Direct Action www.direct-action.org.uk Summer 2009 Direct Action is published by the Aims of the Solidarity Federation Solidarity Federation, the British section of the International Workers he Solidarity Federation is an organi- isation in all spheres of life that conscious- Association (IWA). Tsation of workers which seeks to ly parallel those of the society we wish to destroy capitalism and the state. create; that is, organisation based on DA is edited & laid out by the DA Col- Capitalism because it exploits, oppresses mutual aid, voluntary cooperation, direct lective & printed by Clydeside Press and kills people, and wrecks the environ- democracy, and opposed to domination ([email protected]). ment for profit worldwide. The state and exploitation in all forms. We are com- Views stated in these pages are not because it can only maintain hierarchy and mitted to building a new society within necessarily those of the Direct privelege for the classes who control it and the shell of the old in both our workplaces Action Collective or the Solidarity their servants; it cannot be used to fight and the wider community. Unless we Federation. the oppression and exploitation that are organise in this way, politicians – some We do not publish contributors’ the consequences of hierarchy and source claiming to be revolutionary – will be able names. Please contact us if you want of privilege. In their place we want a socie- to exploit us for their own ends. to know more. ty based on workers’ self-management, The Solidarity Federation consists of locals solidarity, mutual aid and libertarian com- which support the formation of future rev- munism. Subscriptions olutionary unions and are centres for (for 4 issues ) That society can only be achieved by working class struggle on a local level. working class organisation based on the Our activities are based on direct action – Supporters – £10 same principles – revolutionary unions. action by workers ourselves, not through Basic – £5 These are not Trades Unions only con- intermediaries like politicians or union Europe – £10 cerned with ‘bread and butter’ issues like officials – our decisions are made through pay and conditions. Revolutionary unions participation of the membership. We wel- Rest of the world – £15 are means for working people to organise come all working people who agree with cheques payable to “Direct Action” – and fight all the issues – both in the work- our aims and principles, and who will return to: place and outside – which arise from our spread propaganda for social revolution DA, PO Box 29, S.W.D.O., oppression. We recognise that not all and revolutionary unions. We recognise Manchester, M15 5HW. oppression is economic, but can be based that the class struggle is worldwide, and on gender, race, sexuality, or anything our are affiliated to the International Workers rulers find useful. Therefore, revolutionary Association, whose Principles of To contribute unions fully support and encourage organ- Revolutionary Unionism we share. If you would like to help out or con- tribute articles or photos, work is Principles of Revolutionary Unionism entirely voluntary. 1 We welcome articles of between 250 . Revolutionary unionism, basing itself on along with the disappearance of the and 1,500 words on industrial, social / the class struggle, aims to unite all work- monopoly of property, must come the dis- community and international issues; ers in combative economic organisations appearance of the monopoly of domina- on working class history; and on that fight to free themselves from the dou- tion; and that no form of state, however anarchist / anarcho-syndicalist theory ble yoke of capital and the state. Its goal is camouflaged, can ever be an instrument and history. the reorganisation of social life on the for human liberation, but that on the con- Articles may be sent as hard copy, on basis of libertarian communism via the trary, it will always be the creator of new a disk or by email, and can only be revolutionary action of the working class. monopolies and new privileges. returned if accompanied by a request Since only the economic organisations of 3. Revolutionary unionism has a two-fold (and SAE if appropriate). the proletariat are capable of achieving function: to carry on the day to day revo- this objective, revolutionary unionism lutionary struggle for the economic, social Contact us addresses itself to workers in their capaci- and intellectual advancement of the work- ty as producers, creators of social wealth, ing class within the limits of present day DA Collective, PO Box 29, South to take root and develop amongst them, in society, and to educate the masses so that West D.O., Manchester, M15 5HW opposition to the modern workers’ parties, they will be ready to independently man- which it declares are incapable of the eco- 07 984 675 281 age the processes of production and distri- nomic reorganisation of society. bution when the time comes to take pos- [email protected] 2. Revolutionary unionism is the staunch session of all the elements of social life. enemy of all social and economic monop- Revolutionary unionism does not accept Bulk Orders oly, and aims at its abolition by the estab- the idea that the organisation of a social lishment of economic communities and system based exclusively on the producing AK Distribution, PO Box 12766, administrative organs run by the workers class can be ordered by simple govern- Edinburgh, EH8 9YE, Scotland in the fields and factories, forming a sys- mental decrees and maintains that it can 0131 555 5165 tem of free councils without subordination only be obtained through the common to any authority or political party, bar action of all manual and intellectual work- [email protected] none. As an alternative to the politics of ers, in every branch of industry, by self- www.akuk.com state and parties, revolutionary unionism management of the workers, such that posits the economic reorganisation of pro- every group, factory or branch of industry or direct from the DA Collective duction, replacing the government of peo- is an autonomous member of the greater ple by others with the administrative man- economic organism and systematically agement of things. Consequently, the goal runs the production and distribution of revolutionary unionism is not the con- processes according to the interests of the ISSN 0261-8753 quest of political power, but the abolition community, on an agreed upon plan and of all state functions in the life of society. on the basis of mutual accord. Revolutionary unionism considers that continued on inside back cover 2 Direct Action www.solfed.org.uk Summer 2009 contents 20-22 No Platform for Fascism - the BNP, despite “ordinary people” in this issue voting for it, is a fascist party 4-5 editorial: Why Anarcho-Syndicalism and must continue to be Remains Relevant Today confronted as such 6-7 A Contradiction at the Heart 22-23 have your say: Anarchism & Crime of Chaos - regulation of global Crime / the Miami Five financial markets to solve boom Left Luggage and bust is a non-starter English National Resistance 8-9 Occupy and Defy - the Visteon workers’ 24 A Rebellious Tradition - is there cause struggle and their union for optimism amid greed, corruption & inequality? 10-11 Lewisham Occupation - a community 25-26 international: the CNT vs. Ryanair fighting to save its primary school General Strike for the Amazon 11 Fujitsu Attack on Pensions Killing for Profit 12-15 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt 26-29 reviews: Paul Mason - Live Work- Cheap - immigrant cleaners’: ing or Die Fighting and Meltdown the “hard-to-organise” Kate Sharpley Library - A Grand Cause; are self-organising The Federación Anarquista Uruguaya 16 Breaking Isolation - domestic abuse and and Salvador Puig Antich & the MIL workplace support 30-33 closer look: Seeing 17 The Big Green Con - seeing through the Sense in the Age of sham of “green” capitalism Stupid - alienation, power and the case for social 18-19 our history: The Great transformation Dock Strike of 1889 - for the anarchist movement, a significant event 34-35 DA resources: that turned abstract talk into what ulti- Solidarity Federation booklets, contacts, mately became anarcho-syndicalism information and friends & neighbours Anarcho-Syndicalism Anarchism is revolutionary anti- Anarcho-Syndicalism: As syndi- colours are symbols of the basic princi- state socialism. Anarchists aim for the calism is a tactic which can be used by ples and goals of anarcho-syndicalism destruction of ruling class power and a number of revolutionary movements, - red is for material and social equality of all relationships based on domina- we advocate its explicit linkage with and the black of the anarchist flag is tion and exploitation. This means tak- the creation of a stateless, anarchist for freedom and solidarity. To that ing over our workplaces and commu- society: anarcho-syndicalism. The extent the colours of the anarcho-syn- nities and changing them to meet the International Workers’ Association dicalist flag are a constant reminder needs of all, as well as the ecological unites anarcho-syndicalists around the both of the libertarian methods by needs of the environment. Without world, and the Solidarity Federation is which the anarcho-syndicalist fights this takeover, we can struggle within the British section of the IWA. and of the goal of freedom from gov- capitalism but never replace it. Revolutionary unions, federated inside ernment and wage slavery that she or An anarchist society will be created by and outside the workplace, are the best he fights for. millions of people, not by a dictatorial method of defending working-class The red and black flag of anarcho-syn- elite, and everyone will have their part interests today and for preparing and dicalism is used by many anarchists to play in shaping it.