Los Angeles Transit Workers Adapt, Grow and Celebrate May Day
The energy of our study group is growing exponentially. But due to the current pandemic crisis, our group sessions have stopped for now.
The group was organizing weekly focus groups at work with fellow mechanics. We also collectively organized, prior to the pandemic, a gathering at a member’s home which also included our immediate family members. About sixteen people enjoyed a family-style meal, introductions of members, and thoughts of the direction of the Party by active members.
The experience was a success and all the energy involved was worth it. It shows new members and possible members that we have something in common. We all want the well-being of all the people of the world. We are all part of the working class. We all share the same struggles, such as, discrimination of race, religion, gender and all other forms of discrimination that are driven by profits.
Now that the times are changing, members are experiencing various things that are affecting the traditional ways of communication of our study group. It has forced us to communicate via phone, text, email, or other forms of electronic social communication systems. Numerous members have agreed to be part of a moral support system and express their thoughts of the current situation of the Pandemic via electronic communications. It has maintained the flame of energy burning that our study group has worked very hard to start.
A group of transportation workers in Los Angeles (MTA) gathered on Friday, May 1st to celebrate May Day and struggle with new workers to win them to fight for a communist world. Several workers spoke eloquently about the history of workers’ struggles worldwide.
Workers who read Red Flag promised to continue participating in Party study groups. I was fortunate to be briefly involved with the work study group on May Day. I was included via home phone and another member communicated via phone text to send his greetings from home as well.
The quality of the collective efforts given by every member in this study group has been an example to others in the workplace and has convinced some. We share our thoughts of current events too little and too vaguely. We are educating ourselves with tools and knowledge to better understand the worldwide crisis of Capitalism prior and during this time of Pandemic.
These continued collective efforts to strive for Communist Society have been a phenomenal experience for many. One member mentioned that this is only one of the realities that we will face. It’s in the Party’s best interest to adapt quickly to continue the Party’s growth.
Los Angeles, USA: Communist May Day Car Caravan Defies Fascist Terror
LOS ANGELES (USA, May 2 — “I participated in the May Day caravan with my mother and two nieces. I provided a helping hand to decorate the vehicles with posters and by writing communist slogans on the windows of the cars,” said a recent high school graduate.
“I sent pictures of the decorations on the cars, the posters and writings on the windows to my boyfriend who has been in the Army for close to two years. He was mesmerized and from his military base he sent me back the text: “Long live communism.”
Some comrades initially raised concerns about the caravan based on fear: fear of being exposed to the bosses and fear of being attacked by the racist cops because of our “isolated” caravan. In club discussions and individual conversations, we struggled collectively to overcome these fears.
In the end a young comrade who came to the caravan said, “This is still a concern of mine but I figure we’re going to have to take some chances to mobilize the masses and expose this bloody vicious capitalist system.”
Another young worker said he drew strength from the workers to defeat his fear. “Thanks to the workers on the streets blowing their horns, cheering us on, and the few who took the paper I soldiered on. Our caravan turned out amazingly and showed the great potential that we as well as the masses have for true change.”
Others questioned if the caravan would be effective or symbolic. We must all see that in times like these we need to be mobilized, not immobilized. The caravan allowed us to defy fascist terror while bringing communist ideas to the masses.
Worldwide the masses are responding to the call of communism. Many more will. The communist principle “From each according to ability and commitment, to each according to need” should guide us now and forever. Dare to struggle dare to win!
A worker in his mid-40s reported, “My mom came with me. She liked that we were empowering and supporting workers. She waved to the people who were honking in support. She had fun, too!”
A young African-American mother who is a leading comrade added, “We traveled through predominantly poor working-class Latinx and African American neighborhoods for two hours. We were able to reach so many workers to see our red flags and read our posters of revolutionary ideas. Like ‘Fight for communism, join ICWP’ and ‘Workers are essential, Capitalism is not.’
“We were seen by hundreds of working-class people of all ages. One African-American woman wanted our Red Flag paper and ran out across the street to grab one. It is inspiring that people want to hear us and gave me even more hope that we will eventually win a communist system.
“We ended with a great ICWP Mayday Event,” she continued, “where masses were able to see our messages from the International Communist Workers’ Party. Not republican, democratic, liberal or reformist but true communist revolutionaries who fight for a system that eliminates classes, money, and profit systems!”
”Defying fascist terror was an advance for the party,” concluded a comrade. “The youth took a lot of leadership. They are the future of the party. We will continue struggling with them to take ever more leadership in the struggle to win a communist world. A system where we produce for our need as an entire society and share our resources so we all can survive.”
Fight for Communism! Join ICWP!
Hawthorne, California — Warehouse and delivery workers across the US strike on May 1 to publicize demands for protective gear, extended sick time, and higher pay at a time when companies like Amazon, Fedex, InstaCart and Target are making record profits.
