Communism Is Based On Needs, Not “Rights”
LOS ANGELES (USA) – MTA transit workers welcomed an ICWP leaflet about their disappearing layovers. Many are angry about this and other capitalist attacks. Many agree that we need a system that lets us rest, that meets our needs.
It’s clear that this is a collective problem. It needs a collective solution. We need to mobilize for a communist revolution and build a communist system that meets our needs.
An MTA operator told us while taking his customary two Red Flags, “Runs are so tight now many operators have no layover.”
Another explained: “Wage Order Number 9 is supposed to guarantee employees’ meal and rest periods. MTA workers are exempted because they have a union contract which specifies these breaks, called recovery time.
“Operators, however, are not told that the recovery time on work assignment sheets are excuses MTA uses to meet the law’s requirements. Yes, our break times are written there but the times allocated are not enough to do our jobs.”
No layover means no time to rest, eat, use the restroom or make important phone calls. No layover hurts workers’ health. Job-related stress and the general stress from living under capitalism mean that retired operators die sooner than other workers, by as much as ten years.
When Republicans and Democrats debate health care, they don’t talk about this stress and lack of control over our lives. Yet this reflects the reality of workers’ health in capitalism.
It is becoming clearer to MTA workers, especially the many Red Flag readers, that we need a different system. We need to build a society where we will all make all decisions based on satisfying our human needs, not on saving or making money.
Communism will end the killer stress that comes with exploitation. Work will be collective and fun. There won’t be bosses or supervisors. Workers will decide together what and how to produce and the best ways to transport our comrade workers. There will be plenty of people to do the driving, repairs, and everything else. No one will have to work without going to the rest room, eating or resting.
The erosion of layovers has been happening for at least ten years. “That is why I retired,” explained a recently-retired MTA operator.
“It is becoming unbearable,” he continued. “The union has made no effort to enforce this issue because most of us do not make our complaints in writing. If the operators would pressure the Union, the company eventually would have to comply with the law. MTA would have to pay operators an additional hour for the ten-minute breaks not taken and another hour for the 30-minute break not taken. The rail operators have it worse.”
“Why don’t workers file complaints?” we asked.
“The supervisors intimidate them, saying that we get paid for that time. Operators also think, rightfully, that MTA will put them on a special list to harass them until they quit or are fired. That happened with Labor Code 233 in 2000.
“LC233 allowed an employee to take half of their annual sick time to tend to their family’s medical needs. An operator found out and brought the issue to the Union. The Union told him that the Union and Company agreed not to disclose LC233 to the operators. He disclosed it himself. Management went after that operator until they fired him.”
“This is capitalism,” said our comrade. “Workers have the ‘right’ to file complaints but can’t use this ‘right’. We have all kinds of ‘rights’ until we try to use them. ‘Rights’ are a concept developed by class society. They are given and taken away at the rulers’ whim.”
“I see,” said the operator. “We need to eat and yet a law had to be written stating that employers must allow employees to eat. Either way, we are not eating properly because of all the stress. Is this how life is supposed to be?”
“No,” said our comrade. “That is why we are organizing to destroy capitalism, its wage slavery and its ‘rights’ with a communist revolution.”
Human beings have needs. Communist society will collectively satisfy everyone’s needs without money. Capitalism is the opposite: our needs for food, shelter, medical care, etc., are denied if we can’t pay for them. Many millions worldwide go hungry, homeless or die prematurely from stress caused by racist exploitation.
We ask MTA workers who have read Red Flag for years, and all other workers, to join ICWP, distribute the paper to their families, friends, and coworkers, and recruit them to ICWP.
We call on MTA workers to organize a political strike against capitalism and for communism. Such a strike will be a beacon for millions who are in motion against Trump’s racism and fascism and against capitalism itself.
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