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In Australia Socialist Alliance seeks unity talks with Socialist Alternative
Posted by John, September 25th, 2012 - under Collaboration, Socialist Alliance, Socialist Alternative, Unity.
Socialist Alternative has received the following correspondence from the Socialist Alliance National Executive writes the organisation. Socialist Alternative has agreed to attend an initial and exploratory discussion about possible collaboration and unity.
September 15, 2012
Socialist Alternative national office
PO Box 4013
University of Melbourne
VIC 3052
Dear Comrades
We are writing on behalf of the Socialist Alliance national executive to request discussions with your leadership to explore possibilities for closer cooperation and unity. Our national executive met on September 14 and agreed on sending this letter.
The class struggle is rapidly intensifying as state and federal governments increase their attacks on the working class and other oppressed sectors and on the social concessions won through years of struggle.
In the midst of these attacks, the ALP (which still dominates the labour movement) has severely weakened the fightback by consistently restraining any militant fightback and on top of that it has confused, disoriented and divided the working class by promoting the racist scapegoating of refugees and asylum seekers.
As the two largest socialist organisations in Australia today we have the duty to see if we can work together to build a stronger pole of leadership for the desperately needed fightback and to win more in the working class and other oppressed sectors to the struggle to end the class dictatorship of capital.
We have followed with interest the discussion around the Facebook announcement by a former DSP leader, Jorge Jorquera, that he is joining Socialist Alternative and the positive responses by several leading Socialist Alternative members and from others in the left. We welcome the comments by leading Socialist Alternative comrades Sandra Bloodworth and Tom Bramble that some of the differences that have divided the revolutionary left in the past should not be a barrier to working in a common party.
We respect the success and broadening out of the annual Marxism conferences that Socialist Alternative has organised and we have expressed this respect in Green Left Weekly. We would like to help build the next Marxism conference into an even bigger gathering and discussion for the left.
We also respect the role that Socialist Alternative members are playing in building several important movements, including the refugee rights movement, the equal marriage rights movement, the student movement, Palestine and Aboriginal solidarity, etc.
We acknowledge the strong solidarity you have organised for militant trade union struggles such as the Baiada poultry workers’ strike, the Toll/Coles warehouse workers’ strike and the construction workers’ Grocon strike.
We are serious about the question of left unity and we are committed to constructively exploring all prospects for such unity.
If Socialist Alternative is interested in having an initial and exploratory leadership discussion, we are prepared to attend a meeting with a delegation of around three or four from each party in either Melbourne or Sydney at a mutually suitable time in the near future.
The Socialist Alliance is having a two-day broader leadership (national council) meeting on October 6-7 and we would appreciate a response from you before then, if possible.
Comradely regards
Susan Price and Peter Boyle
for the Socialist Alliance national executive
Readers may also be interested in looking at Jorge Jorquera: why I have joined Socialist Alternative
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Comments
Comment from Terry Townsend
Time September 26, 2012 at 8:17 pm
We are going to need a strengthened revolutionary left to face the challenge of an Abbott government, so let’s hope that will be the outcome.
Comment from The General
Time September 26, 2012 at 11:00 pm
We need a strengthened revolutionary and socialist left to face the current attacks of the Rudd-Gillard mob, let alone any thought of the Mad Monk and the open rule of Capital.
Here’s to hoping something comes of this!
Comment from Ewen
Time September 27, 2012 at 9:50 pm
I have copied here the post I sent in response to the article by Jorge Jorquera, which I posted on the 12th. Sept.
I fully support unity SALT.
I agree with what you say about growing a left Marxist movement to change the current government and social structure. Also, that we have a window of opportunity, especially with the crisis occurring right before our eyes, especially in the Liberal states. But, us left organisations must stop bagging the shit out of each other and unite at some level to become a real force. I hear talk of Left Unity or a United Front but we must not bicker because we seem dysfunctional to outsiders looking in at us all. I hear this from people at rallies and our stalls. They can’t work out why there are so many different Socialist groups. I ask the same questions myself as I am only 2 years into activism. I understand the reasons and wish they could be overcome. I am a member of Socialist Alliance and have friends in Socialist Alternative in Melbourne. I love the work we all do and try my hardest to work in with all organisations involved at rallies.
United we stand, Divided we fall.
Ewen
Comment from John
Time September 27, 2012 at 10:31 pm
I don’t want to discourage people but it is very very early days. So maybe take a deep breath and relax. One chat does not a marriage make.
Comment from Comrade Shelly Ann Dahl
Time September 28, 2012 at 1:02 am
Che Guevara wrote in the 1950s/60s about socialism and man in Cuba. The thing he pointed out in “love of the living humanity” was one of the most important qualities a genuine revolutionary/socialist posses is love. Hence I fully support this as I have been fighting for the two groups to unite to defeat our common enemy since I entered Resistance, Socialist Alliance, Community Action Against Homphobia in January 2006 and wound up waging a campaign for this to occur since November 2007 to repeal a mistaken exclusionary and discouragement policy to unite with the majority for life towards the goal of equal socialism. A bit part of the problem is lessons from history not being learned, miscommunication, gagging of each other, leaders using the guilt fix method, misjudging each other, professing to be the true interpreter of each other, the situation, each others history, not giving each other a go, bickering over whose right and whose wrong accusations and confessions going back and forth, resulting in an endless battle of pitting human against human, backbiting, personallly attacking, treating each other as sick or wrong or dead or refusing to work together because of personal prejudices and ignorance with each other. ENOUGH!!! Lets unite driven by love of the living humanity with a strategy of socialism and human in Australia no matter the struggle towards the goal of socialism for life. History can unite us. Socialism or death!! love in struggle comrade shelly
Comment from Comrade Shelly Ann Dahl
Time September 28, 2012 at 1:06 am
I fully support this and have been fighting for this to occur since I entered Socialist Alliance via Resistance in July 2006. Lets unite driven by love of the living humanity with a strategy of socialism and human in Australia love in struggle comrade shelly .
Pingback from En Passant » Saturdays’ socialist speak out
Time September 29, 2012 at 9:02 am
[...] To that end Socialist Alternative is in discussions with the Revolutionary Socialist Party about the future relationship between the two groups. Socialist Alliance has since approached Socialist Alternative for talks. [...]
Comment from SCART
Time September 25, 2012 at 10:39 pm
I believe this sort of Unity would invigorate leftist activism in Australia & draw many of us back.