RGA Statement on Energy Sector Strikes
RGA | 14.02.2009 01:12 | Energy Crisis | Globalisation | Workers' Movements
Regarding these, we state the following;
1. The causes of the strikes are legitimate. The basic call for workers' rights and for capitalist profiteers not to outsource disputed jobs to cheaper workers is fair
2. The strikes are clearly not racist. Classifying them as racist helps prevent any real understanding of the strikes and therefore helps prevent the construction of the real solidarity and unity which is needed to defeat racism. The strikes have not articulated a discrimination against any 'race'.
3. The strikes do appear to have taken a nationalist tone to some degree. If this is the truly the case, we understand it, but consider it to be unhelpful to the strikers cause. We consider though, that we should not accept the way the mass media and far right are portraying these strikes as the truth. Furthermore, we understand that the use of the slogan 'British Jobs for British Workers' was intended to throw it back in the face of Gordon Brown, though we consider this to be a deeply misguided tactic. Nationalism is not an effective strategy as it leaves the strikers open to misrepresentation, manipulation, isolation and ultimately defeat. We give our support to those who have aimed to build internationalism and solidarity in these strikes, including reps and activists, but especially other workers who have taken unofficial and illegal strike action in support such as the hundreds of Polish workers at Langage.
4. Overwhelmingly, we welcome the thrust of these strikes which have identified the governments, the E.U and the bosses of Total and Jacobs as the problem.
5. The BNP should have no place in these events. They are anti-worker and anti-union. We welcome reports that strikers have clearly told BNP members that they are not welcome.
6. These actions of these corporations, which sees unionised workers left on the scrap heap while non-unionised workers are dragged halfway around the world at the service of profit hungry bosses, are attacks on both groups of workers. More than this, they are an attack on ALL workers as they seek to weaken us by breaking unionisation, by breaking solidarity and by putting more workers at the whim of the ebbs and flows of capital. It is clear from this case, that to the bosses we workers are nothing but another resource which can be used, moved and dumped at will. This can be seen by viewing the situation of the strikers, of the 'foreign contractors' or of workers almost anywhere.
7. We recommend this analysis to immigrants rights campaigners, stating that it is not a situation to be welcomed. We do not see this as a freedom of movement issue, as what we are seeing here is the forced movement of people as disposable commodities at the whim of global capitalism 'Freedom of movement' can never exist so long as capitalism controls our lives, as 'movement' is not chosen 'freely' by those who move, it is imposed upon them as an economic necessity. Where one group of workers are being 'forced' (by economic conditions) to move, in order to break the union strength of another group of workers, both groups are being screwed and the only winner is the boss. To demand true 'freedom of movement' we must end the rule of capital so that 'to move or not' becomes truly our choice.
8. In addition, as anarchists and working-class militants, we recommend the vision of ‘community control’ of resources, jobs etc including the right to democratically decide with who, when and where they share their resources.
9. To end the rule of capital, or even just to improve the conditions of any group of workers, we must organise as workers to increase our control over our lives and work, over production and distribution, over industry and the economy. More than this, it is clear that we must organise, not as 'British workers' or 'immigrant workers' or any other sub-group, but simply on the basis that we are all workers. This is what we have in common. This is where we find our power to create change. Solidarity is strength. More than this, we need to regain control of our own unions, steering them in the direction of fighting for us and fighting to win (as the energy workers are so efficiently showing us) and steering them in the direction of international solidarity, forming alliances with democratic workers organisations everywhere.
10. We consider that this cannot be helped by leftist and progressive activists opposing strikes like these from a distance. Instead it can only be helped through an organised and honest engagement with them, offering support where possible and constructive criticism where necessary, but working from a position of mutual respect instead of distance, ignorance and mutual mistrust. We encourage all working-class activists to pursue this option.
11. To the strikers, we say; You are an inspiration. In just a few days you have reignited the idea of collective direct-action in workers across the country. Thank you, we wish you the very best of luck.
http://www.rgacollective.org.uk/
1. The causes of the strikes are legitimate. The basic call for workers' rights and for capitalist profiteers not to outsource disputed jobs to cheaper workers is fair
2. The strikes are clearly not racist. Classifying them as racist helps prevent any real understanding of the strikes and therefore helps prevent the construction of the real solidarity and unity which is needed to defeat racism. The strikes have not articulated a discrimination against any 'race'.
3. The strikes do appear to have taken a nationalist tone to some degree. If this is the truly the case, we understand it, but consider it to be unhelpful to the strikers cause. We consider though, that we should not accept the way the mass media and far right are portraying these strikes as the truth. Furthermore, we understand that the use of the slogan 'British Jobs for British Workers' was intended to throw it back in the face of Gordon Brown, though we consider this to be a deeply misguided tactic. Nationalism is not an effective strategy as it leaves the strikers open to misrepresentation, manipulation, isolation and ultimately defeat. We give our support to those who have aimed to build internationalism and solidarity in these strikes, including reps and activists, but especially other workers who have taken unofficial and illegal strike action in support such as the hundreds of Polish workers at Langage.
4. Overwhelmingly, we welcome the thrust of these strikes which have identified the governments, the E.U and the bosses of Total and Jacobs as the problem.
5. The BNP should have no place in these events. They are anti-worker and anti-union. We welcome reports that strikers have clearly told BNP members that they are not welcome.
6. These actions of these corporations, which sees unionised workers left on the scrap heap while non-unionised workers are dragged halfway around the world at the service of profit hungry bosses, are attacks on both groups of workers. More than this, they are an attack on ALL workers as they seek to weaken us by breaking unionisation, by breaking solidarity and by putting more workers at the whim of the ebbs and flows of capital. It is clear from this case, that to the bosses we workers are nothing but another resource which can be used, moved and dumped at will. This can be seen by viewing the situation of the strikers, of the 'foreign contractors' or of workers almost anywhere.
7. We recommend this analysis to immigrants rights campaigners, stating that it is not a situation to be welcomed. We do not see this as a freedom of movement issue, as what we are seeing here is the forced movement of people as disposable commodities at the whim of global capitalism 'Freedom of movement' can never exist so long as capitalism controls our lives, as 'movement' is not chosen 'freely' by those who move, it is imposed upon them as an economic necessity. Where one group of workers are being 'forced' (by economic conditions) to move, in order to break the union strength of another group of workers, both groups are being screwed and the only winner is the boss. To demand true 'freedom of movement' we must end the rule of capital so that 'to move or not' becomes truly our choice.
8. In addition, as anarchists and working-class militants, we recommend the vision of ‘community control’ of resources, jobs etc including the right to democratically decide with who, when and where they share their resources.
9. To end the rule of capital, or even just to improve the conditions of any group of workers, we must organise as workers to increase our control over our lives and work, over production and distribution, over industry and the economy. More than this, it is clear that we must organise, not as 'British workers' or 'immigrant workers' or any other sub-group, but simply on the basis that we are all workers. This is what we have in common. This is where we find our power to create change. Solidarity is strength. More than this, we need to regain control of our own unions, steering them in the direction of fighting for us and fighting to win (as the energy workers are so efficiently showing us) and steering them in the direction of international solidarity, forming alliances with democratic workers organisations everywhere.
10. We consider that this cannot be helped by leftist and progressive activists opposing strikes like these from a distance. Instead it can only be helped through an organised and honest engagement with them, offering support where possible and constructive criticism where necessary, but working from a position of mutual respect instead of distance, ignorance and mutual mistrust. We encourage all working-class activists to pursue this option.
11. To the strikers, we say; You are an inspiration. In just a few days you have reignited the idea of collective direct-action in workers across the country. Thank you, we wish you the very best of luck.
http://www.rgacollective.org.uk/
RGA
e-mail:
rgacollective(AT)hotmail.co.uk
Homepage:
http://www.rgacollective.org.uk/
