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The
mainstream bureaucracy of the U.S. labor movement has lost all
capacity for independent ideas, much less action, in the face of the
greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. The need for
rebuilding and reorienting a class-struggle left wing among American
workers has gained a new sense of urgency.
A
few months ago, even before the election, those of us around the
kclabor.org website in Kansas City started consulting with
others around the country about organizing a conference of activists to
educate about the new situation we face and begin discussing possible
courses of action. After Barrack Obama was
elected some thought we should wait but most felt we can't afford to
delay.
Two Crises
The
“New Crises, New Agendas” conference scheduled in Kansas City April 3-4 will be a unique
event. As the conference call says, "Working people in the USA—in fact throughout the
world—are facing unprecedented challenges of two great crises."
In
addition to reviewing the economic crisis, it goes on, "Our economic
situation is bad but the other major crisis—global warming—is much
worse. Greenhouse gas emissions, along with destruction of forests and
wetlands, are irreversibly altering the climate of our planet right
now. In fact, if drastic countermeasures are not soon implemented,
human civilization as we know it will likely become unsustainable by
the end of the century—if not sooner.
"The
scientists are doing their job. They're not only exposing the problems
underlying the climate crisis but also offering proven technologies and
conservation methods that can tackle global warming—while fueling the
greatest job stimulus in history.
"But
scientists don't run the world. Those in charge—the captains of
industry, finance and commerce, and the politicians who do their
bidding—cannot make a clean break from their profitable but destructive
ways if left to do it on their own.
"It's
going to take the brain and muscle of the working class—in and out of
the workplace—to win the economic and social changes needed to use science
to leave a sustainable planet, with decent jobs, for our kids and
grandkids. No body else can do it for us."
While
a few unions talk about creating "green jobs"—in
collaboration with corporate polluters and politicians—virtually none
explain the shared causes and solutions of the twin crises. That is the
central, underlying approach to the program of the Kansas City conference.
Solidarity first
During
times of economic crisis the bosses always escalate their campaign to
focus worker discontent on scapegoats within our own class. Here in the
USA there's a resurgence of
xenophobia. This is signified by anti-immigrant measures in the
stimulus package as well as a local sheriff's crusade—while looking for
"identity fraud" in the meat-packing town of Greeley, Colorado—to seize the tax returns of
those with Spanish names. It's a chump's game. For solidarity to work
it must include us all.
That's
why the very first session of the April 3-4 “New Crises, New Agendas”
conference is entitled, "Class Solidarity Leaves No One
Behind."
Judy
Ancel, director of the Institute for Labor
Studies at UMKC, and chair of the Cross Border Network For Solidarity
will moderate and give extended introductory remarks. Panelists
include:
•
Donna Dewitt, president of the South Carolina AFL-CIO. Not your typical
state fed president, Dewitt is also co-chair of the South Carolina
Labor Party, active in US Labor Against the War, and a tireless
supporter of worker solidarity.
•
Peter Rachleff, professor of history at Macalester College in St Paul. He was a central leader of
the P-9 Support Committee during the 1985-86 Hormel strike and wrote a
book about the experience, “Trouble In the Heartland.” In addition to
continuing his labor solidarity work, he is also active today in
support of immigrant worker rights.
On
Saturday, the conference will reconvene with a session on the economic
crisis, led by Mark Brenner. After earning a Ph D in economics, Brenner
devoted his time to living-wage campaigns before his present job as
director of the widely read Labor Notes.
Next,
attention will be focused on the climate crisis, with a presentation by
Christine Frank. Frank, a Minneapolis trade unionist, is also
coordinator of the Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities. She is
the author of numerous articles and pamphlets published by Socialist
Action and recently spoke at an eco-socialist conference in the Bay
Area.
Lessons from past crises
Following
a lunch break is a segment entitled "Lessons From Past
Crises." "The Truth About the New Deal" will be handled
by David Riehle. Riehle
has decades of varied experiences in the labor and antiwar movements. A
Union Pacific engineer in St Paul, he was given the title Local Chair
Emeritus by UTU Local 650 members after stepping aside to help train
the next generation of leadership. He is also a recognized labor
historian.
I
will be speaking on the "World War II Mobilization." That—not
the New Deal—is what brought an end to the Great Depression. As
interesting as that period is, I will spend relatively little time on
its history. Instead, I will focus on the positive outcome of
converting entire industries, including auto, to planned production of
new needs and successes of the Four Rs of
green consciousness—reduce, reuse, repair, recycle—during
wartime shortages.
To
achieve conversion and planning, I will advocate a program of genuine
nationalizations, beginning with the finance, energy, and
transportation sectors, placing them under management of scientists,
environmentalists, and elected worker representatives.
The
final session is entitled “Struggles In and Out of the Workplace.”
Moderated by Shawn Saving of Kansas City Jobs with Justice, confirmed
panelists include: Mark Dudzic, national
organizer of the Labor Party and coordinator of the new Labor for
Single-Payer coalition; Richard Mabion, a
veteran community leader in Kansas City, Kansas, and a promoter of
dialogue between people of color and environmentalists; and Molly
Madden, a retired
KCATA bus driver long active in union community outreach
efforts on transit issues.
In
addition to worthwhile presentations and audience discussion, the
gathering will be a good place to meet other activists and share
experiences informally. The complete call, schedule, and registration
information can be accessed by going to kclabor.org
and following the conference links.
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