Solidarity Solidarity& Workers’ Liberty For a workers’ government For social ownership of the banks and industry “WE’LL STRIKE TO AGAINST POVERTY, STOP TRUMP COUP” David Van Deusen is president ing that position to our state when Trump was installed we of Vermont’s state AFL-CIO convention on 21 November, had 20,000 protest in our cap- union federation. He spoke to and asking for authorisation to ital Montpelier, population less Sacha Ismail from Solidarity call strikes if it comes to it. We than 8,000. If there’s a coup I about how the labour move- want a mandate from the rank- would expect much larger num- AGAINST THE ment should resist a Trump and-file as we head into uncer- bers, and if we call a general coup. tain waters. I’m confident we’ll strike larger still. get it. Political strikes are illegal here’s a real possibility that We’re not going to led this under federal law. But coups TTrump will lose this [3 No- country flip into dictatorship are illegal too! If the right seeks vember presidential] election, without using every weapon to disregard the constitution outright, but manipulate the to stop it, and the strongest and remain in power despite process and use his powers as weapon we have is withholding the will of the people, all bets President to refuse to go. It’s no our labour. are off. We will do what we have joke. In our leadership we have a to do. There are various ways it range of views, from people If we have to go above and could happen — there could who are excited to elect Biden beyond normal legal proce- be an attempt to discount or to probably more who think dures, opposing a coup and destroy certain ballots. If say he’s not likely to go anywhere defending democracy is more VIRUS: Trump loses Pennsylvania, they like far enough. important than whether we have a Republican legislature No one is arguing for an- have an “unfair labour practice” which could choose to send ything less than defeating charge filed against us. pro-Trump delegates to the Trump, but our focus is to de- Beyond Vermont, some sig- electoral college. He may have fend democracy. There’s no nificant local union bodies have support from within the Depart- disagreement about organising passed resolutions calling for a ment of Homeland Security, in action to resist a coup. Once general strike, including the la- addition to the non-AFL-CIO we’ve secured that we need bour councils in Troy and Roch- police unions supporting his to fight for a labour-oriented ester in New York state and in candidacy, and extreme right- Green-New-Deal-type recovery Seattle. Those plus Vermont is wing groups. SOCIAL program, and that will be a fight not a general strike, but it’s a I don’t know how quickly whoever wins. start. I think the discussion will things would unfold. The US Of course some of our mem- spread and if it becomes clear election system means there’s bers hold right-wing views, but the Trump administration in- various benchmark dates. Early I don’t think pro-Trump views tends to reverse or negate the December is when the electoral will be a major obstacle to mo- outcome, it will spread expo- See page 2 college meets. It may be a slow bilisation in Vermont. I’d be sur- nentially. □ The Harlem Belarus: the “Nigeria: run for US presidential roll into crisis or it may happen prised if he gets 30% here, and SUPPORT • Full interview at bit.ly/ rapidly. among union members it will Renaissance movement grows the elite” election 3 Nov dvdinterview Vermont AFL-CIO is the first be much less. 1920s African- Not a general strike Solidarity in London Angela Walker’s call to state labour council to come The hardest thing will be the • For more on discussions in the American art and yet, but bigger protests with protests in Nigeria vote, plus more debate out for a general strike if Trump unfamiliarity of strike action as US labour movement see this politics in New York against police killings below. article bit.ly/labnotescoup attempts a coup. We’ll be tak- a political tool. But even in 2016 Page 8-9 Pages 5, 6 Page 7 Pages 10-13 No. 569, 28 October 2020 50p/£1 workersliberty.org No. 569, 28 October 2020 50p/£1 workersliberty.org Against the virus, against poverty Serco mess • increased funding for Editorial schools, to allow for im- proved ventilation and ex- panded space and staffing t last, Labour has begun to • workers’ control of work- speak out against the Tories A place safety on the pandemic, though only • expanding the NHS, giv- to demand free school meals in ing NHS workers the 15% school holidays and to back the pay rise they demand, tak- scientists’ idea of a new brief “cir- ing NHS logistics in-house cuit-breaker” lockdown. and requisitioning supply in- On 21 October the Labour left dustries and private hospital began, mildly also, to speak out - if we do that, then peo- against the leadership on the ple will be able to see a set issue. An appeal coordinated of rules which allow us all to by the big trade union Unite de- protect each other, and are manded: liveable for the worse-off as • an extension of the job re- well as for those in secure tention scheme with 80% wage jobs who work from big, support comfortable, well-equipped • action to support incomes homes with good access to • helping people to self-isolate gardens and open space. by increasing the level for statu- The government has tory sick pay and enabling all to fouled up test-and-trace, claim it, and wasted the June-August • equipping our public services virus lull with foolish gim- with the resources they need. micks like subsidising It was signed by a string of up to 18 October, but has now turned sustainable covid-distancing we need restaurant meals and back- MPs, led by Jeremy Corbyn and John up again, prompting new restrictions social solidarity and social provision, to-offices drives, paid huge sums to McDonnell, almost all the general sec- there. Israel’s new and fairly full lock- and police measures like lockdown can private contractors, and floundered. retaries of big trade unions except down between 18 September and 18 at best only be ancillary. No wonder many people no longer Dave Prentis of Unison, and five Labour October brought down infection rates respect rules which change from week mayors of big cities. Social measures sharply. to week. The way out is not for us to The measures proposed, or at least If the labour movement steps up to So the case for a new lockdown in turn on each other, one lot blaming the hinted at, are not just about softening force the government into measures England of some form (mooted by other for putting us at risk, the other the economic impact on the worse-off like: scientists since mid-September) gets blaming the more cautious for trying to of the virus and of lockdowns. They • full isolation pay for all (something stronger, and, if it’s to be done, the impose arbitrary and unliveable rules. are also core public-health measures more than a minor increase in statutory sooner the better. It will probably be It is for us to unite to impose policies to reduce the toll. And they are pub- sick pay, because even doubling SSP more than two weeks, and it will not be towards social solidarity. lic-health measures which, unlike lock- of £95.85 a week will still leave many an answer to the pandemic. One sign of hope is that even in down, can be continued as long as workers unable to self-isolate and still At best it can be a gambit to buy time Spain and France Covid-19 death rates infection rates demand. pay their rent and feed their families) to establish more sustainable meas- are still only about a fifth of what they None of the government’s piecemeal • publicly-provided alternative hous- ures. No scientist suggests a full lock- were in April, and rising much less fast measures in England since it started ing for those quarantining, and for down through to next spring or summer than in March. According to estimates the local semi-lockdown in Leicester (4 those in overcrowding (when, with luck, seasonal factors or a by The Economist, the actual infection July) and the 10pm curfew on pubs (25 • allowing university students to es- vaccine may give some relief). It would rates are much lower than then too, ap- September) has been effective. Wales, cape from crowded halls of residence be sure to fray (Buenos Aires has had pearing otherwise because of higher Ireland, and Northern Ireland have which have become prime infection a continuing lockdown since March, testing. moved into new general lockdowns. hubs and get rent reimbursed and infections are still rising there). The The government is on the back foot. Ireland’s lockdown starting on 21 • bringing elderly care into the public social and even medical impact, espe- The labour movement has started to October looks like turning the curve sector, with staff on union-agreed pub- cially on the worst-off, might well come stir. Unite and agitate, and we can yet there, though it’s really too early to say. lic-sector pay and conditions to exceed the impact of the virus (which force the government into policies Spain’s infection curve levelled with • public-health test-and-trace, in also hits the worst-off hardest).