As communists, it is our task to develop working-class leadership within the united front against imperialism. We must begin to carry out education among the workers and raise their level of understanding about imperialism, as well as organize the workers to actively support the anti-imperialist struggles around the world.
The workshop agreed that in order to do this, we had to avoid two mistakes. First, we must oppose a narrow trade unionist outlook on our labor work. Using the experiences of the workers, we must show how the enemy of the workers is the imperialist system itself. We must raise the question, who are our friends and who are our enemies, and concretely show how the workers and oppressed peoples around the world are the true allies of the working people in the US. This means confronting head-on the view put forward by the labor aristocrats like Meany and Abel–that the problems of the working people in the US are caused by workers in other countries. It also means combatting the CPUSA revisionists–who try to limit the workers movement to trade unionism and politically keep it under the wing of the Democratic party.
At the same time, we must avoid an ultra-“left” view of raising anti-imperialist issues in our labor work. Simply raising anti-imperialist slogans can never win their support. We must consistently link up anti-imperialist struggles around the world with issues that the working people here directly face. For example, the increasing defeats of the US imperialists abroad have had direct implications on the tightening up and initiating of economic controls in the US, as well as heightened attacks on the oppressed nationalities. While carrying out agitation that exposes the US government’s fascist domestic policies, we should link these to their aggressive and bullying policies around the world.
The workshop discussed several such campaigns that have been carried out over the past year. Among the most outstanding was the campaign carried out in support of African Liberation, which culminated with massive demonstrations last May. These demonstrations were sponsored by the African Liberation Support Committee (ALSC), and were highly successful in mobilizing large numbers of black workers in many cities. In reviewing this campaign, it was obvious that in many areas good methods were used in the mobilization. Representatives from the ALSC did a lot of ground work among the workers, raising the issue within the unions and especially through progressive rank-and file caucuses. The issue of support for African Liberation was raised in conjunction with the fight against discrimination in the U.S., which was a real impetus to gaining worker support.
Tied to this same issue is the organizing campaign currently being carried out around the boycott of Rhodesian chrome. Dockworkers in Burnside, La. and Baltimore, Md. have refused to unload Rhodesian chrome–showing solidarity with the Zimbabwean people. A representative of ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) who attended the workshop pointed out how these actions provided concrete support to the Zimbabwean liberation movement. It is necessary to heighten this work among all the workers–especially education among the white workers in order to develop Black-white unity and foster proletarian internationalism.
Another example of anti-imperialist work in the labor movement was the work done in preparation for the China National Day Celebration in the Bay area, last October 1.
To gain workers support and participation, the organizing committee did more than just leaflet the plants. They actively went out to the unions and caucuses, where they showed slide shows of China, handed out literature and explained to the workers why they should support normalization of relations between the US and Chinese government. These activities resulted in a real increase in worker attendance.
During this period of economic crisis, it is important to tie the mass deportations of foreign workers to the struggle against imperialism. In Los Angeles alone, there were deportations of over 20,000 Mexican and Chicano workers in the month of June, 1973. The immigrant workers are being used as an escape valve to take the heat off the imperialists during this crisis period. At the same time, the imperialists are continuing to oppress and exploit the countries of the Third World, driving more and more people into the US seeking jobs. We must win the workers to oppose the fascist deportations of immigrant workers who should be afforded all the rights of the rest of the people in the US. We must also win the workers to oppose the imperialist oppression, exploitation, and interference in the affairs of any other country. The issue of deportations is a vital one to be taken up over the next period.
The present is an excellent time for doing anti-imperialist work within the labor movement. In addition, the increasing contention between the US imperialists and the Soviet social-imperialists and the role of the Soviet Union as a superpower throughout the world, necessitates clear and concrete education exposing both US and Soviet social-imperialism.