Efe
7th April 2010, 22:24
Two essays written by a friend about TEKEL workers of Turkey
TEKEL WORKERS AND GENERAL STRIKE
Revolutionary situations are the situations which evolved to political power question created by capitalism. Is there objectively a situation that may approach masses to revolution? May be but does it has to be in this way? Absolutely no! Determining attitude here is the way which is followed by the vanguards of struggle. Unless the vanguard leadership gains proletarian trust, the struggle cannot be completed properly. If Mustafa Kumlu, Secretary General of the Turk-Is did not deliver the TEKEL workers into the hands of the government, this was because of the stability of TEKEL workers, who occupied the chair at the meeting and the headquarters of Turk-Is. But this stability could not find its leadership. If the situation continues, working class may be abandoned. Revolutionarizing TEKEL workers is about how and where the struggle will be ended.
Trade unions confederations will meet and argue the future of the struggle at this noon, after the government decides that the 4-C, which is the paid slavery, will be practiced. It is expected a general resistance or, even if with a little possibility, a general strike on 3rd of February. There may be a mass hunger strike, too. An important part of the Left has been arguing a general strike for a long time. This slogan of strike has a significant feature about the target of working class. It is important to be said and argued with workers. Self initiative and self creativity of proletariat is also important. Proletariat can step towards its own aims. TEKEL workers, who were standing stable, occupied first the chair of meeting and then the Turk-Is headquarters against Mustafa Kumlu, who did not act in accordance with the workers. That was the self initiative of TEKEL workers.
Organization of the proletariat struggle must be executed in accordance of objective conditions, consciousness of workers, and self initiative of workers. Most of the time needs to be done is to lift the obstacles in front of workers self initiative. Passive bureaucrats, petit bourgeoisie and reformist leadership are some of these obstacles. For instance, passive bureaucrats want to limit workers struggle into a determined area. In fact, this weakens the struggle. These must be overcome within the struggle. It is natural if workers start to struggle with those obstacles that are the dominant powers in a society.
If workers do not choose the right tactics, this may result with the wasting of revolutionary cadres. Revolutionary cadres may lose their trust to workers and they may become semi-anarchist, semi-social democrat persons. In fact, wrong tactics of the past are the lost cadres of today, like the wrong tactics of today will cause the wasted cadres of tomorrow.
The struggle started with workers, who trusted the Nationalist Action Party (NAC-MHP), Justice and Development Party (JDC-AKP) and Republican Peoples Party (RPP-CHP). The Left has tried to explain standings of these political parties to workers but most of workers sees those parties in struggle and test them. It has to be provided to proletariat to payoff with its leadership.
Unfortunately, there is confusion among revolutionaries about standing point of workers. Workers are detected as a rebelling and resisting class but they are not trusted about being able to manage their factories. Workers must be turned into main determining factors starting from included in 4-C negotiations between the government and Turk-Is. It is necessary to increase demands about this.
TEKEL workers are ready for a general strike. General strike is to spread the strike all over the country. It means to stop the production and life. If general strike is not prepared well, it may result with demoralization of resisting TEKEL workers. Thus, general strike must be prepared well. What is preparing to general strike? All branches of activity that will join the strike must be mobilized. Because the strike will be the result of current TEKEL resistance, it is a great gain. But even this situation may not automatically mean a well-prepared general strike. TEKEL workers are the main dynamo of the strike but the strike should include demands of firefighters, health workers, and Kent-A.S. (an anonymous firm operating in Izmir related with the municipality) workers. This is the only possible way to provide unity within the working classes. Workers, who cannot make a general strike by themselves, will reach an important point in their own struggle. In this way, the struggle will be turned into a general class struggle and the general strike will be more effective. Working classes cannot make a general hunger strike; thus massive hunger strike is an obstacle for now.
To make a well-prepared general strike, strike committees must be formed and they must have the word about the strike. Additionally, strike committees may meet under the local committee and to discuss about the strike. The task of revolutionaries is to work for transferring the management of the strike to workers.
2nd Feb
EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WITH TEKEL
IT MUST BE ACCEPTED THAT TO EDUCATE LEFT CADRES IS DIFFICULT WHEN CLASS STRUGGLE HAS LOW PROFILE. UNEXPERIENCED CADERES ARE INEVITABLE FOR POLITICAL PARTIES THAT LIMIT ORGANIZING WITHIN THE NATIONAL BORDERS AND DENY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION. THEY CANNOT LEAD THE TEKEL RESISTANCE THEORETICALLY AND PRACTICALLY.
THERE IS ANOTHER MISSING POINT BY THE LEFT, WHICH COULD NOT GO BEYOND THE SLOGAN “GENERAL STRIKE, GENERAL RESISTANCE”. THAT IS HOW TO REALIZE THE DEMANDS. THE LEFT ıs LEAVING THE STRUGGLE TO DESTINY of fıght between workers and syndıcal bueraucracy.
whıle turkey’s communıst party (TCP-TKP) was reducıng the struggle to antı-Justıce and development party (JDP-AKP), Freedom and solıdarıty party (fsp-Ödp) and people’s houses (halkevlerı) were ıgnorıng dıfference ıf workıng class by usıng a ambıgıous term whıch was “people”, other dımensıons of the left was tellıng tekel workers to contınue the resıstance. on the other hand, leaders of class struggle have had dıfferent role and responsıbılıty. tekel resıstance ıs waıtıng for an actıve ınterventıon from the left.
1. ın order to provıde a success, general demands of workıng class rather than only tekel workers‘ demands have to be expressed. thıs ıs the only way to prevent a possıble dıvısıon among tekel workers.
2. tekel workers have to establısh commıttees to decıde about hte future of the resıstance. workers can be more effectıve even at thıs stage of resıstance.
3. there must be an actıve study to collect all partıes and organızatıons that stand wıth the workers ın order to mobılıze masses. the bıg march of fascısts ın dresden could be prevented by 600 organızatıons ıncludıng partıes. sensıtıvıty all over germany was provıded and attacks from polıcemen and fascısts could be precluded. Tekel resıstance had the same ımportance to act collectıvely. The left chooses to follow ın its own root rather than to unıte workers. precondıtıon of collectıve actıon ıs to support tekel workers’ struggle.
4. the only power to enforce reformıst partıes and organızatıons to not act collectıve ıs workers’ pressure. thus, workers have to make a call for solıdarıty wıth tekel workers and commıttees. workers may better see who takes workers’ demands serıously.
5. common meetıngs of workers from tekel and other sectors must be provıded ın order to mobılıze masses. ıe: shıpyard workers and tekel workers meet together wıth other structures supportıng the resıstance.
6. revolutıonarıes must provıde a polıtıcal clarıty whıle resıstance ıs beıng reached to masses. common actıvıty can show workers the dıfferences between revolutıonary and reformıst partıes.
Suphı toprak
ıt ıs tıme to establısh commıttee for solıdarıty ın tarıs-ızmır
WORKERS, WHO LOST THEIR JOB IN TARIS YARN FACTORY-IZMIR, WILL DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINY BY THEIR FUTURE STEPS. AS A RESULT OF SUCCESSFUL TEKEL RESISTANCE, TARIS WORKERS WILL START THEIR FIGHT IN A PERIOD IN WHICH SOCIAL SENSITIVITY IS VERY HIGH.
BECAUSE TEKEL WORKERS TOOK A BREAK TILL APRIL 1 AND RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES, THEY MAY MEET WITH OTHER RESISTING WORKERS. TEKEL WORKERS IN IZMIR VISITED TARIS WORKERS IN THE SAME CITY. THIS STEP MUST BE DEVELOPED. A COMMITTEE MUST BE ESTABLISHED TO FORM A COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE. IT IS TIME TO ESTABLISH THE COMMITTEEOF SOLIDARITY WITH TARIS-TEKEL WORKERS IN IZMIR. IN THIS WAY, TEKEL WORKERS CAN SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH TARIS WORKERS. EVERYONE SUPPORTING THE RESISTANCE MUST BE INCLUDED IN THIS COMMITTEE.
AGAINST THE BOSSES OF TARIS FACTORY WHO SAYS THAT THE FACTORY IS IN LOSE, FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE OPENED TO WORKERS. WORKERS HAVE TO SEE IF THERE IS A LOSE AND WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE OF THIS SITUATION. WORKERS MUST TAKE THE FACTORY UNDER CONTROL IN ORDER TO PREVENT LOSES OF RAW MATERIALS AND MACHINES TILL THEY WILL REACH THE END. THERE ARE 600 WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES VERSUS SOME BOSSES.
IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE STRUGGLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THOSE STEPS ARE NECESSARY:
1. SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE WITH TEKEL-TARIS WORKERS MUST BE ESTABLISHED IN IZMIR!
2. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS OF TARIS MUST BE OPENED TO WORKERS!
FACTORY MUST BE UNDER THE WORKERS‘ CONTROL IN ORDER TO PREVENT STEALING MACHINES AND RAW MATERIALS!
SUPHI TOPRAK
03.03.2010
TEKEL WORKERS AND GENERAL STRIKE
Revolutionary situations are the situations which evolved to political power question created by capitalism. Is there objectively a situation that may approach masses to revolution? May be but does it has to be in this way? Absolutely no! Determining attitude here is the way which is followed by the vanguards of struggle. Unless the vanguard leadership gains proletarian trust, the struggle cannot be completed properly. If Mustafa Kumlu, Secretary General of the Turk-Is did not deliver the TEKEL workers into the hands of the government, this was because of the stability of TEKEL workers, who occupied the chair at the meeting and the headquarters of Turk-Is. But this stability could not find its leadership. If the situation continues, working class may be abandoned. Revolutionarizing TEKEL workers is about how and where the struggle will be ended.
Trade unions confederations will meet and argue the future of the struggle at this noon, after the government decides that the 4-C, which is the paid slavery, will be practiced. It is expected a general resistance or, even if with a little possibility, a general strike on 3rd of February. There may be a mass hunger strike, too. An important part of the Left has been arguing a general strike for a long time. This slogan of strike has a significant feature about the target of working class. It is important to be said and argued with workers. Self initiative and self creativity of proletariat is also important. Proletariat can step towards its own aims. TEKEL workers, who were standing stable, occupied first the chair of meeting and then the Turk-Is headquarters against Mustafa Kumlu, who did not act in accordance with the workers. That was the self initiative of TEKEL workers.
Organization of the proletariat struggle must be executed in accordance of objective conditions, consciousness of workers, and self initiative of workers. Most of the time needs to be done is to lift the obstacles in front of workers self initiative. Passive bureaucrats, petit bourgeoisie and reformist leadership are some of these obstacles. For instance, passive bureaucrats want to limit workers struggle into a determined area. In fact, this weakens the struggle. These must be overcome within the struggle. It is natural if workers start to struggle with those obstacles that are the dominant powers in a society.
If workers do not choose the right tactics, this may result with the wasting of revolutionary cadres. Revolutionary cadres may lose their trust to workers and they may become semi-anarchist, semi-social democrat persons. In fact, wrong tactics of the past are the lost cadres of today, like the wrong tactics of today will cause the wasted cadres of tomorrow.
The struggle started with workers, who trusted the Nationalist Action Party (NAC-MHP), Justice and Development Party (JDC-AKP) and Republican Peoples Party (RPP-CHP). The Left has tried to explain standings of these political parties to workers but most of workers sees those parties in struggle and test them. It has to be provided to proletariat to payoff with its leadership.
Unfortunately, there is confusion among revolutionaries about standing point of workers. Workers are detected as a rebelling and resisting class but they are not trusted about being able to manage their factories. Workers must be turned into main determining factors starting from included in 4-C negotiations between the government and Turk-Is. It is necessary to increase demands about this.
TEKEL workers are ready for a general strike. General strike is to spread the strike all over the country. It means to stop the production and life. If general strike is not prepared well, it may result with demoralization of resisting TEKEL workers. Thus, general strike must be prepared well. What is preparing to general strike? All branches of activity that will join the strike must be mobilized. Because the strike will be the result of current TEKEL resistance, it is a great gain. But even this situation may not automatically mean a well-prepared general strike. TEKEL workers are the main dynamo of the strike but the strike should include demands of firefighters, health workers, and Kent-A.S. (an anonymous firm operating in Izmir related with the municipality) workers. This is the only possible way to provide unity within the working classes. Workers, who cannot make a general strike by themselves, will reach an important point in their own struggle. In this way, the struggle will be turned into a general class struggle and the general strike will be more effective. Working classes cannot make a general hunger strike; thus massive hunger strike is an obstacle for now.
To make a well-prepared general strike, strike committees must be formed and they must have the word about the strike. Additionally, strike committees may meet under the local committee and to discuss about the strike. The task of revolutionaries is to work for transferring the management of the strike to workers.
2nd Feb
EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WITH TEKEL
IT MUST BE ACCEPTED THAT TO EDUCATE LEFT CADRES IS DIFFICULT WHEN CLASS STRUGGLE HAS LOW PROFILE. UNEXPERIENCED CADERES ARE INEVITABLE FOR POLITICAL PARTIES THAT LIMIT ORGANIZING WITHIN THE NATIONAL BORDERS AND DENY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION. THEY CANNOT LEAD THE TEKEL RESISTANCE THEORETICALLY AND PRACTICALLY.
THERE IS ANOTHER MISSING POINT BY THE LEFT, WHICH COULD NOT GO BEYOND THE SLOGAN “GENERAL STRIKE, GENERAL RESISTANCE”. THAT IS HOW TO REALIZE THE DEMANDS. THE LEFT ıs LEAVING THE STRUGGLE TO DESTINY of fıght between workers and syndıcal bueraucracy.
whıle turkey’s communıst party (TCP-TKP) was reducıng the struggle to antı-Justıce and development party (JDP-AKP), Freedom and solıdarıty party (fsp-Ödp) and people’s houses (halkevlerı) were ıgnorıng dıfference ıf workıng class by usıng a ambıgıous term whıch was “people”, other dımensıons of the left was tellıng tekel workers to contınue the resıstance. on the other hand, leaders of class struggle have had dıfferent role and responsıbılıty. tekel resıstance ıs waıtıng for an actıve ınterventıon from the left.
1. ın order to provıde a success, general demands of workıng class rather than only tekel workers‘ demands have to be expressed. thıs ıs the only way to prevent a possıble dıvısıon among tekel workers.
2. tekel workers have to establısh commıttees to decıde about hte future of the resıstance. workers can be more effectıve even at thıs stage of resıstance.
3. there must be an actıve study to collect all partıes and organızatıons that stand wıth the workers ın order to mobılıze masses. the bıg march of fascısts ın dresden could be prevented by 600 organızatıons ıncludıng partıes. sensıtıvıty all over germany was provıded and attacks from polıcemen and fascısts could be precluded. Tekel resıstance had the same ımportance to act collectıvely. The left chooses to follow ın its own root rather than to unıte workers. precondıtıon of collectıve actıon ıs to support tekel workers’ struggle.
4. the only power to enforce reformıst partıes and organızatıons to not act collectıve ıs workers’ pressure. thus, workers have to make a call for solıdarıty wıth tekel workers and commıttees. workers may better see who takes workers’ demands serıously.
5. common meetıngs of workers from tekel and other sectors must be provıded ın order to mobılıze masses. ıe: shıpyard workers and tekel workers meet together wıth other structures supportıng the resıstance.
6. revolutıonarıes must provıde a polıtıcal clarıty whıle resıstance ıs beıng reached to masses. common actıvıty can show workers the dıfferences between revolutıonary and reformıst partıes.
Suphı toprak
ıt ıs tıme to establısh commıttee for solıdarıty ın tarıs-ızmır
WORKERS, WHO LOST THEIR JOB IN TARIS YARN FACTORY-IZMIR, WILL DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINY BY THEIR FUTURE STEPS. AS A RESULT OF SUCCESSFUL TEKEL RESISTANCE, TARIS WORKERS WILL START THEIR FIGHT IN A PERIOD IN WHICH SOCIAL SENSITIVITY IS VERY HIGH.
BECAUSE TEKEL WORKERS TOOK A BREAK TILL APRIL 1 AND RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES, THEY MAY MEET WITH OTHER RESISTING WORKERS. TEKEL WORKERS IN IZMIR VISITED TARIS WORKERS IN THE SAME CITY. THIS STEP MUST BE DEVELOPED. A COMMITTEE MUST BE ESTABLISHED TO FORM A COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE. IT IS TIME TO ESTABLISH THE COMMITTEEOF SOLIDARITY WITH TARIS-TEKEL WORKERS IN IZMIR. IN THIS WAY, TEKEL WORKERS CAN SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH TARIS WORKERS. EVERYONE SUPPORTING THE RESISTANCE MUST BE INCLUDED IN THIS COMMITTEE.
AGAINST THE BOSSES OF TARIS FACTORY WHO SAYS THAT THE FACTORY IS IN LOSE, FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS MUST BE OPENED TO WORKERS. WORKERS HAVE TO SEE IF THERE IS A LOSE AND WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE OF THIS SITUATION. WORKERS MUST TAKE THE FACTORY UNDER CONTROL IN ORDER TO PREVENT LOSES OF RAW MATERIALS AND MACHINES TILL THEY WILL REACH THE END. THERE ARE 600 WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES VERSUS SOME BOSSES.
IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE STRUGGLE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THOSE STEPS ARE NECESSARY:
1. SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE WITH TEKEL-TARIS WORKERS MUST BE ESTABLISHED IN IZMIR!
2. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS OF TARIS MUST BE OPENED TO WORKERS!
FACTORY MUST BE UNDER THE WORKERS‘ CONTROL IN ORDER TO PREVENT STEALING MACHINES AND RAW MATERIALS!
SUPHI TOPRAK
03.03.2010