Blogs

Work is Bollocks

Why the working-class should control how work is done.

After the Fall

Rosa Soros discusses the colonial legacy of America, how it is still felt deeply today, and why we need a grassroots, revolutionary working class movement to fight - not just the forces of reaction brought about by the Trump administration - but the tide of liberalism that secured his power.

“Proud to be part of a singing union”: the struggle at Ellen's Stardust Diner

Sometimes the class struggle heats up in unexpected places – in a Times Square Diner famous for their singing wait staff, for example.

I've got 99 problems but a class analysis ain't one

Some things should have been left in 2011, the mystifying 99 percent slogan is one.

VOZ Workers Center Unites With Portland Solidarity Network to Confront City of Portland

The Portland Solidarity Network joins together with the Voz Workers Rights Education Project to fight for a permanent home for Portland's day laborers.

Trumpism as a historic turning point: 12 theses

Trump will print dollars to finance wars.

The following positions have already been formulated on 28-1-2017. Until now, the development of domestic and foreign policy of the United States confirms the trend towards intensified preparations for war. Therefore, I now publish these statements as a contribution to the debate among workers and within the proletarian internationalist milieu.

The contradictions of Left Renewal

A criticism of Left Renewal, a libertarian socialist tendency within the NSW Greens in Australia.

Interview with the Health Sector Workers Network (Aotearoa/New Zealand)

Recomposition interview with members of the Health Sector Workers Network in Aotearoa/New Zealand. They discuss attempting to build cross-workplace and cross-trade solidarity, the recent series of Junior Doctor’s strikes (the equivalent of residents in the US), and building workers resistance to health austerity.

Council communism or councilism? - The period of transition

Jan Appel

Book review of Philippe Bourrinet “The Dutch and German Communist Left (1900-68); ‘Neither Lenin nor Trotsky nor Stalin!”, ‘All workers must think for themselves!’”, Leiden/Boston (Brill) ISBN 978-90-04-26977-4.

CRAC-PC: take the arms and the destiny of our lives in Guerrero, Mexico

CRAC-PC (Regional Coordinator of Communitary Authorities – Communitarian Police) has achieved substancial changes in the life of more of 153 communities, in 22 municipalities of Guerrero state, since October 1995. Changing completely the concept that we have of “police”, for these territories, the “comunitarios” (volunteers) become guardians elected by their own regional assemblies, guarding day by day, the dreams of their families and communities.

Hillary Clinton’s complaints about the spread of “fake news” belie her contributions to it

Picture of Barack Obama dressed as a Somali elder leaked by the Clinton campaign

The 2008 Clinton campaign played an instrumental role in spreading rumors that Barack Obama was a Muslim not born in America

Strategies for resistance under neoliberalism: lessons from the Zapatistas and the Landless Workers' Movement

Zapatista Village.

This essay examines the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the Landless Workers' Movement and the ways that these movements have been able to persist for decades and surpass frequent limitations of revolutionary action under neoliberalism. These lessons are essential for efforts to build counter-power.

Dead Time with Bill Maher

Shot from Punishment Park

Semi off the cuff observations on a terrible television spectacle.

Living the Dream whilst fighting for your #righttothecity

In this episode of Living the Dream (a podcast from The Word From Struggle Street a collaborative anti-capitalist blog from Brisbane) Jon (@jonpiccini) , (@DrNatOsborne) and Max talk about #righttothecity, Left populism and city elections

Authoritarian Neoliberalism: the Specter of Pinochet

Vaporwave Pinochet

This essay explores the rise of populist demagogues and the economics of their regimes. Rather than marking a clear break with neoliberalism or a direct tie to early twentieth century fascism, these figures historically connect to the regime of Augusto Pinochet and illustrate a growing trend of authoritarian-neoliberalism.

Contrasting populisms: Lambie’s labourism and Hanson’s opportunism

Contrasting populisms: Lambie’s labourism and Hanson’s opportunism

The Australian Left are keen to conflate the anti-politics offered by Jacqui Lambie and Pauline Hanson. While they share similar cultural prejudices, they could not be further apart in their material solutions.

American labor isn’t dead, but definitely needs to wake up

The mood and discussions of late have largely been doom and gloom. Our series has tried to shine a light on some hope for workers resistance to counter the demobilize barrage of social and anti-social media. Our final piece in the Labor under Trump series comes from Ideas and Action the online publication of the Workers Solidarity Alliance. David Fernández-Barrial argues that there is an untapped potential within workplaces to defeat the threats looming, and take us closer to a just and equitable society.

Labor’s death under trump? The potential for a renewed workers movement in an era of dangers

Following the Trump victory speculation has been rampant and has led to various proclamations yet again of the death of labor. Our third piece exploring the potentials for labor under Trump comes from one of our editors S Nicholas Nappalos. He argues that while these dangers are real, they also come with new possibilities for a militant participatory workers movement. Moreover it is not apolitical unions that can address the weaknesses of the labor movement heading into a collision with this government, but an active politicized union movement marking its opposition to both capital and the state.

This Is Not a Drill: Bracing for the Trump Era

In our second installment in our Labor under Trump mini-series, Mark Brenner from Labor Notes explores what union members can do in the face of anticipated threats. At this point most of the debate is speculation, but the labor notes piece is worth discussing because they explore concrete experiences in areas where anti-labor policies have been implemented such as organizing in right-to-work states and solidarity with coworkers independent of their immigration status. Brenner paints a picture of a labor movement at a crossroads, a theme we will return to next week.

Labor under Trump

Great four-part series from the Recomposition blog about the implications for the American working class of the Republican majorities in every branch of government with President Trump at it’s helm.