority to young army veterans. such as train drivers, are not addressed by face discrimination, job loss the new policy, and c) some positions are Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel have al- reserved for “minorities who did not serve ways been extremely underrepresented in in the army”. This allows the conclusion Here’s an appeal from Sawt el-Amel, an Israel’s public sector (including that army service is in fact an irrelevant NGO based in Nazareth, protesting the state-owned companies), and despite ex- employment condition. At this point, it decision by Israel Railways to deny em- isting anti-discrimination laws only about should be noted that the new policy also ployment to railroad crossing guards 5% of civil servants are Arabs, while they excludes recent immigrants, ul- who lack a permit to carry weapons. make up almost 20% of the overall popu- tra-orthodox Jews, disabled persons and As such permits are usually only issued to lation. Exclusion of Arabs from the public conscientious objectors. army veterans, 150 Arab employees now sector is mainly a result of Israel’s state se- curity policies, which deny Arabs who On April 7, 2009, the Tel Aviv Labour face the sack. Court suspended the dismissal of the rail- To learn more and to send off your mes- have not served in the Israeli army and do thus not have a permit to carry weapons way workers until the next court hearing sage of protest, please visit the Sawt on April 19, 2009. However, workers told el-Amel website: access to employment in public adminis- tration and services (such as: communica- Sawt el-Amel that Israel Railways has al- http://www.laborers-voice.org/arti- tion, water, electricity, public transport ready started recruiting new crossing cle_details.aspx?TopID=964&catid=46 and port authorities, fire brigades etc.). guards. On April 8, 2009, Israel Railways This strong focus on state security is also responded to Sawt el-Amel’s enquiry Background reflected in the biographies of executive about the new employment policy, reaf- officers in Israeli government-owned firming that the policy decision is based on ‘practical and security considerations’ and In March 2009, Israel Railways, a companies. Yitzhak ‘Haki’ Harel, general manager of Israel Railways, for instance, does not aim to ‘discriminate against mi- state-owned company, launched a new norities’. policy denying employment to railroad is a Major General in the Israeli army (IDF). He retired from the army in August On the whole, Israel Railways’ new em- crossing guards who have no permit to ployment policy should be seen both as a carry weapons – that is: who have not 2006, shortly after the July War on Leba- continuation of Israel’s long-standing served in the Israeli army. This policy will non, and has headed the company since strategy to exclude Arab workers from the lead to the lay-off of the app. 150 Arab 2007. labour market and as an assault on all eco- railway workers who monitor and main- Israel Railways’ new policy is an instruc- tive example of the way Arab workers are nomically and socially marginalised systematically excluded from the Israeli groups in times of growing economic cri- labour market: firstly, it shows that state sis. 15 Rebel Worker

BOOK REVIEW CORNER

sary for progressive so- pliant nation states and media and univer- REVIEW ESSAY BY GRAHAM PURCHASE cial change. Through- sity spin doctors, employing force and B. Pateman, ed., Chomsky on out the book, Chomsky indoctrination dedicated to ensuring that champions “classical big money states, people and corporations Anarchism, AK Press, $16.95. liberalism.” (191) He stay on top forever. repeatedly cites Dewey The editor is unhappy with Chomsky’s The dismissal of the working classes is and Bertrand Russell, who stressed the im- perfectly clear and orthodox syndicalism. currently popular among “radical” in- portance of attitudinal change leading to He feels that Chomsky’s stress on eco- tellectuals. Some of the stupidest politi- both community and individual lifestyle nomic class and workerism makes him cal ideas and outlooks may be found experimentation in sexual mores, gender more Marxist than anarchist. But among primitivists (back-to-the caves) equality and core social and developmen- Chomsky states that he holds traditional and post-modernists. A few individuals tal processes, particularly the reform of anarchist beliefs, and the text shows that mistakenly believe themselves to be primary education. Libertarian lifestyle he is an unadulterated disciple of Rocker, avant garde anarchist thinkers or phi- change and experiment evolve hand in Bakunin and classical liberalism. Al- losophers. hand with economic liberation and em- though occasionally quoting agreeably Post-modern ‘anarchists’ (a tiny clique powerment because they are all essential libertarian passages from Marx or one of embedded in the academy) believe class pathways through which humanity so- his acolytes, Chomsky is primarily a sup- analysis is passe and the working classes cially self-organizes a libertarian, humane porter and student of syndicalism, with a largely irrelevant and/or virtually and wise society. particular interest in scholarship of its his- non-existent. Primitivists believe workers But, as Chomsky repeatedly argues, eco- torical achievements, political role and exist but are just human robots within our significance during the Spanish Civil evil industrial- technological civili- War. zation, which will end with our return Pateman feels Chomsky’s class analysis to the caves. Quizzed about his views “could be a little tighter” and substan- on such nonsense, Chomsky sensibly tially improved by greater consideration replies that “post Modernism is gib- of the “complexity” and phenomenology berish” (216), and primitivism would of class “experience.” This is a polite entail “the mass genocide of mil- way of saying that Chomsky’s ideas on lions” (226). For Chomsky, “technol- anarchism and class are ogy is a pretty neutral instrument,” one-dimensional, simplistic and eco- utilizable for both good and evil ends. nomically essentialist or deterministic. (225) He dismisses the Chomsky, Pateman continues, does not post-modernist denial of “fundamen- fully appreciate how working-class tal class differences.” He hasn’t identities are not only an “economic” cat- “much problem m discerning class egory, but also “cultural states.” differences and their significance. In Post-modernists balk at Chomsky’s fact we see class issues rising all the ‘economic essentialism’ and time.” (228) “workerism,” thinking working class Barry Pateman, the editor and com- identities are historically dated and pri- piler of Chomsky on Anarchism, is marily culturally and semantically deter- clearly unsympathetic to Chomsky’s mined inter-subjective commonsensical views on class, cul- social-psychological states. The working ture and social change. Pateman takes class, according to the post-moderns, is the liberty of using his Introduction not an objectively existing entity (eco- (pp. 7-10) to rebuff Chomsky’s re- nomic or otherwise), but some histori- marks about post-class-ism elicited cal-cultural-semantic label or identity — in Pateman’s own interview with one historical-cultural identity psycho- Chomsky in 2004 (presumably un- nomic or capitalist class hierarchies are the logical state or semantic construction dertaken to supplement this book’s mea- most prevalent and important obstruction among many that change over time and by gre offerings of new material) to the obtainable dream of a new collabo- which people routinely classify or rank Quoting George Woodcock, Pateman rative libertarian order, an order made pos- themselves and others. states in his Introduction, “Chomsky’s sible through self-organization of working Post-modernism is pure sophistry. With equation of anarchist struggle with a single people in both traditional and service in- a few intellectual tricks and fancy long class fails to see how anarchism appeals to dustries. It is these economic or capitalist words, the post-modernists talk the work- the people of all classes who seek a society class hierarchies that obstruct the over- ers out of existence. This is the very antith- where the potentialities of existence are throw of the corporate capitalist structures esis of Chomsky’s unwavering anarchism varied and liberated, a society to be ap- of local, national and global political op- and syndicalism that hopes someday the proached by lifestyle rebellion as well as pression and economic exploitation. The self-organization of labour will place economic struggle.” (7) This is unfair. One systems are based upon “unaccountable workers at the centre-stage of human so- might reasonably accuse Chomsky of con- control pyramids,” “largely business-run cial and economic existence. Pateman fusing liberalism, humanism and anar- private totalitarian dictatorships” or “tyr- suggests that class analysis is chism, but not of ignoring non-economic annies” (188, 192 and 213), aided by com- old-fashioned and inadequate: factors, thinking and movements neces- 16 Rebel Worker

“Chomsky’s perception of class as the ible and does not hold to the either/or posi- whether it will retain a state-like structure central tenet of anarchism is out of synch tion of anarcho-syndicalism. In fact, or civic body. Revolutionary syndicalism with Woodcock and some elements of syndicalists may even contemplate the can be distinguished from more reformist contemporary anarchism.” (8) idea of strengthening the welfare state. versions of syndicalism that simply call But what Chomsky correctly says (citing Chomsky is of this view, believing that the for local shop-floor democracy and mili- Bakunin and Rocker in support of this the- welfare state at least establishes some sort tant unionism as the only way for the sis) is that, the “leading traditions” of “tra- of “public arena” and provides consider- worker to live a decent life within ditional anarchism” (179 and 191) present ably more relief to the poor than the bread state-capitalism. us with a revolutionary socialist move- crumbs handed out by big business. Mini- The editor of this compilation mistakenly ment based upon the idea of peas- mizing the welfare “state,” Chomsky as- believes that in placing greater emphasis ant-agricultural labourers and the serts, would result in “increasing an even upon the evils of capitalism than those of industrial working class organizing them- worse power [private capitalism].” (214) the nation-state, Chomsky has gradually selves democratically into syndicates in In contemporary capitalist society the come to embrace Marxism, when, in fact, order to fight for their liberation from state worker is left with little else predicament, Chomsky has become more purely capitalism. Chomsky believes we should not be too in- syndicalist. Chomsky is clearly attracted Individuals who deny the existence or rel- flexible over our principles with respect to to the tactics and less utopian vision of evance of the working class, have no justi- our visions and goals. Instead, we must syndicalism, but he seems equally fication for calling themselves anarchists, take a “practical” (190) approach to assist- strongly drawn to libertarian-liberal or because they deny the essence of what an- ing the working classes because they are progressive literature, networks and archism has historically been all about. currently facing the daunting prospect of movements, historically spawned, in- Where there is capitalism, there are work- having to continue to cling onto the edges spired or organized by anarchists. ers, and in an era of global capitalism it is of the welfare state frying-pan or be tossed Syndicalism and anarchism are comple- not difficult to find them suffering among into a capitalist inferno. mentary, but not identical, political theo- the poor, underpaid and unemployed. Anarcho-syndicalism is syndicalism en- ries of social and democratic riched and empowered by the diversity transformation. Anarchists of all descrip- and wealth of anarchism. Syndicalism has tions seek to eliminate state functions and The question of state power a very narrow tactical, industrial or work- institutions. But many disparate anti- or place focus, whilst anarchism is a broad non-state world views are unified in the The dominant thread binding and inclusive political movement histori- madness of armchair pseudo-anarchism. Chomsky’s many works of contempo- cally and ideologically embracing and in- In the Anglo-American world, rary political commentary is: The fluencing many different philosophical anarcho-syndicalists are confronted by the Statue of Liberty is a prostitute pimped and cultural movements, outlooks and ac- intellectual equivalent of pathological lu- out to the “private dictatorships” and tivities. nacy in the bipolarity of libertarian “totalitarian organizations” (213) con- Syndicalists assume that without interna- free-marketeers and libertarian survival- stitutive of corporate capitalism. This is tional capital and faced with the ists (primitivists), both asserting a clearly also a major unifying theme of non-cooperation of the workers of the unfounded claim to carry the anarchist Chomsky on Anarchism, insofar as world, the political power of the most flag. Anarchism, according to these ways there are any in this haphazardly con- powerful states would be reduced to nil. of thinking, is either back to the caves or ceived book. Anarchists believe that capitalism is a fun- back to the market! Non-anarchist In his early essays, Chomsky allies him- damental part, but not the whole, of the na- syndicalism provides an opportunity and self with anarcho-syndicalism, but over tion state system, representing in their an ideology albeit a somewhat narrow one, time progressively adopts a purely view a different and possibly greater evil to bypass such idiotic, impractical and syndicalist position. He focuses on corpo- than corporate capitalism. For anarchists, contradictory pseudo-anarchist positions. rate capitalist tyrannies and is the workers’ revolution involves a fatal The worst enemies of anarchism are often open-minded on questions of the compati- blow to the body that unites the the “anarchists” themselves. bility of the state and the future possibility two-headed monster of state-capitalism. Chomsky appreciates this depressing situ- of a comparably large non-hierarchical Chomsky was at one point a member of the ation and has reacted by warming towards libertarian welfare structure run by public syndicalist organization, the Industrial the IWW/syndicalist position, to which workers’ syndicate and administering Workers of the World. Private tyrannies Chomsky, as a lifetime disciple of Rocker, pensions and healthcare or providing co- are the exclusive target of the IWW’s ef- has always been sympathetic. Chomsky ordinated inter-regional relief in natural forts, with campaigns aimed at inspiring and Rocker blend an open-minded and disasters and other large-scale emergen- workers to educate, agitate and organize open-ended libertarian approach to their cies. Once the capitalist monster has been grass-roots union networks for their pro- concepts and exploration of culture and decapitated, workers can utilize the estab- tection and to overthrow the employer freedom, while calling for practical, effec- lished civic body of a now headless work- class. In contrast to their tive industrial and syndicalist concepts, ers’ state to concentrate largely upon anarcho-syndicalist cousins, the tactics and methods for the realization of a administration and coordination of useful, syndicalist IWW members, or Wobblies, free and equal society. socially productive basic services. have always maintained an ambivalent, Unlike anarchists and wait-and-see attitude to the fate of the anarcho-syndicalists, syndicalists have state. The elimination aid replacement of Liberalism and freedom generally felt happy to leave the question the capitalist system, not the nation-state, of the fate of the state unanswered. is the syndicalists’ focus and priority. Hand in hand with early socialism, the Syndicalists consider overthrowing and Chomsky implies that syndicalists, unlike assumptions and outlooks of classical supplanting capitalism work enough, and some anarchosyndicalists, have shied liberal writers provide an underlying view the perhaps utopian vision of a state- away from “detailed programs” (221) or world view and ideological source for less workers’ society as a much more dis- social-economic blueprints as to how the the anarchist and many other 19th and tant or larger project. With regard to the post-capitalist worker- run society will 20th century political and philosophical future of the state, syndicalism can be flex- emerge and organize itself, including traditions. The predominant subject of 17 Rebel Worker several of the essays in this collection is lishment. One prominent reviewer of the Chomsky believes in essentialism, ratio- liberalism and our understanding of the time thought Reclus’ work “as worthy of nalism and universalism (all vehemently instinctive experience in striving and figuring as one of the monuments of sci- opposed by post-modernists), examining satisfying our deep-felt need for free- ence alongside Humboldt’s Cosmos.” how apparent “restraints” or “restrictions” dom of thought, action and in conduct- There is no mention whatsoever in this an- have been compatible with bio-linguistic ing ourselves as we feel best. Chomsky’s thology of ecology or the environmental evolution and human freedom. Chomsky analysis of freedom and classical liberal movement/crisis. Chomsky seems un- attempts to reconcile Bakunin’s idea that literature freedoms is a isn’t straight- aware of the direct and profound links be- the “essential and defining property of forwardly about anarchism because the tween the great anarchist geographers and man is his freedom” with Chomsky’s defining feature of great liberal think- Humboldt’s life and ideas. Humboldt, like equally long-held view that the human ers (with the exception of Dewey human Kropotkin, had been a Siberian explorer. mind’s linguistic abilities are systems of nature... and Russell) predate the anar- Humboldt and Reclus are justly remem- innate developmental properties of the chist movement. bered for their contribution to the inte- species-specific human mind, in the form Bakunin, Chomsky (121-2) and almost ev- grated geographical and scientific study of of a “universal grammar.” (101-4) These eryone else can readily agree that, at an in- the Earth’s systems and phenomena at the ideas, Chomsky argues, are allied with stinctual level, everybody desires and local and global level. Humboldt’s concept of an abstract and seeks freedom. The struggle to enlarge or Chomsky tells us how he took on his anar- “fixed form of language as a system of defend individual and collective freedoms chist political ideas as a “young teenager” generative [developmental] processes or is a defining feature of human nature, indi- and hasn’t “seen much reason to revise innate properties of mind but permitting an vidual and social aspiration, such that it is those early attitudes since.” (178) But in infinite use of finite means.” (113-15) a major force behind the great historical the more than half-century since Chomsky Since Chomsky originally expressed these changes in human civilization. became an anarchist and syndicalist con- thoughts, the field of semantic biology has But anarchism differs from liberalism in vert, the scientific and public perception of been greatly enriched by M. Barbieri’s its core assertion that freedom will only be an approaching environmental crisis has “The Organic Codes”, an extraordinarily achieved when the working classes liber- gradually crawled to centre stage. fertile work described by Chomsky as “in- ate themselves by their own agency and Chomsky became a disciple of Bakunin triguing” and “fascinating.” Barbieri dis- self-organization. Anarchism disputes the and Rocker as a teenager because he was cusses how life diversified and evolved by idea that the democratic and libertarian vi- sympathetic to industrial syndicalism, and means of creative, cooperative locally au- sions of the great liberal dreamers can be he remains so today. Unfortunately, the in- tonomous epigenetic or developmental realized under the torpor of the na- dustrial bias of syndicalism in the late 20th systems of social meaning and biological tion-state-capitalist system. Anarchists in- century resulted in a widespread tendency reconstruction. The extraordinary diver- sist, instead, that the state should be to express antagonism toward or dismiss sity of life occurred through the develop- replaced by a technologically savvy and the environmental movement. This oc- mental integration complexity of coded “rational social order” (114), developing curred in reaction to the predominantly semantic exchanges between molecules out of the revolutionary syndicates and middle-class liberalism of that movement, and cells freely exploring, interpreting, re- neighbourhoods organized by the people which almost instinctively ignores the fining, discovering and inventing infinite in mass, open and constructive revolt needs and views of the working classes possibilities, despite the apparently re- against institutions that have failed to de- and is often indifferent to the inherent eco- strictive, to nature, or grammar, of the liver housing, health care, bread, freedom logical evils of the capitalist system. Un- DNA code or language. This, Barbieri or democracy for all in an age of global fortunately, in the last quarter of the 20th contends, parallels human linguistic diver- communication and potential plenitude. century, dogmatic and provocative sity, despite the innate and universal na- In these essays, Chomsky takes several anti-technological diatribes championing ture of the epigentically or historical tours of liberal-minded thinkers pseudo-anarchist primitivist-survivalist developmentally reconstructed “human familiar to most undergraduate students of idiocy also helped to widen a sectarian di- species-specific mind.” political philosophy (Rousseau, Kant, vide between sensible ecological anar- In addition to his linguist achievements, Bentham and Mill), but more unusually, chists and industrial syndicalists. The late Chomsky is also known as an intellectual he pays considerable attention to the Judi Bari was the most active and coherent opponent of the Vietnam War. Oddly much-less known (outside of Germany) advocate in the early 1990s of the urgent awkwardly for a book about anarchism, Humboldt, for whom Chomsky clearly has need for radical environmentalists and in- this anthology begins with a detailed great admiration. In his sadly neglected dustrial unionists to join hands and orga- 30-page scholarly analysis of establish- masterpiece, Nationalism and Culture, nize. ment ideology justifying the continuation Roker “describes Humboldt as ‘the most Chomsky often quotes Rocker and of the Vietnam war some 40 years ago. prominent representative in Germany of Bakunin, who had nothing to say about Chomsky’s overview of modem elite the- the doctrine of natural rights and of the op- environmental issues. He mentions ory concludes that the New Mandarins, the position to the authoritarian state- (117, Kropotkin in passing, and Reclus not at all. term he uses for America’s intellectual bu- note 15). Kropotkin despairs i his Ethics at Reclus and Kropotkin, rather uniquely for reaucratic servants, were motivated in how Humboldt’s books lie neglected and their time, stressed the need to integrate Vietnam by ideals and goals that were un- ”moldering" upon library shelves while and harmonize the natural and democratic and illiberal. many lesser thinkers have become fash- non-natural, or human, environment. I am too young to know anything much ionable. The great French geographer E. Kropotkin’s general idea of the democrati- about the Vietnam, other than that Amer- Reclus also greatly admired Humboldt. cally self-governing, bio-regionally inte- ica and Australia lost the war. For the up- Reclus had been a Paris Communard, a grated and self-sufficient green coming generations, Vietnam is a distant confidant of Bakunin, and also worked city-region (serviced by inter-communal historical event known out only through closely with and international industrial syndicates) war movies. This long essay introduces a Kropotkin. Reclus’ first geographical must, in my opinion, form the material ba- book called “On Anarchism”, but it is not book, The Earth (1868-9), received nearly sis and lie at the heart of any modern and about anarchism and does not mention the universal praise from the scientific estab- realizable conception of anarchism. word. Some sort of introduction about how this history relates to anarchism is 18 Rebel Worker badly needed. Specifically, I would at least introduction to those who are ignorant of of interviews for a couple of anarchist expect some background about what led to revolutionary Spain, and Chomsky re- journals. Without these brief statements, the war, and why and how resistance to it veals nothing new to those already famil- Chomsky’s 1960s essay on Spanish anar- became one of the major causes of 1960’s iar with this history and scholarship. chism and his brief introduction to youth or student rebellion, resulting in a “I don’t really regard myself as an anar- Guerin’s book Anarchism (1970, repub- brief resurgence libertarian thinking in chist thinker. I’m a derivative fellow trav- lished 2003) would have remained his pri- Australia and the United States. eller’ (135) This is how Chomsky mary contribution to anarchist literature. The first half of this book consists of es- described himself in 1976 at the beginning Recent interviews conducted by anar- says from two recently established books: of an interview hosted by the BBC’s Lon- chists represent only a tiny fraction of this The New Mandarins (1969) and Reasons don Weekend Television. The text is the book, which consists primarily of old and of State 170) Only one section concerns fourth chapter of Chomsky on Anarchism recently republished essays of no direct Chomsky’s anarchism, and it is a wholly and was previously anthologised in Radi- relevance to anarchism. (Despite the pau- derivative work of anarchist historical or- cal Priorities (republished by AK in city of both new and anarchist material, the thodoxy analyzing liberal historical 2003). As Chomsky recognizes, he has lit- editor, Pateman, failed to include two in- scholarship surrounding the early and tle original to add to the insights of terviews with Chomsky conducted and revolutionary period of the Spanish Civil Bakunin and Rocker. Instead, he remains published by the Anarcho-Syndicalist Re- War (1936-1937). Chomsky draws upon happy, like most of us, to have been their view.) The publisher of this anthology, standard or classic anarchist studies fellow worker and fellow traveller. AK Press, has republished several classi- (Rocker, Peirats, ,al, Richards) and con- I doubt very much that Chomsky was in- cal anarchist works and some excellent temporary journalistic accounts (Or- clined to articulate his present views about historical studies. But their catalogue of- well,Borkenau). Chomsky his long-held anarchist political beliefs fers little sensible, new, specifically anar- sympathetically presents the anarchist ac- had they not been gently coaxed out of chist analysis and theory. Unfortunately, count, but like the Vietnam material, this him. Chomsky has not written much about Chomsky on Anarchism does little to fill essay does not serve as a clear or inspiring anarchism; rather most of his reflections this need. on anarchism have appeared in the course WORKERS CONTROL OR SELF-MANAGEMENT? (1972)

Much of the literature produced for this bodies. The Russian Factory Committees dominate. This is workers conference(1) contains brief references of 1917, the German Workers Councils of self-management of the economy. We use to the term self-management. One ses- 1919, the Hungarian Councils of 1956 all this term to differentiate between workers sion of the conference has been devoted express this pattern of self organization. merely supervising, inspecting or check- to “Workers Control workers partici- With regard to the economy as a whole we ing decisions made by others and workers pation, self-management and social- see these councils federating nationally. collectively initiating decisions in full ism”. It would seem then that the terms Workers Control and Self-Management represent two differ- ent things. They do in fact represent two different things, these differences have been the basis for much debate in the workers control movement in other countries. The aim of this pamphlet is to explain and the reasons why we support self-management. The booklet “Workers Councils - the Eco- nomics of a Self-Managed Society”, avail- able at the conference, explains, more fully than we wish to here, the concept of self- management. Real workers control can only come about when the working class collectively take all the fundamental decisions in produc- tion. Not only in the individual factories but in relation to the entire economy. It must do this directly, through institutions of its own choice with which it can identify completely, which it can dominate com- pletely, Such bodies are the workers coun- They then bear on every aspect of the knowledge of the relevant facts. cils. These councils are the historic economy. This means the workers are not creations of the working class, every time We also use the term self-management to only controlling production but they are the question of power has been raised the separate our idea of also taking initiatives and setting direc- workers have responded with these basic real workers control tions through bodies they can completely See Page 20 19 Rebel Worker

Where we stand: NEWS & NOTES A.S.N. DIRECTORY Whilst many leftist groups today are be- 1.Our aim is to create a free and equal so- calmed in all manner of self absorption ciety antics such as the lascivious massaging of ASN Sydney Local micro or macro bureaucracies, the pre- PO Box 92 2. We are a revolutionary labour move- cious construction of paper organisations Broadway 2007 NSW ment that uses as its only means of strug- and the production of abstract propaganda gle, direct action in all its forms – and grotesque political correctness dis- ASN Melbourne: occupations, strikes, boycotts, sabotage, plays, the ASN has been showing its fight- etc. We are independent from all reformist J.Dixon ing fit in the struggle for grass roots and hierarchical unions and political par- controlled unionism. We have recently as- [email protected] ties, and we are creating an alternative to sisted militants in public transport nation- these and to existing society. We do not ally to strike a major blow against the ALP seek to gain political power, but rather to controlled union bureaucracy (See article The Anarchist Age see it distributed amongst all. page 6). We have also been assisting mili- tant workers in City Rail to oppose mas- PO Box 20 sive staff cuts and restructuring for Parkville Vic. 3052 3.We are a network of privatisation. This fightback has culmi- anarcho-syndicalists practising nated in the holding of a mass meeting at co-operation and mutual aid. We have an Newcastle Anarchist Group equal part in the making of decisions. Re- the concourse at Central at 11am 11/6/09 PO Box 532 to oppose the staff cuts and privatisation. sponsibilities within the network are sub- Newcastle 2300 NSW. ject to agreement by the members. Have you ever wondered how come the ALP has managed to control the hierar- SPARKS 4.We are engaged in struggle where we chies of many unions, which has enor- (Anarcho-Syndicalist Transport Paper) work and where we live, to develop self mously contributed to the success of PO Box 92 Broadway managed production, distribution and ser- various Govt and employer attacks on vicing for the world community, to meet 2007 NSW human needs rather than profit. We give workers’ jobs and conditions over the Web site: http://www.sparksweb.org years via the Accord, Enterprise Bar- solidarity to others in these struggles. gaining and privatisation? Article page 6 throws intriguingly light on the me- JURA BOOKS 5.We are fighting to abolish all authoritar- chanics of this process. 440 Parramatta Rd ian institutions such as the State (including Petersham 2049 NSW its communist variety), capitalism, all hi- There were quite lively discussions with Ph. (02) 95509931 erarchical and oppressive divisions be- many new faces at both talks organisd by tween people. the ASN in recent months at Jura Books on the Spanish anarcho-syndicalist union the 6. We have no country and are organised SPARX CNT during is heyday in the 1930’s and on an international basis in opposition to anarcho-syndicalist perspectives on coun- DIRECT ACTION oppression everywhere. The ASN is striv- tering the current accelerated employer of- FIRE FIGHTERS’ PAPER. ing to build a viable revolutionary fensive. [email protected]. syndicalist movement in Australia as part of a world wide movement able to meet the Rebel Worker has an internet web site. Its challenge of the global employer offen- sive. address is www.rebelworker.org Many WORKING CLASS articles from back issues of Rebel Worker UNITED are available in the archive section on the site. Http://workingclassunited Googlepages.com/home TO FIND OUT MORE Help Build Rebel Worker! Your help is particularly sought with its distribution. I would like more information about the So why not order bulk copies to distribute Anarcho-Syndicalist Network. Please and sell at your local shopping centre on Grassland Infoshop send me information. Saturday mornings, leave at the lunch 207B Nicholson St. room at work and at your local cafe or li- Footscray brary? Your assistance on the financial plane is also very welcome. 3011 Vic. Name ...... Address...... REBEL WORKER General Secretary PO Box 532 Newcastle 2300 NSW. WEBSITE: www.rebelworker.org If undeliverable, return to PO Box 92, Broadway NSW 2007 POSTAGE PAID AUSTRALIA

Continued From Page 18 from those In all the literature surrounding this con- the domination of ideological groups with who see ference we have seen none which con- vested interests. It would also be subject to w o r k e r s fronts the issue of state power. Obviously overdue influence by the Sydney move- control merely as a tactic, to be discarded any form of workers control which alters ment. as unnecessary “after the revolution.” Al- the relationships within production in a The influence given to trade unions by the ternatively some see workers control as meaningful way will require the destruc- proposed institute could also undermine the workers ratifying and applying the de- tion of the bourgeois state. The conten- rank and file groups who come into con- cisions made by the “vanguard party of the tious point is the method of organization flict with the union bureaucracies. The al- working class” when it achieves state which we replace it with. ternative proposal to establish regional power. Those formulations of workers Self-management means that the organ of Workers Control Information Centres control can only mean one thing for us, the federated workers councils (perhaps a with workers control groups affiliated to that the real control over the means of pro- central assembly of delegates) tale over them is one more in line with the needs duction will lie in the hands of a few. For the management of the economy as a and realities of the situation. This pro- us production cannot be managed by any whole. posal will be circulated during the confer- agency other than the producers them- Many of those who have failed to raise the ence. selves. To us the basis of a class society is question of the state obviously feel that the We must determine what workers control when the producers do not dominate the ‘party’ will assume these functions. The really means. To us it means the workers means of production. The question of real entrenchment of any group in state power are really in control. That is workers workers control versus a form of workers can only lead to bureaucratization and the self-management. control which is subjugated to the ‘van- weakening of the workers councils. The guard party’ or the trade unions has been issue of state power must be raised and posed many times in recent history. A thrashed out now as it will determine SELF-MANAGEMENT IN classical example is the degeneration of much of the future of our movement. STRUGGLE. the Russian revolution into a state capital- One result of the points outlined above is SELF-MANAGEMENT IN ist bureaucracy. our opposition to the proposal to be put to SOCIETY. For us the decay began when the this conference to form a National Insti- Bolsheviks began to emasculate the work- tute for Workers Control. We feel a na- Railway Workers Rank and File Group ers councils and factory committees, that tional institute could too easily become (Melbourne) is as early as 1918. Anytime a Leninist removed from the realities of the rank and Notes: party proposes workers control it should file movement and that it would fall under (1)1972 Workers Control Conference in be viewed with great suspicion for real N.S.W. workers control would make their organi- zation redundant. IRELAND: BUS WILDCAT STRIKES

Bus worker wildcats spread refused to work a new schedule. The 450 ers go. Unions agreed to the cuts at the La- staff at the Harristown depot stopped work bour Court earlier this month and have dis- across Dublin north in solidarity with the driver before the dis- tanced themselves from the action. The pute spread to the Clontarf depot. At pres- companies says it will only enter talks with by weeler ent just two depots are operating (based in drivers if they return to work and operate Apr 28 2009 South Dublin) with almost all of the North the new schedules. The wildcat strike action taken by Dublin Dublin routes brought to a total standstill. Bus drivers has spread to four new garages Dublin Bus recently developed a “Cost Ef- as the dispute enters its third day. The dis- fectiveness Plan” to address their Ç31 mil- pute began on Sunday after a driver at the lion projected loss for 2009, which Harristown depot was suspended when he included plans to reduce their fleet by 120 buses as well as letting hundreds of work-