Martin Blank
2nd January 2012, 08:43
Below is the draft text of the statement of founding and Charter of #[email protected], a federated association of action (affinity) groups dedicated to bringing the #Occupy movement into the workplace, and educating, agitating and organizing for the establishment of workplace occupations. Any comments, questions or constructive criticism are welcome. Also, any individuals or organizations interested in getting involved should contact me by PM or e-mail.
DRAFT
Statement of Formation and Charter of #[email protected]
With the publication of this statement, we announce the formation and chartering of #[email protected]
#[email protected] is an independent, non-sectarian, democratic and non-hierarchical federated and voluntary association of autonomous local and workplace-specific Action Groups, whose members are in agreement with the mission of the body. We are not a front for some other organization and we are not a vehicle for channeling workers’ discontent back into any electoral campaign. Rather, we see ourselves as an organizing center and rallying point for the 67 of the 99 percent: the working class.
The mission of #[email protected] is to educate, agitate and organize for the purposes of extending the #Occupy movement into workplaces, with the goal of establishing physical workplace occupations that can open the door to direct workers’ control of their industry, trade or service. In this sense, #[email protected] is a revolutionary combination of an industrial union (where no other union exists or is recognized as the bargaining agent), caucus (where business unions are the bargaining agent) and organized league (for unemployed, retired and young people from the working class).
Any worker or young person from the working class, including those who are unemployed and/or on social welfare, and regardless of race/nationality, gender, sexuality, age, ability, or immigration or legal status, who agrees with the mission of #[email protected] and agrees to work as a part of the federated association through an Action Group is welcome as a member. Elements from the owning and managing classes — e.g., full-time business union officials and staffers, politicians, police and armed security, independent professionals and producers, small business owners, managers, etc. — cannot join #[email protected]
The basic unit of #[email protected] is the Action Group. The AG is based on the “affinity group” structure — that is, it is an organizationally autonomous and self-acting group of between three and 20 people in a particular location, which exists for the purposes of carrying out a specific task or fulfilling an agreed-upon mission. In the beginning stages, the primary focus of the AG will be educational. Members of AGs will look for ways to promote and educate about the necessity for our brothers and sisters to join together and extend the #Occupy movement into every workplace, especially through the formation of their own AGs. It is only when a majority sentiment among workers exists for a physical occupation at a particular workplace that an AG should begin directly agitating and organizing for such an action.
In the meantime, educational work should be a “school” for direct workers’ control, providing the educational and practical tools workers would need to take the administration and organization of their jobs out of the hands of management and into their own.
Everywhere possible, #[email protected] Action Groups are encouraged to collaborate and coordinate with local #Occupy groups, encampments and activities, with an eye toward building solidarity for each other’s work. Where more than one Action Group exists within a locality, the groups are encouraged to meet in Council to better coordinate activity. In regions where at least nine Action Groups and/or Councils exist, they are encouraged to form their own Spokes Council.
All bodies of #[email protected] are expected to lend all possible support and solidarity to any workplace occupation, or any AG under attack by class enemies: bosses, security, police, business union officials, etc., or any AG requesting assistance. The members of #[email protected] understand that an injury to one is an injury to all.
The highest decision-making body for #[email protected] is the United General Assembly, which shall meet at least once a month in person or by teleconference. All members of #[email protected] may participate in the UGA; those who cannot may submit a written statement on the questions at hand, or select a proxy and issue a mandate. A United Spokes Council may be formed by the UGA to accomplish specific tasks or coordinate a specific activity on a national or international scale. After the activity or task is complete, the USC will be dissolved.
The UGA may elect a Working Group to handle day-to-day functions of the federated association. The WG may exist only for the purposes of administration and carrying out the decisions of the UGA, and no member of the WG has special authority over any other member, AG or Council. Among the members of a WG must be a Spokesperson (who is also the Media Contact) and a Member Check (who keeps track of the mood and morale of the members, as well as keeps Facilitators and the Spokesperson from overstepping their roles). All remaining members of the WG are to be Facilitators. The UGA may also set up Collectives to handle specific ongoing tasks, including publications and literature, education, outreach, fundraising, etc.
Subjectively pro-worker groups and organizations are welcome to have their working-class members participate in #[email protected] For the moment, however, we are not accepting affiliates or members en bloc, and will not do so until the federated association is sufficiently large and active enough to be able to sustain itself and the impact of large groups joining at once.
Any questions or problems not addressed in this statement will be addressed over time by the UGA, which will have the ability to approve appendices to this charter.
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DRAFT
Statement of Formation and Charter of #[email protected]
With the publication of this statement, we announce the formation and chartering of #[email protected]
#[email protected] is an independent, non-sectarian, democratic and non-hierarchical federated and voluntary association of autonomous local and workplace-specific Action Groups, whose members are in agreement with the mission of the body. We are not a front for some other organization and we are not a vehicle for channeling workers’ discontent back into any electoral campaign. Rather, we see ourselves as an organizing center and rallying point for the 67 of the 99 percent: the working class.
The mission of #[email protected] is to educate, agitate and organize for the purposes of extending the #Occupy movement into workplaces, with the goal of establishing physical workplace occupations that can open the door to direct workers’ control of their industry, trade or service. In this sense, #[email protected] is a revolutionary combination of an industrial union (where no other union exists or is recognized as the bargaining agent), caucus (where business unions are the bargaining agent) and organized league (for unemployed, retired and young people from the working class).
Any worker or young person from the working class, including those who are unemployed and/or on social welfare, and regardless of race/nationality, gender, sexuality, age, ability, or immigration or legal status, who agrees with the mission of #[email protected] and agrees to work as a part of the federated association through an Action Group is welcome as a member. Elements from the owning and managing classes — e.g., full-time business union officials and staffers, politicians, police and armed security, independent professionals and producers, small business owners, managers, etc. — cannot join #[email protected]
The basic unit of #[email protected] is the Action Group. The AG is based on the “affinity group” structure — that is, it is an organizationally autonomous and self-acting group of between three and 20 people in a particular location, which exists for the purposes of carrying out a specific task or fulfilling an agreed-upon mission. In the beginning stages, the primary focus of the AG will be educational. Members of AGs will look for ways to promote and educate about the necessity for our brothers and sisters to join together and extend the #Occupy movement into every workplace, especially through the formation of their own AGs. It is only when a majority sentiment among workers exists for a physical occupation at a particular workplace that an AG should begin directly agitating and organizing for such an action.
In the meantime, educational work should be a “school” for direct workers’ control, providing the educational and practical tools workers would need to take the administration and organization of their jobs out of the hands of management and into their own.
Everywhere possible, #[email protected] Action Groups are encouraged to collaborate and coordinate with local #Occupy groups, encampments and activities, with an eye toward building solidarity for each other’s work. Where more than one Action Group exists within a locality, the groups are encouraged to meet in Council to better coordinate activity. In regions where at least nine Action Groups and/or Councils exist, they are encouraged to form their own Spokes Council.
All bodies of #[email protected] are expected to lend all possible support and solidarity to any workplace occupation, or any AG under attack by class enemies: bosses, security, police, business union officials, etc., or any AG requesting assistance. The members of #[email protected] understand that an injury to one is an injury to all.
The highest decision-making body for #[email protected] is the United General Assembly, which shall meet at least once a month in person or by teleconference. All members of #[email protected] may participate in the UGA; those who cannot may submit a written statement on the questions at hand, or select a proxy and issue a mandate. A United Spokes Council may be formed by the UGA to accomplish specific tasks or coordinate a specific activity on a national or international scale. After the activity or task is complete, the USC will be dissolved.
The UGA may elect a Working Group to handle day-to-day functions of the federated association. The WG may exist only for the purposes of administration and carrying out the decisions of the UGA, and no member of the WG has special authority over any other member, AG or Council. Among the members of a WG must be a Spokesperson (who is also the Media Contact) and a Member Check (who keeps track of the mood and morale of the members, as well as keeps Facilitators and the Spokesperson from overstepping their roles). All remaining members of the WG are to be Facilitators. The UGA may also set up Collectives to handle specific ongoing tasks, including publications and literature, education, outreach, fundraising, etc.
Subjectively pro-worker groups and organizations are welcome to have their working-class members participate in #[email protected] For the moment, however, we are not accepting affiliates or members en bloc, and will not do so until the federated association is sufficiently large and active enough to be able to sustain itself and the impact of large groups joining at once.
Any questions or problems not addressed in this statement will be addressed over time by the UGA, which will have the ability to approve appendices to this charter.
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