70,000 striking miners in the South African platinum belt have rejected the revised offer by employers and are continuing with their strike action of nearly 4 months undauntedly. The miners are demanding a wage increase to 12,500 Rand a month (about $1,195).  South Africa accounts for about 80% of the world's platinum production. The strike has cut this output by 40%.

 The unscrupulous employers of one of these mines are bypassing the union leadership and talking directly to the mine workers to persuade them to accept the offer of 12,500 rand in 2017. This is a ridiculous and dangerous ploy by the bosses to lure and divide the workers to weaken the strike. Fortunately workers are steadfast, holding on and sticking to their demands. What is worrying is that there is very little if any support in the form of secondary strike by other workers to pledge solidarity with the miners. Instead the reformist misleaders are looking at their own sectarian interests, busy going around canvassing votes in the election circus going on in this country.

As ICWP we raise our Red Flag high in support of the striking workers in the platinum belt. As workers fight the largest platinum companies and the South African ANC government, we call on the miners to turn their strike into a political strike against capitalism and for communism. This would inspire workers throughout South Africa and the world who are fed up with capitalism and open to communist ideas. Our support should be to spread Red Flag among striking miners and their families and to urge them to join the fight to abolish wage slavery with communist revolution. Wages chain us to the capitalists and their system of exploitation. Only communism will guarantee that workers determine our own destiny, and produce not for profit but only to meet workers' needs.

Workers around the world, also on the move against the bosses, need communist ideas:

In Rio de Janeiro, on this April 11, 5000 squatters in a favela organized themselves to fight the police for many hours, refusing to be evicted from buildings that they had taken over, which had been abandoned by the biggest phone company in Brazil.

In Turkey, thousands of May Day marchers organized to fight the police for hours to enter Taksim Square in Istanbul, which the police blocked, using water cannons and tear gas against the marchers. Taksim Square was the scene of mass protests a year ago. Workers and youth fought back throwing objects and using sling shots against the police.

Thousands of workers marched on May Day in Bangladesh demanding death for the owner of the building where over 1100 garment workers were killed when it collapsed on April 24, 2013.

In China, 40,000 workers organized themselves to strike for two weeks against the owners of Yue Yuen Industrial Holdings, the world's largest manufacturer of brand-name athletic shoes, like Nike, New Balance, and Adidas. The company has underpaid workers' social security benefits for years, robbing them of their retirement. As many returned to work on April 26, one striker said, "Capitalists will always be capitalists."

Capitalism is exposed as a murderous system that only serves the bosses. These workers worldwide on the move against the bosses are open to mobilizing for communism. That's how we will collectively build the world that meets our needs. Fighting for reforms will not change our situation: workers need Red Flag.  Join ICWP and help spread Red Flag where you are and worldwide.  Away with the profit motive of the bosses Away! Communist Solidarity Forever!