AUSTRALIA $1.50 · canada $1.00 · france 1.00 euro · new zealand $1.50 · uk £.50 · u.s. $1.00 INSIDE Socialist Workers conference discusses openings to advance workers movement — PAGEs 6-7 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE vol. 76/no. 29 August 6, 2012 Working Killings by ‘What matters most are farmers Anaheim cops fights by working people’ bear brunt spark outrage, SWP candidates join in labor, social battles of drought protests BY david rosenfeld by Arlene Rubinstein and ellen brickley ANAHEIM, Calif.—Manuel Diaz, DES MOINES, Iowa—Small 25, was killed by a police officer here working farmers are bearing the July 21. Witnesses told the family he brunt of the most extensive drought in was shot once in the back of his body, a half century combined with a major dropped to his knees and then shot a heat wave, which has been wiping out second time in the head. He was un- crops in the Midwest and the Great armed. Plains states. Along with her parents, John “This is the third time in my lifetime and Genevieve Huizar, Lupe Diaz that I have experienced a drought like spoke out the next day in front of the this,” Garry Klicker told the Militant. Anaheim Police Department. “There “You can’t get over the feeling of dev- is no explanation for what the police astation that comes from total loss.” did. They robbed my brother of his Klicker, 66, owns a small farm in life,” she said. southern Iowa. In past years he raised According to Anaheim Police Chief and sold cattle. John Welter, police thought Diaz’s be- “Right now, corn is hurting. I am havior was suspicious—he was lean- short of hay. I have to haul water to ing against a car talking to two men Militant/Laura Anderson James Harris, Socialist Workers candidate for U.S. president, speaks at Chicago protest de- the cows. But in the long term, I don’t in an alley. manding release of prisoners framed under cop torture. At left Mark Clements, one of those know if we will even have corn to “He was hanging out with some tortured by Commander Jon Burge. Clements was freed as case against cops gained support. harvest for feed,” Gary Hoskey said friends and was shot in the back,” in an interview. He has 50 cows and Lupe Diaz told reporters, who ques- by Alyson Kennedy Harris and Maura DeLuca, SWP can- grows corn on 100 acres in Montour. tioned her about whether or not her and willie cotton didate for vice president, are running a No one knows how long the drought brother used drugs, was a gang mem- “We’re out here today to support your working class, labor, socialist campaign will last, but currently 88 percent of ber or had an arrest record. fight,” James Harris, Socialist Workers that joins with workers resisting attacks U.S. corn and 87 percent of U.S. soy- “These kids run from the police Party candidate for president, told mem- from the bosses and their government beans are in drought-stricken areas. because they are afraid for their lives. bers of Machinists union Local 851, and engages fighters in a discussion on Continued on page 7 Continued on page 11 who were picketing July 20 outside how the working class can unite, fight Caterpillar’s hydraulics plant in Joliet, more effectively, and chart a course to- Ill., where some 780 workers have been ward independent political action. on strike since May 1. Caterpillar, which is posting high NY rally backs Con Ed workers, “At every campaign stop we extend profits, is demanding deep cuts from solidarity to workers in struggle and workers. The bosses’ assault against the demands raise in minimum wage learn the truth about their struggles so Machinists is being closely watched by we can tell other workers about them,” employers around the country. said Harris, who was in the Chicago “One of the big issues in our fight is area for three days as part of a national wages,” Jeff Burch, one of the strikers, campaign tour. Continued on page 3 U.S. cops demanded 1.3 million mobile phone records last year BY emma johnson the constitutional right to privacy. In response to a Congressional in- The carriers report that they turn quiry, nine mobile phone carriers over records thousands of times a reported that last year cop agencies day in response to court orders, sub- demanded 1.3 million text messages, poenas and other requests. These de- caller locations or other informa- Continued on page 11 tion—one of many fronts in the gov- ernment’s ever expanding assault on Also Inside: Militant/Seth Galinsky Workers locked out by Con Edison in New York at expanded picket line July 24 after tak- Tens of thousands Through Rio Tinto lockout ing part with other fighting workers, unions, and community groups at rally in Manhattan. strike in Egypt fight, workers ‘more united’ 2 BY seth galinsky participation of some 700 members of NEW YORK—Some 3,000 work- Utility Workers Union Local 1-2, who Socialist candidates: ers converged on Union Square here marched from the Con Edison head- textiles, ceramics Free the Cuban Five! 3 July 24 to back more than 8,000 quarters a few blocks away. BY louis martin locked-out Con Edison workers and to Con Edison, which made more than Over the past few weeks tens of Stu Singer: 45 years building demand raising the minimum wage. $1 billion in profits last year, locked thousands of textile and ceramics communist movement in US 4 Originally called by a coalition of out the workers July 1 in the midst of workers have conducted combative community and religious groups and negotiations for a new contract. The strikes in Egypt, continuing to use Unions, SWP targets of labor unions to back “low wage work- company is demanding a steep slash the space working people have won to Socialist Equality Party 11 ers,” the action was bolstered by the Continued on page 4 Continued on page 6 Through Rio Tinto lockout fight, workers ‘more united’ by Katy LeRougetel Danny Beaudoin said in a phone inter- and Joe Young view. “I refused the offer. I’d have wait- ALMA, Quebec—Members of ed for Kitimat. I’m afraid we’ve cut the Steelworkers Local 9490 at Rio Tinto ground out from under them by accept- Alcan’s aluminum smelter here voted to ing too fast.” approve a new contract by a margin of The contract for some 1,050 Rio Tinto 84 percent. smelter workers in Kitimat, British Locked out since Jan. 1, the 770 work- Columbia, ends July 23. They face a ers were resisting company plans to hire similar fight against subcontracting. workers outside the union as “subcon- “This isn’t an overwhelming vic- tractors,” at half the wages once union tory,” USW Local 9490 President Marc workers retire. Rio Tinto bosses initially Maltais told the Militant. “But it’s still a offered union protection only for 350 so- union victory given the goals we set.” MetallosAlma Unionists representing Rio Tinto workers in U.S., Australia, New Zealand and South Africa called core jobs. Two union members were suspended joined March 31 rally in Alma, Quebec, in support of locked-out members of USW 9490. Rio Tinto Alcan, a subsidiary of min- by the company during the lockout, ac- ing giant Rio Tinto PLC, is the world’s cused of sabotage. Sureté du Québec, accord between RTA and provincially- get them unionized.” second largest aluminum producer. the provincial police, told the union owned power company Hydro-Québec “You have no idea what I gained from “It’s not as much as we wanted, but there was no basis for legal proceedings that earned the company millions of dol- this conflict: the solidarity, the sup- they wanted carte blanche and now against the workers. The back-to-work lars through sales of its excess electricity port,” said pot lining worker Jean-Marc there’s a limit to subcontracting,” agreement reduced each suspension by during the lockout. Vaillancourt. “I’ll never forget it. This is Patrick Giasson, an electro-technician, three months, to nine and six months re- All 56 union jobs in the pot lining a fight that’s marked me deeply forever.” told the Militant. spectively. During this time the union is center will be subcontracted. The 56 “The biggest gain in the conflict is the Hours worked by subcontractors supporting its two members financially. union workers will be offered other jobs employer’s respect for our organization,” are to be limited to 10 percent of those The company also refused to drop the in Rio Tinto plants at higher pay. Marc Perron, who works in heating and worked by union members. In the last summons served on Pierre Simard, local “We’ll develop ties inside the plant,” ventilation, said by phone. “We’re more year of the contract, which runs through union president of RTA’s hydro-electric said Jean-Marc Côté, a maintenance united than ever. We’ve mounted the 2015, that will increase to 15 percent. plant workers. Simard is accused of be- worker with 25 years’ seniority. “We first step. Now we have to climb the rest “We didn’t get a minimum guaran- ing instrumental in exposing the secret should reach out to the subcontractors to of the stairs.” teed number of jobs, but we got a ceil- ing on subcontracting,” said Local 9490 member Suzy Fournier. “The agreement respects our goal, ‘Declarations of Havana’ reviewed by Iran book agency which is to keep the plant competitive,” The following is a translation of Fidel Castro and adopted by million- The introduction to this work brief- Rio Tinto Alcan spokesperson Claudine a June 24 book review by the semi- strong assemblies of the Cuban peo- ly explains the perspective of the dec- Gagnon told the Militant. Gagnon official Iran Book News Agency of ple in 1960 and 1962. larations. Below is a summary. wouldn’t say whether the subcontracting The First and Second Declarations These declarations strive to answer permitted in the new contract represents of Havana, which was translated into The First and Second Declarations the question: Why is it that the nation- an increase over current practice. Farsi and published in Iran by Talaye of Havana are published in a book with al bourgeoisie is incapable of advanc- “There was a lot of uncertainty. Some Porsoo. The original booklet was the same title. This work, which reflects ing the struggle against imperialism people had the ballot in their hands published by Pathfinder Press. the revolutionary anti-capitalist views even when its interests come into con- and didn’t know where to put their X,” The two declarations were read by of South America, contains the mani- flict with imperialism? According to festos of revolutionary struggles in the these declarations the fear of a social Americas adopted by the Cuban people. revolution has crippled the national IBNA reports that these declara- bourgeoisie; it dreads the roar of the tions were issued around five decades exploited masses. ago and they demonstrate the anti- The [Second] Declaration explains imperialist and revolutionary tenden- that a revolution can be successful only cies of the people of South America, if the working class is able to also lead especially Cuba. the struggles of the farming regions. Support workers fighting back! The main effect of these declara- In its preface the publisher writes, tions was to help clarify the thinking “While the Second Declaration of The crisis rooted in con- of the vanguard workers, farmers and Havana is more widely known since traction of capitalist trade revolutionary-minded youth in the en- it was adopted some forty-five years and production drives the tire American continent, including the ago, putting the First and Second propertied rulers around United States, who were increasingly Declarations together in the order they the world to relentlessly being drawn into struggle. The decla- were presented is what makes it pos- rations explained that victory is possi- sible to place ourselves inside the his- attack the living standards ble only through their own [struggles]. torical turning points that linked them.” of the toiling majority. The ‘Militant’ follows one year send $35 to above address. 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2 The Militant August 6, 2012 Socialist Workers campaign Continued from front page Stachelski; Tracey Johnson, a member told Harris. “We’ve received cost-of- of the Painters union and the Young living increases but haven’t received a Workers Organization; and Hawkins. contractual raise in years.” “One thing I like about brother James “They like to tell us we’re overpaid,” Harris is that as soon as he arrived in said striker John Horniak. “But they get Chicago he went to our picket line,” gigantic bonuses every year and golden Clements told the participants. parachutes when they retire or leave.” “One of the primary things we want Both Burch and Horniak are CNC to do is have a discussion,” Harris re- machinists with more than a decade ex- sponded. “To learn, come up with a perience. “Some people have told us that plan. I am honored to be here with these this is not the best time to strike. But the fighters. way I see it, it won’t be any better six “The SWP campaign is about reach- years from now,” said Horniak. ing out to workers in struggle. Why? Harris was joined in Joliet by John Because these are the centers of educa- Hawkins, SWP candidate for Congress tion for working people. It doesn’t mat- Militant/Eric Simpson Maura DeLuca and Gerardo Sánchez at house meeting July 19 in San Francisco with Dolores Piper, in Illinois’ 1st District. They were inter- ter who is elected president. What mat- left, aunt of slain youth Derrick Gaines; and Marisol Guerrero, right, fired coworker of Sánchez. viewed by the local Herald News. ters is whether working people fight.” “James Harris’ presidential campaign ed for three days. She got support from in order to maintain the brutal pace of doesn’t make promises,” began the ar- DeLuca meets with Calif. workers the union, and 62 of her 100 coworkers work, growers hire younger workers and ticle. “The Socialist Workers Party can- “It is important to support union signed a petition demanding she return discriminate against those with more didate instead meets with struggling struggles or groups of workers that may to work with back pay. experience. working-class people and speaks with not have a formal union but act as one,” Also on the panel was Dolores Piper, Many of the discussions outside the them about what is needed to fight for Maura DeLuca said July 19 at a spirited aunt of Derrick Gaines, a 15 year old grocery store focused on the increase in better lives.” campaign house meeting of 15 in South who was fatally shot in the back by a deportations of immigrants over the past “People are finding less work and San Francisco. South San Francisco police officer June several years. “Whether a worker has people who do work are working lon- “The company protects its people, we 5. “I want to reach out and tell as many papers or not, they should treat us right,” ger hours, working harder and earning need to protect ours,” added Gerardo people as possible that the actions of the said Garcia. “We are all human beings.” less,” Harris told the Herald News. “Real Sánchez, SWP candidate for U.S. Senate police were extremely reckless,” she told “The bosses try to divide us, and to change to fix these conditions comes not in California, as he introduced Marisol the meeting. Piper and Derrick’s parents use the fact that workers are not docu- from electoral politics but from mass, Guerrero, an industrial kitchen worker. are filing a lawsuit against the police. mented to try to intimidate us,” DeLuca organized labor. … We want to talk to Guerrero was suspended and sub- Several participants in the meet- pointed out. “Fighting against the at- working people about taking political sequently fired by Flying Food Group ing joined DeLuca as she traveled to tacks on immigrant workers will put the power, and establishing a government on allegations of mislabeling prod- Madera, Calif., to learn more about the working class in a stronger position.” that working people control.” ucts. Sánchez, who works there with recent victory at Gargiulo Inc., where DeLuca flew from northern California In Chicago, Harris was invited to Guerrero, chaired the meeting. Workers farmworkers voted to be represented by to join supporters of a woman’s right to speak at a demonstration in front of a po- at Flying Food are represented by the United Farm Workers after a two- choose abortion July 21 in defending the lice station demanding the release of vic- UNITE HERE. day strike. Family Reproductive Health clinic in tims of police torture. Mark Clements, a Guerrero explained she and several While campaigning at a grocery store Charlotte, N.C., from a “clinic siege” or- protest organizer, said, “Six years ago other coworkers were victimized on in Madera, DeLuca met Eutracia Garcia, ganized by Operation Rescue/Operation the Cook County Special Prosecutor is- mislabeling charges before and suspend- a UFW supporter. She told DeLuca that Save America. (See article on page 4.) sued a report documenting an epidemic of police torture in Chicago. Twenty- three known torture victims are still in prison.” Socialist candidates: Free the Cuban Five! “I am very proud to be here,” Harris told protesters. “Everywhere I go peo- ple are standing up to this. This is not a justice system for working people, but a system of brutality and coercion designed to inspire terror in working people, to keep us from fighting.” Harris was interviewed by the edi- tor of the North Lawndale Community News, which covers the city’s Westside Black community. Fifteen high school students studying journalism at the newspaper joined the interview. The final day of the Chicago leg of From left: Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and René González. the tour ended with a lively campaign forum. Harris was joined by a panel The following letter was sent June Dear Gerardo, Ramón, Fernando, workers and farmers of all ages—that of fighters, including Clements; Ralph 26 to Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Antonio and René, comes to life through your example. Peterson, a leader of a fight against Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio As the Socialist Workers Party And that revolution is the best example the police torture and killing of his Guerrero and René González by James candidates for president and vice we can put before working people in cousin and other cop brutality cases in Harris and Maura DeLuca, the Socialist president of the United States in the the United States to show what our North Chicago; young socialist John Workers Party candidates for president 2012 elections, we will be campaigning class, together with our allies, is capable and vice president of the United States. from one end of the country to the other of. The best example of what we can The Cuban Five, as they are widely accomplish as we transform ourselves Literature on SWP known, are Cuban revolutionaries “This is the jury of millions through mighty battles, taking and presidential campaign jailed in the U.S. since 1998 on trumped- using political power to defend our own up charges, including “conspiracy” to we fight for—and we will interests, as we work together to build commit espionage and, in the case of campaign to reach every a world on new economic and social Hernández, “conspiracy” to commit foundations. murder. They were sentenced to prison single one of them” As the crisis of capital intensifies terms ranging from 15 years to double worldwide, and working people life plus 15 years. over the coming months. Broadening increasingly respond to the attacks on The five were living and working in the worldwide battle for freedom of the our livelihoods, our rights, and our southern Florida gathering information Cuban Five will be an essential part dignity, it is those on the front lines for the Cuban government on activities of of our work as we talk with workers of these battles who will most readily Cuban-American counterrevolutionary on picket lines, at factory gates and identify with each one of you as fellow Campaign flyer: $2.50 for 25 groups with a history of violent attacks unemployment centers, at gatherings fighters, adding their voices to those Buttons: $1 each on Cuba and supporters of the Cuban of struggling small farmers, at protests demanding your release. This is the jury Endorser cards: $1 for 20 Revolution, with the complicity of against police brutality and attacks on of millions we fight for—and we will Washington. immigrant workers, with students facing campaign to reach every single one of Write to: Socialist Workers 2012 Campaign, All but René González remain in unpayable debt loads, and families them. 306 W. 37th St., 10th floor, prison. He was released Oct. 7 but is whose homes have been foreclosed. With revolutionary greetings, New York, NY 10018. Tel: (212) 736-2540; email: [email protected] forced to serve an additional three-year It is the Cuban Revolution itself— James Harris parole in the U.S. the ongoing work of millions of Cuban Maura DeLuca

The Militant August 6, 2012 3 Stu Singer: 45 years building communist movement in US NY meeting celebrates his life, political contributions BY brian williams in the past century.” The first, he said, NEW YORK—A meeting here June followed the party’s founding in 1919, 16 celebrated the life and political con- under the impact of the October 1917 tributions of Stu Singer, a member Russian Revolution and “respond- and supporter of the Socialist Workers ing to the example and leadership of Party for 45 years. Singer died June 1 V.I. Lenin and the Bolsheviks.” The at age 65 after a battle with cancer. second was the struggle for a prole- The event, attended by some 100 tarian party begun in 1938 under the people, was organized by party sup- guidance of SWP leader James P. porters in the New York area. Among Cannon and Bolshevik leader Leon those attending were members of the Trotsky—a transformation “carried communist movement Singer worked out as Washington entered into the with over the years; coworkers Edgar second world imperialist slaughter,” Above, Militant/Arthur Hughes Malave and Roosevelt Hudgson, who World War II. Above, audience at June 16 meeting in New worked with Stu at AVA Pork Products If a single book could capture what York held to celebrate life and political in Hicksville, N.Y.; and his compan- the SWP accomplished through the contributions of Stu Singer, who for quar- ion Robin Mace, brothers Jeffrey and turn to industry, Barnes said, it is ter of a century helped carry out Socialist Workers Party’s turn to industry beginning Robin Singer, sister Wendy Singer and The Changing Face of U.S. Politics: in late 1970s. Inset, Singer at age 53. other family members. Working-Class Politics and the Trade Jack Barnes, national secretary of Unions. “That is truly a book less writ- from Des Moines to New York City, Black rights in the U.S. had on Singer. the SWP, sent a message that was read ten than dictated by the actions and “Stu stayed that course for a quarter He joined in that fight from his high to the meeting by John Studer, a party voices of hundreds. And Stu is right- century,” Barnes said. school years in Roanoke, Va., in the leader in New York. “Stu Singer, first fully, and unqualifiedly, one of its au- early 1960s on. and foremost,” Barnes said, “was part thors.” The course it records “insepara- 1960s Black rights fight In June 1966, along with other sup- of the generations that politically trans- bly combines practicing revolutionary Steve Clark, a member of the SWP porters of the Student Non-Violent formed the Socialist Workers Party by proletarian politics with involvement National Committee, spoke about the Coordinating Committee in Boston, initiating and carrying out the turn to as part of the working class through life-changing impact the struggle for Continued on page 6 industry at the opening of the 1980s.” disciplined fractions of party members Barnes called that political turn “the in industrial workplaces and unions.” third proletarian transformation of the As a member of party branches from Locked-out Con Ed workers communist party in the United States Houston to the Minnesota Iron Range, Continued from front page to Con Edison that Local 1-2 was not in pensions for new hires and a big in- going to strike” and that the company crease in the cost of health insurance. locked out the workers “with no advance A contingent of Cablevision workers notice whatsoever” after the strike dead- from Brooklyn, who won a union rec- line had passed. ognition election in January and are now Con Edison boasts on its website that negotiating for a contract, also marched. it sold near record amounts of electric- “We have to back each other’s strug- ity on July 17 and 18. But many custom- gles,” said Cablevision worker Lawrence ers are complaining that they are being Hendrickson. “I’m here to back the low overcharged because the meter readers wage workers and the Con Ed workers.” are locked out. The readings will re- Workers who are trying to organize a sume, Drury told the Militant via email, union at several car washes in the area “once the work stoppage ends.” also joined the protest. Union officials have criticized Gov. “The bosses pay me $4 an hour for Andrew Cuomo, who they backed in 10- to 11-hour days, with no overtime the last election, for taking a hands-off pay,” said one worker from Central Islip, approach to the lockout. City Council “March Against Fear,” nears Jackson, Miss., June 1966. Action aimed to push back racist terror. who asked that his name not be used Speaker Christine Quinn and City Swelling to 15,000 in Jackson, it was largest mobilization for Black rights in the state’s history. since the owner of the car wash does not Comptroller John Liu have both called yet know he is involved in the fight for on Con Edison to end the lockout. better wages and conditions. “They say “They’re not going to break us down,” if we don’t like it, take a hike.” said locked-out worker Samantha Actions defend women’s right to Hotel and Motel union workers, sub- Turner. “We’re still here and we’ll be way and bus workers from the Transport here.” Workers Union, Communications “It’s all about corporate greed,” said abortion at clinics in Charlotte Workers from Verizon, airport workers, Dennis Schuette, 52, who has worked at by Ned Measel he said. “They deserve a safe legal as well as several hundred organized by Con Edison for nine years. “We’ve got CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Thirty- opportunity to do whatever they de- Make the Road, an immigrant rights to stay united and keep on marching.” five defenders of a woman’s right to cide. The harassment is an affront to group, were among the participants in choose abortion, organized by the their rights.” the action. National Organization for Women One of the harassing tactics em- After the rally more than 1,000 peo- and Feminist Majority Foundation, ployed by the anti-choice side is to use ple marched back to Con Edison’s head- militant turned out here July 21 to defend the an extremely loud sound system in an quarters and joined an expanded picket Family Reproductive Health clinic effort to be heard inside the clinic and line that lasted several hours. labor from a similar-sized gathering of intimidate the women there. “When “The company has been planning rightists there to harass women. they get the permit the noise is mind- this lockout for the last four years, since forums The pro-choice mobilization is numbing,” Cindy Thomson, a NOW we signed the last contract,” Gjorgi aimed at ensuring that the city’s three activist, said. “They’ve never been Kukuvikov, a high voltage lineman, told washington Seattle abortion clinics remain open during fined, only warned by the police for the Militant. “They brought in college 59th Anniversary of the Moncada an eight-day conference and “clinic exceeding the permitted 75 decibels.” kids and made them ‘gold associates,’ Uprising: Cuba and the Coming siege” by the rightist group Operation Last year the director of Operation they make up a big part of the 5,000 su- American Revolution. Fri., Aug. 3, 7:30 Rescue/Operation Save America. The Save America, Phillip Benham, was pervisors” who are taking the place of p.m. Donation: $5. 5418 Rainier Ave. S. Tel.: (206) 323-1755. defenders will have a presence at the found guilty of stalking a doctor who the locked-out workers. clinics through July 28. performs abortions at the Charlotte Con Edison spokesperson Allan One of the participants, Doug, clinics. Benham had put up hundreds Drury said the company is negotiat- united kingdom 43, who is an office worker, told the of “Wanted” posters with the doctor’s ing “in good faith” and that “workers Manchester The Turmoil in the Middle East: Class Militant that he started coming to name, including in the doctor’s home could return to their jobs immediate- Struggle Openings in Egypt, Israel. help defend the clinic a few weeks neighborhood. ly if their leadership would agree to Speaker: Julie Crawford, Communist ago after driving by every day to He was sentenced to 18 months pro- provide us with adequate notice of a League. Sun., Aug. 5, 4 p.m. Donation: £2.50. Room 301, 3rd floor, Hilton House, work and seeing people standing up bation, ordered to stop the intimida- strike.” 26-28 Hilton St., M1 2EH. Tel.: (016) 1478- to the rightists’ harassment. “I saw tion, and to stay at least 500 feet away A statement on the Utility Workers 2496. women’s rights were being violated,” from the doctor. website says, however, that it was “clear

4 The Militant August 6, 2012 on the picket line Hundreds rally for Teamsters kept it the same, while giving the $1.13 on strike against Davis Wire raise, made me decide to vote for it,” Kent, Wash.—Some 300 people Tammy Allen said at the Labor Temple rallied outside the Davis Wire Company Lounge after the vote. She has worked at here July 17 to show support for mem- Henniges for 34 years. bers of Teamsters Local 117, who have Carol Picton, who has worked there been on strike since May 21. for 33 years, said, “I would have liked “These men have worked together to have a little more. But the fact that we in an oppressive environment,” Tracey got some money and the insurance was Thompson, secretary-treasurer of Local left alone is important.” Picton added, “I 117, told the rally, thanking those from feel that if we had demanded more, the other unions and the surrounding com- company would have hired replacement munity for providing support. “Now workers and we would have had to go they stand together as coworkers, hus- through something like Local 48G went bands, sons and fathers, demanding through,” referring to the 10-month that their employer recognize and honor lockout of the 237 members of Bakery, their dignity as men.” Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and “We work 12-hour shifts and have Grain Millers union by the interna- tional corn-processing giant Roquette Militant/Annalucia Vermunt to stay at our machines on breaks and Workers on picket line in front of Aranui Home and Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, lunch. Many of us have suffered injuries America here in 2010-2011. July 17 as part of three days of partial strike actions demanding increased wages. because of the unsafe conditions,” said “I voted no,” Dwayne Bunker said. Robert Bruner, a Teamsters union shop “We have given up too much in the past, cent of union jobs have been cut, while Elizabeth McEwen, 47, who works in steward in the plant. “Enough is enough, and I don’t feel the wage increase was the number of contract laborers has returns and damages, said that when she and we are not going back without a enough.” more than tripled. started five years ago “only 60 percent contract.” There are 472 hourly workers at the —John Steele were union members but now it is 93 Earlier in the day the union filed a Henniges plant, which makes rubber percent.” lawsuit against the sweatshop-like con- seals for automobiles; 425 of them are Australia grocery warehouse —Ron Poulsen ditions at the mill. members of the USW. workers end two-week strike Those wishing to support the work- —Buddy Howard MELBOURNE, Australia—Some New Zealand home care workers ers can find out about the ONE MORE 600 grocery warehouse workers in conduct partial strikes over pay DAY fund at www.teamsters117.org. Canada nuclear workers Somerton, north Melbourne, ended a AUCKLAND, New Zealand—More —Edwin Fruit fight concession demands two-week strike July 23 after winning than 60 workers at the Aranui Home MONTREAL—Some 800 nuclear higher shift payments, more flexibility and Hospital began three days of partial Atlanta school workers engineers, scientists, technologists and in the use of public holiday entitlements strike actions at 3 a.m. on July 17. The protest denial of jobless pay tradespeople in three Canadian prov- and a modest wage increase. workers, members of the New Zealand ATLANTA—On July 17, school inces walked off the job July 9, rejecting The workers—whose slogan is “equal Nurses Organisation and Service and bus drivers from Taylor Motors in far-reaching concession demands aimed rights for equal sites”—demanded the Food Workers Union, provide care for Columbus and cafeteria workers from at pensions, vacations, seniority and same rights and conditions as workers elderly residents. Spelman College, Emory University, wages by Candu Energy Inc. bosses. at other Coles warehouses across the At a lively picket line NZNO delegate Georgia Tech and Georgia State, along The workers design, build and ser- country. Julie Faifai Loa, who has worked at the with supporters from several unions, vice Candu nuclear reactors and are Coles outsourced workforce hiring facility for 10 years, told the Militant other organizations and student groups members of the Society of Professional and management at Somerton to Toll many workers have been there a long protested at the South Metro Office of Engineers and Associates. Candu, Holdings six years ago. time and are not going up the pay scale. the Department of Labor. which had been operated by the federal Toll secured a “greenfields” site “They don’t acknowledge the work we Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark government, was privatized and sold agreement with the National Union of do and just want you to shut your mouth Butler recently issued a ruling denying to Montreal-based engineering giant Workers—a contract that is reached be- and do your work,” she said. unemployment payment to workers at SNC-Lavalin last year. The 18 nuclear fore any workers are hired and requires Most workers used to belong to an private schools laid off over the summer reactors the company services supply no ratification—before it opened the outfit named “Team Aranui,” set up by break. Some 64,000 workers in the state 16 percent of Canada’s electricity re- new warehouse. Since then, the workers the facility’s bosses. Around three years are affected by the decision. quirements. have been fighting to gain a better union ago, led by a few who had joined the —Rachele Fruit “They are trying to get rid of the contract. Nurses Organisation, workers began union,” Montreal striker Gilles Sabourin “We’re trying to get what everyone to discuss the need to have their own Steelworkers in Iowa ratify told the Militant in a phone interview. considers standard,” Mark Hopkins, 35, union. Almost all now belong to the Henniges’ new contract offer They had been working without a con- a forklift driver, told the Militant July 15. NZNO or the SFWU. KEOKUK, Iowa—After rejecting tract for 18 months, Sabourin added. This strike “is about showing the com- —Annalucia Vermunt an earlier company offer, members Since Candu was privatized, 25 per- pany we have some spine.” and Felicity Coggan of United Steelworkers Local 444 at Henniges Automotive Profiles voted to accept the company’s new offer July 20. 25, 50, and 75 years ago The agreement includes $1.13 in wage increases over the next three years, an increase in second- and third-shift dif- ferential pay, and an extra week of vaca- tion for workers with one to eight years’ experience. Unlike the first offer, the August 7, 1987 August 13, 1962 August 14, 1937 second contained no increases in medi- SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb.—Meat- Friends of the Cuban Revolution and As a further indispensable cal or dental insurance premiums. packers here ratified a new contract defenders of civil liberties in New York instrument in our fight, we are “It was pretty much unanimous,” July 26 ending their long strike at IBP’s City are indignantly protesting the open undertaking the immediate publication Mike Bennett, president of Local 444, nearby Dakota City plant. campaign of violence being carried of the “SOCIALIST APPEAL.” The told the Burlington Hawk Eye. The workers have a history of strikes on by Cuban counter-revolutionaries solemn decision under which the “The fact that the company backed going back to the organization of United against pro-Castro Cubans and Cuban- APPEAL suspended publication at the off increasing the medical insurance and Food and Commercial Workers Local Americans. time of the [Socialist Party’s] Chicago 222 at the Dakota City plant in 1968. This protest took physical form on Convention has been brazenly There has not been a pay raise at the July 28 when some 200 people picketed violated. The internal discussion organ Teamster Rebellion Dakota City plant since 1981. After the City Hall to protest the wrecking of has never appeared. by Farrell Dobbs last strike in 1982, the workers had their Casa Cuba, the city’s second oldest The official press is a purely fac- The 1934 strikes wages cut $1.05 an hour. Cuban social club, two days before and tional press from which we are sys- that built the IBP locked the meat-packers out to demand police action. temically excluded. The Left wing is industrial union December 14 after the unionists Counter-revolutionaries had chosen expected to stay muzzled and now, movement in rejected a contract proposal. In March, July 26, the anniversary of Fidel with mass expulsions, to remain silent Minneapolis and helped pave the the workers voted to go on strike after Castro’s historic attack on the Batista about the crimes committed against way for the CIO, turning down a second contract offer. regime’s Moncada Barracks, as the it. We refuse to be muzzled! The as recounted by a The new contract retains the current date for their attack on Casa Cuba. APPEAL is our answer to the gag- central leader of pay scale through 1990. Wages will Late at night, when everybody had left laws and the split drive. Every revo- that battle.—$19 remain at $7.90 an hour in processing the club, they broke in, accompanied lutionary consideration demands its and $8.20 in slaughtering. After 33 by press photographers and TV immediate appearance as the militant PathfinderPress.com months, wages will be raised 15 cents cameramen, and made a shambles of and uncompromising spokesman and an hour. the place. banner-bearer of the Left wing.

The Militant August 6, 2012 5 Textile strikes in Egypt Continued from front page state-run company. organize and defend their rights since The Misr work stoppage had spread the overthrow of the Hosni Mubarak to seven other textile factories in dictatorship nearly 18 months ago. Alexandria, Mahalla and two other The strikes also come as Mohamed cities in the Nile River Delta, involv- Morsi, the newly elected president ing some 12,000 additional workers. and the Muslim Brotherhood leader, There are 100,000 textile workers in is jockeying with the military for a di- the Mahalla region alone, north of vision of political power. Cairo. Some 23,000 workers at Egypt’s The workers demanded an in- largest textile company, Misr crease in their basic monthly pay to Spinning and Weaving Company in 1,500 Egyptian pounds ($250). They Mahalla, ended an eight-day strike are currently paid from 700 to 1,000 July 22 “after the company’s board pounds. partially responded to their demands,” Other demands included long over- according to the July 23 online edi- due profit-sharing bonuses; a purge of tion of the daily Al Masry Al Youm. corrupt company officials associated The strike included a sit-in by more with the previous Mubarak regime; than 3,000 workers. and improvement of the company’s According to Bloomberg News, health care system, including chang- strike leader Kamal el-Fayoumi said ing its medical staff. Textile workers gather in Mahalla, Egypt, to begin strike July 15. Some 35,000 joined the action. that Misr workers “were promised Meanwhile, more than 10,000 the distribution of profit-sharing pay- workers at Cleopatra Ceramics in their share of the company’s profits. buildings in Suez July 17 demanding ments that have been delayed since Suez ended a 28-day strike July 18 af- Workers had been demonstrating dai- action against the company’s owner, 1992, and an increase in their yearly ter management agreed to pay them ly for about a week. they were tear gassed by security bonuses and other benefits.” Misr is a their delayed June wages as well as When they stormed government forces. Stu Singer: 45 years building communist movement in US Continued from page 4 people, Prince said, “we reaffirmed In preparing the discussion, Barnes At the time, Barnes said, such jobs Singer hopped in a car and drove to that the revolutionary capacity of toil- said, “Stu did what we had come to were “close to universal in what com- Mississippi for the last leg of a three- ers to make the revolution in Cuba will count on from him—a thorough, rades in the YSA, and younger ones in week-long “March Against Fear” on be true in the U.S., and a leadership to workmanlike job.” the party, looked for in a job. But that the state capital in Jackson. The ac- do that can and will be built.” In the section Singer was asked to ended for all time with the run-up to tion aimed to push back racist terror Returning from Cuba by cattle boat, focus on, Barnes wrote, Dobbs ex- the party’s turn. From then on, each and discrimination in Mississippi. Its Prince said, Singer and other YSA plained that in addition to turning its generation in the party converged— nightly encampments were guarded members—despite bouts with their back on the social-patriotic Socialist not only in program, but in our lives by Black workers organized in the stomachs—worked hard together on Party leadership in the U.S., who and work—with the struggle for a Deacons for Defense. Sharecroppers, board preparing talks on that revolu- backed Washington’s imperialist mili- proletarian party as fought for” by tenant farmers and other working tionary perspective that they ended up tary efforts in World War I, the young Trotsky, Cannon and Dobbs. people joined in the action along the giving to hundreds of young people Communist Party also had to break “All this rang true to Stu’s roots as way. and others when they got back. from revolutionary-minded left social- a young person who came to the party The final eight-mile walk from ists such as Eugene Debs and from along the road of the working-class- Tougaloo College to a June 26 rally Producing books for party work “the individualist, self-serving radical- based fight for Black freedom in the of some 15,000 in Jackson was the Gale Shangold chaired the meeting. ism” of the Industrial Workers of the 1960s—one of the great turning points largest mobilization for the rights of She and Don Mackle, who also spoke, World—the Wobblies—and leaders in the U.S. class struggle,” said Barnes. Blacks and other working people in are party supporters and leaders of the such as Vincent St. John. For a number of years Singer had or- Mississippi since the bloody crush- Print Project. Project volunteers help Forging a communist party in the ganized Barnes’ secretariat. His expe- ing of Radical Reconstruction in the produce, upgrade, and keep in stock U.S., Barnes wrote, “involves sur- riences in the Black rights movement 1870s. After the march, Singer and more than 300 Pathfinder books and mounting some extra hurdles. It runs in the South, Barnes said, “was sub- others joined the outpouring in Black pamphlets used by SWP members up against the petty bourgeois tradi- stantially responsible for the fact that neighborhoods, where people opened and other vanguard workers. Shangold tion of American ‘individualism’—a no one I ever worked with in my sec- their porches and doors, inviting oth- read excerpts from some of nearly 20 by-product of the long duration of the retariat was more attentive to security. ers to eat, talk and celebrate late into messages, several of which commend- Westward-shifting frontier and access … Nothing, nothing, was ever going to the night. ed Singer’s patient assistance during to free land. It’s even reflected in lit- happen on Stu’s watch.” From Jackson, Singer went on to construction projects to upgrade the erature, such as the restless, questing, Singer “remained to the end true to spend a week in Lowndes County, party’s meeting hall and other facilities chasing-and-doing Huck Finn. … the young man who first discovered Ala., where farmers and workers who in New York. “Who among those early genera- the truth about capitalism and the class were Black were setting a powerful Mackle said that Singer, a party sup- tions of communists in this country,” struggle from the racism he saw all example by breaking from the capital- porter for the last half-decade of his Barnes said, “could even have imag- around him, hated and combated for ist Democratic and Republican parties life, was always conscious about train- ined that close to a century later, a the rest of his life,” Barnes concluded. and launching their own independent ing other volunteers in skills needed to bumper sticker aimed at workers, An appeal for contributions to ad- working-class party—the Lowndes produce books important to the party’s among others, would cynically pro- vance the work of the Socialist Workers County Freedom Organization. work. Singer was also a “top-notch claim: ‘He who dies with the most toys Party raised nearly $3,600. Singer gained great confidence in salesperson” to bookstores in New win.’” the fighting capacities of working York, Mackle said, a point seconded Singer and others at the leadership people from these experiences, Clark by Shangold, who helps lead the proj- school, Barnes said, came to recognize said. Two years earlier he had bought ect’s sales to retail stores, distributors that “the kind of disciplined habits and a Militant subscription in Boston and libraries. selflessness” Dobbs was describing at and began attending socialist meet- the birth of the communist movement ings. “But what I saw and learned on Disciplined habits, not individualism were also the “norms and values that that trip settled any questions I had In 1982 Singer spent six months in shaped the generations in the party about the course I was going to fol- upstate New York at a session of the who carried out the turn in the 1970s low,” Singer later said. He joined the party’s leadership school that Barnes and made the SWP so unique a party, Young Socialist Alliance and then the organized. “As we prepared to jump a proletarian party.” Socialist Workers Party. into following the line of march of the Barnes quoted from a message by SWP National Committee member early modern working-class move- Jeff Powers, a friend of Singer who Dave Prince spoke about a photo on ment, as it affected, transformed and joined the YSA and SWP in Boston one of the displays prepared by party was recounted by Karl Marx and around the same time in the mid-1960s. supporters for the meeting. It showed Frederick Engels,” Barnes wrote, Powers recalled that Singer once found the January 1969 Young Socialist Singer was asked to organize an in- both of them a job—one they thought Alliance delegation to the 10th an- troductory class on an outline by SWP at the time was “a perfect gig. Not niversary of the Cuban Revolution in leader Farrell Dobbs of his series much work and a company vehicle that which Singer and 12 others participat- Revolutionary Continuity: Marxist served as a delivery truck for leaflets, $24 ed, including Prince. Leadership in the United States. Dobbs buttons and posters for the Boston After spending a month on the is- completed the first two volumes before Peace Action Coalition throughout the pathfinderpress.com land meeting and talking with working he died in 1983. area, with the gas included.” 6 The Militant August 6, 2012 UK dairy farmers protest squeeze from cuts in prices by Paul Davies “The soya we feed cows has gone LONDON—More than 2,000 dairy up 40 percent in the past few months,” farmers rallied here July 11 to protest added Bill Turner from Yeovil. cuts in the price the big capitalist dairies “We have no bargaining power. The pay them for milk. processors and supermarkets dictate “The clock is ticking,” David the contracts to maintain their profit Handley, chairman of Farmers For margins,” said Cornwall farmer Ross Action, told the meeting to loud ap- Symons, 24. plause. “August 1—if nothing is done United Kingdom Minister of State for by then we’ll have no option but to Agriculture and Food James Paice ad- show them what we’re capable of.” A dressed the meeting, claiming the gov- second round of price cuts is set to take ernment was powerless to intervene in effect on that date. the market. He was jeered when he lec- The meeting was jointly organized tured farmers on “cutting costs.” Surrey farmer and Farmers for Action by the National Farmers’ Union, includ- Militant/Hugh Robertson ing its chapters in Wales and Scotland, leader Youleitte Parkes responded to Farmers arrive in London for July 11 rally against cuts in milk price paid by big capitalist dairies. the Tenant Farmers Association and Paice from the floor. “You come up with Farmers for Action. the same obstacles all the time,” she said. even,” Tom Holland from Derbyshire, get from the sale of milk at the expense The Militant interviewed a half dozen “Dairy farmers are not the problem. We told the Militant. “Now we could go un- of farmers. farmers at the rally. work our butts off and then companies der.” Since July 19 hundreds of farmers have “We took a cut of 2 pence a liter and put us down. The problem is the retail- The Daily Telegraph estimates that carried out protest blockades of dairy then a further 1.7 pence a liter,” Simon ers push the processors and they push 200 dairy farmers in England and Wales processors in Somerset, Worcestershire, Scott told the Militant. Scott has 200 the farmers. We’re at the bottom of the have quit farming in the past year. Over Shropshire, Leicestershire and Yorkshire. cows in Brinkworth Chippenham and chain.” the last decade supermarket chains have supplies the First Milk processor. (1 “Before I was struggling to break steeply increased the percentage they Tony Hunt contributed to this article. pence =US 1.5 cents) The price cut by the big dairies tight- ens the squeeze especially on working Midwest drought devastates working farmers farmers, who are locked into long-term Continued from front page “We are going to have to buy $30,000 ing, so the price is dropping.” He added contracts that allow the processors to The U.S. Department of Agriculture of hay to make it through to the fall,” said that he will be lucky to get half the price change the price paid on short notice. announced July 18 that 1,297 counties Jerry Harvey, a dairy farmer in Promise for a cow that he got last year. “Our production costs are at least in 29 states now qualify for disaster City. Harvey helped organize a protest Cattle farmers “are being forced to 29 pence, but we’re only getting 25 assistance because of severe drought of dairy farmers in 2009, when he and sell out a big part of their herds because pence a liter,” said Gary Fisher from conditions. other dairy farmers were losing money they will not be able to afford to buy Ashmonsworth, Newbury. For the first time ever, the price for on every gallon of milk they produced winter feed,” Edward Dunkle, a retired “At least 30 percent of my costs are wholesale corn topped $8 a bushel—up and were on the brink of losing their farmer and ranger near Benkelman, animal feed,” said Chris Spiby, from 50 percent from where it was priced just farms. “We borrowed $60,000 then. We Neb., explained to the Militant. Sidlesham in West Sussex. “We need a month ago. Among the hardest hit by never got out of the hole.” Because the Klicker said working farmers need a price that covers our costs of produc- high corn prices are dairy and livestock cost of feeding his 60 dairy cows is so access to “low interest money and fair tion—it should be at least 30 pence a farmers, who depend on corn, hay and high, Harvey said, “we are going to have prices. But the government and corpora- liter.” other crops to feed their animals. to sell some heifers. But everyone is sell- tions manipulate the prices.” He is wary of government financial assistance, “be- cause in the past, assistance has only fed the super-sized operations at the ex- Judge upholds 10-year sentence for Lynne Stewart pense of small farmers.” BY emma johnson conian ban, prohibiting him from most Stewart wasn’t surprised by the rul- The media has been awash with sto- NEW YORK—On June 28 a panel communications with people outside ing and will keep fighting to throw the ries about the drought and pictures of of judges here upheld the 10-year sen- the prison. His lawyers were required whole case out. farmers standing in dried, withered, tence of framed-up defense attorney to abide by Special Administrative “The next step is the full appeals brown cornfields. Many articles claim Lynne Stewart, who often defended Measures that shut him off from the court,” Poynter said. “We’ll go all that corn and soybean farmers will not people who were targeted by the gov- world. the way to the Supreme Court if we fare badly because of crop insurance. ernment and working people who Stewart’s conviction was based on have to. We’re defending the Bill of Most corn and bean farmers “are forced could not afford a lawyer. the fact that she released a press state- Rights amendments one, four and six. to buy crop insurance in order to qualify Stewart had appealed a ruling from ment on behalf of Abdel-Rahman, They’re all affected by Lynne’s case.” for loans or other USDA programs,” July 2010 that increased her sentence which the government said was a Poynter said Stewart is reaching out said Dunkle. “The premiums are very from 28 months to 10 years, arguing violation of the administrative restric- for support from lawyers’ organiza- high, while payments cover only a part that it penalized her for comments she tions. Much of the evidence was based tions and others, and urged people to of farmers’ losses.” had made and thus violated her First on wiretaps and video recordings of follow the Justice for Lynne Stewart “It’s true that farmers producing milk, Amendment rights. her meetings with Abdel-Rahman in website at: www.lynnestewart.org. livestock, fruits and vegetables are get- Judge Robert Sack, presenting the prison, trampling on the ting hit harder than row-crop farmers,” unanimous verdict for the three-judge constitutional right of said Klicker. But insurance for row-crop panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals meaningful access to le- farmers is “no panacea. The small guy Second Circuit, dismissed Stewart’s gal counsel and freedom can’t really afford insurance.” arguments. of speech. Harvey agrees that insurance would “From the moment she committed An appeal by not have answered his problems. “Many the first act for which she was con- Stewart was rejected small farmers feel we are getting insur- victed, through her trial, sentencing in November 2009. In anced to death. We can’t afford it.” and appeal, Stewart has persisted in addition, the appeals While small farmers are gripped in exhibiting what seems to be a stark in- court ruled that the the vice of a crop-destroying drought ability to understand the seriousness 28-month sentence im- and skyrocketing feed prices, workers of her crimes,” wrote Sack. posed by Judge John will soon feel the consequences of this Stewart was sentenced in 2005 to 28 Koeltl in 2005 was too disaster in their pocketbooks. The cost months in jail on charges of “conspir- light and instructed a re- of meat, poultry and milk is expected to acy to provide material aid to terror- sentencing. On July 15, jump later this year. Fuel prices are also ist activity.” She was one of the law- 2010, Koeltl increased expected to jump, because 10 percent of yers for Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, Stewart’s sentence to 10 nearly every gallon of gasoline is etha- a blind Muslim cleric who was found years on the pretext that nol, a fuel additive distilled from corn. guilty of “seditious conspiracy” in she showed a “lack of re- Meanwhile, food commodity specu- 1995 for allegedly plotting to blow up morse.” lators salivate over rising prices, agri- the United Nations headquarters and Ralph Poynter, business stocks rise in anticipation of other structures. No physical evidence spokesperson for the sales of cutting edge seed, and big capi- was presented by the prosecution. Lynne Stewart Defense talist farmers positioned to weather the Abdel-Rahman was sentenced to Committee, said in a AP Photo/Mary Altaffer drought look to buy up livestock and life. U.S. officials also imposed a dra- phone interview that Lynne Stewart Nov. 17, 2009, at protest against appeal denial. land from those threatened with ruin.

The Militant August 6, 2012 7 Political space to advance workers movement in US, worldwide discussed at Socialist Workers Conference As working people mount resistance to propertied rulers’ offensive, groups of workers link up, prepare for coming battles, become interested in world politics and lessons of working-class struggles

(Continued from last week) in Keokuk, Iowa, in 2010-2011; of BY Doug Nelson Steelworkers who for 14 months stood While the capitalists cannot give up up to Honeywell’s lockout at its ura- the intensifying competition among nium plant in Metropolis, Ill.; and of themselves to conquer markets and dockworkers in Longview, Wash., who maximize profits, the same is not after an eight-month fight against union true for the working class, explained busting by EGT Development forced Jack Barnes, national secretary of the the company in February to hire mem- Socialist Workers Party. bers of the International Longshore and Competition for jobs is the condition Warehouse Union. of workers under capitalism, but the Through these battles, Barnes said, working class can counteract that dog- small groups of militant workers come eat-dog rivalry. We can do so through together, look for others like them, and class solidarity, organizing unions, and seek out discussions of how the working carrying out independent labor political class can prepare more consciously and action. effectively for future battles. Efforts by Barnes presented the opening talk socialist workers and use of the Militant and closing summary at the Socialist are part of this process. Workers Membership Conference held June 21-23 in Oberlin, Ohio. SWP 2012 campaigns Today, Barnes said, as the employ- The conference discussed using Militant photos, left, Eric Simpson, right, Paul Mailhot ing class reacts to the capitalist crisis by Socialist Workers Party 2012 election Left, Socialist Workers Membership Conference in Oberlin, Ohio, in June discussed a fighting course to defend the working class and unions against the bosses, deepening their assault on our wages, campaigns as a voice presenting a fight- their parties and their government. Right, Alyson Kennedy and Betsy Farley discuss politics with David Gundersen in Stoughton, Wis., April 2011. During conditions, unions and very dignity, ing course for workers and our allies to Wisconsin protests that year against union-busting by state officials, socialist workers went door to door in cities and small towns, talking to privately employed workers and government employees, union and non-union workers, farmers and others about need for resistance and solidarity against rulers’ assaults. workers are standing up and resisting, confront the capitalist crisis. The party regardless of how great the odds may is running James Harris for president like themselves. It’s also because these party able to lead working people to- seem. and Maura DeLuca for vice president, workers are more and more interested ward the fight for power—with the per- Example are mounting in the United along with candidates for state and local in learning the political lessons of strug- spectives of various petty-bourgeois or- States: the fights against union-busting offices. (See article on front page.) gles by working people of today and ganizations and currents in U.S. politics. lockouts by the bosses, from the one- The campaign puts forward imme- yesterday that are found in the pages of Many of these forces, for example, year struggle by 1,300 workers against diate demands workers can organize the Militant. threw themselves into the labor-official- American Crystal Sugar in the Upper around today to strengthen our unity Communist workers take SWP cam- dom-led effort earlier this year to “recall” Midwest, to actions by more than 8,000 and fighting capacity, such as a massive paign flyers, the paper and books with Wisconsin’s Republican Governor Scott workers against Con Edison in New public works program to combat job- us as we join workers’ battles and so- Walker. In early 2011, Barnes said, SWP York; and strikes, big and small, from lessness. At the same time, the socialist cial struggles, from fights against cop members from across the U.S. joined 780 workers taking on Caterpillar in candidates point to the need for working harassment and brutality to defending with other workers in the mobilizations Joliet, Ill., over a wage freeze and pen- people to chart an independent political women’s right to abortion. in Wisconsin against union busting by sion cuts, to 85 Teamsters in Kent, course from the bosses, their parties, the state government targeting public Wash., resisting Davis Wire’s relentless and their government, along the road to- Party of industrial workers employees. But the aim of the “recall” “productivity” drive. ward the revolutionary fight for workers The activity of SWP members to- campaign was to put Democrats into Regardless of the immediate out- power. gether with fellow workers includes or- office, at the very time that Democratic come, workers often come out of these Part and parcel of this effort is get- ganized political and trade union work administrations from the White House fights more ready to continue the strug- ting the Militant and books on working- with those we work alongside in facto- to states and cities across the country gle inside the plants, as well as to orga- class politics into the hands of workers ries across the United States. Without are leading assaults not just against pub- nize solidarity with embattled working in neighborhoods in cities and small that, Barnes said, we’re an organization lic employees but workers and unions of people elsewhere. Many deepen their in- towns, on picket lines and at demonstra- composed of factory workers, but not a every kind. terest in struggles by workers and farm- tions, on the job and at factory gates, in disciplined proletarian party. Government workers, Barnes said, ers the world over, as well. prisons and elsewhere. More and more Communist workers sell Militant sub- are being forced to pay the price for the That’s true, for example, among workers today see the Militant as their scriptions and sign up SWP campaign procapitalist labor officialdom’s decades members of the Bakery, Confectionery, own paper, Barnes said. This is not only endorsers on the job, and look for op- of collaboration with the Democratic Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers because it’s the only paper that—week portunities to join with fellow workers Party, dependence on “deals” with gov- union who fought a 10-month battle in and week out—champions and tells in bringing solidarity to union fights ernment officials, and embracing as against Roquette America’s lockout the truth about fights by working people and social protests, locally and beyond. supposedly part of labor cops, prison We’re part of efforts to strengthen our guards, and other police- and court- unions and bring union power to bear linked “uniformed services”—whose against the bosses. When we’re hold- job is to defend capitalist property and Special offers ing down jobs in the growing percent- rule by violence and repression. A fight- age of workplaces that are unorganized, Malcolm X, Black Liberation, we act on the recognition that there’s al- ways a union in embryo as workers look and the Road to Workers Power for ways to fight to defend each other, by Jack Barnes Barnes said. Why the “revolutionary conquest of state power by a Socialist workers reject any and all politically class-conscious and organized vanguard of prejudices against fellow workers who the working class—millions strong—is necessary.” hold religious views, Barnes said. We’re $10 with subscription to the Militant or $15 with- as likely to get a Militant subscription out (usually: $20) from a worker who has a crucifix or oth- er religious symbol at their workstation, The Working Class and the Transformation or on their door or wall at home, as we of Learning by Jack Barnes - $2 with a are from a worker who doesn’t, he said. subscription (usually $3) That distinguishes socialist workers from middle-class radicals, bourgeois Women in Cuba: The Making liberals, and bureaucratic-minded union of a Revolution Within the officials, who tend to consider them- Revolution selves “smarter” and more “enlight- by Vilma Espín, Asela de los ened” than workers. Santos, Yolanda Ferrer - $15 (usually $20) ‘Wisconsin’ and ‘Occupy’ Barnes contrasted the SWP’s political Militant/Betsy Farley course—more broadly into working- “Through fights, small groups of workers come together, look for others like them, and seek ways to prepare more con- Available from class and popular struggles worldwide, sciously and effectively for future battles,” said Jack Barnes. Above, members of United Steelworkers Local 7-669 previ- distributors, page 10 as we build the nucleus of a proletarian ously locked out by Honeywell in Metropolis, Ill., at American Crystal workers picket line, East Grand Forks, Minn., July 3.

8 The Militant August 6, 2012 Political space to advance workers movement in US, worldwide discussed at Socialist Workers Conference As working people mount resistance to propertied rulers’ offensive, groups of workers link up, prepare for coming battles, become interested in world politics and lessons of working-class struggles

to be socialists or part of the workers movement, Barnes said, ended up bury- ing themselves in Occupy—”Occupy is our party,” became the watchword. Or else, he said, they looked to Occupy as a substitute for the transformation of the labor movement by the ranks of the working class—organized and unorga- nized—into instruments of struggle to defend workers’ interests. (For example, Occupy forces on the West Coast orga- nized ultraleft adventures earlier this year during the hard-fought battle by ILWU members against union busting on the docks in Longview, Wash.) The SWP, to the contrary, acted from the outset on the recognition that this phenomenon wasn’t and couldn’t be Right, Militant/Natalie Morrison a surrogate for a class-struggle union Political space opening for movement, much less for a proletarian working people the world Militant photos, left, Eric Simpson, right, Paul Mailhot party. Its middle-class base and political over was at center of social- Left, Socialist Workers Membership Conference in Oberlin, Ohio, in June discussed a fighting course to defend the working class and unions against the bosses, trajectory precluded either one. ist membership conference. their parties and their government. Right, Alyson Kennedy and Betsy Farley discuss politics with David Gundersen in Stoughton, Wis., April 2011. During What’s more, socialist workers ex- Despite blows to toilers since Wisconsin protests that year against union-busting by state officials, socialist workers went door to door in cities and small towns, talking to privately employed plained how Occupy’s “We are the 99 1979 revolution in Iran, more workers and government employees, union and non-union workers, farmers and others about need for resistance and solidarity against rulers’ assaults. political space remains there percent!” slogan obfuscates true class to circulate books on revolu- ing course to defend the working class relations under capitalism and dovetails tionary struggles for power and unions, including public employees, with the anti-Republican demagogy of than in much of the world. requires a break from the bosses’ parties the Democratic Party’s campaign strat- In Egypt space won through and their government, the SWP leader egy. mass protests that toppled said, not deepening reliance on them. Hosni Mubarak regime re- mains open. Above, oil work- Socialist workers took that message Using political space ers protest in Iran, 1978, and the broader working-class course The political space opening for work- helped topple U.S.-backed presented in the Militant not just to ers and farmers the world over to defend monarchy. Right, sales of demonstrators in Madison (a govern- our living and working conditions was Militant and Pathfinder lit- ment and university-centered town, erature at Tahrir Square dem- at the center of the talks and discussion onstration, Cairo, April 2011. with a disproportionately middle-class at the socialist conference. composition), Barnes said. We increas- Everything points to this space re- youth, both Jewish and Arab, are fuel- wrote. “…. For years Pathfinder Press ingly concentrated our effort on going maining open for the foreseeable future, ing mounting social struggles and class has been publishing books in the field of door to door in cities and small towns Barnes said, and that fact will be key conflict. left-wing thought. The publisher stood across Wisconsin, talking to privately to strengthening the organization, soli- its ground at the height of the domina- employed workers and government em- darity and political clarity of vanguard Political openings in Iran tion of capitalism, especially in the U.S., ployees, union and nonunion workers, workers in the U.S. and worldwide. More than any other country in the re- and published books by Trotsky, Lenin, farmers, and others. Just as the party This is not a matter of how “demo- gion, or in much of the world, the politi- Marx and Engels, as well as thinkers of continues to do in states and regions cratic,” or how “secular,” a particular cal space in Iran to circulate books and the contemporary left in the U.S. such as across the U.S. capitalist regime may be. Conditions are pamphlets recording the lessons of revo- Jack Barnes.” Similarly, Barnes said, when the often fraught with dangers and sharp- lutionary struggles for power by work- The review then listed several other “Occupy” actions began in New York ening class conflict as political space ers and farmers the world over remains Pathfinder titles published in Farsi in and spread to other areas in late 2011, opens, as, for example, in Syria. As civil open, Barnes said. Iran, including U.S. Imperialism Has socialist workers and young socialists war rages there, the old regime that for This is true despite blows working Lost the Cold War and Feminism and went to them to bring working-class decades kept a lid on working people people have taken from the ruling capi- the Marxist Movement. politics to participants looking for an- engaging in politics is cracking, and the talists and religious hierarchy there since As the capitalist market draws more swers. We joined actions called under capitalist rulers are deeply divided. the 1979 Iranian Revolution went into and more toilers worldwide into the “Occupy” auspices that were part of Both in the semicolonial world and retreat soon after the victory. That deep- working class and modern communica- broader social protests in the interests of a growing number of imperialist coun- going social upheaval, in which work- tions continue to make the earth a small- working people. tries, Barnes said, divisions within the ers’ strikes and mobilizations proved er place, Waters told the conference, the But virtually all centrist and other propertied rulers, often registered in decisive, overturned the U.S.-backed world is getting bigger for the commu- petty-bourgeois organizations claiming difficulty maintaining stable govern- monarchy and ripped from Washington nist movement. ments, are exacerbated by a strategic ally in defending imperialist Living Marxism has had, and contin- the capitalist crisis. These interests. ues to have, only one source—the prac- divisions within the enemy The bourgeois counterrevolution has tical work of proletarian parties such as class—whether in Greece or narrowed the space won by working the Socialist Workers Party involved in elsewhere in Europe, or in people in 1979 but never succeeded in working-class politics and drawing the parts of the Middle East— closing it. Communist literature is more lessons of revolutionary battles by the provides greater latitude for available in Farsi, the main language working class worldwide. And our pub- workers and farmers to or- of Iran, than any other language today lishing program, Waters said, provides ganize and defend our class other than English, Barnes pointed out. the only written record of those lessons interests. Some four dozen books translated today. In Egypt, for instance, the from Pathfinder titles are published in The communist movement reaches contest for political domi- Iran, said Mary-Alice Waters in her con- out to anyone, anywhere in the world nance between the wing of ference talk, “Starting with the World: who demonstrates an interest in the class the bourgeoisie tied to the of- The Practical Work of the Party.” She struggle and the lessons of workers’ bat- ficer corps and those behind pointed to a review by the Iran Book tles to take on capitalist rule—from the the Muslim Brotherhood is News Agency of the new Farsi edition of Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917, good for maintaining the The Revolution Betrayed by Bolshevik to the Cuban Revolution of 1959 and space for workers won in leader Leon Trotsky, recently issued its ongoing revolutionary course today. 2011 by the mass mobiliza- by the Talaye Porsoo publishing house. Doing that is an integral part of the day- tions that toppled the regime (See review in next week’s issue.) to-day work of proletarian parties whose of Hosni Mubarak. “The capitalist crises at the present members, through their branches, carry And in Israel itself, the time put wind in the sails of left currents, out political and trade-union activity Militant/Betsy Farley “Through fights, small groups of workers come together, look for others like them, and seek ways to prepare more con- grinding consequences of the more than before, to beat the drum of with fellow workers on the job and off, sciously and effectively for future battles,” said Jack Barnes. Above, members of United Steelworkers Local 7-669 previ- capitalist crisis on working capitalism’s future demise,” the review- Waters said. ously locked out by Honeywell in Metropolis, Ill., at American Crystal workers picket line, East Grand Forks, Minn., July 3. people, middle layers, and er for the government-run news agency (Continued next week)

The Militant August 6, 2012 9 Jobless hated relief setup, broke out in angry actions Below are excerpts from Teamster Thousands of jobless workers re- Politics by Farrell Dobbs, a leader of sponded to the appeal during the hard- Teamsters Local 574 in Minneapolis fought trucking strikes that followed. and in the Teamsters Midwest over- Voluntarily accepting discipline in the-road organizing campaign in the combat, they stood shoulder-to-shoul- 1930s and the labor secretary of the der with the strikers in defending pick- Socialist Workers Party beginning in et lines against the cops. Many were 1940. The book is part of a four volume arrested before the battle was finally series along with Teamster Rebellion, won; scores suffered injury from po- Teamster Power and Teamster lice clubs and guns; and one of them, Bureaucracy. In this excerpt, Dobbs John Belor, gave his life for the cause. describes how the militant Teamsters A close affinity grew up between the union in Minneapolis reached out to truck drivers and the unemployed. The organize and collaborate with the average Local 574 member thought unemployed movement. Copyright © it only fitting and proper to form the 1975 by Pathfinder Press. Reprinted Federal Workers Section, so as to help by permission. those who had so loyally backed the union in its time of need. … The jobless workers gained a lot from the overall arrangement. Books of Affiliation with a strong trade union Socialist Appeal gave their movement unprecedented Unemployed workers picket in New York City, April 1, 1939. In 1930s Teamsters in Minneapolis the month fought for unions to back and organize jobless workers to strengthen and unify working class. inner stability, a new measure of dy- namism, and an enhanced growth rate. By farrell dobbs the indignity of having to fill out forms 574 expanded its structure to include In addition, a member of Local 574’s While preparing this segment and of being interrogated by relief in- an auxiliary unit known as the Federal executive board, usually Grant Dunne, of Teamster history I asked Max terviewers: such as, how much money Workers Section. This unit was espe- helped the FWS in dealing with city Geldman, an organizer of the unem- do you have, when were you last em- cially designed as a vehicle for orga- relief agencies and WPA officials. ployed in the 1930s, for his recollec- ployed, why do you need relief, etc., nization of the unemployed under the Such action signified that workers on tions about conditions and events dur- etc.?” … local’s direct sponsorship. Its creation relief were backed by the full power of ing that period. One of my questions “The mass of unemployed hated the marked a pioneer step in trade-union the entire local in their clashes with the concerned the prevailing mood among relief setup; resented the indignities activity, and for that reason the way authorities. workers who had lost their jobs be- they were subjected to; shed tears over had been carefully prepared during the Although the Federal Workers cause of economic depression. their plight; and broke out in angry ac- course of preceding events. Section functioned under the supervi- “Let me illustrate,” he responded, tions: such as protest demonstrations, When Local 574 launched its 1934 sion of the union’s executive board, it “what I consider the general reaction sit-ins at state capitals, hunger march- campaign for bargaining rights in had full democratic rights in forming of the unemployed to the indignities of es, and raids on food warehouses in the Minneapolis trucking industry, an internal structure and in shaping being on relief. I’m not speaking here which food was expropriated and dis- there was great potential for support its own policies. The section had its of anger at the authorities, or of mili- tributed to the needy.” … from the city’s unemployed. The job- own executive committee and, due to tant struggles waged by the jobless. It’s Shortly before the WPA* came into less were in a deeply rebellious mood. the peculiar needs of the unemployed being, a new formation appeared with- Generally speaking, they looked upon movement, the committee was viewed in the Minneapolis labor movement, any struggle against the status quo as an open-end body to which person- July Books one that was to have a significant ef- as their struggle. Some among them nel could be added as circumstances of the Month fect on later mass struggles against were, of course, susceptible to be- required. There was a steward forma- Roosevelt’s stingy relief policies. In the ing tricked into serving the bosses as tion, which consisted mainly of repre- PATHFINDER sentatives elected on WPA projects. A spring of 1935, General Drivers Local strikebreakers; but that danger could READERS CLUB 25% grievance board was also established discount be minimized if organized labor SPECIALS sought to promote united action by the and, like all official bodies, it was ac- Teamster Politics * The Works Project Administration employed and unemployed in defense countable to the monthly membership by Farrell Dobbs (WPA) was part of President Franklin of their collective interests. meetings of the section. The third of four books on the 1930s D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, intended Being conscious of those factors, After a time a special women’s di- strikes, organizing drives, and politi- to put people to work, paying barely Trotskyists in the General Drivers’ vision was formed, primarily among cal campaigns that transformed the enough to keep body and soul together. leadership initiated policy measures de- workers on a large WPA sewing proj- There was little dignity in the assigned Teamsters union in Minnesota into a signed to forge the necessary working- ect. In this connection it should be fighting industrial union movement. work and while here and there some- noted that most of the FWS members $19. Special price: $14.25 thing useful was accomplished, for the class unity. In effect they were saying to most part it was unproductive, made- the unemployed: “Help us now to win were on WPA, mainly workers on The History of the up busy work. The labor power of mil- our battle against the trucking employ- labor projects. The section had only Russian Revolution lions was wasted, so as not to upset the ers, and we will then back your cause scattered influence among unem- by Leon Trotsky balance of the capitalist system. with the full power of our union.” ployed professionals. $38. Special price: $28.50 Revolution and Counter- if you like this paper, look us up Revolution in Spain By Felix Morrow Where to find distributors of the E-mail: [email protected] St., Campsie, NSW 2194. Mailing $23. Special price: $17.25 Militant, New International, and a full address: P.O. Box 164, Campsie, NSW 2194. display of Pathfinder books. MINNESOTA: Minneapolis: 1311 1/2 Tel: (02) 9718 9698. E-mail: cl_australia@ E. Lake St. Zip: 55407. Tel: (612) 729-1205. E- The Bolivian Diary optusnet.com.au UNITED STATES mail: [email protected] of Ernesto Che Guevara CANADA Guevara’s day-by-day chronicle of NEBRASKA, Lincoln: P.O. Box 57222. 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Her son, Caesar Cruz, was killed by Since the killing of Manuel Diaz, the Anaheim police in December the police have responded to protest 2009. Since then she has organized actions with a stepped-up presence weekly protests. in the working-class neighborhood Smith pointed out that Diaz was where Diaz was killed. Increased pa- the seventh young man killed by the trols, cops in riot gear, pepper spray, Anaheim cops this year. The next day rubber bullets and a police dog re- police killed Joel Acevedo, 21. leased into a group of people, includ- The Anaheim Police Association ing children, have been featured on issued a statement July 24 defending local television. the killings, based on the allegation Protests have taken place every day that both men were gang members. since the killing. On July 24 more “I hate how they talk about it— than 250 cops brought in from sev- ‘officer involved in shooting.’ My eral Orange County cities confronted demonstrators, making 24 arrests. brother was murdered on the spot AP Photo/The Orange County Register by the police,” Sonia Hernandez, 20, The cops fired pepper pellets at angry Demonstrators gather on steps of Anaheim City Hall July 24 to protest killing of Manuel Diaz told the Militant at the protest. Martin residents near the site of the shooting. by Anaheim, Calif., cops three days earlier. City cops have killed eight young men since January. Unions, SWP target of Socialist Equality Party slanders BY MAGGIE TROWE to members of United Steelworkers League devoted substantial resources frame-up case against him. As a result DES MOINES, Iowa—As the effort Local 207L locked out by the Cooper to support the government’s frame- Curtis was convicted and sent to jail to put James Harris, Socialist Workers Tire bosses last December. During up of Mark Curtis, a packinghouse for eight years. Party candidate for president, on the the three-month lockout, the union- worker here in Des Moines who also “The Workers League made sup- ballot in Iowa got rolling, the Des ists picketed the plant, held rallies and was a member of the SWP,” Rosenfeld port for the prosecutors’ frame-up Moines Register ran an article July joined American Crystal Sugar work- pointed out. their central campaign for years,” 8 reporting on the positive response ers in a “Journey for Justice” solidar- “As struggles of meat workers, in- Rosenfeld continued, “targeting the campaign was getting. One reader ity caravan. cluding immigrants fighting depor- through Curtis the broader vanguard posted a comment in the paper’s on- Those active in the Socialist tation raids, spread in the Midwest, of workers in the Midwest who had line edition that threatened and slan- Equality Party and the World Socialist Curtis was one of the young workers begun to fight back against the attacks dered the party. Web Site don’t build solidarity or par- who got involved in the resistance. of the bosses and their government. In the comments section linked ticipate in working-class resistance. At Swift, the packinghouse where he And they targeted the SWP, which to the article “Socialist Presidential Instead, Rosenfeld said, they intervene worked, workers walked off the line to was deeply involved in the fightback.” Candidate Attends Iowa Rally,” in an effort to turn workers against attend a meeting called to protest an “As the bosses’ attacks continue and Jim Johnson wrote, “The Socialist their union, often targeting those frus- immigration raid and the arrest of 17 more workers decide to fight today, it Workers Party exists solely to discred- trated in the course of the struggle. coworkers,” said Rosenfeld. is important for those involved in la- it real socialism…. The SWP is a cult “You can see this in how they ar- A few hours later, after he attended bor battles to understand and be pre- of provacatuers [sic] who’s socialist at- gued for Cooper Tire workers to break the meeting, the cops arrested Curtis pared for anti-union disruption efforts titudes are just window dressing for a from their union,” the socialist can- on false charges of rape and burglary, by the Socialist Equality Party and the darker purpose.” didate said. The WSWS wrote, “The beat him severely in the city jail, and World Socialist Web Site,” Rosenfeld To back up his slander, Johnson unions, tied as they are to the profit the Des Moines prosecutors built a concluded. pointed to The Mark Curtis Hoax, a system and economic nationalism, are book published two decades ago by worse than useless in this struggle. an antilabor outfit called the Workers They stand on the other side.” Another League backing a cop frame-up and WSWS article stated, “At every point Cops demand cellphone records smear operation here. Adherents of during the struggle, the workers con- Continued from front page the case or even the existence of the that current now identify themselves fronted the USW not as an ally, but as mands for private records come from letter to anyone but his lawyers. as the Socialist Equality Party or the an agent of management that sought to all levels of government—from local National security letters demand- World Socialist Web Site. In his post, isolate, demoralize and defeat them.” cop precincts to intelligence agencies ing private information date back to Johnson personally threatens Curtis Rosenfeld pointed out that the tire at the state and federal levels. the 1980s, but were expanded sig- with bodily harm. bosses eagerly used the anti-union ma- Over the last five years the number nificantly with passage of the USA “This attack is part of a broader terial in the WSWS to bolster their po- of requests has increased annually Patriot Act in 2001. campaign by antilabor forces to de- sition against the union. In January, the between 12 and 16 percent, the New Since this law was passed, the FBI moralize workers involved in resist- editor of the tire industry publication York Times reported July 8. has issued hundreds of thousands of ing the bosses’ attacks, turn them Tire Review quoted extensively from Verizon has a team of 70 employees letters seeking private telecommuni- against the union movement and the WSWS in an attack on the union. working around-the-clock seven days cations and financial records of U.S. drive a wedge between them and or- “Some of those who are locked out are a week dealing with these requests. residents. The NSL statute permits ganizations involved in the develop- lashing out at their union,” wrote the Sprint has 36 analysts reviewing court the FBI to issue demands for records ing working-class resistance,” David editor, Jim Smith, backing up his as- orders for wiretaps and trace devices and gag provisions without court au- Rosenfeld, Socialist Workers Party sertion with several paragraphs lifted and another 175 to respond to court thorization. candidate for Congress in Iowa’s 3rd directly from the WSWS. He also mis- orders for subscriber information. According to the Department of District, told the Militant. “They are identified it as the “Socialist Workers Under federal law, companies say Justice, the FBI in 2000 made 8,500 a danger to the labor movement and Web Site,” or “SWWS,” sowing con- they generally require a search war- requests for records of numbers called their antilabor propaganda and threats fusion on the source of the anti-union rant, a court order or a formal subpoe- by a phone or the “to” and “from” must be answered.” propaganda. na to release such information. But in lines of emails. In 2011 the figure Rosenfeld, who was the SWP can- The attack by Johnson and the cases that cops or government agents had increased to 16,511. If you add didate for governor of Iowa in 2010, campaign against the Steelworkers at claim are an emergency, a simple re- requests demanding only the name continued, “SWP candidates and our Cooper Tire are just two of the recent quest can be enough. of the subscriber associated with an supporters in the Midwest and beyond anti-labor provocations the WSWS In addition, the FBI is permitted by account, the number jumped to more have been active in supporting work- has carried out, noted Rosenfeld. It law to permanently gag service pro- than 49,000 in 2006. ers resisting the bosses’ attacks. We has also intervened against the union viders from revealing that a demand The Electronic Frontier Foundation joined the picket lines of members of in the battles of strikers confront- for information was made, preventing brought the challenge on behalf of its the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco ing Caterpillar in Joliet, Ill., the fight them from notifying either their cus- client, who they are barred from nam- and Grain Millers union locked out by of Con Edison workers locked out in tomers or the public. ing, arguing that the national security Roquette America in Keokuk, Iowa, New York, sugar workers in the Red In a case filed last year in California, letter law is unconstitutional. in September 2010.” Members of the River Valley and others. These are all one phone company has challenged The Department of Justice aggres- SWP in the Midwest have joined 1,300 recent examples of the functioning of an order from the FBI to turn over its sively fired back, filing a civil com- sugar workers on their picket line in a political current that has been on this records. plaint, saying that the recipient, by the Red River Valley in North Dakota course since the 1970s. The case is shrouded in govern- challenging the statute’s legality, was and Minnesota. They were locked out These disruption efforts pick up ment-ordered secrecy. The person “interfer[ing] with the United States’ in 2011 by American Crystal Sugar. wherever workers are on the move, as who received the FBI request—in the vindication of its sovereign interests in “We did the same for the Cooper Tire they are today. form of a “national security letter”— law enforcement, counterintelligence, workers,” Rosenfeld said, referring “In the late 1980s, the Workers is legally barred from acknowledging and protecting national security.”

The Militant August 6, 2012 11