Worker's Direct Action Committees

[VukBZ2005]

By: Communist FireFox
11/13/2004



1
Today, we have come to know the Union. The ones that guarantee us
"better benifits and better wages." But the Union as we know it is
ineffective for the goal of Worker's Liberation.

2
Although there are radicalized Unions like the Industrial Workers of the
World (IWW), I believe or tend to believe that the Union represents a past
that is long gone. The Union exists today only to maintain the charade of
"Class Peace", to fool the worker into believing that he/she and his/her
Bourgeois Boss has the same interest. The truth is that he /she does
not have the same interests as the worker at all.

3
Unions also tend to go for a deal with the Ruling Upper Class - instead
ofgoing towards advancing a all-out Revolutionary situation into a All-Out
Proletarian Revolution against Capitalism and the state. So i have
formulated a new type of organization for Worker's Liberation - Worker's
Direct Action Committies.

4
A Worker's Direct Action Committee can be formed towards the goal of
iberating the workers by a bunch of workers in the community during a
revolutionary situation for instance.

(To Be Completed later!)

[ComradeRed]

Sounds like the Soviet system to me(the soviet councils not soviet socialism)

[Monty Cantsin]

ok great you havent really said anything new or elaborated on the system of " Worker's Direct Action Committee " what makes them different from unions would be a start.

[BOZG]

I'm with CR. You're advocating the formation of a Soviet.

[VukBZ2005]

I Have'nt had the time to post so much lately - but i will update this soon.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

Hey CFF, the basic idea you're articulating is a good one, I just think it's important to expand on:

a) Class collaborationism - describe the modern union, how it operates, and why this is detrimental to the goal of liberation.

b) Direct Action Committees - what the term means (It's a bit clumsy, you might want to play around with it a bit . . .), their purpose, and their methods. A contrast between the action of a DAC with that of a traditional union is also, I think, a necessity.

c) An analysis of why a DAC should appeal to the modern - often service ("Argh! Post-Industrial Economy! Ahhhhhhh!") - worker. Soecifically, why should we desire to smash capitalism and the state, rather than accepting accomidation and reformist bullshit?

d) How are DACs co-ordinated in their action, and how does the individual relate to the DAC in which they participate, and the greater action of all DACs?

e) Historical precedent! (Bring up the Soviets, May '68, and other examples to show you're talking about a real posibility. Bring up historical examples of the failure of class collaboration.)

Seriously - let's turn this motherfucker into a pamphlet that will make the kids at McDonalds sabotage the grill, steal from the cash registers, etc.

[VukBZ2005]

a)Today, the modern union is nothing more than a charade used by Capitalism
and the state to maintain the image that there is "peace" between the working
class and the rich upper class, when it is actually another form of class war
used to distract the workers for their own personal gain - and i am refering
to the rich upper class in this context.

The modern union functions with the union leadership - the ones who make
the deals with the rich upper class and the representatives at the local level.
The union leadership perfers to obtain better benifits and better wages. But
better benifits and better wages means a higher cost of living as the Capitalists
have to steal that money back from the worker so that they could maintain
their class position. If the capitalists don't want to give in to the demands of
the unions - the unions will call for a strike. Although the stikes do unite the
workers - they do not realize what potential a strike could hold for their
liberation from capitalism - they do not realize that this strike could be
the catalyst for for a potentially revolutionary situation - and possibly -
a Proletarian (Worker's) Revolution. Since they do not realize this
possibility - they will continue to demand for better wages and more
benifits. And eventually - the union leadership is going to make a
deal with the rich upper class to quell the strike. Don't you see?
The Unions are the weapons the rich upper class uses to shut us up -
to stop us from realizing our own collective power - the power to overthrow
Capitalism and the State!

The unions could only lobby and that is what they do at the end - lobbying
for this or for that. Why does any sensible worker want to participate in this
charade or spectacle? Because they think that the unions can be radicalized?
that they could be turned into revolutionary organizations? The current
material conditions show that the unions are a useless tool for the militant
class struggle and the liberation of the working class. The unions are
waste of time and energy.

The unions can't help the Working Class in it's quest for total liberation from
capitalism because Capitalism Benifits the union leadership as well -
they would have a lot to lose if Capitalism and the State is disposed from
their ranks of power. If we want a class-less society - in which there
would be no rich and no poor - then we have to say - "Fuck off and
see ya later!" to the unions!

b)We should call our worker Direct Action Commitees Worker Action Groups
because we are a large group of workers taking action against the system of
Capitalism and the State. What makes a WAG different from a union is the fact
that Worker Action Groups Do not care about and want to persue reforms as
we realize that the time for major reforms to the system are over. We want to
organize the workers in our communities - polarize them against Capitalism
and the State and ultimately - to aim for the overthrow of Capitalism and the
State through the mode of Direct Action!

c)Why should a Worker Action Group appeal to the modern worker? Since
the unions attained a status of maintaining "peace" between the rich upper
class and the working class - the goal of the modern union is get reforms
from the upper capitalist class. But what happens when the economy is
non-functioning and when millions of people are thrown out of their jobs?
Will the union prove to be adaquate for our needs?

d)The actions of a Worker Action Group should be coordinated in a anti-
authoritarian style - as we find that coordination in a authoritarian style
would only amount into a situation of which a Worker Action Group
would be one in which one person gives orders and the rest carry
it out. Therefore only coordination in a Anti-authoritarian style would
work in WAG's or Worker Action Groups.

e)A Real possibility of this working could be found in similar types of
organizations like Worker's Soviets and Popular Workplace, community,
and University assemblies. Historically - The Worker's soviets (councils)
first started to appear in 1905 in Russia after the defeat of Russia in the
Russo-Japanese war the the people of Russia revolted against the
aging Russian arostocracy. However the Czar granted concessions
to the people. In 1917 - within the midst of the Russian Revolution,
the worker's Councils (Soviets) reappeared and aided in the overthrow
of the Czar. However, Vladimir Lenin (Vladimir Uilanov) and the
Boshelvik ("Communist") party led a coup which kicked out the
provisional republican government that was in place - and made the
worker soviets useless organizations without meaning. In 1921 -
the State Capitalist government crushed the Kronstadt Rebellion
ending the real role of soviets in State Beauracratic Capitalist Russia.

In the Mass French General Strike of May 1968 in France - Student
Assemblies took over the universities and worker's councils (soviets)
took over the workplaces - scaring the French "Communist" Party
and it's main Union puppet the General Confederation of Labor (CGT)
and the French authorities. The CGT, PCF, and the French Capitalists
managed to divide the workers and the students. Another cause of the
the authorities dividing the students and the Workers was the lack of
a communication system between worker's councils and student
assemblies - in the Age of the internet - we don't have that kind of
problem anymore - the Internet would make it easier for Worker
Action Groups across the world - From New York to San Francisco -
From Paris to Marsellies - From London to Manchester - to communicate
and coordinate with each other.

[SonofRage]

Originally posted by Communist [email protected] 13 2004, 06:21 PM

2
Although there are radicalized Unions like the Industrial Workers of the
World (IWW), I believe or tend to believe that the Union represents a past
that is long gone. The Union exists today only to maintain the charade of
"Class Peace", to fool the worker into believing that he/she and his/her
Bourgeois Boss has the same interest. The truth is that he /she does
not have the same interests as the worker at all.

by mentioning the IWW there, you refute your own argument

[VukBZ2005]

Originally posted by SonofRage+Nov 15 2004, 11:58 PM--> (SonofRage @ Nov 15 2004, 11:58 PM)
Communist [email protected] 13 2004, 06:21 PM

2
Although there are radicalized Unions like the Industrial Workers of the
World (IWW), I believe or tend to believe that the Union represents a past
that is long gone. The Union exists today only to maintain the charade of
"Class Peace", to fool the worker into believing that he/she and his/her
Bourgeois Boss has the same interest. The truth is that he /she does
not have the same interests as the worker at all.

by mentioning the IWW there, you refute your own argument [/b]
First - i'm just recognizing the existence of such unions - however - the model of
which they are operating on is in-efficient for the needs of the Worker's Revolution
as we know it today. I am just saying that we need a new form of worker's organiz
-ation that will give it to those Capitalist bastards through Direct Action IN ALL
ASPECTS - NOT JUST THE FACTORIES!

[VukBZ2005]

Sections a), b), c), d) and e) are Competed - anyone is free to critize it,
make use of it, and or support it. :)

[PRC-UTE]

CommunistFireFox,

Here's a resolution passed at the IRSP's 2002 Ard Fheis that is similar in nature to what you're discussing. Maybe it will help.


RESOLUTION 27

Ard Fheis formally recognises that the present system of government is undemocratic in the sense that it represents the interests of a tiny minority of the population, the landed classes and big business. It is open to all forms of corruption and the system of government known as liberal democracy is not democracy at all in its true sense.

This Ard Fheis formally adopts as policy, for the long-term ideological perspective, not a change of party in government but a change of system of government through:


1) Democratically elected workers representatives to the factory, office, hospital, farm, transport depot etc. councils. Election of these representatives could be based on the present system adopted by many trade unions for the elections of shop stewards on a yearly basis as a role model.
2) Any revolutionary assembly, parliament will consist only of workers representatives delegated from the councils in order to organise the proletariat as a class.

3) Recallable accountability for any elected representative who fails to carry out his/her mandate with the council they represent.

4) The interests of the majority will normally supersede those of the minority or individual after all debate has been exhausted and votes cast.

5) The workers councils will have the power to expel the surviving order of capitalist rule, the administration, judiciary, army officer corps, senior civil servants and all surviving relics of the third estate.

6) The workers councils (soviets) will have the authority to confiscate all properties presently held by the capitalist class with no compensation. These properties of the former Third Estate (bourgeoisie) will be handed over for the common ownership, distribution and benefit of the people.

7) The revolutionary form of socialism/communism government will speak overtly for, and as part of, the working class.

8) This system of government will NOT be a class alliance of bourgeoisie and proletariat. It will be a government of the working class progressive elements of the petit bourgeoisie forging ahead to a truly classless society on a 32 county basis. The workers council will guarantee security of tenure, regarding housing, to all.

(Presented by the Costello/Gallagher Cumann)

[VukBZ2005]

OglachMcGinchley - The problem for your system is that it is basically,
Worker's Concils (Soviets). WAG's are quiet different from that.

[PRC-UTE]

OglachMcGinchley - The problem for your system is that it is basically,
Worker's Concils (Soviets). WAG's are quiet different from that.

Yes, I know they're worker's councils. I don't see how your idea is so different. You even mention Kronstadt in your piece.