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INDUSTRIAL WORKER

O f f i c i a l n e w s p a p e r oF T h e I n d u s t r i a l Wo r k e r s o f t h e Wo r l d

Au gu s t /S e p te m b e r 2 0 10 #172 8 Vol . 107 N o. 7 $1/ £1/ €1

IWW Makes an Solidarity with Interview: Cindy A Self-Organized


Impact at the U.S. Palestinian Working Sheehan Talks Peace Restaurant in
Social Forum 3 Class 6-7 & Socialism 8 Greece 12
Fired Restaurant Workers Announce International Boycott
By Phoenix IWW & Pei Wei 1070 because it’s racist and it will hurt
Workers’ Committee our families. Pei Wei always hassles us
When 12 Pei Wei restaurant em- for calling in sick or asking for days off
ployees visited the corporate offices of so we decided to exercise our right to
P.F. Chang’s (PFCB.O) in North Scott- protest.” Indeed, the U.S. Constitution
sdale, Ariz. on June 16, they were told: protects that right to peaceably assemble
“You are on private property and we are and the Wagner Act also protects the
asking you to leave.” The workers had right to “concerted activity” in the work-
come to deliver a letter and speak with place. Based on this, the workers, with
a company representative about their the help of the IWW, are in the process
mass firing. Having only skipped a single of filing an Unfair Labor Practice charge
day of work at their Chandler Pei Wei with the National Labor Relations Board.
restaurant in order to attend, as a group, Lack of time off for employees and
the historic May 29th Demonstration inconsistent discipline are two festering
Against Hate in downtown Phoenix, issues that have revealed themselves in
their immediate termination threw these the aftermath of the firings. “I’ve worked
12 workers’ lives into chaos, uncertainty, at Pei Wei for 10 years, since it opened,
and struggle. and I have never called in sick and I’ve
“Management at our Pei Wei store never been given a single day of paid va-
has seen plenty of ‘no call, no shows’ in cation,” said Ivonne, a respected worker
the past and very few of them have ever known for her reasoned judgment. “My
resulted in termination,” said Elizabeth, co-workers have been here [for] four,
one of the 12 fired employees. Elizabeth seven, and eight years. Pei Wei should
is a charismatic single mother of two and be supporting us against these racist
has become the spokesperson for her political attacks, but instead they’ve
Pei Wei workers and their supporters gather outside P.F. Photo: Phoenix IWW
co-workers. “We felt we had to partici- abandoned us.”
pate in this march against Senate Bill Continued on 5 Chang’s Home Office minutes before Scottsdale police arrive.

Immigrant Workers Rally For Justice At Kosher Food Company By New York City IWW demanded the pay we were owed under
In the sweltering mid-summer heat the law, they fired us all at once,” said
in the Hassidic neighborhood of Bor- Felipe Romero, a Focus on the Food
ough Park in Brooklyn, N.Y., immigrant Chain member who worked at Flaum for
workers fired en masse from leading nine years.
kosher food processor and wholesaler, At least 17 workers, including Rome-
Flaum Appetizing Corp., rallied along- ro, were illegally fired on May 26, 2008
side dozens of community and labor for engaging in a work stoppage over the
activists on July 25 to call on the KRM right to form a labor union and payment
Kollel supermarket to reassess the sale in accordance with the law. Romero said
of Flaum products. Flaum is set to stand his starting salary was $4 per hour, and
trial in federal court after denying work- was many times forced to work upwards
ers overtime pay for years and launching of 70-80 hours per week without receiv-
a campaign of fierce retaliation when ing the legally-required overtime pay of
employees stood up for their legal rights. time-and-a-half.
KRM is currently one of the largest “Flaum underestimated our sense
retailers of Flaum products including of dignity and we’re not going anywhere
hummus, pickles, and Middle Eastern until justice is won,” Romero said.
salads. Participants at the July 25th protest
Photo: Diane Krauthamer “We worked hard every day to help included such labor and community
Fired Flaum workers protest at KRM Kollel supermarket on July 25. Flaum grow and thrive but when we Continued on 8

Industrial Worker Periodicals Postage


The Battle Of Toronto:
PO Box 180195
Chicago, IL 60618, USA
PAID
Chicago, IL
Protesting The G8/G20 Summits
By John Hollingsworth included the Ontario Coalition Against
and additional
mailing offices
My involvement in organizing Poverty (OCAP), and No One Is Illegal
ISSN 0019-8870 against the Group of Eight (G8) and (NOII), the Southern Ontario Anarchist
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Group of Twenty (G20) meetings, along Resistance (SOAR) and the newly-re-
with others in Ottawa, began in earnest born Anti-Capitalist Convergence (better
(after several years of anticipated activ- known as CLAC) from Montreal. We all
ity) in December 2009. At that point in worked within the terms and framework
time, an open, local umbrella group of set out by the Toronto Community Mobi-
anti-capitalists, including some IWW lization Network (TCMN).
members, called le Collectif du Chat Noir I was also involved in the labor mo-
(Black Cat Collective) began meeting bilization for Ottawa, as a delegate to the
and planning our activities in the lead- labor council for my trade union. While
up to the Summits in Huntsville (G8) the mobilization was already well under-
and Toronto (G20). Early on, the group way on the part of the community-based
decided to focus our efforts on Toronto. groups, the G8/G20 started appearing
Members of the organizing collective on the radar of organized labor much
were also meeting in different cities later. Much of the push locally, including
with our counterparts in consultas from the production and dissemination of ma-
that time onward, as part of a multi-city terials like flyers and posters, attending
convergence. Groups from other cities Continued on 9
Page 2 • Industrial Worker • August/September 2010

NFL Players Are Not Workers: The Debate Continues


Howdy again, Fellow Workers: are subtly (and not so subtly!) tempted (and so on and so on) as “workers,” sim-
This letter is in regard to “Authors to spend our leisure time (what there is ply because they, too, struggled from a
Respond To ‘NFL Players Are Not Work- of it!) wasting our thinking energies and humble beginning, and fought their way
ers Too,’” which appeared on page 2 of our communicative strategies on mind- to the top. Sorry, I’m not buying it.
the June Industrial Worker. less hours of trash and fiction, overdone The football players’ union is more
Apparently, my response (“NFL and overrated movies, and endless hours properly defined as a “performers’ asso-
Letters Welcome! Players Are Not Workers Too,” page of television—including all sporting ciation,” and has many similarities to the
Send your letters to: iw@iww.org 2, April IW) to the two-part article, events, not just football. “unions” of middle-management profes-
with “Letter” in the subject. “Football Through Labor’s Lens,” which I have to admit that my knowledge of sionals, as well as movie and television
appeared in the February/March and players’ salaries was entirely predicated performers. One of the distinguishable
Mailing address:
IW, P.O. Box 7430, JAF Station, New April issues of the Industrial Worker, upon the football players who seem to characteristics of many members of
York, NY 10116, United States has stuck a tender set of nerves with make the loudest press and I’m grateful these “performers’ associations,” which
the authors, FWs Neil Parthun and that both FW Parthun and McGeehan is not characteristic to most members
Dann McGeehan. To paraphrase Wil- have corrected my over-enthusiasm of other unions, is the retinue that is
In November We Remember liam Shakespeare, “Methinks thou doth by offering the median salary range of maintained by the individual performer
Announcements for the annual “In protest too much.” NFL players as between $484, 000 to (and not his employer). This retinue
November We Remember” Industrial While their knowledge and devotion $1,325,000 annually. of paid employees, either on salary or
Worker deadline is October 8. Celebrate to football is overly abundant (“team However, I doubt very strongly that wages, may include: publicists, business
the lives of those who have struggled for spirit”?), it is reminiscent of one of the anybody reading the Industrial Worker managers, secretaries, accountants, at-
the working class with your message of most quoted sayings of Karl Marx: “Reli- makes anywhere near that lesser amount torneys, chauffeurs, gardeners, butlers,
solidarity. Send announcements to iw@ gion is the opiate of the people.” All gov- (and probably less than 5 percent of maids, etc. In fact, these members of
iww.org. Much appreciated donations ernments and autocratic structures, for that amount, or between $24,000 and “performers’ associations” seem to have
for the following sizes should be sent to: thousands of years, have used grandiose $48,400). Despite what both FW Pathun more in common with the bosses than
IWW GHQ, Post Office Box 180195, entertainment vehicles as a method of and McGeehan maintain, I have a great they do with the rest of us workers. And,
Chicago, IL 60618, United States. psychological distinction to the working deal of difficulty thinking of anybody in how does that first sentence in the IWW
class, the thinking being that a popula- that salary range as “workers.” Under Preamble read? Oh yeah, “The working
$12 for 1” tall, 1 column wide
tion diverted by amusement spends less their rather broad interpretation, then, class and the employing class have noth-
$40 for 4” by 2 columns time thinking about how to better its we would also have to include John D. ing in common.”
$90 for a quarter page living/working situations. Instead, we Rockefeller, James J. Hill, Henry Ford Continued on 4

Industrial Worker
The Voice of Revolutionary
IWW directory
Industrial Unionism Australia fmaack@hotmail.com. Hawaii Starbucks Campaign: 44-61 11th St. Fl. 3, Long
Regional Organising Committee: P.O. Box 1866, Ottawa Panhandlers Union: Andrew Nellis, Honolulu: Tony Donnes, del., donnes@hawaii.edu Island City 11101 starbucksunion@yahoo.com
Albany, WA spokesperson, 613-748-0460. ottawapanhandler- www.starbucksunion.org
Organization Albany: 0423473807, entropy4@gmail.com sunion@sympatico.ca Idaho
Boise: Ritchie Eppink, del., P.O. Box 453, 83701. Upstate NY GMB: P.O. Box 235, Albany 12201-
Education Melbourne: P.O. Box 145, Moreland, VIC 3058. Peterborough: c/o PCAP, 393 Water St. #17, K9H 208-371-9752, eppink@gmail.com 0235, 518-833-6853 or 518-861-5627. www.
Emancipation 0448 712 420 3L7, 705-749-9694 upstate-nyiww.org, secretary@upstate-ny-iww.
Illinois org, Rochelle Semel, del., P.O. Box 172, Fly Creek
Perth: Mike Ballard, swillsqueal@yahoo.com.au Toronto GMB: c/o Libra Knowledge & Information
Svcs Co-op, P.O. Box 353 Stn. A, M5W 1C2. 416- Chicago GMB: 2117 W. Irving Park Rd., 60618. 13337, 607-293-6489, rochelle71@peoplepc.com.
British Isles 919-7392. iwwtoronto@gmail.com 773-857-1090. Gregory Ehrendreich, del., 312- Hudson Valley GMB: P.O. Box 48, Huguenot 12746,
Official newspaper of the 479-8825, labrat@iww.org
British Isles Regional Organising Committee (BI- Québec 845-342-3405, hviww@aol.com, http://hviww.
Industrial Workers ROC): PO Box 7593 Glasgow, G42 2EX. Secretariat: Montreal: iww_quebec@riseup.net. Paul Lespe Central Ill GMB: 903 S. Elm, Champaign, IL, 61820. blogspot.com/
rocsec@iww.org.uk, Organising Department Chair: ance, del., 7673 Saint-Denis, H2R2E7. 514-277- 217-356-8247. David Johnson, del., unionyes@
of the World south@iww.org.uk. www.iww.org.uk ameritech.net Ohio
6047, paule_lesperance@yahoo.ca Ohio Valley GMB: P.O. Box 42233, Cincinnati
Post Office Box 180195 IWW UK Web Site administrators and Tech Depart- Freight Truckers Hotline: mtw530@iww.org
ment Coordinators: admin@iww.org.uk, www. Europe 45242.
Chicago, IL 60618 USA tech.iww.org.uk Waukegan: P.O Box 274, 60079.
Finland Textile & Clothing Workers IU 410: P.O. Box 317741
773.857.1090 • ghq@iww.org NBS Job Branch National Blood Service: iww.nbs@ Helsinki: Reko Ravela, Otto Brandtintie 11 B 25, Indiana Cincinnati 45231. ktacmota@aol.com
gmail.com 00650. iwwsuomi@helsinkinet.fi Lafayette GMB: P.O. Box 3793, West Lafayette, Oklahoma
www.iww.org Mission Print Job Branch: tomjoad3@hotmail. 47906, 765-242-1722
German Language Area Tulsa: P.O. Box 213 Medicine Park 73557, 580-529-
co.uk IWW German Language Area Regional Organizing Iowa 3360.
Building Construction Workers IU 330: construc- Committee (GLAMROC): Post Fach 19 02 03, 60089 Eastern Iowa GMB: 114 1/2 E. College Street, Iowa
General Secretary-Treasurer: tionbranch@iww.org.uk Frankfurt/M, Germany iww-germany@gmx.net. City, 52240. easterniowa@iww.org Oregon
Joe Tessone Health Workers IU 610: healthworkers@iww.org. www.wobblies.de Lane County: Ed Gunderson, del., 541-953-3741.
uk, www.iww-healthworkers.org.uk Maine gunderson@centurytel.net, www.eugeneiww.org
Austria: iwwaustria@gmail.com. www.iw-
General Executive Board: Education Workers IU 620: education@iww.org.uk, waustria.wordpress.com Barry Rodrigue, 75 Russell Street, Bath, 04530. Portland GMB: 2249 E Burnside St., 97214,
www.geocities.com/iwweducation Frankfurt am Main: iww-frankfurt@gmx.net 207-442-7779 503-231-5488. portland.iww@gmail.com, pdx.
Monika Vykoukal, Koala Largess, Maryland
Recreational Workers (Musicians) IU 630: peltonc@ Goettingen: iww-goettingen@gmx.net iww.org
Ildiko Silpos , Ryan Gaughan, gmail.com, longadan@gmail.com Baltimore IWW: P.O. Box 33350, 21218. balti- Portland Red and Black Cafe: 400 SE 12th Ave,
Koeln GMB: IWW, c/o BCC, Pfaelzer Str. 2-4, 50677 moreiww@gmail.com
E. Wolfson, Slava Osowska, General, Legal, Public Interest & Financial Office Koeln, Germany. cschilha@aol.com 97214. 503-231-3899. redandblackbooking@
Workers IU 650: rocsec@iww.org.uk Massachusetts riseup.net. www. redandblackcafe.com.
Bob Ratynski Munich: iww.muenchen@gmx.de
Bradford: bradford@iww.org.uk Boston Area GMB: PO Box 391724, Cambridge Pennsylvania
Luxembourg: 0352 691 31 99 71, ashbrmi@pt.lu 02139. 617-469-5162
Editor & Graphic Designer : Bristol GMB: P.O. Box 4, 82 Colston street, BS1 Switzerland: IWW-Zurich@gmx.ch Lancaster GMB: P.O. Box 796, 17608.
5BB. Tel. 07506592180. bristol@iww.org.uk, Cape Cod/SE Massachusetts: thematch@riseup.net
Diane Krauthamer Philadelphia GMB: PO Box 42777, 19101. 215-
bristoliww@riseup.net Netherlands: iww.ned@gmail.com Western Mass. Public Service IU 650 Branch: IWW, 222-1905. phillyiww@iww.org. Union Hall: 4530
iw@iww.org Cambridge GMB: IWWCambridge, 12 Mill Road, United States P.O. Box 1581, Northampton 01061 Baltimore Ave., 19143.
Cambridge CB1 2AD cambridge@iww.org.uk Arizona Michigan Paper Crane Press IU 450 Job Shop: 610-358-
Final Edit Committee : Dorset: dorset@iww.org.uk Phoenix GMB: P.O. Box 7126, 85011-7126. 602- Detroit GMB: 22514 Brittany Avenue, E. Detroit 9496. papercranepress@verizon.net, www.
Maria Rodriguez Gil, Tom Levy, Hull: hull@iww.org.uk 486-9014 or 480-946-2160. phoenix@iww.org 48021. detroit@iww.org. Tony Khaled, del., 21328 papercranepress.com
Leeds: leedsiww@hotmail.co.uk, leeds@iww. Flagstaff: Courtney Hinman, del., 928-600-7556, Redmond Ave., East Detroit 48021
Nick Jusino, Slava Osowska, FW D. Pittsburgh GMB : P.O. Box 831, Monroeville,
org.uk chuy@iww.org Grand Rapids GMB: PO Box 6629, 49516. 616-881- 15146. pittsburghiww@yahoo.com
Keenan, Joseph Pigg, Ryan Boyd, Arkansas 5263. Shannon Williams, del., 616-881-5263
Leicester GMB: Unit 107, 40 Halford St., Leicester Rhode Island
Mathieu Dube, Neil Parthum. LE1 1TQ, England. Tel. 07981 433 637, leics@iww. Fayetteville: P.O. Box 283, 72702. 479-200-1859. Central Michigan: 5007 W. Columbia Rd., Mason
org.uk www.leicestershire-iww.org.uk nwar_iww@hotmail.com 48854. 517-676-9446, happyhippie66@hotmail. Providence GMB: P.O. Box 5795, 02903. 508-367-
London GMB: c/o Freedom Bookshop, Angel Alley, com 6434. providenceiww@gmail.com.
Printer: DC
84b Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX. +44 (0) 20 DC GMB (Washington): 741 Morton St NW, Wash- Minnesota Texas
Saltus Press 3393 1295, londoniww@gmail.com www.iww. ington DC, 20010. 571-276-1935 Duluth IWW: Brad Barrows, del., 1 N. 28th Ave E., Dallas & Fort Worth: 1618 6th Ave, Fort Worth,
Worcester, MA org/en/branches/UK/London 55812. scratchbrad@riseup.net. 76104.
Nottingham: notts@iww.org.uk California Red River IWW: POB 103, Moorhead, 56561. 218-
Los Angeles GMB: P.O. Box 811064, 90081. South Texas IWW: rgviww@gmail.com
Next deadline is Reading GMB: reading@iww.org.uk (310)205-2667. la_gmb@iww.org 287-0053. iww@gomoorhead.com Utah
September 10, 2010. Sheffield: sheffield@iww.org.uk North Coast GMB: P.O. Box 844, Eureka 95502- Twin Cities GMB: 79 13th Ave NE Suite 103A, Min- Salt Lake City: Tony Roehrig, del., 801-485-1969.
Tyne and Wear GMB (Newcastle +): tyneand- 0844. 707-725-8090, angstink@gmail.com neapolis 55413. twincities@iww.org. tr_wobbly@yahoo .com
wear@iww.org.uk www.iww.org/en/branches/ Missouri
U.S. IW mailing address: UK/Tyne San Francisco Bay Area GMB: (Curbside and Vermont
Buyback IU 670 Recycling Shops; Stonemountain Kansas City GMB: c/o 5506 Holmes St., 64110.
IW, P.O. Box 7430, JAF Sta- West Midlands GMB: The Warehouse, 54-57 Allison 816-523-3995 Burlington GMB: P.O. Box 8005, 05402. 802-540-
Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5TH westmids@ Fabrics Job Shop and IU 410 Garment and Textile 2541
tion, New York, NY 10116 Worker’s Industrial Organizing Committee; Shat- Montana
iww.org.uk www.wmiww.org Washington
tuck Cinemas; Embarcadero Cinemas) P.O. Box Two Rivers GMB: PO Box 9366, Missoula 59807.
ISSN 0019-8870 York GMB: york@iww.org.uk www.wowyork.org 11412, Berkeley 94712. 510-845-0540. bayarea@ 406-459-7585. tworiversgmb@iww.org Bellingham: P.O. Box 1793, 98227. 360-920-6240.
Periodicals postage Scotland iww.org. Construction Workers IU 330: Dennis Georg, del., BellinghamIWW@gmail.com.
paid Chicago, IL. Clydeside GMB: c/o IWW, P.O. Box 7593, Glasgow, IU 520 Marine Transport Workers: Steve Ongerth, 406-490-3869, tramp233@hotmail.com Tacoma GMB: P.O. Box 2052, 98401.TacIWW@
G42 2EX. clydeside@iww.org.uk, www.iw- del., intextile@iww.org iww.org
wscotland.org Billings: Jim Del Duca, del., 406-860-0331,
Postmaster: Send address Evergreen Printing: 2335 Valley Street, Oakland, delducja@gmail.com Olympia GMB: P.O. Box 2775, 98507. Sam Green,
Dumfries and Galloway GMB: dumfries@iww.org. 94612. 510-835-0254. dkaroly@igc.org del., samthegreen@gmail.com
changes to IW, Post Office Box uk , iwwdumfries.wordpress.com San Jose: sjiww@yahoo.com Nevada
Seattle GMB: 1122 E. Pike #1142, 98122-3934.
180195 Chicago, IL 60618 USA Edinburgh GMB: c/o 17 W. Montgomery Place, EH7 Colorado Reno GMB: P.O. Box 40132, 89504. Paul Lenart, 206-339-4179. seattleiww@gmail.com. www.
5HA. 0131-557-6242, edinburgh@iww.org.uk del., 775-513-7523, hekmatista@yahoo.com seattleiww.org
Canada Denver GMB: 2727 W. 27th Ave., Denver 80211.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Lowell May, del., 303-433-1852. breadandroses@ IU 520 Railroad Workers: Ron Kaminkow, del., P.O. Wisconsin
Alberta msn.com Box 2131, Reno, 89505. 608-358-5771. ronka-
Individual Subscriptions: $18 Edmonton GMB: P.O. Box 75175, T6E 6K1. edmon- minkow@yahoo.com Madison GMB: P.O. Box 2442, 53703-2442. www.
International Subscriptions: $20 tongmb@iww.org, edmonton.iww.ca Four Corners (AZ, CO, NM, UT): 970-903-8721, madisoniww.info
4corners@iww.org New Jersey Lakeside Press IU 450 Job Shop: 1334 Williamson,
Library Subs: $24/year British Columbia Florida Central New Jersey GMB: P.O. Box 10021, New
Vancouver GMB: 204-2274 York Ave., Vancouver, Brunswick 08906. 732-801-7001. iwwcnj@gmail. 53703. 608-255-1800. Jerry Chernow, del., jerry@
Union dues includes subscription. Gainesville GMB: c/o Civic Media Center, 433 S. lakesidepress.org. www.lakesidepress.org
BC, V6K 1C6. Phone/fax 604-732-9613. gmb-van@ Main St., 32601. Jason Fults, del., 352-318-0060, com. Bob Ratynski, del., 908-285-5426
Published monthly with the excep- iww.ca, vancouver.iww.ca, vancouverwob. New Mexico Madison Infoshop Job Shop:1019 Williamson St.
blogspot.com gainesvilleiww@riseup.net #B, 53703. 608-262-9036
tion of March and September. Pensacola GMB: P.O. Box 2662, Pensacola 32513- Albuquerque GMB: 202 Harvard Dr. SE, 87106.
Manitoba 2662. 840-437-1323, iwwpensacola@yahoo.com, 505-227-0206, abq@iww.org. Just Coffee Job Shop IU 460: 1129 E. Wilson,
Winnipeg GMB: IWW, c/o WORC, P.O. Box 1, R3C www.angelfire.com/fl5/iww Madison, 53703. 608-204-9011, justcoffee.coop
Articles not so designated do 2G1. winnipegiww@hotmail.com. Garth Hardy, New York
Hobe Sound: P. Shultz, 8274 SE Pine Circle, 33455- Binghamton Education Workers Union: bingham- GDC Local 4: PO Box 811, 53701. 608-262-9036.
not reflect the IWW’s del., garthhardy@gmail.com
Ontario 6608. 772-545-9591, okiedogg2002@yahoo.com toniww@gmail.com. http://bewu.wordpress.com/ Railroad Workers IU 520: 608-358-5771. railfal-
official position. New York City GMB: P.O. Box 7430, JAF Station, con@yahoo.com.
Ottawa-Outaouais GMB & GDC Local 6: P.O. Box Georgia
Press Date: July 30, 2010. 52003, 390 Rideau Street, Ottawa, K1N 5Y8 Atlanta: M. Bell, del.,404.693.4728, iwwbell@ New York, 10116, iww-nyc@iww.org. www. Milwaukee GMB: P.O. Box 070632, 53207. 414-
French: ott_out_fr@yahoo.ca. Fred Maack, del., gmail.com wobblycity.org 481-3557.
August/September 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 3

Wobbly Thoughts On The U.S. Social Forum In Detroit


By FW b public work is at stake, although issues
In going to the U.S. Social Forum for
the first time (and building on my first
like education and health care have the
most public resonance. What defines IWW Makes An Impact At The U.S. Social Forum
By Stephanie Basile
experience at the Labor Notes Confer- these struggles currently is that crises—
On June 22-26, nearly 26,000 people converged in Detroit for the second U.S.
ence this last April) it seems to me that economic, political, and moral—are used
Social Forum. The forum consisted of hundreds of workshops, cultural events, walk-
there are three core centers of poten- to transform the public sector towards
ing tours, and more. Activists, organizers, and others involved in grassroots organizing
tially militant unionism within the labor privatization, which is currently the
came from around the country to network and share ideas.
movement today. It is my feeling that only “solution” on the table. Jobs with A number of IWW members were in attendance at the Social Forum, and many
if we, as the IWW, don’t build relation- Justice, The United Electrical, Radio and were able to meet and connect with one another. They came from places such as Grand
ships, join together or act in solidarity Machine Workers of America (UE), and Rapids, the Twin Cities, New York City, upstate New York, Philadelphia, Albuquerque,
with these constellations, we may miss a number of other community-based Detroit and Richmond, Va., among other places.
the boat on this generation of struggles. groups seem to be ahead in general on Wobblies took the time to meet with one another and report on what was going on
First, there is an increasingly these struggles, though there is yet to in each person’s city or town. Highlights from their conversations include the follow-
well-organized anti-racist, grassroots be a coherent alternative vision on the ing:
and internationalist pole of the labor table and, as in most things, struggles - Richmond: Wobblies helped form a Transit Riders Union and are actively reach-
movement. south of the border and ing out to the community to grow the union.
It is made around the world provide - Albuquerque: Wobblies organized the staff at a CWA local and currently have a
up of work- the best picture of where contract there
ers’ centers, we need to go. As such, - Detroit: Wobblies operate the “Wobbly Kitchen,” which feeds workers for various
independent and given the explod- events and fed hundreds of people during the Social Forum.
unions and ing situations in Mexico - Starbucks Workers Union: Organizing continues nationwide, and SWU members
coalitions— and elsewhere, learning said they were looking forward to attending the first international SWU conference in
New York City, which took place in July.
things like the Excluded Workers from and supporting those struggles and
- New branches continue to form around the country.
Congress (which includes such groups as getting people to see such struggles as
The IWW also hosted a workshop called “Building an Alternative Workers Move-
the Domestic Workers Alliance, National precursors to our own could be extreme-
ment: Opportunities and Challenges,” in which participants broke into small groups to
Day Labors network, NYC Taxi Driv- ly important in giving people the means flesh out ideas and share experiences. Small groups discussed such topics as organizing
ers Alliance and many other workers’ necessary to win these types of struggles on the job, organizing across industries, membership recruitment and retention, and
centers)—and larger collaborations like here in the U.S. These cutbacks will only politics in organizing. Each group then shared and discussed with the larger group. San
Basta Ya! Moreover, there is organiz- intensify in the years ahead, and creat- Francisco's Chinese Progressive Association and El Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores
ing work forming around whole supply ing mass-based fighting coalitions at the Agricolas (CATA) co-hosted the workshop with the IWW.
chains, most notably the newly-formed rank-and-file level will be essential to
Food Chain Workers Alliance, which is saving the livelihood not only of public as does our open membership structure today is dangerous indeed.
building on the on the important work sector workers, but also large sections of that, like workers’ centers, can use a I also think that bringing our
of the Coalition of Immokalee Work- the public at large. wider net strategy for building member- analysis and experience to collabora-
ers. Individuals in all these groups are As such, what is important about ship and industrial power. What could tive projects on larger scales around the
working hard to build together and to both the work in the public sector and make us unique is having some serious public sector, supply chain organizing,
find funding streams that give them of workers’ center organizing is that victories that we could build collabora- or industrial campaigns would be useful
more leeway than corporate foundations. they move beyond just “labor issues” tions around, as well as visibility and for the work and for our organization
They are looking for partners that are into core questions about what society awareness, which would certainly give as a whole. Moreover, our benefit as a
more democratic than unions for whom can be, including issues of economic a boost to our organization as a whole. collaborator and as an organizing force
collaboration mostly means taking dues democracy, food, sustainability, race and That said, we are currently extraor- would be far stronger if we could become
from those already organized by these gender justice, and potentially, creating dinarily disconnected from the most an effective national apparatus for
groups or giving small amounts of re- the new world in the shell of the old. militant sectors of the working class, our solidarity actions for our own campaigns
sources, but with demands for control. Third, of course, is the work that we strongest ties being to certain sections of and for others, and what it would take to
Second, there has been a whole of the IWW are doing within “unorganiz- the white working class and how we uti- be this is a conversation of pressing im-
swath of struggles around the public sec- able” workplaces, and as part of seri- lize successes should seek to transform portance. Lastly, as a rank-and-file union
tor. Union workers are often on the front ous campaigns. We are not particularly that situation. Nevertheless, the white we have the potential to experiment, and
lines of these struggles, but they can unique in this, though our international working class is extraordinarily impor- I would love to see more working class
only be won if they organize on a larger structure and lack of strings to corporate tant and the fact that it is made invisible community projects as a way of building
scale than existing union formations. All foundations provides solid possibilities, in most liberal and leftist organizing a membership base, and more projects
with local artists generally.
IWW Constitution Preamble Join the IWW Today All of this points out to the fact that

T
The working class and the employing he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the the IWW is not going to be the dominant
class have nothing in common. There can job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions force in the labor movement in our gen-
be no peace so long as hunger and want today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and eration, though if we do our job, we can
are found among millions of working distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popu- be an important contributor. As such,
people and the few, who make up the em- lation, not merely a handful of exploiters. our goal should be to push the entire
ploying class, have all the good things of labor movement to operate like what
We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially ­–
life. Between these two classes a struggle we do at our very best, summarized by
that is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than dividing
must go on until the workers of the world
workers by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together. open membership, rank-and-file control,
organize as a class, take possession of the
Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly internationalism and direct action.
means of production, abolish the wage
international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses What is needed then is a plan for the
system, and live in harmony with the
earth. and in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow future of our union in relation to these,
We find that the centering of the man- workers no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on. and other trends, debated through the
agement of industries into fewer and fewer We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have discussions of the membership and fig-
hands makes the trade unions unable to representation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recog- ured out on local, regional, national and
cope with the ever-growing power of the nizing that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition international scales. Our relevance to the
employing class. The trade unions foster but about workers coming together to address our common concerns. Sometimes labor movement is going to be defined
a state of affairs which allows one set of this means striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with by our ability to organize ourselves to
workers to be pitted against another set an unsafe machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done. participate as effectively as possible.
of workers in the same industry, thereby Sometimes it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific In conclusion, I am deeply impressed
helping defeat one another in wage wars. workplace, or across an industry. by the work and vision the Organizing
Moreover, the trade unions aid the employ- Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues Department has done to move towards
ing class to mislead the workers into the to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved. this goal, but it is on all of us to figure
belief that the working class have interests out how to prioritize our energies to be
in common with their employers. TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation qualitatively more organized, effective,
These conditions can be changed and and your first month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 180195, Chicago, IL and visionary.
the interest of the working class upheld 60618, USA.
only by an organization formed in such
a way that all its members in any one in-
Initiation is the same as one month’s dues. Our dues are calculated
according to your income. If your monthly income is under $2000, dues
Subscribe to the
dustry, or all industries if necessary, cease
work whenever a strike or lockout is on in
any department thereof, thus making an
are $9 a month. If your monthly income is between $2000 and $3500,
dues are $18 a month. If your monthly income is over $3500 a month, dues
Industrial Worker
are $27 a month. Dues may vary outside of North America and in Regional Raise eyebrows! Get ideas!
injury to one an injury to all.
Instead of the conservative motto, “A Organizing Committees (Australia, British Isles, German Language Area).
10 issues for:
fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work,” we __I affirm that I am a worker, and that I am not an employer. • US $18 for individuals.
must inscribe on our banner the revolu-
__I agree to abide by the IWW constitution. • US $20 for internationals.
tionary watchword, “Abolition of the wage
• US $24 for institutions.
system.” __I will study its principles and acquaint myself with its purposes.
It is the historic mission of the work- Name: ________________________
Name:_________________________________
ing class to do away with capitalism. The
Address:_ ______________________________ Address:______________________
army of production must be organized,
not only for the everyday struggle with City, State, Post Code, Country:________________ State/Province:___________ Zip/
capitalists, but also to carry on production Occupation:_ ____________________________ PC________________________
when capitalism shall have been over- Send to: PO Box 180195,
thrown. By organizing industrially we are Phone:_____________ Email:________________
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forming the structure of the new society Amount Enclosed:__________ Subscribe Today!
within the shell of the old. Membership includes a subscription to the Industrial Worker.
Page 4 • Industrial Worker • August/September 2010

The Defiant Spirit:


News from your General Defense Committee
By Kenneth Miller and organization to provide significant
Today’s IWW is filled with people support.
concerned about free speech, police bru- The second complaint I heard
tality and many other “defense” issues. was regarding a Fellow Workers who
They are working to organize responses made an error. After he went public
to rights violations. Many of them about workers’ rights violations at a
are members of the General Defense silk screening shop where he had been
Committee (GDC). Others are making organizing, the boss went after him
inquiries about the GDC. Either way, it with a Strategic Lawsuits Against Public
is obvious to them that our Participation (SLAPP) suit.
union needs a GDC. Howev- This Fellow Worker made a
er, is not quite clear to them big mistake, in my opinion,
what the GDC does or how to by going to a lawyer rather
fit in. Today, we are a group than seeking advice from his
mostly of IWW members Fellow Workers. Wobblies
with vast experience doing should never cave to SLAPP
defense organizing, working suits, and this member
to make that experience, and should have known to go
the experience of this union, to the GDC for help prior
available to others. You to paying a lawyer $6,500.
should join the GDC today. People need to know that
the GDC is not continuing
How is the GDC going to grow? to raise money to pay the legal debt that
The GDC was created to raise money this member incurred.
for defense. Workers don’t have a lot of
money to give, but everyone has a little. Mobilize with the GDC
The GDC correlated memberships with The GDC has not fully embraced
fundraising. The membership of the some of the most high-profile instances
GDC exploded after the Palmer Raids, of police/picket line violence—those
during the subsequent fights for free perpetrated against Alex Svoboda in
speech. We needed to pay lawyers and Providence, R.I., and Erik Davis in
afford bail. People, thousands of non- the Twin Cities. Donations need to be
Wobblies too, who wanted to help with correlated with membership organiz-
this joined the GDC. We should be aim- ing drives, and not contributed directly
ing to grow in the same way today. We from our general fund. If people want to
need the right cases. We need a coordi- give money to support Alex or Erik, for
nated outreach effort to educate about example, joining the GDC is supposed to
those cases and present the GDC as a be a mechanism for them to do so. As a
way to contribute financial support. member of the GDC Steering Committee,
this is what I believe the GDC is designed
Problems at the GDC? for. I ask that you please join the GDC
In late June, I spent a weekend in today and help us make concrete steps in
upstate New York at the “Wobble-In” this direction.
and I heard two specific complaints A GDC Delegate will be in atten-
about the GDC: dance and signing up new members at
The first complaint I heard was the IWW General Convention in the
about a situation in which the NYC IWW Twin Cities this September. You can
fought the Department of Labor tooth download a membership application
and nail to avoid handing over their form online at: http://www.iww.org/en/
membership records. Significant legal projects/gdc/join.shtml and send it to:
support was mobilized and they were on The General Defense Committee of the
the cusp of a victory. As that victory was IWW, c/o IWW, P. O. Box 317741, Cin-
imminent, and the sanctity of our mem- cinnati, OH, 45231, United States. You
bership records withheld, they learned can contact Kenneth directly with any
that the records were handed over. Crap! suggestions, concerns or recommenda-
What a slap in the face! What great work tions for the General Defense Committee
undermined. The GDC has the resources at 412-867-9213.

NFL Players Are Not Workers: Victory In Boron? I Think Not


The Debate Continues I am a member of the San Francisco
Bay Area region of the Inland Boatman’s
Continued from 2 Union (IBU), which is the Marine Divi-
If I get laid off or fired from my job, sion of the union. I serve on the IBU’s
I can eventually get another job, prob- Executive Board (unpaid, and I am not
ably in the same field, maybe even in the speaking here in any official capacity.)
same state. But if a professional football I am a ferryboat deckhand and I just
player gets laid off or fired, end of story. received my 100-ton master’s license. I
He’s not going to be playing professional am also a 15-year, dues-paying member
football again—and that’s another differ- of the IWW. This letter is in response to
ence between the “performers’ associa- Mike Davis’ story, “Labor War In The
tion” and the rest of us. Mojave: California Miners Struggle,”
Another difference is that we un- which appeared on page 9 of the June
derstand the morality of honoring other Industrial Worker.
workers’ picket lines—we don’t cross I am unwilling to call the results of Graphic: Mike Konopacki
them! And yet, members of the NFL the struggle in Boron a “victory” for the and class collaborationist union bureau- published, to be called “One Big Union:
routinely cross the picket lines of hotels members of International Longshore crats), concede most of the draconian Judi Bari’s Vision of Green-Worker
and restaurants. You would think that and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local demands, but win the key one, usually a Alliances in Redwood Country” (details
these guys would remember that they 30, the union movement, or the working concession by the union which ultimate- here: http://www.judibari.info).
were workers too, but they don’t. And class in general. All along, Rio Tinto’s ly has long-term erosive effects on union Judi Bari was a veteran of many
here’s a thought: When do you think the goal was to undermine the ILWU’s security and rank-and-file rank-and-file labor struggles and she in-
Arizona Cardinals will begin protest- seniority system and, by control of the workplace. stinctively knew that the union bureau-
ing the blatantly racist anti-immigrant their own admission, Rio The Boron struggle is a crats could rarely be trusted, no matter
laws in their home state? Wouldn’t it be Tinto has done exactly “textbook example” of this. which union they ran (my book will
something if they arose as one workers’ that. Surely, the authors, detail some of the struggles that she and
union in solidarity with all fellow work- Sure, Rio Tinto’s editors, and informed her fellow Earth First!/IWW members
ers, and refused to play until the law most extreme demands members who help create engaged in defense of union mill work-
was revoked? It could bring Arizona to were beaten back, but and produce Labor Notes ers, sometimes against their own, cor-
its financial knees, and open up talks for that is no doubt by design (i.e. it was should be able to see this. Don’t let the rupt, class collaborationist union). The
real, meaningful immigration reform. the strategy all along by the Rio Tinto wool be pulled over your eyes and don’t situation was no different in Boron. This
But don’t hold your breath. In the bosses). In fact, this is fairly typical of have a blind spot, just because it’s the is no victory, except in as much as it isn’t
words of Malcolm X, “Well, you could the employing class these days: start ILWU. Sadly, the ILWU is becoming a total defeat.
put a shoe in an oven and that wouldn’t with a specific goal, couch that goal in more and more like the SEIU every day. Yours for the One Big Union,
make it a biscuit,” and the National a set of extremely draconian demands, This is nothing new. As an aside, but Fellow Worker Steve Ongerth,
Football Players’ Association is a “union” make those demands and enforce them related note, I am soon to have a book x344543
in name only. through lockouts or provoking a strike,
Up The Revolution! stir up rank-and-file anger (which is then Editor’s Note: The Workers’ Power column is on vacation this month. It
X365465 tempered by increasingly conservative will return in the October Industrial Worker.
August/September 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 5

Oregon Wobblies Make Mark With Long Walk For Free Speech
By John Terry, The Oregonian “take possession” was a stretch. Al-
Time was when mere mention of though Southern Pacific bigwigs in Port-
“Wobblies” was enough to provoke fear land would rather have denied access
and loathing in the hearts of society’s to their trains, he says, “the brakemen,
capitalistic elements. Never was such engineers and so forth, who probably
fear and loathing more pronounced were union men as well, were probably
in Oregon than in February 1911. And more responsive” and freely provided
never was there a time when the radical space in empty boxcars.
Industrial Workers of the World evoked In all, 112 men headed south.
greater sympathy in the state. The moti- At a stop in Albany, the crusaders
vation for IWW demonstrations in Port- “demonstrated their travel regimen,”
land that year was not outrage against Mullen says. A few solicited funds, but
local or even regional business. The in- “most sat quietly, exchanging stares or
centive came from Fresno, Calif., where occasional pleasantries with curious
Wobblies were battling city officials over onlookers.”
the right to preach their doctrine on city In Junction City, “Almost all of the
streets. Fresno authorities were jailing male population was waiting for them,
the speakers. The IWW was responding backed up by a formidable array of
by sending more speakers to overcrowd weapons …” The scene turned peace-
city jails and jam local courts. ful as townsfolk “began to suspect a Photo: mailtribune.com
The Wobblies’ 1911 journey from Portland to Fresno, Calif., draws a crowd during
The IWW successfully used that prank” and turned a sympathetic ear to
their stop in Ashland in this rare photograph provided by the Southern Oregon
tactic in a 1910 free speech campaign in the Wobblies’ cause, Mullen says. Stops Historical Society.
Spokane and decided to put it to the test in Eugene and Roseburg were likewise
in Fresno. quiet. freight but decided to demonstrate their home.
“Hundreds demonstrated their soli- Problems arose in Ashland. Officials peacefulness by walking the rest of the Nonetheless, theirs was an epic jour-
darity with Fresno by parading through of Southern Pacific’s Shasta Division way to Fresno. ney that should be remembered, Mullen
downtown Portland, banners aloft,” managed to block access. The group de- They tramped on through the Sis- says.
history professor Jay Carlton Mullen of cided to hike 10 miles south to Steinman kiyou Mountains, in snow as deep as six A committee is seeking to memori-
Southern Oregon University writes. in hopes of boarding a train there. feet, and on into California as far as Red alize what it calls those “brave men of
The Portland IWW held a meeting There was snow in the mountains. In Bluff. They did hitch a ride 12 miles from conviction whose solidarity stand for
with local Socialists, and an executive Steinman, the railroad section boss lent Mount Shasta to Dunsmuir in the pri- free speech is absolutely amazing.” Wes
committee was formed. It voted to refer the ill-clad protesters shovels and axes vate rail car of an itinerant actress, May Brain of Medford, the de facto executive
to the crusaders by numbers instead of to clear snow and build fires. His wife Roberts. Other than that, they walked secretary, said the 16-member commit-
names to emphasize oneness. It raised distributed apples and crackers. the 150 miles from Ashland. tee promoting the Wobbly Walk Free
some money and dispatched scouts to Southbound trains sped past, so A tavern owner and the Knights of Speech Monument has no financing.
assess trains. the protesters trudged four miles uphill Pythias in Dunsmuir extended hospital- But it’s determined to see an appropri-
“Army Goes South,” read The Or- to the Siskiyou Tunnel. They bought ity, as did the Eagles Lodge in warmer ate marking of the route in time for the
egonian’s headline on Feb. 17, 1911, with vegetables from a store and feasted on Kennett. The Wobblies played the Ken- event’s centennial. For information,
subheads: “Workers of World Take Pos- Mulligan stew. nett baseball team and lost 2-1. In Red email brain@mind.net.
session of Train,” “Loaded Cars Broken Railroad detectives again barred Bluff came word that the Fresno conflict This story originally appeared in
Open” and “Campaign for ‘Free Speech’ them from southbound trains. The group had been settled. The Oregon contingent the June 19, 2010 edition of The Orego-
Is Planned by Socialists.” Mullen says debated whether to forcibly board a disbanded and, presumably, headed nian. It was reprinted with permission.

Let’s Talk About Sweatshops At PNC Park


By Kenneth Miller munity television station, PCTV, will On the weekend of Sept. 17, the Ari- We are inviting Starbucks workers
This summer was filled with strikes be shot this fall. We’re going to dem- zona Diamondbacks will be at PNC Park. to come to PNC Park, and folks to do
and police riots in Bangladesh. The onstrate how to commandeer Roberto We’ll be there to continue the boycott of voter registration on Roberto Clemente
Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Clemente Bridge and how a Civil Rights everything Arizona in response to Sen- Bridge. Pittsburghers paid a quarter of a
Alliance, and it seems the rest of the Bridge from PNC Park to the floor of ate Bill 1070, which has legalized racial billion dollars for this space. The Pitts-
anti-sweatshop movement, was unable global sweatshops can be built when the profiling in Arizona. The Pittsburgh burgh Pirates claim to represent our city.
to offer any concrete support. Even after Pittsburgh Pirates respond to worker IWW has endorsed this event. We will We invite you to PNC Park and to
the Bangladesh Center for Workers testimony in a timely way. be at the grand opening of the Pittsburgh watch our show. The goal will be to
Solidarity spent the month of April tour- On Sept. 1 the new statue of former Penguin’s new hockey arena, the Consol demonstrate that we can commandeer
ing the United States, it is unclear that Pirates player Bill Mazeroski will be Energy Center, to speak out against the this real estate and use it effectively as
anyone in the United States could do unveiled, 50 years after the 1960 World myth of “clean coal.” In the fall we will a Civil Rights Bridge. If you have ideas
anything to support them. Series homerun—a shot heard around be supporting the campaign to merge the for a segment or some technical skills
The Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop the world. Dennis Brutus will be remem- Pittsburgh Public Schools athletic league we can use, we need the help! Also,
Community Alliance is headed back to bered at this ceremony. We are going to with the other schools in Western Penn- please keep Jonathan Christianson—the
PNC Park to talk about sweatshops. Pilot practice talking about Dennis Brutus, his sylvania. The City League has its baseball IWW delegate currently representing us
episodes of a new television program impact on sports, black consciousness, playoff at PNC Park in the fall. We’ll be in Bangladesh—and his family in your
that will be aired on Pittsburgh’s com- and international solidarity at this event. there talking about sweatshops! hearts and minds.

Celebrating 105 Years Of Industrial Unionism Fired Restaurant Workers Announce


International Boycott
Continued from 1 supporting the Pei Wei workers in their
Since being terminated, the workers fight. “Chandler supervisors have stated
have resolved to fight for reinstatement that this decision came mainly from
to their jobs, back pay, and an apology higher up the chain and it’s clear to us
from P.F. Chang’s corporate office. The that political concerns had a lot to do
Phoenix IWW made contact with the with it. You’ll recall that Pei Wei made
workers after seeing them on the news, the news two years ago by unjustly fir-
and have been providing assistance and ing a Fountain Hills store manager. He
encouragement. allegedly miffed some Maricopa County
The strengthened group of workers sheriff’s officers. As the story goes, old
has undertaken five actions so far: pick- Joe threw his weight around and P.F.
eting at the Chandler store and at three Chang’s did what they were told like
other Valley Pei Wei stores, and boycot- regular cowards.” Additionally, in 2009
ting Pei Wei and P.F. Chang’s locations P.F. Chang’s in Kansas City, Mo. was hit
across the United States and Mexico. with a lawsuit by an African-American
With the workers’ determination and server who said that P.F. Chang’s man-
support from IWW branches in approxi- agement protected the racist practices of
mately 50 U.S. cities and six countries, white servers and retaliated against her
the social and economic impacts on the and an African-American manager who
P.F. Chang’s brand could be significant. spoke up about the discrimination.
“We will continue to stay united until we So far, the ongoing campaign has
Photo: NYC IWW
By Diane Krauthamer gain justice over this discrimination— been featured in the Arizona Republic,
From June 25-27, members of the New York City and Pittsburgh IWWs joined both for ourselves and for our compan- the Arizona Daily Sun, La Voz, National
long-time Wobblies Rochelle Semel and Paul Poulos for an informal retreat at the ions,” said Erik, a high-spirited Pei Wei Public Radio, on TV news stations CBS
“Wobble-In,” located in Hartwick, N.Y. We used the beautiful weekend to reflect worker and father who is enthusiastic 5 & 13, FOX 10, and NBC 12, and on
on current and past experiences and engaged in meaningful discussion on cur- about involving his family and friends in dozens of left- and right-wing websites.
rent and past organizing work while thinking about future goals and targets for Mexico City in the boycott. Both the workers and organizers for the
our union. The IWW’s founding convention took place on June 27, 1905, and the “Pei Wei – P.F. Chang’s is a repeat IWW say that the Pei Wei – P.F. Chang’s
retreat served as a great reminder that 105 years later, we are still going strong. offender,” said Victor, an independent boycott will continue until the matter is
investigator and activist who has been resolved to the workers’ satisfaction.
Page 6 • Industrial Worker • August/September 2010

Special

Building Solidarity With The Palestinian Working


Class Through Boycott, Divestment And Sanctions
By x347544 the mainstream
Anyone who Palestinian Gen-
stayed around in eral Federation
Detroit long enough of Trade Unions
to participate in the (PGFTU), as well
National People’s as the Federation
Movement As- of Independent &
sembly (PMA) that Democratic Trade
served as the culmi- Unions & Workers’
nation of the 2010 Committees in Pal-
U.S. Social Forum estine, with whom
couldn’t help but the IWW maintains
notice the energy close solidarity.
and enthusiasm After years of
exhibited by those trying to subvert
advocating for the and undermine
adoption of Boycott, the BDS campaign
Divestment and along with other
Sanctions (BDS) forms of grassroots
against Israel. Calls civil resistance,
to spread the BDS the leadership of
movement and for the Palestinian
participation in Authority, hailing
events that support from the Palestin-
BDS attracted the ian ruling class, has
loudest cheers and apparently begun to
the most strident join the rest of the
waving of yellow world in realizing
and blue half-sheets the power of BDS,
of paper—the mech- and the likelihood
anism by which that it will succeed
participants were to in bringing about
express their com- some sort of negoti-
mitment to solidar- ated peace between
ity with the proposal Israelis and
being put forward, Palestinians. They
either in principle Photo: Rob Mulford have begun to try to
with a yellow paper, Artists reclaim space on Israel’s Apartheid Wall near Bethlehem, in the West Bank. position themselves,
or in action with a blue paper. reality. There most certainly is, in fact, get out of Palestine. Many of them were albeit in a clumsy, theatrical fashion, at
Having spent much of my time a very wide gulf between the Palestinian petty merchants who moved to other the head of the boycott and non-violent
over the last couple of years since a working class and the Palestinian ruling former British colonies like Honduras, resistance movements in an attempt to
two-year sojourn in Cairo working on class (to refer to them as the “employing and now, several generations later, have regain the legitimacy they’ve lost after
Palestine solidarity, I was heartened class” perhaps overstates their useful- managed to cement themselves in posi- decades of self-interested capitulation
by the palpable momentum behind the ness to society). In Palestine proper, this tions as the ruling elite. Some of you may and collaboration.
BDS campaign, which I support. But manifests in all sorts of familiar ways: remember that there was a coup d’état The question, as I see it, is not
I found something troubling about it well-dressed men being chauffeured in Honduras just over a year ago (a coup whether BDS will succeed, but whom it
as well. Someone learning about “the around in clean black SUVs, preaching to that is still ongoing, it should be noted). will benefit when it does succeed. Paral-
question of Palestine” through the BDS the dirty, dusty, smelly throngs about the The vast majority of the “intellectual lels are often drawn between Palestine
People’s Movement Assembly could be need to keep their chins up, along with authors” of that coup and South Africa
forgiven for thinking that west of the their “productivity,” in the face of daily were members of the for good reason. I
River Jordan resided but two classes of humiliations. They are subjected to these Palestinian-Honduran remain optimistic,
people: the Israelis and the Palestinians. humiliations more by their Palestinian elite families: the however, about the
And such a person could be forgiven for bosses, who have paid for their travel Facussés, the Cana- possibility that our
thinking that, were it not for the con- permits and their freedom through years huatis, the Handals, successes in Pal-
stant and brutal repression visited upon of subservience to Israeli demands at the the Laraches, and the estine can exceed
the Palestinians by the Israelis, Palestine negotiating (sic) table and through their Kafatis, among others. the successes of
would be the ideal classless society; a self-interested efforts to quash (or, more These Palestinian elites the anti-Apartheid
myth based on the fact that there are recently, co-opt) domestic resistance. in the diaspora, with movement. For one
no classes of Christians, Muslims and In the Palestinian diaspora, especial- their vast accumulated thing, the Pales-
Druze, there are no classes of city- ly in Central America, the role of the Pal- wealth, have been some tinian BDS cam-
dwellers (madanyeen) and rural peas- estinian ruling class against the interna- of the most significant paign has gained
ants (felaheen), and there is certainly no tional working class is even more stark. funders of the Palestine momentum much
working class or employing class. For one thing, those Palestinians living Liberation Organiza- more quickly than
Beneath this instrumentalist myth of in the diaspora were naturally those who tion (PLO) and the its South African
the valorized yet repressed Palestinian, could afford, by hook or by crook (or, political and economic precedent and,
however, is of course a much messier more likely, by pound or by shekel), to instruments of the while the African
Palestinian Authority. The PGTFU office. Photo: Rob Mulford
National Congress
None of this, apparently, was in ascendance
prevents them from enlisting the aid throughout the decline of the Apartheid
of former Mossad (Israeli intelligence) regime, there is practically no political
mercenaries or importing weapons from organization that can credibly claim a
Israel in order to suppress the Honduran mandate in Palestine. There is consider-
resistance movements. ably more open space for independent,
The last point is key. Neither the democratic, rank-and-file Palestinian
ruling class in Palestine proper nor the working class organizations to consti-
Palestinian elites in the diaspora have tute themselves as loci of power, several
any apparent qualms about acting in among many, in a constellation of non-
class solidarity with their Israeli breth- state solutions in the land west of the
ren, despite this rhetoric that we’re fed River Jordan.
about some existential enmity between As an early endorser of BDS, the
Jews and Arabs. If only the interna- IWW can participate in the constitution
tional working class were so unified of that power.
in its solidarity. It is for precisely this If you are concerned with labor
reason that I am advocating for adop- rights and human rights in Palestine
Photo: Adrienne Pine
tion of BDS within the IWW. BDS is an and want to get involved in organizing
A common stencil of the Honduran resistance reads: “Code of the chafa (pejora-
initiative from the grassroots of Palestin- solidarity between IWW members and
tive slang for ‘soldier’): #1, Serve the Turk.” Palestinian Hondurans are referred
to most often as “Turks,” in reference to the identity papers they carried when ian society, and has been endorsed by Palestinian workers and developing
many of the elite families first arrived in Honduras after the collapse of the Ot- Palestine’s labor organizations. Notably, a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
toman Empire. This racial bias is unfortunately repeated with little reflection in our International Solidarity Committee, campaign in the IWW, email iwwin-
Honduras, but it nevertheless points to the prevalence of Palestinian immigrants during their delegation to Palestine, was palestine@gmail.com or visit: http://
in the golpista (coup-making) Honduran elite. specifically asked to endorse it by both www.iww.org/projects/isc/palestine.
August/September 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 7

Special
Historic Victory At Oakland Port: Thoughts On The Successful

Israeli Ship Blocked From Unloading


By Gloria La Riva
Picketing Of The Israeli Zin Line Ship
Oakland, California
Editor’s Note: This ac-
Sunday, June 20, 2010
tion was not called by the By FW Sparrow
IWW, though some IWW History was made Today.
members participated in Met together to flame the spark
the planning of the event struck by the Gaza Flotilla.
and at least a dozen joined 800 of us.
in the action. The organiz-
ers included the Transport Long day to me. Up ready at a.m. 4:30
Workers Solidarity Com- Copwatch Security crew swept into office gearing up.
mittee and the ANSWER Last minute hustling for rides to docks.
Coalition. Wobbly universal-labeled drum carried by Copwatch
In a historic and unprec- car.
edented action on June 20, Photo: Bill Hackwell, pslweb.org
over 800 labor and community activ- the aftermath of the Israeli massacre of Down empty streets, past committed comrades
ists blocked the gates of the Oakland, volunteers bringing humanitarian aid to stringing out along the road hiking Bart to the dock at
Calif. docks in the early morning hours, Gaza on May 31. Berth 58.
prompting longshore workers to refuse With 10 days’ advance notice of the Dropped off across tracks from closest gate
to cross the picket lines where they were ship’s arrival, the emergency “Labor/ and walked across to growing clustered pickets.
scheduled to unload an Israeli ship. Community Committee in Solidarity
From 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., a with the Palestinian People” was set up. Sorting out.
militant and spirited protest was held in Prior to the blockade, some 110 people Fellow workers Bruce and Donna
front of four gates of the Stevedore Ser- from unions and community organiza- flying red/black flag.
vices of America, with people chanting tions came to help organize logistics, Picket sign.
“Free, Free Palestine, Don’t Cross the outreach and community support. Initi-
Picket Line,” and “An injury to one is an ating organizations included the Al-Aw- First forty formed a line at first gate.
injury to all, bring down the apartheid Took back copwatch Wobbly drum.
da Palestine Right to Return Coalition,
wall.” Drum beat march to main gate,
the ANSWER Coalition, the Bay Area
numbers growing.
Citing the health and safety provi- Labor Chapter of U.S. Labor Against
sions of their contract, the Interna- War and the Bay Area Labor Committee
Wobbly Banner strung across wire fence
tional Longshore and Warehouse Union for Peace & Justice.
fellow workers down from Reno.
(ILWU) workers refused to cross the The San Francisco Labor Council
Fellow Workers with Security,
picket line to report for duty. and Alameda Labor Council passed re-
Steve and John waving a Wobbly flag.
Between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m., an sounding resolutions denouncing Israel’s
emergency arbitration was conducted at blockade of Gaza. Both councils sent out 6 am line swelled to hundreds.
the Maersk parking lot nearby, with an public notices of the dock action. main gate circle lengthening to fifty,
“instant” arbitrator called to the site to The ILWU has a proud history of then seventy, then a hundred feet
rule on whether the workers could refuse extending its solidarity to struggling peo- as more marchers crowded in.
to cross the picket line without disciplin- ples the world over. In 1984, as the black
ary measure. masses of South Africa were engaged Cadenced couple hours with Wobbly drum,
At 9:15 a.m., after again reviewing in an intense struggle against South handed off to another on the line
the protests of hundreds at each gate, African apartheid, the ILWU refused for beating out rhythm with his hands.
the arbitrator ruled in favor of the union a record-setting 10 days to unload cargo Kept cadencing with claves as crowded line grew.
that it was indeed unsafe for the workers from the South African “Ned Lloyd” ship.
to enter the docks. Despite million-dollar fines imposed on More instruments appeared, saxaphone,
Amidst loud cheers of “Long Live the union, the longshore workers held trumpet, more drums
Palestine!,” Jess Ghannam of the Free strong, providing a tremendous boost to Mixed with bullhorned chants
Palestine Alliance and Richard Becker the anti-apartheid movement. and passioned line responses.
of the ANSWER Coalition announced The blockade action in Oakland,
the victory. “This is truly historic, never in the sixth largest port in the United Sound system set up
before has an Israeli ship been blocked States, is the first of several protests and chanting down Apartheid Wall
in the United States!” said Ghannam. work stoppages that occurred around the powerful women pacing us
The news that a container ship world. It is sure to inspire others to do Sweet as song, strong as struggle
from the Zim Israeli shipping line was the same.
scheduled to arrive in the Bay Area has This story appeared in its original Third gate opened up.
sparked a tremendous outpouring of format on June 20, 2010 on http:// Joined a third line forming
solidarity for Palestine, especially in www.PSLweb.org. moving, chanting, militant
No more cars got thro
Swedish Dockworkers Block Israeli First shift wouldn’t cross our line.

Goods In Boycott Action Arbitrators checked our numbers


determined our show of strength,
By Saed Bannoura, IMEMC News Israeli authorities claim that they are at ruled for shift and for full pay.
After similar boycott actions in war, and that the attack in international
California, Norway and South Africa, waters is thus justified. Two hours rest at Wobbly hall
dockworkers in Sweden have decided to The aid convoy was carrying hun- until Second Shift came on
block the import of Israeli goods. dreds of tons of humanitarian aid for 4:30, back down the line
The boycott action was launched the people of Gaza, including medical to repeat the morning
on June 23 by 1,500 members of the supplies, school supplies, and building
Swedish Dockworkers Union, affecting materials. Israeli occupying authorities cops wearing thin
95 percent of Sweden’s ports. Trade have prevented these materials from broke agreement
with Israel accounts for just 0.2 percent entering Gaza since 2007 when the no sound system
of Swedish imports and exports, so the democratically-elected Hamas party Missed their Father’s Day?
action is largely symbolic, but it could took power in the Gaza Strip.
have an impact on the Israeli compa- Israel announced that it would tired morning pickets
nies that export to Sweden. ease some of the restrictions on goods mixed with late risers
According to a union spokesper- allowed into Gaza, but the blockade marching on the crest
son, the boycott action was organized remains in place, and the new amounts of morning’s victory
“because of the [Israeli navy’s] assault allowed in are still only a small fraction
on the ship to Gaza, that we supported of the amount that entered before the “Free, Free Palestine,
before they took off...and the blockade blockade was put in place. Do not Cross the Picket Line!”
walking, chanting, drumming
of the Gaza Strip, which affects the One Swedish Dockworkers Union
waiting for Arbitrators again
civilian population.” spokesperson said, “We don’t think it is
The spokesperson was referring to far-reaching enough. We want them to
Finally heard the news
an Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid lift the blockade.”
As the Israeli ship was docking
convoy on May 31, in which nine inter- This is not the first time that
that 2nd shift was cancelled
national aid workers were killed and Swedish dockworkers have engaged in
Thanks to First Shift, we’d won.
nearly 60 were injured. Participants in boycott actions against what they see
the caravan say the attack was unpro- as oppressive regimes. They launched Kept the line going till 7:30 tho
voked, and took place in international a similar boycott of the notorious dic- in case a 2nd shift late call.
waters. Although Israel does not deny tatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile, then speeches and a final chant,
that the ships were in international and of the apartheid regime in South “An Injury to One Is An Injury To All”
waters when the Israeli forces attacked, Africa in the 1980s.
Page 8 • Industrial Worker • August/September 2010

Interview

Cindy Sheehan Talks Peace And Socialism


By Jon Hochschartner you explain what you mean? who have [an] unlimited
Cindy Sheehan is a woman who amount of
needs no introduction. When her son CS: I’ll just give some examples. After money, and they have the
was killed in Iraq, she threw herself into Camp Casey, we had something called media too. So
anti-war activism across the country, [the] Bring Them Home Now Tour. We what we need to do is
quickly becoming the public face of the had three buses leave Crawford, Texas have a real, grassroots-
peace movement. I interviewed her on and take different routes to Washington, based working-class
June 14 for the Industrial Worker. D.C. When we got there I met with doz- revolution
ens of House Representatives and Sena- that takes back our power,
Jon Hochschartner: What do you tors. The Democratic ones—like Nancy our economy,
think the state of the anti-war movement Pelosi, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, John our ecology, our educa-
is today? Is it stronger or weaker since Kerry—they told me to my face, “Cindy tion—anything
Bush left office? help us regain the majority and we’ll that’s been stolen from us.
help you end the wars.” Then in 2007,
Cindy Sheehan: It got even weaker when I went and called them on it, they JH: I think it’s pretty
since Bush was in office. When the said, “We need a larger majority.” clear, but how would you
Democrats regained the majority in both describe your economic
houses of Congress, that’s when the JH: You’ve dubbed 2010 the “year of re- politics?
anti-war movement started to weaken. I sistance” against war. What can average
remember, it was the fifth anniversary of people do to help? CS: I think socialism is
the invasion of Iraq in March 2008, and the only economic system
[the two anti-war groups], United for CS: Well, you know, I’ve expanded my that helps the people,
Peace and Justice, and Iraq Vets Against activism way beyond war. There’s a helps the robbed class.
the War, decided that their movement robber class and a robbed class. [The But what I’m talking
would not have a mass mobilization in robber class] are the ones waging the about in socialism is not
Washington, D.C. on the anniversary be- war. They count on their propaganda a state socialism. I would
cause they didn’t want to embarrass the and the myths and the illusion that we almost be like a commu-
Democrats. So, in 2006, a lot of energy have a democracy, or even a republic. nist with a small “c.” All Photo: peaceoftheaction.org
was wasted in electing Democrats. We’ve They keep divisions going in the robbed get together in voluntary Cindy Sheehan protests in front of the White House.
seen that they haven’t done anything to class. So we not only fight members of collectives to support each
end the wars or really any of the Bush the working class in other countries, but other, not collectives forced on us by an how people in Venezuela are empowered
policies. we’re fighting each other. We fight each oppressive state. by the revolution. How they’re not only
other over all these wedge issues that empowered but how the revolution has
JH: That was around the time you left the robber class couldn’t care less about. JH: Could you tell us a little about your improved their lives. You know, from
the Democratic Party, right? Here we are fighting each other over gay upcoming documentary, “Revolution: A almost total illiteracy in the poor and
marriage, abortion, whatever. Divide Love Story?” working class to almost full literacy.
CS: I did. I left the Democratic Party and conquer so they can steal from us. [The revolution has also improved] the
in May 2007 when they passed the first The only way anything’s going to change CS: My film, “Revolution: A Love Story” missions: the healthcare missions, the
funding bill, and when organizations in this system is when working people has three main goals. The first goal is to dental missions, the education missions,
like MoveOn.org encouraged people to get together and say, “We’re not going to dispel the myths about President Hugo the subsidized groceries and subsidized
support that vote to fund George Bush’s support you elites in the style to which Chavez of Venezuela and the Bolivar- energy. The revolution was using the re-
wars. When Barack Obama was elected it you’ve become accustomed to anymore. ian Revolution that he instituted, and to sources to help the people, not to enrich
was practically the last nail in the coffin We’re tired of you stealing our wealth, tell the truth about it, to show people in the state and the elite classes. The third
for the anti-war movement. There’s no our resources, [and] our children to kill the United States that the robber class goal of “Revolution: A Love Story” is to
energy in it. It’s very small. It’s almost in your wars.” So my focus has widened media and the government are not tell- inspire people here in the United States
like the wars have just left everybody’s into this class struggle, and I think the ing the truth about President Chavez. to start taking back our power.
consciousness. only way we can win a class struggle He’s not a Communist dictator. There
is through revolution. It’s not going to [are] elections in Venezuela all the time. To download the entire unedited
JH: You’ve said the anti-war movement be an armed revolution, because we’re That’s democracy. The second goal of interview please visit: http://www.
was “used” by the Democratic Party. Can fighting against people who have nukes, “Revolution: A Love Story” is to show mediafire.com/?tbblgjmzy3x

Immigrant Workers Rally For


Justice At Kosher Food Company
Continued from 1
organizations as the New York
City IWW, Domestic Workers
United, the Retail, Wholesale
and Department Store Union
(RWDSU), the Green Party of
New York City, and La Unión
de la Comunidad Latina. Ad-
ditional endorsers included
the Restaurant Opportunities
Center of New York (ROC-NY)
and New Immigrant Commu-
nity Empowerment (NICE).
“Workers’ rights are as-
saulted everywhere,” said
Leticia Alanis of La Unión de
la Comunidad Latina. “It is
really important that we stand
up for our rights,” she added. Photo: Diane Krauthamer
“We domestic workers Former Flaum worker Felipe Romero discusses
are continually exploited as workers’ rights violations in Brooklyn.
well,” said Joyce Gil Camp-
bell of Domestic Workers United. “We prepare, process, pack, and deliver large
stand with you in solidarity because we orders of kosher foodstuffs to supermar-
want you to know that workers’ rights kets around New York.
are human rights.” “Food processing workers in New
The campaign for justice at Flaum York City, mostly recent immigrants,
is being carried out by the Focus on the have been ripped off by unscrupulous
Food Chain initiative, a joint effort of employers for far too long,” said Daniel
non-profit organization Brandworkers Gross, the director of Brandworkers.
and the New York City IWW. The Na- “But through organizing, community
tional Labor Relations Board has already action, and litigation, workers like those
found Flaum liable for extensive viola- at Flaum are standing together to ensure
tions of workers’ rights and the employ- their tremendous contribution to our
ees are confident that they will prevail in economy is recognized and respected.”
federal court this fall in their overtime For more information, visit http://
and retaliation case. Workers at Flaum www.brandworkers.org. Graphic: Art by Robin Thompson, concept by DJ Alperovitz
August/September 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 9

Anti-Globalization

The Battle Of Toronto: Protesting The G8/G20 Summits


Continued from 1 NGO mobilizations—
meetings of union locals to speak on the to confront the actual
G8/G20 (and to encourage motions in perimeter.
support, including fundraising ones), These dynam-
and coordination with other national ics—somewhat the
and provincial unions, came from a reverse of the last
handful of delegates and activists at the major mobilization on
base. We also ensured that organized this scale in Canada,
labor supported the broader mobiliza- the Summit of the
tion which extended throughout a week Americas in Quebec
of actions (not including the People’s City (2001)—ensured
Summit the weekend before the G8/G20 that there would be a
meetings). This shaped the character greater likelihood of
of the Ottawa labor mobilization as one militant and confron-
in which labor’s grassroots was driving tational action, but
the mobilization work, ensuring that also respect for the
the organizational resources of labor framework and tone
were made available for community of all actions, includ-
organizing, while funding for busing ing the labor march
(our primary expense) was organized on itself. One of the
more of a horizontal basis (local by local, actions that many of
community group by community group). us supported was the
This was born of necessity as infighting “Get Off The Fence”
within the leadership of the Ontario Fed- action, which aimed
eration of Labour (OFL) had precipitated at confronting the
a financial crisis which led to promises perimeter and (ap-
of funding evaporating, as other central parently) it was also
labor bodies were having to pick up costs aimed at disrupting
associated with their main event on Sat- (or “humiliating”) the
urday, June 26 (the People First march security operation—
and rally). In spite of this, we were able much of the $1.3
to cover our busing costs and were even billion spent on over Photo: John Hollingsworth
able to raise a surplus to help with addi- 20,000 personnel and Thousands of demonstrators converge on the streets of Toronto to protest the G20.
tional transportation costs for arrestees special equipment,
back to Ottawa and legal defense. including surveillance confront the perimeter, including many point added further energy (and ranks)
Our experience in mobilizing in Ot- cameras throughout Canada’s largest union brothers and sisters moving to the snake march. Unknown to us at
tawa was that there was a significantly city and the re-emergence of the long- southward on Spadina, after the labor that point was that there were other
greater uptake in interest and willing- range acoustical device (LRAD) seen in march retreated to Queen’s Park. The similar groups of 1,000+ people with
ness to “get on the bus” from the more the 2009 Pittsburgh summit. tone became more serious, as mounted varying degrees of militancy, snaking
open, community-organizing side of I went down to Queen’s Park on riot police moved in and many of us their way elsewhere across Toronto.
things than through the institutional Saturday with a friend (wearing his rain became worried that we were going to be Eventually, many different groups
framework of the trade unions doing poncho from Seattle 1999!) as well as surrounded without a way to get out. The had been able to get much closer to the
outreach to their respective member- some folks from OCAP. We subsequently standoff was eventually broken when a perimeter than anyone had thought
ships, including for the Saturday labor learned that there were no pre-emptive section towards the back broke off and possible, and attempts to breach the
rally and march. arrests made of the OCAP folks, fortu- doubled-back on the earlier march route, perimeter were made among some of the
This general dynamic seemed to be nately. I was also able to meet up with catching security completely off-guard. more militant groups. Many people were
reflected in the composition of the crowd other union sisters and brothers in- When we managed to get out of the able to actually touch the fence, which
on Saturday, which was much larger volved in the mobilization from Ottawa, potential “kettle,” we found a trail of was quite the feat since the informa-
than many of us had anticipated. Sixty to as well as FWs Moore and Starr from targeted property destruction, includ- tion previously known to us was that
seventy percent of the crowd was out- the Ottawa-Outaouais IWW, but I found ing several trashed cop cars, along the the provincial government had passed
side the union blocs that the Canadian myself often wandering through the way east. The scene seemed very surreal, a secret order-in-council to amend the
Labour Congress (CLC) had specified in march on my own, running into many almost as though we were in the eye of Public Works Protection Act so that be-
their “standing orders” location. There people (including our District Labour the hurricane, watching cop cars get- ing within five meters of the fence was
were also many organizers from the Congress’s president) along the way. The ting trashed while buying hotdogs from grounds for arrest and detention. But
ranks of labor who pushed hard to cre- wide diversity of groups and unions in vendors up the street as a row of riot overall, the tone of the crowd I was with,
ate space for those who wanted to see Saturday’s march energized the crowd, police remained guarding a route south realizing we were vastly outnumbered by
more than the usual “march to nowhere” and from my point of view, the planned a few blocks up. Clearly, the instructions riot police and others effecting mass ar-
characteristic of mainstream union and marching blocs of the CLC had faded were to protect the perimeter at all costs, rests, was to shift tactics to sitting down
into more of a and the top-down operational chain of and de-escalation. We were also joined
mish-mash of command of the security apparatus was by many everyday people of Toronto who
various differ- unable to cope with other developments. were caught in the snare of this latest
ent groups of Eventually I managed to reconnect stage of an incompetent policing opera-
people. with some of the other people from tion aimed at “restoring order.” Some-
Up until Ottawa, and we attempted to rejoin the how, we managed to escape three lines
the march protest at Queen’s Park (the “designated of riot police and to leave the scene.
turned south free speech area”). We were impeded In the aftermath of everything,
on Spa- from doing so by phalanxes of riot about 1,090 people were arrested and
dina from cops who were busy attacking peaceful detained—the largest mass arrest in Ca-
its westward protestors (given their apparent inabil- nadian history. The vast majority—about
path down ity to get at those more confrontational 800—were released much later without
Queen Street, demonstrators who were actually break- any charges, but had to endure terrible
to head back ing the law). I expressed my confusion conditions and treatment at the hands
to Queen’s at why we weren’t able to access the of an angry and seemingly directionless
Park (and “designated free speech area” as had mass of police in a vast detention center
away from been promised, but I don’t think that the (a film studio in the east end of the city),
the direction riot police appreciated my sarcasm. We —many for well over 48 hours.
of the perim- skirted the area west of Queen’s Park At the time this story was written,
eter), there as we had a number of friends trapped about 16 organizers remain imprisoned
had been a within, all the while dodging rubber on a variety of conspiracy charges. Many
few attempts bullets, snatch squads, and the general people were woken up at gunpoint in the
on the part of mayhem of a police riot, before somehow middle of the night on Friday and carted
some groups managing to join the large group that off before anything had happened on
to break off had been pushed to the northern end of the streets of Toronto. People who came
from the main Queen’s Park. to jail solidarity events on Saturday and
march to con- At this point, the crowd, energized Sunday were brutalized and arrested.
front the secu- and angered by police attacks, had its Everyday people who were at the wrong
rity perimeter, own momentum. I noticed that there place at the wrong time (hundreds of
but these were many, many affinity groups, and them) were subjected to incredible police
attempts were a kind of organic collective intelligence abuse. All of this, as well as endless foot-
unsuccessful. of the crowd started manifesting itself. age of burning police cars and smashed
Nonethe- As we were being pushed out of Queen’s windows of corporate retail outlets in the
less, many Park, the crowd’s chants coalesced into televised media, has changed the tenor
thousands “Which Street? Bloor Street!” as we took of political protest in Canada probably
of people over a major road in the downtown core. irrevocably, and has significantly upped
Photo: John Hollingsworth remained to The support of non-protestors at this the ante for resistance.
Page 10 • Industrial Worker • August/September 2010

Reviews

“For The Win” Teaches Young Adults How To Organize


Doctorow, Cory. “For The Win.” New other. Moreover, their bosses are way would be easier today than
York: Tor Teen 2010. Hardcover, 480 worse at using the games than they are. it had been.
pages, $17.99. So, they can do stuff in the games that Take organizing work-
their bosses can’t find out about.” ers. Back then, you’d have
By Erik W. Davis A lot of that sounds awfully familiar to actually get into the
“The more she read, the more sense to Wobblies—the emphasis on getting factory or at least stand at
this group from out of history made for all workers in an industry into One Big its gates to talk to work-
the world of right now—everything that Union, the emphasis on the relative skill ers about signing a union
the IWW had done needed doing today, of the workers over their bosses, and the card and demanding better
and what’s more, it would be easier ridiculous value assigned to the com- conditions, higher wages
today than it had been.” - FTW modities most of us produce. “All that is and shorter hours. Now
Cory Doctorow is a significant figure solid melts into air” under the regime of you could reach those same
in popular culture. He is one of the capitalism, even those things were air to people online, from any-
original founders of BoingBoing.net, the begin with. Gold farming, a real if still where in the world. Once
most popular weblog in the world and a relatively small industry, was a natural they were members, they
best-selling science fiction author. His topic for Doctorow—a science fiction could talk to all the other
influence is extensive and he has the author deeply involved with virtual com- members, using the same
capacity to reach out to a large audi- munities and gaming. Doctorow saw the tools.
ence. Perhaps more importantly, he’s possibility of a compelling kids-against- She’d decided to call
a compelling prose writer who orients authorities story, in much the same vein her little group the Indus-
most of his work to young adult read- as his best-selling “Little Brother,” about trial Workers of the World
ers. He’s also a son of the working class teenagers resisting a surveillance state. Wide Web, the IWWWW,
and publicly owns that inheritance. This is a young adult novel. It will and that was another of
Finally, he has been a major advocate disappoint Wobblies and leftists who those jokes that pleased
and influential force in the copyfighting demand consistent, logically-coherent her an awful lot. And the
wars, where artists and consumers alike manifestos or programs for worker IWWWW had grown and
have banded together (in some cases) control of industry from a novel. It will grown and grown. Gold
to combat the predatory practices of the probably be thoroughly enjoyed by those farmers were easy pickings:
copyright lawyers and publishers. who are willing to find their programs working in terrible condi-
His new book is called “FTW,” or elsewhere, and are not over-worried tions all over the world, for
“For The Win,” the tagline of which is about long-term influence of specific terrible wages, hated by the
“Online or offline, you’ve got to organize organizing tactics in the book. Insofar as game-runners and the rich
Graphic: craphound.com
to survive.” I don’t often read young I can determine the intended impact on players alike. They already
adult novels, but that grabbed me. the reader, Doctorow wants to entertain understood about working in teams, oculation—no one should be in the busi-
What’s it about? Gold farming. first and inspire confidence and coopera- they’d already formed their own little ness of playing the tunes of the Pied Pip-
In a video of Doctorow discussing his tion among rebellious kids second. This guilds—and they were better at using the er Organizer to young adults just getting
book on June 10, 2010, located on the seems reasonable. Third, and the reason internet than their bosses would ever be. into the working world. New unionists
http://fora.tv website, he describes: I’m writing this review for the Industrial Now, a year later, the IWWWW had must be informed about the risks we run
“‘For The Win’ is a book about gold Worker, Doctorow explicitly cites the In- over 20,000 members signed up in six as members of the organizing working
farming. Gold farming is something that dustrial Workers of the World through- countries, paying dues and filling up class. More importantly, the story spoke
really happens in video games. It’s when out. Take for example this passage, in a fat strike fund that had finally been to those deep rivers of instinct within
people undertake repetitive tasks in which the character of Big Sister Nor called into use, in Shenzhen, the last me that scream “Fight back! Organize!”
order to pile up virtual wealth, whether has just founded a gold-farming union place Big Sister Nor had ever expected to Like most Wobblies, those rivers well to
that’s gold, or swords, or spaceships, or of children around the world, starting in see a walkout. the surface in a heartbeat, but it are sig-
laser guns...and those people then sell India: “FTW” is often inspiring, though the nificant for me that this book managed
those assets to other players who are “They called themselves the Web- grasp of actually-existing IWW practices to elicit those responses. Maybe they will
either too lazy or too time-strapped to do blies, which was an obscure little joke may fall a bit short of veracity (big fat do so for others, including fellow work-
this boring repetitive work themselves. that pleased Big Sister Nor an awful lot. strike fund?). Others may dislike the ers who are not yet Wobblies.
Mostly the people who do the work live Nearly a century ago, a group of workers tendency to speak of the IWW as a mere I won’t be reading this to my chil-
in poor countries and the people who had formed a union called the Industrial historical event and not a current orga- dren who are four and six years old
buy the stuff live in rich countries and Workers of the World, the first union nization. Similarly, Doctorow’s obses- because of the violence, largely. Like
it’s considered cheating by the people that said that all workers needed to stick sion with the empowering value of the most Wobbly children, they’d be able to
who run these games, but nevertheless up for each other, that every worker was internet seems to fail to grasp the fact point out the occasional tactical flaws
there are about 400,000 who make a welcome no matter the color of his skin, that in almost all industrial conflicts, vic- in the book, but I also think they’d be
living doing this right now in the world, no matter if the worker was a woman, tory is most commonly won on the basis thrilled by the story, which replicates
mostly in China, and also in Vietnam, no matter if the worker did “skilled” or of real or threatened physical force—are the struggle of the international working
Cambodia, a little bit in Central America, ‘unskilled’ work. They called themselves the bosses willing to use the full force at class at the level not only of narrative,
and Eastern Europe. the Wobblies.” their disposal? Are the workers? Who’s but also of age. Youth are often used in
“This [book] is about what happens Information about the Wobblies was more convincing and who blinks first? narrative to represent the oppressed and
when they form a union. The idea being just one of the many “out of bounds” This is something which can never hap- alienated, whether the target is capital-
that, unlike workers in today’s global- subjects that were blocked on the Sin- pen fully on the internet. ism or not. The identification of youth-
ized world, all the workers who are in gaporean Internet, and so of course Big On the other hand, Doctorow’s nar- ful rebellion as a natural phase without
their industry are in the same place—a Sister Nor had made it her business to rative arc never loses sight of the very a real cause is frankly reactionary; the
video game. So it doesn’t matter whether find out more about them. The more she real physical violence that his work- identification of youthful rebellion as
that worker is in Vietnam or Cambodia read, the more sense this group from out ers live in everyday, or risk when they a natural consequence of their real op-
or South China or rural China or India of history made for the world of right choose to organize. Characters die, are pression and alienation, and the clear
or Singapore or Malayasia; they’re all in now—everything that the IWW had done beaten, and risk their lives on a regular identification of capitalism as the cause,
the same place. They can all talk to each needed doing today, and what’s more, it basis. It’s a thrilling story, and good in- can be revolutionary.

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August/September 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 11

Reviews

Understanding The California Healthcare Workers’ Rebellion


Winslow, Cal. “Labor’s Civil War in Cali- tor said about nursing homes: “This is mer U.S. Labor Secretary Ray Marshall as their union.” Some contend that this
fornia: The NUHW Healthcare Work- a sector where caregivers are the eyes found no grounds in any of the charges is the largest decertification campaign
ers’ Rebellion.” Oakland, CA: PM Press and ears and witnesses when there is brought for trusteeship, but ruled that ever, and a week later, Fresno home care
2010. Paperback, 128 pages, $12.00. abuse. To tie their hands and to tie their “forced removal” of members must be workers joined in by the thousands. This
tongues is to let people die.” At that complied with or trusteeship could be was no easy feat, given that under the
By John MacLean time, UHW workers made up 80 percent imposed. The cruel thing in all this was National Labor Relations Act (NLRA),
“We can only prove that an alterna- of those under these perverse partner- that only 24,000 eligible voters—out the SEIU has a government-sanctioned
tive is possible by doing it, making it ships. of more than 300,000—cast ballots; legal monopoly over these workers, or,
happen.” - Staughton Lynd, from “Soli- In 2008, the San Francisco Chron- 80,000 signed petitions of protest and as Winslow puts it, the SEIU holds them
darity Unionism” icle broke the news that trusteeship 40,000 sent letters condemning the “hostage.” The gross hypocrisy of the
The California union, United was being proposed for the UHW. A whole affair. The SEIU got what it paid globe-trotting Stern, a supporter of the
Healthcare Workers-West (UHW), was bizarre series of set- for and the reaction Employee Free Choice Act who has on
“attacked and wrecked” by the national backs followed for the was swift from UHW many occasions stated that workers can
leadership of the Service Employees In- stripped-down version members. “opt out of unions,” is on display for all
ternational Union (SEIU). Cal Winslow, of union representation The next step for to see. The SEIU has become a poster
in his book “Labor’s Civil War in Cali- put forward by Stern the SEIU, according child for anti-unionist propaganda.
fornia: The NUHW Healthcare Workers’ and the SEIU; first, an to Winslow, “was In the chapter called “Fresno—
Rebellion,” sees two labor movement ill-advised attack on a to replace the 100 SEIU’s Vietnam,” Winslow shows that
souls engaged: “one soul corporatist, Labor Notes conference elected UHW execu- the leadership’s stated belief in free
authoritarian, top-down, and collabora- over a jurisdictional tive board members, association is a lie. The union leadership
tionist; the other rank-and-file, bottom- dispute with California purge the UHW’s spent as much as $10 million in Fresno,
up, class-conscious, and combative.” nurses, and then the 500-member staff, an extremely poor city, to turn back
Winslow asks two questions: “Which corruption scandals seize the local’s of- the decertification election. One long-
direction will the movement take?” and that brought down fices and assets, and term care provider said, “They ran their
“Which side are you on?” Stern cronies Tyrone inform the employ- campaign based on threats, bribes, lies...
The UHW was comprised of mem- Freeman (the would- ers that they could They showed us an appalling disregard.”
bers who spoke scores of languages and be beneficiary of tens no longer deal with Charges have been brought against the
had roots going back to the 1930s and of thousands of UHW UHW representa- SEIU in the aftermath of this betrayal.
the San Francisco General Strike. There members), former tives.” Early on in this slender volume, the
were many charges brought against the SEIU Local 721 Presi- While Stern’s IWW is mentioned, but the outlines of
local, but the real issue is to be found in dent Annelle Grajeda, nicely dressed solidarity unionism emerge only in part.
the SEIU San Juan convention of 2008. and Rickman Jackson, agents were break- Even though the author remains within
At this gathering, former SEIU President former chief of staff ing windows and the NLRA system, he will be branded by
Graphic: pmpress.org
Andy Stern sought to force 65,000 mem- to Tyrone Freeman. using bolt cutters some as anti-union, as Staughton Lynd
bers of the UHW—“furniture,” as one Freeman claimed that at the Oakland offices was before him. The members of the
labor commentator referred to them— his channeling of union funds toward of the union, the leader himself was far NUHW seem to realize that partnerships
into a California local controlled by family concerns was all “in the context away in Davos, Switzerland, at the World can’t be forged within unrelenting class
former United Long-term Care Workers of fighting poverty.” It is important to Economic Summit. One of the UHW warfare and that an anti-democratic
Local 6434 President Tyrone Freeman. recall the words of Charlene Harrington, members who witnessed and resisted SEIU is not capable of changing corpo-
The UHW committed the sin of resisting a University of California -San Francisco the seizure said, “I’m glad I was there. rate realities. Also, it should be obvious
SEIU notions of democratic centralism. sociologist and professor of nursing, who I’m glad I saw it with my own eyes—the that the rights and needs of patients can
In 2003, the SEIU put forward the characterized the UHW agreements as SEIU, the police, the lack of integrity, never be bargained away. “An injury to
idea of an “alliance” between nursing empowering caregivers “to stand up for us together. It made me want to fight one an injury to all.”
home workers and their bosses which their residents” and leading the way to more.” Winslow called the trustees “a Still, there remains the longstand-
would feature “employer neutrality.” improved care. collection of carpetbaggers drafted from ing radical criticism of the NLRA itself;
SEIU locals campaigned to secure more Winslow writes that the SEIU has bureaucratic baronies across the coun- many were against it in the 1930s and
public monies for nursing homes—$120 always been willing to use its resources try,” and went on to say that they could predicted it would create difficulties for
million overall—and in return received “to keep unhappy members held hos- seize property, but they could never seize labor, even though it is desirable for
only $20 million in contract improve- tage” and that, since Stern has led the the experience of the workers. unions to be “legal monopolies.” They
ments. While certain nursing homes, organization, close to 80 locals have had In early 2009, the UHW workers could now abuse dues check-off without
specified by the owners, were opened their elected leaders removed and assets and fired staff from Kaiser Permanente accountability. As a Fellow Worker re-
to SEIU organizers, 75 percent of the seized. On some occasions, the SEIU petitioned the National Labor Relations cently reminded me, many NUHW lead-
industry was left unorganized. These has even lost trusteeship battles—most Board to decertify the SEIU. Win- ers supported Stern-like deals with the
agreements also obliged the union to notably in Ontario, Rhode Island, and slow writes that in less than a month bosses, so it should raise questions when
work against patients’ rights by advo- the Bay Area of California. Finally, trust- “more than 100,000—the majority of “progressive” historians sanctify a new
cating for tort reform and to oppose eeship proceedings were begun against the members of SEIU’s once flagship legal monopolist. It is a good sign that
healthful staffing requirements. These the UHW in San Mateo and at the same local, UHW—had rejected the SEIU the new union’s constitution is demo-
dirty SEIU deals also traded away free time, a ballot was sent out about the and petitioned for recognition of [the cratic and that decisions will be made on
speech—so much so that one commenta- forced reorganization of the local. For- National Union of Healthcare Workers] the right coast for once.

Forthcoming Book By A Tacoma Wobbly


By Arthur Miller edited by Tacoma as official, though ourselves and to write about our direct
Black Cat Publishers has just fin- IWW Branch Sec- other pieces were workplace experiences. I believe strongly
ished publishing a book I wrote called retary Leah Coak- approved by the that this is a very important part in
“Yardbird Blues: 25 Years of a Wobbly ley. That book Tacoma IWW. worker self-organization. Too often
in the Maritime Industry.” The term deals with other For those of workers are talked down to as if we are
“Yardbird” is an old term that longshore industries. After you who like to just sheep to be led and that our only
workers and ship crews used for those that one there worry about such role is to be followers. I believe work-
that came onto the ships to repair them. may be a book things, none of ers do understand our class situation
The book is about real workplace on the modern this includes any and we understand industry and how
experiences and issues in the maritime IWW. That book of our internal to change it better than any would-be
industry such as workplace safety, would include my conflicts. leaders. We understand that real work-
general working conditions, environ- experiences in I base my ers’ self-organization, that we control, is
mentalism and how to begin to make the IWW for 40 writing on what the only means to reach worker self-
earth-safe ships, the bosses, the unions, years and IWW I was taught management. And to do that, we work-
different types of ships, the great danger related writings by some old ers must speak for ourselves. As for me,
to workers and the environment of Flag included: “Orga- time Wobblies, I am nothing more than a rebel Wobbly
Of Convenience (FOC) ships and more. nizing Solidarity,” in particular, shipyard worker.
This book discusses all of these issues “Dual Unionism, Fellow Worker Many Wobblies have helped me over
from the viewpoint of a Wobbly shipyard A New Union Gibert Mers, who the years with my writings by proofread-
worker. Vision,” “Interna- encouraged me to ing, editing and making useful com-
A number of parts of this book were tional Industrial write about what ments. I wish to acknowledge them and
articles that have been published in the Unionism,” “A I know best. His thank them for the help. And I wish to
IW, Bayou La Rose and other publica- Union For All book, “Working thank the IWW for being something that
tions. The introduction was written by Workers,” “Green the Waterfront,” I could believe in, and I will stay with the
FW Carlos Cortez before he passed away. Unionism,” “Or- was a good IWW until I pass from this world.
I wish to thank the people at Black ganizing Tips,” example of “Yardbird Blues: 25 Years of a
Graphic: chicagoreader.com
Cat Press for publishing this book and and more. Some of writing about Wobbly in the Maritime Industry” can
the hard work they put into making it these essays have been rewritten from direct workplace experiences. be ordered for $12.00 from: Black Cat
look so good. their original format. It will be made The real purpose of my writing is Press, 4508 118 Avenue, Edmonton, Al-
This is the first book in a series of clear in the introduction that this is just not to get my views as an individual berta, Canada, T5W 1A9. Email black-
books that I hope to get published. The the writings of one Wobbly, for only “A published, but rather to try to help catpress@shawbiz.ca or order the book
next one is in its final draft and was New Union Vision” was ever approved encourage working people to speak for online at http://www.blackcatpress.ca.
Page 12 • Industrial Worker • August/September 2010

A Self-Organized Restaurant In Greece


From libcom.org
Since June 7, the restaurant Bar-
thelonika in the center of Thessaloniki
has been run by its workers. It all began
when the owner of the restaurant an-
nounced to the workers that the restau-
rant would close for three months during
The IWW formed the International Solidarity Commission to help the union build the summer and that he would decide
the worker-to-worker solidarity that can lead to effective action against the bosses its fate in September. The workers claim
of the world. To contact the ISC, email solidarity@iww.org. the business is profitable and there is no
By Matt Antosh their exercise of basic rights necessary reason for the owner to suspend its op-
Greetings Fellow Workers! This for growth towards the idea of One Big eration. What follows is a translation of
summer has been an exciting time for Union; and a text issued by the workers themselves
the International Solidarity Commis- “WHEREAS the IWW has an inter- explaining their action and calling for
sion. We have had contact with workers national obligation to join with them solidarity:
from Cuba, Brazil, South Africa, and to remove these impediments to their Against The Closure of The
the Ukraine. Also this summer the U.S. growth; and Restaurant Barthelonika: Let’s Support
Social Forum was held in Detroit, dur- “WHEREAS the working class of The Self-Management Of the Restau-
ing which members of the Delegation Palestine has made direct requests to the rant By Its Workers
to Palestine gave a presentation on how IWW through each union with which the “Since Monday, June 7, we, the
workers at Barthelonika, have been Photo: libcom.org
to best develop solidarity with work- IWW delegation to Palestine met, to join The Restaurant Barthelonika.
ers in Palestine. And in South Africa, the international campaign of Boycott, running the restaurant ourselves, and
Cape Town Wobblies continue to help Divestment, and Sanctions (“BDS”) call for this reason we ask for the help and we will have our holiday as normal.
in the defense of farm workers and their for by every union federation in Pales- the support of all the workers of Thes- “As workers at the Barthelonika res-
union from attack. Finally, our work at tine against their occupier Israel as an saloniki. taurant, we are determined not to allow
developing a strong base of volunteers effective form of resisting its military “Two weeks [prior to June 7], the the restaurant where we work to close,
continues, as we welcome Fellow Work- occupation, war crimes, and apartheid owners of the restaurant announced that but also not to allow any restaurant to
ers from Germany, Seattle, and the Twin policies; and the establishment was not going well and close and no coworkers to be fired. For
Cities into the fold. “WHEREAS there can be no true that it would close down for the three this reason, we stand in solidarity with
and just peace as long as exploitation summer months—and further, that it the just struggle of our coworkers at the
Cape Town Wobblies Organize the continues and people are victimized by was uncertain whether it would reopen Banquet restaurant.
Defense systems of oppression such as capital- in September and if many of us would “The restaurant Barthelonika will be
The IWW group information center ism, colonialism, and apartheid; and keep our jobs and under what working under our control through our general
in Cape Town, South Africa has been “WHEREAS the continuing oc- conditions. They also announced that all assembly. Decisions concerning its run-
at the forefront of the defense of farm cupation, war, and apartheid will only the workers at the restaurant would be ning will be taken by majority vote and
workers and their union, the Commer- increase the prestige and power of the fired immediately, and that compensa- will be respected by all of us. Whatever
cial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied reactionary fundamentalist forces. tions for the firing would only start to be remains from profit after expenses will
Workers’ Union (CSAAWU). CSAAWU “BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the IWW paid out in October; that is, of course, if be distributed equally among all cowork-
is committed to fighting the medieval affirms its support of the BDS campaign they had any money to pay the compen- ers. All coworkers will work the same
conditions farm workers are working and calls for the implementation of ac- sations. hours, at the same positions we had
in, including harassment and threats of tions to actively support the campaign “As workers in the food industry, we before.
evictions. (Editor’s note: the full list of actions has know well that a firing in today’s climate “We have also decided to offer a 30
A video called “CSAAWU Fights for been omitted due to space limitations). of deep economic crisis and tough anti- percent reduction in meal prices to all
Farmworkers’ Rights” has been posted “FURTHERMORE, the IWW shall worker attacks would mean our being customers of the restaurant.
to the “Defend CSAAWU Campaign” not recognize Histadrut (“The General thrown out in the cold. For this reason “We call for all workers, the youth
Facebook page, and can be viewed at Federation of Laborers in the Land of we decided as workers not to bow our and the people of Thessaloniki to
http://youtu.be/Qp0w1gGqT38. The Israel”) as the legitimate representative heads, but instead to take matters in our actively support our effort to run the
ISC urges all members to lend whatever of Israeli workers unless and until it own hands. We demanded and got the restaurant in order to save our jobs and
support they can to the ongoing struggle recognizes its impediments to working management of the restaurant to pay not to be thrown into unemployment
for farm workers’ rights! class solidarity and (1) call for the dis- some expenses for the establishment and and misery.”
mantlement of the Apartheid Wall, (2) our insurance–and we now have taken This story appeared in its original
ISC at the U.S. Social Forum calls for the withdrawal of Israel from all on the management of the restaurant for format in the Greek newspaper The
A large number of IWW members at- lands occupied in 1967, (3) recognizes the months of June and July. In August Street (O Dromos).
tended the U.S. Social Forum in Detroit the right of return for Palestinians with
from June 22-26, and participated in
a number of different workshops. ISC
member Nathaniel Miller gave a presen-
reparations, (4) ceases its discrimina-
tory practices towards different work-
ers based upon Zionist distinctions, (5)
CNT: Make Spain’s General Strike Indefinite
From libcom.org little impact on narrowly-passed plans to
tation on the IWW delegation to Pales- implements direct election of all union
As it plans a general strike to slash 5 percent from public-sector pay,
tine, and there was discussion among delegates and officers at Histadrut Con-
coincide with Europe-wide action, the part of a €15 billion package of austerity
the various Wobblies at the Social ventions, and (6) calls for the abolition
anarcho-syndicalist Confederación Na- measures to be implemented in the next
Forum about the best form of solidar- of all laws that discriminate workers on
cional del Trabajo (CNT) union in Spain few years.
ity for our fellow workers in Palestine. the basis of religion or ethnicity.
is warning that one-day actions will not Other measures include the un-
While in Palestine, the IWW delegation “We call upon all workers in Pales-
be enough to deter deep public sector coupling of pension payments from
was asked to encourage the IWW to pass tine-Israel to recognize the supremacy of
cuts. inflation, an end to tax breaks for new
a resolution for Boycott, Divestment, their class interests over sectarian inter-
Spain’s fifth general strike has been parents, and cuts in public investment
and Sanctions (BDS) of Israel, which has ests of religion, ethnicity, or nationalism
set for Sept. 29 amidst massive public- and development aid of up to €6 billion.
been called for by all the major Palestin- thus making an injury to one, and make
sector cuts and attacks on job security The ruling PSOE is also taking the op-
ian unions. Wobblies debated the best an injury to all.”
passed by the ruling Partido Socialista portunity to “free up the labor market”
way to proceed with a BDS resolution
Obrero Español (PSOE). The CNT is call- by making it easier to hire and fire work-
within the union, and resolved to further Liaisons Everywhere!
ing for this strike to be made indefinite. ers, a measure which would be likely to
educate our Fellow Workers on BDS and As always, the ISC urges branches
Following a one-day public sector help drive a general strike outside the
how it would manifest itself in the IWW. and interested individuals to volunteer
strike on June 8, the union warned that public sector.
(see “Building Solidarity With The Pales- to be ISC liaisons in order to develop
“gesture strikes” will not be enough to The PSOE’s actions, taken as Spain
tinian Working Class Through Boycott, branch-level and worker-to-worker in-
force the government to change course. is threatened by international markets
Divestment and Sanctions,” page 6). ternational solidarity. When your branch
Larger Trades Union Congress-style over its debt ratio, are widely seen as a
elects a representative to work with the
unions called the public sector strike betrayal of the electoral promises which
Support Palestinian Workers ISC as an ISC liaison, you are not just
on June 8, which the Left claimed got put the party and José Luis Rodriguez
The following is a shortened version helping build an international and radi-
75 percent of public sector workers out Zapatero into power in 2004 on the back
of a motion in solidarity with Palestinian cal labor movement; you are strengthen-
(state sources said it was 16 percent) of widespread discontent with the Right.
workers, passed by the San Francisco ing the IWW itself!
and saw tens of thousands of people on Spanish anarchist groups have pointed
Bay Area IWW. It is for inclusion on Every month, ISC liaisons will get
the streets in protest. The public sector to the situation as emblematic of party
the agenda of the IWW 2010 Twin Cit- an update and an action to bring to the
accounts for around 2.5 million jobs in politicians’ inability to represent work-
ies Delegate Convention, and has been branch level. In May, the ISC asked
Spain. However, the measure has made ing people.
included in the Industrial Worker for liaisons to help promote the develop-
discussion at the General Convention. ment of the Defend CSAAWU Campaign.
“WHEREAS the IWW was founded
and remains true to the fundamental
In June, the ISC asked liaisons to spread
the word about the conditions of work- Register For The IWW General Convention!
principle that all workers of the world ers who make soccer balls in light of the By Twin Cities IWW need to be filled out directly with GHQ.
must unite against our common enemy, 2010 FIFA World Cup. We would like The Twin Cities IWW is preparing The registration fee this year is $20.
the employing class; and to invite every branch to select an ISC early to make this year’s convention, We will accommodate all members’
“WHEREAS workers of the world liaison to help spread the word about from Sept. 4-6, a success. We encourage financial issues, but do need anything
toil in different stages of their conscious- solidarity activities in other parts of the you to register ASAP so that we can have you can contribute as most of it will go
ness of this need; and world. We ask all Fellow Workers to an accurate idea of how many people we to buying food for the duration of the
“WHEREAS when these workers and please continue sharing your interna- need to house and feed that weekend. convention. Please call 612-378-8845
their organizations call for international tional contacts and expertise. If you are an elected delegate, please or email twincities@iww.org for a regis-
unity in their own struggles against The ISC can be reached at remember that delegate credential forms tration form.
oppressive forces arrayed to prevent solidarity@iww.org.

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