Kaiser Strike, 2012
CALIFORNIA, USA – The worker was distressed because his daughter needed a medical procedure for a painful physical health problem. Due to the cost, she was unable to receive treatment. The parents were separated, and the worker gave up his apartment to save up money for this procedure. He continued to work and for several months lived out of his car. He felt very poorly about himself, although he understood he was sacrificing for his daughter. He was ashamed, depressed, and started to drink heavily, especially on cold nights.
My job is to listen to people talk about problems like these and help them feel or think differently about them. If all goes well, they start to live more fulfilling lives. Perhaps they feel less depressed, less anxious and/or stop using drugs or alcohol.
However, I cannot change the many life circumstances that create these problems under capitalism.
Kaiser Permanente (KP), an insurance and medical provider in the United States, is touted as a model agency. Yet patients like this worker must wait 6 weeks to nearly 3 months for a follow-up mental-health appointment. KP is aggressively outsourcing mental health services rather than hiring permanent staff.
US capitalism is touted as a model capitalist country, yet the gap between rich and poor has never been greater. Fascism and racism are ever more present. Two hundred forty people die PER DAY due to alcohol-related reasons. One hundred fifteen people die PER DAY from the current opiate epidemic. One hundred five people PER DAY, including 22 US army veterans, die from suicide.
Capitalists don’t assess “good” and “bad” the way most of us do. They base “success” and “failure” on profits. KP is making record profits and fascist control of people is growing nationwide. However, Kaiser workers are now fighting back.
It is inspiring to see workers going out on strike. However, strikes for reforms are limited and concessions will be taken back by the bosses as soon as they can. Capitalism continues to squeeze the working class as the bosses prepare for war abroad.
Working class unity is important, but more important is the goal. If we are looking for our freedom from wage slavery and oppression, there is something different to do.
Whether you enjoy your job or not, the bottom line is that you are tied to your job until you can retire. You work to meet basic needs and once you retire you might get enough to survive. But whether you receive enough to meet your basic needs is no concern of your past employer or the capitalists. Your productive years are done as far as they’re concerned.
If you want solutions, read and distribute Red Flag and organize for ICWP. Communism is a new way of living that will be for the working class and by the working class. It will be a society where good/bad and success/failure are measured in terms of how we, the people are doing.
Money will not exist in communism and therefore the usual obstacles to treatment will be eliminated, including insurance, lack of money, or lack of people to do the “job.” In communism the social isolation that leads many to drug/alcohol abuse will also be eliminated. We will work as a community to resolve problems and to meet all our needs out of care for one another.
Getting to communism will come when most of us are committed to creating something different for our children and grandchildren. It will require a revolutionary fight, but a fight worthy of our collective efforts. We have a world to win.
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