Re: [Marxism] ILWU leadership and Clarence Thomas???

["Xxxx Xxxxxx" <xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Flanders" <jonathan.flanders@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Activists and scholars in Marxist tradition"
<marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Marxism] ILWU leadership and Clarence Thomas???


> For what it is worth, I agree with David Walters assessment of this
> issue. The ILWU could not have "hot cargoed" war material at the time of
> their strike.
>
> They would have been isolated completely.
>
> Jon Flanders


This explanation makes sense. It seems that the "fear of isolation"
prevented the ILWU from "fully" opposing the shipment of war material. In
order to avoid a confrontation with the administration, they had to offer
concessions.  Has this anything to do with the upper ranks of the union as
well? I mean, was the decision to continue shipping  a matter of realism or
ideology?

The world socialist web site (on Taft-Hartley Law) seems to imply that the
ILWU  somewhat became the administrative arm of the Democratic party. For
example, the article says that the union "agreed in principle to the
elimination of one thounds jobs". It also says that it used the Democratic
party as a mechanism of "appeal" in their confrontation with Bush.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/oct2002/ilwu-o10.shtml

Still wish they had alternative class organizing tactics though...


******************************************************
Xxxx A. Xxxxxx
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Political Science
Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
University at Albany, S.U.N.Y.
135 Western Avenue, Milne Hall
Albany, NY 12222
xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx
******************************************************
"A revolutionary career does not lead to banquets
and honorary titles, interesting research and
professorial wages. It leads to misery, disgrace,
ingratitude, prison and a voyage into the unknown,
illuminated by only an almost superhuman belief."
Max Horkheimer
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