El voto en Bessemer 12 Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Vol. 63, No. 16 April 22, 2021 $1 SPIRIT OF MAY DAY: FIGHT BACK! After Amazon vote: Smash police violence Unionize ALL workers and white supremacy By Larry Holmes on all levels, not just the leadership, not By Monica Moorehead just the Executive Council of the AFL- The following edited remarks were CIO, but most importantly at the rank- May Day, International made on an April 9 webinar entitled and-file​level.​ Workers Day, was born in the “The struggle continues— Next Steps That’s why I agree with Saladin U.S. out of the struggle for the for BAmazon Union and beyond— Muhammad about going around and eight-hour day in 1886. Workers, Organizers’ Meeting” organized by having meetings to talk to workers on many of them socialists and supportamazonworkers.org. Holmes is a rank-and-file basis about this. The anarchists who migrated from Workers World Party’s First Secretary questions must be posed: What is labor other countries, risked their and an organizer with the Workers going to do about this now? What is lives. Some—​including​the​five​ Assembly Against Racism in New York the response going to be? The only true Haymarket Martyrs executed City. answer is this: The working class and its by the state of Illinois Nov. 11, organizations—not only the biggest and 1887—​sacrificed​their​lives​so​ My heart, my solidarity goes out to most important at the moment because all workers around the world the organizers and workers in Bessemer of its resources— the organized labor could be treated with dignity, who fought so hard for this vote. The movement must come up with a plan to winning better working condi- Retail, Wholesale and Department respond to this, to organize Amazon— tions, a livable wage and decent Store Union was outmatched and out- not just Bessemer—which has a million benefits.​ Brooklyn Center, Minn., protest, April 16. More on p.3. gunned by this behemoth of a monster workers in this country, not including May Day is viewed by millions global capitalist corporation, Amazon. Whole Foods, which they own. around the globe as a socialist commem- International Working Women’s Day, But still they did what, frankly, bigger How are the unions going to work oration, honored with marches, rallies May Day is a constant reminder that every unions should have done, who had more together? What’s and strikes where it social issue is a worker’s issue. May Day resources, infinitely more resources. their strategy? Bulletin: Chauvin found is not a paid holiday. 2021 carries forth that tradition. The union took it on. But as comrade What is their plan? Over many decades, The​courageous​but​unsuccessful​first​ Saladin Muhammad said, this is one Which unions guilty. Convict all killer workers have used attempt by the majority African American battle; this is the beginning. are going to work cops! Abolish the police! May Day not only Amazon workers in Bessemer, Ala., to The vote in Bessemer is not just a together and not to fight the greedy, organize a union at the second-largest pri- problem or crisis or a setback, or how- compete with each More on workers.org profit-hungry​bosses​ vate employer in the U.S., has an import- ever you want to characterize it. It’s other? How are for economic rights, ant lesson: Classwide solidarity is decisive not just a problem for the workers in they going to win over the militants in but to raise important political demands. in pushing forward the struggle against Alabama or for the workers in the South groups like Amazonians United and Fifteen years ago, on May 1, 2006 an capitalist exploitation. As long as private or for Amazon workers; it’s a problem Whole Worker groups— like my good estimated two million migrant workers, the ownership dominates global production, for the whole working class, for the friend, Chris Smalls, the founder of the majority from Central and South America, no one workplace, large or small, whether whole labor movement and for the left. Congress of Essential Workers. They took to the streets in U.S. cities, large and a factory or a restaurant, can take on a cap- Most of us understood that we should have a base in these Amazon and Whole small, sparked by the racist, reactionary italist on their own without the solidarity not rely on 6,000 workers in Alabama Foods sites, and they feel alienated by Sensenbrenner legislation that would deny of the rest of their class. to take on the biggest corporation in the the unions. legal documents to allow migrants to live world, a corporation that pretty much Unions are not who they run to, and and work in the U.S. Joined by migrants Police violence is a workers’ issue defines​21st-century​global​capitalism.​ they have good reasons for this; that— from Africa, the Caribbean and allies, it is The phrase “every issue is a work- It’s our crisis. Now labor must be chal- most of us agree on. But the problem is, to date the largest May Day gathering in ers’ issue” is true in the ongoing strug- lenged. This has to intensify a very nec- the reality of the situation means that U.S. history. The main sentiment echoed gle against police terror. At the present essary crisis inside the labor movement we must deal with the labor movement, was: “Sí, se puede” or “Yes, we can.” moment, there are three current incidents Continued on page 11 Just like the socialist-inspired of state-sanctioned violence that have Continued on page 3 Release Mumia Viva now! Ramsey Clark! 5 Bigots thwarted 2 ‘The fire has started’ 4 Celebrate Mumia Abu-Jamal’s 67th birthday. WW PHOTO: JOE PIETTE Free him now! See pages 6-7. Trans resistance 4, 10 In solitary for free speech 7 Editorial FedEx massacre 10 Madawaska Nation 4 Cuba 8 Haiti 9 Syria 9 Puerto Rico 9 Page 2 April 22, 2021 workers.org Working class activists beat back anti-choice bigots this week ◆ In the U.S. By Devin Cole remained “neutral” to the right-wingers’ presence. Finally, Pensacola, Fla. after four and a half months of pressure by clinic defend- After Amazon vote: Unionize ALL workers ......1 (Occupied Creek Muscogee land) ers, all but one of the businesses have signed a No Trespass Smash police violence and white supremacy .....1 Order, meaning that the anti-choice bigots are no longer Working class activists thwart anti-choice bigots .2 For four and a half months, abortion rights advo- permitted anywhere on their property. cates have been defending the only abortion clinic in Additionally, the road the clinic sits on was designated San Antonio activists take on cop ‘unions’ .......3 Pensacola,​Fla.​The​defense​effort​is​led​by​Workers​World​ a “No Trespass Zone,” meaning that the anti-choice bigots Portland​on​fire​again​over​police​killings........3 Party Central Gulf Coast branch, Strive (Socialist Trans can no longer stand or park anywhere on the road in front In​Alabama​‘the​fire​has​started!’ ...............4 Initiative) and Women’s March Pensacola. Every Saturday of the clinic. They are now banned from both the front and Students​protest​anti-transgender​school​staff ...4 and most Fridays, working-class people have shown up left side, which is where most of the entrances are and to hold signs, chant and even set up fences made of tarp where​patients​are​dropped​off​and​picked​up.​ Ramsey​Clark,​human​rights​fighter,​1927-2021 ..5 around American Family Planning (AFP), Pensacola’s ‘Mumia​is​a​fighter’ ..........................6 One ‘neutral’ holdout reproductive health clinic. Demand​Mumia​Abu-Jamal's​release​now! ......6 This is to keep the patients and clinic workers safe and One business has still refused to sign the order, claim- Lavender​and​Red​solidarity​with​Mumia! .......7 away from anti-choice reactionaries, who often set up hor- ing it wants to “remain neutral.” Unfortunately, its prop- rific,​photoshopped​signs​in​front​of​the​clinic​and​scream​ erty line abuts the clinic, allowing anti-choice bigots to Prison punishes Bryant Arroyo for free speech ...7 at patients and clinic workers. The “harmless” anti-choice walk up and down the property, screaming at people Brick by brick, wall by wall, we will free Mumia ..7 bigots have responded to the ongoing clinic defense by inside the clinic or, even worse, at patients who have had Trans women and police brutality in history ....10 verbally and physically threatening clinic defenders, going surgery and are waiting to be picked up. So patients who even so far as to call the police multiple times on clinic have just had a safe, legal abortion procedure still have ◆ Around the world defenders who play music they don’t like. to exit where a group of hateful reactionaries can harass Despite this, the clinic defenders have persisted in put- and berate them. Madawaska Nation wins settlement in Canada ...4 ting pressure on business owners not to allow the anti- Clinic defenders, as of this writing, are continuing to Cuban unions build socialism................. 8 choice bigots on their property. AFP is almost completely mount pressure on the business to sign the No Trespass Raúl Castro honored ........................ 8 surrounded by several businesses that have all previously Order and remove the bigots from its property. Haiti at the abyss ............................9 The clinic backs up to some woods, which are local government property and subject to ¡Fuera​LUMA!​—​LUMA​out​of​Puerto​Rico! .