Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 12:42:58 +1000 (EST)
From: Gary MacLennan <g.maclennan-AT-qut.edu.au>
Subject: Re: M-I: Re: Labor & politics:


I have to say that my heart is with Louis G. in this thread, but my head
-such as it is - with Doug and Lou. The latter insists on a clear grasp of
what we need to do.  He says we need to stop the workers voting for the
parties of their oppressors.  (Do many workers in USA actually vote?)
This is absolutely correct IMHO but it is so pathetically short of what is
necessary.  The gap between what we need to do and what we can is so vast
that despair, bitterness and numbing cynicism are the almost unavoidable
consequences.

Recently here in Australia in the state of Western Australia (WA) the
government brought in draconian anti-union legislation.  This is the way in
Australia the ruling class move. They shuttle between the federal and the
state arenas constantly probing for a weak point.  In this instance the
state was trying to play a vanguard role for the federal government.

The local unions reacted and they demanded that the federal body (ACTU)
support them. In response to rank and file pressure the ACTU isolated WA
for one day. Trains and planes and road transport were cut off. The action
was matched with very militant rallies.  The state government squealed but
significantly the Feds said nowt.  

After the day of isolation the state government went ahead and rammed their
legislation through.  But they will not proclaim it.  It sits on the books
and they will use it later they say when people understand its content.
Their speed was necessitated by the coming loss of control of the state
upper house following a recent election.  But they also were alarmed by the
sight of workers invading state parliament and causing proceedings to be
halted through chanting etc.

The workers have probably never gone further.  The ACTU has only once
isolated a state before (Queensland in 1985).  Their actions showed their
power and strength.  But and this is my basic point.  None of this was
enough.  There is a built in thermostat within the union bureaucracy which
allows them to heat up to a certain point and then go off the boil.  They
seemed to know when they must stop in case they threaten the ruling class
too much.  They only want a partnership with the bosses.  They have no
thoughts what soever of replacing the bosses.  

But continually the bosses' offensive is driving the workers and their
leaders to confront more and more the capitalist class and the state.  The
sight of WA closed down for the day was not enough but WA closed down
indefinitely would be.  And that is the kind of situation that we are
building towards.  Somewhere down the track a decisive confrontation looms.

In the mean time I think our specific task here in Australia is to prevent
workers being sucked into Pauline Hanson's ultra-nationalistic movement.

But I think that Louis G. must not interpret this as a sign somehow that
people like me do not want to come to grips with the ruling class.  We do
but it is fanatasy to think that we are close to that stage.  That is not
to say that I ever skimp on my fantasies.  I certainly don't.

regards

Gary



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