Strike Against Wage Slavery, Fight for Communist World here ♦ Are Strikes a Solution? here ♦ LA City Workers Welcome Red Flag here ♦
Strike Against Wage Slavery: Fight for the Communist World We Need
The world is in turmoil. There is an undeclared war raging. It is a class war: the working class against the capitalist class!
This struggle must end in a revolutionary war for world communism. Only a communist world can satisfy all the needs of our class in a healthy environment.
This struggle is intensifying. We live in pre-revolutionary times: the toiling masses can’t live in the old way.
Witness the massive working-class rebellions exploding from France to Sri Lanka, from Peru to India, from Lebanon to Sudan, and beyond.
In the US, the sharpening class struggle points in that direction. A rising wave of strikes, or threats of strikes, has recently hit the country.
Last December, President Biden intervened to prevent a strike of railroad workers. Early this year, west coast dock workers staged a series of walkouts. UPS workers threatened a nationwide strike. Writers have been on strike since May, and actors since July.
In Los Angeles, school workers struck, supported by a teachers’ walkout. Hotel workers have walked off their jobs intermittently since July 4th. LA city workers struck for one day.
When we take our communist literature to workers on the picket lines, we find that many question capitalism and are open to revolutionary communism. Workers welcome us.
We have good conversations about wage slavery, and a communist world without money or bosses. We meet workers who want to talk more. Who ask for more literature for coworkers and friends.
Auto workers nationally are threatening to strike on September 14. That would be an opportunity to bring communist solidarity to the picket lines and to our workplaces.
Let’s Organize Strikes against Capitalism to Inspire Our Class for Revolution
Workers have been striking ever since the birth of capitalism over 500 years ago. Why do we have to strike to get a meager fraction of the wealth we produce to just barely survive?
We don’t have to! It’s time to break this vicious cycle of exploitation and strikes. Only communist revolution can do this. We need to mobilize the masses for that!
Instead of striking for reforms, let’s organize strikes against capitalism and its murderous wage slavery. Officials of the United Auto workers say a strike against the “Big Three” auto manufacturers could be “historic.”
A historic strike would attack capitalist wage slavery. It would inspire industrial workers internationally to fight for production for need, not profits. For a communist society where workers’ health and safety are primary.
It would deepen the workers’ understanding that successful reforms (at best temporary!) only perpetuate capitalism and its horrors.
Wages chain us to the capitalists. A society without money – a truly communist society – will break those chains forever.
Reform Class Struggle versus Communist Class Struggle
Over 175 years, the international communist movement mobilized hundreds of millions of workers worldwide to end capitalism through revolution. The Russian and Chinese Revolutions triumphed, but they, and all other attempts, failed to eliminate capitalism. Why?
Because their strategy was to mobilize workers for revolution through mass reform struggles. They fought for unions, higher wages, health insurance, pensions, but put off the fight against capitalism itself.
Their biggest reform was socialism. Socialist workers’ power, they thought, would lead to communism. But it couldn’t because socialism was state capitalism. It kept money, wages, profits, and wage slavery. The communist rulers became the new capitalist-imperialist enslavers. Today Russia and China are challenging US imperialism for world domination – leading to World War III.
Communist class struggle means mobilizing the masses for revolution, but not through reforms. Instead, by raising the need to destroy capitalism through communism.
In strikes and demonstrations, we raise the slogans: Abolish wage slavery and money with communism! Communist revolution will end racism, sexism, nations, xenophobia, and borders!
Communism is our future.
Communism means a life of collectivity and sharing, free of exploitation and the horrors of capitalism. Where we all contribute according to our ability and commitment and receive according to our need. Where relations of collectivity, not money, bind us together. Where we can all reach our full potential as human beings. Join us!
Are Strikes a Solution?
“I know about the one-day strike of 11,000 city workers,” said the MTA bus driver. “It’s great.”
“Striking is good,” said an ICWP comrade, handing her Red Flag. “It inspires other workers to strike. However, what we strike for is even more important.
“Workers have been striking for generations. If nothing changes, our great-grandchildren and their great-grandchildren will still be striking. We must end this vicious cycle. We need something different.”
“I agree with you. We need something different,” repeated the driver.
“Reforms like higher wages and more staffing,” continued the comrade, “even if won, eventually are taken away. Inflation eats whatever raises we get. The capitalists couldn’t care less that overtime disrupts our lives and health!”
The driver agreed. Then she said, “I tell coworkers that we should also strike to get what we need.”
It’s a contradiction. She likes revolution. But she still hopes reform will work.
Capitalism’s reforms aren’t solutions. We remain wage slaves in a period of growing attacks, racism, fascism, and war.
Communist revolution offers the only viable solution. We need to get to know her better to help her see that it’s the real alternative.
— Comrade in Los Angeles (USA)
Los Angeles City Strikers Welcome Communist Literature
I walked from my car to the Los Angeles (USA) city workers’ strike rally. I talked and gave Red Flag to everyone I could who was in my path. I had great short conversations with some workers who initially didn’t want a communist newspaper. But after I explained that Red Flag talks about similar strikes and situations worldwide, and the leaflet talks about building a communist world for the working class, they took it.
The leaflet “Strike Against Wage Slavery; Fight for the Communist World We Need” was well received. Four comrades distributed close to 700 leaflets and about 165 Red Flags among about 3000 workers.
An older worker explained he was going to retire in a few years. He complained of corruption and poor working conditions. I offered that in a communist world we would all contribute according to our ability and commitment and get what we need. I asked if he and his wife would like to have dinner with comrades and talk more. He said enthusiastically, “Of course!” He gave me his phone number and I thanked him. We’ve talked since then and will be getting together.
—Comrade in Los Angeles (USA)
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