Lenins Tomb:the 'good strike' excised from history!

[The39thStep]

Notice the near total unity of the middle class left, the liberal establishment and the racist right in their portrayal of the wildcat strikes as being against “foreigners”. The left sects, more interested in the correct slogans than the underlying causes, grievances, relationship of class forces etc, the liberal elite always keen to portray rebellious workers as ignorant children who need to be educated about why the necessity of their suffering in the interests of capitalist progress and the fash and xenophobes trying to piggyback off of peoples legitimate grievances.

This simplistic narrative is being exposed by fact that the BNP scum have been sent packing from the picket lines and the strike leaders calls for the unionisation of the immigrant labours. Sure there will be reactionary elements and they should be challenged but anybody who thinks that you ever get ideologically pure action of any sort should probably just stick to paper selling outside Tescos. Fair play to the Socialist Party for their positive work.

Absolutely agree with the last sentence.

It seems that for a generation of the liberal left that every strike has to be scrutinised to make sure that its got the right slogan , the right language , the righ racial and gender mix as though the working class can't be trusted.

 

[treelover]

It seems that for a generation of the liberal left that every strike has to be scrutinised to make sure that its got the right slogan , the right language , the righ racial and gender mix as though the working class can't be trusted.
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Isn't that 90's style US campus identity politics incarnate?

and much of the broad left have bought into it, see Michael Rosen on the SU blog

 

[Spion]

The strike's demands are clearly for preferential treatment for British workers. In the leadership's own words in a BBC interview http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

They didn't strike for jobs regardless of nationality, they didn't seek to join with their Italian brothers and present a united front against the oil co.s, they chose to strike for BJ4BW.

 

[dennisr]

I've seen described as the DNA of this dispute, replicating out there at a frightening rate.

What is the "real DNA" of this dispute then mutley?

What is your view of the workers involved - you have implied rather a lot without making it specific.

Lets see who is 'mechanical' in your reply

 

[audiotech]

The strike's demands are clearly for preferential treatment for British workers. In the leadership's own words in a BBC interview http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

They didn't strike for jobs regardless of nationality, they didn't seek to join with their Italian brothers and present a united front against the oil co.s, they chose to strike for BJ4BW.

This can be built.

'Local jobs for local workers' then as a 'last resort', 'European jobs for European workers' is my reading of it from the leadership?

 

[The39thStep]

Obviously reactionary and the left should be trying to get the strike called off

So what ?

Why should we be expecting local workers to form an orderly queue in front of a company who by EU law ( brought in by New labour) can just bring in its own workforce? 'Freedom of labour' is being used by the EU to restrict trade union rights , freedom of labour in this case is about the unrestricted freedom to trade for big business under EU law. Traditionally some foriegn companies have brought in some labour from overseas but normally recruit the majority from the host country.Present estimates is that despite all the guff about job opportunities in London for the Olympics is that only 60% of workers on site are British.

It would be the same if Nissan had opened up its car plants in the North east with Japanese labour or the Bank of Santander when it took over building societies brought in Spanish staff to work the banks.

In this dispute company called Shaws employing local workers told the trade union they had lost a third of the contract to Irem. Normally the trade union would then be faced with having to negotiate with the new company either over reduced bionus's or reduced staff numbers. Instead the new company has brought in its own staff form Italy and Portugal and refused to recruit any British staff. This is a £200m contract, IREM probably undercut the existing price. There will probably be with large penalty clauses for non or late completion. Irem have brought in a ready made and compliant workforce putting others out of work.

Essentially this is big business effectively blacking skilled British labour because it isn't as flexible and compliant as its own staff.

By all means make propaganda about 'united fronts' with Italian brothers but the first thing we should be doing is making a united front here in this country against the employers,New Labour and their mates in the EU who are using this legislation to damage local communities, the trade unions and pitch workers from different countries against each other.

I am solidly and without any reservation behind the unions.If they lose this then you can watch the BNP come out of the woodwork.

 

[tangentlama]

The strike's demands are clearly for preferential treatment for British workers. In the leadership's own words in a BBC interview http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

They didn't strike for jobs regardless of nationality, they didn't seek to join with their Italian brothers and present a united front against the oil co.s, they chose to strike for BJ4BW.

Sorry to say, but Gordon Brown, set those 'limits' in September 2007: "defended his controversial pledge of 'British jobs for British workers' ... seeking to persuade firms to offer jobs to people on the unemployment register and said no-one would be discriminated against." (sorry, link is to http://www.dailyfail.co.uk/news/article-492755/Gordon-Brown-defends-British-jobs-British-workers-policy)

The rank and file strikers have picked those promises up and had it used against them, but they came from the Prime Minister!

 

[tangentlama]

It seems that for a generation of the liberal left that every strike has to be scrutinised to make sure that its got the right slogan , the right language , the righ racial and gender mix as though the working class can't be trusted.

I don't agree. Solidarity with other European workers is of paramount importance. Without real solidarity, British workers will find that their demands and slogans have isolated them and made their actions impotent.

Speaking about this openly is an attempt to cut through Brown's BJFBW trap and cut to the core issues so that the strikers can get support they need and stand in solidarity with continental TU's as well as from the international workforce. Without that solidarity/support, the workers can't achieve their aims.

What I don't understand is why people here aren't researching for continental disputes with these same companies? Surely French workers have already had disputes with these companies. I'm willing to put money on it that they have.

 

[The39thStep]

I don't agree. Solidarity with other European workers is of paramount importance. Without real solidarity, British workers will find that their demands and slogans have isolated them and made their actions impotent.

Speaking about this openly is an attempt to cut through Brown's BJFBW trap and cut to the core issues so that the strikers can get support they need and stand in solidarity with continental TU's as well as from the international workforce. Without that solidarity/support, the workers can't achieve their aims.

What I don't understand is why people here aren't researching for continental disputes with these same companies? Surely French workers have already had disputes with these companies. I'm willing to put money on it that they have.

Solidarity in this country here is the first step. For exmaple on a lefty liberal bulletin board like a number of posters on here aren't behind the strike nor are their organisations. Precsiely because of the nature of the dispute apart from behind the scenes talks and some key messages the Govt has by and large laid off the strikers with no use of legislation or police.

Actually the strikers can win this dispute without any assistance from abroad. Obviously international links are welcome but lets not come up with some master plan that isn't going to be delivered.

As for Browns BJFBW, the only trap is for him, he won't be able to either retract or deliver it. It is a particularly popular slogan especially for those who are either out of work or at risk of being unemployed.Ironically it is New Labour and their allies amongst the bossess who have pushed the importing of labour from overseas as a supposedly short term measure in response to labour shortages and skills gaps which has led to an underinvestment in our own unemployed. Being employed is what makes local communities tick.