Blogs

Recomposition interview with members of the Health Sector Workers Network in Aotearoa/New Zealand. They discuss attempting to build cross-workplace and cross-trade solidarity, the recent series of Junior Doctor’s strikes (the equivalent of residents in the US), and building workers resistance to health austerity.

Book review of Philippe Bourrinet “The Dutch and German Communist Left (1900-68); ‘Neither Lenin nor Trotsky nor Stalin!”, ‘All workers must think for themselves!’”, Leiden/Boston (Brill) ISBN 978-90-04-26977-4.

CRAC-PC (Regional Coordinator of Communitary Authorities – Communitarian Police) has achieved substancial changes in the life of more of 153 communities, in 22 municipalities of Guerrero state, since October 1995. Changing completely the concept that we have of “police”, for these territories, the “comunitarios” (volunteers) become guardians elected by their own regional assemblies, guarding day by day, the dreams of their families and communities.

The 2008 Clinton campaign played an instrumental role in spreading rumors that Barack Obama was a Muslim not born in America

This essay examines the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the Landless Workers' Movement and the ways that these movements have been able to persist for decades and surpass frequent limitations of revolutionary action under neoliberalism. These lessons are essential for efforts to build counter-power.

Semi off the cuff observations on a terrible television spectacle.

In this episode of Living the Dream (a podcast from The Word From Struggle Street a collaborative anti-capitalist blog from Brisbane) Jon (@jonpiccini) , (@DrNatOsborne) and Max talk about #righttothecity, Left populism and city elections

This essay explores the rise of populist demagogues and the economics of their regimes. Rather than marking a clear break with neoliberalism or a direct tie to early twentieth century fascism, these figures historically connect to the regime of Augusto Pinochet and illustrate a growing trend of authoritarian-neoliberalism.

The Australian Left are keen to conflate the anti-politics offered by Jacqui Lambie and Pauline Hanson. While they share similar cultural prejudices, they could not be further apart in their material solutions.

The mood and discussions of late have largely been doom and gloom. Our series has tried to shine a light on some hope for workers resistance to counter the demobilize barrage of social and anti-social media. Our final piece in the Labor under Trump series comes from Ideas and Action the online publication of the Workers Solidarity Alliance. David Fernández-Barrial argues that there is an untapped potential within workplaces to defeat the threats looming, and take us closer to a just and equitable society.

Following the Trump victory speculation has been rampant and has led to various proclamations yet again of the death of labor. Our third piece exploring the potentials for labor under Trump comes from one of our editors S Nicholas Nappalos. He argues that while these dangers are real, they also come with new possibilities for a militant participatory workers movement. Moreover it is not apolitical unions that can address the weaknesses of the labor movement heading into a collision with this government, but an active politicized union movement marking its opposition to both capital and the state.

In our second installment in our Labor under Trump mini-series, Mark Brenner from Labor Notes explores what union members can do in the face of anticipated threats. At this point most of the debate is speculation, but the labor notes piece is worth discussing because they explore concrete experiences in areas where anti-labor policies have been implemented such as organizing in right-to-work states and solidarity with coworkers independent of their immigration status. Brenner paints a picture of a labor movement at a crossroads, a theme we will return to next week.

Great four-part series from the Recomposition blog about the implications for the American working class of the Republican majorities in every branch of government with President Trump at it’s helm.

Since 2001, the dignified and rebel people of Atenco, located in México City, has resisted the imposition of a mega-airport that, if built, would deprive hundreds of hectares of land to the farmers of the region, and also, to bring environmental problems to nearby villages.

First-hand workers' reports by supermarket workers on their conditions and the scope for resistance in a time when the retail industry is in a huge state of flux, both in terms of concentration of ownership as well as technological changes such as online shopping and self-check out.

Critics attacked Trump after he drew a moral equivalency between the actions of Putin and the U.S.

From "The Guanabano" in Corinto, Cauca, one of the millenary liberators of Uma Kiwe (Mother Earth) explains what the dreams of the Nasa people in the ancestral lands, that are realised through direct action are: food sovereignty and self-management, self-organization of their economic activities, respect for indigenous governances and expansion of education under the worldviews of ethnic groups and peoples of Colombia, are some of the goals.

The dream is ineffable, but gets closer to the reality day after day: "if we all hold hands, it will be easier to change the world."

The national coordinator of the Si Cobas trade union was released on bail yesterday after his lawyer stated that the accusations against him are beginning to collapse.

Rather than being purely fascist or a mysterious contradictory collection of personalities, the Trump Administration can be best seen as a popular front reflecting and representing most of the American right-wing, argues Juan Conatz.