A new model for building Growing workers’ rebellion international solidarity? knows no borders Zapatistas call for grassroots, Bosses, who needs them? nonelectoral movement of Chinese, South Korean & Serbian communities in resistance 4-5 workers seize workplaces 12 Starbucks fires 3 IWWs Industrial for union organizing In its latest effort to crush the growth England. David Bleakney, a national represen- of the Starbucks Workers Union, Starbucks tative of the 55,000-member Canadian Union has fired three IWW members as part of of Postal Workers, has written CEO Howard a stepped-up campaign of intimidation of Schultz, demanding the reinstatement of the union supporters. three fires workers and warning that if he does Charles Fostrom, a worker at New York’s not receive a satisfactory reply by August 17 57th & Lexington Starbucks, was fired July he will write all CUPW locals to inform them Worker 11 was fired for “insubordination” after he of the situation. refused illegal orders to work off the clock. On July 29, Starbucks workers, other Evan Winterscheidt, a two-year veteran at the IWW members, and supporters from Make 14th & 6th Avenue Starbucks, was fired July The Road By Walking, CODA and NMASS 18 after a minor dispute with a coworker. picketed in support of fired workers Joe Agins Official newspaper of the IWW organizer Daniel Gross was fired Jr. (fired some months ago for union activity), iNdustrial workers of the world from the 36th and Madison store August Charles Fostrom, and Evan Winterscheidt. 5 for urging district manager Allison Marx Organizing continues despite the firings. September 2006 #1686 Vol. 103 No. 8 $1.00 / 75 p not to fire FW Winterscheidt and joining An organizing committee went public at an informational picket line called to pro- the 17th and Broadway Union Square West test the earlier firings. To provide cover for Starbucks the day of the picket, and several Gross’ termination, Starbucks also issued an members started wearing IWW pins. The The General Strike unsatisfactory performance review on the IWW is already established at the Union b y S ta u g hto n Ly n d 5th, marking him down for things like “not Square East Starbucks across the park, and the FW Lynd was keynote speaker at the Min- communicating partner morale issues to the fellow workers at the USW store have been neapolis regional IWW gathering July 15: Store Manager.” The store manager confirmed subjected to a steady stream of anti-union Ask any Wobbly how he or she proposes that morale issues included complaints intimidation and abuse. to bring about the Big Change in which we about wages and working conditions. Good Since May 2004, workers at several Star- all believe, and they are likely to respond: unionists do not engage in surveillance of bucks stores have joined the IWW Starbucks by a general strike, of course. co-worker’s protected activities. Workers Union. The company has been con- But what is a general strike? And how Already, Starbucks’ union-busting has sistently intimidating, harassing and violating does a general strike come about? drawn international condemnation. Hundreds the rights of workers who unite to address The IWW Preamble does not use the words “general strike,” but gives us a place to of workers have emailed and telephoned the their workplace issues, and was previously begin. It says that an organization must be “formed in such a way that all its members in company to protest the firings. In Austria, forced to settle unfair labor practice charges any one industry, or all industries if necessary, cease work whenever a strike or lockout the Allegemeines Syndikat Wien has leafleted stemming from its harassment of union sup- is on in any department thereof, thus making an injury to one an injury to all.” all seven Starbucks coffee shops in Vienna. porters at three New York City stores and In the same historical moment that radicals in this country were creating the IWW Similar actions are underway in Cologne reinstate IWW member Sarah Bender. with its Preamble, Rosa Luxemburg threw herself into the Russian Revolution of 1905 and Frankfurt, Germany, and in Leicester, (See photos and resolution page 9) and then wrote her pamphlet, The Mass Strike, the Political Party and the Trade Unions. Therein she said that political parties and trade unions could not decree a general strike, which must boil up from below in a multiplicity of improvised actions; that workers who were not in trade unions might play a more important role than workers who were 8 million U.S. workers “organized”; that workers would improvise the institutions they needed in the moment of crisis as in Russia they had created local central labor bodies called “soviets.” She was at particular pains to stress that the seemingly anarchistic, chaotic actions of the 1905 may lose union rights general strike had produced tangible gains in working-class life throughout Russia. This The National Labor Relations Board will instructions to co-workers about how and pamphlet is available in English translation in a book edited by Mary-Alice Waters of soon decide three cases, known collectively when to perform certain tasks, are particular- the Socialist Workers Party. I urge you to read it. as the Kentucky River cases, which could be ly vulnerable to reclassification as supervisors There is a rich current of historical experience in the United States. The closest a major step in stripping U.S. workers of their under this push for a broader reinterpretation. thing to a national general strike ever experienced in this country took place before legal right to organize unions. Employers in For example, nurses who tell orderlies or the IWW came into existence. Local general strikes have occurred in abundance: most these cases are pressing the Board to signifi- nurse aides to do certain things for particular obviously in one-industry communities like Lawrence, Massachusetts, or the state of cantly broaden the definition of “supervisor,” patients are at high risk of reclassification, as West Virginia, and also in Seattle after World War I, in Minneapolis, San Francisco and potentially stripping millions of workers of are journeymen construction workers who Toledo in 1934, in Oakland and elsewhere after World War II. the right to form unions or engage in collec- guide other workers on a crew. But even Right now in the United States, workers for Delphi Packard calling themselves tive bargaining. workers who because of greater experience Soldiers Of Solidarity advocate work-to-rule campaigns in the workplace and a general The National Labor Relations Act ex- have been designated to train co-workers or strike to resist proposed cuts in wages and retirement benefits. My friend Tony Budak, cludes “supervisors” from the definition of help organize the work could be classified a Delphi retiree whom you may remember from the centennial gathering in Chicago, “employees” who have the legal right to en- as supervisors if the Republican-dominated told our local newspaper: “Work-to-rule is when workers follow the precise letter of the gage in union activity. Now the Board is ruling Board accepts the employers’ position. contract, something that can slow production when health, safety and other contract on three cases – Oakwood Healthcare, Golden The Economic Policy Institute estimates provisions are strictly followed.” Crest Healthcare Center, and Croft Metals that some 1.4 million workers (most nurses) But if workers do that, Budak said, the company could lock them out of the plant – in which employers sought to exclude from could quickly be reclassified as supervisors and use replacement workers and security guards. He said workers may have to sit down union representation registered and licensed and stripped of their union rights if the Board in the plant to prevent that from happening, as auto workers did in forming the UAW practical nurses who acted as “charge” nurses, finds for the employers in these cases. If such in the late 1930s. General Strike: continued page 6 essentially coordinating which nurses handle a definition was expanded to the broader which patients, and “leadmen” and “load economy, as many as 8 million workers in the British Wobs Honor Labor Struggles 3 Sweatshop Baseball Protested 5 supervisors” in a manufacturing facility. building and construction, broadcast, energy, Boycotting Coors 8 Kurdish Strikers Killed in Iraq 9 The Internationale 10 The Board is using the cases, which have shipping, accounting and health care indus- been lingering for years, to reconsider its tries could lose the legal right to join a union, Industrial Worker Periodicals Postage position that workers must exercise “inde- nearly doubling the number of “supervisors” PO Box 13476 PAID pendent judgment” in directing the work of presently excluded from the NLRA. Philadelphia, PA 19101 Philadelphia, PA other employees to be considered a supervi- Given the recent packing of the Board ISSN 0019-8870 and additional sor. In 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court over- with management attorneys, unions fear the mailing offices turned the NLRB’s independent judgment Board will seize the opportunity to rewrite ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED test in Kentucky River, saying the Board had decades of precedent. Unions organized pro- misinterpreted the law. test rallies at NLRB offices across the country The current cases all involve whether in July to criticize the Board’s refusal to hear such workers can be classified as supervisors oral arguments from attorneys before reach- and thus excluded from NLRA protections ing its decision. and participation in collective bargaining be- The Board has been steadily stripping cause they “responsibly direct other employ- workers of long-established protections, ees” even though they do not have authority including recent cases allowing hospital ad- to hire, fire, discipline, evaluate or promote ministrators to prohibit nurses from wearing the employees they supposedly supervise. union buttons even in non-patient care areas Subscribers: The number (top line) reflects the last issue due on your subscription Skilled workers such as nurses who give continued on page 11 Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2006 Against war on the people Remembering women’s unions can be a most strategic tactic in the The layer of porous rock above the tun- of Lebanon and Palestine contributions to labour class conflict. At-large membership can lay nels can hold large quantities of water after I. Whereas the IWW has always stood for Peter Moore (July-August) reports that the groundwork for unionization at future heavy rains. Two earthquake faults intersect international solidarity and against all exploi- British Wobblies recently discussed how dates. It can enable the recruitment of new both the porous layer and the planned tun- tation, oppression and attempts to divide our to make IWW more attractive to women. union members in companies and in areas nels. If an earthquake were to occur, Yucca class by war, Although women are cen- where individuals may not feel certain about Mountain could experience a steam explosion II. Whereas the State tral to the reorganization wanting a union. It can help educate people similar to Mt. St. Helens, but with deadly fall- of Israel’s U.S.-backed of Toronto’s IWW Gen- about the need for unions, the history of out as dust and rain. Southern Nevada, Utah, aggression against the eral membership Branch, unions, and current activities of unions. Colorado, Arizona, southern California and people of Lebanon and they’re certainly in the For example, the United Federation of New Mexico could become death zones. Palestine has caused the minority to date. Perhaps Teachers has a committee for disabled mem- Bill Holmes, Portland murder of hundreds of one way to attract more bers and a committee fighting child labor working-class civilians (including many women to the Wobblies is for us to promote around the world. With all the teacher union Chicago couriers fight NICA children), the displacement of hundreds of women’s contribution to labour struggles, bashing, how many people in the general The Chicago Couriers Union (IWW) thousands, and the destruction of communi- both present and past. public know these facts? How many people continues its fight against independent ties and infrastructure, For instance, it is little known that in the general public know about all the low- contracting, seeking meetings with courier III. Whereas this war – like the rest of the women were central to arguably the largest la- cost units of cooperative housing that were companies that have lined up with NICA. In so-called “War on Terrorism” – will not bring bour movement of the 20th century post-war established by the Amalgamated Clothing these meetings they are presenting evidence security to working people in any country, but period: Poland’s Solidarity uprising. A recent Workers and the International Ladies Gar- of fraud by NICA executives, including the only more violence and repression, book by Shana Penn, Solidarity’s Secret, notes ment Workers unions in New York City? Also, indictments of top executives by the state of IV. Whereas this war will only increase that all of the original Solidarity leaders were there is the Big Six housing established by the California, and calling upon the companies the prestige and power of the reactionary women, including Anna Walentynowicz, a printing trades unions in New York City. to stop using NICA and return couriers to fundamentalist forces who are now leading crane operator in the Gdansk shipyards, and How many people know the history of employee status. Several couriers who have the resistance, the “real” founder of Solidarity, even though violence against labor? How many know been NICA’d have signed on, and the branch V. Be it resolved that the IWW Twin Cities the leaders who became internationally that it was the IWW who largely pioneered is organizing educational meetings on how in- General Membership branch shall seek to: famous were the men. The book tells an all- the nonviolent civil disobedience? IWW dependent contractor status hurts couriers. 1. Join and build popular mobilizations too-common story. organizer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn talked On July 15, the Couriers Union held the and direct action against the war – bringing Maybe we Wobblies can begin to set the often about the strike tactic of workers just Black Cat Messenger Race, featuring check- our message of international working-class record straight and also attract more sisters folding their hands or putting their hands in points at important locations in Chicago solidarity against the bosses. 2. Educate our by telling our brothers and sisters to read this their pockets. history (including the stockyards, the house membership, our friends and co-workers on book. There are other stories like Solidarity’s Raymond Solomon, Free Voices where police murdered Fred Hampton, and the need to oppose this war. 3. Send direct Secret from around the world. Why not send the Haymarket Memorial), and ending with a aid to progressive working-class unions and them to Industrial Worker and start something World’s largest dirty bomb party. Funds were raised and fun was had. organizations in Lebanon, Palestine and Israel happening. After all, that’s the Wobbly way. The U.S. federal government is building Chicago Wobs also participated in the the world’s largest dirty bomb at Yucca Moun- annual Gay Pride Parade June 25, as part of who are against the war. Taodhg (Tim) Burns, Toronto 4. Forward this motion for discussion tain where over 77,000 tons of plutonium, a contingent that formed a buffer of radical and action to: The IWW General Executive uranium and other radioactive materials are banners between marchers and anti-gay pro- Relations with AFL unions to be stored in 392 degree F casks in tunnels testers who every year spew their hate speech Board, The IWW International Solidarity At-large memberships in the AFL-CIO Commission, and as a letter for hot enough to evaporate minor leaks. as the parade passes by. publication to the Industrial Worker and the iww.org web site. No War, But Class War! IWW directory Twin Cities (Minnesota) IWW Australia United States Maine 45231, [email protected]. IWW Regional Organising Committee Norumbega: Barry Rodrigue, del., 75 Russell Arizona Oklahoma M. Payne, Secretary, PO Box 1866, Albany W.A. St., Bath 04530. Phoenix GMB: 1205 E. Hubbell St., 85006- Tulsa: Karl Howeth, 4510 W. Archer, 74127. Industrial Worker [email protected], www.iww.org.au 1758. 602-254-4057. Aaron Rothenburger, del., Maryland 918-282-7348. [email protected] The Voice of Revolutionary Sydney: PO Box 241, Surry Hills. sydney@ 480-303-9580. Baltimore IWW: c/o Red Emma’s, 800 St. Oregon iww.org.au Paul St., 21202, 410-230-0450, iww@redem- Industrial Unionism Arkansas Portland Industrial District Council: 311 N. Melbourne: PO Box 145, Moreland 3058. mas.org. Fayetteville: PO Box 283, 72702. 479-200- Ivy St., 97227, 503-231-5488. pdxiwwhall@ [email protected] H Organization 1859, [email protected]. Massachusetts riseup.net Boston Area GMB: PO Box 391724, Cam- H Education British Isles California Pennsylvania IWW Regional Organising Committee: Los Angeles GMB: PO Box 65822, 90065. bridge 02139. 617-469-5162. H Emancipation Lancaster GMB: PO Box 796, 17608. PO Box 1158, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE99 4XL North Coast GMB: PO Box 844, Eureka Western Mass. Public Service IU 650 Branch: [email protected], http:// UK, [email protected], www.iww.org.uk IWW, Po Box 1581, Northampton 01061. Official newspaper of the 95502-0844. 707-725-8090. BST Angie Hart: LancasterIWW.org IWW London: c/o Freedom Press, 84b [email protected] Western Massachusetts GMB: 43 Taylor Hill Philadelphia GMB: PO Box 42777, 19101. Industrial Workers Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX. San Francisco Bay Area GMB: (Curbside and Rd., Montague 01351. 413-367-9356. 215-222-1905. [email protected] [email protected] of the World Buyback IU 670 Recycling Shops; Stonemoun- Michigan Union Hall: 4530 Baltimore Ave., 19143. P. O. Box 23085 Leicestershire: PO Box 7903, LE3 0WT. klas- tain IU 660 Job Shop) PO Box 11412, Berkeley Detroit GMB: PO Box 08161, 48208. detroit@ South Street Workers Union /Workers Rights [email protected] www.leicestershire-iww.org.uk 94712. 510-845-0540. Meetings 1st & 3rd iww.org Hotline 215-990-8250. [email protected] Cincinnati, OH 45223 Paper Crane Press IU 450 Job Shop: paper- Manchester: www.iww-manchester.org.uk Thursdays at 7 p.m. (2022 Blake St., Berkeley) Grand Rapids GMB: PO Box 6629, 49516. USA, 513-591-1905 [email protected], 610-358-9496. Scotland San Jose: Adam Welch, del. 408-795-9672. Chuck Neller, Secretary.; Cole Dorsey (del.) Pittsburgh GMB / Education Workers Or- email: [email protected] Clydeside GMB: iwwclydeside.mahost.org. email: [email protected] 616-881-5263. [email protected] ganizing Committee: PO Box 90315, 15224. http://www.iww.org Santa Barbara GMB: PO Box 23008, 93121. Central Michigan: David Finet, 5007 W. Edinburgh IWW: c/o 17 W. Montgomery [email protected] Place, EH7 SHA. 805-689-3086, [email protected] Columbia Rd., Mason 48854. 517-676-9446, General Secretary-Treasurer: Colorado [email protected] Texas Canada Austin GMB: PO Box 650011, 78765. Mark Damron Denver GMB: c/o P&L Printing Job Shop: 2298 Minnesota 512-320-8427, waterloowob@ Alberta Clay, Denver 80211. 303-433-1852. Duluth: Laverne Capan, 1522 N 8th Ave E, General Executive Board: monkeywrenchbooks.org Edmonton GMB: PO Box 75175, T6E 6K1. Four Corners (AZ, CO, NM, UT): delegate: 55805-1115. 218-724-2647. [email protected], http://edmonton. E. Wolfson (chair), Patrick 970-903-8721. [email protected] Twin Cities GMB: PO Box 14111, Minneapolis Utah Brenner, Jeannette Gysbers, iww.ca. Salt Lake City GMB: PO Box 520835, 84152- Florida 55414. 612-339-4418. [email protected] British Columbia 0835. [email protected]. Adam Lincoln, Ted Nebus, Gainesville GMB: 1021 W. University, 32601, Missouri Vancouver IWW: PO Box 4755, Stn. Terminal, Scott Satterwhite and 352-246-2240. [email protected] Kansas City GMB: c/o 5506 Holmes St., 64110. Washington V6B 4A4. 604-682-3269 x8493. gmb-van@ Richard Seymour Pensacola GMB: 610 E Wright St., 32501. 816-523-3995. Bellingham: P.O. 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Published eleven times per year; Upstate NY GMB: PO Box 235, Albany 12207, Germany net. General Defense Committee Local #4: Indexed by Alternative Press Center Waukegan IWW: PO Box 274, 60079. waukeg- 518-833-6853 or 861-5627. www.upstate-ny- IWW Kontakts: Lutz Getzschmann, IWW c/o [email protected] iww.org. [email protected], Ro- P.O. Box 811, 53701. 608-262-9036. Articles not so designated do not RMB-Infoladen, Hamburger Allee 35, 60486 chelle Semel, del, PO Box 172, Fly Creek 13337, Railroad Workers IU 520: Ron Kaminkow, Frankfurt am Main. [email protected] Iowa reflect the official position of the 607-293-6489, [email protected]. PO Box 3010, Madison 53704, 608-358-5771. Iowa City: Seamus Mulryan, del., 319-248- [email protected]. IWW. Contributions welcome. Japan 3589. [email protected] Ohio Hokkaido: Braden Cannon, delegate, Ohio Valley GMB: PO Box 42233, Cincinnati Milwaukee GMB: PO Box 070632, 53207. Press Date: August 8, 2006 [email protected] 45242. IU 660: PO Box 317741, Cincinnati 414-481-3557. September 2006 • Industrial Worker • Page  Aussie general strike bloc Approximately forty members of the Workers celebrate solidarity in Durham and Dorset “General Strike Block Fiesta” met at the B y P e t e r M o o r e Bourke St Mall June 28 to call for a General Workers in northern and southern United Strike and a real campaign of industrial ac- Kingdom remembered their bonds of solidar- tion to defeat new anti-union laws. Taking up ity at the Durham Miners Gala in Durham on position in front of the stage before the official July 8 and at the Tolpuddle Martyr’s Festival march arrived, they carried placards such as in Dorset on July 15. “General Strike,” “More strike – less talk,” More than 100 brass and other miner and “It worked in France – strike!” bands marched through the medieval city of As union officials lectured the crowds on Durham on July 8. Banners, musicians and how voting for the ALP at the next election others thronged the streets, waiting their is their only hope of salvation, Wobs kept up chance to play their finely honed set pieces in their chants for a General Strike. The strategy front of Durham’s mayor and union leaders. of the ACTU/Trades Hall was best summed In some bands, one could see three genera- up by Sharon Burrows who finished her tions – grandparents, parents, and children speech this way: “We are going to talk about – playing together. this ’til there is no other issue but decency While the overwhelming number of and fairness in workplace rights as the next banners represented former mining commu- election issue.” nities, firefighters, railway, construction and Wow – the unions are going to keep “talk- distribution workers also marched with their ing” until Beazley hopefully wins the election banners. It was also the first time in memory and then hopefully winds backs the new laws. that the IWW marched in the Gala. This gem was greeted with the chant “Less The British Isles IWW banner joined talk – more strike.” IWW banners from Dumfries and Edinburgh, Unlike the inspiring campaign recently Scotland, and the newly-formed Tyne and fought in France with General Strikes and Wear branch. When onlookers saw the ban- “Somebody, somewhere decided this Renwick, the secretary of the Tyne & Wear other direct actions, the union leadership is ners of the One Big Union saying “An Injury leopard [the miners] ain’t never going to branch whose banner debuted at the Gala. determined to herd workers into an electoral To One Is An Injury To All,” they broke into change its spots. The only way we can solve Likewise, thousands of workers and their strategy. There is no faith that the union spontaneous applause. the problem of the miners is to get rid of the families travelled to the southern county of movement can protect itself industrially, and The militant National Union of Miners mines,” said Dave Douglass, an IWW mem- Dorset for the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival. no thought to what happens to the workers has a long history of challenging the mine ber and former miner at Hatfield Main, near As the story goes, the high cost of living if Beazley is not elected. owners and government over wages, safety Doncaster, whose branch closed its doors combined with the land grab of common The General Strike Block was admittedly and job control. In May 1926, the lockout last year. lands during enclosure stripped thousands like a flea on the giant arse of the union move- against the miners sparked Britain’s only Gen- With more than 70,000 former miners of farm workers from the means to survive. ment, but calls for a General Strike need to eral Strike, which the Trade Union Congress and their families combined with other work- Riots in 1829 and 1830 resulted in mass ar- grow if there is any real hope to defeat these cancelled under government pressure despite ers, the Durham Miners Gala is another sign rests with 19 executed and 500 sent to penal laws. Thanks to all those who sang, made its initial success in shutting down swathes of working-class solidarity. This year, under colony Australia. music, chanted and heckled with wit, and of the country. a cloudy sky, about 70,000 people marched George Loveless and five other farm broke the ALP’s hypnotic spell for a while. In 1984, the miners once again struck behind beautifully sewn, painted or quilted workers decided to form a union to negoti- — Viola Wilkins nationally and for a year withstood extraor- banners held by six people each for this ate better conditions. They were framed, dinary state and police repression before 122nd Gala since 1871. Only when miners convicted and exiled to Australia in 1834. A Organizing the East Bay returning to work. Their strike served as a were fighting for their lives in the trenches popular campaign freed them two years later. After winning a NLRB representation symbol of resistance against Thatcher’s neo- of World War One and Two or during the All but one eventually moved to live the rest election at the Shattuck Cinema Landmark conservative economic and social policies grueling lockouts of 1921-22, 1926 and of their lives in London, Ontario, Canada, Theater in Berkeley 22-2, the hard work of that split the country to this day. Conservative year-long strike of 1984-1985 did the Gala where there is a memorial to them. negotiating a first contract begins. Already, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher oversaw not go ahead. The Tolpuddle Martyrs inspired a new apparently in response to the vote (another the dismantling, closure and privatization of “They’ve closed the pits but they didn’t generation of workers to band together in Landmark recently unionized in Cambridge, the British Islands’ mining industries. achieve what Thatcher wanted,” said Michael solidarity. Mass.), management has suddenly discovered it would be a good idea to raise starting wages Preamble to the Join the IWW Today nationally by 75 cents an hour. IWW Constitution Bay Area Wobs continue negotiating he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the The working class and the employing class with the Ecology Center Curbside Recycling job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions have nothing in common. There can be no Program in Berkeley, as they have been since today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and peace so long as hunger and want are found T last September. But the pace has picked up distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popula- among millions of working people and the few, tion, not merely a handful of exploiters. after management was sent a strongly worded who make up the employing class, have all the We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially – that letter about their foot-dragging. good things of life. Between these two classes a struggle must is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than dividing workers IWW General Assembly go on until the workers of the world organize by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together. Sept. 1-3, Oakland CA as a class, take possession of the means of pro- Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses and The 2006 General Assembly will meet duction, abolish the wage system, and live in in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow workers at the Humanist Hall in downtown Oakland harmony with the earth. no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on. Sept. 1-3. Delegates will act on reports from We find that the centering of the manage- We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have rep- union officers, consider resolutions forwarded ment of industries into fewer and fewer hands resentation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recognizing by branches and union committees including makes the trade unions unable to cope with that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition but about a proposal to form an organizing department, the ever-growing power of the employing class. workers coming together to address our common concerns. Sometimes this means and nominate officers for 2007. The trade unions foster a state of affairs which striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with an unsafe Registration information is available at allows one set of workers to be pitted against machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done. Sometimes www.iww.org, and was sent (along with a Gen- another set of workers in the same industry, it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific workplace, or eral Organization Bulletin including all items thereby helping defeat one another in wage across an industry. submitted for consideration) to all members wars. Moreover, the trade unions aid the em- Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues in good standing on GHQ records. ploying class to mislead the workers into the belief that the working class have interests in to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved. Mayday 2006 relaunch edition • still available common with their employers. These conditions can be changed and the TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation and your first interest of the working class upheld only by an month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 23085, Cincinnati OH 45223, USA. organization formed in such a way that all its Initiation is the same as one month’s dues. Our dues are calculated according to members in any one industry, or all industries your income. If your monthly income is under $1,000, dues are $6 a month. If your if necessary, cease work whenever a strike or monthly income is between $1,000 - $2,000, dues are $12 a month. If your monthly lockout is on in any department thereof, thus income is over $2,000 a month, dues are $18 a month. making an injury to one an injury to all. o I affirm that I am a worker, and that I am not an employer Instead of the conservative motto, “A fair o I agree to abide by the IWW constitution day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” we must in- scribe on our banner the revolutionary watch- o I will study its principles and make myself acquainted with its purposes. word, “Abolition of the wage system.” Name:______It is the historic mission of the working Address:______class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not only for the City, State, Zip:______everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to Occupation:______carry on production when capitalism shall have Phone:______E-mail:______been overthrown. By organizing industrially we Amount Enclosed:______are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old. Membership includes a subscription to the Industrial Worker. iww british isles, po box 1158, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE99 4XL Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2006 The IWW and the ‘Other Campaign’ b y Pat r icia N u ñ o , bay a r e a g mb ers, “Our hearts are not the same as before, capitalist exploitation and in defense of their The Zapatista Army of National Libera- when we began our struggle. They are larger, own human dignity, and that of others. tion (EZLN) was fighting for democracy and because now we have touched the hearts of The Zapatistas’ Other Campaign is justice in the southern indigenous lands in many good people. And we also saw that our organizing in a national, non-electoral cam- Mexico well before 1994. Today, the Zap- heart was more hurt... not wounded by the paign to listen and help organize the word atistas struggle not only for the indigenous deceits of the bad governments, but because of the Mexican people in order to create real people of Chiapas, but for all those across the when we touched the hearts of others we also democracy, liberty and justice. This other world who are exploited and robbed by the touched their sorrows. It was as if we were form of political organizing, for a “program B y D e a n D e mps e y, B ay A r e a G MB rich and the governments that serve them. seeing ourselves in a mirror.” of national struggle,” aims to create a new The Industrial Workers of the World was Like the IWW, the EZLN is an internationalist The EZLN reports that government docu- Constitution, from below and for below. the first American union to truly welcome all organization that fights for the “humble and ments show that it was only those indigenous The Other Campaign is not interested workers as equals – regardless of whether they simple” people, the everyday working folks territories where the Zapatistas are organizing in leading the movement or demanding that were immigrants, women or African-Ameri- who belong to “civil society,” the majority that show significant improvements in living others do as they have done. Its purpose is cans – within our organizational structure, who do not belong to political parties. conditions. The progress has only been pos- to find agreements between communities in free of bias and segregation. Some of the It was these folks, the working class, who sible because of the support they received resistance, and, at least in Mexico, to develop most influential members of the IWW have stood up for the Zapatistas when they first from “civil societies” – the working class, a “national program of struggle.” been immigrants, women and people of color, publicly began to defend their lands. This grass-roots organizations throughout the Internationally, the Other Campaign’s such as Matilda Rabinowitz, Carlo Tresca, Ben international support was really what pre- world. “As if all these people have made ‘an- international Encuentros have already helped Fletcher and even Joe Hill. This commitment vented worse attacks against those resisting other world is possible’ a reality, but through create new relationships of mutual respect to include all workers carries on to contem- in indigenous communities. In Atenco and actions and not just words.” and support, with those who are against porary union organizers of all branches of our Oaxaca, the world has witnessed the same Now, 12 years after the EZLN declared neoliberalism and for humanity. union, from all parts of the globe. brutal class war against organized indigenous war against neoliberalism, against oblivion, Throughout its history, the IWW has very When we formed, the IWW wasn’t and Mexican workers and their communities. they understand that, “A new step forward in much been a part of international movements “sympathetic” to foreign-born workers. To be The electoral fraud has left the doors open to the indigenous struggle is only possible if the for working class solidarity. Today, a great sympathetic would imply that they were seen growing violence and repression. Once again, indigenous join together with the workers, opportunity presents itself again, to unite as a separate set of workers. Rather, many of the need for international support from fellow campesinos, students, teachers ... the workers with those from below and to the left. By our founders were immigrants themselves, workers is critical. of the city and the countryside.” joining the Other Campaign, the IWW could and some of our main resources were geared In the Sixth Declaration of la Selva Lacon- This “globalized rebellion” includes not demonstrate their support to the Zapatistas to immigrant members and communities. For da, the Zapatistas thank all who demonstrated only the working class, but also focuses on and many other worker communities in example, Industrialisti, the Finnish-language support. Many international ‘Encuentros’ the resistance of women, of the youth, of resistance. Perhaps by participating in the IWW newspaper, printed daily at 10,000 cop- (encounters or gatherings) have allowed the the LGBT community, of immigrants and “Other Campaign,” our hearts will also grow ies per issue. The IWW published weekly and Zapatistas to learn from other struggles. They migrants, and many other groups who are not a bit more, as we learn and unite with fellow monthly newspapers in more than a dozen say that after listening and learning from oth- seen until they rise up against empire, against workers in different but similar struggles. languages, and pamphlets in many more. Within a year of our union’s inception, a branch formed in the UK, and shortly after War, Wobs and the Web saying: “I’m glad it won’t be on the IWW web that in Australia. They are still active today. b y E r ic L e e site because that is not acceptable ... but it The IWW has always had, and still has, in- A controversy erupted a few days ago Online doesn’t settle everything for me because what ternational standing. involving myself and some fellow members you are publishing is something I find very As the new movement for social justice of the IWW and as I think back on it, I think Picket offensive and warped. You ought to consider unfolds in the United States, there is fresh that there are some issues here which relate Eric not printing this sorta thing in the first place... impetus for the expansion of IWW and im- to the new communications technologies Lee You sound like every right wing bastard on Line migrant worker relationships. As globaliza- – and to what it means to be a Wobbly. We years. And this divergence is what caused the planet ... fuck israel!” tion escalates, migration and displacement are living in a new era, one in which cutting- the problem with the RSS feed on the IWW More than a dozen fellow workers, in- are reaching all-time highs. Consequently, edge technologies are quickly adopted (often web site. cluding IWW branches around the world, the working people of the world are made a good thing) but we are sometimes slow to In recent weeks, as the Middle East were copied into this message. more vulnerable to under pay, little or no understand their ramifications. erupted into armed conflict again, I expressed An earlier message from a different IWW workplace benefits, insufficient job security Here’s what happened: Somewhere bur- my views on my personal web site. Those member – also sent to a long list of email and exploitation of our labor. As global capital ied in the massive IWW web site was a page views are shared by some on the left, here in addresses – referred to the effort I was mak- expands, the need for international solidarity which included RSS feeds, among them a feed Britain where I live, elsewhere in Europe, in ing to help the Lebanese teachers’ unions unionism becomes ever more evident. of links to entries on my personal web site. Australia, and perhaps even in the U.S. But I raise money. Working together with the The heart of the IWW has always been For those who aren’t up to speed with terms realize that the majority of those on the left Education International, I am proud of our transnational solidarity and the belief that like “RSS feeds,” this simply means that my do not share my views. Fair enough – I was effort which has so far raised over $4,000 “An Injury to One is an Injury to All.” personal web site has a file listing the recent happy to be invited to debate one of those in support of Lebanon’s teachers. What the The recent American immigrant rights material I posted, and the IWW webmaster groups here in London recently, and we had fellow worker wrote was: “Given this guy’s movement is occurring concurrently with the had cleverly found a way to read that list and an amicable and comradely discussion not expressed opinions, how do we know that Other Campaign launched by the Zapatistas. publish it to the Wobbly site. only of our differences, but also of the issues he’s not going to take this money and give The Other Campaign encourages all, especial- The reasoning was, I guess, that as I am on which we all agree. it to Israel to buy more cluster bombs and ly Mexico’s indigenous and working peoples, a member of the IWW, what I write on my I am convinced that it is possible for white phosphorus?” to abandon the corrupt electoral system and site will be of interest to fellow workers. This members of the IWW to hold different views I don’t actually know how many cluster to alleviate their problems by taking matters is generally true. This article and every other on current events. Some members, for ex- bombs and white phosphorus one can buy into their own hands. Similar to the IWW, article I write for Industrial Worker is on my ample, might show a real sympathy for the with $4,000, but I’ll have a look on eBay. the Other Campaign advocates for workers’ site, as are my columns for other publications emerging democratic trade union movement I can understand how a webmaster might empowerment rather than abdicating our col- such as the British journals Labour Research in Iraq. Others may label those unions as rush to use a new technology (RSS feeds) and lective strength to the political ruling classes. and International Union Rights. puppets of the occupiers. Some of us may be inadvertently create a problem by linking to Although organized by Chiapan Indians, the I use my personal web site to keep an sympathetic toward Castro’s Cuba, recogniz- articles which maybe shouldn’t be linked to. Other Campaign extends past the compañe- archive of the articles I write, but I also use it ing its achievements in the face of decades Fair enough – those links should be removed, ros and compañeras of Mexico into the work – sometimes – to express my views on current of US hostility. But others may feel that the as I suggested. fields of Central and South America, on north events. This is what most people who have Castro regime is simply a form of Caribbean But the tone and indeed the content of into the United States, and across all oceans personal web sites do. Stalinism, and would welcome the democra- the messages I just quoted – widely circulated on all parts of the earth. A word about my personal political tization of that country. I could go on, but my within the union – cause me some concern. It has become a popular idea in the Bay history is in order here: I grew up in the So- point should be clear: what unites us in the The IWW should welcome a diversity of Area, and perhaps elsewhere, for the IWW to cialist Party in the United States – the same IWW is our belief in a different kind of trade views and encourage an exchange of opinions join the Other Campaign, providing us the party that so many famous Wobblies were unionism, and in the values expressed in the – and we should not stoop to the level of racist ability to mutually share resources and orga- also proud to be members of. But the party I preamble to the IWW constitution – which and anti-Semitic abuse. nizational skills while reviving the Wobbly joined back in 1971 was a rather different one does not mention Iraq, or Cuba, or Israel. The web gives each of us the chance to spirit of multinational partnership. This will than the party of Eugene V. Debs, himself a Some of the fellow workers were upset make our views known, even when they are also expand our international contacts and founder of the IWW. This was a Socialist Party when they found links on the IWW web unpopular views. The IWW should welcome relationships, introducing us to like-minded changed by the events of the intervening years site to articles I had written – articles with such diversity and not try to suppress it. individuals and organizations. – a party that had grown to reject totalitarian- which they profoundly disagreed. When I was As Staughton Lynd mentioned during the ism in all its forms, and particularly Stalinist informed about this, I wrote to the IWW sug- Unions condemn bombing Chicago IWW Centenary, business unions totalitarianism which falsely called itself gesting that all links to my personal web site The International Confederation of such as the Teamsters fight to keep Mexican “socialist.” The party had also grown to be be removed. I had not asked for those links Free Trade Unions has condemned the Is- truck drivers from crossing the Rio Grande, very sympathetic to the state of Israel. to be there in the first place, and I certainly raeli bombing of the Lebanese town of Qana, when a sounder approach would be to or- My own sympathy for the Jewish state didn’t want anyone to think that my views on which killed many children. “Once again, ganize a conference of workers from north grew over the years and by 1981 I chose to controversial subjects were necessarily those innocent civilians are bearing the brunt of the and south of the border to develop unified move there and live on a kibbutz. I remained of the IWW itself. As I wrote, “I suggest that conflict. Most of the 750 Lebanese who have demands. These ideas of collective dialogue there for more than 17 years before coming to this feed be removed at once from the IWW been killed [to date] were civilians, and as are not new to the IWW, and we need to or- London in 1998 to launch LabourStart. site and hope that this settles the matter.” The many as 900,000 Lebanese are now believed ganize to be on the forefront of transnational Why does all this matter? Because it feed was immediately removed. But it did not to have been displaced from their homes. … comradeship, bringing workers together in a might explain how my views and those of settle the matter. The tragedy of Qana underlines the urgency common cause of organizing as a class to ulti- many in the IWW have diverged over the One of the fellow workers wrote to me of an immediate and total ceasefire.” continued next page September 2006 • Industrial Worker • Page  all hell began to break loose. Some workers Sweatshop All Stars picket Cooperstown who were union supporters were fired for b y S o u r d o u g H S lim standard and other entitlements for workers “having a bad attitude” and many pre-existing A half-dozen members of the Upstate in the factories producing licensed team logo conditions were changed. New York GMB picketed the Main Street retail gear like caps, jerseys and jackets. The boss told the union that there was a district in Cooperstown, N.Y., in early July to Recently the focus of these disclosure petition for decertification, and that from now support sweatfree baseball initiatives aimed efforts has shifted to the Pittsburgh Pirates on they would be acting as if the union was at Major League Baseball. baseball club. PASCA’s work includes a decertified. But when asked to produce a copy Cooperstown is home to the Baseball Hall new Pittsburgh City Council resolution of this alleged petition, the boss refused. of Fame and Museum and the site of a gauntlet directed at the team’s procurement methods. Dick Yuengling is acting as if the union of baseball gift and memorabilia shops awash The strategy sets a precedent that is seen as a does not exist any more, and ignoring it until in goods made under highly exploitative and model to include all of the sports teams. it goes away. Teamsters 830 have countered abusive working conditions. Tom Lewandowski of the Fort Wayne, by filing a complaint with the NLRB. The Upstate N.Y. Wobs were part of the Indiana, Central Labor Council has been The union has called on all consumers Sweatshop All Stars agitating and educating a leader on the wage disclosure issue. He to boycott all Yuengling products until the in advance of and including the annual drafted a statement directed at the Pittsburgh boss returns to the bargaining table and stops Major League Baseball All Star Game at PNC Pirates: “Wages paid to workers at the point trying to break the union. Unfortunately, the Park, Pittsburgh, July 11th. Along with the of manufacture must be disclosed and Teamsters have not done a very good job Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community certified under threat of real economic and promoting this boycott, as several members of Alliance, Baltimore’s United Workers legal sanctions. Otherwise corruption, fraud the local including one worker at the brewery Association (representing ballpark employees and exploitation are tolerated and even that I spoke with did not even know that the at Camden Yards), Sweatfree Communities of fostered.” boycott existed. In fact, several workers at Bangor, Maine and other activists, the Upstate Lewandowski explained that since ph oto : Pa u l P o u l o s the brewery and members of the local told N.Y. Wobblies called on baseball fans to join passage of 1931’s Davis-Bacon Act, “wage sweatfree baseball cards and balloons for me they believed union leaders were more in efforts to pressure baseball’s boss class to disclosure and certified payroll have been key the kids to invite dialogue about baseball’s concerned about their upcoming election come clean on sweatshop production. Team tenets of both the building and construction dirty little (not so) secret. “‘Human Rights than the struggle against Yuengling. owners, players and league officials reap trade unions and the U.S. government.” Baseball’ is the message we want to convey, Unfortunately this struggle shows us the millions in profits from the sale of a growing What was necessary then to block abuses is in the spirit of the late Pittsburgh Pirates All problem that exists in the current labor atmo- market of team logo apparel. indispensable now. The statement goes on Star and humanitarian Roberto Clemente,” sphere in the United States. While companies The Cooperstown and Pittsburgh to state that the Pittsburgh Pirates and the said Greg Giorgio of the Upstate Wobblies. continue to get more aggressive in attacking actions coincided with a week’s worth of fan base’s community, in view of the global (See Human Rights Baseball.org) workers, business unions continue to ca- demonstrations organized by the NGWF garment industry today, must hold the “We’re not asking you to boycott baseball,” pitulate. Instead of relying on solidarity from of Bangladesh to demand payroll identity sport accountable in the same manner to one picket told fans in Cooperstown. But the inside and outside the plant, the Teamsters verification for workers who toil in that safeguard workers. “Whether in construction Upstate IWW will be asking baseball patrons have put all of their chips on the NLRB. country’s garment factory free trade zones. or apparel, blind eye end users corrupt our to join them in a local sweatfree ordinance to Meanwhile, the local leadership is more The Sweatfree All Stars groups have called on principles and lives.” be developed on the Pittsburgh model in the focused on fighting each other rather than Major League Baseball to ensure the payroll The Upstate N.Y. IWW passed out flyers, coming months. fighting the boss. The American union ship is sinking, and the leadership is fighting over On July 11th, Pittsburgh was who gets to be the captain instead of trying home to the 2006 Major League Yuengling brewery to fight back. In the meantime, the Yuengling Baseball All Star game. The workers continue to wait for the NLRB to rule city prepared for the influx of workers attacked on the future of their union while kept in the tourists and its place in the b y W alt w e b e r dark by both their boss and Teamsters 830. national spotlight by installing In Pottstown, Penn., workers at the brew- Regardless of the outcome of the NLRB a $1 million video surveillance ery that claims to be the oldest brewery in the ruling, if the workers wish to continue to have network, purchasing new K-9 United States are currently working without a a union on their job, it appears they will have units, patrol cars, and crowd contract and owner Dick Yuengling is trying to do it themselves and that they will have to control equipment. The city’s to break the union. rely on organizing and solidarity instead of Redd up Campaign involved According to Teamsters local 830, the the union leadership and the NLRB. boarding up abandoned brewery workers’ contract expired March 31. buildings, removing graffiti, But before this happened, Dick Yuengling Boston unionist charged with towing cars, cleaning up held a series of captive audience meetings and unleashing rats on bosses abandoned lots, and displacing told the workers that he would close the plant Boston police have brought criminal homeless people from their normal gathering places on the North Side and Downtown. before dealing with the union any more. He charges against an IBEW Local 103 business Despite the increased security and police hostility towards demonstrations near the also told the workers that if they wanted to agent, claiming he released three white rats stadium, members of the Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Alliance held a march keep their jobs they should create a petition in the midst of the dinner rush at The Capital and carnival to support the National Garment Workers Federation of Bangladesh and to that said that they wanted to get rid of the Grille steakhouse August 3. The restaurant’s demand that Major League Baseball eliminate the use of sweatshop labor in the production union, and circulate it around the plant. manager claimed to recognize the unionist of its apparel and merchandise. As soon as the contract actually expired, from protests over the past four months. mately create a better world for ourselves. East End Co-op bosses Corporate outsourcing and anglocentrism Work more, live less U.S. workers needs to work has agitated anti-foreign sentiment in recent refuse to recognize IWW just 11 hours a week to produce years, but as jobs get pushed past American Workers at Pittsburgh’s East End Food as much as those working 40 borders to places around the world where Co-op will vote on union representation hours per week in 1950. (Pro- labor is often unorganized and exploitable, in an August 30 NLRB election. The IWW ductivity increases in Europe the battleground of class war is not moved, petitioned for the election July 29, after and Japan have been similar.) but rather expanded. Steps to promote not management refused to honor the result of If productivity means anything at all, only American job security, but a culture of an independent union card check conducted produced substandard work. More impor- a worker should be able to earn the same internationalism, must be made. by the Thomas Merton Center, a well-known tantly, growing numbers of workers simply standard of living as a 1975 worker (when By joining the Other Campaign, we align peace and social justice organization. refuse to work those hours any longer. median inflation-adjusted wages were as ourselves with all the workers who, as Sub- Instead, managers hired the Seattle-based Shorter hours are available for those high as they are today) in only 23 hours per comandante Marcos said, “[are] of those who Braun Consulting Group to run its union- who are prepared to take them. And for week. Any hours worked beyond that point don’t build ladders to climb above others, but busting campaign and launched a company those who prefer to trust to the generosity of are simply a gift to the bosses. who look beside them to find another and union. Braun is also employed by Seattle’s the employing class, every year finds more But of course, rather than working less, make him or her their compañero or compa- Madison Market, where the IWW represents U.S. workers putting in 60-hour weeks. the average worker finds themselves put- ñera … or whatever word is used to describe administrative and maintenance staff. It’s all a matter of personal choice. Trust ting in ever longer hours, even as millions that long, treacherous, collective path that is East End worker Stacey Clampitt said to the market and be driven from dawn til of our fellow workers are stuck in ill-paid the struggle of: everything for everyone.” workers needed more power on the job, more dusk, or organize with your fellow workers part-time jobs or unable to find work at all. We must offer union support and mem- protection against arbitrary management to gain your share of this wealth we have And, given that only about one in 12 of us bership to workers who are a part of the Other decisions, better health care benefits, and created. The choice is yours... is unionized, if we raise a squawk we’re told Campaign, just as the Other Campaign would a living wage. East End workers have been to hit the road. Australian academic calls provide us the heart of international struggle organizing off and on for over a decade. Even some bosses are learning that this and resistance of movements from around A store manager “stepped down” from his for six-hour work day slave-driving approach is counter-produc- the world. Simply put, the Other Campaign position to launch the “United Co-operative Sydney University professor Caroline tive. Computer workers in software publish- is a step in the direction of furthering our Workers,” which he said would offer workers West says working more than four to six ing once routinely put in 50 or more hours collaboration with immigrants from here and a voice without charging union dues. hours a day causes anxiety, exhaustion and a week (much more during crunch time as across the world, while expanding the IWW Few workers have fallen for this scam, a poor quality of life. “We’ve structured product was nearing its inevitably buggy army of production. Too many people who and under public scrutiny managers seem to our lives so the majority of our waking release), in 2005 their average reported work would agree with our Preamble do not know have abandoned their support for this fake life is devoted to work, which might bring week dropped to 36.4 hours a week accord- who we are or how to organize. Through this union under the guise of providing it “equal us more money but doesn’t make us more ing to the U.S. Department of Labor. friendship, many workers of many different treatment.” Co-op members have been cam- fulfilled,” Dr West said. Why? The trade press suggests that soft- languages can be introduced to the IWW, a paigning to get East End to dump Braun and Almost a third of Australian full-time ware houses have learned to manage projects harbinger of the realization of the absolute disclose how much money has been spent on workers work more than 48 hours a week better, but concedes that long hours often power each worker has. union-busters and legal advisors. and 30 percent work 50 hours or more. Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2006 e r

p was, in the first place, direct action, but only the words of Paine and William Lloyd Gar- r direct action devoted to more than narrow, rison, “The world is my country, all mankind ha self-interested goals. my countrymen.” f f

cli The first sign of change came in March 1882, when a group of German tanners From Chicago to Bolivia struck and demanded a wage equal to that Fast forward from the half-forgotten past of the more skilled English-speaking curri- to the palpitating present, from Chicago to continued from page 1 of eight hours. But in the end, workers’ direct ers. When employers refused the demand Bolivia and Mexico. Greg Shotwell, a spokesperson for Sol- action failed to salvage the new law. and the curriers struck in sympathy with the During the past two or three years I have diers of Solidarity, said the following in his The depression of 1873 caused the de- immigrant tanners, the curriers acted not on had the privilege of getting to know Mumia remarks at the Labor Notes convention on mand for a shorter workday to be renewed the basis of “any grievance of their own, but Abu Jamal. When the Abu Ghraib news May 8: “We commonly hear rank-and-file in Chicago. Unemployed workers asked because of a sentimental and sympathetic broke, he pointed out to me that Charles Gra- members say, ‘A general strike is needed.’ ... that “the city find work for those who were feeling for another class of workmen.” The ner had been a correctional officer at S.C.I. The biggest obstacle to the general strike is willing and able to labor.” 20,000 marchers 72-day exercise in solidarity was, according Greene before he became a thug in Iraq. And not worker apathy, it’s union bureaucracy. ... accompanied their spokesmen to City Hall, to the Illinois Bureau of Labor Statistics, an Mumia was the first to draw my attention to We can’t begin to organize a general strike or some carrying banners that read “Bread Or action “conducted on the principle of the what was happening in Bolivia. even an industry-wide strike until workers Work.” Typographer Albert Parsons and his Knights of Labor which There has been an actually experience first hand the power of wife Lucy Parsons arrived in Chicago the proclaims that ‘an injury interesting transition in concerted activity on the shop floor. ... [A] following year. to one is the concern of Bolivia from power in general strike will not be organized from Another Chicago general strike erupted all.’” (Green, p 98) the streets to something the top down. A general strike can only be in response to the railroad workers’ uprising Unlike the trade different. Over a period organized from the ground up. Work to rule of 1877. Police attacked a cabinetmakers’ unions of skilled crafts- of years there devel- is the building block.” meeting at Turner Hall. There and in ensu- men, the Knights created oped a popular protest All over the world, the past year has been ing assaults 30 men and boys were killed, “mixed assemblies” that movement against the a workshop in the general strike. In France, causing another recent arrival, upholsterer reached out to unskilled privatization of natural manifestations of the young caused the repeal August Spies, to join the Lehr und Wehr workers of all kinds, resources, especially of a law designed to make it easier for em- Verein. Summoned to a secret meeting with such as female book- water. According to ployers to fire young workers, disguised as a Chicago businessmen, Parsons was told to binders, shoe stitchers, sympathetic scholars, law that would make it easier for them to be leave town. carpet weavers and the When the boss tries to disappear what expressed itself in hired. Protesters in places as various as Nepal, This abbreviated history helps to explain “sewing girls” in cloth- a colleague ... don’t let it happen. Indian communities in Lebanon and Indonesia went into the streets what Professor Green calls the “strange en- ing factories. Bolivia was an attitude to protest proposed enactment of similar laws thusiasm [that] took hold of working-class A similar choice Refuse to leave. From such small very similar to the Za- that would have allowed employers to fire people in industrial centers” early in 1886. presented itself to work- beginnings the occupation of patista idea of “mandar workers without explanation. In the United By the end of April more than 47,000 Chi- ers at the McCormick obediciendo,” to govern States, Hispanic fellow workers reclaimed cago workers had gained a shorter workday, Works in April 1885. whole factories may grow... in obedience. Authori- May Day for all of us when they poured out many of them without a corresponding cut in Cyrus McCormick, Jr. sought to impose a ties are meant to be humble and governed of the shadows and onto the streets two and pay. On May 1, 350,000 laborers nationwide wage cut but, under pressure from the busi- by the popular will, as determined in popular a half months ago. In Bolivia, miners, coca struck for the eight-hour day. ness community, withdrew the wage cut assemblies. Authorities serve in their posts growers and others who had filled the streets Familiar events followed. On May 3, an imposed on unionized molders. The molders on a temporary, rotating, and dispersed ba- to protest the proposed privatization of water exhausted Spies was persuaded to address “refused to accept the offer, however, unless sis, to prevent the accumulation of a power elected a president who asserted public own- striking lumber workers at a location close to it was extended to the less skilled piece-rate that could otherwise become despotic. At ership of oil and gas as well. the perennially embattled McCormick Works, men.” one great demonstration in the capital city, What general principles can we draw operating with scab labor. As he spoke a bell On March 6, 1886, the Knights an- protesters said: “we won’t even go down from this welter of activity, past and pres- tolled indicating an end to the workday at nounced “the ultimate solidarity strike, call- to the seat of government lest we seem to ent? If general strikes are as important as we the McCormick Works. Gunfire broke out ing out all men on the Texas & Pacific line as be provoking violence, especially since we say they are, what can we do to prepare the among scabs, strikers, and police. Six striking a protest” against the discharge of one man for already have all the power anyhow.” ground for their happening, to help them workers were killed. attending a union meeting. One of the reasons But then, an indigenous leader Evo succeed, to make sure that when the ocean Returning to his newspaper office, Spies the May Day general strike failed to achieve Morales was elected president of Bolivia. On waves of struggle have subsided something and colleagues put together a leaflet calling its objective was that on May 3, Grand Master the occasion of his inauguration he borrowed is left behind? for a meeting the next night, May 4, at the Workman Terence Powderly of the Knights Zapatista rhetoric, proclaiming: “vamos a I want to focus on two experiences. The Haymarket. The leaflet cried out, “to Arms!” of Labor undercut the national upheaval by mandar obediciendo.” He told a gathering first is the series of general strikes for the An individual typesetter added a word at the decreeing an end to this great southwestern of Latin American intellectuals: “We have no eight hour day which gave rise to May Day top of the leaflet, “Revenge!” strike against Jay Gould’s rail system. other choice, compañeros and compañeras. in the late 1800s. The second concerns the We gather nowadays to recognize May It was their particular vision of unionism If we want to defend humanity ... this means revolution in Bolivia and the Zapatistas’ so- 4 as the date on which National Guardsmen that comes closest to defining what Parson overthrowing U.S. imperialism.” Morales called “Other Campaign” during the recent opened fire at Kent State University in 1970, and Spies were about. Green calls it “revolu- moved aggressively to reverse the privatiza- Mexican national election. killing four students. How is it that we so tionary unionism.” I have used the term “soli- tion of Bolivia’s oil and gas resources, post- often fail to remember that on that same date, darity unionism.” Such unions might indeed ing the army at strategic locations before he The 8-hour struggle eighty-four years earlier in Chicago, a bomb be understood as the new world within the announced his program of nationalization. A second reading I would suggest for was thrown leading to the deaths of seven shell or womb of the old. A Quechua Indian who had worked as a Wobbly study circles – if such there be – is policemen and the subsequent hanging of The anarchists imagined militant work- maid was appointed justice minister. Morales a new book by historian Jim Green entitled, four radical working-class intellectuals? ers’ organizations as more than movement proposes a People’s Trade Agreement as an Death in the Haymarket (Pantheon, 2006). In I pass over the details of what Parsons building blocks; these unions could be “the alternative to the free trade agreements spon- it he describes what he calls “the mammoth accurately called the “judicial murder” of the living germs of a new social order which sored by the United States. He explained to general strike for the eight-hour day” which spokespersons for the Chicago movement. would replace the bourgeois world,” or, as one interviewer that he promoted a socialism led to the hanging of four working-class agita- What did these men believe? Parsons put it, the “embryonic” groups of a based on the indigenous community. tors and the creation of May Day. In 1883, “weary of compromise and de- future “free society.” “Fundamentally, in the Indian communi- The national general strike of May 1886 sirous of accomplishing the social revolution Another way to describe the Chicago idea ties they have socialism,” Morales said. “For was the product of many local general strikes, by means other than political action,” Spies might be: anarchist means for socialist ends. example, if we speak of land. ... [W]here I first for the ten-hour and then for the eight- and Parsons attended the founding meeting of But Green makes clear that Parsons rejected live at this moment ... [i]t is individual par- hour day, beginning at the end of the Civil the United States branch of the International what he called “state socialism.” Parsons’ so- celing, and there arise very serious problems, War. Organizers found that shortening the Working People’s Association. This entity cialist objective was that of the Marx who, in because it leads to small holdings, which you workday was “the one cause that brought produced the Pittsburgh Manifesto, written his Critique of the Gotha Program, envisioned don’t see in a peasant community where the diverse groups of workers together.” William in part by Spies, and widely distributed there- a withering away of the state in a communist land is communal. ... Sylvis, an iron moulder, and Ira Seward, a after in Chicago. The Manifesto as quoted by society. “It is an economic model based on soli- machinist, were its first evangelists. In its Green stated that all attempts to change the It will be apparent that the organiza- darity, reciprocity, community and consensus. support, new organizations multiplied and system “by peaceable means” were futile. tion that can most credibly claim to have Because, for us, democracy is a consensus. isolated organizations amalgamated, in Chi- What came to be known as the “Chicago inherited and carried on the Chicago idea is In the community there is consensus, in the cago forming a new Trades Assembly. idea” had a different emphasis. The memory the Industrial Workers of the World. Lucy trade union there are majorities and minori- The governor of Illinois signed the of the Paris Commune of 1871, celebrated Parsons was among those who attended the ties.” nation’s first eight-hour law, to take effect by Marx but in fact created by anarchist op- founding convention of the IWW, in Chicago, In the Bolivia subject to neoliberalism, he on May 1, 1867. Labor leaders threatened ponents of Marx, was still alive. While repu- in 1905. But it is critical that Wobs and their added, it was “better to be a vaccinated cow a general strike if employers defied the law diating elections as a means of fundamental fellow travelers summon the imagination than a human being. For a vaccinated cow when it came into effect. Ten of thousands social change, Parsons and Spies were eclectic to disentangle the substance of these ideas there are 25 hectares and for a human being of Chicago workers marched from the Union and experimental when it came to workers’ from the particular words in which they are there is nothing.” Stock Yards on May 1, 1867, to celebrate the self-organization for economic ends. They expressed in the IWW Preamble. Morales wants to take land away from inauguration of the eight-hour day. championed the demand for the eight-hour Likewise it is critical to grasp that, mar- the largest landowners and distribute it. As of The largest Chicago employers refused to day. They helped to organize the first Chicago ginalized and, in the end, murdered by the early June he had distributed 30,000 square obey the new law. In response, workers shut assembly of the Knights of Labor. Later, they powers that be, Parsons nonetheless under- kilometers, more than 18,000 square miles. down railroad car shops, shipping depots, helped nine local unions in Chicago that had stood himself as a radical in the American But apparently, to carry out this program lumber yards and wood-planing mills. At broken away from national trade unions to radical tradition. His speeches invoked comprehensively and permanently, a con- the McCormick Works, where agricultural create a new Central Labor Union. Thomas Paine and John Brown. Addressing stitutional amendment is required. And in a machinery was made, workers took their It seems relatively clear that what mat- the court on the occasion of his sentencing, recent election Morales supporters won less own direct action. They left work at the end tered most to the two visionary agitators Parsons spread his arms wide and declared in than the necessary two-thirds of the seats to September 2006 • Industrial Worker • Page  bring about this reform in the forthcoming before, with significant numbers joining the league before fellow workers become aware of Constituent Assembly. demonstration from it, don’t let it happen. Call the union steward. Meantime, in Mexico, when President I quote The New York Times: “Dozens of If there is no union steward, refuse to leave. Morales invited Subcomandante Marcos to community groups, Indian rights organiza- From such small beginnings the occupation attend his inauguration, Marcos declined. tions, farmers’ cooperatives and revolution- of whole factories may grow. Indeed, in the What is going on? ary parties.” On June 14, the state police, history of local general strikes, the typical At the end of June 2005, the Zapatistas supported by helicopters that sprayed tear sequence of events begins with a confronta- released their Sixth Declaration from the gas, attacked the tent city and destroyed tion in a single workplace. Then, especially Lacandón jungle. They declared their inten- the equipment of the teachers’ public voice, if the authorities turn to violence, especially tion to make Zapatismo a movement that Radio Planton. ... The raid failed miserably, if as at Atenco an unarmed participant is would no longer be for or with indigenous as the teachers armed themselves with sticks killed, the whole working community puts peoples alone. They proposed to build con- and stones” and by the next morning had down its tools. sensus with people and organizations on the re-established themselves in the town center. A second example. Just as the Haymarket Left, but to do so from below. On July 13, the The university radio station became the new martyrs and the first Wobblies looked back Zapatistas officially announced the National voice of the protest. admiringly to the antislavery movement, so Campaign with Another Kind of Politics, for Of course the outcome of the national we can learn from the civil rights struggles a National Program of Leftist Struggle and a elections has caused criticism of the Other of the 1960s. It is true that in Montgomery, New Constitution.” Public opinion coined Campaign, which is said to have cost López Alabama in the mid-1950s there existed an the abbreviation, “The Other Campaign.” The Obrador the presidency. We lived through NAACP chapter headed by E.D. Nixon, a Zapatistas declared that they would leave Chi- something similar in the 2000 election in railroad worker, as well as a certain readiness apas to tour the country, after first convening the United States when Nader was criticized to call a bus boycott when the right defendant a series of “encuentros” to clarify the goals as Marcos is in Mexico at the moment. The presented herself. But it is also true that Rosa of the Other Campaign. (This description is difference, in my opinion, is that while Nader Parks acted completely alone and without based on reports in the periodical Envío.) talked of building a movement from below knowing what her action would mean for The Other Campaign began its tour in after the election, he did little to bring this her own life or whether any mass support January 2006. In his first appearance, Marcos about. Marcos, in contrast, said before July would materialize. rode in on a motorcycle with the chicken r i n i t e mpl e to n 2: “The alternative isn’t to vote for one or It was the same with the four students he has named “Penguin.” The Penguin, as about. According to one account, memories the other or to not vote at all; the alternative who sat-in at a Greensboro, North Carolina explained at the end of the Sixth Declaration, and histories emerged that were unknown to is to organize or not, below and to the left. lunch counter in 1960. This time, a small was a chicken who tried to walk upright. most people at the meetings. The Zapatistas’ That is to say, we are not within the electoral action triggered more than a citywide general “You know what?,” Marcos commented. analysis at these meetings led to the conclu- logic, but instead we are in the logic of con- strike of bus riders. Student sit-ins erupted “It occurs to me now that we’re like Penguin, sion that the capitalist system is at the root structing a movement that truly opposes the across the South. trying very hard to stand erect and make our- of all the evils. capitalist system.” I think he means it, but I recall a meeting of Student Nonviolent selves a place in Mexico, in Latin America, On March 21 a different kind of meeting, as they say in Latin America, “vamos a ver” Coordinating Committee staff in Atlanta in the World. Just as the trip we’re about to of sympathetic intellectuals, took place at the (we shall see). just before the 1964 Summer Project. It was take isn’t in our anatomy, we shall certainly Salvadore Allende auditorium of the Universi- a somber meeting. Speakers predicted, cor- go about swaying, unsteady and stupidly, ty of Guadalajara. Some participants insisted A process, not a thing rectly, that there would be deaths that sum- provoking laughter and jokes, although just that one can’t be anti-capitalist without a To conclude: A general strike is a process, mer. At the end of the meeting we formed a perhaps, also like Penguin, we might provoke socialist program, invoking Rosa Luxemburg, not a thing. A general strike begins in any di- circle and sang “We Shall Overcome,” verse some sympathy and someone might gener- who opposed state ownership of the means of rect action, however few the number of those after verse. When no one could think of ously protect us, by walking with us, and help production without workers’ control. Marcos involved, in which protesters act in a manner another verse, we hummed, and John Lewis, us do what every man, woman or penguin had been expected to speak at the close of consistent with the welfare of working and then chairperson of SNCC, spoke over the should do, that is, always try to be better in the event. However, some 30 sexual work- oppressed people everywhere. humming. He told of the time in 1961 when the only way possible, by struggling.” ers broke in, many with their faces covered. Understand that the governing class will the buses carrying Freedom Riders reached The Other Campaign began as a series Marcos invited them to speak in his place. forever seek to destroy an emerging spirit Alabama, and there was terrible violence in of meetings. Every one spoke freely at these At a more informal occasion later that day, of solidarity by appealing to the short run, Anniston and Birmingham. Sponsoring na- meetings, and participants were invited to Marcos said that socialism was not the only individual self-interests of the oppressed. In tional organizations said the point had been take the floor. The Zapatistas made clear that alternative to capitalism. “He believes that the aftermath of the American Revolution, made and called off the Freedom Rides. John their intent was to listen. The Other Cam- the Other Campaign is demonstrating other city artisans were drawn away from protest- and other students in Nashville decided that paign is like a large table set up to give an anti-capitalist proposals that aren’t socialist, ing farmers by the lure of a national tariff that the rides should continue into Mississippi. opportunity to speak to people who haven’t including anarchist and libertarian ones.” would protect their livelihoods from British Several of them took a bus to Birmingham. had a chance. Marcos explained that it’s dif- Soon enough, no doubt inevitably, meet- imports. Down to the present day, those who As they got off the bus they were arrested by ferent from events in which a few outsiders ings gave way to accompaniment at direct already have jobs will be encouraged to fear Police Chief Bull Connor. In the middle of the climb up on a stand to speak to people whose actions. During the week of April 10, the those coming into the country in search of night they were released from jail. Instead of history and struggles they know nothing Other Campaign came to Morelos, birthplace work: thus the so-called reform candidate in being ambushed and killed as in Philadelphia, of Emiliano Zapata. Marcos was scheduled to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Mississippi, in 1964, they were hustled into speak at Zapata’s grave site. But the Zapatistas criticizes IBT president James Hoffa for not cars and driven to the Alabama-Tennessee Midwest Wobfest were drawn away by a confrontation in nearby doing enough to keep Mexican truck drivers border, where they were dropped off at the f r o m th e chica g o id e a Cuernavaca. A small group of environmental- on the other side of the Rio Grande. Always side of the road. It was dark. It was Klan There was a good turn-out at the Mid- ists had chained themselves to trees in one of and everywhere the program of employers country. Their strategy was in ruins. They west Wobfest held in Minneapolis over the the city’s few remaining natural areas, which is to divide us. The new employee may be had no transportation or money. weekend of July 14-16. Wobs from Chicago, was scheduled for destruction. A restraining the son or nephew of a high-seniority union John Lewis spoke over the humming. Milwaukee, Racine, Eau-Claire, Madison, order was to expire at 11 a.m. But at 10:30 member; no matter, give him half the hourly “We knew one thing,” he said, “We had to Duluth and Minneapolis-St. Paul attended. a.m. the police suddenly disappeared, in pay of the man doing the same work at the start back to Birmingham.” Festivities kicked off Friday night with anticipation of the arrival of Marcos with next bench. Do Soldiers of Solidarity threaten This is a perspective different from that a Bonfire of Discontent where Wobs from supporters who included machete-wielding work to rule, factory occupations, and a gen- of traditional Marxists, for whom the objec- around the Midwest renewed old acquain- campesinos from Atenco. The natural area eral strike? Offer them individual buyouts so tive is to take state power. We don’t want to tances and made new ones, and, of course, was declared “liberated territory.” as to divide and conquer. take state power. We want to build horizontal there was singing. The campesinos of Atenco, a small Against the forces of disintegration, networks beneath all structures of power, Saturday was devoted to workshops town near Mexico City, soon had a larger against the centrifugal current, do not be political and economic, through which work- on regional organizing, member retention, confrontation on their hands. They were afraid to start small. Let me give two final ing people and their communities can engage building an organizing campaign, and dual famous for blocking the construction of an examples. in self-activity. We know that there will be card direct action. airport on community lands in Atenco in I have been trying to follow the activi- persons who exercise state power, and that it That afternoon, FW Staughton Lynd 2001. In May 2006, violence started when ties of Fellow Worker Daniel Gross and his makes a difference who those persons are, but from Youngstown gave a keynote speech local police in nearby Texcoco tried to evict colleagues in the New York City network of whoever they are, we will seek to make them discussing past and present upsurges in the flower vendors from their traditional spot in Starbucks stores. Recently there was an in- accountable to what SubCommandante Mar- working class rebellion. In the discussion a market. Farmers organized in the Peoples teresting incident, reported in The Industrial cos calls “the below.” Along the way, through that followed, participants talked about their Front for the Defense of the Land came to Worker and elsewhere. Relying on a hard- our comradeship, our collective creativity, experiences and connections with the recent their support and battled the police for 24 won directive from the regional NLRB office, our honesty, our trust in one another, we will movement of immigrant workers. hours with machetes, homemade firebombs, workers at a Starbucks establishment showed prefigure a better world. Following the speech was another set and a highway blockade of burning tires. A 14 up for work wearing IWW buttons. Two of Se puede: we can do it. We shall over- of workshops on collectives and co-ops and year old boy was killed by police gunfire and these workers were ordered to count their come. solidarity brigades. That night there was a more than 200 persons arrested. Thousands registers and clock out. They refused to leave. The text of this speech was submitted with variety show at the Crescent Moon Ballroom of persons, including Marcos, marched in They were taken to a back room. Managers source notes for all quotations, that included a punk band, a comedian, a folk protest and the Other Campaign organized screamed at them but they held their ground. available from act, and a couple of kegs. a mass mobilization against the arrests in “After 10 minutes they were allowed to go [email protected] We finished off Sunday with a barbecue Mexico City on May 28. back to work.” on request. and more socializing. On the eve of the July 2 national elections A small event? Right. An insignificant All in all it was an enjoyable and I think there was a local general strike in Oaxaca. happening? No. The late Stan Weir used to productive weekend. The Minneapolis FWs Teachers from a radical local union of the say that there was a workplace equivalent of did an excellent job of organizing the event. national teachers’ union set up a tent city in the writ of habeas corpus. The writ says of an We perhaps began a process for greater co- the public square. The occupation, known in imprisoned comrade, “Bring him or her into operation on a regional basis. I look forward Spanish as a “planton,” was an annual event court. Show us the body.” Similarly, Stan ad- to next year’s Midwest gathering. but was apparently larger this year than ever vised, when the boss tries to disappear a col- Page  • Industrial Worker • September 2006

The Coors strike looked like a class act AFL-CIO came to Golden with the news that The Coors strike of 1977 was not sup- humiliation deeply. they were pulling the plug after 20 months, posed to happen. January 1977 was just a That kind of empathy is what separates and after 75 percent of the workers had gone mid-contract re-opener to adjust wages. Mid- effective union leaders from pork choppers. back to work, Ken objected: “But we’re win- contract negotiations usually went smoothly, Once Dave gave his impassioned speech, no ning. They’re really hurting. Just yesterday we and all the brewery workers’ union leadership one could have talked the brewery workers stopped a trainload of beer. Crawled up on was going to ask for was a cost-of-living out of their day of defiance. In fact, all three an overpass and unrolled a STRIKE banner adjustment. But these negotiations were union leaders tried to convince the workers right in front of the train. Should have heard explosive and anything but normal. not to strike because they knew the union po- the brakes squealing.” William and Joseph Coors, grandsons of sition was very weak. They had only wanted With more workers like Ken, the cor- Adolph Coors, founder of the Coors Brewery, a strong strike vote in order to get a decent one who crossed the picket line. They knew porations would be in deep trouble. Coors had rid their factories in Golden, Colorado, wage offer. But workers threatened to sue the the NLRB was a paper tiger. They immediately called for a union decertification election and of 18 smaller craft unions and the union at union for not representing their interests. Ken cut all medical benefits for workers who won. Amazingly, even though only scabs and their adjoining porcelain plant in the eight DeBey, vice president of Local 366, hit the nail wouldn’t cross. Coors was self-insured and replacement workers could vote, the union years preceding these negotiations. Bill Coors on the head when he said, “Hell, they are all could do that. The brewery advertised imme- got 30 percent of the vote. was determined to rid the family of the last adults. If they want this strike, let’s strike. We diately in Denver newspapers for permanent The boycott, however, wouldn’t die. union in their facilities, brewery workers may lose our union but if we keep giving in, replacement workers. The AFL-CIO, on the Seven years later, Bill and Joe finally had to Local 366, as well. we don’t have a union anyway.” other hand, was not ready. It took them two admit that the boycott might bring the Coors Bill and Joe had hired a little weasel of Ken could have been speaking for the weeks to let other unions know that there Brewery to its knees. Sales were dropping a lawyer from Beverly Hills, California, who entire labor movement. Since the 1960s, was an official boycott against Coors beer. It seriously and Coors wanted to expand. They always dressed in silk suits, to supervise many union people, because of the material took them three weeks to get strike checks authorized Joe’s son Peter to negotiate with negotiations for them. Erwin Lerten was his gains that they had achieved during the World to workers on the picket lines. the NAACP. (Neither Bill nor Joe could bring name. When Dave Sickler, business agent War II years when labor was scarce, were What would you do if you had three chil- themselves to compromise.) The NAACP for Local 366, opened the negotiations with, beginning to see themselves as a privileged dren? Some workers began crossing the first accepted $325,000 to call off their boycott. “Let’s discuss wages,” Lerten slid a package of “middle class.” Since the 1950s, we had been day. Medical insurance is no minor thing. The AFL-CIO begged them not to settle on peanuts across the table. “Here. I brought you weaned from union meetings and books by a A local boycott of Coors beer had already their own. The NAACP response was, when these from the airplane.” When Dave tried new mesmerizing medium: television. been started by Corky Gonzales 10 years has the AFL-CIO made black workers their to proceed, Lerten slapped the table, leaned When I left for Korea in September 1952 earlier to protest Coors’ racist hiring policies: priority? Fred Rasheed, national director of across the table and with his arrogant smirk at the ripe old age of 17, I had never seen a nine employees with Spanish surnames out of economic development for the NAACP, a said, “You want an open shop? That’s what television set. In my neighborhood, people sat 4,500 employees. The boycott spread rapidly Muslim opposed to drinking alcohol, allowed you’ll get if you’re not careful.” out on the front porches of their homes in the because there was not a minority the Coors himself to be photographed shaking Peter “All I’m trying to say,” Dave responded, evenings to escape the Illinois summer heat family had not offended. Bill Coors once told Coors’ hand with one hand while holding a “is that the membership will not accept what and talk with neighbors. When I came home a conference of black businesspeople that bottle of Coors in the other when they signed amounts to a pay cut.” Lerten leaned back. in the fall of 1953, about half of the homes they were very fortunate that slave traders the deal. La Raza accepted an equal amount “Go ahead and strike. We don’t give a shit.” had television sets. Our neighbors were had dragged them over here in chains and shortly after. The gay community settled for The brewery workers had suffered buying big fans, leaving their front porches that the reason they did not succeed as well an end to the lie detector test and some jobs. uncounted humiliations from the Coorsie and quietly gathering around this flickering as whites had to do with a lack of mental ca- It took three more years for the AFL-CIO to twins and their arrogant supervisors. Lie box, allowing the corporations to fill their pacity. Everyone knew that the Coors family settle for an agreement to remain neutral if an detector tests required for all new employees heads with corporate values. Front porches screened out gays with their lie detector tests. organizing drive ever took place at their plant. demanded answers to disappeared from homes Bill Coors told a Life magazine reporter, “a Coors remains non-union to this day. questions like: Are you The notion that the working and our working class woman’s place is in the beauty parlor.” Was it something in our memories of the gay?, How often do you community began to at- The Coors family saw any group that past, or something instinctual in our DNA as have sex with your wife?, class cannot continue to allow rophy as more and more tried to level the power structure in some way workers? Even though these organizations Do you have friends who these “superior” folks to chew up people became addicted – the NAACP, La Raza, NOW, organized labor, agreed to end the boycott, few ordinary are radicals? Visits to a to this new mind-alter- etc. – as subversive and attacked them as people did. Most continued to avoid a beer company psychologist ordinary peoples’ lives in their ing drug. such. They fully agreed with the class struc- that tasted like fascist swill to them. My good were required of all em- factories; to nonchalantly take The Coors strike ture that some “men” are born to rule others friend Carlos Cortez died a short while ago ployees to “help with any the means of production any happened right in the and anyone that tries to change that structure with a big “Boycott Coors” sticker on his re- personal problems.” All middle of this gradual subverts the laws of nature and the U.S. frigerator. There is something working class information given to the place on this earth that benefits change in the thinking When you examine the ideas that the still alive in most of us that smells injustice company psychologist their interests; to destroy the of union people: from Coors family is still promoting, I’m sure you and what breeds it. was to be kept confiden- identifying themselves will agree. They are brilliant people and have La Raza, the gay community, the NAACP tial, but in fact wound earth we live on; to grind our proudly as working class every right to control not only the factories and the AFL-CIO did not factor into this up on Bill Coors’ desk. fellow workers in the Middle to seeing themselves as we work in, but our political system as well. deal the millions of dollars Coors gives to Supervisors could force East to bits and pieces with their part of a new “middle If you don’t agree, the IWW might be willing neo-conservative organizations dedicated to overtime or cancel vaca- class”; from generally to sign you up. destroying each of their movements. Go to tions at their whim. wars of conquest ... has not yet identifying as Democrats The boycott spread rapidly as soon as the castlerockfoundation.org or mediatranspar- W h y d o g ro w n dawned on our well-educated to voting even more con- AFL-CIO endorsed it. Dave Sickler was put ency.org and type in Castle Rock Foundation workers accept such hu- servatively than their in charge of the boycott and Ken DeBey was to see the fascist, anti-union, anti-everything miliation? Dave Sickler working class. bosses. Union members hired as business agent of Local 366. Dave that is not white, straight, Christian (their asked himself this question during his first in my neighborhood left the Democratic had been studying the United Farm Workers’ brand), and rich, organizations to which you few years as a Coors employee. He came to Party in droves because too many Democrats boycott by spending his vacations in Delano are donating money every time you purchase the same conclusion that many before him defended the rights of blacks, gays, Mexicans, with Cesar Chavez and Dorothy Huerta and a bottle of Coors beer. Have they been suc- had discovered. Coors paid very good wages hippies and women in the ’60s. getting Local 366 on picket lines in Denver. cessful? The George W. Bush regime is the for the Denver area and the other benefits Most union workers at that time were I have never seen such a broad spectrum direct result of these donations. The organiz- were good also. Slaves with nothing to lose male, white and privileged. For the first time, of the working class cooperate so energetically ing of the Christian right to come down out of will revolt, but workers often become dis- privileged workers could dream of sending against one corporation as Dave put together the hills and take control of the government gustingly subservient in direct relation to their children to college in order to leave be- for the Coors boycott: the AFL-CIO, the began during this strike when Joe Coors the privileges they feel they enjoy. For an hind dirty and often dangerous jobs. Many of National Organization for Women, La Raza, donated millions to finance the Heritage example of disgusting subservience, watch us were taught to be ashamed of working with the G. I. Forum, the NAACP, gay groups, the Foundation “think” tank. Go to the above “news” anchors with six figure incomes on our hands. We were told by our parents and Teamsters, the National Education Associa- web site and see what donations continue to prime time television perform on their knees. our teachers that we must try to go to college tion, the Farm Workers, and even many farm- follow that initial investment. Monica Lewinski, move over. in order to “be somebody.” During the ’70s, ers. When groups this diverse work together What began in the Coors strike in 1977 as However, when battle lines have been union membership was declining. to defeat one corporation, someone has made an angry, broadly organized working class op- drawn, the humiliation that workers have We were not taught about Eugene V. it very clear that that corporation is a threat posing a well-defined ruling-class-owned cor- endured in order to feed their families begins Debs, one of the founders of the IWW, or to their interests. Dave gave the credit to Bill poration was settled for very “middle class” to sour in their stomachs and they crave re- why he said, “I will not rise from my class and Joe Coors. He was probably correct, but goals. The notion that the working class can- venge. In my 70 years, I have witnessed and but with my class.” Debs understood that Dave’s tireless efforts to advance the boycott not settle for just a piece of the capitalist pie participated in many strikes. Few of them when we desert members of our class we all over the U.S. helped, especially at those and continue to allow these “superior” folks are really called for the reasons given at the defeat ourselves because the only strength we critical times when Coors was trying to move full control to chew up ordinary peoples’ lives bargaining table, in my opinion, but instead have against the enormous power of wealth into strong union states like Michigan. in their factories (please read Citizen Coors by are a way of getting some revenge for the is solidarity. When we divide ourselves, the The strike was doomed from the start, but Dan Baum); to nonchalantly take the means humiliation capitalism subjects workers to bosses’ television and the bosses’ schools have officially it lasted until December 1978 due to of production any place on this earth that daily. Sometimes, even when most workers done their jobs. the unbelievable determination, courage and benefits their interests; to destroy the earth feel they can’t win, they will take advantage of Did we really believe that corporations anger of the workers and officers of Local 366 we live on; to grind our fellow workers in the opportunity negotiations present to raise would be loyal to U.S. workers if they could who refused to give up. the Middle East and their babies to bits and a working class finger and go fishing for a get labor in Communist China for practically Ken DeBey reminded me of an offensive pieces with their wars of conquest all for their while. I thought that the Coors strike in 1977 nothing? Does anyone really believe Bush lineman the Denver Broncos used to have profit and power, has not yet dawned on our raised a giant working class finger in the air. wants to seal the Mexican border and deprive who would try to loosen up the team when well-educated working class. Dave Sickler did not talk the brewery work- corporations of all that cheap labor? Do we they were behind by a few points and the How long will this continue, fellow work- ers into a strike vote. He merely expressed still believe that there is a Santa Claus? clock was down to the two-minute warning. ers? How much more can this earth endure? the pent-up anger that years of humiliation The picket lines formed in blustery April “We’ve got ‘em where we want ‘em now,” he We may not know it all, but we can run our had created and brought it to the surface. 1977. The Coors brothers were ready. They would say, and sometimes it worked after own lives better than these clowns have done. He was able to do that because he felt their offered an immediate 7 percent raise to any- the team had had a good laugh. When the Give it some thought... September 2006 • Industrial Worker • Page  Call for international support against Starbucks’ union-busting The following resolution was unanimously approved by the IWW General Executive Board in early August, days before Starbucks carried through on its threat to fire IWW organizer Daniel Gross (see article, page 1). Regular updates on efforts around the world to demand FW Gross’s reinstatement and an end to the company’s union-busting are posted to www.iww.org. Whereas Industrial Workers of the World member and Starbucks barista Daniel Gross took part in a protest to defend the job of a fellow worker in the spirit of mutual aid and solidarity; and Whereas Starbucks is currently engaging in a sham investigation of FW Gross because of his participation in said protest and engagement in concerted activity; and Whereas Starbucks will decide whether or not to fire FW Gross at the conclusion of the “investigation”; and Whereas the IWW Starbucks Workers Union has made important improvements in wages and working conditions at the world’s largest coffee chain through direct action on and at the job and involving workers throughout the community in the process; and Whereas Starbucks continues to wage a relentless anti-union campaign to break the IWW presence at the company; and Whereas despite the disgraceful union-busting from Starbucks including the retaliatory terminations of IWW members Joe Agins Jr., Charles Fostrom, and Evan Winterscheidt, the Photos from the Starbucks Workers Picket, 14th and 6th, New York City; July 16, 2006 Wobbly campaign continues to grow; and Whereas the IWW refuses to be silenced or intimidated by Starbucks, and has always stood by its motto: “An Injury to One is An Injury to All”; Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the General Executive Board of the Industrial Workers of the World will, in the event that Starbucks terminates FW Gross, encourage international labor organizations and supporters to publicly condemn Starbucks’ behavior and be prepared to take further action until such time that he is reinstated. Bosses gorge selves while more autonomy and wealth like Iraqi Kurd- gutting workers’ pensions istan the difficulties are incredible. In spite General Motors frequently points to its of all of the difficulties and repression of the “legacy costs,” including pensions for its U.S. workers’ movement in Iraq, the determina- work force, to explain why it has trouble mak- tion of the workers is still strong. ing money. But in fact, that plan has enough CUPE Ontario blasts invasion money to meet its obligations for several years In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister (if the bosses’ hands can be kept off it); GM’s Stephen Harper, CUPE Ontario President Sid more lucrative plan for its executives is $1.4 Ryan has urged Harper “to immediately de- billion in the hole. nounce the state of Israel with the same voice Even as many companies reduce, freeze or with which you denounce Hezbollah and eliminate workers’ pensions, saying they can Hamas... I ask that you stop supporting the not afford them, their executives are giving heinous war crimes that Israel is committing themselves ever-bigger pensions. A Wall Street against the people of Lebanon and Gaza.” Journal analysis of corporate filings found that The Ontario branch of the Canadian several companies had underfunded their Union of Public Employees, which comprises Demand Justice from Bean to Cup! executive pension plans by a billion or more almost half of the 210,000-member union, dollars, including General Electric, AT&T, The refounding convention of Students to operate on campuses until it respects the voted unanimously at its annual convention Exxon Mobil, IBM, and the Bank of America. for a Democratic Society has endorsed the rights of workers. May 27 for an economic boycott of Israel and A few fat cats are set to receive nearly $100 IWW Starbucks Workers Union’s Justice from To that end, the IWW Starbucks Workers divestment of its pension fund investments. million in pension payments. Bean to Cup campaign: Union is forming a coalition of individuals Ryan told Harper, “The intentional bomb- This is a call for activists towards a cam- and groups to launch a campaign in the fall Government fires on ing of infrastructure and civilian targets... is pus campaign to achieve dignity on the job for to remove Starbucks products and non-union criminal, violates all codes of international Starbucks baristas and coffee farmers. Starbucks-licensed cafes from campus unless workers in Iraqi Kurdistan conflict and international law. Government forces fired on 700 striking Despite its attempt to create a socially Starbucks makes a non-token commitment to Referring to the Israeli bombing of a UN workers from the Tasloja Cement Factory responsible image, Starbucks’ failure to mean- Fair Trade and respects the right of baristas observer post, he continued, “Your blaming near the city of Suleiumanyia July 27 in Iraqi ingfully embrace Fair Trade coffee has left to organize a union. Campus communities of the victims when Israel bombed a UN sta- Kurdistan, killing three. The militia that fired coffee farmers and their children teetering on will also support workers in their local area tion is unconscionable. Canada lost a brave on them was that of the Patriotic Union of the brink of starvation in the Global South. organizing for justice at Starbucks. peacekeeper, ... your silence in the face of his Kurdistan, the ruling party in that area. In Starbucks cafes, baristas are paid a If you or your group is interested in death is unacceptable.” Ryan concluded by Workers were demanding a pay increase and poverty wage and the company insures a getting involved with the campaign on the urging “an immediate ceasefire and a stop to reinstatement of some of their sacked fellow lower percentage of employees than Wal- ground floor please contact IWW organizer the bombings by all parties.” Mart. Starbucks baristas are organizing a and Starbucks barista Daniel Gross at dgross@ workers. The PUK is also the party of Jala union (www.starbucksunion.org) with the iww.org or 917-577-1110. Together we will Talibani, the current president of occupied Swedish strikers attacked Industrial Workers of the World for a better show that global solidarity is stronger than Iraq. Political parties in occupied Iraq often Police in Malmö brutally attacked a life on and off the job. the greed of the multinational corporations. have their own paramilitary organizations, picket line against the local board in Fosie, In response, the company has waged a some of which are hostile to union organizers, July 21. The SAC’s social and healthcare fierce and relentless anti-union campaign Immigrant rights movement especially ones that oppose the occupation. syndicate organized the action to protest that tramples on workers’ rights. In this The July 28-30 National Grassroots Im- The workers’ demonstration was peace- the dismissal of union members, and were union-busting operation unburdened by the migrant Strategy Conference in Washington, ful, but the ruling party took the strike as a blocking the doors to prevent officials from law, Starbucks routinely retaliates against D.C., saw delegations from 80 organizations threat because the union they were affiliated entering. Police used pepperspray, dogs and baristas for supporting the union. In addi- meet to lay plans for building a new broad- with, the Federation of Workers Councils and clubs to break the picket line. This is the tion, Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz based, immigrant rights movement. Delegates Unions of Iraq, is associated with the Worker- first such attack on a Swedish picket line in recently broke the union of roasting plant agreed the movement should be grassroots, Communist Party of Iraq, a somewhat Coun- many decades. employees. volunteer-based and direct-action oriented. cil Communist-oriented party. The WCPI and Coffee farmers and baristas need soli- (www.immigrantsolidarity.org) the Federation oppose the occupation as they Police spies lead war protest darity from students and workers to rein The May 1st strikes will continue, opposed the regime of Saddam Hussein. The The American Civil Liberties Union has in Starbucks. Starbucks does not deserve alongside national marches over Labor Day PUK supports the ongoing occupation of Iraq released documents showing that two under- weekend and a Spring break “gran marcha by U.S. and allied forces and is part of the rul- cover Oakland police officers working under- Subscribe to the fronteriza flor y canto” border walk from San ing coalition in occupied Iraq in spite of its cover in May 2003 got themselves elected to Industrial Worker today Diego to Brownsville, Texas. belief in an independent Kurdistan. leadership positions in a coalition organizing Subscriptions are $15 per year. FWCUI and WCPI supporters have been against the war and a brutal police attack on demonstrating at the PUK consulate in Lon- Enclosed: q $15 for 1 year Immokalee Encuentro an earlier protest. The cops helped plan the q $_____ donation to IW Sustaining Fund From Sept. 21-24, young organizers and don to protest the brutal repression in Sulei- route of the march, and apparently kept the q $15, bundle of 5 for 6 issues activists from across the country will gather umanyia. The FWCUI demands prosecution California Anti-Terrorism Information Center (ask about special IWW member rates) in Immokalee, Florida, for strategizing, skill- of the managers and gunmen responsible for informed of organizers’ plans. sharing and focused discussion about the this atrocity and compensation to the families Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Name: ______struggle for fair food and building a more just of the murdered workers. Security officials questioned an SEIU attorney Address:______world, working in solidarity with the Coali- In occupied Iraq it is difficult for unions over a planned action at a Miami shopping City/State:______tion of Immokalee Workers and its campaign to organize because of the repression of the mall June 15. A union delegation was to de- against McDonald’s. occupied forces, fighting between armed liver a letter to Simon Malls asking it to pay Postal Code:______Online registration is now open. To political factions both for and opposed to the decent wages and provide health insurance to send to: Industrial Worker Distribution register or for more information, please visit occupation, and corporate efforts to privatize its janitors. It’s not clear how the anti-terror PO Box 23085, Cincinnati OH 45223 USA http://www.sfalliance.org/ everything. Even in places with a little bit agency learned of the union plans. Page 10 • Industrial Worker • September 2006 The most dangerous song in the world – A rewrite b y L e n W allac e known in the chorus. The International (originally L’Interna- The Charles Kerr version of the chorus tionale) is perhaps the most dangerous song read: ’Tis the final conflict; Let each stand in the world and just may be the most well in his place. The International Shall be the known. Whistle or hum the tune in any coun- human race. try around the globe and eventually someone Note that at the time of the translation in will recognize it. the late 19th century, it calls for each to stand It has become the anthem of all those in “his” place, denoting the worker as male. seeking a fundamental change in society. The “International” in the original song o n

Many have been jailed, even executed, for refers to the International Workingmen’s As- t the mere singing of it. During the filming of sociation (the so-called First International), e the movie “Dr. Zhivago,” cast members sang which ended in bitter internal disputes. The mpl e t

it on the movie site in Spain. The song had Second International, dominated by the i n

been banned by the fascist Franco regime. orthodox Marxism of the German Social i When the police heard the song in the dis- Democratic Party was fractured by the First r tance they thought a rebellion was at hand, World War and disputed positions toward given this version: “The international work- “important”). thinking it signalled the death of the fascist the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. The Third ing class Shall free the human race.” Many have criticised the lyrics of the song Generalissimo. International was dominated by the official It’s a rather good version, at least noting as outdated and stilted, reflecting a language Debout! les damnés de la terre! Debout! les Leninism of the USSR until it was officially that a true International organization does of a past century. forçat de la faim! dissolved. A Fourth International was pro- not exist with the astute recognition that only England’s Billy Bragg rewrote a new With those forceful first words, Eugene claimed by the competing adherents of the the actions of the world’s working class can version for that very reason. His chorus reads: Pottier, an elected member of the Paris Com- Trotskyite movement and a current Socialist indeed free the human race. So come brothers and sisters, For the struggle mune of 1870-71, member of the Federation International exists as successor to the Sec- But even here there are slight differences. carries on, The internationale Unites the of Artists and of the International Working- ond representing social democratic parties. Some would sing, “The international working world in song, So comrades come rally, For men’s Association wrote the poem that would You can sometimes identify the various class shall free the human race” while others this is the time and place, The international soon become the international battle cry of movements and factions competing for the sang “The international working class shall ideal, Unites the human race. the world’s working class. They are words of allegiance of the working class by the words be the human race.” By merely changing “be” For many years I remained faithful to the condemnation against every injustice and the they sing to the last two lines of the chorus. to “free” the entire meaning of the chorus original (with small changes) simply because exploitation of capitalism. The Industrial Workers of the World is changed. It is one thing that workers it is a part of working-class fighting history. The literal translation of those first two handed down two versions. In the 1923 edi- worldwide fight for human emancipation, it And I say shame to those who consider lines: Arise, you condemned of the earth! tion of its Little Red Songbook, “Songs of the is another thing to say that the working class themselves revolutionaries who do not know Arise, you imprisoned in hunger! workers to fan the flames of discontent,” the will become the people. The latter denotes the words. Songs and poetry are action. You England’s socialists translated these last lines read: “The International Union Shall that everyone will, after the revolution, cannot change the world if you are afraid words as: Arise! ye starvelings from your be the human race” become working class – anathema to those to sing. slumbers; Arise! ye criminals of want. Later editions of the songbook noted a who wish to abolish the working class and So, to this end, I offer a new version of In the United States the radical pub- clearer reference to the concept of organising all classes. the first verse that hopefully remains faithful lishing company Charles Kerr Publishers all workers in one monumental industrial Yet The International has remained a to the message of Pottier’s original (utilising gave us the following translation: Arise, ye union for industrial democracy: “The Indus- part of the history of the world’s working in part the work of others). It is not there to prisoners of starvation! Arise, ye wretched trial Union Shall be the human race.” class for over 130 years. Millions of workers replace the original, but to make all consider of the earth! I came across an old version sung by have rallied to it and its singing has given what we are fighting for: For over one hundred years The Inter- workers influenced by the Communist Party them courage and hope. Ruling powers fear “Arise you workers from all nations, national has been our song of continuing of Canada circa 1934: “The International it, prohibit it and discourage it. For history has but one demand, The world struggle, the call to the final battle, of radi- soviets Shall be the human race.” Sadly, just as those who consider you’ve built by your own labour, Can be yours cally remaking the world, and a song of hope. Trotskyites often sang the following themselves part of anti-capitalist Left have at your command. Workers have sung it at rallies, on picket words, denoting their acceptance of the sup- eschewed any notion of fundamentally “The old ways now must be abandoned, lines, on the streets and barricades in times posedly vanguard role of a Leninist political breaking with capitalism through the So let us rise to Freedom’s call, To raise this of revolution. party: “The International Party Shall be the “abolition of wage labour,” they have forgotten earth on new foundations, And fight to build Interestingly, various competing factions human race.” the words to this song. Occasionally it is sung a world for all. of those considered “the Left” (anarchists, In a version learned from the former at May Day rallies (hummed by those who “It’s the final battle, Let each stand in IWWs, Trotskyists, social democrats, Lenin- Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee do not know its words, tangentially knowing place. The international working class, Shall ists) have endorsed their own versions, made (now Democratic Socialists of America), I was that the song is somehow “revolutionary” and free the human race.”

affiliated with leftist political parties, these Northwest strike may spread Book Review: Solidarity for sale unions “could be bureaucratic and reformist, Northwest Airlines flight attendants are b o o k r e v i e w b y l o u is p r isc o CIO. Contrary to all reason, Fitch seems to but not corrupt – not even in Sicily.” holding informational pickets after twice Robert Fitch, Solidarity for Sale: How hold that the IWW was the least admirable of To support his conclusion Fitch cites not voting to reject deep concessions, and have corruption destroyed the labor movement and the three. While conceding our victories and only the American unions you would expect, announced plans for intermittent work undermined America’s promise. BBS Public quoting from Big Bill Haywood’s critique of Mafia-tainted ones like the Teamsters and stoppages beginning August 15. Northwest Affairs, 2006, $28.50. the AFL, he also implies that the IWW used Laborers. He also gives examples of hanky- is demanding 27 percent pay cuts, reduced Robert Fitch is a journalist and professor “guns, explosives [and] sabotage” – charges panky with dues money within unions such benefits, and longer work hours. whose first job, at age 15 in Chicago Heights, so baseless that the government did not even as AFSCME, ILGWU, UFCW, UNITE and The Association of Flight Attendants was as a ditch digger. Within days of his hir- try to prove them in the espionage and crimi- SEIU. (CWA) says it will implement its trademarked ing, two men in suits drove up in a Buick and nal syndicalism prosecutions. What’s wrong, as Fitch sees it, is that Create Havoc Around Our System strategy of told him, “You gotta pay your initiation fee.” Wobblies might sympathize, though, American unions fight each other for jurisdic- random, unannounced strikes. Management They were business agents for Local 5 of the with the book’s conclusion that the problem tion, don’t unite over common demands, and is seeking an injunction against the strike. Laborers’ Union. Years later, in 1986, Fitch of American labor goes beyond the dishonesty allow their leaders carte blanche with funds. “I’m living on poverty wages now; my read in the newspapers that two Mafia thugs of certain officials. It is structural. The AFL He allows that there are honest leaders, but insurance has been cut,” Jeff Gardner told re- had been murdered, their bodies found in an began in the 1880s as “a weak association of they are “silent.” Many of the changes he porters while picketing Detroit Metro airport. Indiana cornfield. “Federal authorities” said local craft unions ... [each] based on loyalty proposes are in fact IWW policy, although he “At this point I could do better working at a that the gangster who “supervised” the killing to an authoritarian leader with ties to local does not say so: reduce the number of paid fast food restaurant.” was “assisted” by officers of Local 5. urban [political] machines.” officers, limit their terms, and make them Northwest says a work stoppage would “It still gives me a shiver,” Fitch said of Capitalists liked the AFL from the start subject to recall. cause “irreparable damage,” possibly sink- the crime. In this book he argues that corrup- because it had no national policy and no Fitch is skeptical that these changes ing the airline which is operating under tion is rampant in the AFL-CIO and CTW (22 revolutionary aspirations. Its leaders were can be made by “boring from within.” He bankruptcy court protection after spending of the 56 mafiosi arrested at Apalchin in 1957, “czars” who by the 1890s had “already es- says that most internal reform efforts have hundreds of millions of dollars to provoke he tells us, were labor officials). He says that tablished their fiefdoms,” in which workers failed. Even when they’ve been successful, and then break a strike by mechanics and corruption – the use of public or union funds were divided by race, gender and trade – and as Teamsters for a Democratic Union was for cleaning crews. Those workers remain on for private advantage – is the reason why big nowadays by industry as well. Where there a time, he claims that they eventually begin strike, as members of other unions cross American unions are less effective than their are hiring halls with unelected dispatchers, to compromise too much with the prevailing picket lines to keep Northwest flying. counterparts in Europe. Most workers there labor bosses may also control access to jobs. AFL culture. have universal health coverage, for instance, Since workers in most unions don’t elect The logic of Fitch’s position might seem Rail unionists to elect officers while we don’t. the top officials, the latter can enjoy what to bring him to the IWW, a different union Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers His analysis and the remedies he sug- amounts to life tenure. with a better program, but he’s not interested. (Teamsters) members voted 2-to-1 to amend gests bring Fitch close to the IWW on some Fitch contrasts this with Europe, where, While his book offers some ideas for union their constitution to elect union officers. points, but not close enough. Three external he says, workers formed national federations improvement, it is vague on how to imple- Railroad Operating Crafts United sees this as challenges have been made to the AFL: by “with no rigid jurisdiction lines” and, like ment them. For suggestions, I’d recommend a step in building a democratic, merged BLET- the 19th century Knights of Labor, and in the IWW, have no dues check-off that un- reading Alexis Buss on minority unionism, in UTU union for train workers. Their suggested the 20th century by the IWW and the early scrupulous leaders could draw from. Often the October 2002 Industrial Worker. merger terms are at www.rocutoday.com. September 2006 • Industrial Worker • Page 11 1,400 Mexican strikers fired b y D a v id B ac o n Days after conservative candidate Felipe Calderon declared himself the winner of Mexico’s July 2 presidential election, the Mexican federal labor board lowered the boom on striking miners. At Nacozari, one of the world’s largest copper mines, just a few miles south of Arizona, 1,400 miners have been on strike since March 24. On July 12 the board said they’d abandoned their jobs, and gave the mine’s owner, Grupo Mexico, permission to close down operations. Under Mexican labor law, the use of strikebreakers is illegal and no enterprise can close while workers are on strike. By ruling that there was no legal stoppage, and that Grupo Mexico could therefore close the mine, the board gave the company a legal pretext to fire every miner. In the days that followed, mine managers began soliciting applications from workers for jobs when the mine reopens. Some of the very miners who were terminated may be accepted back as new employees, but with no seniority and no union contract. And not everyone will be going back. Those most active in the strike are on a blacklist. Last April steel workers stopped work at the huge Sicartsa steel mill in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, and have occupied it since then. Local police tried unsuccessfully to stop their strike on April 20, shooting and killing two union workers. Miners at Mexico’s other huge copper mine at Cananea went on strike in June. Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, head of the Mexican Union of Mine, Metal and Allied Workers, says, “They think we’re like a can- cer, and should be exterminated. This is no longer a country that can be called a democ- racy.” The effort by Fox to remove him from his union’s leadership was the flashpoint that set off the last few months of conflict. Two days after 65 miners died last Feb- ruary in a huge coal mine explosion, Gomez Urrutia accused the Secretary of Labor and Grupo Mexico, the mine’s owner, of “indus- trial homicide.” Corruption charges most unions view as bogus were filed against him less than a week later. Meanwhile, workers at Nacozari, Cananea and Lazaro Cardenas struck, demanding his reinstatement. In a July report, the National Human Rights Commission found that the local of- fice of the federal labor ministry had “clear knowledge” before the accident of the condi- tions that would set off the explosion. Since the accident, eight miners in other mines have died in accidents. The same day Fox’s labor board an- nounced it would allow Grupo Mexico to fire the Nacozari miners, his administration also issued arrest warrants against six other mine union leaders and raided the union’s national office in Mexico City. Facing the threat of closure at their own mine, the union local at Cananea then voted to end their strike, while at Sicartsa the strike goes on.

NLRB... continued from page 1 (Sacred Heart); overturning a union repre- sentation election because union members took photographs of organizers distributing leaflets outside the plant; and allowing an employer to withhold “confidential” notes of interviews it conducting in investigating a workers’ grievance, thus denying the worker access to the information needed for any possible appeal. Each case overturned long- standing NLRB precedent, and each was taken on party-line votes. Before unions became enmeshed in the NLRB process, they routinely defied laws and injunctions intended to hold workers down. This was how the right to organize was won. Decades of reliance on government boards, “friendly” politicians, and legal protections have already brought us to a position where the U.S. working class is as disorganized as it was a hundred years ago. In much of the world workers respond to such attacks with general strikes; perhaps it’s time to follow their example. Page 12 • Industrial Worker • September 2006 1,000 workers revolt in China toy factory b y J o h n kalwaic unrest. This comes as a fresh challenge to the According to China Labor Watch, on July ruling Communist Party and many of their 22 a thousand workers began a riot over low market reforms. pay and bad conditions in the dormitory of Ever since the death of Mao, the Chi- the Hengli factory in Dongguan City, China. nese CP has tried to create a virtual Banana According to the report, the revolt stretched Republic in their country for corporations into the next day and took 100 security hungry for land, wage slaves, political payoffs, guards and policemen to quell. The major and places to pollute. The idea was to make issues of the revolt were the low pay, between China an economic and political powerhouse IWW delegation to Mexico are currently on the front lines of the global 600 and 800 Yuan a month, equivalent to at the expense of its citizens. The result has The International Solidarity Com- battle against sweatshops. They are the first $75 - $100 and just barely minimum wage in been sweatshop labor conditions as well as mission is working with the Coalition for independent workers in Northern Mexico China. Workers told CLW that they also got an incredible amount of corruption, envi- Justice in the Maquiladoras to organize an to win with the help of U.S. activists putting 250 Yuan a month for factory meals, which ronmental pollution and land seizures from eight-day delegation in which participants pressure on Levis, (Lajat’s main contracts), they complained were poor. Workers at the Chinese peasants. will see first hand the social, economic and proving global solidarity is the response to factory were expected to work 11 hours a day In the year 2005 alone there were as environmental effects of globalization. The corporate globalization. six days a week. many as 87,000 riots due to these issues. The delegation will begin Sept. 30 and has room The cost of the delegation is US$950, The Hengli factory has around 11,000 mainstream media often ignores these revolts for 10 Wobblies. which includes travel from McAllen, Texas, workers who produce toys for McDonalds’ and the issues that created them. Even the Participants will meet with the Unique to Mexico and all hotels, meals and trans- happy meals in Hong Kong as well as other radical left in the United States talks much Front of United Workers for Labor Vindica- portation inside Mexico. Fellow Workers are countries. Hengli also produces toys for Walt more about Latin America and the Middle tion (FUTURO) in Valle Hermoso; an organic responsible for transportation to McAllen and Disney, Mattel and Hasbro, which use sweat- East than China. However, it is important farmer struggling to maintain land that once their own health/travel insurance. shop labor to reduce the cost of production. to think of China not just as a player on the was owned communally; maquiladoras work- We are also requesting funds to help FWs Chinese workers under these sweatshop world stage of imperialism and hegemony, but ers from Custom Trim (auto trim), Sony, who cannot afford the trip. Priority will be conditions have no way of voicing their to remember the Chinese people as our fellow Delphi (auto electronics, threatening to close given to members who speak Spanish (and are workplace concerns. The ruling Communist workers and to report the exploitation they plants in the U.S.), Teleflex, Springfield Wire willing to translate) and union seniority. Party and the government control the only experience and the way they fight back. (auto electronics), TRW and Jabil Global; visit Those interested in participating should legal labor union in China, the All-China the clinic of the Derechos Humanos Colonia; write Paul Bocking care-of the Peterborough Federation of Trade Unions. Even the ACFTU Official union vows to tour outside the maquiladoras as security branch, with a letter discussing their reasons is often not present at sweatshop factories organize Chinese Wal-Marts goons watch suspiciously; meet with Ninfa for participating, their Spanish proficiency, like Hengli. The All-China Federation of Trade Deandar of the independent newspaper El and the length of time they have been in The company that owns the factory, Unions has announced that it has organized Mañana; and of course, the Lajat workers who the IWW. Merton, claims that the incident was over a branches in four Wal-Mart stores and intends disgruntled sacked co-worker who, they said, to establish branches in all of the retail giant’s Jugoremedija pharmaceutical got his friends to vandalize the factory in a outlets. Wal-Mart has been resisting efforts to criminal manner that required the interven- introduce the ACFTU, apparently objecting workers overturn eviction tion of the police and security guards and that to the fact that it refers to itself as a union. from occupied Serbian factory it was not a “riot or revolt.” Although Chinese law requires employers to f r o m lab o u r n e ws n e tw o r k The Hengli factory is located in China’s set up branches of the state-controlled union Serbian pharmaceutical factory Jugoremedija, in the southeastern Guangdong Province, which has in their local operations, only about a quarter town of Zrenjanin, was privatized in 2000, with 58 per- seen rapid industrialization as well as labor have done so. cent of the shares given to the workers, and 42 percent to the state. In 2002, the state sold its shares to demand – a call for a constituent assembly. S. Korean unionist killed in Jovica Stefanovic, an infamous local capitalist They believe that the people should make steelmaker HQ occupation who made his fortune smuggling cigarettes, the decisions that affect their lives and work and who was wanted by Interpol at the time Although a union workers’ occupation of POS- places, and a new constitution can help make he bought the shares. As with all the other CO headquarters in Pohang, Korea, has come to an this happen. Graffiti appeared on the walls of buyers in Serbian privatization, Stefanovic end, the crisis at the world’s fifth largest steel manu- Belgrade asking, “Who owns our factories?” was not even investigated in money launder- facturer continues. Police and unionists clashed at a In response to a series of direct and legal ing, because the government’s position was, rally on August 4 organized by the construction labor actions, in May 2006 the Serbian Supreme and still is, that it’s better to have dirty money union and Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. Court reached the decision that recapitaliza- in privatization than to let workers manage About 100 were injured. tion was in violation of the contract. Now the the company, because that will “bring us back More than a 1,500 construction workers had occupied the 12-story headquarters building Zrenjanin Economic Court has restored the to the dark days of self-management.” 230 miles southeast of Seoul when contract negotiations broke down, and resisted repeated ownership structure back to 58-42 percent. In the transition to capitalism and par- police attacks. Workers were demanding the steelmaker participate in negotiations with the Workers now have three weeks to select new liamentary democracy, everything became subcontractors who employ them. One worker, Ha Jung-geun, died after being hit on the management, and must keep Stefanovic from allowed in the fight against what the new head by shields wielded by riot police. looting the assets in the interim. neoliberal government saw as the “ideologi- cal monster of self management” – even if it Japanese KFC workers form Australian construction workers face fines meant breaking laws. underground union The Australian Building and Construc- ping union signs from building sites and So the state illegally allowed the new co- Fed up with being forced to work unpaid tion Commission issued subpoenas July barring workers from wearing union stickers owner of Jugoremedija, Stefanovic, to become overtime off the clock, workers at a KFC in 5 against 107 rank-and-file Construction, on their hard hats, claiming that they violate the dominant owner – seizing another 16 Kanagawa Prefecture have formed a union. Forestry, Mining and Energy Union members. safety standards. percent to claim 68 percent of the shares. But only one worker has agreed to go public. They and another 323 workers could face In December 2003 the workers began a Union membership is down to 18.7 percent individual fines of as much as AUS$28,600 Indian execs in hunger strike strike and factory occupation, as well as a of Japanese workers. While joining a union for a 12-day strike on the Perth to Mandurah Some 20,000 managers and engineers lawsuit against the recapitalization. This was is theoretically protected, many workers say rail project that began Feb. 24. at state-owned companies organized in the the first work place occupation in the post- they fear retaliation. The KFC union was Building contractor Leighton Kumagai Steel Executives Federation of India have an- socialist Yugoslavia. Under pressure from the set up about a month after the first union at provoked the strike by sacking shop steward nounced their decision to launch an indefinite workers, in May 2004 a state investigation McDonald’s (Japan) was established. That Peter Ballard, who later donated a substantial hunger strike at the corporate headquarters found that the transfer was in violation of union is affiliated with the Japanese Trade settlement for unlawful dismissal to charity. of Steel Authority of India beginning August the contract, but took no action to restore Union Confederation (Rengo). Ballard noted that workers had been 11. The action is in support of their demand the workers’ majority stake. fighting deteriorating job conditions for 18 for a 4 percent annual pay hike. So the mainly women workers came Domestic workers abused months before his sacking precipitated strike The government-owned steel firm to the capital, Belgrade, and occupied the A new report finds that domestic workers action: “Leighton has been falling behind stopped the raises some years ago, pleading state’s Privatization Agency for a day, while around the world face abuses ranging from since day one, despite the fact that we agreed poverty, and did not restore them when the continuing their occupation of the factory. physical and sexual abuse to denial of food upfront to work 56 hours a week to help them company became profitable. Stefanovic’s private army tried several times to and health care and nonpayment of wages. deliver this railway. Working hours have take over the factory, but the workers kicked “Instead of guaranteeing domestic blown out, in some cases to 84 hours a week. Algerian workers go unpaid them out, sometimes using their bodies to workers’ ability to work with dignity and Job safety’s gone backwards. … for more than four years block the military vehicles. freedom from violence, governments have “As a worker, how do you cooperate with The General Union of Algerian Workers But in September 2004, the private army systematically denied them key labor a global company when it uses Howard’s new at Oran reports that some 1,816 workers have was joined by the Serbian police. Police and protections,” said Nisha Varia of the Women’s laws against you, doesn’t honour its obliga- gone as long as 52 months without receiving the private army forced their way into the fac- Rights Division of Human Rights Watch. tions to consult, gives you no choices and pay checks from 11 public companies in the tory, resulting in the hospitalization of many “Migrants and children are especially at risk then blames all of its problems on you?” region. The government-linked union criti- workers and the arrest of four strike leaders of abuse.” The Commission has ordered workers cizes local labor ministry officials for letting on charges of disturbing the peace. Having In Saudi Arabia, embassies handle to appear to “explain your absence on the the crisis drag on so long, asking workers to emptied the factory of workers, Stefanovic thousands of complaints each year. In project,” and threatened to seize homes and survive on “repeated promises” that are never illegally fired the 200 workers. Singapore, at least 147 domestics have other assets if they do not provide “accept- carried out. In August 2004, Jugoremedija workers plunged to their death from tall buildings able responses.” A court hearing has been set The government concedes some 23,000 helped form the Union of Workers and Share- since 1998 due to hazardous work conditions for August 29, and unionists are planning to workers are owed back wages across Algeria, holders of Serbia. At first the Union’s mission or suicide. Recruiters often impose heavy debt march with them to the Perth court house. and pledges to address the problem “as soon was limited to fighting against corruption burdens on domestic workers or misinform Several Australian contractors are strip- as possible.” in privatization, but it soon added another them about the nature of their jobs.