Re: trade unions and the left

["Robert Perrone" <perrone1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

With people like louis (godenas, that is) claiming to be a
"communist," spreading pessimism, his prophecy of the "steep and
irreversible decline" of the proletariat will become a
self-fulfilling one. I believe the formula that the working class
is the only truly revolutionary class is still valid. However, I do
recognize the changing nature of that class and that the industrial
sector, at least in this country, is no longer the backbone of the
class.
   I think Mr. Godenas should speak for himself when he writes about
a "weak and divided membership." He reminds me of the blind men
touching the elephant's different parts, all of them interpreting the
whole by what each of them as individuals touches, never getting it
right. I don't know what local union you are in Louis (godenas, that
is) but with you as a member, I can imagine in what condition it
might find itself.
   Some recent examples that might counter your unbridled pessimism
can be found in the successful struggle of L.A. County employees to
defeat a plan to lay-off 15-20,000 of them, and close the L.A. County
General Hospital, which serves a predominantly Latino community. This
struggle succeeded with strong local leadership, a united rank and
file from virtually every sector of the County workforce which engaged
in militant actions, confronting county politicians.
   How about the Justice for Janitors campaign, which has succeeded
in unionizing thousands of immigrant workers nationwide. In L.A.,
this newly unionized workforce organized a successfull campaign to
take leadership in its local.
   My own experiences here in Sacramento belie your pessimistic
assessment of the working class. One grain of truth in what you write
is that the working class as it now exists in this country will
certainly have to seek an alliance with other forces outside of the
pure workers movement. That means community groups organizing against
ecological racism and police terror, student organizations, the
immigrant rights movement, etc.
   Let there be no misunderstanding--I do not posit Sweeney, et al as
an example of a rejuvenated labor movement. I believe the newly
organized elements of the labor movement will rejuvenate that
movement from the bottom up.
   Louis, (godenas, that is) your political line is ultra leftist and
would lead to abandoning the trade union movement to the very forces
you so righteously rail against.

Robert Perrone



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