NEW YORK CITY, September 25 — Today  90 workers — black, Latino and white, men and women, immigrants and citizens, young and old, employed and unemployed — came together in a conference to fight for jobs. The room was alive with workers’ solidarity and strength. Our goal is to build a mighty movement, worker by worker and action by action, to confront capitalist unemployment, exploitation, racism and war. “Our movement is based on workers’ power, not the politicians,” one speaker said. “We say, ‘Make the bosses and bankers pay.’”

Workers stood and applauded as a striker from the Central Park Boathouse described how they’d organized their strike and won a victory (see page 3). Conference participants will send a letter of congratulations and solidarity. We also pledged support to the Boathouse workers in their future confrontations with fascist immigration enforcement, job insecurity, layoffs and racist and sexist treatment. Any “victory” for workers can only be temporary until the working class takes state power.

A woman worker from Harlem talked about their fight-back against racist Columbia University, which is building a new satellite campus in West Harlem. After promising jobs to workers in the community, Columbia has hired only two. The conference pledged to turn up the heat on the university by marching in Harlem on October 10.

Then a woman stood and greeted the conference. We soon realized that she was the boss of a group of homecare workers in attendance — whom she owes thousands of dollars in back wages! With one voice, we chanted “Get out!” and “Paque lo que debe!” (pay what you owe). The boss took notice and is now offering part of what she owes. The fight will continue, with the conference pledging support for these workers and a demonstration when they need it. A leader from the Stella D’oro strike last year emphasized the need for workers’ determination and boldness as we fight back.

Before we divided into small groups, five workers in Progressive Labor study groups gave short presentations about unemployment and its brutal impact on the working class. They helped us reach a clearer understanding of why unemployment is both inevitable and necessary under capitalism, how it is essentially racist, and how it relates to the anti-immigrant movement and the accelerated U.S. move toward war. The reports also emphasized the need for workers’ unity in a period of rising joblessness.

In our small groups, we discussed what we’re doing to fight for jobs. We have made a good beginning, but need more specific plans. We need to struggle with our friends to build a stronger base for the Party with their families, friends, co-workers, neighbors and classmates.

As the conference ended, we enjoyed a delicious meal of Mexican chicken, rice and salad prepared by two women who volunteered their time and labor for us.

Workers Speak About
the Conference

“I was happy. I never experienced a meeting like this.”

“I want to participate in this fight.”

“We should have more events like this.”

“I was surprised. I missed an opportunity to invite more workers.”

“I like your ideas, how you live and give leadership.”

When asked why workers had such a positive reaction to the conference, a comrade organizer responded, “Because we were talking about workers’ real issues, real solidarity and fight-back for the working class, not about politicians, laws and legislation.”

The conference has moved the Party forward in several areas, and will enable PL to widen and deepen the workers’ fight-back. As PL members continue to build a base in the working class, especially in capitalist-led organizations, they will distribute more CHALLENGE and win other workers to do the same. They will organize more Party study groups to help workers understand the role of communist ideas and leadership. In turn, more workers will join and lead PL in the long march toward revolution and a truly communist, egalitarian society.J

NEW YORK CITY, October 22 — Members of a church in Harlem, community residents and students again marched on the Columbia University’s fake jobs center. For an hour, we kept up militant chants against racist unemployment and Columbia’s collusion with bankers and war-makers. Like other prestigious universities, Columbia supports the research the ruling class relies on to arm its war machine, directs its crisis-ridden banking system and educates young workers in the destructive ideas of capitalism. Columbia’s expansion of its programs has also meant that they have taken over massive portions of the surrounding neighborhoods, leaving many workers without homes or jobs.

Next we marched to the gates of the university, where we held another spirited picket. Our plan was to proceed across the campus to the mansion of President Bollinger. A line of campus security tried to stop us, saying we couldn’t walk with our “dangerous” posters. Several militant marchers refused to give in, and finally they let us in. We loudly chanted our way through. We then heard speeches in front of the obscenely ornate Bollinger residence, pointing out how students and workers are suffering high unemployment and how the university has displaced thousands of local residents in its history and mistreated its employees.

Our movement has become focused on building from the ground up, rather than relying on politicians or media. We have tied our struggle to an analysis of the crisis of capitalism. At least 10 church members who had never been involved in protests before participated in some way. They either leafleted beforehand, demonstrated or cooked for the marchers for our picnic afterwards. However, our numbers are still much too small. Workers need to overcome their cynicism about fighting back. Students need to realize their salvation lies in uniting with workers, on campus and in the community. We will continue to fight and more are sure to join us.

The victory of the Central Park Boathouse strikers and the large anti-Wall Street actions are evidence of growing working-class anger against the system. Our task is to make sure that protestors have a clear understanding that all our problems stem from capitalism and cannot be solved unless we chuck it completely and build a communist world.J

PARIS, September 27 — Today, over 350,000 teachers struck and 165,000 demonstrated across France to fight mass layoffs, overcrowded classes and potential increases in working hours. Today’s actions were notable because public and parochial school teachers were acting together for the first time. Historically, the two groups have been opposed. (Eighty percent of pupils attend public schools and 20% go to private schools, 95% of which are Catholic.)

The force driving this unity, at least temporarily, is the government policy of replacing only one of every two retiring teachers. Education Minister Luc Chatel confirmed a government cut of 14,000 teaching jobs next year, following the 80,000 jobs already axed since 2007.

Over half the 322,000 public primary school teachers and almost half the 394,000 public secondary school teachers struck. The walkout was “strong” in the Catholic schools in western France, the bastion of parochial education. Nearly one-third of the private school teachers struck, entirely closing down some schools, “an unheard-of event.”

Today, 165,000 teachers demonstrated, some 45,000 marching here in the capital. But Guillaume, a high school math teacher, declared, “I don’t have any illusions. This is a big demonstration, and that is good for morale, but the balance of forces isn’t in our favor yet.”

But the major weakness of the teachers’ movement is its aim, to patch up the school system while leaving capitalism untouched, continually building up what the profit system tears down. How much better to build a movement to destroy capitalism and create a system truly serving the working class!

“It’s intolerable for primary classes to be overcrowded,” said high school teacher Philippe Hivernet, who teaches in Paris’s eastern suburbs. “The educational system is being destroyed and struggling pupils are the main ones to suffer.”

“Primary school classes with 32 or 33 pupils make good working conditions impossible. Education is being dehumanized,” said primary school teacher Giselle Skriabil.

In France there are 6.1 teachers per 100 students, compared to many other European countries with eight or more per 100.

“The problem is that education is not a service. We are supposed to be profitable, whereas you can’t put a figure on children’s education,” said retired primary school teacher Annie Gérard.

Polls show esteem for the nation’s school system plummeting due to government policies. Teachers felt encouraged to strike and demonstrate because they knew they’d get popular backing.

Moreover, all of the opposition parties, from the center to the “left” to the ecologists, have been using the ailing school system as a pre-campaign theme, diverting workers towards the run-up to next  year’s presidential elections.

But it would be a serious mistake to believe these politicians’ sugar-coated phrases. All are dedicated to maintaining and protecting capitalism. As Lenin wrote, “People have always been the foolish victims of deception and self-deception in politics, and they always will be until they have learned to seek out the interests of some class or other behind all moral, religious, political and social phrases, declarations and promises.”

Rank-and-file pressure forced all union leaders to back the protests. But Hugo, a 26-year-old student, warned, “We mustn’t limit ourselves to a one-day strike. For retirement pensions, we blocked the refineries and that put on the pressure….We shouldn’t wait for the trade unions to take the initiative, everybody should mobilize in every economic sector.”

“Protesting is good, but fighting back is a whole lot better,” said Alain Bonhomme, the father of a high school student.

Other teacher grievances include, an increase in the number of different jobs teachers are supposed to perform; the lack of recognition; closure of kindergarten to children under two; the impossibility of helping the pupils who face the most difficulties; and the savaging of teacher training. In addition, the system fosters racism (see box on left). 

It’s also becoming difficult to recruit teachers. Last year, 1,000 teaching jobs remained unfilled because not enough candidates passed the competitive exam. Some universities are closing their teacher-training courses due to a lack of demand.

The French government, however, is considering increasing class hours. Right-wing think-tanks are pushing a doubling of working and class hours.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy attempted to split the working class by pitting factory workers against the teachers. “My duty as head of state is to think first of the factory workers, white collar workers and executives who are facing international competition and who need the support of the government, rather than to think of those who do a hard job but whose status as civil servants protects them [against unemployment],” Sarkozy said today.

But when private sector workers strike for higher wages, the government is quick to point out that private sector wages are generally higher than in the public sector. The majority of workers here see through the bosses’ effort to divide and rule. Private and public sector workers usually support one another’s struggles.

Sarkozy’s words betrayed the rulers’ real fear. Workers and teachers, united and led by a communist party could overthrow the capitalists and their government and create an educational system that prepares all children to make a useful contribution to a communist society. Then, the watchword will be: “To each according to need, from each according to commitment.”J

HAM, FRANCE, September 21 — At 2:00 a.m. on September 17, the four Constellium executives held by angry metalworkers escaped from the plant. The workers are fighting mass layoffs and eventual closing of the facility (see CHALLENGE, 9/5).

 A high-ranking gendarme came to the factory gate and talked to the workers to divert their attention. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the plant, a team of gendarmes cut through the metal fencing and helped the bosses escape by squeezing through the hole in the fence and racing down the railroad tracks in the middle of the night.

The local union leader said the workers are “nauseated by management’s attitude.” He added that “There was no dialogue. We didn’t obtain any concrete improvement.”

On the evening of September 16, a representative of the central government attempted to obtain the liberation of the bosses in exchange for the promise of negotiations, to be held three days later at a hotel 20 miles away. The workers rejected the offer as a stalling maneuver.

“Now we know that we would never have seen them at that…meeting,” the union leader commented. Today, the workers voted against a company offer of a 15,000-euro bonus (US $21,000) for each laid-off worker.

The workers want a commitment to keep the factory open. The plant makes aluminum structures and windows. Constellium plans to lay off 127 of the 207 permanent workers. Forty temporary workers will also lose their jobs. The subcontractors that do work for the Ham plant are expected to lay off 170 of their workers.

The workers’ courageous and militant action to defend their jobs merits praise. But they need to set their sights higher. Instead of accepting the continued rule of their heartless bosses, they should organize for the long-term goal of communist revolution.J