WhyEducationWorkersMustOrganize
Educationworkersmustunite!Payisshit,conditionsaredire,andthe communitiesweserveareindanger.Weareindanger.Publiceducation itselfisinexistentialdangerascorporate“educationreformers''insideand outsideofthegovernmentcontinuetosellitofftoprivatebusinessesfor cheap.Thepandemicrevealedthistoanyonewho’spayingattentionandit openedafeedingfrenzyforthosebusinessinterests.Afterforcingeducation workersandstudentsbackintounsafebuildings,politiciansabandonedusto theravagesofCovid-19,abusiveadministrators,andmobsofparents whippedupbyhateful,reactionarylies.
Thecurrentsystemisdysfunctionaleducationcostshaveskyrocketed whilethevalueofadegreehasplummeted.Almosthalfofcollegegraduates since2008andevenmoresince2020arestuckbustingtheirassesatlow wagejobsforatleastafewyearsafterleavingschool.1Eventhosewholuck outand“makeit”toamiddleincomelifestylearediscoveringthattheir conditionsaredeterioratingrapidly.Orweregarbagetobeginwith.Nurses andteachers,forexample.Ortechworkersnowcontendingwithmass layoffsandtheerosionofformerlycushyconditions.
Thestateofaffairsforeducationworkersandstudentsisevenbleakerwhen weconsiderthestudentloancrisis.Bidenhasfailedtodoanythingconcrete toaddressit.Thedebtkeepspilingup.Mostofustakeoutstudentloans duringlateadolescenceaperfecttimeforstudentloancompaniestoprey onyoungpeoplejuststartingtheiradultlives.Orourparentstakethemout forus.Thesepredatorylendingschemesechothesubprimemortgage lendingthatcontributedtothe2008housingcrashandGreatRecession.But evenbankruptcyanddeathcan’tgetyououtofstudentloandebt.Takingon thisdebtispushingtensofmillionsofusintoamodernversionof indenturedservitude.Collegeenrollmentsaredroppingbecauseofthe pandemic.2Whichmeansmorebudgetcuts,layoffs,andworkspeedupsfor adjuncts,clericalstaff,facilitiesworkers,graduateworkers,andstudents.
1Cathie2022“TheStruggleOfCollegeGraduatesWorkingLow-PayingJobs–ListFoundation”Jobs andcareers.ListFoundationBlog(blog).October22,2022.https://www.listfoundation.org/thestruggle-of-college-graduates-working-low-paying-jobs Matthews,Steve.2017.“CollegeGradsStuckwithLowWages.”PanamaCityNewsHerald,2017, secBusinesshttps://wwwnewsheraldcom/story/business/2017/04/06/college-grads-stuck-withlow-wages/21551122007/.
2Wingard,Jason.2022.“HigherEdMustChangeorDie.”InsideHigherEd,August17,2022. https://newstempleedu/news/2022-08-17/higher-ed-must-change-or-die
Publicschoolsarefacinghalfatrilliondollarsinbudgetcuts.Andcallsfor austerityineducationfromcapitalistsandpoliticiansaregrowinglouder.3 Forthechildrenoftheworkingclass,thisisdevastating.Itrepresents nothinglessthantheforeclosureoftheirfutures.Especiallyforthechildren ofthepoor.Ourindenturedservitudewillbewealthychildren’sinheritance. Unlesswetakeactionnow.
Meanwhile,charterschoolsandotherprivateinterestsineducationare makingrecordprofits.Notoriouslypoorqualityvirtualcharterschools (broughttoyoubyJebBushandBetsyDeVos)areplacingdeceptiveadson children’sTVnetworksinabidtomakecustomersofparentswhoare desperatetokeeptheirchildrensafe.4Ourschooladministrators,library directors,anduniversitypresidentshaveneverhadhighersalariesand benefits.Theyhavealwaysseenusasbelowthem.Theyhavenointerestin hearingourvoices.Weareconfrontedonallsidesbyhostileforces. Wemustforcethemtohearus,andforcethemtorespond.
OurGoals
WeintheDC,Maryland,andVirginiaEducationWorkersOrganizing Committee(akaDMVEWOC)hopetounitealleducationworkersinthe GreaterWashington,D.C.metropolitanareatoformamilitantlabor solidaritynetwork.We’dliketostartbybuildingrank-and-fileorganizations inourlocalworkplaces.Then,wewanttocharterourownunionbranch withtheIndustrialWorkersoftheWorld(IWW).Onespecificallyfor educators.
Wecultivaterelationshipsbetweeneducators,students,andthebroader communitiesinwhichwework,recruitingandcenteringmarginalized workersinourorganizingefforts.Alongtheway,wegaugeworker solidarityandmilitancy,formconnectionsacrosslocalworkplaces,and targetpartsoftheindustrywithoutaunionpresence.IntheDMV,that includesthecharterschools,earlychildcarefacilitiessuchasdaycaresand preschools,privateschools,andmore.Wealsocentersupportstaffofall
3Burnette,D2020“BudgetCutsDevastatedAcademicsDuringtheLastRecession,NewReseaFinds” EducationWeek,August2020http://blogsedweekorg/edweek/campaign-k12/2020/08/budgetcutsduringthelastrehtml?cmp=SOC-SHR-FB
4Rooks,Noliwe.2017.CuttingSchool:Privatization,Segregation,andtheEndofPublicSchool.New York:TheNewPress
backgrounds,workplaces,andjobroles.Toooften,theseworkersaremade invisible.It’stimetodrawallofourstrugglesintotheopen,united!
Indoingso,wecanformandemocraticandindustrialunionthatcantake actionglobally.Onethatseekstoemancipatealleducatorsandthestudents, families,andcommunitiesweservefromthepredatoryglobalizingcapitalist educationsystem.5
AnyeducationworkerwholivesintheGreaterWashington,DCareacan joinourorganizingcommittee.Aslongasyoudon’thavehiringandfiring power,youarewelcome.
Thatincludeseveryonewhocooks,cleans,fixes,teaches,andlearns.Or doesanyotherworktokeepourschoolsfrompre-Kindergartenthrough post-secondaryupandrunning.Wealsoorganizewithallworkersin culturalinstitutionsgearedtowardpublicorprivateeducation.Suchas libraries,museums,galleries,archives,expositions,andeducationalresearch facilities.
Everyeducationworkerplaysavitalroleinourcommunities.
Yet,theeducationsystemdividesus,preventingusfromorganizingtogether overoursharedmaterialinterests.Mainstreamunionleadershipoften upholdsthisdivision,separatingworkersatthesameinstitutioninto differentbargainingunitsthatcompeteformeaslybenefitsandfailto supporteachotherduringlaboractions.
Thisleavesthesemainstreamunionsoftenparalyzedinthefaceof globalized,Neoliberalcapital,whicheasilyskirtsaroundthesearbitrary divisions.
WhentheDCteachersunionwentonstrikeatthebeginningofthe19791980schoolyear,theywerepreparedtoendureagrueling23daystrike. Withoutalocalstrikefund.Repressionwasheavy.Theschoolboardgotan injunctionagainsttheteachers.Therewereover$500,000infines.
Ultimately,theunionemergedvictories,butthebattlealsoshinesaspotlight ontheweaknessoforganizingworkersbycraftandjobrole.
TeachersinTheDistrictorganizedwiththeAmericanFederationof Teachers(AFT)Cafeteriaandjanitorialworkersorganizedwiththe AmericanFederationofState,County,andMunicipalEmployees (AFSCME).Thispreventedthemfromtakingeffectivecoordinatedactionin
5Fuller,Kay,andHowardStevenson.2019.“GlobalEducationReform:UnderstandingtheMovement.”
EducationalReview71(1):1–4https://doiorg/101080/0013191120191532718
atimelymanner.Withteachersbutnotsupportstaffoutonstrike,thecity’s superintendentwasabletokeeptheschoolsopenevenasattendance cratered.Itwassupportstaffmovingtojointheteachers’strikethatforced thegovernmenttocave.Organizedindustrially,theseeducationworkers couldhaveundertakenamilitantstrikeactiontogether,winningadecisive victoryindays,notweeks.
WhatistheEducationIndustry?
Sincethe1840s,educationhasindustrialized.Ithasdonesoinsimilarways totheretail,service,logistics,legal,healthcare,hospitality,railroad, construction,maritime,andagriculturalindustries.Perhapsthisisnew,or strange,asanidea.Evenifyouworkineducation.
Attendingschoolasstudents,wenormallyseestaffasateam.Notworkers inanindustrywiththesameexploitationanddisparitiesofpower,privilege, andresourcesasanyother.Educatorshavemanagersandbosses.Wehave billstopay.Ifyou’reaneducator,youalreadyknowthisalltoowell.But youmightnotbeusedtoapplyingideasaboutclassstruggleandlabor exploitationyouhearaboutinotherindustries.It’sacalling,notajob!
Theeducationindustryhasproductsandservices,justlikeanyother. Itsproductishumancapital:peoplewhohavebeeninculcatedwiththe accumulatedknowledge,ideology,discipline,andculturethatprimesthem toservethewhimsofbusinessownersandpoliticians.Theeducation industryhelpsreproducemodernsocietyitself.Educationalsoservesasa connectingpointanodebetweendifferentindustriesandsocialgroups withvaryinglevelsofpower.
Anecologicalmetaphorfortheeducationindustrymightbefungal organisms.Theseoftenformcomplexundergroundnetworks,channeling nutrientsandinformationbetweenplants.Thesesymbioticrelationshipshelp reproducethewiderecosystemalltheselifeformsexistwithin.Education,in oursocialecosystem,intersectswithalmosteveryindustry.
Nanniesandbabysittersalongwiththewomenconsignedtohousework andunpaidchildcaresharewitheducatorstheburdenofcarryingour societyacrossgenerations.Libraries,museums,andschoolsareconstant, essentialsitesoffamilyeventsandsocialservices.Schoolsenablefamilies todroptheirkidsoffwithoverworkedandunderpaidstaffsotheycangoget exploitedattheirownjobsMuseumscurateculturalservicesforschoolage
childrenandfamilies.Thoseservicesandeventshelpreproduceknowledge andcivictraditions.Foistedontowomenalmostexclusively,thisessential workisthenlookeddownonorignoredbyaviolentlypatriarchalsociety. But,fromanotherangle,thisgivesustremendousstrategicleverage,as workers,sincewehavetheverypowerofsocial(re)productioninourhands. Withthatinmind,theeducationindustryincludessixmajorsectors:
1.Public,charter,andprivatepre-Kindergartenthrough12thgrade schools
2.Post-secondaryinstitutionslikecolleges,universities,andtrade schools.
3.Non-profits,foundations,andgovernmentdepartmentsgeared towardseducationresearch,funding,andcurriculumdevelopment.
4.Corporateandgovernmentjobtrainingandlifelonglearning facilities.
5.Culturalinstitutionslikemuseums,libraries,heritagesites, expositions,andgalleries.
6.Theamorphousarmiesofgigtutorsandtutoringcompaniesthat surroundtheentireindustry.
AUnionforAllWorkers
WearemembersoftheIndustrialWorkersoftheWorld,anon-sectarian revolutionaryrank-and-fileledlaborunionforallworkersthatunderstands realdemocracycannotexistwithoutdemocracyatwork.
Worker-organizersintheIWWunderstandthatourproblemsastheworking classcannotbesolvedundercapitalism.DMVEWOCwillhelpany educationworkersatunorganizedworkplacesbuildmilitantsocialjustice unionsaffiliatedwiththeIWW.Atthesametime,wewillsupportunionized educationworkers’effortstobuildworkplaceorganizingcommittees.Ones independentofthemainstreamunionbureaucracy.
Variousformsofoppressionharmus,ourfellowworkers,andthe communitiesweserve.Weknowfree,participatory,andfact-basedpublic educationisarightthatshouldbeavailabletoall.Butourcurrenteconomic systemofcapitalismdeniesthisrighttomanypeopleevenaswehavemore thanenoughresourcestomakeitareality.Especiallythosewhoare sufferingfrompoverty,systemicdiscrimination,andstaterepression.Antiblackness,racism,colonialism,sexism,heterosexism,cissexism,ableism
andotheroppressiveideologieserectformidablebarrierstoworkerunity. Wemustfacethefactthattheeducationsystemofthiscountrywasbuilton stolenindigenouslandswithstolenAfricanbodies.Ourgroupcommitsto criticizingoppressiveideologiesastheyrevealthemselvesbothinour languageandinourbehavior.Wearecommittedtoactingagainst oppressionwhenitdoesoccur.Whetherit’sbetweenorganizers,participants, orbystanders.Byunitingeducationworkersacrossvariousskills,jobroles, culturalbackgrounds,andidentities,wehopetobothimproveourworking conditionsandempowerourcommunities.
Wearecreatinganew,bettereducationsystemwithintheruinsoftheold. InourmovementsforajusteducationsystemintheDMV,BIPOC,native bornDCresidents,LGBTQ2s+,women,anddisabledfolksshouldbeatthe forefrontandtakeupprominentspace.Labororganizingineducationis directlyinfluencedbyfeministprinciplesandconcepts.Ourcommittee embracesitsfeministinheritance.Wearenon-hierarchical.Weexercise sharedorganizingresponsibility.Ourleadershipcomesprimarilyfromthe rank-and-fileworkers,notelectedofficers.
TheIWWisalsotheonlyunioninAmericanhistorythathasnever segregateditslocals.Therehasneverbeensegregationbasedonrace,gender, sexuality,religion,jobrole,oranythingelse.6They’reaunionforall workers.Ifyou’renotaboss,acop,oralandlord,they’llwelcomeyou andfightlikehellatyourside.
Wearecommittedtoindustrial,socialjusticeunionism
Thismeansthateveryeducationworker,regardlessofjobrole,shouldbein thesameunionsifthey’reatthesameworkplacesIt’sarbitrarytodivide educationworkerswhoshouldbestrugglingtogether.Ourunionsshould alsounitewithothersocialmovements.Suchas:
Tenantunions.
Anti-racistandanti-colonialorganizations.
LGBTQ2s+coalitions.
Environmentaljusticemovements.
Mutualaidgroups.
Migrantsolidarityactivists.
Otherantifascistsofallstripes.
6Foner,Philip1970“TheIWWandtheBlackWorker”TheJournalofNegroHistory55(1):45–
64https://fileslibcomorg/files/FonerPS-TheIWWandtheBlackWorkerpdf
Webelieveinfocusingonthewholeworker.Youarenotjustyourjob.
Rank-and-fileeducationworkersinthemainstreamunionshavestartedto discoverthebenefitsofthisapproachforthemselves.Caucusesofrank-and file-workershavesprangupinsidetheirtradeunionlocals.Chicagoteachers werethefirsttoaccomplishthisfeat.TheirCaucusofRankandFile Educators(CORE)wonunionleadershipin2012.Sincethen,theChicago TeachersUnion(CTU)hasunitedwithfamilies,students,communities,and activistgroupstoposeseriouschallengestothecorruptpoliticians dominatingthecityandstategovernments.
Othercaucuseshavesproutedupallovertheplace.Anotherwonthe leadershipoftheUnitedTeachersofLosAngeles(UTLA)in2015.They've sincelaunchedsomeofthemostinspiringstrikesinrecentmemory.The WashingtonTeachersUnion(WTU)inWashingtonD.C.hasitsownCORE thatiscontendingwiththeincumbentleadershiprightnow.
Andofcourse,theRedforEdmovementorganizedinwaysthatgot educationworkerswidespreadpublicsupport.Notonlythat,theseworkers havefoundcreativewaystogetarounddraconiananti-laborlawsin Republicanheldstates.7
WorkersatthePhiladelphiaArtMuseumwentonstrikeforthreeweeks afterformallywinningtheirunion.Threeweeksonstrikeisnosmallfeat. Theirunionwaswall-to-wallandenlistedcommunitysupportontheirpicket lineseverysingleday.Managementcompletelyfailedtobreakthestrikeor co-opttheworkers’militancyTheworkerswoneveryoneoftheir demands.8
Ineducation,industrialorganizing pairedwithsocialjusticeunionism clearlygetsthegoods.
Staffatacharternetworkwithtwo campusesintheSanFranciscoBay Areabuiltawall-to-wallunion withtheIWW.Everyonefrom custodianstoofficestaffto teacherswasincluded.That’swhat itmeanstobeanindustrialunion.
,October
https://newlaborforumcunyedu/2020/10/03/the-red-for-ed-movement-two-years-in/
8TheAssociatedPress2022“PhiladelphiaMuseumofArtWorkersRatifyPact,EndStrike”ABCNews, October17,2022https://abcnewsgocom/Entertainment/wireStory/philadelphia-museum-artworkers-ratify-pact-end-strike-91628879
7Blanc,Eric2020“TheRedforEdMovement,TwoYearsIn”NewLaborForum
ALLworkersofthesameindustryareinthesameunion.Students,families, andstaffwell-beingwereatthecenteroftheirdemands.Theirpoweratthe shopfloorhasdrivenmanagementtorecognizetheirunion.Evenafteryears ofunionbusting.Unionizedstaffattheschoolhaveoutflankedandout organizedthebossesateveryturn.Theyarecurrentlynegotiatingtheirfirst unioncontract.9
Charterschoolsarenotoriouslyanti-union.Infact,themainreasons corporateeducationreformersdreamedthemupinthe1980sweretobust teachers’unionsandprivatizetheschools.10Therepressionandintenselevel ofexploitationintheseschoolsmakesorganizingchallenging,butalso sorelyneeded.Lessthantenpercentofcharterschoolworkersareunionized. Mainstreamteachers’unionsliketheAmericanFederationofTeachers (AFT)andNationalEducationAssociation(NEA)haveactuallylostground inthesectoroverthelastdecade.Evenasitgrowsimmensely.11Sothe IWW’srecentvictoriesandpubliccampaignsatcharterschoolssuchas theSecondStaffcampaigninVirginiaareabigdeal,andrepresentjustthe beginning.
Maybeunionizingcharterschoolssoundslikeapipedream.Maybeitwould bebesttoletpoliticianshandletheproblem.Maybewecouldpressurethem tocurtailorbancharters.Afterall,iftheAFTandNEAwithalltheir resources,members,andpoliticalcloutcan’tmakeithappen,whocan?
TheworkersatCaliberandtheIWWdidit.Whynotyouandyourcoworkers?
Whetheryouworkorstudyincharterschools,traditionalpublicschools, libraries,colleges,oranywhereelse,theIWWhasyourback.The DemocraticPartydoesnot.Weneedourstudentsonboard,too.
Studentsareakeyrawmaterialoftheeducationindustry.So,they’reusually mockedorattackedwhentheytrytoreclaimsomeoftheirstolenagency.In 1968,NewYorkyouthformedtheHighSchoolStudentUnion(HSSU). Consciouslymodelingitaftermilitantlaborunions.12Thesestudentsfought imaginativelyforstudentpowerintheschoolsystemsandopposedthe
9Colgan,Cal.2021.“CharterSchoolWorkers’Year-LongFightforRecognition.”IndustrialWorker (blog)June30,2021https://industrialworkerorg/caliberfightjuly2021/; https://caliberworkersorg/
10Rooks,Noliwe2017CuttingSchool:Privatization,Segregation,andtheEndofPublicSchoolNew York:TheNewPress.
11NationalAllianceforPublicCharterSchools2020“UnionizedCharterSchools:Datafrom201819”ReseearchandEvaluationpublicchartersorg/sites/default/files/documents/202101/napcsunionizationrd3pdf
12Buffett,NP2019“CrossingtheLine:HighSchoolStudentActivism,theNewYorkHighSchool StudentUnion,andthe1968OceanHill-BrownsvilleTeachers’Strike”JournalofUrbanHistory 45:1212–36
Vietnamwar.Mostjournalists,politicians,andeventheirownteachers ignoredordisdainedtheirdemands.Thingsaremuchthesamenowasthey werethen.Whengraduateworkersorganize,theirstatusasworkersis alwaysquestioned.Evenbymanyontheleft.Fewtakestudentstruggles seriously.ButweinEWOCdo.
In2022,halftheincomingfreshmanclassof2026atAmericanUniversity walkedoutoftheschool’sannualopeningceremony.Theyjoinedstriking supportstaffmembersonthepicketline.Administration’swillwasalready crumblingfromthemilitancyandsolidarityofthestrikers.Withthe universityrefusingtobargain,theseworkershadvotedtostrikefromAugust 22-26.Rightduringstudentmovein.Universityadministrationfirsttriedto turnthestudentbodyagainsttheworkers.Thenotherwiseignoredthem. Thatwasanabjectfailureasworkersloudlymarchedaroundtheentire campus.Manyoftheseworkerswerealsostudentsthemselves. Unsurprisingly,itwaseasytomaintainthesupportoftheundergraduates. Then,administrationtriedtobreakthestrike.Theyforcedsomeofthe custodialstafftobeginmovingstudents’belongingsandfurnitureintothe dorms.Workersandstudentsshutthisdownandshamedtheuniversity publicly.Localcitypoliticiansandmediaoutletsspreadthestoryandeven offeredsupporttotheworkers.Whentheuniversityhelditsopening ceremonyonthefinaldayofthestrike,studentswalkedout,chanting“pay yourworkers!”.Afterthestudentwalkout,administrationaccepteddefeat. Employersreturnedtothebargainingtablewithmajorconcessions.Andthe workersaffiliatedwithLocal500oftheSEIUcelebratedastunning victory.13
WhiletheIWWisnotaslargeastheSEIU,theyhaveavisionthatcanhelp workersfinallycastoffsubjugationtotherichWeproudlyinscribeonour bannertheIWW’srevolutionarywatchword,“Abolitionofthewage system!”
EverydayworkersintheIWWleadtheirownstruggleswiththeguidance andsupportofaunionuniqueinAmericanhistory.Onethatcombinesover acenturyofexperiencewiththeclarityofanewgenerationofmilitant, revolutionaryworkerorganizers.
Werecommendthatyoustarttalkingtoyourcoworkersaboutissuesatwork asafirststep.TherearefurthertrainingsofferedbytheIWWabouthowto
13TheAssociatedPress.2022.“PhiladelphiaMuseumofArtWorkersRatifyPact,EndStrike.”ABCNews, October17,2022https://abcnewsgocom/Entertainment/wireStory/philadelphia-museum-artworkers-ratify-pact-end-strike-91628879.
approachandexecutetheseconversations.Theyhappenoften,butnot constantly.Inthemeantime,trytokeepconversationswithcoworkersone onone.Staffloungesandclassroomsoftenwork.Ideallyhavethemoutside work.Evenifit’svirtualoroverthephone.Onceyouhaveagroupof coworkersmeetingregularlytodiscusssolvingproblemswithcollective action,youcanbegintobuildcollectivepowerinyourworkplace.
TheNeedforRevolutionaryChange
Thereisn’tanotherunionintheUSthathassucharevolutionarystance Nootherunionhassuchalongtraditionofardentoppositiontocapitalism. Nonearticulateaconcreteplantoovercomecapitalismandbuildthe worker-managedeconomyundersocialism.Ifwecareaboutourstudents, communities,andourselves,thenwemusttakeupthatsamestruggle.
PubliceducationisoneofthefewinstitutionsinAmericansocietyand historythathas,howeverimperfectly,affordedopportunitytoallWorkers inthiscountryacenturyandahalfagoweremostlyilliterate.Today,the vastmajorityhave,attheleast,ahighschooleducation.Let’suseallour skillstonotjustsavepubliceducationbuttotranscendit.
Weneedtrulypublicinstitutions.Whatdoesthatmean?Nationalization? Thatdoesn’tseemquiteright.Nationalizationissuperiortoprivate ownership,ofcourse.Butsocialownershipshouldbeourgoal.Muchofthe educationindustryinthiscountryisalreadyeffectivelynationalized.And hasbeenforoveracentury.It’sstillshittoworkin.
Schools,libraries,andmuseumsshouldbecontrolledbytheworkerswho operatethem.Incollaborationwiththecommunitiestheyserve.Our administratorsandmanagersexistsolelytoabuseusuntilweacceptour exploitation.Wehavenothingincommonandwedonotneedthem.
Theattacksonprotests,LGBTQ2s+folks,BlackAmericans,educators,and othersmakeiturgenttodiscussconcretelytheneedforsuchrevolutionary changesintheeducationindustrysuchassocialization.Thisbecomeseven moreurgentwhenweremindourselvesthattherehasalreadyacoupattempt: January6,2021.‘Civilwar’seemstobeoneveryone’slipsthesedays.Most whisperitwithdread.Othersrecklesslyseektoinvokesuchacatastrophic event.OnethatwillopenaPandora’sBoxofviolencenoonecanslamshut. Oursituationisdire.Itisnothingshortofanemergency.
DragQueenStoryHoursandBrunchesarefixedinthecross-hairs.Soareall educatorscommittedtosocialjustice.Thebenefitsfortherichandpowerful
fromstokingtheir‘culturewars’arealltooclear.Deploymentsofhostile mobsofmiddleclasswhitepeopleatschoolboardmeetingsonlyerodeour safetyandjobsecurityevenmore.Thatway,theycansilenceus.
Weareatthethresholdofactivegenocides.Likelybeyondit.Whatwedo collectivelyandindividually,rightnow,matters.
Onlyrevolutionarystrugglebyandforourselvesasregularpeoplecansave us.Ifyouhearrevolution,youusuallythinkofviolence.Buttheideaof revolution,heldbysome,thatwaronthestreetsalonecansomehowleadto revolutionarychangeisadangerousfantasy.
It’sonlynecessarytolookatrecenthistoryinSyriatounderstand.There wasamassmobilizationoftheworkingclass.Theyactedagainstthe corruptionoftheelite,againstthelackofdemocracy,againstpovertyand unemployment.Butwhenthoseprotestscameunderarmedattack,they weren’tprepared.Thepeoplewhowerereadytoexploitthegunbattleswere sectarianreligiousgroups,foreignstates,andtheSyrianstateitself.
Takeitfurtherback,inSierraLeoneduringthe1990s.Thousandsofgold minersorganizedwiththeIWW.Butabloodycoupdashedtheirorganizing effortstopieces.AllcontactwaslostwiththeleadorganizerBright Chikeziforyears.Howcanwepreventourcurrentlaborupsurgehere frombeingviolentlyscatteredtothewindifthingsgosidewaysin2024?
Onlythroughindustrial,revolutionaryunionism
Whatwemeanbyrevolutionistheprocesstogetfromthissocietytoanew one.Thesechangescan’tbevotedin,notbyBernieortheSquad,notby anyone.Wewanteverythingweproducetobelongtoeveryone.Notjusta few.Wewanttotakebackcontrolforreal!
Butinaway,wemeansomethingthatisalreadyhappening.Whenworkers takeactiononthejob,theytakecontrolandlearnhowtodothingstogether. Iftheythencoordinatetheiractionswithothers,theylearnThereare struggleseverywhere.Oneswhereworkingpeopletakebackcontrolfora moment.Inthesestruggleswehavetobuildlinksacrosssectorsandborders. Wemustfocusonourproductivepowerasworkers.
Wearealreadyattheleadingedgeofclassstruggleglobally.Let’sanalyzea fewcases.
SchoolstaffanddockworkersinOaklandofferaninstructiveexample.In 2022,theirseparateunionlocalsalliedtodefeatamassivehandofftoreal estatedevelopers.Ahandoutthatwouldfuelgentrificationandschool
privatization.Eventually,theyoccupiedaclosedelementaryschool.From MaytoAugust,theyoperatedtheschoolasacommunitycenter.They engagedinfooddistributionandneighborhoodorganizing.Allwhilestill offeringclassestostudents.
InAugust,theOaklandUnifiedSchoolDistrict(OUSD)hiredprivate security.Theyviolentlyclearedeveryonefromthebuilding.Videofootage showssecurityagentshitting,shoving,andgrapplingwiththeoccupiers. Howdowedefendourselves?Howcanwetakecontrolofthesituation ratherthanbecomingvictims?
MexicaneducatorsinthecityofOaxacaofferedaglimpseofananswerin 2006.InMayofthatyear,teacherswentonstrikeagainstlowpayandlow fundingforruralschools,beginningwithacommongooddemandatthe center.OnJune14,theOaxacastategovernorsentin3,000policetobreak thestrikesandassociatedcommunityprotests.
Theteachersandtheircommunityalliesdrovethepolicefromthecity.They thenconvenedacoalitionofunions,cooperatives,socialorganizations, communityleaders,andparentstoformthePopularAssemblyofthe PeoplesofOaxaca(APPO).Beforelong,nearlyeverycityinthestatehad followedsuit.Forthenextfivemonths,theAPPObuiltthefoundationsfora newsocietywithoutthestateorcapitalism.InAugust,APPOmilitantstook overthestate’svariousradiostationstobroadcasttheirmessagewidely acrossthestateandcountry.
Unfortunately,Oaxaca’srevolutionremainedisolatedAndwhilethe ZapatistaNationalArmyofLiberationwhichhasmaintainedaliberated, indigenouscontrolledzoneinthestateofChiapassince1994gavestrong vocalsupportandtooklocalaction,themovementswereunabletolinkup. InOctober,thousandsoffederaltroopsstormedintoOaxacastateand crushedtherevolution.
Withoutspreadingourorganizationaleffortsfarandwide,wearedoomedto defeat.ThisisanotherreasonweareworkingwiththeIWW.TheIWWisan internationallyconnectedunionthatcanbuildtheglobalsolidarityneededto overwhelmtherulingorder’sattemptstorepressourstruggles.
Wewanttoworktowardsapragmaticrevolutionaryprograminclose connectiontoconcretelocalworking-classlivesandstruggles.Thiswill onlybepossibleifthereareindependent,rankandfilestructuresor organizationswithinasmanyworkplacesespeciallyeducationalonesas possible.Weneedordinaryworkerslikeyoutostandupwithustomakea change.
