Syndicalism

[Y Chwyldro Comiwnyddol Cymraeg]

Are there any syndicalist movments active in trade unions etc. demanding change?
If not how can I raise awernese of the incapability of trade unions to defend workers rights. Also is there a group of wich I can join???Or a leaflet to print etc.

[More Fire for the People]

Most syndicalists reject entry into trade unions instead favoring industrial unions. In many cases they form their own industrial unions or work with other likeminded groups to form cross-platform industrial unions such as the Industrial Workers of the World.

You want to ‘show’ how incapable trade unions are? Well I don’t really think workers need to be convinced that trade unions are shit but a few Trotskyists might need a lesson or two. I think its important to show how effective informal strikes, industrial unions, mass riots, and workers’ councils as an alternative to both trade union collaborationism and reformist parliamentarianism. How do you show this? By doing it!

[bolshevik butcher]

There are some platformist anarchists who work in unions but many far left groups work effectivley in unions. Contrary to hopscotchs ultra leftist ramblings unions are where socialists are able to fight on the frontline with workers and pitch their ideas effectivley. It is in trade unions where workers often first become class conscious.

Hopscotch, organised workers are stronger and nonunionised ones. Informal strikes are more effective if they're better coordinated unionised ones. Workers councils dont just appear out of thin air they're born out of struggle, something unions play a huge part in!

[More Fire for the People]

The trade unions have played no significant role in the workers' struggle since the 1910s. In fact, they've served as a force of social reaction. It's not the question of how effective a union is in terms of winning over economic benefits that counts. It's how it makes the worker feel, the confidence it gives , and how it serves as a training ground.

In the ascendant phase of capitalism this task took place in trade unions but with the socialization of the means of production in the form of trusts, cartels, and corporations the industrial union took the place of the trade union. In our era of neo-colonialism, service-based economics, and thoroughly aestheticized production it is necessary to once again take up a new approach to the creation of the workers’ power. We have concrete examples of this new approach: Hungary 1956, May 1968, CPE riots, Ungdomshuset riots, etc. and, of course, the informal strike: NYC transit strikes, the teachers' strikes, student walkouts, etc.

[Janus]

Are there any syndicalist movments active in trade unions etc. demanding change?
If not how can I raise awernese of the incapability of trade unions to defend workers rights. Also is there a group of wich I can join???Or a leaflet to print etc.
You may want to check out the IWW.

[Y Chwyldro Comiwnyddol Cymraeg]

Thanks...I think that trade unions are ineffective, but better than no organisation. Its somewhere to work within and promote class conciousness. Push for reforms inside these unions?agree

[Forward Union]

Originally posted by Y Chwildro Comiwnyddol [email protected] 14, 2007 08:24 pm
Are there any syndicalist movments active in trade unions etc. demanding change?

No, but there are Syndicalist unions. I think you live in the UK so you may want to check out the Solidarity Federation (http://www.solfed.org.uk/)

They see trying to organise their own unions as more productive than entryism.

[bolshevik butcher]

No significant role? Ever read about say 1970s Britain for instance when there were hundereds of wild cat strikes flying pickets etc. Mainly due to a large vibrant militant left inside the trade union movement. France 1968 was largely successful due to a general strike conducted by unionised workers with expiriences of class struggle, similar could be said of the CPE movement. The informal disputes you mentioned while admirable struggles that showed working class militancy would have been more effective if the workers had been able to organised. often unionising follows informal disputes as workers realise this.

And actually economic benefits are important. They are important because they show the working class that they gain through struggle and help to generate class conisousness as a result. But they aer also important because of the immediate gains to the working class. It's all very good for you to right off more wages, more food on the able for the average working class person but I certianly wouldn't, and I dount that they would.

[apathy maybe]

Seeing as we are talking about unions and what they do...


Is it actually the union bureaucracy that does stuff? Or is it the actual membership? Top down managed unions are a waste of time and space if you want real revolutionary organisations (but still better then no union at all...).

What we need are not to "take over" the unions because they, like the "New Labour" are now run, not for the benefit of the workers, but for the benefit of the capitalists. Even if the membership was made up of 60 or even 90% of revolutionary leftists, the most they could do would be to create a new union, or either ignore the union and act outside of it.

The leadership has tasted power, and they don't want to give it up...

[bolshevik butcher]

What do you actaully know of recent trade unionism in Britain, your reamrks about New Labour controlled unions imply that there are no left wing led unions or no unions with a strong left which simply isn't true. Recently therehas been a resurgence in militant action accross just about ever union in Britain, and the PCS, NUJ and RMT are unions that have what are widely regaurded as left wing leaderships.

[apathy maybe]

Sure they might have a "left-wing" leadership (how hard is it to have a reformist leadership?), but my point is that 1) bureaucracy would prevent any revolutionary leadership, and 2) that militant action has been taken in spite of the leadership, not because of it.

Sure, unions are better then no unions, but revolutionary unions are better then most of the reformist unions currently in place around the world. Just like New Labour is better then the Tories, but heck wouldn't you rather a revolution?

[Y Chwyldro Comiwnyddol Cymraeg]

In my city (Swansea) there is a GMD union building. At the election time they displayed New Labour posters. Plaid Cymru candidates complained about this as THEY are the ones most active (of the main parties) in working class groups and unions.

I agree that unionists CAN be against revolution, but generally the unions are a natural form of working class organisations and we must either set up a FAIR one, or organise within and then split or reform the union

[bolshevik butcher]

Sure braodaly speaking union leaders are bueraucratic and counter revolutionary although there are exceptions to prove the rule. In some cases though a strong militant leadership will help the cause of militant action although I'd agree that this is far more lilely to be provided by an organised left wing in the unions than the union leadership.

Of course unions will back the Labour Party, it is their party after all, for all its flaws the Labour Party remains fundementally a working class party and the unions party, Plaid Cymru are nationalists with no tradition of interst in playing a part in working class politics.

[Y Chwyldro Comiwnyddol Cymraeg]

Originally posted by bolshevik [email protected] 15, 2007 04:39 pm
Plaid Cymru are nationalists with no tradition of interst in playing a part in working class politics.
Plaid are futher left than Labour. When the miners were sriking in wales in the 70s Plaid where there supporting and Labour where no wher to be found. Its a myth that because there nationalists theyre semi-fascist. Dafydd Iwan, a nationalist is also a socialist

[bolshevik butcher]

The Labour Party as an entity might not have been there but natioanlly all up and down the country Labour Party members worked tirelessly in solidiarty with miners.

They're not semi fascist, nothing of the sort. Just nationalists, an ideology based on dividing the working class.

[Y Chwyldro Comiwnyddol Cymraeg]

Thats the anoying thing...Labour members and Ams etc. are LEFt wing (mostley) and they have the upport of the workers
BUt their leaders are impereialist twats