Saturday, October 23, 2010
AMERICAN LABOUR MINNEAPOLIS:
JIMMY JOHNS WORKERS UNION LOSES ELECTION IN CLOSE TALLY:
Close but no cigar. The Jimmy Johns Workers' Union in Minneapolis lost the Labour Board election that would have seen them representing workers in the 10 outlets in that city. the final tally was 85 in favour of the union and 87 against. US labour law says that a majority of those eligible to vote would have to vote yes to certify a union as the bargaining representative. In this case that would have meant 103 workers.
The IWW isn't giving up, and hopefully future efforts will be rewarded. The reader can see more and keep up to date on developments at both the Jimmy Johns Workers' Union site and also that of the Twin Cities IWW. Management fought a dirty campaign against the union, and there are quite a few unfair labour practices complaints in the works. As the following article from Business Week shows, red-baiting was part of their book of tricks. Nothing remarkable about this. What is remarkable, and it bodes well for the health of the American body politic, is that almost half the workers involved were unimpressed by scare words like "socialist-anarchist".
JJWJJWJJWJJW
Union’s Bid to Organize Minneapolis Sandwich Shops Rejected
October 23, 2010, 12:01 AM EDT
Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Union efforts to recruit workers at U.S. fast-food restaurants were set back yesterday as Minneapolis employees at Jimmy John’s sandwich shops rejected a bid to affiliate with organized labor.
The Industrial Workers of the World, a Chicago-based group, failed to win enough votes at 10 shops where the union’s supporters complained of low wages and too few working hours. A tally showed 87 workers against the union and 85 in favor, with 103 votes, a majority of those eligible, needed to win, according to the National Labor Relations Board. The parties have seven days to file objections.
“We make minimum wage, and if the companies could pay us less, I’m sure they would,” said Ayo Collins, 20, who delivers sandwiches and is a union organizer at Jimmy John’s, a Champaign, Illinois-based chain with 1,000 U.S. shops. “We don’t have health care either.”
Success at Jimmy John’s would have been a breakthrough for organized labor in the fast-food business, where 1.3 percent of workers belong to a union and organizing is difficult because of rapid turnover and a young workforce, said Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The drive signals that working conditions are “perhaps a real social problem that requires a more pressing solution,” he said.
Mike Mulligan, who owns the 10 franchises in Minneapolis that were targeted in the campaign, said he has been “more than fair” to his workers. He said the workers include a high percentage of minority employees and he has “zero tolerance” for sexual harassment. Most employees have been with the company for less than six months, and are paid minimum wage of $7.25-an- hour, he said.
Socialist Wobblies
The I.W.W., known as the Wobblies, has 1,600 U.S. members and few union contracts with employers. The socialist union ( "socialist" is a fair description, but it should be stressed that this doesn't imply any support for any electoral socialist party ie "small s" socialist- Molly )says on its website that there can be “no end to injustice and want until the profit system itself is abolished.” The union has tried in the past to organize baristas at Starbucks Corp.
Employees at two Jimmy John’s in downtown Chicago, which wasn’t part of the I.W.W. organizing, said yesterday that pay is low and hours are inadequate.
“Three hours Monday through Friday isn’t enough,” said Julian Western, 20, who said he makes $8.25 an hour at the Jimmy John’s at 2 N. Riverside Plaza and works side jobs to supplement his income. “You need a second job just to get enough to get by, pay bills.”
Western and his friend Susana Contreras, 20, a cashier and baker at a nearby Jimmy John’s, said they hadn’t heard of the effort in Minneapolis. He said the Wobblies would succeed if they tried to organize in Chicago.
Hours, Pay
“A lot of people are complaining about the hours and pay,” said Western, who works the cash register and hands out sandwiches. “They’d be more than happy to cooperate.”
Mulligan, a retired senior vice president with grocer Supervalu Inc., said he met frequently with workers in the past six weeks to combat the union effort. He told workers the I.W.W. is a “socialist-anarchist” group, and that the union wouldn’t be likely to improve their working conditions.
“They’re trying to take down the quick-service industry,” said Mulligan, who became a franchisee after he leaving Supervalu as a way of going into business with his son. “Our employees don’t deserve these people, and these people don’t deserve our employees.”
Robert Bruno, director of the labor education program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said it’s significant for labor unions to target fast-food workers as potential union members.
“Some of the traditional rationales against unions in the industry -- that the workers are too young, they don’t stay on the job -- isn’t true any longer,” Bruno said. “Something has changed in the economy. It signals that you can’t take these workers for granted.”
--Editors: Steve Geimann, Larry Liebert
To contact the reporters on this story: Holly Rosenkrantz in Washington at hrosenkrantz@bloomberg.net; Flynn McRoberts in Chicago at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net .
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Larry Liebert at lliebert@bloomberg.net .
Union’s Bid to Organize Minneapolis Sandwich Shops Rejected
October 23, 2010, 12:01 AM EDT
Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Union efforts to recruit workers at U.S. fast-food restaurants were set back yesterday as Minneapolis employees at Jimmy John’s sandwich shops rejected a bid to affiliate with organized labor.
The Industrial Workers of the World, a Chicago-based group, failed to win enough votes at 10 shops where the union’s supporters complained of low wages and too few working hours. A tally showed 87 workers against the union and 85 in favor, with 103 votes, a majority of those eligible, needed to win, according to the National Labor Relations Board. The parties have seven days to file objections.
“We make minimum wage, and if the companies could pay us less, I’m sure they would,” said Ayo Collins, 20, who delivers sandwiches and is a union organizer at Jimmy John’s, a Champaign, Illinois-based chain with 1,000 U.S. shops. “We don’t have health care either.”
Success at Jimmy John’s would have been a breakthrough for organized labor in the fast-food business, where 1.3 percent of workers belong to a union and organizing is difficult because of rapid turnover and a young workforce, said Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The drive signals that working conditions are “perhaps a real social problem that requires a more pressing solution,” he said.
Mike Mulligan, who owns the 10 franchises in Minneapolis that were targeted in the campaign, said he has been “more than fair” to his workers. He said the workers include a high percentage of minority employees and he has “zero tolerance” for sexual harassment. Most employees have been with the company for less than six months, and are paid minimum wage of $7.25-an- hour, he said.
Socialist Wobblies
The I.W.W., known as the Wobblies, has 1,600 U.S. members and few union contracts with employers. The socialist union ( "socialist" is a fair description, but it should be stressed that this doesn't imply any support for any electoral socialist party ie "small s" socialist- Molly )says on its website that there can be “no end to injustice and want until the profit system itself is abolished.” The union has tried in the past to organize baristas at Starbucks Corp.
Employees at two Jimmy John’s in downtown Chicago, which wasn’t part of the I.W.W. organizing, said yesterday that pay is low and hours are inadequate.
“Three hours Monday through Friday isn’t enough,” said Julian Western, 20, who said he makes $8.25 an hour at the Jimmy John’s at 2 N. Riverside Plaza and works side jobs to supplement his income. “You need a second job just to get enough to get by, pay bills.”
Western and his friend Susana Contreras, 20, a cashier and baker at a nearby Jimmy John’s, said they hadn’t heard of the effort in Minneapolis. He said the Wobblies would succeed if they tried to organize in Chicago.
Hours, Pay
“A lot of people are complaining about the hours and pay,” said Western, who works the cash register and hands out sandwiches. “They’d be more than happy to cooperate.”
Mulligan, a retired senior vice president with grocer Supervalu Inc., said he met frequently with workers in the past six weeks to combat the union effort. He told workers the I.W.W. is a “socialist-anarchist” group, and that the union wouldn’t be likely to improve their working conditions.
“They’re trying to take down the quick-service industry,” said Mulligan, who became a franchisee after he leaving Supervalu as a way of going into business with his son. “Our employees don’t deserve these people, and these people don’t deserve our employees.”
Robert Bruno, director of the labor education program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said it’s significant for labor unions to target fast-food workers as potential union members.
“Some of the traditional rationales against unions in the industry -- that the workers are too young, they don’t stay on the job -- isn’t true any longer,” Bruno said. “Something has changed in the economy. It signals that you can’t take these workers for granted.”
--Editors: Steve Geimann, Larry Liebert
To contact the reporters on this story: Holly Rosenkrantz in Washington at hrosenkrantz@bloomberg.net; Flynn McRoberts in Chicago at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net .
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Larry Liebert at lliebert@bloomberg.net .
JJWJJWJJWJJW
Here's how the Jimmy Johns Workers' Union themselves see the matter.
JJWJJWJJWJJW
Unfazed by near tie, Jimmy John’s Workers vow to continue campaign
by Twin Cities Iww on Friday, October 22, 2010 at 8:14pm.
Unfazed by near tie, Jimmy John’s Workers vow to continue campaign
by Twin Cities Iww on Friday, October 22, 2010 at 8:14pm.
Jimmy Johns Workers Union (Industrial Workers of the World) Contact: Erik Forman, 612-598-6205, Ayo Collins 612-281-0882
October 22, 2010
Unfazed by near tie, Jimmy John’s Workers vow to continue campaign
Workers report widespread illegal activity by company
MINNEAPOLIS – Workers at 10 Jimmy John’s franchise locations in Minneapolis are crying foul after a near tie in a union certification election marred by misconduct by owner MikLin enterprises. 85 workers voted in favor of unionization and 87 against, with two unknown contested ballots. Under the National Labor Relations Act, a tie goes to the employer.
Workers reported strong evidence of several violations of the National Labor Relations Act on and before election day, including attempted bribes of workers, management asking workers to wear anti-union pins, threats of mass firings, and anti-union firings. MikLin Enterprises currently stands charged with 22 alleged violations of the National Labor Relations Act.
“We are extremely disappointed with the company’s conduct in this matter; rather then letting simply letting us vote, management chose to break the law repeatedly during the last six weeks. They spent over $84,500 on a vicious anti-union smear campaign, that's over $1000 per vote. We do not recognize these election results as legitimate and will continue to fight for our demands,” said Erik Forman, a worker at Jimmy John’s and a union member.
Ayo Collins, a delivery driver, says the union “hasn’t put all their eggs in one basket” and has multiple avenues of action still open to them. He says the union is considering taking legal action against the company over their misconduct in the runup to the election.
"In a company with turnover approaching 50% each month, a majority at any given moment only means so much. We have a mandate- more than 85 of us are committed to continuing the fight for decent wages, consistent scheduling, sick days, and the basic respect and dignity that all workers deserve. This is just the beginning of the fight," said Collins.
The Jimmy Johns Workers Union, open to employees at the company nationwide, is the first fast food union in the nation, and is affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World labor union. Gaining prominence in recent years for organizing Starbucks workers, the IWW is a global union founded over a century ago for all working people.
##
JimmyJohnsWorkers.org
October 22, 2010
Unfazed by near tie, Jimmy John’s Workers vow to continue campaign
Workers report widespread illegal activity by company
MINNEAPOLIS – Workers at 10 Jimmy John’s franchise locations in Minneapolis are crying foul after a near tie in a union certification election marred by misconduct by owner MikLin enterprises. 85 workers voted in favor of unionization and 87 against, with two unknown contested ballots. Under the National Labor Relations Act, a tie goes to the employer.
Workers reported strong evidence of several violations of the National Labor Relations Act on and before election day, including attempted bribes of workers, management asking workers to wear anti-union pins, threats of mass firings, and anti-union firings. MikLin Enterprises currently stands charged with 22 alleged violations of the National Labor Relations Act.
“We are extremely disappointed with the company’s conduct in this matter; rather then letting simply letting us vote, management chose to break the law repeatedly during the last six weeks. They spent over $84,500 on a vicious anti-union smear campaign, that's over $1000 per vote. We do not recognize these election results as legitimate and will continue to fight for our demands,” said Erik Forman, a worker at Jimmy John’s and a union member.
Ayo Collins, a delivery driver, says the union “hasn’t put all their eggs in one basket” and has multiple avenues of action still open to them. He says the union is considering taking legal action against the company over their misconduct in the runup to the election.
"In a company with turnover approaching 50% each month, a majority at any given moment only means so much. We have a mandate- more than 85 of us are committed to continuing the fight for decent wages, consistent scheduling, sick days, and the basic respect and dignity that all workers deserve. This is just the beginning of the fight," said Collins.
The Jimmy Johns Workers Union, open to employees at the company nationwide, is the first fast food union in the nation, and is affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World labor union. Gaining prominence in recent years for organizing Starbucks workers, the IWW is a global union founded over a century ago for all working people.
##
JimmyJohnsWorkers.org
Labels: American labour, current events, IWW, Jimmy Johns workers, Minneapolis, syndicalism
Sunday, September 26, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR WINNIPEG:
THE WINNIPEG WOBBLY ISSUE #5:
Hot of the press the Winnipeg Wobbly Issue #5. Here's the story from the Winnipeg Wobbly Blog, the local organ of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).
IWWIWWIWWIWW
Winnipeg Wobbly Newsletter #5
Fresh for the Radical Bookfair, check out the newest edition of our newsletter, the Winnipeg Wobbly! Included in this edition:
•The Coming Insurrection at the University of Manitoba
•Winnipeg Municipal Elections: "If voting changed anything it would be illegal"
•Jimmy Johns Workers Join IWW in Increase Minimum wage pay
•IWW Convention 2010 Report
•No to Bill94
Click Here For The Winnipeg Wobbly Vol. 1 Issue 5
Winnipeg Wobbly Newsletter #5
Fresh for the Radical Bookfair, check out the newest edition of our newsletter, the Winnipeg Wobbly! Included in this edition:
•The Coming Insurrection at the University of Manitoba
•Winnipeg Municipal Elections: "If voting changed anything it would be illegal"
•Jimmy Johns Workers Join IWW in Increase Minimum wage pay
•IWW Convention 2010 Report
•No to Bill94
Click Here For The Winnipeg Wobbly Vol. 1 Issue 5
Labels: Canadian labour, IWW, labour., syndicalism, Winnipeg IWW, Winnipeg Wobbly Newsletter
Sunday, September 19, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR VANCOUVER ISLAND:
THE VANISLE IWW BLOG:
Well, it's as official as it's going to get. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) are now officially present in Canada from coast to coast. As previously reported here at Molly's Blog there is a Halifax branch of the IWW (see our Links section under IWW Canada) , and now there is a branch for Vancouver Island wobs. Molly waits with bated breath for a Newfoundland and a Yukon branch. To say nothing of the employees at the Anne of Green Gables park organizing. While you bide your time waiting with me check out the new Vancouver Island blog. All the best to the Vanisle wobs.
Labels: Canadian labour, IWW, labour., syndicalism, Vanisle IWW
Thursday, August 05, 2010
AMERICAN LABOUR NEBRASKA:
BARISTAS SHUT DOWN OMAHA OUTLET:
The following news item is from the IWW Starbucks Union, organizing here there and everywhere for a fair deal for baristas at the Starbucks chain.
IWWIWWIWW
Squeezed Baristas Shut Down 15th and Douglas Starbucks to Protest Cutbacks
For Immediate Release:
Starbucks Workers Union/Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
Contact: Tyler Swain, 402-320-2002
August 5, 2010
Squeezed Baristas Shut Down 15th and Douglas Starbucks to Protest Cutbacks
Workers Demand Reversal of Recession Labor Cuts as Starbucks Returns to Profitability
Press Conference: 4:30 August 5, 15th and Douglas, W. Entrance to Omaha Public Library
Omaha, NE- Baristas and community supporters shut down the 15th and Douglas Starbucks (SBUX) this morning demanding that management reverse all cuts to healthcare, staffing, and benefits that have been imposed during the recession. The baristas claim that executives have no justification to squeeze working families with Starbucks raking in profits of $977.2 million in the past four fiscal quarters.
“We are being squeezed, and we can't take it any more. Since the recession began, Starbucks executives have ruthlessly gutted our standard of living. They doubled the cost of our health insurance, reduced staffing levels, cut our hours, all while demanding more work from us. Starbucks is now more than profitable again. It's time for management to give back what they took from us,” said Sasha McCoy, a shift supervisor at the store.
Since the onset of the recession, Starbucks imposed a series of deep cuts on its workforce. Starting in 2008 as the economic downturn began, the coffee giant shuttered over 800 stores and slashed over 18000 jobs. The remaining skeleton crew workforce was stretched out, forced to push VIA and other promotional products while keeping the stores running with insufficient staffing levels. CEO Howard Schultz then doubled the cost of the company health insurance plan in September 2009, leaving many workers unable to afford medical treatment because of sky-high deductibles and premiums. While the cuts continue, Starbucks made a record profit of $207.9 million in the last quarter according to company figures.
The protesting baristas are members of the Starbucks Workers Union, which is an international campaign of the Industrial Workers of the World labor union. The store action makes the 15th and Douglas location the first Starbucks in Nebraska to have a public union presence. The workers decided to move to unionize after watching their standard of living be whittled away while top executives chose to reward investors with dividends.
Samantha Cole, a Barista at the store said, “I work hard for every dollar I make in order to put food on the table for my family; Starbucks rewards workers with a poverty wage while they give their Wall Street pals dividends. I'm not doing this for myself so much as for the next generation that will grow up in this country. These are the only jobs that are left here- we need to make sure they are good jobs for working families.”
While portraying itself as a ‘socially-responsible’ employer, Starbucks pays Nebraska baristas a poverty wage of $7.35/hr. In addition, all retail hourly workers at Starbucks in the United States are part-time employees with no guaranteed number of work hours per week. According to Starbucks figures released to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 40.9% of its employees (including managers) are covered by the company health care package, a lower percentage than the oft-criticized Wal-Mart, which insures 47% of its workforce.
Since the launch of the IWW campaign at Starbucks on May 17, 2004, the company has been cited multiple times for illegal union-busting by the National Labor Relations Board. The company settled numerous complaints against it and was recently found guilty by a judge in New York on more than 30 additional rights’ violations. Starbucks’ large anti-union operation is operated in conjunction with the Akin Gump law firm and the Edelman public relations firm.
The IWW Starbucks Workers Union is a grassroots organization of over 300 current and former employees at the world's largest coffee chain united for secure work hours and a living wage. The union has members throughout the United States and Canada fighting for systemic change at the company and remedying individual grievances with management.
Union baristas, bussers, and shift supervisors have fought successfully toward improved scheduling and staffing levels, increased wages, and workplace safety. Workers who join the union have immediate access to co-workers and members of the community who will struggle with them for a better life on the job.
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http://www.facebook.com/l/a781akQD1JUteiOx1cBsGLffhLA;www.StarbucksUnion.org
Labels: American labour, IWW, labour, Nebraska, Starbucks, Starbucks Union, strike., syndicalism, USA
Thursday, April 29, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR- WINNIPEG:
THE WINNIPEG WOBBLY ISSUE #4:
Our local branch of the syndicalist Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) union here in Winnipeg is as active as ever. Speaking of May Day (see last post) the IWW has brought out a special May Day edition of the Winnipeg Wobbly. Check it out, especially for the announcements of events here in this burg surrounding the month long May Works (May Day on steroids ????). Here's the announcement from the Winnipeg Wobbly Blog.
WAWAWAWAWAWAWAWA
Winnipeg Wobbly #4: May Day Special
Check out the new special May Day edition of our newsletter, the Winnipeg Wobbly!
Included in this edition:
**May Day: The REAL Labour Day
**Party Politics don't Work
**The Belgrade 6 are free!
**Report Back from Winnipeg Israeli Apartheid Week
**Selected Events from the MayWorks Festival
Click Here For The Winnipeg Wobbly Vol. 1 Issue 4
Labels: Canadian labour, labour, local events, May Day, May Works, syndicalism, Winnipeg, Winnipeg Wobbly Blog, Winnipeg Wobbly Newsletter
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
AMERICAN LABOUR:
IWW LAUNCHES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST STARBUCKS:
The following article is from the website of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).
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IWW Member Laid Off By Starbucks After Confronting CEO And Blogging About It - IWW Immediately Hits Starbucks With Legal Action:
Chicago, IL (03-19-2009)- The Starbucks Coffee Co. informed outspoken union member and barista, Joe Tessone, yesterday that it was laying him off, just two weeks after he confronted CEO Howard Schultz over the company's squeezing of employees. Mr. Tessone's blog post on the encounter entitled, "Howard the Coward: The Day My Boss Ran Away" quickly became an Internet hit among fast food workers and their supporters (online at: http://www.iww.org/en/node/4618).
"When I heard Howard Schultz was in town, I knew had to get to the store and make my voice heard as a barista and union member," said Tessone, a 4-year veteran of the company with an excellent performance record. "He said he'd speak to me after his interview with the Wall Street Journal only to scurry through the emergency exit the first chance he got. I told Schultz that it was time to dialogue with union baristas and that too many of us we're living in poverty but he showed nothing but cowardice."
Shortly after his exchange with Schultz, Tessone was ordered into a one-on-one meeting with a Starbucks Regional Director rather than the store manager who would normally administer discipline. The director warned Tessone that he was out of compliance with Starbucks' new "Optimal Scheduling" policy which pries open baristas' availability to work without guaranteeing any work hours. The problem with the director's rationale: Tessone's availability was indeed in complete compliance with Optimal Scheduling requirements which are laid out in a written policy. The same rationale was erroneously deployed by Tessone's store manager yesterday when he was laid off.
"Starbucks' claim that I was out of compliance with the policy is a fantasy; I actually exceeded its requirements," explained Tessone. "I come to work on time and work hard everyday. It?s clear that my attempt to speak with Starbucks' anti-union CEO and the escalation of union activity at the company is what caused my termination."
This isn't the first time that Howard Schultz lacked the fortitude to discuss Starbucks' animosity toward labor unions and its refusal to provide stable work hours to employees. In a remarkably similar situation in 2004, Schultz hurried out of a New York City Starbucks after union barista Daniel Gross challenged him to sit down at a table and talk face-to-face.
In addition to Tessone's firing, the Industrial Workers of the World is currently challenging several unlawful responses by Starbucks to the increase in action by the union in Chicago. These charges include allegations that Starbucks increased surveillance against baristas at a Chicago store to which the union recently expanded and illegally laid off barista Tracey Dietrich. The IWW Starbucks Workers Union has thus far defeated the coffee giant in six labor cases across three cities.
"We will continue to ensure our members are protected," says Chrissy Cogswell, a Starbucks barista in Chicago and a union organizer. "Every time the company violates workers' rights, we will seek justice."
The IWW Starbucks Workers Union (StarbucksUnion.org) is an organization of almost 300 current and former Starbucks employees united for a living wage, secure work hours, and respect on the job. Founded in 2004, the union uses direct action, litigation, and advocacy to both make systemic improvements at Starbucks and take on the company over unfair treatment of individual baristas.
Open to all working people, the Industrial Workers of the World (iww.org) is a member-operated labor union dedicated to democracy in the workplace and global solidarity.
###
Daniel Gross
Organizer
IWW Starbucks Workers Union
www.StarbucksUnion.org
Ph:(917) 577-1110
Fx:(917) 591-6128
dgross@iww.org
Related Links
Starbucks Baristas Go Union!
Labels: American labour, IWW, labour, Starbucks, Starbucks Union, syndicalism, USA
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Practical Anarchism:
There's an interesting article in the July 29th edition of 'Freedom'. Freedom is a biweekly produced in London England, and has claim to being the oldest anarchist periodical in the world as it was founded by Kropotkin and friends in the 1880s. The article, by Martyn Everett, is entitled 'Practical Anarchism', and it describes the work of the 'University of the Third Age' in Great Britain.
The 'U3A' is basically a network for self education for people over 45. The network was set up in the early 1980s and now has 574 local groups. Membership as of Feb., 2006 stood at 153,000 people. This network differs from formal education in that there is no process of marking; there are no 'certificates' granted; and the roles of "teacher and pupil" are not rigidly set. There is no faculty in this University. Often classes have no teacher whatsoever, and teachers in one class pass on to become students in another. There are no formal "campuses". Classes often meet in private homes.
The author shows how this sort of structure is exactly the sort of thing described by Kropotkin in his writings on anarchist society. he goes on to argue that experience in such non-hierarchical groups might be generalized by the participants into other forms of social organization such as "credit unions, housing co-ops and communal allotments". My own prejudices would argue that one should add a lot of other items to this list.
It should be noted that there has always been an undercurrent of this sort of meliorist thinking in the anarchist tradition. The most thorough going modern exponent has been Colin Ward, but much of Mutualism and Syndicalism has understood that the creation of everyday alternatives in a piecemeal fashion is "direct action" in the true and proper sense. In the USA Paul Goodman was very much in this tradition. In fact it would be as hard to find any deus ex-machina of 'revolution' in Goodman's works as it would in Ward's writings.
Two things should be noted about this whole matter. One is the insufficient understanding of what the term "direct action" actually means. In its original syndicalist formulation it meant action on the job that directly changed the working conditions without resort to any sort of "petitioning" of the bosses, either passively and legally through grievance procedures or even in a militant fashion through the most determined or even violent of strike action. The concept of sabotage would only qualify as "direct action" if its immediate effect was the desired result- such a slowdown of the work process. Direct action also had the connotation of not relying on politicians to gain desired reforms but directly struggling for them at the workplace. Given the reality of union organizing this meant that 95 to 99% of this direct action struggle was not the flashy actions of strikes but rather the day to day building of links of solidarity. It was as useless to vote for politicians- to petition them by ballots- as it was to except to influence them by riots- to petition by bricks and bullets. The syndicalists, whether of the European "anarcho" variety or the "non-political" North American variety embodied in the IWW or the OBU understood very plainly that their militant actions were usually just skirmishes and holding actions unless they demonstrated the effectiveness of the building of links of solidarity- the real work of direct action which would make true victory possible.
The second thing to note is that the direct action of building such alternative ways of acting and often using them to further one's ends either in conflict with rulers or by ignoring them is what should truly be meant by a "revolution of everyday life". These are actions that affect one's prospects and desires, and those of one's peers far more than what passes for the self declared heirs of "the revolution of everyday life" and what they propose, assuming they propose anything.
In most countries outside of North America there has been a revival of this "practical anarchism", whether it be in the new syndicalism or in community based struggle. There is a certain imperial strain in the anarchism of the USA that is very much opposed to this concept of practical anarchism and wishes to impose its own vision of impractical anarchism where practicality becomes sly hints about better ways to carry out petty vandalism. This imperial anarchism reduces the everyday concept of changing one's life to a memorization of turgid dogma and competition as to who can appear the most militant.
The idea of "direct action" being action tailored to directly achieve a goal is totally lost in this dreamworld. Ordinary people actually care about achieving something, at least now and then. Imperial Anarchism finds the whole concept irrelevant. Consistent 100% defeat in the set piece operas of demonstrations around this or that international conference of the ruling class simply don't register in this mindset. You can't notice that police who deploy perhaps 1% of the lethal force of which they are capable always and every time win in that they control the streets at the end of the day even if they hold well back from "maximum force". You can't notice this if you don't care because winning is actually unimportant and the spectacle of opposition is everything. To the exclusion of the building the ties of everyday living that true anarchism actually consists of.
Direct action and the revolution of everyday life are two great concepts of practical anarchism. But they can never be applied until there is a clear understanding of what they mean.
There's an interesting article in the July 29th edition of 'Freedom'. Freedom is a biweekly produced in London England, and has claim to being the oldest anarchist periodical in the world as it was founded by Kropotkin and friends in the 1880s. The article, by Martyn Everett, is entitled 'Practical Anarchism', and it describes the work of the 'University of the Third Age' in Great Britain.
The 'U3A' is basically a network for self education for people over 45. The network was set up in the early 1980s and now has 574 local groups. Membership as of Feb., 2006 stood at 153,000 people. This network differs from formal education in that there is no process of marking; there are no 'certificates' granted; and the roles of "teacher and pupil" are not rigidly set. There is no faculty in this University. Often classes have no teacher whatsoever, and teachers in one class pass on to become students in another. There are no formal "campuses". Classes often meet in private homes.
The author shows how this sort of structure is exactly the sort of thing described by Kropotkin in his writings on anarchist society. he goes on to argue that experience in such non-hierarchical groups might be generalized by the participants into other forms of social organization such as "credit unions, housing co-ops and communal allotments". My own prejudices would argue that one should add a lot of other items to this list.
It should be noted that there has always been an undercurrent of this sort of meliorist thinking in the anarchist tradition. The most thorough going modern exponent has been Colin Ward, but much of Mutualism and Syndicalism has understood that the creation of everyday alternatives in a piecemeal fashion is "direct action" in the true and proper sense. In the USA Paul Goodman was very much in this tradition. In fact it would be as hard to find any deus ex-machina of 'revolution' in Goodman's works as it would in Ward's writings.
Two things should be noted about this whole matter. One is the insufficient understanding of what the term "direct action" actually means. In its original syndicalist formulation it meant action on the job that directly changed the working conditions without resort to any sort of "petitioning" of the bosses, either passively and legally through grievance procedures or even in a militant fashion through the most determined or even violent of strike action. The concept of sabotage would only qualify as "direct action" if its immediate effect was the desired result- such a slowdown of the work process. Direct action also had the connotation of not relying on politicians to gain desired reforms but directly struggling for them at the workplace. Given the reality of union organizing this meant that 95 to 99% of this direct action struggle was not the flashy actions of strikes but rather the day to day building of links of solidarity. It was as useless to vote for politicians- to petition them by ballots- as it was to except to influence them by riots- to petition by bricks and bullets. The syndicalists, whether of the European "anarcho" variety or the "non-political" North American variety embodied in the IWW or the OBU understood very plainly that their militant actions were usually just skirmishes and holding actions unless they demonstrated the effectiveness of the building of links of solidarity- the real work of direct action which would make true victory possible.
The second thing to note is that the direct action of building such alternative ways of acting and often using them to further one's ends either in conflict with rulers or by ignoring them is what should truly be meant by a "revolution of everyday life". These are actions that affect one's prospects and desires, and those of one's peers far more than what passes for the self declared heirs of "the revolution of everyday life" and what they propose, assuming they propose anything.
In most countries outside of North America there has been a revival of this "practical anarchism", whether it be in the new syndicalism or in community based struggle. There is a certain imperial strain in the anarchism of the USA that is very much opposed to this concept of practical anarchism and wishes to impose its own vision of impractical anarchism where practicality becomes sly hints about better ways to carry out petty vandalism. This imperial anarchism reduces the everyday concept of changing one's life to a memorization of turgid dogma and competition as to who can appear the most militant.
The idea of "direct action" being action tailored to directly achieve a goal is totally lost in this dreamworld. Ordinary people actually care about achieving something, at least now and then. Imperial Anarchism finds the whole concept irrelevant. Consistent 100% defeat in the set piece operas of demonstrations around this or that international conference of the ruling class simply don't register in this mindset. You can't notice that police who deploy perhaps 1% of the lethal force of which they are capable always and every time win in that they control the streets at the end of the day even if they hold well back from "maximum force". You can't notice this if you don't care because winning is actually unimportant and the spectacle of opposition is everything. To the exclusion of the building the ties of everyday living that true anarchism actually consists of.
Direct action and the revolution of everyday life are two great concepts of practical anarchism. But they can never be applied until there is a clear understanding of what they mean.
Labels: anarchism, Colin Ward, direct action, education, Freedom magazine, IWW, Kropotkin, magazines, Martyn Everett, mutualism, syndicalism, tactics
