Forum sparks growth here ♦ Factory Workers inspired by forum here ♦ New Comrade in South Africa here ♦ Comrades in Canada here ♦ Comrades in El Salvador here ♦
SAN SALVADOR, MAY DAY: “Solidarity and struggle with workers in India and the world. “Communism is oxygen for the working class. “BUILDING THE WORLD PROLETARIAN REVOLUTION”
Forum Shows Potential for Building One Mass International Communist Workers’ Party
New comrades, new determination among veteran communists around the world! New friends with new ideas and new interest in Red Flag and the International Communist Workers’ Party! That sums up the ICWP post-May Day Zoom forum.
Comrades reported on the potential for creating party collectives in new cities and new worksites and for expanding existing collectives. Experienced comrades and newer friends have already starting building on our May Day activities—under difficult pandemic conditions—to activate plans for growth. This focus is the best response to sharpening inter-imperialist rivalry and increasing attacks on the working class.
In El Salvador, forty-nine people marched under our communist banners this May Day. Thirteen new factory workers and others joined our ranks. We heard directly from some of these new friends and comrades. You could feel their enthusiasm.
The Party collectives there are planning for at least twice that number next year. These new forces have opened up communist organizing in new factories and schools. Veteran factory comrades even left work early (a difficult and costly effort) to have lunch with potential new communist organizers.
A new member in Cape Town, South Africa spoke passionately about building the party collective there. He emphasized the need for “word of mouth” to counteract capitalist anti-communist propaganda. Lunch meetings and social connections of all kinds—electronic and face-to-face—will overcome the lies of the bosses’ media.
This comrade praised Red Flag for presenting communism in an understandable, practical way. Other groups sometimes present communism in ways too complicated to fathom. He plans to create what he ironically calls “commie comics” to reach younger students.
A new comrade in Montreal, Canada, described how workers there are under attack and on the move. This has motivated her to fight for communism after years of relative inactivity. Her 20-year-old daughter also spoke. Together they are determined to build a new collective.
The party collective in Seattle (US) maintained contact with activists in Portland (US) during the last year. This work generated a recent visit during which a new member joined. Others are thinking seriously about it. A concentration among health care workers is developing.
A factory worker comrade in Houston (US) described using videos to convince co-workers that the US is not “the best of the best.” The potential for a new collective exists there too.
Comrades in Spain arrived late. Ikea drivers, up-in-arms about massive layoffs, had called them. The comrades plan to open up a new communist front in the class struggle against mass unemployment. If you have to be late, that’s a good reason!
The Los Angeles MTA transit collective reported on bringing a group to join the party’s contingent in a mass May Day march. They were committed to help represent communist politics and stuck around even when the organizers delayed the march.
A veteran comrade from the West Coast schools club reported on how comradely struggle and communist relations built over time—no matter how imperfect—overcame fear and cynicism. This was crucial to motivating members to reach out to more potential communists. They have resumed distributing Red Flag at the bus divisions in LA and made new plans to do the same in the San Francisco Bay Area.
One International Working Class, One International Communist Workers’ Party
“We should have more of these international meetings,” said a South African comrade.
Forums like this show how we are building one international party. The ICWP is not an alliance of separate national parties. We are one party with collectives and leaders in many parts of the world.
This forum displayed the expansion of our party internationally over the past year. It highlights the enormous potential for even more growth everywhere. The work to make this happen is up to us and our comrades and friends!
That work is the primary task of every party collective. We must build on the strengths of our international party to help every collective advance, and struggle in local collectives to overcome weaknesses. Every club should and can intensify the struggle to bring more people to our communist events. Let’s prepare for significant growth over the next year.
The forum made the new comrade in South Africa feel more a part of the party and the global mobilization for communism. Others reacted similarly. So, yes, let’s have more of these meetings! As we carry out the plans we’ve made for new and expanded collectives, they will become even more inspiring.
Factory Comrades Take Important Steps to Build the Party
“Seeing the growth of the party internationally has motivated us to make more contacts in other factories,” said a worker leader in El Salvador who attended the recent post-May Day forum of the International Communist Workers’ Party.
Days after the forum, the workers met and made a plan to go and distribute the Red Flag at some nearby factories. In addition, they want to approach the workers on their lunch hour to have short discussions and be able to make new contacts.
To do this, the workers said, “we will miss a day of work in the factory, to be able to visit more men and women workers.” They consider that to be a very important step for the growth of the party and the struggle to mobilize the masses for communism. In this way, more workers will join our struggle.
Comrades from other groups will join this effort led by the factory workers.
Young leader in El Salvador
Red Flag Brings in More and More People to Join the Party
It was a great honor for me to have been part of the May Day Zoom Forum on the 23rd of May.
It was my very first time on this forum, and being a member of the ICWP.
I did a brief introduction as to who I am and what I plan to fulfill with the help of the party to mobilize the masses for Communism.
It is only once we, as humans, realize the horrors of Capitalism, that we are compelled to do everything in our power to eradicate every single system that is set up as such.
Many important reports were given. I listened to comrades giving reports about their collectives marching all over the world.
The one thing that stood out for me was definitely the fact that with every encounter my comrades had, a Red Flag newspaper was distributed at these events and it always seems to bring in more and more people to join the party.
I am very lucky having joined a party such as the ICWP, an international collective that directly serves the need of the people. The true vanguard for communism. The party that will inspire many others to pick up their banners and boards.
Distributing the Red Flag newspaper among the working class and fighting for true liberation, not the pseudo-liberation that democracy promises us. We need to fight for what is rightfully ours.
It will not end with us. Generations after us will fight the same fight, if not bigger, and we will keep on marching, growing and fighting, until communism is achieved.
Comrade in Cape Town, South Africa
Comrades in Canada in Solidarity with Comrades in India
Greetings to the comrades and friends of ICWP. We are new to the party. In March we had an activity: selling food to collect funds for the comrades in India. It was a success. Many people responded, buying food and giving extra donations.
During the activity we had to fight against nationalism. Some people asked why we didn’t help people in “our country.” We said that we are all from the same working class.
We are also starting a study group with three people, two workers and a student, so that we can get to know communist politics better. We’ll stay in touch.
Comrades in Montreal
We Continue Learning About Communism in the ICWP
EL SALVADOR— “We are proud to be invited by the International Communist Workers’ Party to be part of the march on May 1st. We liked it very much,” said a new young comrade. “It was the first time I attended, together with my mother.”
We marched for a cause like communism, where we can express our feelings, be the voice of those without voices. We are motivated to constantly fight for the change that all workers need. To change this oppressive system that subjugates us. To fight and make ourselves heard, to reach the whole world, to let our struggle, our feelings be known. No more silence!
In the march, all the comrades were united, marching for the struggle of all the workers who live under repression every day, for wanting to have a better life. We raised our Red Flags proudly, raising the banners and raising our dreams so that the world knows our communist cause.
We loved it. We were extremely inspired to hear the comrades shout the slogans: “Fight, Overcome, Workers to Power!” “Worker, worker, what is your duty? The seizure of power!!!”
While we were marching, everything we have felt and what has been achieved is what needs to be done, in order to live fully, organized in the Party.
We will continue participating and being part of the communist struggle within the ICWP.
New comrades
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