Workers power and the Russian Revolution: a review of Maurice Brinton's For Workers Power
Tom Wetzel reviews the sections concentrating on the Russian Revolution in For Worker's Power, a collection of Maurice Brinton's writings.
I was attracted to radical politics in the late 1960s/early '70s when I was in my twenties. Most of the people who were drawn to serious revolutionary politics back then ended up in Leninist organizations of some sort, if only for a time. Third World revolutions were one influence.
The origins of the union shop - Tom Wetzel
Article about the practice and limitations of union (closed) shops in the US workers' movement in the 1930s and 40s. In particular it examines how they helped unions act as a tool of discipline over workers as opposed to a tool for defending their interests.
The concept of "union security" or "maintenance of membership" -- more commonly called the "union shop" 1 -- means that being a union member "in good standing" becomes a condition for continued employment. If you cease to be a member of the union, the company is required to fire you.
- 1. libcom note: "closed shop" in the UK
Italy 1920: When 600,000 workers seized control of their workplaces
Tom Wetzel details the Italian Factory Occupations of 1920, which matured beyond conventional trade unionism and at its height involved about 600,000 workers. This article was originally presented as a talk at the Conference on Workers' Self-Organization in St. Louis in 1988.
During the month of September, 1920, a widespread occupation of Italian factories by their workforces took place, which originated in the auto factories, steel mills and machine tool plants of the metal sector but spread out into many other industries -- cotton mills and hosiery firms, lignite mines, tire factories, breweries and distilleries, and steamships and warehouses in the port towns.
25th Anniversary of the Hormel Strike
Submitted by syndicalist on Aug 22 2010 17:20
Some 25 years ago the workers at the Austin, Minnesota plant of the Hormel Corp. embarked on a long and brave fight. A fight which was not only right, but was fought "from below". This fight and the rank-and-file efforts to wage and control the struggle captivated the attention of all militant workers.
-- Syndicalist
Some 25 years ago the workers at the Austin, Minnesota plant of the Hormel Corp. embarked on a long and brave fight. A fight which was not only right, which was fought "from below". This fight and the rank-and-file efforts to wage and control the struggle captivated the attention of all militant workers.
Small Is Not Beautiful: Working at the San Francisco Bay Guardian
An account of work and industrial conflict at the alternative newspaper the San Francisco Bay Guardian written by typesetter Tom Wetzel in 1987.
It's 9:00 Friday night. The last stragglers from the editorial department have departed. The other typesetter and I have the Bay Guardian building to ourselves. Two piles of manila folders sit on the typesetting machine, to my left. They contain the order slips for classified ads. One pile gradually dwindles as the folders are moved to the other pile, marking my progress.
Organizing worker struggles through direct democracy: the Barcelona bus drivers struggle for two days off, 2007-2008
Submitted by Juan Conatz on Jul 4 2009 22:12
An account of the Barcelona bus workers victory.
This is about a successful struggle of bus drivers on Barcelona's transit system between the fall of 2007 and March of 2008. Unlike the transit workers in Madrid, who had two days off each week, bus drivers in Barcelona were forced to work a six-day week.
Every nation-state is imperialist by nature - Tom Wetzel
Submitted by daniel on Jun 12 2007 19:32
Many leftists see so-called "national liberation" movements as the strategy for opposing American imperialism. Tom Wetzel asks if this is the case.
The idea is that creating independent state-run economies can cut down the power of the dominant centers of capital and chart an independent course that gives expression to "national self-determination." National liberation only enhances the power of the local boss class.
Third World Nationalism
Post mortem on the San Francisco fare strike, 2005 - Tom Wetzel
Submitted by Steven. on Jan 15 2007 10:58
Tom Wetzel analyses the fare strike of San Francisco public transport riders in 2005. He examines what ways of organising can be used to win struggles and form the basis of a new society.
In September, 2005 several thousand riders of Muni - San Francisco's city-owned transit system - participated in a mass fare strike, to fight service cuts, layoffs, and the second fare hike in two years. More than five dozen people were actively involved in the organizing. The last action connected with the fare strike was a November 10th protest march, initiated by the organized day laborers.
Workers Power and the Spanish Revolution - Tom Wetzel
Submitted by Steven. on Dec 27 2006 00:55
Tom Wetzel's historical article and analysis of the Spanish Civil War and Revolution, and in particular the activities of the Spanish anarchists within it. In text and PDF format.
Available here as a PDF.
1931: Barcelona mass rent strike
Submitted by Steven. on Sep 10 2006 11:17
The story of one of the biggest rent strikes of the 20th century where more than 100,000 people faced down the landlords and the government winning improvements for many tenants.
The strike laid the groundwork for much more workers' organisation in the community in subsequent years
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