INDUSTRIAL Official newspaper O f T h e I n d u s t r i a l w O r k eWORKER r s o f t h e w O r l d D ecember 2010 #1731 Vol. 107 N o . 1 0 $1/ £ 1/ €1

Jimmy John’s Solidarity With Review: Zionism, Police Brutally Workers Keep Up Locked-Out Country Judaism and Attack Workers in The Fight 5 Club Workers 6-7 ‘Mythistory’ 8 Greece 12 Students, Workers Occupy The Millbank Tower In London From afed.org.uk property destruction and occupation at A report on the demonstration and Millbank Tower, home to the Conserva- attack on the Tory headquarters by tive Party Headquarters. Direct action students and education workers against was not limited to this either, with the cuts. London School of Economics going into One of the largest and most vibrant occupation shortly after the end of the protests in London in recent history took protest, a sit-down protest in Parliament place on Nov. 10. More than 50,000 edu- Square and some limited property destruc- cation workers and students took to the tion at Liberal Democrat Headquarters. capital not only to protest against the rise Students and education workers have not in tuition fees but reforms in education only demonstrated their anger at the wave in general and to protest for a fairer, free of attacks in store for a whole generation higher education system. The Anarchist of young people, but their lack of faith in Federation was among them, forming parliamentary democracy and the need a “radical workers’ and students’ bloc” to take the struggle into their own hands. which, along with London Solidarity Fed- The media and official union response eration, argued that capitalism is the cause to this has hardly been surprising. Com- of this crisis; that the Left and the union mentators were quick to denounce the leaders cannot be trusted to fight our actions at Millbank tower as that of a battles (a point that the National Union “militant minority,” “the Socialist Worker of Students (NUS) president Aaron Porter Party” or “anarchists,” who, to quote later so aptly demonstrated); and that we Harry Mount from the Telegraph “perhaps need united, grassroots direct action as with a student card, from a third-rate part of a sustained fight back. institution they never visit, that cloaks Contrary to the corporate media their criminal violence with the fig leaf of Photo: Henry Langston, libcom.org commentaries, a significant portion of principled protest.” NUS President Aaron More than 50,000 students and education workers occupy London’s Millbank the march also involved itself in the Continued on 5 Tower on Nov. 10. Port Shutdown Demands Justice For Oscar Grant By Judy Greenspan since its 1934 general strike, developed a The stage and steps of Frank Ogawa strong relationship with the Black com- Plaza in downtown Oakland, Calif., shook munity in West Oakland and other parts and trembled with the strong unifying cry of the Bay Area. of “We are all Oscar Grant!” as over 1,000 people—Black, Brown, Native, Asian and Power of the Working Class white—came out to attend a rally that Richard Mead, president of ILWU followed the dramatic shutdown of Bay Local 10, recalled that the shooting of two Area ports by workers of the International workers sparked the 1934 general strike Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). led by the dock and maritime workers The ILWU drill team opened the Oct. in San Francisco. “Oscar Grant’s death 23rd program in full uniform, marching was also murder,” Mead said. “[A general to the beat of “What time is it? Union strike]—that’s where we need to go now.” time!” and “We are the union—the mighty, Thomas put Grant’s killing in a larger mighty union!” perspective: “The war on the Black com- Clarence Thomas, long-time ILWU munity, particularly on the youth of color, Local 10 member and labor activist who always intensifies during times of econom- co-chaired the rally with Jack Heyman, ic crisis. Oscar Grant could have been any another ILWU dockworker, proudly an- one of our sons, nephews or grandsons.” nounced, “All of the Bay Area ports are “We stopped international commerce shut down today in honor of the fight for today. We shut down all of the ports. That’s Community activists demand justice for Oscar Grant on Oct. 23. Photo: Judy Greenspan justice for Oscar Grant.” the power of the working class,” Thomas This rally came just two weeks before announced. the sentencing of Johannes Mehserle, Cristina Gutierrez, a Latina activist Industrial Worker Periodicals Postage the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) cop representing Barrio Unido, a San Fran- PO Box 180195 PO Box 180195 PAID who shot and killed 22-year-old Grant, cisco-based organization for general and Chicago, IL 60618 Chicago, IL 60618, USA Chicago, IL an unarmed Black man, as he was tightly unconditional amnesty for immigrants, and additional restrained face down on a BART platform delivered a moving statement on the ISSN 0019-8870 mailing offices on Jan. 1, 2009. The labor and community strength of the unity of all people against protest was held to send a message to the oppression. “Yo soy Oscar Grant, I am ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED court demanding the harshest possible Oscar Grant, I am Mumia, I am Lynne sentence for Mehserle. Stewart, I am Black, I am Brown, I am Chi- Mehserle was charged with second- nese, I am a worker,” Gutierrez exclaimed. degree murder, but he was convicted of “I am the one who came to this coun- only involuntary manslaughter. Grant’s try to seek work. Unless we work hand in mother, Wanda Johnson, said immediate- hand with our Black brothers and sisters, ly after the verdict, “My son was murdered. we cannot win,” said Gutierrez. He was murdered and the law has not held BART workers from the Amalgam- the officer accountable” (San Francisco ated Transit Union Local 1555, led by past Chronicle, July 9, 2010). president Harold Brown, stood together on Many speakers noted the incredible stage and delivered a moving statement in role played by the ILWU in supporting support of justice for Oscar Grant. Brown, the rally. The union has a long history of a train operator on the BART line which supporting anti-racist and progressive passes through the Fruitvale station, the causes with work stoppages. The dock site of Grant’s killing, noted, “There’s not a and warehouse workers union has also, Continued on 5 Page 2 • Industrial Worker • December 2010

nerves,” it was quite amusing to see that he former player Dave Meggysey said, “play- Literature Review Is Invaluable misspelled our names multiple times. (For ers are being compensated for giving up Fellow Workers, future reference when you write your next their middle age.” It was with considerable sadness that I screed, it is “Parthun” and “McKeegan” not (6) The industry they work for makes read on pages 12-13 in the November 2010 “Pathun” and “McGeehan”). billions. As a worker, they would be insane Industrial Worker that FW Jon Bekken’s X365465 continuously admits that he not to demand as much of the revenue “Annual Survey of Historical Writing on has limited knowledge of the subject, but as possible. Only for some reason, FW the IWW” is to be the last of the series. that does not stop him from gloriously X365465 sees fit to demean and punish Letters Welcome! Jon has performed an invaluable service pontificating. While he beats the dead them for their bargaining successes. for people interested in this literature by Send your letters to: [email protected] horse of high pay for certain players, Just because FW X365465 compiling this information year by year. It with “Letter” in the subject. his ignorance of the subject fails to has a “great deal of difficulty is unlikely that any of our members will be mention: thinking of anybody in that sal- Mailing address: able to continue this effort in the future. (1) The average career of an ary range as ‘workers’” does not IW, P.O. Box 7430, JAF Station, New For this, as for many other services to the NFL player is three years. discount the idea. He skillfully York, NY 10116, United States IWW, we are indebted to Jon Bekken. (2) A player must play 3.5 years and deftly avoided our discus- Steve Kellerman, X325068 to get the minimum health care benefit sion about most players risking their lives Get the Word Out! which is only five years. on every snap as well as the concurrent IWW members, branches, job shops and Football Players ARE Workers! (3) Players will likely have health point that most players are not those that By Neil Parthun and Photo: iww.org other affiliated bodies can get the word maladies requiring necessary care for receive national media attention. . out about their project, event, campaign Dann McKeegan longer than those five years which means Furthermore, it should be noted that or protest each month in the Industrial Editor’s Note: This will be the last in a the next 50+ years (if they live to expected there is not only one professional foot- Worker. Send announcements to iw@ series of debate regarding this issue. life span for adult male) must be paid out ball league. The United Football League, iww.org. Much appreciated donations The combination of arrogance and of their own earnings. Canadian Football League, American for the following sizes should be sent to: ignorance shown in FW X365465’s let- (4) Nearly 50 percent of what they Professional Football League, Atlantic/ ter, “NFL Players Are Not Workers: The make is gone when factoring in income American Indoor Football League, Con- IWW GHQ, Post Office Box 180195, Debate Continues,” which appeared in the taxes, their agent’s cut and their associa- tinental Indoor Football League, Indoor Chicago, IL 60618, United States. August/September IW, was awe-inspiring. tion dues. Long term income is far from Football League, Southern Indoor Foot- From apparently knowing my co-au- guaranteed. ball League and the slated All American $12 for 1” tall, 1 column wide thor and myself so well that our arguments (5) Many NFL players die earlier than Football League and the Ultimate Indoor $40 for 4” by 2 columns were not based on our love of radical poli- the expected life span due to the punish- Football League all beg to differ. $90 for a quarter page tics and sports but rather a “tender set of ment taken in their chosen profession. As Continued on 4 Industrial Worker IWW directory The Voice of Revolutionary Industrial Unionism Australia Ottawa Panhandlers Union: Andrew Nellis, Georgia New York City GMB: P.O. Box 7430, JAF Station, Regional Organising Committee: P.O. Box 1866, spokesperson, 613-748-0460. ottawapanhandler- Atlanta: M. Bell, del.,404-693-4728, iwwbell@ 10116, [email protected]. www.wobblycity.org Albany, WA [email protected] gmail.com Starbucks Campaign: 44-61 11th St. Fl. 3, Long Organization Albany: 0423473807, [email protected] Peterborough: c/o PCAP, 393 Water St. #17, K9H Hawaii Island City 11101 [email protected] Education Melbourne: P.O. Box 145, Moreland, VIC 3058. 3L7, 705-749-9694 Honolulu: Tony Donnes, del., [email protected] www.starbucksunion.org 0448 712 420 Toronto GMB: c/o Libra Knowledge & Information Upstate NY GMB: P.O. Box 235, Albany 12201- Emancipation Svcs Co-op, P.O. Box 353 Stn. A, M5W 1C2. 416- Idaho Perth: Mike Ballard, [email protected] Boise: Ritchie Eppink, del., P.O. Box 453, 83701. 0235, 518-833-6853 or 518-861-5627. www. 919-7392. [email protected] upstate-nyiww.org, secretary@upstate-ny-iww. British Isles Québec 208-371-9752, [email protected] Official newspaper of the org, Rochelle Semel, del., P.O. Box 172, Fly Creek British Isles Regional Organising Committee (BI- Montreal GMB: cp 60124, Montréal, QC, H2J 4E1. Illinois 13337, 607-293-6489, [email protected]. Industrial Workers ROC): PO Box 7593 Glasgow, G42 2EX. Secretariat: 514-268-3394. [email protected]. Chicago GMB: 2117 W. Irving Park Rd., 60618. Hudson Valley GMB: P.O. Box 48, Huguenot 12746, [email protected], Organising Department Chair: 773-857-1090. Gregory Ehrendreich, del., 312- 845-342-3405, [email protected], http://hviww. of the World [email protected]. www.iww.org.uk Europe 479-8825, [email protected] IWW UK Web Site administrators and Tech Depart- blogspot.com/ Post Office Box 180195 Central Ill GMB: 903 S. Elm, Champaign, IL, 61820. ment Coordinators: [email protected], www. Finland 217-356-8247. David Johnson, del., unionyes@ Ohio tech.iww.org.uk Helsinki: Reko Ravela, Otto Brandtintie 11 B 25, Chicago, IL 60618 USA 00650. [email protected] ameritech.net Ohio Valley GMB: P.O. Box 42233, Cincinnati NBS Job Branch National Blood Service: iww.nbs@ 45242. 773.857.1090 • [email protected] Freight Truckers Hotline: [email protected] gmail.com German Language Area Waukegan: P.O Box 274, 60079. Textile & Clothing Workers IU 410: P.O. Box 317741 www.iww.org Mission Print Job Branch: tomjoad3@hotmail. IWW German Language Area Regional Organizing Cincinnati 45231. [email protected] co.uk Committee (GLAMROC): Post Fach 19 02 03, 60089 Indiana Oklahoma Building Construction Workers IU 330: construc- Frankfurt/M, Germany [email protected]. www.wobblies.de Lafayette GMB: P.O. Box 3793, West Lafayette, Tulsa: P.O. Box 213 Medicine Park 73557, 580-529- General Secretary-Treasurer: [email protected] 47906, 765-242-1722 3360. Health Workers IU 610: [email protected]. Austria: [email protected]. www.iw- Joe Tessone waustria.wordpress.com Iowa Oregon uk, www.iww-healthworkers.org.uk Eastern Iowa GMB: 114 1/2 E. College Street, Iowa Frankfurt am Main: [email protected] Lane County: Ed Gunderson, del., 541-953-3741. General Executive Board: Education Workers IU 620: [email protected], City, 52240. [email protected] Goettingen: [email protected] [email protected], www.eugeneiww.org www.geocities.com/iwweducation Maine Monika Vykoukal, Koala Largess, Recreational Workers (Musicians) IU 630: peltonc@ Koeln GMB: IWW, c/o BCC, Pfaelzer Str. 2-4, 50677 Portland GMB: 2249 E Burnside St., 97214, Ryan G., Ildiko Silpos, E. Wolfson, gmail.com, [email protected] Koeln, Germany. [email protected] Barry Rodrigue, 75 Russell Street, Bath, 04530. 503-231-5488. [email protected], pdx. 207-442-7779 iww.org Slava Osowska, Bob Ratynski General, Legal, Public Interest & Financial Office Munich: [email protected] Workers IU 650: [email protected] Luxembourg: 0352 691 31 99 71, [email protected] Maryland Portland Red and Black Cafe: 400 SE 12th Ave, Bradford: [email protected] Baltimore IWW: P.O. Box 33350, 21218. balti- 97214. 503-231-3899. redandblackbooking@ Editor & Graphic Designer : Switzerland: [email protected] [email protected] riseup.net. www. redandblackcafe.com. Diane Krauthamer Bristol GMB: P.O. Box 4, 82 Colston street, BS1 5BB. Tel. 07506592180. [email protected], Netherlands: [email protected] Massachusetts Pennsylvania [email protected] [email protected] South Africa Boston Area GMB: PO Box 391724, Cambridge Lancaster GMB: P.O. Box 796, 17608. Cambridge GMB: IWWCambridge, 12 Mill Road, Cape Town: 7a Rosebridge, Linray Road, Rosebank, 02139. 617-469-5162 Philadelphia GMB: PO Box 42777, 19101. 215- Final Edit Committee : Cambridge CB1 2AD [email protected] Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa 7700. Cape Cod/SE Massachusetts: [email protected] 222-1905. [email protected]. Union Hall: 4530 Dorset: [email protected] [email protected] Western Mass. Public Service IU 650 Branch: IWW, Baltimore Ave., 19143. Maria Rodriguez Gil, Tom Levy, P.O. Box 1581, Northampton 01061 Nick Jusino, Slava Osowska, Hull: [email protected] United States Paper Crane Press IU 450 Job Shop: 610-358- Leeds: [email protected], leeds@iww. Arizona Michigan 9496. [email protected], www. FW D. Keenan, J.R. Boyd, org.uk Phoenix GMB: P.O. Box 7126, 85011-7126. 623- Detroit GMB: 22514 Brittany Avenue, E. Detroit papercranepress.com Mathieu Dube, Neil Parthun, Leicester GMB: Unit 107, 40 Halford St., Leicester 336-1062. [email protected] 48021. [email protected]. Tony Khaled, del., 21328 Pittsburgh GMB : P.O. Box 831, Monroeville, Michael Capobianco LE1 1TQ, England. Tel. 07981 433 637, leics@iww. Flagstaff: Courtney Hinman, del., 928-600-7556, Redmond Ave., East Detroit 48021 15146. [email protected] org.uk www.leicestershire-iww.org.uk [email protected] Grand Rapids GMB: PO Box 6629, 49516. 616-881- Rhode Island London GMB: c/o Freedom Bookshop, Angel Alley, Arkansas 5263. Shannon Williams, del., 616-881-5263 Printer: Providence GMB: P.O. Box 5795, 02903. 508-367- 84b Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX. +44 (0) 20 Fayetteville: P.O. Box 283, 72702. 479-200-1859. Central Michigan: 5007 W. Columbia Rd., Mason 6434. [email protected]. Globe Direct/Boston Globe Media 3393 1295, [email protected] www.iww. [email protected] 48854. 517-676-9446, happyhippie66@hotmail. Texas Millbury, MA org/en/branches/UK/London DC com Nottingham: [email protected] Minnesota Dallas & Fort Worth: 1618 6th Ave, Fort Worth, DC GMB (Washington): 741 Morton St NW, Wash- 76104. Next deadline is Reading GMB: [email protected] ington DC, 20010. 571-276-1935 Duluth IWW: Brad Barrows, del., 1 N. 28th Ave E., Sheffield: [email protected] 55812. [email protected]. South Texas IWW: [email protected] December 3, 2010. California Utah Tyne and Wear GMB (Newcastle +): tyneand- Los Angeles GMB: P.O. Box 811064, 90081. Red River IWW: POB 103, Moorhead, 56561. 218- [email protected] www.iww.org/en/branches/ (310)205-2667. [email protected] 287-0053. [email protected] Salt Lake City: Tony Roehrig, del., 801-485-1969. tr_wobbly@yahoo .com U.S. IW mailing address: UK/Tyne North Coast GMB: P.O. Box 844, Eureka 95502- Twin Cities GMB: 79 13th Ave NE Suite 103A, Min- IW, P.O. Box 7430, JAF Sta- West Midlands GMB: The Warehouse, 54-57 Allison 0844. 707-725-8090, [email protected] neapolis 55413. [email protected]. Vermont tion, New York, NY 10116 Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5TH westmids@ San Francisco Bay Area GMB: (Curbside and Buy- Missouri Burlington GMB: P.O. Box 8005, 05402. 802-540- iww.org.uk www.wmiww.org back IU 670 Recycling Shops; Stonemountain Kansas City GMB: c/o 5506 Holmes St., 64110. 2541 ISSN 0019-8870 York GMB: [email protected] www.wowyork.org Fabrics Job Shop and IU 410 Garment and Textile 816-523-3995 Washington Scotland Worker’s Industrial Organizing Committee; Shattuck Periodicals postage Montana Bellingham: P.O. Box 1793, 98227. 360-920-6240. Clydeside GMB: c/o IWW, P.O. Box 7593, Glasgow, Cinemas; Embarcadero Cinemas) P.O. Box 11412, paid Chicago, IL. Berkeley, 94712. 510-845-0540. [email protected] Two Rivers GMB: PO Box 9366, Missoula 59807. [email protected]. G42 2EX. [email protected], www.iw- 406-459-7585. [email protected] wscotland.org IU 520 Marine Transport Workers: Steve Ongerth, Tacoma GMB: P.O. Box 2052, 98401.TacIWW@ del., [email protected] Construction Workers IU 330: Dennis Georg, del., iww.org Postmaster: Send address Dumfries and Galloway GMB: [email protected]. 406-490-3869, [email protected] uk , iwwdumfries.wordpress.com IU 540 Couriers Organizing Committee: 415- Olympia GMB: P.O. Box 2775, 98507. Sam Green, changes to IW, Post Office Box 789-MESS, [email protected]. Billings: Jim Del Duca, del., 406-860-0331, del., [email protected] Edinburgh GMB: c/o 17 W. Montgomery Place, EH7 [email protected] 180195 Chicago, IL 60618 USA 5HA. 0131-557-6242, [email protected] messengersunion.org Seattle GMB: 1122 E. Pike #1142, 98122-3934. Evergreen Printing: 2335 Valley Street, Oakland, Nevada 206-339-4179. [email protected]. www. seattleiww.org SUBSCRIPTIONS Canada 94612. 510-835-0254. [email protected] Reno GMB: P.O. Box 40132, 89504. Paul Lenart, Individual Subscriptions: $18 Alberta San Jose: [email protected] del., 775-513-7523, [email protected] Wisconsin Edmonton GMB: P.O. Box 75175, T6E 6K1. edmon- Colorado Madison GMB: P.O. Box 2442, 53703-2442. www. International Subscriptions: $20 [email protected], edmonton.iww.ca IU 520 Railroad Workers: Ron Kaminkow, del., P.O. Denver GMB: 2727 W. 27th Ave., 80211. Lowell Box 2131, Reno, 89505. 608-358-5771. ronka- madisoniww.info Library Subs: $24/year British Columbia May, del., 303-433-1852. breadandroses@msn. [email protected] Lakeside Press IU 450 Job Shop: 1334 Williamson, Vancouver GMB: 204-2274 York Ave., Vancouver, com Union dues includes subscription. New Jersey 53703. 608-255-1800. Jerry Chernow, del., jerry@ BC, V6K 1C6. Phone/fax 604-732-9613. gmb-van@ Four Corners (AZ, CO, NM, UT): 970-903-8721, lakesidepress.org. www.lakesidepress.org Published monthly with the excep- iww.ca, vancouver.iww.ca, vancouverwob. [email protected] Central New Jersey GMB: P.O. Box 10021, New blogspot.com Brunswick, 08906. 732-801-7001. iwwcnj@gmail. Madison Infoshop Job Shop:1019 Williamson St. tion of March and September. Florida #B, 53703. 608-262-9036 Manitoba com. Bob Ratynski, del., 908-285-5426 Winnipeg GMB: IWW, c/o WORC, P.O. Box 1, R3C Gainesville GMB: c/o Civic Media Center, 433 S. New Mexico Just Coffee Job Shop IU 460: 1129 E. Wilson, Main St., 32601. Jason Fults, del., 352-318-0060, Madison, 53703. 608-204-9011, justcoffee.coop Articles not so designated do 2G1. [email protected]. Garth Hardy, [email protected] Albuquerque GMB: 202 Harvard Dr. SE, 87106. not reflect the IWW’s del., [email protected] 505-227-0206, [email protected]. GDC Local 4: P.O. Box 811, 53701. 608-262-9036. Ontario Pensacola GMB: P.O. Box 2662, Pensacola 32513- official position. 2662. 840-437-1323, [email protected], New York Railroad Workers IU 520: 608-358-5771. railfal- Ottawa-Outaouais GMB & GDC Local 6: P.O. Box [email protected] 52003, 390 Rideau Street, Ottawa, K1N 5Y8 www.angelfire.com/fl5/iww Binghamton GMB: P.O. Box 685, 13905. Bingham- Press Date: November 18, 2010. French: [email protected]. Fred Maack, del., Hobe Sound: P. Shultz, 8274 SE Pine Circle, 33455- ton Education Workers Union: binghamtoniww@ Milwaukee GMB: P.O. Box 070632, 53207. 414- [email protected]. 6608. 772-545-9591, [email protected] gmail.com. http://bewu.wordpress.com/ 481-3557 December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 3 Cuban Group Knocking Down Walls By Dalia Acosta from more universal issues to the specific The wall had to be torn down anyway. problems of Cubans,” affirmed Ramon Scrawled on its white surface had been Garcia Guerra, one of the founders of the the words “opportunism,” “mediocrity,” Haydee Santamaria Collective. “bureaucracy” and similar words that were Citing another of the promoters, Gar- gradually fading under the force of sledge cia noted that “the observatory was becom- hammers and the beat of music. ing a setting that created other settings.” This symbolic action, which took place “Youth are not lost, nor do they want in Havana in November 2009 to com- to be lost. Youth are looking for their path memorate the 20th anniversary of the in a context marked by a crisis of societal fall of the Berlin Wall, was given direction models at the global level and by a crisis by the youths of the Critical Observatory of references that should give security to Leadership Network (La Red Protagónica the next generation,” said Carlos Simon, Observatorio Crítico). a professor at the Superior Institute of Art That spirit was also present in a fo- and another founder of the initiative. rum held this past March in the Havana “We have to ask ourselves what we town of San Jose de Las Lajas. The group want for Cuba. There are traditions of the analyzed Cuba’s past and present, but not past that are not worth rescuing. I would from the usual position of complacency never attempt it,” Simon added during a or triumphalism; instead, they examined debate that emerged concerning two works the island’s wide range of contradictions. about the loss of cultural traditions in A few years ago, the Haydee Santama- an old batey (various facilities in a sugar ria Critical Thought and Emerging Cul- refinery) and in the eastern province of Photo: havanatimes.org tures Collective organized a forum titled Santiago de Cuba. Network activists participate in the annual May 1st International Workers Day march “The Other Legacies of October.” In it they The issues of the rescue of traditions, in Havana. The banner reads: “Socialism is Democracy – Dump the Bureaucracy!” analyzed “the experiences of socialism in memory and history arose on the first the University of Havana and one of the of initiatives and people who work in the the 20th century, including Stalinism and day of the Fourth Socio-cultural Forum coordinators of Pensamos Cuba, the co- community in a self-managed manner, the degeneration of the left,” explained of the Critical Observatory of Cuba (held incidence in the timing of the two forums generally as volunteers. Among the other researcher Dmitri Prieto. on March 13 and 14 in San Jose de Las was not accidental. To her it was evidence initiatives are El Guardabosque, Social- Since 2005, the Haydee Santamaria Lajas, 25 miles from the capital) with the that “we’re connected with reality, and ismo Participativo y Democrático, El Tren- Collective has been included as a socio- participation of intellectuals from seven of that’s why we’re having similar events with cito, Ahimsa (meaning “no to violence” cultural project of the Criticism and Re- the 14 provinces of the country. similar audiences,” she said. in Sanskrit) and El Grupo de Estudios search Section of the Asociacion Herma- In a relaxed and participative atmo- With the premise that reality has to be Culturales Nuestra América. nos Saiz (AHS), a national group of young sphere, a wide variety of “urgencies” were observed, thought about, criticized, and The participating initiatives offer creators. In turn, the Collective created the tackled, such as university autonomy, the also constructed, the Critical Observatory free services for digital publications, free Critical Observatory in 2006 as an annual expansion of very limited opportunities Leadership Network concluded 2009 as a software, tree planting and reforestation, mechanism to allow for the confluence of for the creation of cooperatives, racism, year of active presence at the community animal vaccinations, ecological monitor- research efforts and alternative proposals. ways of life respectful of nature, the center- level, but also in different cultural forums ing and children’s recreation. The Haydee Since then, various socio-cultural periphery contradiction, diasporas and and in debates that continue to be carried Santamaria Collective has a mini book self-management representatives and ini- immigration. out concerning Cuba today. library and a public media library in its tiatives have built up the network, which The Observatory’s forum coincided “Down with the bureaucracy, up with central office in Havana. has facilitated the exchange, coordination with another one sponsored by AHS in the workers, more socialism,” could be At the culmination of the first theo- and the promotion of joint actions of social the heart of Havana. Titled the “Pensamos read on a banner carried by Network mem- retical Digital Media and Culture Forum, impact that break with those of the “domi- Cuba (Thinking Cuba) theoretical-cultural bers in the May 1st International Workers’ organized by the cultural initiative Esquife nant dynamics” existing in every society. forum,” it included round tables on partici- Day march. Members of the group also in December, a letter was drafted and pre- “We learned how to dialogue in a coun- pation and work, the art of criticism, the participated in a march against violence, sented to the Ministry of Culture rejecting try where there’s no culture of dialogue. vision of the country in audiovisual work and on Nov. 27, 2009, they were among certain “obstructions and prohibitions We were sharing and creating a common of the young generation and the writer in those who paid homage to the five black against social and cultural initiatives” collection of readings, experiences and the face of social reality. heroes forgotten by history. that occurred in 2009 (the letter can be polemics. Gradually, the focus turned For Hiram Hernandez, a professor at The network is comprised of a group found here: http://www.ainfos.ca/en/ IWW Constitution Preamble ainfos23464.html). Join the IWW Today The message, which was signed by The working class and the employing he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the several initiatives and 77 people, called class have nothing in common. There can job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions attention to the “increase in bureaucratic- be no peace so long as hunger and want today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and authoritarian control” and the need to are found among millions of working T distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popu- counteract that trend through “promoting people and the few, who make up the em- lation, not merely a handful of exploiters. dialogue” and “respecting the autonomy” ploying class, have all the good things of We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially ­– of initiatives and people that emerge in life. Between these two classes a struggle that is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than dividing must go on until the workers of the world current Cuban society. organize as a class, take possession of the workers by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together. “It is not so much about demanding, means of production, abolish the wage Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly it’s about us doing things for ourselves, system, and live in harmony with the international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses contributing to Cuba. Although it’s legiti- earth. and in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow mate, we don’t believe in the usefulness of We find that the centering of the man- workers no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on. a position that solely accuses and criticizes. agement of industries into fewer and fewer We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have In addition to pointing out the problems, hands makes the trade unions unable to representation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recog- it’s necessary to project toward future cope with the ever-growing power of the nizing that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition realities that have an emancipatory char- employing class. The trade unions foster but about workers coming together to address our common concerns. Sometimes acter,” summed up Dmitri Prieto. a state of affairs which allows one set of this means striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with Assistance is needed with translation workers to be pitted against another set an unsafe machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done. and other forms of solidarity. For more in- of workers in the same industry, thereby Sometimes it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific formation, contact libsolidaridadcubano@ helping defeat one another in wage wars. workplace, or across an industry. gmail.com. For further background, you Moreover, the trade unions aid the employ- Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues may also visit http://elblogdelacatedra. ing class to mislead the workers into the to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved. blogspot.com and http://observatorio- belief that the working class have interests critico.blogspot.com. in common with their employers. TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation This story appeared in its original These conditions can be changed and and your first month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 180195, Chicago, IL the interest of the working class upheld format in March 2010 on http://www. 60618, USA. havanatimes.org. only by an organization formed in such Initiation is the same as one month’s dues. Our dues are calculated a way that all its members in any one in- according to your income. If your monthly income is under $2000, dues dustry, or all industries if necessary, cease are $9 a month. If your monthly income is between $2000 and $3500, work whenever a strike or lockout is on in Subscribe to the any department thereof, thus making an dues are $18 a month. If your monthly income is over $3500 a month, dues injury to one an injury to all. are $27 a month. Dues may vary outside of North America and in Regional Industrial Worker Instead of the conservative motto, “A Organizing Committees (Australia, British Isles, German Language Area). 10 issues for: fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” we __I affirm that I am a worker, and that I am not an employer. • US $18 for individuals. must inscribe on our banner the revolu- • US $20 for internationals. tionary watchword, “Abolition of the wage __I agree to abide by the IWW constitution. • US $24 for institutions. system.” __I will study its principles and acquaint myself with its purposes. It is the historic mission of the work- Name:______Name: ______ing class to do away with capitalism. The Address:______army of production must be organized, Address:______not only for the everyday struggle with City, State, Post Code, Country:______State/Province:______capitalists, but also to carry on production Occupation:______Zip/PC______when capitalism shall have been over- Send to: PO Box 180195, Phone:______Email:______thrown. By organizing industrially we are Chicago IL 60618 USA forming the structure of the new society Amount Enclosed:______Subscribe Today! within the shell of the old. Membership includes a subscription to the Industrial Worker. Page 4 • Industrial Worker • December 2010 The Pamphlet As Passport By Michael Edwards Whether or not they acknowledged the Spain in June was hot. Not in the tem- legitimacy of our makeshift passport, they perature sense, but in the “labor struggle is acknowledged our power. Legitimate or heating up” sense. The rhetoric in Europe not, we controlled access to the campus. isn’t about “recovery” the way it is here Not only that, we had a lasting effect with in North America: everything is “crisis,” the “pamphlet as passport.” If these people “austerity,” and “we must all sacrifice.” planned on leaving campus and returning, “We,” of course, means “workers.” The first they had to carry that pamphlet with them target was the militant public sector work- the entire day. All of a sudden a disposable ers. This sector includes staff in hospitals, piece of propaganda had acquired the schools, and government offices. My first status of one of those critical things you question upon arriving in Barcelona to my carry around with you every day, like your host was, “What’s going on, and how do driver’s license. I help?” His response was, “Come to our Realizing the power we had and seeing action.” how we could use The action was it shocked me. We a n i n f o r m a t i o n speak a lot about picket at a univer- class consciousness, sity outside of Bar- but we rarely talk celona. We had a about power. Rais- two-sided pamphlet ing class conscious- in wordy and less- ness needs to have wordy form. There a component that were multiple ac- acknowledges the cess points to the fact that we are us- campus, but it was possible to occupy ing and wielding power. We don’t really them all with about three groups. I was have the ability to be surgical with that initially confused about the objectives, power. Mostly it takes the form of “we can and clearly others were as well. Before do a lot of economic damage if we don’t arriving I thought we were doing a full get what we want.” This is the core of the blockade. Then I later thought we were strike action. Recognizing this truth is just handing out pamphlets; later still I critical. The “what we want” part can be was informed that our objective was to fair and equitable, but it is utterly irrel- ruin traffic around the university. We evant without a foundation of “we can do were to functionally block the university a lot of economic damage.” without announcing it. That didn’t require Class consciousness is not just “my actually stopping every driver. This was an buddy and I at work have the same griev- important distinction. ances.” It is the acknowledgement of our During the initial phase, when we collective power and our willingness to were just handing out pamphlets, the use it for our benefit. Exercising that drivers began treating the pamphlets power, even in small ways like pamphlet- as their passport to the campus. After a as-passport, demonstrate the kind of class while we started getting cars that already consciousness that is the bread-and-butter had a pamphlet. It was almost cute the underpinning day-to-day class struggle. way the drivers would desperately wave Without this experience and understand- it in order to get past us. What I realized ing of collective power we risk crippling was that this was an assent to our power. our own class consciousness. Football Players ARE Workers! Continued from 2 Arizona, it is upon their footsteps that There are myriad options if one is cut much of the current sports/politics work from a National Football League (NFL) has been built. While the Major League franchise. They may not pay at such a rate Baseball Players Association has made a as the NFL but there are other options public statement against SB 1070 since available. the 2011 All Star Game may take place in And last, but certainly not least, is the Arizona, they acknowledged that it was the mention of the lack of solidarity. While the NFLPA’s and the NFL’s precedence that NFL Players Associa- allowed them to make tion (NFLPA) has not such a political state- had the best record on ment. In 1990, the solidarity issues, the NFLPA and the NFL same can be said of ev- worked together to re- ery major trade union. move the 1993 Super This fact, however, Bowl from Phoenix as does not invalidate the a punishment when entirety of the organi- Arizona refused to ac- zations, no matter how much FW X365465 knowledge Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth- wishes and wills it to be so. Under the cur- day as a federal holiday. So, the NFLPA rent leadership of DeMaurice Smith, the does have a history of working for causes NFLPA has been fairly proactive in getting of racial justice in Arizona. involved with the struggles of other labor- In conclusion, sports and politics are ers. According to UNITE HERE’s website: intertwined. Nobody speaks about the “Indianapolis Colts star Jeff Saturday gains of the civil rights movement in the and DeMaurice Smith, Executive Direc- United States and does not mention Jackie tor of the NFLPA, have sent letters to the Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. CEOs of three major hotel companies— A person cannot speak about the anti-war Hyatt, Starwood and Host—expressing and black liberation struggles of the 1960s concern over the treatment of workers without discussing ‘The Greatest’—Mu- Graphic: Mike Konopacki in non-union hotels in downtown India- hammad Ali.” People cannot talk about the napolis.” success of the women’s rights movement Call For Submissions! The letters affirm the NFLPA’s support without pointing to the successes that for hotel workers organizing in Indianapo- have come for women via Title IX sports lis, who are among the lowest paid hotel programs and the prowess of Billie Jean Feminist Men In Solidarity With Women workers in North America. The letters King (not only in her “Battle of the Sexes” By J.R. Boyd for feminism as part of the state, “We believe that working people match but also for openly acknowledging As we build the new so- common struggle for hu- deserve living wages, dignity, respect and on the cover of Ms. Magazine that she had ciety in the shell of the old, manity. freedom to organize without employer an abortion and for her work to help the feminism is an essential Feminist men and male- intimidation.” Additionally, they warn U.S. women’s team gain equal pay rights practice. All too often, how- identified Wobblies, and that “the NFL Combine in Indianapolis during the late 1990s). ever, the work of feminism other interested parties, are [Editor’s Note: which will take place in FW X365465 can be willfully ignorant is the work of women, not encouraged to read and con- February 2011] fills many rooms, and we of the facts about sports and politics, how the shared goal of workers. In tribute at http://femenins. will do business with hotel companies that our names are spelled and a basic history acknowledging this necessity, blogspot.com. Please con- treat employees with fairness.’” of the NFLPA, but he should not be able a new blog brings together tact J.R. Boyd at ladypov- As for the idea that the NFLPA would to get away with spewing these ridiculous male and male-identified [email protected] for more not speak out about issues of racism in musings unchallenged. Wobblies around the struggle information. December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 5 Workers Object To Manipulated Union Election The Jimmy John’s Election Is Only A Beginning By Jimmy Johns Workers Union from the Department of Labor, Mulligan By FW b We’re realizing that we are stronger MINNEAPOLIS – The Jimmy John’s spent over $84,500 on an anti-union On Oct. 22, the IWW Jimmy Johns now. We can continue to build this up Workers Union has filed a 12-page Ob- campaign intended to prevent workers Workers Union lost a National Labor Rela- because there are a lot of ways towards jection to the Oct. 22 National Labor from unionizing. tions Board (NLRB) election at a 10-store achieving our goal of being a majority Relations Board (NLRB) election at 10 Tim Louris, of Minneapolis labor firm Jimmy John’s franchise by a single vote. union at Jimmy John’s. Minneapolis sandwich shops, outlining Miller O’Brien Cummins, is assisting the This election itself was of historic We lost a battle but we’re in a war, a pattern of pervasive and systemic labor union pro-bono in nav- importance for the and we’re not going to lose unless we give rights violations that prevented the pos- igating the tricky wa- fast food industry as up and stop fighting—whether it be in sibility of a free and fair vote. The union ters of labor law. Union well as for American this struggle at Jimmy John’s or in this election, a first in fast food in the United spokespeople say the workers who are low society which systematically attacks and States, was as close as they come, with 85 written objection to the on the food chain. undermines the power and livelihood of votes in favor of the union, 87 against, and election results will be It was also a huge working people. two challenged ballots. available to the public step forward for the Our lives are not a game. We are not “Franchise owner Mike Mulligan de- within a few days. IWW—as a whole as going to let winning or losing a govern- cided to go beyond the pale. His managers While filing with well as for our Twin ment game, however close it may be, asked workers to wear anti-union pins, the NLRB to have the Cities GMB. determine whether or not we’re going to fired pro-union workers, threatened a election results nulli- That being said, continue to fight to improve our lives. mass firing, implemented an illegal wage fied, the workers also this moment is not Votes do not make our bills, kids or freeze, tightened policies and retaliated plan to mount a cam- without grief. All of dreams disappear. against union members, offered bribes, paign to win their de- us had to grieve, and We continue to meet every Sunday, as and pressured workers to vote no. He mands without union the grieving will be we have been doing for nearly two years. broke the law repeatedly in order to win, recognition. a longer process for Please keep an eye out or contact us for and he just barely won. That’s not right. “Eighty-five yes Graphic: jimmyjohnsworkers.org some of us than oth- ways that you can help. When we stand We are calling on the NLRB to set aside the votes, in spite of six ers. Even still, poor together in solidarity, we make history. results of this election,” said worker and weeks of vicious union-busting, is a man- Jimmy John’s workers made bureaucratic Fast food workers need a new future—so union member Emily Przybylski. date for change,” said Ayo Collins, another labor union history. does our society and so do we. In response to his employees’ union worker and union member. “There are a When we met afterwards, it started out Get involved. Organize with your co- campaign, franchise owner Mike Mulligan thousand ways we can put pressure on as a pretty sad gathering. However, while workers or peers. Join the IWW. Stand hired a third-party anti-union consulting Jimmy John’s to win our demands for fair we may have started low, we did not stay up, make history. We have a whole world firm, Labor Relations Inc., to prevent wages, sick days, consistent hours, and there. As time crept on, it became more to win. employees from winning an NLRB union respect. We’re fired up, this fight is just and more apparent that low is not really For more information, visit: http:// election. According to documents obtained beginning.” the place we are at. www.jimmyjohnsworkers.org Bristol Wobblies Defend Public Services Solidarity With Peace Activists Raided By The FBI By the Chicago IWW At the October meeting of the Chicago General Mem- bership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World, the members voted unanimously to draft a Letter of Soli- darity with the Peace Activists raided by the FBI on Sept. 24, 2010. We wish to show our support specifically for the three Chicago activists and one from Minneapolis, as well as all other activists who were raided by the FBI:

Stephanie Weiner Joe Isobaker Hatem Abudayyeh Graphic: stopfbi.net Mick Kelly Photo: © The Invisible Photographer The Membership of the Chicago IWW GMB call on the U.S. Department of Members of the recently-formed Bristol IWW demonstrate to defend pub- Justice to drop the Grand Jury proceedings against the Peace Activists, and for lic services at a rally on Oct. 23 in the City Centre of Bristol, U.K. The demon- the FBI to cease spying on and raiding Labor and Peace activists, and to return all stration was called by the Bristol & District Anti-Cuts Alliance. materials seized in the recent raids to the U.S. Citizens who were raided.

Students, Workers Occupy The Millbank Tower In London Port Shutdown Demands Justice For Oscar Grant Continued from 1 communities in our campuses, pushing Continued from 1 Teachers Association. Porter quickly lined himself up behind for occupations, sit-ins, walkouts and the day that goes by that I don’t think of Oscar Throughout the afternoon, rally orga- his future employers joining the Labour inclusion of those often excluded and mar- Grant. This should never have happened.” nizers reminded the crowd, “We cannot Party in its denunciations. Prime Min- ginalized in these struggles (the cleaners, The impetus for the justice rally came let this movement end today.” Plans are ister David Cameron, for his part, has porters, administrative and security staff from members of Oscar Grant’s family, underway to keep the momentum of this been quick to criminalize the protesters, who quietly labor in our universities for who went to the ILWU seeking their sup- coalition going. talking once more of ramping up policing less than the minimum wage). port. The highpoint of the event came (Article copyright 1995-2010 Workers in the capital—this is while the death of Media pundits and politicians have when a large group of Grant’s family and World. Verbatim copying and distribution Ian Tomlinson at the hands of the Metro- also argued, and continue to argue, that friends took the stage. of this entire article is permitted in any politan Police lingers strong in the minds students are somehow privileged or self- The atmosphere on the plaza became medium without royalty provided this of many of us. None of the assessments interested. This is the same divisive tactic electrified when Grant’s six-year-old notice is preserved). of the Millbank protesters as a “militant being used against all public sector work- daughter Tatiana was introduced to the ------minority,” “the Socialist Worker Party” or ers. In reality, as many students explained crowd. A moving letter to the sentencing Editor’s Note: Former BART police Offi- “anarchist” alone is accurate. Such a claim through TV interviews, this protest was judge demanding the maximum sentence cer Johannes Mehserle was sentenced on is made even more ridiculous by the roll- not so much for themselves but for their for Grant’s killer was read by Tatiana’s Nov. 5. He received a two-year sentence ing 24-hour news coverage that not only younger brothers and sisters or even aunt. but, with credit for time he has already showed a clear diversity of students and for their future children who otherwise Other speakers at the gathering in- served behind bars, Mehserle will be eli- education workers (yes, we were there wouldn’t be able to go to university. This cluded Bobby Seale and Elaine Brown, gible for release in about seven months. too) taking great pleasure in smashing is similar to the concern that many public former leaders of the Black Panther Party, His attorney, Michael Rains, said he will windows, office equipment and scuffling workers have for service users, who will and representatives from several unions appeal the involuntary manslaughter with the police, but the interviews with the undoubtedly also suffer from cuts to ser- including the Service Employees and the conviction and in the meantime will try occupiers themselves who often admitted vices. We cannot allow these strong ties of Oakland Education Association/California to win Mehserle's release on bail. this had been their first protest. solidarity, across generations and between Yes, the anarchists were also involved service providers and service users, to be 100 Donors For The Organizing Fund! in this action: of course we were. But what undermined. The rhetoric that certain From the Organizer's Notebook is this notion of the “apolitical” student workers/students are a privileged group The Organizer’s Notebook is proud to spearhead an effort to secure 100 dona- and education worker that is being pro- implies they should not be supported by tions to the Organizing Department Fund Drive. moted by the media? Does the fact that others. We need to recognize this for what There can be no doubt that the Organizer Training Program has been instru- we are anarchists preclude us from being it is—divide and rule. mental in all of the IWW’s recent campaigns and in the creation of the national “normal people,” from acting in solidarity We also affirm our commitment to organizing committees in the construction, courier, education, freight trucker, and with our fellow workers and students? We supporting all those who were victimized foodstuffs industries. Fellow Workers, we need to build on this success! The first reject such a paralyzing construct. It is de- and arrested as the result of their actions at step to achieving this is to go into your own workplace and keep plugging away at signed to suffocate us, to force us into the Millbank Towers. We encourage all educa- the organizing. The second is to go to http://pledgie.com/campaigns/11822 and image of the respectful, peaceful and, ulti- tion workers and students to do the same. make a donation to the Organizer Training Fund so that the union can develop the mately, obedient and ineffectual protester. The action on Nov. 10 was a sign of training program further and make sure that our trainers continue to travel around We, like many of our fellow students and things to come. The students and educa- the country and help workers in need. workers, recognize that only direct action tion workers have been the first to speak Do not delay, let’s make it a group goal to get 100 donations to the fund before the will bring about meaningful change. That in response to the austerity attacks, and we time the next Organizer’s Notebook is published! Five minutes and $10 is all that it in order to fight the cuts we need to be not encourage the rest of the working class to takes to ensure the IWW continues to grow as a force for working-class power. Check only fighting on the streets but building follow (see page 12). out the “donate” button on the left-hand side of http://www.iww.org for more info. Page 6 • Industrial Worker • December 2010 Special Observations On The Struggle At Castlewood: Healthcare for employees with fami- lies went from zero to $739.08 a month and became available only to full-time employees, of which there were now none thanks to the new decision to scramble up the schedule to make sure nobody got enough hours to get there. Senior- ity, always more of an abstract concept rather than an actual thing, was now just completely gone. No one had seen their $1 pay raise in a while. Rumors that the owners were also trying to put Delta House on academic probation and attempting to steal Christmas also began circulating. In addition to this, the management began putting up signs telling the staff not to speak to the guests at the golf course. The housekeeping staff found themselves replaced by non-union contractors, pushed out of a job with no warning at all. When the workers protested this, they came to work one day to find themselves locked out. A few days later, the owners invited all locked out Castlewood staff to a breakfast on the company’s dime, all on the clock and paid, which immediately set off alarm bells. Undoubtedly they expected manage- ment to seal them all in there and set the place on fire, which would be in keeping with their business practices thus far. But they went anyway, and were greeted with Workers picket outside the Castlewood Country Club in May. Photo: Brooke Anderson, indybay.org the only proposal the owners of the place have been willing to give since the contract By James Robert Porter kind of shiny version of Lord Humongous's “Hey, wait a second,” one of them said. expired. We got five miles into California before army from “Mad Max,” and since I left my “What's all this union shit about, anyway? They were told that they were going I started gagging. hockey mask and gimp slave in my other Isn’t this America? Don’t we have the right to vote on whether they still wanted their “Gah!” I gasped, stumbling out of the chariot, I was woefully under-equipped. to pay our workers whatever we want? union or not. If they voted against the car before dropping to the ground, retch- So why would I leave the safety of Who’s the government to say that we can’t union, then the bosses promised them ing. “What the hell is this stuff?” Mother Desert, with her sandstorms and pay them 11 cents an hour if the market their jobs back the very next day. If they Jackie was in the passenger seat, soothing radiation, to brave the untamed will bear it?” voted for the union, they would remain coughing spasmodically. capitalist wilds of California? The only That’s what was going through the locked out and their jobs would be re- “It’s...I think it’s fresh air,” she said. things California has are rich people and Castlewood owners’ minds as they pon- placed. A lifetime of living in Nevada means the ocean, and I hate one of those and am dered the unique situation they were in. At this point, most of the staff had no not being ready for the actual trees that terrified of the other. Suddenly, it was okay to start screwing idea that they even had a union. They create actual air. Our lungs aren’t designed Well, almost a year ago, the Castle- workers again. And since they pretty much Continued on next page for something that isn’t 95 percent dust wood Country Club in Pleasanton found resemble every evil 1980s movie villain and five percent poison. their contract with the workers’ union all wrapped up, they were “Aw, Gawd!” I said. “It’s horrible!” running out. Most of the time this is no big totally cool with that. Jackie didn’t answer. She was busy deal. Usually management and the union The previous contract, coughing up 28 years’ worth of dust out leaders get together, address any issues admittedly, was pretty of her lungs. It took a while. either party has, and then hammer out a sweet. It provided free Besides the fact that California is not contract that usually sounds an awful lot health care to all employ- the howling radioactive wasteland Nevada like the last contract, because the last one ees, a guaranteed $1 raise is, there’s another reason why we don’t go was working, damn it. Nine times out of every year, guaranteed there, and that’s the traffic. As a resident ten, nobody gives a damn. hours regardless of full- of Reno, I’m more used to the apathetic However, this is an unusual climate. time or part-time employ- kind of traffic we get here. Nobody is in Since the intellectual elite had the utter ment and seniority recog- a hurry because there’s no place worth gall to elect a “black liberal communist nition when considering going to. We’re an island in the middle of Nazi socialist demon-worshiping secret management openings, an honest-to-God Wild West movie, only Uhuru devil God” to office, the right-wing among other things. Also none of us have guns and everyone’s too crazies have suddenly crawled out of the admittedly, the economy tired to kill someone anyway. holes they’ve been sitting inside all this was and is kind of going Compare that to California, which is time, penning manifestos. Someone gave through a rough patch. The full of irritating go-getters who get up in them all the mistaken idea that they have owners most likely HAD to the morning to be places, and oh my God something resembling legitimacy, and drop something. I under- I’m already exhausted just describing it. they started throwing their outdated ideas stand that. Since everyone is in a hurry to be every- to each other like it was the World’s Soft- But they cut EVERY- where all at once, you wind up with some ball Tournament for Fools. THING. Kids & parents against injustice. Photo: endthelockout.org

Order Your Copy of Subscribe to the Industrial Worker Solidarity Unionism At Starbucks! Subscribe or renew your Industrial Worker subscription. Legendary legal scholar Staughton Lynd teams up with influential labor organizer Daniel Gross in this exposition on Give a gift that keeps your family or friends thinking. solidarity unionism, the do-it-yourself workplace organizing system that is rapidly gaining prominence around the country Get 10 issues of working class news and views for: and around the world. Lynd and Gross make the audacious ar- • US $18 for individuals. gument that workers themselves on the shop floor, not outside • US $24 for library/institutions. union officials, are the real hope for labor’s future. Utilizing • US $20 for international subscriptions. the principles of solidarity unionism, any group of co-workers, like the workers at Starbucks, can start building an organiza- Name: ______tion to win an independent voice at work without waiting for a Address:______traditional trade union to come and “organize” them. Indeed, City/State/Province:______in a leaked recording of a conference call, the nation’s most prominent union-busting lobbyist coined a term, “the Starbucks Zip/Postal Code:______problem,” as a warning to business executives about the risk of working people organizing Send this subscription form to: themselves and taking direct action to improve issues at work. Combining history and theory with the groundbreaking practice of the model by Starbucks workers, Lynd and Gross make a compel- Industrial Worker Subscriptions, ling case for solidarity unionism as an effective, resilient, and deeply PO Box 180195, Chicago, IL 60618 USA democratic approach to winning a voice on the job and in society. Subscribe to the Industrial Worker today! Pre-order your copy for only $4.95 at: https://secure.pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=302 December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 7 Special Soldarity With Locked-Out Country Club Workers Continued from previous page ing over the megaphone courtesy of Sergio, had never spoken to any union representa- who was an unofficial spokesperson for the tive, had never gone to any union events, group. After conversing with Lian, the of- and had only the vaguest idea of who ran ficial spokesperson, and assuring him that, the damn thing. Regardless of this, and despite our wheezing and gasping we were in the face of losing their jobs and their more than qualified to picket, we grabbed livelihood to a bunch of 1980s villain our signs and got to work. caricatures, they courageously voted to Protesting like this just makes you keep their union in a near-landslide vote. want to mess with people, but we were They’ve been locked out of their jobs guests there, so we tried our best to be- for more than nine months now, since Feb. have. I restrained myself to simply raising 25. They’ve been bravely soldiering on for my fist at approaching cars and making what’s right, picketing every morning and direct eye contact, which was pretty ef- evening, six days a week. They’ve caused fective for a while. Then I did it at the the golf course to lose thousands of dollars, old black guy who started laughing at the to hire a union-busting lawyer which costs skinny white kid raising what looked like the company approximately $500 a day, a Black Panther salute, and that fairly took and to miss out on the majority of events the wind out of my sails. We resorted to they were counting on. simply waving. Still, the owners haven’t budged. We were dealing with a hostile atmo- Ben Atteberry, a man who invited us to a sphere. Apparently, unions are as commu- protest in support on Sept. 18, summed nist as collective farms and tractor plants. it up perfectly by saying that it’s a battle And, really, how dare the workers try to of ideology. The owners are ideologically make things better for themselves. It’s not opposed to unions. It has nothing to do like we live in a democracy or anything. with money. Not really. They want their After the picket we all got together for workers to know their place in the world, a barbeque, which was great. Everyone had which is as far down as possible. gotten their fill and we all circled up and Ben met us at the golf course shortly heard about the headway the workers were after we arrived. He’s a member of the making. The news was impressive to say Industrial Workers of the World and is the least. As I stated before, the strike had a lot like you’d imagine—a clone of Terry caused many of the club’s usual custom- Pratchett to be if you took away the “Disc- ers to pull out of their events. Castlewood world” books and replaced them with a went from holding at least one wedding a seething hatred for the ruling class. As week to maybe two per month. They were he liked to say, the ruling class and the hemorrhaging money, and were forced to working class will never have anything in hire a lawyer that so far wasn’t doing jack common. except counting the huge pile of money he The workers’ morale was high when was accruing. The workers, despite what we arrived. The picket line was set up others would have you believe about this across from the country club parking lot, sort of thing, were winning. overlooking the lines of gleaming new cars Ben and I had cornered Sergio and and pasty white people in summer cloth- several workers, trying to nail down the The workers are part of UNITE HERE Local 2830. Photo: Brooke Anderson, indybay.org ing. The locked out Castlewood workers exact chain of events that had led up to awful lot of attention going towards the who seemed to want everyone to dress up had a drum circle set up, with chanting go- this, when we noticed that there was an other side of the railroad tracks. as bears and to ride around on unicycles Apparently, Jackie had tried waving while he threw beer bottles at them or to the wrong person, who was cruising something of that nature. I don’t know, around on his little golf cart, just seeth- I couldn't really follow his line of reason- ing at the fact that there were liberals ing after the vein in his forehead started doing communist things on his precious bulging. golf course. After glaring at her, Jackie At some point, Castlewood had called upped the ante by asking “And how are the cops. The officer, who had to come you today?” all the way from Stockton, was less than “Fine, until you spoke to me!” He enthused at having to come over when snarled, stopped the cart across the tracks absolutely nobody was breaking the law. and got out. He watched the argument for a while, “Oh.” Jackie cast around for a topic of which must have depressed the old guy conversation. “Um...I’m sorry?” because he ended with “BUT...that’s just And with that, the man lit into a froth- my opinion,” and driving off before we ing rage, screaming about how the club could point out all the things he said which didn’t want the workers back, how even if totally weren’t opinions. The officer just the workers came back, he certainly didn’t nodded, wished us a nice day, and left. want them back. What I want people to get out of this Sometime around then Sergio got in- is that unions work. volved, saying that all he and his friends wanted was a living wage and something James Porter is a freelance author resembling dignity in the workplace. This and dabbler in social protests. He cur- Pay $739.08 per month for healthcare? I think not! Photo: Brooke Anderson, indybay.org was at odds with the old white guy’s views, rently resides in Reno, Nevada. Background On The Lockout At Castlewood Country Club By Alessandro Tinonga Most Castlewood workers can’t afford but locking us out is not right.” current contract negotiations approach, PLEASANTON, Calif. — Manage- the increase, which comes out to more During negotiations, the union offered or (2) lock out the current employees.” ment at the Castlewood Country Club than 35 percent of a full-time maintenance many concessions in order to strike a deal The letter goes onto say, “if [the has locked out 65 food-beverage and worker’s gross wages. Affordable health with management. Workers offered to pay club] instead take the second option, maintenance workers on Feb. 25. insurance is the most important factor in $175 per month for family medical on a we can attempt to impose at least some The workers, represented by UNITE employees’ compensation, especially since cheaper plan with lower benefits, which economic leverage on the union’s nego- HERE Local 2850, have been in negotia- the average wage is $12.50 an hour. would reduce the club’s labor costs by 5 tiating position and avoid the union’s tions with management since November Furthermore, the state of California is percent. In addition, workers agreed to apparent belief that its threats of con- 2009, but General Manager Jerry Olson, slashing funding for public benefits and a one-year wage freeze and an extremely tinuing delays, opposition and future under the direction of board President is considering capping or eliminating the low wage increase (10 cents an hour) for job actions will change the club’s own Jim Clouser, has proposed that employ- Healthy Families children’s insurance pro- the following year. good-faith economic positions.” ees pay $739.08 a month, out of pocket, gram. So if Castlewood workers lose their Despite these concessions, manage- Community pressure and labor for family health insurance. benefits, they can’t count on a safety net, ment is committed to force through their solidarity is needed to pressure the “I would no longer be able to afford and their children may go without health proposals by threatening a lockout. Ac- company. We must give support and to cover my family on my health care,” care entirely. cording to a letter by the club's board solidarity to the workers in their struggle said Marisol Gil, a banquet server who’s “I don’t want to go on welfare pro- of directors in the Pleasanton Weekly, for justice. For more information, visit worked at Castlewood for five years. “I grams when, for 20 years, I have been able “[Management’s] choices in reacting to the http://endthelockout.org/. fear that because I only work when there to take care of my family,” said Martin current union negotiating situation appear This story appeared in its original are parties, I might not get enough hours Tostado, a pantry cook at the club. “We to boil down to two options—either (1) con- format on Feb. 26, 2010 on http://so- to qualify for my own coverage.” are willing to pay something reasonable tinue indefinitely according to the union’s cialistworker.org. Page 8 • Industrial Worker • December 2010 Reviews Understanding Zionism, Judaism And ‘Mythistory’ Sand, Shlomo. The Invention of the Jewish big political state. These conditions were this mythical tale, the whole of this People. New York: Verso, 2009. Hard- accompanied by new political notions; Jewish people then wandered the cover, 332 pages, $34.95. primary amongst them, the rule of law Earth in exile from their homeland. and the classless identity politics which The Zionist nationalist project By Mike Ballard proclaimed that sovereignty was no long was designed to bring the Jewish Schlomo Sand is employed as a profes- the king’s, but for the “people” of the na- people home to “Eretz Israel” from sor of contemporary history at the Uni- tion. From these material circumstances their long exile. versity of Tel Aviv. “The Invention of the sprang the ruling class’s need for legitima- What Sand demonstrates, in Jewish People” was originally published tion of their system of political dominance, his meticulously researched book, in Hebrew in Israel. Translations of his thus the impetus for public intellectuals to is that great mass of the people work are now being published throughout invent and spread the gospel of the vari- who lived in what was then the the world in many languages, including ous and sundry nationalist brands. One of Roman province of Palestine in English. the first tasks these amplified intellectual 70 C.E. were not exiled. As he Sand is the son of a World War II era voices had to confront was to define who conclusively shows, conquerors of veteran of the Polish Communist Party. “the people” were. that era, including the Babylonian He is also the son-in-law of a Spanish Sand contends that modern public conquerors related in the Biblical anarchist who fought Franco national- intellectuals invented all nationalist ide- story of the destruction of the First ists in the streets of Barcelona during the ologies, thus all “peoples.” Most of these Temple and the Romans who de- Spanish Civil War. Sand would probably intellectuals mixed history with cultural stroyed the Second Temple, never describe himself as an apple, fallen some- myths in order to fashion their national- exiled whole peoples because those what distant from those trees, perhaps as ist ideologies. Sand calls these nationalist peoples were the peasant produc- a cosmopolitan liberal. His view is that Is- ideologies passing for history, “mythis- ers of wealth; and obtaining that rael would be better off giving up being an tory.” More than a few of these national- wealth, along with the power that “ethnocracy”—Sand’s term for the ethno- ist mythistories were combined with the goes with it, is what being a ruling biologically defined Jewish political state. pseudo-scientific invention of “race”—an class is all about. Peasants are gen- Sand’s preference is for Israel to become ideology originating in the 18th century: erally tied to their land and most a secular capitalist democracy like France “In the 19th century, national cultures people living in Roman Palestine or the United States. often tied the soft term, ‘people,’ to the were peasants. Peasants don’t move Graphic: londonbookclub.co.uk Sand gives his readers many insights rigid and problematic ‘race,’ and many around—they’re sedentary. Ancient into the general intellectual foundations regarded the two words as intersecting, ruling classes always liked it that ed evidence of the many other conversions of the modern era’s nationalist ideological supporting, or complimentary (sic). The way. As Sand points out, conquering rulers to Judaism within the confines of the project, and of the Zionist nationalist proj- homogeneous collective origin of ‘the of ancient times would routinely enslave heavily used trading routes of Mediterra- ect in particular. In this reviewer’s opinion, people’—always, of course, superior and defeated elites from the ruling class whom nean, in the late B.C.E. and the early C.E. “The Invention of the Jewish People” is unique, if not actually pure—became a they had conquered, but they would leave of the Roman Empire. He shows that this worth reading for these critical observa- kind of insurance against the risks repre- the great mass of the people (mostly proselytizing tendency was more or less tions alone, as nationalism has been and sented by fragmentary, though persistent, peasant farmers) on the land to continue suppressed with the rise of Christianity as continues to be a strong ideological force sub-identities that continued to swarm to produce wealth, as these peasants had the official religion of the Roman Empire in our time. beneath the unifying modernity. The done for various other ruling classes for in the 2nd century C.E. and of Islam after Sand makes the case that class societ- imagined origin also served as an efficient centuries before. The implications of this the 8th century C.E. ies up until the 18th century were made up filter against undesirable mixing with revelation for the current relation between “Proselytizing Jews were driven from mostly of sedentary peasants and nomadic hostile neighbouring nations.” peoples identifying themselves as Palestin- the arena of rival monotheisms, Christian- herdsmen. Sand effectively argues that However, by 1945 the horror of the ians and those identifying themselves as ity or Islam, to the land of paganism, with there was no official ideology of national- Nazi holocaust, especially its connection Jews, both inside and outside the imme- immigrants who convinced the pagans that ism embedded in the consciousness of the with “Aryan” racist mythhistory, prompt- diate borders of Israel, are pretty obvious their faith was preferable. The great mass people who lived within these pre-indus- ed world leaders and public intellectuals in this reviewer’s opinion. The classless proselytizing campaign that began in the trial societies. Historically speaking, these to officially renounce ”race” as having any nationalist identity politics, which keep 2nd century B.C.E., with the rise of the agrarian formations were dominated by scientifically-based, genetic substance. rank-and-file Palestinian and Israeli work- Hasmonean kingdom, reached its climax classes of aristocrats, landlords and slave The United Nations Educational, Scientific ers at each other’s throats, is based on a in Khazaria in the 8th century C.E.” owners. The nomadic and peasant majori- and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) series of invented fictions. Of course, this is As Sand shows, the conversion of the ties of this ancient world had no notion of statements on race in the early 1950s true for all the world’s nationalisms, for all Kagan of Khazaria, a kingdom located being part of a nation. Comprehending this explained ”race” as a social myth and the are ideological inventions which assume above the Black Sea, helped create a great insight is fundamental to grasping Sand’s 1998 American Anthropological Associa- that the working class and the employing mass of people of the Jewish faith. Many arguments about how nationalism, and tion statement on ”race” proclaimed it to class have interests in common. of these Jewish religionists spread out into in particular Jewish nationalism, was an be a pseudo-scientific concept. Still, the So, where do most of the people of the what is now Eastern Europe after Khazaria ideological invention. As opposed to mod- ”common sense” notion that there are Jewish faith in the world come from, if was overrun by the Mongols under Geng- ern day nationalist consciousness—based ”races” has persisted and is present to not from an ethno-biologically connected his Khan in the early 13th century C.E. on self-regulated “patriotism,” schooled this day in public discourse even though, people who were exiled from their home- Sand writes, “The Khazars were a coalition with “pledges of allegiance,” ubiquitous as Sand observes, pre-WWII notions of land by the Romans in 70 C.E? of strong Turkic or Hunnic-Bulgar clans posters of “our fearless leader” and “hats ”race” have more and more morphed into Sand’s answer is that most come who, as they began to settle down, mingled off at the sports match in honor of the the bourgeois intellectually acceptable from “proselytizing.” Sand demonstrates with the Scythians who had inhabited national anthem”—ancient rulers relied concept of ”ethnicity.” that the first great monotheistic religion, these mountains and steppes between the on keeping the mostly peasant producers To be sure, the oppressive force of rac- Judaism, was spread to eager pagan Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, which was of wealth in a constant state of fear of the ism persists. Not only that, but it is often converts throughout the Mediterranean known for a long time as the Khazar Sea. absolute power of the sovereign. There was legitimized, Sand would argue, by continu- basin a long time before the competing At its peak, the kingdom encompassed an no sense of being a part of a national politi- ing to legitimate an ethno-biological link- monotheistic religions of Christianity and assortment of tribes and linguistic groups, cal state amongst the general populace. At age with nationalist ideological concepts Islam arose. Alans and Bulgars, Magyars and Slavs. best, the sovereign only had to “secure the defining “the people.” The question which came to this re- The Khazars collected taxes from them all loyalty of the state’s administration in or- The Nazi extermination of “inferior viewer’s mind was, “Why would polythe- and ruled over a vast landmass, stretching der to preserve the continuity and stability races” during WWII threw a spanner in ists find this monotheistic religion, with from Kiev in the northwest to the Crimean of the government, but the peasants were the ideological works of those attempting its invisible deity so attractive?” Shorter Peninsula in the south, and from the upper required simply to pass along the surplus to link “race” with “nation.” However, as work time is one of Sand’s fascinating Volga to present-day Georgia.” agricultural produce and sometimes to Sand points out, it was particularly prob- insights. The weekly day of rest, the Sab- As Sand demonstrates time and again, provide the monarchy and nobility with lematic for Zionist ideologists. Since its bath, turned the practice of Judaism into a actual history profoundly conflicts with soldiers. Taxes were of course collected by inception in the mid-19th century, Zion- way of legitimising free time, much to the the “mythistory” of the Bible which forms force, or at any rate by its constant implicit ism’s legitimacy was based on the notion consternation of the slave owning ruling the very foundation on which Israeli threat, rather than by persuasion or efforts of a genetic connection between ancient classes of the ancient, polytheistic world. nationalist ideology and, ultimately, the at consensus,” writes Sands. and modern peoples of the Jewish faith As Sand relates, a great victory for Israeli political state rests. For example, Capitalist rule erupted out of political and culture. According to this mythistory, the proselytizers of the Jewish faith came the Declaration of the Establishment of the revolutions against these ancient expres- modern-day Jews were genetically linked with the conversion of the Punics. Punic State of Israel of 1948 states: “After being sions of absolutism. The revolutions of to those people who inhabited that portion Carthage was not a Hebrew-speaking city- forcibly exiled from their land, the people modernity—from Cromwell’s Puritans of the Middle East known as Israel, Judea state. It was located in what is today the kept faith with it throughout their Disper- in the mid- 17th century to Colonial and Palestine in the early 1st century C.E. political State of Tunisia. After the defeat sion and never ceased to pray and hope for America’s yeoman farmers and private A fusing of Biblical stories with actual of Carthage by the Roman Republic in 146 their return to it and for the restoration in property owners, to the overthrow of history had long become part of the Zion- B.C.E., the Jewish religion continued to be it of their political freedom.” monarchism in France by its citizens and ist ideological project. As the nationalist practiced amongst the peasant people of “The Invention of the Jewish People” is in country after country well into the 19th ideological story goes (Sand writes a much this region. The faith also spread to nearby a work which will be useful to any Wobbly and 20th centuries—all resulted in the more detailed account in a chapter he titles nomadic Berbers, who were later to ac- interested in making sense of the social establishment of national political states. “Mythistory”), the Jewish people were de- company the Arabic Muslim conquerors relations of power and current political All nationalisms were political expressions ported from their homeland after much of of Spain as soldiers in 711 C.E. The im- conflicts arising from them in the modern of the rapidly changing social relations Jerusalem, along with the Second Temple, plications here are enormous, especially day Middle East. Schlomo Sand’s work of the producers of wealth. From peas- was destroyed in 70 C.E. by the Roman sol- considering what happened to Jews who should be helpful to those eager to grasp ant subjects to wage-laboring citizens, diers under the command of Titus. As the refused to convert to Christianity during the conceptual intricacies of nationalist the producing classes were united, after story went, this came as punishment for Ferdinand and Isabella’s reign in Spain, ideology and how it has come to distort nationalist revolt, as citizens with the rul- an unsuccessful revolt against the Roman circa 1492 C.E. political judgments amongst and between ing capitalist and landlord classes in one Empire by the Jewish people. According to Sand presents historically document- workers of the world today. December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 9 Wobbly Arts What Shall We Do With The Remembering Miners’ Struggles, Jimmy John’s Bosses? Past And Present Inspired by Joe Grim Feinberg’s “What Shall We Do with the Starbucks From David Douglass Bosses” (2007) So, while I wish to take nothing away from those lads who were trapped in the Chilean mine, their families and their rescuers, I have reproduced below a sobering By Sean Carleton, X364847 thought or two in the shape of a poem by Scottish miner Joe Corrie who died in 1968. This song is dedicated to the fighting spirit of the Jimmy John’s workers. The close Anyway, I'd like to share the poem. vote on Oct. 22, 2010 may be disappointing, but the fight continues. Abolishing the wage system is not just about winning or losing elections—it is about impassioned Women Are Waiting Tonight struggle. In carrying on this struggle, the inspiring workers of the Jimmy Johns Poem by Joe Corrie (1894-1968) Workers Union must know that fellow workers from all over the world are with them in love, struggle, and solidarity! As Ralph Chaplin would say, all hell can’t stop us! Women are waiting tonight on the pit-bank, Pale at the heart with dread, Tune: “What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?” Watching the dead-still wheels That loom in the mirky sky, The silent wheels of Fate, Am Which is the system under which they slave. What shall we do with the Jimmy John’s bosses, They stand together in groups, G As sheep shelter in storm, What shall we do with the Jimmy John’s bosses, Silent, passive, dumb. Am For in the caverns under their feet, What shall we do with the Jimmy John’s bosses, The coffin seams of coal Em Bm Am 'Twixt the rock and the rock, Earl-eye in the morning? The gas has burst into flame, And has scattered the hail of Death. CHORUS (same chords as verse): Cold the night is, and dark, Hey, ho, up we rise now x3 And the rain falls in a mist. Em Bm Am Their shawls and their rags are sodden, Jimmy John’s Workers Union! And their thin, starved cheeks are blue, But they will not go home to their fires, Smack ‘em in the face with subs till they listen… Tho' the news has been broken to them That a miracle is their only hope. Picket their stores on our bikes together… They will wait and watch till the dawn, Till the wheels begin to revolve, Server ‘em rotten meat till they give us a raise, now… And the men whom they loved so well, The strong, kind, loving men, Put up tip jars on “Dollar Sub Day”… Are brought up in canvas sheets, To be identified by a watch, Sing this song till they can’t take it anymore… Or a button, Or, perhaps, only a wish. That’s what we’ll do with the Jimmy John’s bosses… And three days from now, Late until the evening! They will be buried together, In one big hole in the earth. And the King will send his sympathy, And the Member of Parliament will be there, Who voted that the military be used When last these miners came on strike To win a living wage. His shining black hat will glisten over a sorrowful face, And his elegantly shod feet will go slowly behind the bier. And the director of the company will be there, Who had vowed many a time That he would make the miner eat grass. And the parson, who sits on the Parish Council, Starving the children and saving the rates, Will pray in a mournful voice, And tear the very hearts of the bereaved. He will emphasize in godly phrase, The danger of the mine, And the bravery and valour of the miner. And the Press That has spilled oceans of ink Poisoning the public against the 'destroyers of industry', Will tell the sad tale, And the public will say, 'How sad.' But a week today all will be forgotten, And the Member of Parliament, The coal owner, The parson, The Press, And the public, Will keep storing up their venom and their hatred, For the next big miners' strike. Women are waiting tonight at the pit-bank, But even God does not see The hypocrisy and the shame of it all.

Graphic: Tom Keough Page 10 • Industrial Worker • December 2010 December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 11 Getting to Know Fellow Workers An Interview With Wobbly Howie Hawkins This interview was conducted by should have some say in how the surplus is ment. So what I ended IWW member Brendan Maslauskas Dunn distributed. The forms that those socialist up doing after college at the Syracuse, N.Y. Green Party office on economic institutions take can be public in was working in con- Aug. 28, 2010. Hawkins is a co-founder of the sense of a municipal power utility, they struction up in north- the U.S. Green Party, a Teamster, a Wob- can be cooperatives where the users (the ern New England. bly and recently ran as a Green for Gover- people that contribute to the enterprise) None of the jobs were nor of New York state, where he received dispose of the net income and you have union, except really much rank-and-file labor support. For the consumers. You have producer or worker, big projects and those full transcript and audio recording of the you have marketing co-ops and you can guys came in from out interview, visit: http://howiehawkins. have hybrids of producers and consumers. of state. You know, nu- com/2010/interviews/399-interview-by- The point of what is produced is how you clear power plants, big brendan-maslauskas-dunn.html dispose of it. It is the democratic deci- college dorm construc- sion. It’s not just decided by those who tion, projects like that. Brendan Maslasuaks Dunn: I under- happen to own the property. I think that I did some of that work stand that you spent some time in the Bay that’s an important idea—that the United but it was a non-union Area growing up. What were you politically States, out of all the countries of the world, shop. I joined the IWW involved with back then? has just sort of erased from discussion. just so I had an af- So I think it’s important to keep that on filiation. There were Howie Hawkins: Well, Willie Mays was the table. Now when I campaign I don’t no other Wobblies a San Francisco Giant and he was my hero campaign for an ideology—socialism or anywhere around, ex- and this was in the Bay Area during the even ecologism or green—“green” is a cept a couple of other 1960s. I cut school one day when they were label we use but I campaign for concrete guys. We had a worker holding “Ban the Draft” week and was on reforms that more people can understand coop for a while—we the periphery of one of those demos that on their own terms. Now a lot of those re- were all Wobblies but week. The next year the big thing was the forms, for example, the right to a job and I wanted some affilia- Photo: Brendan Maslasuaks Dunn Howie Hawkins at the Green Party office in Syracuse, N.Y. San Francisco State [University] strike so a living wage which requires direct public tion, at least in spirit. I went to some of those activities which employment to ensure everyone there has I’ve kept that affiliation since then. I’ve construction, such as home construction, were basically trying to get autonomy for full employment, is not compatible with been involved in a lot of labor support that’s being done. Even in New York City, the Black studies program so they could a capitalist economy. This is not because struggles; the JP Stevens textile struggle which is a union town, a lot of the rehab serve the community better. I learned a you could not, with government help, in the South, the Phelps Dodge struggle, work is being done by immigrants who lot from that and got familiar with a lot of have a market to get everyone employed the miners in Arizona. The same thing are being paid less than minimum wage the different tendencies in what was being between public and private employment, happened today as what happened to and that’s been going on for decades. I called the “New Left” back then. One of the but because the vested interests who own miners in Namibia, owned by the same did some construction work down there things that influenced me was something the capital in the capitalist sector want company—Phelps Dodge. They struck in the 1970s and 1980s and most of it was called “Ecology Action West,” which I later unemployment to discipline the workforce when the company was in Namibia. This rehab stuff. It was disheartening, but in learned was written by Murray Bookchin. and keep wages down. So, for me social- actually happened a long time ago in the organized building trades, they have So that post-scarcity anarchism with an ism is an extension of democracy into the Arizona. In both cases, they just put the a tradition in this country of sort of being ecological orientation and libertarian so- economic realm. workers on a train and sent them out to exclusive and trying to keep their numbers cialism was probably one big influence on the middle of the desert and just dropped small so they can keep their wages up. It’s me back then. I also ran into Hal Draper’s BMD: I was wondering if you could speak them off. I got involved with that because not a class movement, it’s a movement for “Socialism From Below” pamphlets that a little bit about maybe one or two move- the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at their members. So, I think there’s a lot of the independent socialists were circulating ments you’ve been involved with in your Dartmouth was the President, CEO and room there for the Wobblies to organize and understood the distinctions between life that have really had an impact on you. Chairman of the Board of Phelps Dodge. and I wish them all the best luck. There State socialism, which was authoritarian We did a lot of work around that and even are other sectors like that where the IWW and socialism from below, and was demo- HH: Well, I think the anti-Vietnam War the AFL-CIO national office came in. We is organizing right now, like Starbucks. cratic. I was in high school and new to all movement, in particular the GI movement. did a whole corporate campaign around Even with the nonprofits, they were try- of it. They sure were not teaching us much When I got drafted, I did enlist in the Ma- that. There were United Farm Workers ing to organize. Some people criticize that about this in school. rine Corps before the draft letter got to me. (UFW) grape and lettuce boycotts. Since and there may be some merit in some of I remember in 1970, I organized Earth My number came up—it was the last call I’ve been in Syracuse, there have been the criticism from some of the real small Day at my school and wrote up a sort for Vietnam in July 1972 and the U.S. De- labor actions. There was one recently at groups. On the other hand, I know Service of handbook on the issues. I called for fense Secretary Defense Secretary Melvin Coyne Textile Services a couple blocks Employees International Union (SEIU) corporations to basically be run as public R. Laird called up numbers 35 through 70 from where I live. I’ve also been out at the organizers here in upstate New York were utilities without the profit motive, but and I was number 65. I had looked at my Mott’s strike in Williamson and out at the really overworked and underpaid by SEIU instead to serve production for use and options and decided rather than going into Momenta Processed Materials rally back Local 1199. They tried organizing a staff not try to grow endlessly like capitalism exile or underground I would go into the in June. It [was] a big part of my campaign union and they got fired right away. So, I forces companies to do endlessly in order service. The first thing I did was join the for governor. So, I think I’ve been inspired think there’s definitely a role for the IWW. to survive. I sort of came to the conclusion American Serviceman’s Union, which was by the labor movement. Not so much the For me, it’s more of inspiration and, you without understanding the whole analysis actually the front for Workers World Party, official labor movement but the real labor know, I pay my dues out of solidarity. of how to get to it. There were also demon- you know they really ran it, but it was an ef- struggles that people have when they get strations going on over at Berkeley at the fort to unionize and resist imperialist war. attacked by employers. We haven’t won a BMD: Do you think there’s an upsurge in time. I went over to one when the People’s By the time I did it, I wasn’t sticking my lot, but before I came to the United Postal the labor movement with undocumented Park was breaking up and I was there the neck out so much. I mean I can remember Service (UPS) and became a Teamster, I workers in particular, but with workers in day before that kid was shot to death. I cut one of the things that I saw, when I think was really supportive and glad to see they this country in general? school and went there so I was absorbent I was a freshman in high school, was the had won that strike in 1997. It was one of of a lot of this stuff as sort of a truant who Presidio 27 refusing to go to Vietnam out the few big strikes that the labor move- HH: Well, certainly undocumented work- was really going to political protests which of San Francisco and they really paid a ment won in a generation, dating back to ers and even the documented immigrants were sometimes at the library across the price for that. There was also the GI Coffee the 1960s. are in solidarity with each other. They’re railroad tracks from the high school. High House movement. Anyway, by the time I coming from countries where there’s real school was kind of slow and there were a was in the resistance was around when BMD: What exactly attracted you to the change going on; Venezuela and Bolivia lot of antiwar demos in the Bay Area that Nixon had to “Vietnamize” the war as they Wobblies and how has an IWW analysis for example. At least the Latin American I went to, so I absorbed a lot from the called it: bring the troops home and let the of the labor movement and the economic Spanish-speaking countries inform a lot of movements there. Vietnamese fight with our funding because system we live under had an effect on your those people and have an understanding of our soldiers—particularly in the Army— outlook? what’s going on. So, I think that could have BMD: I also understand you’re a socialist. weren’t fighting, they were refusing. They a much broader influence and I think the Given the dark history of what was done didn’t like the war. It even affected the Ma- HH: The Wobblies are an inspiration, AFL is in a lot better position than it was, in the name of socialism, why do you call rine Corps. I went in officer training when given their history. I mean, they organized say, 15 or 20 years ago, in its relation to yourself one? I was in college and it was an off-campus people that the AFL wouldn’t organize; those workers. I think that’s going to be a program. Actually, the veterans who had the migrant workers, the minority worker, source of renewal for the labor movement. HH: Well, any word is contested. I mean been there as grunts and then came back the workers in dirty, dangerous jobs like The workers centers that are organizing you have democratic republics that are dic- to college on the GI Bill and were coming mining. They were relatively anti-racist in those folks, such as Jobs with Justice and tatorships so democracy? Do you want to back into the Marines to be officers were a time when racism was really strong in other community-labor alliances vary abandon that word? Do you want to aban- pretty opposed to the Vietnam War. It was this country, during the early 20th cen- from town to town and place to place, but don the idea of a republic? I think we need amazing. The “gung ho” Marines were tury. This is when they were strong and I think those are all areas where renewal an alternative to capitalism, which most the kids that were just came straight out they’ve kept that spirit alive. They also are of the labor movement will come from. people understand to be profit-oriented of college and wanted to be Marines. You very big on democracy at a time when the The reform caucuses in different unions, enterprise and appropriation of surplus know the whole image around that. I just mainstream labor movement is bureau- such as Teamsters for a Democratic Union by the owners. So what is socialism? It is think that’s an underestimated but power- cratized. The “Preamble,” the Wobblies’ (TDU), is probably the largest and it has democratic appropriation and allocation of ful movement that’s a more working-class classic document, is inspirational to this had its ups and downs, but those kinds of economic surplus by the people. I would movement than a lot of the movements of day. So, all those things attracted me to it things are popping up. I think the potential say I’m a little different from some social- the 1960s. It was made up of working-class and have informed me. I have not really is there and the need is there and we just ists because in any economy, at any one people who tended to get drafted, go fight been engaged in any Wobbly activities have to try to make it happen. time at most you have about 40 percent and then resist. because they have not been prominent Editor’s Note: This interview is for in- of the people actually working. You have That was something that really stuck where I live. I think that construction is an formational purposes only. The Industrial young people and children. You have old with me and made me understand the im- industry where Wobblies can make really Worker does not endorse political parties people, you have injured people. Everyone portance of building a strong labor move- big inroads because there is a lot of small or candidates. Page 12 • Industrial Worker • December 2010 Riot Police Attack Workers In The Acropolis By “taxikipali,” libcom.org The moment was acutely sym- bolic for a country that brags about itself as the cradle of democracy and indicative of the Greek gov- ernment’s loss of measure in face of the popular discontent over its The IWW formed the International Solidarity Commission to help the union build austerity measures. the worker-to-worker solidarity that can lead to effective action against the bosses Contract workers of the Min- of the world. To contact the ISC, email [email protected]. istry of Culture staged a protest in By Matt Antosh mid-October inside The Acropolis The ISC continues to go strong as we demanding no less than their Photo: libcom.org receive communiqués from workers’ orga- wages—a demand which is becom- nizations in Brazil, Chile, and South Africa. ing increasingly utopian in the current The Association of Archaeologists an- economic reality of Greece. The state nounced: “It is a dishonor for our country Solidarity with S.A. workers owes these workers 24 months of back that its image of civilization is the MAT occupying their factory! wages and seems in no hurry to have its inside The Acropolis using tear gas against A call has been made by Metal Work- debt settled. The workers also demand workers who have been for years offer- ers Union of South Africa (MEWUSA) on the cancellation of 350 layoffs which were ing their services for the promotion and behalf of our members in Mine Line/TAP planned for the end of October. protection of civilization, staying often for Engineering in support of the Mine Line/ Instead, the Greek satrapy (“protec- many months unpaid. The Association of TAP workers who began an occupation of tors of the land”) decided to pay back with Archaeologists supports its contract-based their factory in Krugersdorp on Wednes- force. Living up to the standards of the fast- colleagues of the Ministry of Culture in day, Oct. 20. These workers are refusing est growing tyranny in Europe, the Greek their just demands. It condemns the raw to add another 107 job casualties to the government sent its Praetorian Guard— use of violence within a space which is a more than one million jobs lost since the the MAT (riot police) forces—to deal with symbol of civilization, and demands to onset of the recession, and are fighting the workers. The riot police entered the intervene and guarantee the abolition of the 24 months unpaid labor and the reso- back to save their jobs and keep the fac- Graphic: anarkismo.net space of the Sacred Rock by a back door, tory running under democratic workers’ effectively desecrating the asylum for the lution of the burning issues of the Ministry of Culture employees who have led the self-management. industry of all in Chile to get organized, first time since the Nazi occupation. workers to a blind end.” where collective bargaining is not allowed, The riot police forces threw tear gas The attack of the MAT seen from the The ISC released the following statement the norms and rules of health and safety at the workers, beating them back with main entrance of the Acropolis can be in solidarity: are never respected and pensions are non- batons and handcuffing anyone who tried seen here: http://www.youtube.com/ “The International Solidarity Com- existent. All this while trying to develop to stay in their working space. One Associ- watch?v=1dC18rUCNhw&feature=play mission of the Industrial Workers of the a class struggle-based, autonomous and ated Press journalist was injured due to the er_embedded World sends our full support and solidar- libertarian form of unionism. habitual police brutality. ity with our brothers and sisters of the SINTEC is asking for donations of MEWUSA who are occupying their fac- solidarity to help them fund there continu- tory in Krugersdorp, South Africa. ing organizing campaigns. The ISC hopes University Occupations Follow London Protests “Like the workers at Republic Win- to have an online donation button up on By Mike Harman, libcom.org damaging our current education, but are dows and Doors in Chicago, who refused the IWW website within the month; until Students at Manchester and Sussex changing the face of the education system to accept the status quo and through then, Fellow Workers wanting to donate Universities have staged occupations fol- as we know it. The hole in finances left by solidarity vowed to stand up for their should email [email protected]. lowing the actions against tuition fees and government cuts will inevitably be filled rights, the workers of the MEWUSA show As well, SINTEC has invited the IWW cuts on Nov. 10 (see “Students, Workers by private interest. This marketization of that radical action can be a solution to to attend a national conference in January Occupy The Millbank Tower In London,” education will destroy the prospect of free exploitation in times of recession. As the 2011. Any Fellow Workers who have the pg. 1). and critical academic enquiry, on which slogan goes, in Chicago, in Krugersdorp ability to travel and want to be a part of a On Nov. 16, more than 170 students universities should be based. The trebling and all across the world, we won’t pay delegation to Chile should write to us at occupied the lecture theatre in the Fulton of tuition fees will further exclude another for their crisis! the aforementioned address as soon as building at the University of Sussex in swathe of society and make university “The ISC-IWW joins the call for the possible. protest of the trebling of tuition fees and accessible only to the rich.” ownership to be transferred to the work- the attack on their education system. On Nov. 11, almost immediately fol- ers to enable them to run it as a coopera- Elect an ISC liaison NOW! In a statement which appeared on lowing the protest in London, more than tive under workers’ control and manage- Of course, we are always looking for http://defendsussex.wordpress.com, 50 students occupied the John Owens ment, in the hope that their struggle, a little extra help on the ISC. So, we ask students write: building at Manchester University to which is also a struggle for workers ev- branches and interested individuals to “In light of [the Nov. 10] demonstra- demand that the books be opened. The erywhere, may continue and succeed. The volunteer to be ISC liaisons in order to tion, which saw 52,000 people come out in university is in the process of starting IWW aims to lend our support, by action develop branch­level and worker­to­worker opposition to the government’s proposed a voluntary redundancy process, while in solidarity, where it is within our grasp international solidarity. cuts to education and raising of fees, denying any actual cuts are planned. The to do so, in our firm knowledge that ‘an Every month, ISC liaisons will get we feel it is necessary for further action occupation was decided at an anti-cuts injury to one is an injury to all.’” an update and an action to bring to the to consolidate the meeting that af- branch level. efforts made so ternoon, while it Solidarity with Chilean We would like to invite every branch far and push on in ended the same Construction Workers - to select an ISC liaison to help spread the opposition to day, students at A call for a delegation to Chile the word about the solidarity activities these ideologically the meeting re- The IWW has been in correspondence in other parts of the world and to help motivated cuts to ported that it had with a union for construction workers in develop our campaigns. both education forced the issuing Chile, the Sindicato Nacional de Traba- We ask all Fellow Workers to please specifically and of a statement by jadores de la Construcción (SINTEC). continue sharing your international public services as the vice chancel- SINTEC first organized in 2007, and contacts and expertise. The ISC can be a whole. lor, and was used is working on organizing the most difficult reached at [email protected]. “We reject the as an opportunity notion that these to plan further ac- cuts are necessary tion. Support international solidarity! or for the benefit of At Royal Hol- Photo: libcom.org Assessments for $3, society. There are loway University viable alternatives which are not being in London, students staged a short protest $6 are available from explored. While the government has sug- when Conservative MP and Secretary of your delegate or IWW gested that ‘we are all in this together,’ State Philip Hammond and Lord Chan- headquarters PO Box we completely reject this and are insulted cellor Ken Clarke visited the university 23085, Cincinnati, OH that these cuts are being pushed through shortly after the protest in London. alongside reductions in corporate tax. We Prior to the London protests, students 45223-3085, USA. feel these cuts are targeting those who are at Goldsmiths in London occupied Dept- most vulnerable in our society. ford Town Hall, also in protest against “Furthermore, not only are these cuts cuts.

Assessment Stamp for Friends of the Happy Holidays! Palestinian Workers Group Benefit stamp designed by For a World underground cartoonist without bosses, Spain Rodriquez. Send $5 and a SASE to sparrow at IWW San the Industrial Worker Francisco, 2022 Blake Street, Berkeley, CA 94704. Cake design: Eileen Botti Graphic: DJ Alperovitz