Another thing worth doing is organizing a Flying Picket with your friends, co-workers, family, etc. Here are some Council Communist/Socialist Flying Pickets: http://www.flyingpicket.org/ http://seattlesolidarity.net/
The IWW is really good organization for getting into the movement as a whole. Not just Anarchists or Left Communists, but Trotskyists and others as well. It really puts you at the center of the movement. You won't get alot of action from the IWW though. The best thing to do in an area with not alot of Communists is to organize yourself. While things like socialist reading groups, organizing in Colleges and protests are good, it doesn't really connect with the working class. By showing up for labor dispute, by showing solidarity every day with the struggling workers and proclaim yourself to be a Communist is the best way to revive Socialism in the minds of average people. By volunteering at in organizations such as soup kitchens, also does the same. Doing this, while being a Union organizer, is one of the most efficient means of reclaiming Socialism.
poach lol =P
Oh and don't let AK pouch you, i don't think there is anyone else here who calls themselves Council Communist.
I asked because the IWW is like the only group in my area, but im kinda dubious about unions in general. I also get stuck on that they seem to be built onto the process of using labour to produce commodities and for this they can't be used as a revolutionary body; but only to be formed if needed post revolution. I think maybe capitalist unions in general have left me with a bad taste.
Industrial Unions aren't spontaneous though. Such was Rosa Luxemburg's critique of the Industrial Union, this is what separated her Mass Strike, from the General Strike of Anarchists. In any revolution you are going to have those being lead by an Industrial Union, those lead by parties and those arising spontaneously in the form of Workers' Councils. In any revolution since the Hungary 56' the workers council have proved to have been the most efficient means of combating capital, so powerful that workers have abandoned their Unions - with their bureaucratic nature to "plan a revolution" - and joined ranks in Wildcat strike alongside the Strike Committees. The IWW now is the best means for the Workers to get organized. To become familiar with the struggle against Capital. It is the best Union to fight for the interests of the Workers.
Such was said by Anton Pannekoek in and editorial on Trade Unionism: "Industrial unionism alone as a method of fighting the capitalist class is not sufficient to overthrow capitalist society and to conquer the world for the working class. It fights the capitalists as employers on the economic field of production, but it has not the means to overthrow their political stronghold, the state power. Nevertheless, the I.W.W. so far has been the most revolutionary organisation in America. More than any other it contributed to rouse class consciousness and insight, solidarity and unity in the working class, to turn its eyes toward communism, and to prepare its fighting power."
Generally I think Industrial Unions have more less been a part of the Communist Left historically. Even Otto Ruhle said that the purpose of the KAPD - the council communist party - is to agitate, educate and organize for the creation of a "general workers union". Syndicalism isn't all to different from Councilism. The big difference I see is that Workers' Councils take on politcal character first and foremost, while Industrial Unions like the ones in the IWW take on mainly an economic character.
I got a question for you, since your associated with the IWW what is your take on the use of Unions and how they work with Councils.
Yeah i started reading that but got side tracked by something and never came back to it.
