What do people think of these kind of groups? I'd like to start a discussion about "direct action casework" groups, their limitations and advantages. Here are some links and questions to start it off.
Direct action casework manual - http://ocap.ca/node/91
Seattle Solidarity Network - http://www.seasol.net
OCAP - http://ocap.ca/
LCAP - http://www.lcap.org.uk/
I'm a member of Seattle Solidarity Network, formed a little over a year ago by mostly Seattle IWW members, which was vaguely inspired by OCAP and the idea of flying pickets amongst other things. We have less of a focus on homelessness than OCAP and try to put energy into backing up people with workplace issues, although many of our fights have been against landlords.
Here are some assorted and incoherent questions, with occasional examples of what we have done in SeaSol. I'd be interested in hearing what people in LCAP or OCAP did (if there are any on these boards) as well as people's opinions in general. The answers are just rough thoughts and represent only my personal views, blah blah blah.
To what extent is the activity of these groups really direct action and not action on behalf of someone by a third party (i.e. charity/social work)? The term "direct action" is massively misunderstood. In SeaSol the people contacting us to initiate a fight are required to be involved in the planning and execution of any actions - everyone else is there to back them up. We say that we expect anyone that we help out to help us out too in other actions unrelated to their particular fight - which most people do. Some of our fights have been started by people who were already members of SeaSol, but most come from people who contacted us seeking help.
How can these groups avoid becoming just social work groups? How can they avoid remaining separate from the people they help as "organisers"/"activists"?
What tactics are more likely to build confidence, encourage people to act for themselves, and escalate resistance? What tactics will lead passivity, or dependence on activists/professionals/lawyers, etc.?
How can these groups advertise their existence and seek fights to take up?
All we did in Seattle Solidarity Network was put up posters around town, near large workplaces and in working class areas, etc. I was surprised this worked.
How can they move beyond merely enforcing the law?
A lot of fights we take up in SeaSol involve reclaiming deposits from landlords, reclaiming unpaid wages, forcing landlords to make repairs, etc. There are already legal mechanisms to make these things happen, although they are slow and rarely used. But it would be better to move beyond this and prevent rent increases, resist evictions, improve working conditions...
Long term strategyI see direct action casework as a useful stepping stone towards the creation of groups within workplaces or neighborhoods, as well as a way of publicising tactics that work - hopefully other people will try these out independently.
See also ABC thread - http://anarchistblackcat.org/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3122
Excellent questions and posting. If I might, I would also add "workers centers" (US) into this
mix. Very similiar approach to 888's examples.
Some examples:
Make-the Road By Walking: http://www.maketheroad.org/whatwedo_workplace.php
NMASS: http://www.nmass.org/nmass/index.html
CSWA: http://www.aintiawoman.org/index.html
Miami Workers Ctr.: http://theworkerscenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=76
Young Workers United: http://www.youngworkersunited.org/article.php?list=type&type=35