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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

D e c e m b e r 2 0 10 #173 1 Vol . 107 N o. 10 $1/ £1/ €1

Jimmy John’s Solidarity With Review: Zionism, Police Brutally


Workers Keep Up Locked-Out Country Judaism and Attack Workers in
The Fight 5 Club Workers 6-7 ‘Mythistory’ 8 Greece 12

Students, Workers Occupy The Millbank Tower In London


From afed.org.uk property destruction and occupation at
A report on the demonstration and Millbank Tower, home to the Conserva-
attack on the Tory headquarters by tive Party Headquarters. Direct action
students and education workers against was not limited to this either, with the
cuts. London School of Economics going into
One of the largest and most vibrant occupation shortly after the end of the
protests in London in recent history took protest, a sit-down protest in Parliament
place on Nov. 10. More than 50,000 edu- Square and some limited property destruc-
cation workers and students took to the tion at Liberal Democrat Headquarters.
capital not only to protest against the rise Students and education workers have not
in tuition fees but reforms in education only demonstrated their anger at the wave
in general and to protest for a fairer, free of attacks in store for a whole generation
higher education system. The Anarchist of young people, but their lack of faith in
Federation was among them, forming parliamentary democracy and the need
a “radical workers’ and students’ bloc” to take the struggle into their own hands.
which, along with London Solidarity Fed- The media and official union response
eration, argued that capitalism is the cause to this has hardly been surprising. Com-
of this crisis; that the Left and the union mentators were quick to denounce the
leaders cannot be trusted to fight our actions at Millbank tower as that of a
battles (a point that the National Union “militant minority,” “the Socialist Worker
of Students (NUS) president Aaron Porter Party” or “anarchists,” who, to quote
later so aptly demonstrated); and that we Harry Mount from the Telegraph “perhaps
need united, grassroots direct action as with a student card, from a third-rate
part of a sustained fight back. institution they never visit, that cloaks
Contrary to the corporate media their criminal violence with the fig leaf of Photo: Henry Langston, libcom.org
commentaries, a significant portion of principled protest.” NUS President Aaron More than 50,000 students and education workers occupy London’s Millbank
the march also involved itself in the Continued on 5 Tower on Nov. 10.

Port Shutdown Demands Justice For Oscar Grant By Judy Greenspan since its 1934 general strike, developed a
The stage and steps of Frank Ogawa strong relationship with the Black com-
Plaza in downtown Oakland, Calif., shook munity in West Oakland and other parts
and trembled with the strong unifying cry of the Bay Area.
of “We are all Oscar Grant!” as over 1,000
people—Black, Brown, Native, Asian and Power of the Working Class
white—came out to attend a rally that Richard Mead, president of ILWU
followed the dramatic shutdown of Bay Local 10, recalled that the shooting of two
Area ports by workers of the International workers sparked the 1934 general strike
Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). led by the dock and maritime workers
The ILWU drill team opened the Oct. in San Francisco. “Oscar Grant’s death
23rd program in full uniform, marching was also murder,” Mead said. “[A general
to the beat of “What time is it? Union strike]—that’s where we need to go now.”
time!” and “We are the union—the mighty, Thomas put Grant’s killing in a larger
mighty union!” perspective: “The war on the Black com-
Clarence Thomas, long-time ILWU munity, particularly on the youth of color,
Local 10 member and labor activist who always intensifies during times of econom-
co-chaired the rally with Jack Heyman, ic crisis. Oscar Grant could have been any
another ILWU dockworker, proudly an- one of our sons, nephews or grandsons.”
nounced, “All of the Bay Area ports are “We stopped international commerce
shut down today in honor of the fight for today. We shut down all of the ports. That’s
Community activists demand justice for Oscar Grant on Oct. 23. Photo: Judy Greenspan justice for Oscar Grant.” the power of the working class,” Thomas
This rally came just two weeks before announced.
the sentencing of Johannes Mehserle, Cristina Gutierrez, a Latina activist
Industrial Worker Periodicals Postage the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) cop representing Barrio Unido, a San Fran-
PO Box 180195 PAID who shot and killed 22-year-old Grant, cisco-based organization for general and
Chicago, IL 60618, USA Chicago, IL an unarmed Black man, as he was tightly unconditional amnesty for immigrants,
and additional restrained face down on a BART platform delivered a moving statement on the
mailing offices on Jan. 1, 2009. The labor and community strength of the unity of all people against
ISSN 0019-8870
protest was held to send a message to the oppression. “Yo soy Oscar Grant, I am
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
court demanding the harshest possible Oscar Grant, I am Mumia, I am Lynne
sentence for Mehserle. Stewart, I am Black, I am Brown, I am Chi-
Mehserle was charged with second- nese, I am a worker,” Gutierrez exclaimed.
degree murder, but he was convicted of “I am the one who came to this coun-
only involuntary manslaughter. Grant’s try to seek work. Unless we work hand in
mother, Wanda Johnson, said immediate- hand with our Black brothers and sisters,
ly after the verdict, “My son was murdered. we cannot win,” said Gutierrez.
He was murdered and the law has not held BART workers from the Amalgam-
the officer accountable” (San Francisco ated Transit Union Local 1555, led by past
Chronicle, July 9, 2010). president Harold Brown, stood together on
Many speakers noted the incredible stage and delivered a moving statement in
role played by the ILWU in supporting support of justice for Oscar Grant. Brown,
the rally. The union has a long history of a train operator on the BART line which
supporting anti-racist and progressive passes through the Fruitvale station, the
causes with work stoppages. The dock site of Grant’s killing, noted, “There’s not a
and warehouse workers union has also, Continued on 5
Page 2 • Industrial Worker • December 2010

nerves,” it was quite amusing to see that he former player Dave Meggysey said, “play-
Literature Review Is Invaluable misspelled our names multiple times. (For ers are being compensated for giving up
Fellow Workers, future reference when you write your next their middle age.”
It was with considerable sadness that I screed, it is “Parthun” and “McKeegan” not (6) The industry they work for makes
read on pages 12-13 in the November 2010 “Pathun” and “McGeehan”). billions. As a worker, they would be insane
Industrial Worker that FW Jon Bekken’s X365465 continuously admits that he not to demand as much of the revenue
“Annual Survey of Historical Writing on has limited knowledge of the subject, but as possible. Only for some reason, FW
the IWW” is to be the last of the series. that does not stop him from gloriously X365465 sees fit to demean and punish
Jon has performed an invaluable service
Letters Welcome! for people interested in this literature by
pontificating. While he beats the dead them for their bargaining successes.
Send your letters to: iw@iww.org horse of high pay for certain players, Just because FW X365465
compiling this information year by year. It his ignorance of the subject fails to has a “great deal of difficulty
with “Letter” in the subject.
is unlikely that any of our members will be mention: thinking of anybody in that sal-
Mailing address: able to continue this effort in the future. (1) The average career of an ary range as ‘workers’” does not
IW, P.O. Box 7430, JAF Station, New For this, as for many other services to the NFL player is three years. discount the idea. He skillfully
York, NY 10116, United States IWW, we are indebted to Jon Bekken. (2) A player must play 3.5 years and deftly avoided our discus-
Steve Kellerman, X325068 to get the minimum health care benefit sion about most players risking their lives
Get the Word Out! which is only five years. on every snap as well as the concurrent
IWW members, branches, job shops and Football Players ARE Workers! (3) Players will likely have health point that most players are not those that
other affiliated bodies can get the word By Neil Parthun and maladies requiring necessary care for receive national media attention. .
out about their project, event, campaign Dann McKeegan longer than those five years which means Furthermore, it should be noted that
or protest each month in the Industrial Editor’s Note: This will be the last in a the next 50+ years (if they live to expected there is not only one professional foot-
Worker. Send announcements to iw@ series of debate regarding this issue. life span for adult male) must be paid out ball league. The United Football League,
iww.org. Much appreciated donations The combination of arrogance and of their own earnings. Canadian Football League, American
for the following sizes should be sent to: ignorance shown in FW X365465’s let- (4) Nearly 50 percent of what they Professional Football League, Atlantic/
ter, “NFL Players Are Not Workers: The make is gone when factoring in income American Indoor Football League, Con-
IWW GHQ, Post Office Box 180195, Debate Continues,” which appeared in the taxes, their agent’s cut and their associa- tinental Indoor Football League, Indoor
Chicago, IL 60618, United States. August/September IW, was awe-inspiring. tion dues. Long term income is far from Football League, Southern Indoor Foot-
From apparently knowing my co-au- guaranteed. ball League and the slated All American
$12 for 1” tall, 1 column wide thor and myself so well that our arguments (5) Many NFL players die earlier than Football League and the Ultimate Indoor
$40 for 4” by 2 columns were not based on our love of radical poli- the expected life span due to the punish- Football League all beg to differ.
$90 for a quarter page tics and sports but rather a “tender set of ment taken in their chosen profession. As Continued on 4

Industrial Worker
The Voice of Revolutionary
IWW directory
Industrial Unionism Australia Ottawa Panhandlers Union: Andrew Nellis, Georgia New York City GMB: P.O. Box 7430, JAF Station,
Regional Organising Committee: P.O. Box 1866, spokesperson, 613-748-0460. ottawapanhandler- Atlanta: M. Bell, del.,404-693-4728, iwwbell@ 10116, iww-nyc@iww.org. www.wobblycity.org
Albany, WA sunion@sympatico.ca gmail.com Starbucks Campaign: 44-61 11th St. Fl. 3, Long
Organization Albany: 0423473807, entropy4@gmail.com Peterborough: c/o PCAP, 393 Water St. #17, K9H Hawaii Island City 11101 starbucksunion@yahoo.com
Education Melbourne: P.O. Box 145, Moreland, VIC 3058. 3L7, 705-749-9694 Honolulu: Tony Donnes, del., donnes@hawaii.edu www.starbucksunion.org
0448 712 420 Toronto GMB: c/o Libra Knowledge & Information Upstate NY GMB: P.O. Box 235, Albany 12201-
Emancipation Svcs Co-op, P.O. Box 353 Stn. A, M5W 1C2. 416- Idaho
Perth: Mike Ballard, swillsqueal@yahoo.com.au Boise: Ritchie Eppink, del., P.O. Box 453, 83701. 0235, 518-833-6853 or 518-861-5627. www.
919-7392. iwwtoronto@gmail.com upstate-nyiww.org, secretary@upstate-ny-iww.
British Isles Québec 208-371-9752, eppink@gmail.com
Official newspaper of the org, Rochelle Semel, del., P.O. Box 172, Fly Creek
British Isles Regional Organising Committee (BI- Montreal GMB: cp 60124, Montréal, QC, H2J 4E1. Illinois 13337, 607-293-6489, rochelle71@peoplepc.com.
Industrial Workers ROC): PO Box 7593 Glasgow, G42 2EX. Secretariat: 514-268-3394. iww_quebec@riseup.net. Chicago GMB: 2117 W. Irving Park Rd., 60618. Hudson Valley GMB: P.O. Box 48, Huguenot 12746,
rocsec@iww.org.uk, Organising Department Chair: 773-857-1090. Gregory Ehrendreich, del., 312- 845-342-3405, hviww@aol.com, http://hviww.
of the World south@iww.org.uk. www.iww.org.uk Europe 479-8825, labrat@iww.org
IWW UK Web Site administrators and Tech Depart- blogspot.com/
Post Office Box 180195 Finland Central Ill GMB: 903 S. Elm, Champaign, IL, 61820.
ment Coordinators: admin@iww.org.uk, www. 217-356-8247. David Johnson, del., unionyes@ Ohio
Chicago, IL 60618 USA tech.iww.org.uk Helsinki: Reko Ravela, Otto Brandtintie 11 B 25, ameritech.net Ohio Valley GMB: P.O. Box 42233, Cincinnati
00650. iwwsuomi@helsinkinet.fi 45242.
773.857.1090 • ghq@iww.org NBS Job Branch National Blood Service: iww.nbs@ Freight Truckers Hotline: mtw530@iww.org
gmail.com German Language Area Waukegan: P.O Box 274, 60079. Textile & Clothing Workers IU 410: P.O. Box 317741
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co.uk Committee (GLAMROC): Post Fach 19 02 03, 60089 Indiana Oklahoma
Building Construction Workers IU 330: construc- Frankfurt/M, Germany iww-germany@gmx.net. Lafayette GMB: P.O. Box 3793, West Lafayette,
www.wobblies.de Tulsa: P.O. Box 213 Medicine Park 73557, 580-529-
General Secretary-Treasurer: tionbranch@iww.org.uk 47906, 765-242-1722 3360.
Joe Tessone Health Workers IU 610: healthworkers@iww.org. Austria: iwwaustria@gmail.com. www.iw- Iowa
uk, www.iww-healthworkers.org.uk waustria.wordpress.com Oregon
Eastern Iowa GMB: 114 1/2 E. College Street, Iowa
General Executive Board: Education Workers IU 620: education@iww.org.uk, Frankfurt am Main: iww-frankfurt@gmx.net City, 52240. easterniowa@iww.org Lane County: Ed Gunderson, del., 541-953-3741.
www.geocities.com/iwweducation Goettingen: iww-goettingen@gmx.net gunderson@centurytel.net, www.eugeneiww.org
Monika Vykoukal, Koala Largess, Maine Portland GMB: 2249 E Burnside St., 97214,
Recreational Workers (Musicians) IU 630: peltonc@ Koeln GMB: IWW, c/o BCC, Pfaelzer Str. 2-4, 50677
Ryan G., Ildiko Silpos, E. Wolfson, gmail.com, longadan@gmail.com Koeln, Germany. cschilha@aol.com Barry Rodrigue, 75 Russell Street, Bath, 04530. 503-231-5488. portland.iww@gmail.com, pdx.
Munich: iww.muenchen@gmx.de 207-442-7779 iww.org
Slava Osowska, Bob Ratynski General, Legal, Public Interest & Financial Office
Workers IU 650: rocsec@iww.org.uk Luxembourg: 0352 691 31 99 71, ashbrmi@pt.lu Maryland Portland Red and Black Cafe: 400 SE 12th Ave,
Bradford: bradford@iww.org.uk Baltimore IWW: P.O. Box 33350, 21218. balti- 97214. 503-231-3899. redandblackbooking@
Editor & Graphic Designer : Switzerland: IWW-Zurich@gmx.ch moreiww@gmail.com riseup.net. www. redandblackcafe.com.
Diane Krauthamer Bristol GMB: P.O. Box 4, 82 Colston street, BS1 Netherlands: iww.ned@gmail.com Massachusetts
5BB. Tel. 07506592180. bristol@iww.org.uk, Pennsylvania
iw@iww.org bristoliww@riseup.net South Africa Boston Area GMB: PO Box 391724, Cambridge Lancaster GMB: P.O. Box 796, 17608.
Cambridge GMB: IWWCambridge, 12 Mill Road, Cape Town: 7a Rosebridge, Linray Road, Rosebank, 02139. 617-469-5162 Philadelphia GMB: PO Box 42777, 19101. 215-
Final Edit Committee : Cambridge CB1 2AD cambridge@iww.org.uk Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa 7700. Cape Cod/SE Massachusetts: thematch@riseup.net 222-1905. phillyiww@iww.org. Union Hall: 4530
Dorset: dorset@iww.org.uk iww-ct@live.co.za Western Mass. Public Service IU 650 Branch: IWW, Baltimore Ave., 19143.
Maria Rodriguez Gil, Tom Levy,
Hull: hull@iww.org.uk United States P.O. Box 1581, Northampton 01061 Paper Crane Press IU 450 Job Shop: 610-358-
Nick Jusino, Slava Osowska, 9496. papercranepress@verizon.net, www.
Leeds: leedsiww@hotmail.co.uk, leeds@iww. Arizona Michigan
FW D. Keenan, J.R. Boyd, org.uk Phoenix GMB: P.O. Box 7126, 85011-7126. 623- Detroit GMB: 22514 Brittany Avenue, E. Detroit papercranepress.com
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Michael Capobianco LE1 1TQ, England. Tel. 07981 433 637, leics@iww. Flagstaff: Courtney Hinman, del., 928-600-7556, Redmond Ave., East Detroit 48021 15146. pittsburghiww@yahoo.com
org.uk www.leicestershire-iww.org.uk chuy@iww.org Grand Rapids GMB: PO Box 6629, 49516. 616-881- Rhode Island
London GMB: c/o Freedom Bookshop, Angel Alley, Arkansas 5263. Shannon Williams, del., 616-881-5263 Providence GMB: P.O. Box 5795, 02903. 508-367-
Printer:
84b Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX. +44 (0) 20 Fayetteville: P.O. Box 283, 72702. 479-200-1859. Central Michigan: 5007 W. Columbia Rd., Mason 6434. providenceiww@gmail.com.
Globe Direct/Boston Globe Media 3393 1295, londoniww@gmail.com www.iww. nwar_iww@hotmail.com 48854. 517-676-9446, happyhippie66@hotmail.
org/en/branches/UK/London com Texas
Millbury, MA DC
Nottingham: notts@iww.org.uk Minnesota Dallas & Fort Worth: 1618 6th Ave, Fort Worth,
DC GMB (Washington): 741 Morton St NW, Wash- 76104.
Next deadline is Reading GMB: reading@iww.org.uk ington DC, 20010. 571-276-1935 Duluth IWW: Brad Barrows, del., 1 N. 28th Ave E.,
Sheffield: sheffield@iww.org.uk 55812. scratchbrad@riseup.net. South Texas IWW: rgviww@gmail.com
December 3, 2010. California Utah
Tyne and Wear GMB (Newcastle +): tyneand- Los Angeles GMB: P.O. Box 811064, 90081. Red River IWW: POB 103, Moorhead, 56561. 218-
wear@iww.org.uk www.iww.org/en/branches/ (310)205-2667. la_gmb@iww.org 287-0053. iww@gomoorhead.com Salt Lake City: Tony Roehrig, del., 801-485-1969.
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IW, P.O. Box 7430, JAF Sta- West Midlands GMB: The Warehouse, 54-57 Allison 0844. 707-725-8090, angstink@gmail.com neapolis 55413. twincities@iww.org. Vermont
tion, New York, NY 10116 Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5TH westmids@ San Francisco Bay Area GMB: (Curbside and Buy- Missouri Burlington GMB: P.O. Box 8005, 05402. 802-540-
iww.org.uk www.wmiww.org back IU 670 Recycling Shops; Stonemountain Kansas City GMB: c/o 5506 Holmes St., 64110. 2541
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paid Chicago, IL. G42 2EX. clydeside@iww.org.uk, www.iw- Berkeley, 94712. 510-845-0540. bayarea@iww.org
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del., intextile@iww.org Construction Workers IU 330: Dennis Georg, del.,
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uk , iwwdumfries.wordpress.com IU 540 Couriers Organizing Committee: 415- Olympia GMB: P.O. Box 2775, 98507. Sam Green,
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Published monthly with the excep- iww.ca, vancouver.iww.ca, vancouverwob. 4corners@iww.org
blogspot.com Brunswick, 08906. 732-801-7001. iwwcnj@gmail. Madison Infoshop Job Shop:1019 Williamson St.
tion of March and September. Florida com. Bob Ratynski, del., 908-285-5426 #B, 53703. 608-262-9036
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Articles not so designated do gainesvilleiww@riseup.net Albuquerque GMB: 202 Harvard Dr. SE, 87106.
not reflect the IWW’s del., garthhardy@gmail.com 505-227-0206, abq@iww.org. GDC Local 4: P.O. Box 811, 53701. 608-262-9036.
Ontario Pensacola GMB: P.O. Box 2662, Pensacola 32513-
official position. 2662. 840-437-1323, iwwpensacola@yahoo.com, New York Railroad Workers IU 520: 608-358-5771. railfal-
Ottawa-Outaouais GMB & GDC Local 6: P.O. Box www.angelfire.com/fl5/iww con@yahoo.com
52003, 390 Rideau Street, Ottawa, K1N 5Y8 Binghamton GMB: P.O. Box 685, 13905. Bingham-
Press Date: November 18, 2010. French: ott_out_fr@yahoo.ca. Fred Maack, del., Hobe Sound: P. Shultz, 8274 SE Pine Circle, 33455- ton Education Workers Union: binghamtoniww@ Milwaukee GMB: P.O. Box 070632, 53207. 414-
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December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 3

Cuban Group Knocking Down Walls


By Dalia Acosta from more universal issues to the specific
The wall had to be torn down anyway. problems of Cubans,” affirmed Ramon
Scrawled on its white surface had been Garcia Guerra, one of the founders of the
the words “opportunism,” “mediocrity,” Haydee Santamaria Collective.
“bureaucracy” and similar words that were Citing another of the promoters, Gar-
gradually fading under the force of sledge cia noted that “the observatory was becom-
hammers and the beat of music. ing a setting that created other settings.”
This symbolic action, which took place “Youth are not lost, nor do they want
in Havana in November 2009 to com- to be lost. Youth are looking for their path
memorate the 20th anniversary of the in a context marked by a crisis of societal
fall of the Berlin Wall, was given direction models at the global level and by a crisis
by the youths of the Critical Observatory of references that should give security to
Leadership Network (La Red Protagónica the next generation,” said Carlos Simon,
Observatorio Crítico). a professor at the Superior Institute of Art
That spirit was also present in a fo- and another founder of the initiative.
rum held this past March in the Havana “We have to ask ourselves what we
town of San Jose de Las Lajas. The group want for Cuba. There are traditions of the
analyzed Cuba’s past and present, but not past that are not worth rescuing. I would
from the usual position of complacency never attempt it,” Simon added during a
or triumphalism; instead, they examined debate that emerged concerning two works
the island’s wide range of contradictions. about the loss of cultural traditions in
A few years ago, the Haydee Santama- an old batey (various facilities in a sugar
ria Critical Thought and Emerging Cul- refinery) and in the eastern province of Photo: havanatimes.org
tures Collective organized a forum titled Santiago de Cuba. Network activists participate in the annual May 1st International Workers Day march
“The Other Legacies of October.” In it they The issues of the rescue of traditions, in Havana. The banner reads: “Socialism is Democracy – Dump the Bureaucracy!”
analyzed “the experiences of socialism in memory and history arose on the first the University of Havana and one of the of initiatives and people who work in the
the 20th century, including Stalinism and day of the Fourth Socio-cultural Forum coordinators of Pensamos Cuba, the co- community in a self-managed manner,
the degeneration of the left,” explained of the Critical Observatory of Cuba (held incidence in the timing of the two forums generally as volunteers. Among the other
researcher Dmitri Prieto. on March 13 and 14 in San Jose de Las was not accidental. To her it was evidence initiatives are El Guardabosque, Social-
Since 2005, the Haydee Santamaria Lajas, 25 miles from the capital) with the that “we’re connected with reality, and ismo Participativo y Democrático, El Tren-
Collective has been included as a socio- participation of intellectuals from seven of that’s why we’re having similar events with cito, Ahimsa (meaning “no to violence”
cultural project of the Criticism and Re- the 14 provinces of the country. similar audiences,” she said. in Sanskrit) and El Grupo de Estudios
search Section of the Asociacion Herma- In a relaxed and participative atmo- With the premise that reality has to be Culturales Nuestra América.
nos Saiz (AHS), a national group of young sphere, a wide variety of “urgencies” were observed, thought about, criticized, and The participating initiatives offer
creators. In turn, the Collective created the tackled, such as university autonomy, the also constructed, the Critical Observatory free services for digital publications, free
Critical Observatory in 2006 as an annual expansion of very limited opportunities Leadership Network concluded 2009 as a software, tree planting and reforestation,
mechanism to allow for the confluence of for the creation of cooperatives, racism, year of active presence at the community animal vaccinations, ecological monitor-
research efforts and alternative proposals. ways of life respectful of nature, the center- level, but also in different cultural forums ing and children’s recreation. The Haydee
Since then, various socio-cultural periphery contradiction, diasporas and and in debates that continue to be carried Santamaria Collective has a mini book
self-management representatives and ini- immigration. out concerning Cuba today. library and a public media library in its
tiatives have built up the network, which The Observatory’s forum coincided “Down with the bureaucracy, up with central office in Havana.
has facilitated the exchange, coordination with another one sponsored by AHS in the workers, more socialism,” could be At the culmination of the first theo-
and the promotion of joint actions of social the heart of Havana. Titled the “Pensamos read on a banner carried by Network mem- retical Digital Media and Culture Forum,
impact that break with those of the “domi- Cuba (Thinking Cuba) theoretical-cultural bers in the May 1st International Workers’ organized by the cultural initiative Esquife
nant dynamics” existing in every society. forum,” it included round tables on partici- Day march. Members of the group also in December, a letter was drafted and pre-
“We learned how to dialogue in a coun- pation and work, the art of criticism, the participated in a march against violence, sented to the Ministry of Culture rejecting
try where there’s no culture of dialogue. vision of the country in audiovisual work and on Nov. 27, 2009, they were among certain “obstructions and prohibitions
We were sharing and creating a common of the young generation and the writer in those who paid homage to the five black against social and cultural initiatives”
collection of readings, experiences and the face of social reality. heroes forgotten by history. that occurred in 2009 (the letter can be
polemics. Gradually, the focus turned For Hiram Hernandez, a professor at The network is comprised of a group found here: http://www.ainfos.ca/en/
IWW Constitution Preamble Join the IWW Today ainfos23464.html).
The message, which was signed by

T
The working class and the employing he IWW is a union for all workers, a union dedicated to organizing on the several initiatives and 77 people, called
class have nothing in common. There can job, in our industries and in our communities both to win better conditions attention to the “increase in bureaucratic-
be no peace so long as hunger and want today and to build a world without bosses, a world in which production and authoritarian control” and the need to
are found among millions of working distribution are organized by workers ourselves to meet the needs of the entire popu- counteract that trend through “promoting
people and the few, who make up the em- lation, not merely a handful of exploiters. dialogue” and “respecting the autonomy”
ploying class, have all the good things of
We are the Industrial Workers of the World because we organize industrially ­– of initiatives and people that emerge in
life. Between these two classes a struggle
that is to say, we organize all workers on the job into one union, rather than dividing current Cuban society.
must go on until the workers of the world
organize as a class, take possession of the
workers by trade, so that we can pool our strength to fight the bosses together. “It is not so much about demanding,
means of production, abolish the wage Since the IWW was founded in 1905, we have recognized the need to build a truly it’s about us doing things for ourselves,
system, and live in harmony with the international union movement in order to confront the global power of the bosses contributing to Cuba. Although it’s legiti-
earth. and in order to strengthen workers’ ability to stand in solidarity with our fellow mate, we don’t believe in the usefulness of
We find that the centering of the man- workers no matter what part of the globe they happen to live on. a position that solely accuses and criticizes.
agement of industries into fewer and fewer We are a union open to all workers, whether or not the IWW happens to have In addition to pointing out the problems,
hands makes the trade unions unable to representation rights in your workplace. We organize the worker, not the job, recog- it’s necessary to project toward future
cope with the ever-growing power of the nizing that unionism is not about government certification or employer recognition realities that have an emancipatory char-
employing class. The trade unions foster but about workers coming together to address our common concerns. Sometimes acter,” summed up Dmitri Prieto.
a state of affairs which allows one set of this means striking or signing a contract. Sometimes it means refusing to work with Assistance is needed with translation
workers to be pitted against another set an unsafe machine or following the bosses’ orders so literally that nothing gets done. and other forms of solidarity. For more in-
of workers in the same industry, thereby Sometimes it means agitating around particular issues or grievances in a specific formation, contact libsolidaridadcubano@
helping defeat one another in wage wars. workplace, or across an industry. gmail.com. For further background, you
Moreover, the trade unions aid the employ- Because the IWW is a democratic, member-run union, decisions about what issues may also visit http://elblogdelacatedra.
ing class to mislead the workers into the to address and what tactics to pursue are made by the workers directly involved. blogspot.com and http://observatorio-
belief that the working class have interests
critico.blogspot.com.
in common with their employers. TO JOIN: Mail this form with a check or money order for initiation This story appeared in its original
These conditions can be changed and and your first month’s dues to: IWW, Post Office Box 180195, Chicago, IL
the interest of the working class upheld
format in March 2010 on http://www.
60618, USA. havanatimes.org.
only by an organization formed in such
Initiation is the same as one month’s dues. Our dues are calculated
a way that all its members in any one in-
according to your income. If your monthly income is under $2000, dues
Subscribe to the
dustry, or all industries if necessary, cease
are $9 a month. If your monthly income is between $2000 and $3500,
work whenever a strike or lockout is on in
dues are $18 a month. If your monthly income is over $3500 a month, dues
any department thereof, thus making an
injury to one an injury to all. are $27 a month. Dues may vary outside of North America and in Regional
Organizing Committees (Australia, British Isles, German Language Area).
Industrial Worker
Instead of the conservative motto, “A
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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
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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:___________________
capitalists, but also to carry on production Occupation:_ ____________________________ Zip/PC________________________
when capitalism shall have been over- Send to: PO Box 180195,
thrown. By organizing industrially we are Phone:_____________ Email:________________
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Page 4 • Industrial Worker • December 2010

The Pamphlet As Passport


By Michael Edwards Whether or not they acknowledged the
Spain in June was hot. Not in the tem- legitimacy of our makeshift passport, they
perature sense, but in the “labor struggle is acknowledged our power. Legitimate or
heating up” sense. The rhetoric in Europe not, we controlled access to the campus.
isn’t about “recovery” the way it is here Not only that, we had a lasting effect with
in North America: everything is “crisis,” the “pamphlet as passport.” If these people
“austerity,” and “we must all sacrifice.” planned on leaving campus and returning,
“We,” of course, means “workers.” The first they had to carry that pamphlet with them
target was the militant public sector work- the entire day. All of a sudden a disposable
ers. This sector includes staff in hospitals, piece of propaganda had acquired the
schools, and government offices. My first status of one of those critical things you
question upon arriving in Barcelona to my carry around with you every day, like your
host was, “What’s going on, and how do driver’s license.
I help?” His response was, “Come to our Realizing the power we had and seeing
action.” how we could use
The action was it shocked me. We
an information speak a lot about
picket at a univer- class consciousness,
sity outside of Bar- but we rarely talk
celona. We had a about power. Rais-
two-sided pamphlet ing class conscious-
in wordy and less- ness needs to have
wordy form. There a component that
were multiple ac- acknowledges the
cess points to the fact that we are us-
campus, but it was possible to occupy ing and wielding power. We don’t really
them all with about three groups. I was have the ability to be surgical with that
initially confused about the objectives, power. Mostly it takes the form of “we can
and clearly others were as well. Before do a lot of economic damage if we don’t
arriving I thought we were doing a full get what we want.” This is the core of the
blockade. Then I later thought we were strike action. Recognizing this truth is
just handing out pamphlets; later still I critical. The “what we want” part can be
was informed that our objective was to fair and equitable, but it is utterly irrel-
ruin traffic around the university. We evant without a foundation of “we can do
were to functionally block the university a lot of economic damage.”
without announcing it. That didn’t require Class consciousness is not just “my
actually stopping every driver. This was an buddy and I at work have the same griev-
important distinction. ances.” It is the acknowledgement of our
During the initial phase, when we collective power and our willingness to
were just handing out pamphlets, the use it for our benefit. Exercising that
drivers began treating the pamphlets power, even in small ways like pamphlet-
as their passport to the campus. After a as-passport, demonstrate the kind of class
while we started getting cars that already consciousness that is the bread-and-butter
had a pamphlet. It was almost cute the underpinning day-to-day class struggle.
way the drivers would desperately wave Without this experience and understand-
it in order to get past us. What I realized ing of collective power we risk crippling
was that this was an assent to our power. our own class consciousness.

Football Players ARE Workers!


Continued from 2 Arizona, it is upon their footsteps that
There are myriad options if one is cut much of the current sports/politics work
from a National Football League (NFL) has been built. While the Major League
franchise. They may not pay at such a rate Baseball Players Association has made a
as the NFL but there are other options public statement against SB 1070 since
available. the 2011 All Star Game may take place in
And last, but certainly not least, is the Arizona, they acknowledged that it was the
mention of the lack of solidarity. While the NFLPA’s and the NFL’s precedence that
NFL Players Associa- allowed them to make
tion (NFLPA) has not such a political state-
had the best record on ment. In 1990, the
solidarity issues, the NFLPA and the NFL
same can be said of ev- worked together to re-
ery major trade union. move the 1993 Super
This fact, however, Bowl from Phoenix as
does not invalidate the a punishment when
entirety of the organi- Arizona refused to ac-
zations, no matter how much FW X365465 knowledge Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth-
wishes and wills it to be so. Under the cur- day as a federal holiday. So, the NFLPA
rent leadership of DeMaurice Smith, the does have a history of working for causes
NFLPA has been fairly proactive in getting of racial justice in Arizona.
involved with the struggles of other labor- In conclusion, sports and politics are
ers. According to UNITE HERE’s website: intertwined. Nobody speaks about the
“Indianapolis Colts star Jeff Saturday gains of the civil rights movement in the
and DeMaurice Smith, Executive Direc- United States and does not mention Jackie
tor of the NFLPA, have sent letters to the Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
CEOs of three major hotel companies— A person cannot speak about the anti-war
Hyatt, Starwood and Host—expressing and black liberation struggles of the 1960s
concern over the treatment of workers without discussing ‘The Greatest’—Mu- Graphic: Mike Konopacki
in non-union hotels in downtown India- hammad Ali.” People cannot talk about the
napolis.” success of the women’s rights movement Call For Submissions!
The letters affirm the NFLPA’s support
for hotel workers organizing in Indianapo-
lis, who are among the lowest paid hotel
without pointing to the successes that
have come for women via Title IX sports
programs and the prowess of Billie Jean
Feminist Men In Solidarity With Women
workers in North America. The letters King (not only in her “Battle of the Sexes” By J.R. Boyd for feminism as part of the
state, “We believe that working people match but also for openly acknowledging As we build the new so- common struggle for hu-
deserve living wages, dignity, respect and on the cover of Ms. Magazine that she had ciety in the shell of the old, manity.
freedom to organize without employer an abortion and for her work to help the feminism is an essential Feminist men and male-
intimidation.” Additionally, they warn U.S. women’s team gain equal pay rights practice. All too often, how- identified Wobblies, and
that “the NFL Combine in Indianapolis during the late 1990s). ever, the work of feminism other interested parties, are
[Editor’s Note: which will take place in FW X365465 can be willfully ignorant is the work of women, not encouraged to read and con-
February 2011] fills many rooms, and we of the facts about sports and politics, how the shared goal of workers. In tribute at http://femenins.
will do business with hotel companies that our names are spelled and a basic history acknowledging this necessity, blogspot.com. Please con-
treat employees with fairness.’” of the NFLPA, but he should not be able a new blog brings together tact J.R. Boyd at ladypov-
As for the idea that the NFLPA would to get away with spewing these ridiculous male and male-identified erty@gmail.com for more
not speak out about issues of racism in musings unchallenged. Wobblies around the struggle information.
December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 5

Workers Object To Manipulated Union Election The Jimmy John’s Election Is Only A Beginning
By Jimmy Johns Workers Union from the Department of Labor, Mulligan By FW b We’re realizing that we are stronger
MINNEAPOLIS – The Jimmy John’s spent over $84,500 on an anti-union On Oct. 22, the IWW Jimmy Johns now. We can continue to build this up
Workers Union has filed a 12-page Ob- campaign intended to prevent workers Workers Union lost a National Labor Rela- because there are a lot of ways towards
jection to the Oct. 22 National Labor from unionizing. tions Board (NLRB) election at a 10-store achieving our goal of being a majority
Relations Board (NLRB) election at 10 Tim Louris, of Minneapolis labor firm Jimmy John’s franchise by a single vote. union at Jimmy John’s.
Minneapolis sandwich shops, outlining Miller O’Brien Cummins, is assisting the This election itself was of historic We lost a battle but we’re in a war,
a pattern of pervasive and systemic labor union pro-bono in nav- importance for the and we’re not going to lose unless we give
rights violations that prevented the pos- igating the tricky wa- fast food industry as up and stop fighting—whether it be in
sibility of a free and fair vote. The union ters of labor law. Union well as for American this struggle at Jimmy John’s or in this
election, a first in fast food in the United spokespeople say the workers who are low society which systematically attacks and
States, was as close as they come, with 85 written objection to the on the food chain. undermines the power and livelihood of
votes in favor of the union, 87 against, and election results will be It was also a huge working people.
two challenged ballots. available to the public step forward for the Our lives are not a game. We are not
“Franchise owner Mike Mulligan de- within a few days. IWW—as a whole as going to let winning or losing a govern-
cided to go beyond the pale. His managers While filing with well as for our Twin ment game, however close it may be,
asked workers to wear anti-union pins, the NLRB to have the Cities GMB. determine whether or not we’re going to
fired pro-union workers, threatened a election results nulli- That being said, continue to fight to improve our lives.
mass firing, implemented an illegal wage fied, the workers also this moment is not Votes do not make our bills, kids or
freeze, tightened policies and retaliated plan to mount a cam- without grief. All of dreams disappear.
against union members, offered bribes, paign to win their de- us had to grieve, and We continue to meet every Sunday, as
and pressured workers to vote no. He mands without union the grieving will be we have been doing for nearly two years.
broke the law repeatedly in order to win, recognition. a longer process for Please keep an eye out or contact us for
and he just barely won. That’s not right. “Eighty-five yes Graphic: jimmyjohnsworkers.org some of us than oth- ways that you can help. When we stand
We are calling on the NLRB to set aside the votes, in spite of six ers. Even still, poor together in solidarity, we make history.
results of this election,” said worker and weeks of vicious union-busting, is a man- Jimmy John’s workers made bureaucratic Fast food workers need a new future—so
union member Emily Przybylski. date for change,” said Ayo Collins, another labor union history. does our society and so do we.
In response to his employees’ union worker and union member. “There are a When we met afterwards, it started out Get involved. Organize with your co-
campaign, franchise owner Mike Mulligan thousand ways we can put pressure on as a pretty sad gathering. However, while workers or peers. Join the IWW. Stand
hired a third-party anti-union consulting Jimmy John’s to win our demands for fair we may have started low, we did not stay up, make history. We have a whole world
firm, Labor Relations Inc., to prevent wages, sick days, consistent hours, and there. As time crept on, it became more to win.
employees from winning an NLRB union respect. We’re fired up, this fight is just and more apparent that low is not really For more information, visit: http://
election. According to documents obtained beginning.” the place we are at. www.jimmyjohnsworkers.org

Bristol Wobblies Defend Public Services Solidarity With Peace Activists Raided By The FBI
By the Chicago IWW
At the October meeting of the Chicago General Mem-
bership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World,
the members voted unanimously to draft a Letter of Soli-
darity with the Peace Activists raided by the FBI on Sept.
24, 2010. We wish to show our support specifically for
the three Chicago activists and one from Minneapolis, as
well as all other activists who were raided by the FBI:

Stephanie Weiner
Joe Isobaker
Hatem Abudayyeh Graphic: stopfbi.net
Mick Kelly
Photo: © The Invisible Photographer
The Membership of the Chicago IWW GMB call on the U.S. Department of
Members of the recently-formed Bristol IWW demonstrate to defend pub- Justice to drop the Grand Jury proceedings against the Peace Activists, and for
lic services at a rally on Oct. 23 in the City Centre of Bristol, U.K. The demon- the FBI to cease spying on and raiding Labor and Peace activists, and to return all
stration was called by the Bristol & District Anti-Cuts Alliance. materials seized in the recent raids to the U.S. Citizens who were raided.

Students, Workers Occupy The Millbank Tower In London Port Shutdown Demands Justice For Oscar Grant
Continued from 1 communities in our campuses, pushing Continued from 1 Teachers Association.
Porter quickly lined himself up behind for occupations, sit-ins, walkouts and the day that goes by that I don’t think of Oscar Throughout the afternoon, rally orga-
his future employers joining the Labour inclusion of those often excluded and mar- Grant. This should never have happened.” nizers reminded the crowd, “We cannot
Party in its denunciations. Prime Min- ginalized in these struggles (the cleaners, The impetus for the justice rally came let this movement end today.” Plans are
ister David Cameron, for his part, has porters, administrative and security staff from members of Oscar Grant’s family, underway to keep the momentum of this
been quick to criminalize the protesters, who quietly labor in our universities for who went to the ILWU seeking their sup- coalition going.
talking once more of ramping up policing less than the minimum wage). port. The highpoint of the event came (Article copyright 1995-2010 Workers
in the capital—this is while the death of Media pundits and politicians have when a large group of Grant’s family and World. Verbatim copying and distribution
Ian Tomlinson at the hands of the Metro- also argued, and continue to argue, that friends took the stage. of this entire article is permitted in any
politan Police lingers strong in the minds students are somehow privileged or self- The atmosphere on the plaza became medium without royalty provided this
of many of us. None of the assessments interested. This is the same divisive tactic electrified when Grant’s six-year-old notice is preserved).
of the Millbank protesters as a “militant being used against all public sector work- daughter Tatiana was introduced to the --------
minority,” “the Socialist Worker Party” or ers. In reality, as many students explained crowd. A moving letter to the sentencing Editor’s Note: Former BART police Offi-
“anarchist” alone is accurate. Such a claim through TV interviews, this protest was judge demanding the maximum sentence cer Johannes Mehserle was sentenced on
is made even more ridiculous by the roll- not so much for themselves but for their for Grant’s killer was read by Tatiana’s Nov. 5. He received a two-year sentence
ing 24-hour news coverage that not only younger brothers and sisters or even aunt. but, with credit for time he has already
showed a clear diversity of students and for their future children who otherwise Other speakers at the gathering in- served behind bars, Mehserle will be eli-
education workers (yes, we were there wouldn’t be able to go to university. This cluded Bobby Seale and Elaine Brown, gible for release in about seven months.
too) taking great pleasure in smashing is similar to the concern that many public former leaders of the Black Panther Party, His attorney, Michael Rains, said he will
windows, office equipment and scuffling workers have for service users, who will and representatives from several unions appeal the involuntary manslaughter
with the police, but the interviews with the undoubtedly also suffer from cuts to ser- including the Service Employees and the conviction and in the meantime will try
occupiers themselves who often admitted vices. We cannot allow these strong ties of Oakland Education Association/California to win Mehserle's release on bail.
this had been their first protest. solidarity, across generations and between
Yes, the anarchists were also involved service providers and service users, to be 100 Donors For The Organizing Fund!
in this action: of course we were. But what undermined. The rhetoric that certain From the Organizer's Notebook
is this notion of the “apolitical” student workers/students are a privileged group The Organizer’s Notebook is proud to spearhead an effort to secure 100 dona-
and education worker that is being pro- implies they should not be supported by tions to the Organizing Department Fund Drive.
moted by the media? Does the fact that others. We need to recognize this for what There can be no doubt that the Organizer Training Program has been instru-
we are anarchists preclude us from being it is—divide and rule. mental in all of the IWW’s recent campaigns and in the creation of the national
“normal people,” from acting in solidarity We also affirm our commitment to organizing committees in the construction, courier, education, freight trucker, and
with our fellow workers and students? We supporting all those who were victimized foodstuffs industries. Fellow Workers, we need to build on this success! The first
reject such a paralyzing construct. It is de- and arrested as the result of their actions at step to achieving this is to go into your own workplace and keep plugging away at
signed to suffocate us, to force us into the Millbank Towers. We encourage all educa- the organizing. The second is to go to http://pledgie.com/campaigns/11822 and
image of the respectful, peaceful and, ulti- tion workers and students to do the same. make a donation to the Organizer Training Fund so that the union can develop the
mately, obedient and ineffectual protester. The action on Nov. 10 was a sign of training program further and make sure that our trainers continue to travel around
We, like many of our fellow students and things to come. The students and educa- the country and help workers in need.
workers, recognize that only direct action tion workers have been the first to speak Do not delay, let’s make it a group goal to get 100 donations to the fund before the
will bring about meaningful change. That in response to the austerity attacks, and we time the next Organizer’s Notebook is published! Five minutes and $10 is all that it
in order to fight the cuts we need to be not encourage the rest of the working class to takes to ensure the IWW continues to grow as a force for working-class power. Check
only fighting on the streets but building follow (see page 12). out the “donate” button on the left-hand side of http://www.iww.org for more info.
Page 6 • Industrial Worker • December 2010

Special

Observations On The Struggle At Castle wood: Healthcare for employees with fami-
lies went from zero to $739.08 a month
and became available only to full-time
employees, of which there were now none
thanks to the new decision to scramble
up the schedule to make sure nobody
got enough hours to get there. Senior-
ity, always more of an abstract concept
rather than an actual thing, was now just
completely gone. No one had seen their
$1 pay raise in a while. Rumors that the
owners were also trying to put Delta House
on academic probation and attempting
to steal Christmas also began circulating.
In addition to this, the management
began putting up signs telling the staff not
to speak to the guests at the golf course.
The housekeeping staff found themselves
replaced by non-union contractors,
pushed out of a job with no warning at
all. When the workers protested this, they
came to work one day to find themselves
locked out.
A few days later, the owners invited all
locked out Castlewood staff to a breakfast
on the company’s dime, all on the clock
and paid, which immediately set off alarm
bells. Undoubtedly they expected manage-
ment to seal them all in there and set the
place on fire, which would be in keeping
with their business practices thus far. But
they went anyway, and were greeted with
Workers picket outside the Castlewood Country Club in May. Photo: Brooke Anderson, indybay.org the only proposal the owners of the place
have been willing to give since the contract
By James Robert Porter kind of shiny version of Lord Humongous's “Hey, wait a second,” one of them said. expired.
We got five miles into California before army from “Mad Max,” and since I left my “What's all this union shit about, anyway? They were told that they were going
I started gagging. hockey mask and gimp slave in my other Isn’t this America? Don’t we have the right to vote on whether they still wanted their
“Gah!” I gasped, stumbling out of the chariot, I was woefully under-equipped. to pay our workers whatever we want? union or not. If they voted against the
car before dropping to the ground, retch- So why would I leave the safety of Who’s the government to say that we can’t union, then the bosses promised them
ing. “What the hell is this stuff?” Mother Desert, with her sandstorms and pay them 11 cents an hour if the market their jobs back the very next day. If they
Jackie was in the passenger seat, soothing radiation, to brave the untamed will bear it?” voted for the union, they would remain
coughing spasmodically. capitalist wilds of California? The only That’s what was going through the locked out and their jobs would be re-
“It’s...I think it’s fresh air,” she said. things California has are rich people and Castlewood owners’ minds as they pon- placed.
A lifetime of living in Nevada means the ocean, and I hate one of those and am dered the unique situation they were in. At this point, most of the staff had no
not being ready for the actual trees that terrified of the other. Suddenly, it was okay to start screwing idea that they even had a union. They
create actual air. Our lungs aren’t designed Well, almost a year ago, the Castle- workers again. And since they pretty much Continued on next page
for something that isn’t 95 percent dust wood Country Club in Pleasanton found resemble every evil 1980s movie villain
and five percent poison. their contract with the workers’ union all wrapped up, they were
“Aw, Gawd!” I said. “It’s horrible!” running out. Most of the time this is no big totally cool with that.
Jackie didn’t answer. She was busy deal. Usually management and the union The previous contract,
coughing up 28 years’ worth of dust out leaders get together, address any issues admittedly, was pretty
of her lungs. It took a while. either party has, and then hammer out a sweet. It provided free
Besides the fact that California is not contract that usually sounds an awful lot health care to all employ-
the howling radioactive wasteland Nevada like the last contract, because the last one ees, a guaranteed $1 raise
is, there’s another reason why we don’t go was working, damn it. Nine times out of every year, guaranteed
there, and that’s the traffic. As a resident ten, nobody gives a damn. hours regardless of full-
of Reno, I’m more used to the apathetic However, this is an unusual climate. time or part-time employ-
kind of traffic we get here. Nobody is in Since the intellectual elite had the utter ment and seniority recog-
a hurry because there’s no place worth gall to elect a “black liberal communist nition when considering
going to. We’re an island in the middle of Nazi socialist demon-worshiping secret management openings,
an honest-to-God Wild West movie, only Uhuru devil God” to office, the right-wing among other things. Also
none of us have guns and everyone’s too crazies have suddenly crawled out of the admittedly, the economy
tired to kill someone anyway. holes they’ve been sitting inside all this was and is kind of going
Compare that to California, which is time, penning manifestos. Someone gave through a rough patch. The
full of irritating go-getters who get up in them all the mistaken idea that they have owners most likely HAD to
the morning to be places, and oh my God something resembling legitimacy, and drop something. I under-
I’m already exhausted just describing it. they started throwing their outdated ideas stand that.
Since everyone is in a hurry to be every- to each other like it was the World’s Soft- But they cut EVERY-
where all at once, you wind up with some ball Tournament for Fools. THING. Kids & parents against injustice. Photo: endthelockout.org

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influential labor organizer Daniel Gross in this exposition on
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Name: ____________________________________________________________ tion to win an independent voice at work without waiting for a
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in a leaked recording of a conference call, the nation’s most
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Zip/Postal Code:______________________________________________________________ problem,” as a warning to business executives about the risk of working people organizing
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December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 7

Special

Soldarity With Locked-Out Country Club Workers


Continued from previous page ing over the megaphone courtesy of Sergio,
had never spoken to any union representa- who was an unofficial spokesperson for the
tive, had never gone to any union events, group. After conversing with Lian, the of-
and had only the vaguest idea of who ran ficial spokesperson, and assuring him that,
the damn thing. Regardless of this, and despite our wheezing and gasping we were
in the face of losing their jobs and their more than qualified to picket, we grabbed
livelihood to a bunch of 1980s villain our signs and got to work.
caricatures, they courageously voted to Protesting like this just makes you
keep their union in a near-landslide vote. want to mess with people, but we were
They’ve been locked out of their jobs guests there, so we tried our best to be-
for more than nine months now, since Feb. have. I restrained myself to simply raising
25. They’ve been bravely soldiering on for my fist at approaching cars and making
what’s right, picketing every morning and direct eye contact, which was pretty ef-
evening, six days a week. They’ve caused fective for a while. Then I did it at the
the golf course to lose thousands of dollars, old black guy who started laughing at the
to hire a union-busting lawyer which costs skinny white kid raising what looked like
the company approximately $500 a day, a Black Panther salute, and that fairly took
and to miss out on the majority of events the wind out of my sails. We resorted to
they were counting on. simply waving.
Still, the owners haven’t budged. We were dealing with a hostile atmo-
Ben Atteberry, a man who invited us to a sphere. Apparently, unions are as commu-
protest in support on Sept. 18, summed nist as collective farms and tractor plants.
it up perfectly by saying that it’s a battle And, really, how dare the workers try to
of ideology. The owners are ideologically make things better for themselves. It’s not
opposed to unions. It has nothing to do like we live in a democracy or anything.
with money. Not really. They want their After the picket we all got together for
workers to know their place in the world, a barbeque, which was great. Everyone had
which is as far down as possible. gotten their fill and we all circled up and
Ben met us at the golf course shortly heard about the headway the workers were
after we arrived. He’s a member of the making. The news was impressive to say
Industrial Workers of the World and is the least. As I stated before, the strike had
a lot like you’d imagine—a clone of Terry caused many of the club’s usual custom-
Pratchett to be if you took away the “Disc- ers to pull out of their events. Castlewood
world” books and replaced them with a went from holding at least one wedding a
seething hatred for the ruling class. As week to maybe two per month. They were
he liked to say, the ruling class and the hemorrhaging money, and were forced to
working class will never have anything in hire a lawyer that so far wasn’t doing jack
common. except counting the huge pile of money he
The workers’ morale was high when was accruing. The workers, despite what
we arrived. The picket line was set up others would have you believe about this
across from the country club parking lot, sort of thing, were winning.
overlooking the lines of gleaming new cars Ben and I had cornered Sergio and
and pasty white people in summer cloth- several workers, trying to nail down the The workers are part of UNITE HERE Local 2830. Photo: Brooke Anderson, indybay.org
ing. The locked out Castlewood workers exact chain of events that had led up to
awful lot of attention going towards the who seemed to want everyone to dress up
had a drum circle set up, with chanting go- this, when we noticed that there was an
other side of the railroad tracks. as bears and to ride around on unicycles
Apparently, Jackie had tried waving while he threw beer bottles at them or
to the wrong person, who was cruising something of that nature. I don’t know,
around on his little golf cart, just seeth- I couldn't really follow his line of reason-
ing at the fact that there were liberals ing after the vein in his forehead started
doing communist things on his precious bulging.
golf course. After glaring at her, Jackie At some point, Castlewood had called
upped the ante by asking “And how are the cops. The officer, who had to come
you today?” all the way from Stockton, was less than
“Fine, until you spoke to me!” He enthused at having to come over when
snarled, stopped the cart across the tracks absolutely nobody was breaking the law.
and got out. He watched the argument for a while,
“Oh.” Jackie cast around for a topic of which must have depressed the old guy
conversation. “Um...I’m sorry?” because he ended with “BUT...that’s just
And with that, the man lit into a froth- my opinion,” and driving off before we
ing rage, screaming about how the club could point out all the things he said which
didn’t want the workers back, how even if totally weren’t opinions. The officer just
the workers came back, he certainly didn’t nodded, wished us a nice day, and left.
want them back. What I want people to get out of this
Sometime around then Sergio got in- is that unions work.
volved, saying that all he and his friends
wanted was a living wage and something James Porter is a freelance author
resembling dignity in the workplace. This and dabbler in social protests. He cur-
Pay $739.08 per month for healthcare? I think not! Photo: Brooke Anderson, indybay.org was at odds with the old white guy’s views, rently resides in Reno, Nevada.

Background On The Lockout At Castlewood Country Club


By Alessandro Tinonga Most Castlewood workers can’t afford but locking us out is not right.” current contract negotiations approach,
PLEASANTON, Calif. — Manage- the increase, which comes out to more During negotiations, the union offered or (2) lock out the current employees.”
ment at the Castlewood Country Club than 35 percent of a full-time maintenance many concessions in order to strike a deal The letter goes onto say, “if [the
has locked out 65 food-beverage and worker’s gross wages. Affordable health with management. Workers offered to pay club] instead take the second option,
maintenance workers on Feb. 25. insurance is the most important factor in $175 per month for family medical on a we can attempt to impose at least some
The workers, represented by UNITE employees’ compensation, especially since cheaper plan with lower benefits, which economic leverage on the union’s nego-
HERE Local 2850, have been in negotia- the average wage is $12.50 an hour. would reduce the club’s labor costs by 5 tiating position and avoid the union’s
tions with management since November Furthermore, the state of California is percent. In addition, workers agreed to apparent belief that its threats of con-
2009, but General Manager Jerry Olson, slashing funding for public benefits and a one-year wage freeze and an extremely tinuing delays, opposition and future
under the direction of board President is considering capping or eliminating the low wage increase (10 cents an hour) for job actions will change the club’s own
Jim Clouser, has proposed that employ- Healthy Families children’s insurance pro- the following year. good-faith economic positions.”
ees pay $739.08 a month, out of pocket, gram. So if Castlewood workers lose their Despite these concessions, manage- Community pressure and labor
for family health insurance. benefits, they can’t count on a safety net, ment is committed to force through their solidarity is needed to pressure the
“I would no longer be able to afford and their children may go without health proposals by threatening a lockout. Ac- company. We must give support and
to cover my family on my health care,” care entirely. cording to a letter by the club's board solidarity to the workers in their struggle
said Marisol Gil, a banquet server who’s “I don’t want to go on welfare pro- of directors in the Pleasanton Weekly, for justice. For more information, visit
worked at Castlewood for five years. “I grams when, for 20 years, I have been able “[Management’s] choices in reacting to the http://endthelockout.org/.
fear that because I only work when there to take care of my family,” said Martin current union negotiating situation appear This story appeared in its original
are parties, I might not get enough hours Tostado, a pantry cook at the club. “We to boil down to two options—either (1) con- format on Feb. 26, 2010 on http://so-
to qualify for my own coverage.” are willing to pay something reasonable tinue indefinitely according to the union’s cialistworker.org.
Page 8 • Industrial Worker • December 2010

Reviews

Understanding Zionism, Judaism And ‘Mythistory’


Sand, Shlomo. The Invention of the Jewish big political state. These conditions were this mythical tale, the whole of this
People. New York: Verso, 2009. Hard- accompanied by new political notions; Jewish people then wandered the
cover, 332 pages, $34.95. primary amongst them, the rule of law Earth in exile from their homeland.
and the classless identity politics which The Zionist nationalist project
By Mike Ballard proclaimed that sovereignty was no long was designed to bring the Jewish
Schlomo Sand is employed as a profes- the king’s, but for the “people” of the na- people home to “Eretz Israel” from
sor of contemporary history at the Uni- tion. From these material circumstances their long exile.
versity of Tel Aviv. “The Invention of the sprang the ruling class’s need for legitima- What Sand demonstrates, in
Jewish People” was originally published tion of their system of political dominance, his meticulously researched book,
in Hebrew in Israel. Translations of his thus the impetus for public intellectuals to is that great mass of the people
work are now being published throughout invent and spread the gospel of the vari- who lived in what was then the
the world in many languages, including ous and sundry nationalist brands. One of Roman province of Palestine in
English. the first tasks these amplified intellectual 70 C.E. were not exiled. As he
Sand is the son of a World War II era voices had to confront was to define who conclusively shows, conquerors of
veteran of the Polish Communist Party. “the people” were. that era, including the Babylonian
He is also the son-in-law of a Spanish Sand contends that modern public conquerors related in the Biblical
anarchist who fought Franco national- intellectuals invented all nationalist ide- story of the destruction of the First
ists in the streets of Barcelona during the ologies, thus all “peoples.” Most of these Temple and the Romans who de-
Spanish Civil War. Sand would probably intellectuals mixed history with cultural stroyed the Second Temple, never
describe himself as an apple, fallen some- myths in order to fashion their national- exiled whole peoples because those
what distant from those trees, perhaps as ist ideologies. Sand calls these nationalist peoples were the peasant produc-
a cosmopolitan liberal. His view is that Is- ideologies passing for history, “mythis- ers of wealth; and obtaining that
rael would be better off giving up being an tory.” More than a few of these national- wealth, along with the power that
“ethnocracy”—Sand’s term for the ethno- ist mythistories were combined with the goes with it, is what being a ruling
biologically defined Jewish political state. pseudo-scientific invention of “race”—an class is all about. Peasants are gen-
Sand’s preference is for Israel to become ideology originating in the 18th century: erally tied to their land and most
a secular capitalist democracy like France “In the 19th century, national cultures people living in Roman Palestine
or the United States. often tied the soft term, ‘people,’ to the were peasants. Peasants don’t move Graphic: londonbookclub.co.uk
Sand gives his readers many insights rigid and problematic ‘race,’ and many around—they’re sedentary. Ancient
into the general intellectual foundations regarded the two words as intersecting, ruling classes always liked it that ed evidence of the many other conversions
of the modern era’s nationalist ideological supporting, or complimentary (sic). The way. As Sand points out, conquering rulers to Judaism within the confines of the
project, and of the Zionist nationalist proj- homogeneous collective origin of ‘the of ancient times would routinely enslave heavily used trading routes of Mediterra-
ect in particular. In this reviewer’s opinion, people’—always, of course, superior and defeated elites from the ruling class whom nean, in the late B.C.E. and the early C.E.
“The Invention of the Jewish People” is unique, if not actually pure—became a they had conquered, but they would leave of the Roman Empire. He shows that this
worth reading for these critical observa- kind of insurance against the risks repre- the great mass of the people (mostly proselytizing tendency was more or less
tions alone, as nationalism has been and sented by fragmentary, though persistent, peasant farmers) on the land to continue suppressed with the rise of Christianity as
continues to be a strong ideological force sub-identities that continued to swarm to produce wealth, as these peasants had the official religion of the Roman Empire
in our time. beneath the unifying modernity. The done for various other ruling classes for in the 2nd century C.E. and of Islam after
Sand makes the case that class societ- imagined origin also served as an efficient centuries before. The implications of this the 8th century C.E.
ies up until the 18th century were made up filter against undesirable mixing with revelation for the current relation between “Proselytizing Jews were driven from
mostly of sedentary peasants and nomadic hostile neighbouring nations.” peoples identifying themselves as Palestin- the arena of rival monotheisms, Christian-
herdsmen. Sand effectively argues that However, by 1945 the horror of the ians and those identifying themselves as ity or Islam, to the land of paganism, with
there was no official ideology of national- Nazi holocaust, especially its connection Jews, both inside and outside the imme- immigrants who convinced the pagans that
ism embedded in the consciousness of the with “Aryan” racist mythhistory, prompt- diate borders of Israel, are pretty obvious their faith was preferable. The great mass
people who lived within these pre-indus- ed world leaders and public intellectuals in this reviewer’s opinion. The classless proselytizing campaign that began in the
trial societies. Historically speaking, these to officially renounce ”race” as having any nationalist identity politics, which keep 2nd century B.C.E., with the rise of the
agrarian formations were dominated by scientifically-based, genetic substance. rank-and-file Palestinian and Israeli work- Hasmonean kingdom, reached its climax
classes of aristocrats, landlords and slave The United Nations Educational, Scientific ers at each other’s throats, is based on a in Khazaria in the 8th century C.E.”
owners. The nomadic and peasant majori- and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) series of invented fictions. Of course, this is As Sand shows, the conversion of the
ties of this ancient world had no notion of statements on race in the early 1950s true for all the world’s nationalisms, for all Kagan of Khazaria, a kingdom located
being part of a nation. Comprehending this explained ”race” as a social myth and the are ideological inventions which assume above the Black Sea, helped create a great
insight is fundamental to grasping Sand’s 1998 American Anthropological Associa- that the working class and the employing mass of people of the Jewish faith. Many
arguments about how nationalism, and tion statement on ”race” proclaimed it to class have interests in common. of these Jewish religionists spread out into
in particular Jewish nationalism, was an be a pseudo-scientific concept. Still, the So, where do most of the people of the what is now Eastern Europe after Khazaria
ideological invention. As opposed to mod- ”common sense” notion that there are Jewish faith in the world come from, if was overrun by the Mongols under Geng-
ern day nationalist consciousness—based ”races” has persisted and is present to not from an ethno-biologically connected his Khan in the early 13th century C.E.
on self-regulated “patriotism,” schooled this day in public discourse even though, people who were exiled from their home- Sand writes, “The Khazars were a coalition
with “pledges of allegiance,” ubiquitous as Sand observes, pre-WWII notions of land by the Romans in 70 C.E? of strong Turkic or Hunnic-Bulgar clans
posters of “our fearless leader” and “hats ”race” have more and more morphed into Sand’s answer is that most come who, as they began to settle down, mingled
off at the sports match in honor of the the bourgeois intellectually acceptable from “proselytizing.” Sand demonstrates with the Scythians who had inhabited
national anthem”—ancient rulers relied concept of ”ethnicity.” that the first great monotheistic religion, these mountains and steppes between the
on keeping the mostly peasant producers To be sure, the oppressive force of rac- Judaism, was spread to eager pagan Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, which was
of wealth in a constant state of fear of the ism persists. Not only that, but it is often converts throughout the Mediterranean known for a long time as the Khazar Sea.
absolute power of the sovereign. There was legitimized, Sand would argue, by continu- basin a long time before the competing At its peak, the kingdom encompassed an
no sense of being a part of a national politi- ing to legitimate an ethno-biological link- monotheistic religions of Christianity and assortment of tribes and linguistic groups,
cal state amongst the general populace. At age with nationalist ideological concepts Islam arose. Alans and Bulgars, Magyars and Slavs.
best, the sovereign only had to “secure the defining “the people.” The question which came to this re- The Khazars collected taxes from them all
loyalty of the state’s administration in or- The Nazi extermination of “inferior viewer’s mind was, “Why would polythe- and ruled over a vast landmass, stretching
der to preserve the continuity and stability races” during WWII threw a spanner in ists find this monotheistic religion, with from Kiev in the northwest to the Crimean
of the government, but the peasants were the ideological works of those attempting its invisible deity so attractive?” Shorter Peninsula in the south, and from the upper
required simply to pass along the surplus to link “race” with “nation.” However, as work time is one of Sand’s fascinating Volga to present-day Georgia.”
agricultural produce and sometimes to Sand points out, it was particularly prob- insights. The weekly day of rest, the Sab- As Sand demonstrates time and again,
provide the monarchy and nobility with lematic for Zionist ideologists. Since its bath, turned the practice of Judaism into a actual history profoundly conflicts with
soldiers. Taxes were of course collected by inception in the mid-19th century, Zion- way of legitimising free time, much to the the “mythistory” of the Bible which forms
force, or at any rate by its constant implicit ism’s legitimacy was based on the notion consternation of the slave owning ruling the very foundation on which Israeli
threat, rather than by persuasion or efforts of a genetic connection between ancient classes of the ancient, polytheistic world. nationalist ideology and, ultimately, the
at consensus,” writes Sands. and modern peoples of the Jewish faith As Sand relates, a great victory for Israeli political state rests. For example,
Capitalist rule erupted out of political and culture. According to this mythistory, the proselytizers of the Jewish faith came the Declaration of the Establishment of the
revolutions against these ancient expres- modern-day Jews were genetically linked with the conversion of the Punics. Punic State of Israel of 1948 states: “After being
sions of absolutism. The revolutions of to those people who inhabited that portion Carthage was not a Hebrew-speaking city- forcibly exiled from their land, the people
modernity—from Cromwell’s Puritans of the Middle East known as Israel, Judea state. It was located in what is today the kept faith with it throughout their Disper-
in the mid- 17th century to Colonial and Palestine in the early 1st century C.E. political State of Tunisia. After the defeat sion and never ceased to pray and hope for
America’s yeoman farmers and private A fusing of Biblical stories with actual of Carthage by the Roman Republic in 146 their return to it and for the restoration in
property owners, to the overthrow of history had long become part of the Zion- B.C.E., the Jewish religion continued to be it of their political freedom.”
monarchism in France by its citizens and ist ideological project. As the nationalist practiced amongst the peasant people of “The Invention of the Jewish People” is
in country after country well into the 19th ideological story goes (Sand writes a much this region. The faith also spread to nearby a work which will be useful to any Wobbly
and 20th centuries—all resulted in the more detailed account in a chapter he titles nomadic Berbers, who were later to ac- interested in making sense of the social
establishment of national political states. “Mythistory”), the Jewish people were de- company the Arabic Muslim conquerors relations of power and current political
All nationalisms were political expressions ported from their homeland after much of of Spain as soldiers in 711 C.E. The im- conflicts arising from them in the modern
of the rapidly changing social relations Jerusalem, along with the Second Temple, plications here are enormous, especially day Middle East. Schlomo Sand’s work
of the producers of wealth. From peas- was destroyed in 70 C.E. by the Roman sol- considering what happened to Jews who should be helpful to those eager to grasp
ant subjects to wage-laboring citizens, diers under the command of Titus. As the refused to convert to Christianity during the conceptual intricacies of nationalist
the producing classes were united, after story went, this came as punishment for Ferdinand and Isabella’s reign in Spain, ideology and how it has come to distort
nationalist revolt, as citizens with the rul- an unsuccessful revolt against the Roman circa 1492 C.E. political judgments amongst and between
ing capitalist and landlord classes in one Empire by the Jewish people. According to Sand presents historically document- workers of the world today.
December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 9

Wobbly Arts

What Shall We Do With The Remembering Miners’ Struggles,


Jimmy John’s Bosses? Past And Present
Inspired by Joe Grim Feinberg’s “What Shall We Do with the Starbucks From David Douglass
Bosses” (2007) So, while I wish to take nothing away from those lads who were trapped in the
Chilean mine, their families and their rescuers, I have reproduced below a sobering
By Sean Carleton, X364847 thought or two in the shape of a poem by Scottish miner Joe Corrie who died in 1968.
This song is dedicated to the fighting spirit of the Jimmy John’s workers. The close Anyway, I'd like to share the poem.
vote on Oct. 22, 2010 may be disappointing, but the fight continues. Abolishing the
wage system is not just about winning or losing elections—it is about impassioned Women Are Waiting Tonight
struggle. In carrying on this struggle, the inspiring workers of the Jimmy Johns Poem by Joe Corrie (1894-1968)
Workers Union must know that fellow workers from all over the world are with them
in love, struggle, and solidarity! As Ralph Chaplin would say, all hell can’t stop us! Women are waiting tonight on the pit-bank,
Pale at the heart with dread,
Tune: “What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?” Watching the dead-still wheels
That loom in the mirky sky,
The silent wheels of Fate,
Am Which is the system under which they slave.
What shall we do with the Jimmy John’s bosses, They stand together in groups,
G As sheep shelter in storm,
What shall we do with the Jimmy John’s bosses, Silent, passive, dumb.
Am For in the caverns under their feet,
What shall we do with the Jimmy John’s bosses, The coffin seams of coal
Em Bm Am 'Twixt the rock and the rock,
Earl-eye in the morning? The gas has burst into flame,
And has scattered the hail of Death.
CHORUS (same chords as verse): Cold the night is, and dark,
Hey, ho, up we rise now x3 And the rain falls in a mist.
Em Bm Am Their shawls and their rags are sodden,
Jimmy John’s Workers Union! And their thin, starved cheeks are blue,
But they will not go home to their fires,
Smack ‘em in the face with subs till they listen… Tho' the news has been broken to them
That a miracle is their only hope.
Picket their stores on our bikes together… They will wait and watch till the dawn,
Till the wheels begin to revolve,
Server ‘em rotten meat till they give us a raise, now… And the men whom they loved so well,
The strong, kind, loving men,
Put up tip jars on “Dollar Sub Day”… Are brought up in canvas sheets,
To be identified by a watch,
Sing this song till they can’t take it anymore… Or a button,
Or, perhaps, only a wish.
That’s what we’ll do with the Jimmy John’s bosses… And three days from now,
Late until the evening! They will be buried together,
In one big hole in the earth.
And the King will send his sympathy,
And the Member of Parliament will be there,
Who voted that the military be used
When last these miners came on strike
To win a living wage.
His shining black hat will glisten over a sorrowful face,
And his elegantly shod feet will go slowly behind the bier.
And the director of the company will be there,
Who had vowed many a time
That he would make the miner eat grass.
And the parson, who sits on the Parish Council,
Starving the children and saving the rates,
Will pray in a mournful voice,
And tear the very hearts of the bereaved.
He will emphasize in godly phrase,
The danger of the mine,
And the bravery and valour of the miner.
And the Press
That has spilled oceans of ink
Poisoning the public against the 'destroyers of industry',
Will tell the sad tale,
And the public will say, 'How sad.'
But a week today all will be forgotten,
And the Member of Parliament,
The coal owner,
The parson,
The Press,
And the public,
Will keep storing up their venom and their hatred,
For the next big miners' strike.
Women are waiting tonight at the pit-bank,
But even God does not see
The hypocrisy and the shame of it all.

Graphic: Tom Keough


Page 10 • Industrial Worker • December 2010
December 2010 • Industrial Worker • Page 11

Getting to Know Fellow Workers

An Interview With Wobbly Howie Hawkins


This interview was conducted by should have some say in how the surplus is ment. So what I ended
IWW member Brendan Maslauskas Dunn distributed. The forms that those socialist up doing after college
at the Syracuse, N.Y. Green Party office on economic institutions take can be public in was working in con-
Aug. 28, 2010. Hawkins is a co-founder of the sense of a municipal power utility, they struction up in north-
the U.S. Green Party, a Teamster, a Wob- can be cooperatives where the users (the ern New England.
bly and recently ran as a Green for Gover- people that contribute to the enterprise) None of the jobs were
nor of New York state, where he received dispose of the net income and you have union, except really
much rank-and-file labor support. For the consumers. You have producer or worker, big projects and those
full transcript and audio recording of the you have marketing co-ops and you can guys came in from out
interview, visit: http://howiehawkins. have hybrids of producers and consumers. of state. You know, nu-
com/2010/interviews/399-interview-by- The point of what is produced is how you clear power plants, big
brendan-maslauskas-dunn.html dispose of it. It is the democratic deci- college dorm construc-
sion. It’s not just decided by those who tion, projects like that.
Brendan Maslasuaks Dunn: I under- happen to own the property. I think that I did some of that work
stand that you spent some time in the Bay that’s an important idea—that the United but it was a non-union
Area growing up. What were you politically States, out of all the countries of the world, shop. I joined the IWW
involved with back then? has just sort of erased from discussion. just so I had an af-
So I think it’s important to keep that on filiation. There were
Howie Hawkins: Well, Willie Mays was the table. Now when I campaign I don’t no other Wobblies
a San Francisco Giant and he was my hero campaign for an ideology—socialism or anywhere around, ex-
and this was in the Bay Area during the even ecologism or green—“green” is a cept a couple of other
1960s. I cut school one day when they were label we use but I campaign for concrete guys. We had a worker
holding “Ban the Draft” week and was on reforms that more people can understand coop for a while—we
the periphery of one of those demos that on their own terms. Now a lot of those re- were all Wobblies but
Photo: Brendan Maslasuaks Dunn
week. The next year the big thing was the forms, for example, the right to a job and I wanted some affilia- Howie Hawkins at the Green Party office in Syracuse, N.Y.
San Francisco State [University] strike so a living wage which requires direct public tion, at least in spirit.
I went to some of those activities which employment to ensure everyone there has I’ve kept that affiliation since then. I’ve construction, such as home construction,
were basically trying to get autonomy for full employment, is not compatible with been involved in a lot of labor support that’s being done. Even in New York City,
the Black studies program so they could a capitalist economy. This is not because struggles; the JP Stevens textile struggle which is a union town, a lot of the rehab
serve the community better. I learned a you could not, with government help, in the South, the Phelps Dodge struggle, work is being done by immigrants who
lot from that and got familiar with a lot of have a market to get everyone employed the miners in Arizona. The same thing are being paid less than minimum wage
the different tendencies in what was being between public and private employment, happened today as what happened to and that’s been going on for decades. I
called the “New Left” back then. One of the but because the vested interests who own miners in Namibia, owned by the same did some construction work down there
things that influenced me was something the capital in the capitalist sector want company—Phelps Dodge. They struck in the 1970s and 1980s and most of it was
called “Ecology Action West,” which I later unemployment to discipline the workforce when the company was in Namibia. This rehab stuff. It was disheartening, but in
learned was written by Murray Bookchin. and keep wages down. So, for me social- actually happened a long time ago in the organized building trades, they have
So that post-scarcity anarchism with an ism is an extension of democracy into the Arizona. In both cases, they just put the a tradition in this country of sort of being
ecological orientation and libertarian so- economic realm. workers on a train and sent them out to exclusive and trying to keep their numbers
cialism was probably one big influence on the middle of the desert and just dropped small so they can keep their wages up. It’s
me back then. I also ran into Hal Draper’s BMD: I was wondering if you could speak them off. I got involved with that because not a class movement, it’s a movement for
“Socialism From Below” pamphlets that a little bit about maybe one or two move- the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at their members. So, I think there’s a lot of
the independent socialists were circulating ments you’ve been involved with in your Dartmouth was the President, CEO and room there for the Wobblies to organize
and understood the distinctions between life that have really had an impact on you. Chairman of the Board of Phelps Dodge. and I wish them all the best luck. There
State socialism, which was authoritarian We did a lot of work around that and even are other sectors like that where the IWW
and socialism from below, and was demo- HH: Well, I think the anti-Vietnam War the AFL-CIO national office came in. We is organizing right now, like Starbucks.
cratic. I was in high school and new to all movement, in particular the GI movement. did a whole corporate campaign around Even with the nonprofits, they were try-
of it. They sure were not teaching us much When I got drafted, I did enlist in the Ma- that. There were United Farm Workers ing to organize. Some people criticize that
about this in school. rine Corps before the draft letter got to me. (UFW) grape and lettuce boycotts. Since and there may be some merit in some of
I remember in 1970, I organized Earth My number came up—it was the last call I’ve been in Syracuse, there have been the criticism from some of the real small
Day at my school and wrote up a sort for Vietnam in July 1972 and the U.S. De- labor actions. There was one recently at groups. On the other hand, I know Service
of handbook on the issues. I called for fense Secretary Defense Secretary Melvin Coyne Textile Services a couple blocks Employees International Union (SEIU)
corporations to basically be run as public R. Laird called up numbers 35 through 70 from where I live. I’ve also been out at the organizers here in upstate New York were
utilities without the profit motive, but and I was number 65. I had looked at my Mott’s strike in Williamson and out at the really overworked and underpaid by SEIU
instead to serve production for use and options and decided rather than going into Momenta Processed Materials rally back Local 1199. They tried organizing a staff
not try to grow endlessly like capitalism exile or underground I would go into the in June. It [was] a big part of my campaign union and they got fired right away. So, I
forces companies to do endlessly in order service. The first thing I did was join the for governor. So, I think I’ve been inspired think there’s definitely a role for the IWW.
to survive. I sort of came to the conclusion American Serviceman’s Union, which was by the labor movement. Not so much the For me, it’s more of inspiration and, you
without understanding the whole analysis actually the front for Workers World Party, official labor movement but the real labor know, I pay my dues out of solidarity.
of how to get to it. There were also demon- you know they really ran it, but it was an ef- struggles that people have when they get
strations going on over at Berkeley at the fort to unionize and resist imperialist war. attacked by employers. We haven’t won a BMD: Do you think there’s an upsurge in
time. I went over to one when the People’s By the time I did it, I wasn’t sticking my lot, but before I came to the United Postal the labor movement with undocumented
Park was breaking up and I was there the neck out so much. I mean I can remember Service (UPS) and became a Teamster, I workers in particular, but with workers in
day before that kid was shot to death. I cut one of the things that I saw, when I think was really supportive and glad to see they this country in general?
school and went there so I was absorbent I was a freshman in high school, was the had won that strike in 1997. It was one of
of a lot of this stuff as sort of a truant who Presidio 27 refusing to go to Vietnam out the few big strikes that the labor move- HH: Well, certainly undocumented work-
was really going to political protests which of San Francisco and they really paid a ment won in a generation, dating back to ers and even the documented immigrants
were sometimes at the library across the price for that. There was also the GI Coffee the 1960s. are in solidarity with each other. They’re
railroad tracks from the high school. High House movement. Anyway, by the time I coming from countries where there’s real
school was kind of slow and there were a was in the resistance was around when BMD: What exactly attracted you to the change going on; Venezuela and Bolivia
lot of antiwar demos in the Bay Area that Nixon had to “Vietnamize” the war as they Wobblies and how has an IWW analysis for example. At least the Latin American
I went to, so I absorbed a lot from the called it: bring the troops home and let the of the labor movement and the economic Spanish-speaking countries inform a lot of
movements there. Vietnamese fight with our funding because system we live under had an effect on your those people and have an understanding of
our soldiers—particularly in the Army— outlook? what’s going on. So, I think that could have
BMD: I also understand you’re a socialist. weren’t fighting, they were refusing. They a much broader influence and I think the
Given the dark history of what was done didn’t like the war. It even affected the Ma- HH: The Wobblies are an inspiration, AFL is in a lot better position than it was,
in the name of socialism, why do you call rine Corps. I went in officer training when given their history. I mean, they organized say, 15 or 20 years ago, in its relation to
yourself one? I was in college and it was an off-campus people that the AFL wouldn’t organize; those workers. I think that’s going to be a
program. Actually, the veterans who had the migrant workers, the minority worker, source of renewal for the labor movement.
HH: Well, any word is contested. I mean been there as grunts and then came back the workers in dirty, dangerous jobs like The workers centers that are organizing
you have democratic republics that are dic- to college on the GI Bill and were coming mining. They were relatively anti-racist in those folks, such as Jobs with Justice and
tatorships so democracy? Do you want to back into the Marines to be officers were a time when racism was really strong in other community-labor alliances vary
abandon that word? Do you want to aban- pretty opposed to the Vietnam War. It was this country, during the early 20th cen- from town to town and place to place, but
don the idea of a republic? I think we need amazing. The “gung ho” Marines were tury. This is when they were strong and I think those are all areas where renewal
an alternative to capitalism, which most the kids that were just came straight out they’ve kept that spirit alive. They also are of the labor movement will come from.
people understand to be profit-oriented of college and wanted to be Marines. You very big on democracy at a time when the The reform caucuses in different unions,
enterprise and appropriation of surplus know the whole image around that. I just mainstream labor movement is bureau- such as Teamsters for a Democratic Union
by the owners. So what is socialism? It is think that’s an underestimated but power- cratized. The “Preamble,” the Wobblies’ (TDU), is probably the largest and it has
democratic appropriation and allocation of ful movement that’s a more working-class classic document, is inspirational to this had its ups and downs, but those kinds of
economic surplus by the people. I would movement than a lot of the movements of day. So, all those things attracted me to it things are popping up. I think the potential
say I’m a little different from some social- the 1960s. It was made up of working-class and have informed me. I have not really is there and the need is there and we just
ists because in any economy, at any one people who tended to get drafted, go fight been engaged in any Wobbly activities have to try to make it happen.
time at most you have about 40 percent and then resist. because they have not been prominent Editor’s Note: This interview is for in-
of the people actually working. You have That was something that really stuck where I live. I think that construction is an formational purposes only. The Industrial
young people and children. You have old with me and made me understand the im- industry where Wobblies can make really Worker does not endorse political parties
people, you have injured people. Everyone portance of building a strong labor move- big inroads because there is a lot of small or candidates.
Page 12 • Industrial Worker • December 2010

Riot Police Attack Workers In The Acropolis


By “taxikipali,” libcom.org
The moment was acutely sym-
bolic for a country that brags about
itself as the cradle of democracy
and indicative of the Greek gov-
ernment’s loss of measure in face
of the popular discontent over its
The IWW formed the International Solidarity Commission to help the union build austerity measures.
the worker-to-worker solidarity that can lead to effective action against the bosses Contract workers of the Min-
of the world. To contact the ISC, email solidarity@iww.org. istry of Culture staged a protest in
By Matt Antosh mid-October inside The Acropolis
The ISC continues to go strong as we demanding no less than their Photo: libcom.org
receive communiqués from workers’ orga- wages—a demand which is becom-
nizations in Brazil, Chile, and South Africa. ing increasingly utopian in the current The Association of Archaeologists an-
economic reality of Greece. The state nounced: “It is a dishonor for our country
Solidarity with S.A. workers owes these workers 24 months of back that its image of civilization is the MAT
occupying their factory! wages and seems in no hurry to have its inside The Acropolis using tear gas against
A call has been made by Metal Work- debt settled. The workers also demand workers who have been for years offer-
ers Union of South Africa (MEWUSA) on the cancellation of 350 layoffs which were ing their services for the promotion and
behalf of our members in Mine Line/TAP planned for the end of October. protection of civilization, staying often for
Engineering in support of the Mine Line/ Instead, the Greek satrapy (“protec- many months unpaid. The Association of
TAP workers who began an occupation of tors of the land”) decided to pay back with Archaeologists supports its contract-based
their factory in Krugersdorp on Wednes- force. Living up to the standards of the fast- colleagues of the Ministry of Culture in
day, Oct. 20. These workers are refusing est growing tyranny in Europe, the Greek their just demands. It condemns the raw
to add another 107 job casualties to the government sent its Praetorian Guard— use of violence within a space which is a
more than one million jobs lost since the the MAT (riot police) forces—to deal with symbol of civilization, and demands to
onset of the recession, and are fighting the workers. The riot police entered the intervene and guarantee the abolition of
back to save their jobs and keep the fac- space of the Sacred Rock by a back door, the 24 months unpaid labor and the reso-
Graphic: anarkismo.net
tory running under democratic workers’ effectively desecrating the asylum for the lution of the burning issues of the Ministry
self-management. first time since the Nazi occupation. of Culture employees who have led the
industry of all in Chile to get organized,
The riot police forces threw tear gas workers to a blind end.”
where collective bargaining is not allowed,
The ISC released the following statement at the workers, beating them back with The attack of the MAT seen from the
the norms and rules of health and safety
in solidarity: batons and handcuffing anyone who tried main entrance of the Acropolis can be
are never respected and pensions are non-
“The International Solidarity Com- to stay in their working space. One Associ- seen here: http://www.youtube.com/
existent. All this while trying to develop
mission of the Industrial Workers of the ated Press journalist was injured due to the watch?v=1dC18rUCNhw&feature=play
a class struggle-based, autonomous and
World sends our full support and solidar- habitual police brutality. er_embedded
libertarian form of unionism.
ity with our brothers and sisters of the SINTEC is asking for donations of
MEWUSA who are occupying their fac-
tory in Krugersdorp, South Africa.
solidarity to help them fund there continu-
ing organizing campaigns. The ISC hopes University Occupations Follow London Protests
“Like the workers at Republic Win- to have an online donation button up on By Mike Harman, libcom.org damaging our current education, but are
dows and Doors in Chicago, who refused the IWW website within the month; until Students at Manchester and Sussex changing the face of the education system
to accept the status quo and through then, Fellow Workers wanting to donate Universities have staged occupations fol- as we know it. The hole in finances left by
solidarity vowed to stand up for their should email solidarity@iww.org. lowing the actions against tuition fees and government cuts will inevitably be filled
rights, the workers of the MEWUSA show As well, SINTEC has invited the IWW cuts on Nov. 10 (see “Students, Workers by private interest. This marketization of
that radical action can be a solution to to attend a national conference in January Occupy The Millbank Tower In London,” education will destroy the prospect of free
exploitation in times of recession. As the 2011. Any Fellow Workers who have the pg. 1). and critical academic enquiry, on which
slogan goes, in Chicago, in Krugersdorp ability to travel and want to be a part of a On Nov. 16, more than 170 students universities should be based. The trebling
and all across the world, we won’t pay delegation to Chile should write to us at occupied the lecture theatre in the Fulton of tuition fees will further exclude another
for their crisis! the aforementioned address as soon as building at the University of Sussex in swathe of society and make university
“The ISC-IWW joins the call for the possible. protest of the trebling of tuition fees and accessible only to the rich.”
ownership to be transferred to the work- the attack on their education system. On Nov. 11, almost immediately fol-
ers to enable them to run it as a coopera- Elect an ISC liaison NOW! In a statement which appeared on lowing the protest in London, more than
tive under workers’ control and manage- Of course, we are always looking for http://defendsussex.wordpress.com, 50 students occupied the John Owens
ment, in the hope that their struggle, a little extra help on the ISC. So, we ask students write: building at Manchester University to
which is also a struggle for workers ev- branches and interested individuals to “In light of [the Nov. 10] demonstra- demand that the books be opened. The
erywhere, may continue and succeed. The volunteer to be ISC liaisons in order to tion, which saw 52,000 people come out in university is in the process of starting
IWW aims to lend our support, by action develop branch­level and worker­to­worker opposition to the government’s proposed a voluntary redundancy process, while
in solidarity, where it is within our grasp international solidarity. cuts to education and raising of fees, denying any actual cuts are planned. The
to do so, in our firm knowledge that ‘an Every month, ISC liaisons will get we feel it is necessary for further action occupation was decided at an anti-cuts
injury to one is an injury to all.’” an update and an action to bring to the to consolidate the meeting that af-
branch level. efforts made so ternoon, while it
Solidarity with Chilean We would like to invite every branch far and push on in ended the same
Construction Workers - to select an ISC liaison to help spread the opposition to day, students at
A call for a delegation to Chile the word about the solidarity activities these ideologically the meeting re-
The IWW has been in correspondence in other parts of the world and to help motivated cuts to ported that it had
with a union for construction workers in develop our campaigns. both education forced the issuing
Chile, the Sindicato Nacional de Traba- We ask all Fellow Workers to please specifically and of a statement by
jadores de la Construcción (SINTEC). continue sharing your international public services as the vice chancel-
SINTEC first organized in 2007, and contacts and expertise. The ISC can be a whole. lor, and was used
is working on organizing the most difficult reached at solidarity@iww.org. “We reject the as an opportunity
notion that these to plan further ac-
Support international solidarity! cuts are necessary
or for the benefit of
tion.
At Royal Hol-
society. There are Photo: libcom.org loway University
Assessments for $3, viable alternatives which are not being in London, students staged a short protest
$6 are available from explored. While the government has sug- when Conservative MP and Secretary of
your delegate or IWW gested that ‘we are all in this together,’ State Philip Hammond and Lord Chan-
headquarters PO Box we completely reject this and are insulted cellor Ken Clarke visited the university
that these cuts are being pushed through shortly after the protest in London.
23085, Cincinnati, OH
alongside reductions in corporate tax. We Prior to the London protests, students
45223-3085, USA. feel these cuts are targeting those who are at Goldsmiths in London occupied Dept-
most vulnerable in our society. ford Town Hall, also in protest against
“Furthermore, not only are these cuts cuts.

Assessment Stamp
for Friends of the
Palestinian Workers Group
Happy Holidays!
Benefit stamp designed by
For a World
underground cartoonist without bosses,
Spain Rodriquez.
Send $5 and a SASE to sparrow at IWW San the Industrial Worker
Francisco, 2022 Blake Street, Berkeley, CA 94704. Cake design: Eileen Botti Graphic: DJ Alperovitz

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