[Marxism] Kansas City Conference to Re-Arm Class Struggle Fighters

[Jim Ferguson <jim.ferguson1917@xxxxxxxxx>]

*Kansas City* Conference to Re-Arm Class Struggle Fighters
/by Bill Onasch / March 2009/

The mainstream bureaucracy of the U.S. labor movement has lost all capacity
for independent ideas, much less action, in the face of the greatest
economic crisis since the Great Depression. The need for rebuilding and
reorienting a class-struggle left wing among American workers has gained a
new sense of urgency.

A few months ago, even before the election, those of us around the
kclabor.org website in Kansas City started consulting with others around the
country about organizing a conference of activists to educate about the new
situation we face and begin discussing possible courses of action. After
Barrack Obama was elected some thought we should wait but most felt we can't
afford to delay.

**Two Crises**

The “New Crises, New Agendas” conference scheduled in Kansas City April 3-4
will be a unique event. As the conference call says, "Working people in the
USA—in fact throughout the world—are facing unprecedented challenges of two
great crises."

In addition to reviewing the economic crisis, it goes on, "Our economic
situation is bad but the other major crisis—global warming—is much worse.
Greenhouse gas emissions, along with destruction of forests and wetlands,
are irreversibly altering the climate of our planet right now. In fact, if
drastic countermeasures are not soon implemented, human civilization as we
know it will likely become unsustainable by the end of the century—if not
sooner.

"The scientists are doing their job. They're not only exposing the problems
underlying the climate crisis but also offering proven technologies and
conservation methods that can tackle global warming—while fueling the
greatest job stimulus in history.

"But scientists don't run the world. Those in charge—the captains of
industry, finance and commerce, and the politicians who do their
bidding—cannot make a clean break from their profitable but destructive ways
if left to do it on their own.

"It's going to take the brain and muscle of the working class—in and out of
the workplace—to win the economic and social changes needed to use science
to leave a sustainable planet, with decent jobs, for our kids and grandkids.
No body else can do it for us."

While a few unions talk about creating "green jobs"—in collaboration with
corporate polluters and politicians—virtually none explain the shared causes
and solutions of the twin crises. That is the central, underlying approach
to the program of the Kansas City conference.

**Solidarity first**

During times of economic crisis the bosses always escalate their campaign to
focus worker discontent on scapegoats within our own class. Here in the USA
there's a resurgence of xenophobia. This is signified by anti-immigrant
measures in the stimulus package as well as a local sheriff's crusade—while
looking for "identity fraud" in the meat-packing town of Greeley,
Colorado—to seize the tax returns of those with Spanish names. It's a
chump's game. For solidarity to work it must include us all.

That's why the very first session of the April 3-4 “New Crises, New Agendas”
conference is entitled, "Class Solidarity Leaves No One Behind."

Judy Ancel, director of the Institute for Labor Studies at UMKC, and chair
of the Cross Border Network For Solidarity will moderate and give extended
introductory remarks. Panelists include:

• Donna Dewitt, president of the South Carolina AFL-CIO. Not your typical
state fed president, Dewitt is also co-chair of the South Carolina Labor
Party, active in US Labor Against the War, and a tireless supporter of
worker solidarity.

• Peter Rachleff, professor of history at Macalester College in St Paul. He
was a central leader of the P-9 Support Committee during the 1985-86 Hormel
strike and wrote a book about the experience, “Trouble In the Heartland.” In
addition to continuing his labor solidarity work, he is also active today in
support of immigrant worker rights.

On Saturday, the conference will reconvene with a session on the economic
crisis, led by Mark Brenner. After earning a Ph D in economics, Brenner
devoted his time to living-wage campaigns before his present job as director
of the widely read Labor Notes.

Next, attention will be focused on the climate crisis, with a presentation
by Christine Frank. Frank, a Minneapolis trade unionist, is also coordinator
of the Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities. She is the author of
numerous articles and pamphlets published by Socialist Action and recently
spoke at an eco-socialist conference in the Bay Area.

**Lessons from past crises**

Following a lunch break is a segment entitled "Lessons From Past Crises."
"The Truth About the New Deal" will be handled by David Riehle. Riehle has
decades of varied experiences in the labor and antiwar movements. A Union
Pacific engineer in St Paul, he was given the title Local Chair Emeritus by
UTU Local 650 members after stepping aside to help train the next generation
of leadership. He is also a recognized labor historian.

I will be speaking on the "World War II Mobilization." That—not the New
Deal—is what brought an end to the Great Depression. As interesting as that
period is, I will spend relatively little time on its history. Instead, I
will focus on the positive outcome of converting entire industries,
including auto, to planned production of new needs and successes of the Four
Rs of green consciousness—reduce, reuse, repair, recycle—during wartime
shortages.

To achieve conversion and planning, I will advocate a program of genuine
nationalizations, beginning with the finance, energy, and transportation
sectors, placing them under management of scientists, environmentalists, and
elected worker representatives.

The final session is entitled “Struggles In and Out of the Workplace.”
Moderated by Shawn Saving of Kansas City Jobs with Justice, confirmed
panelists include: Mark Dudzic, national organizer of the Labor Party and
coordinator of the new Labor for Single-Payer coalition; Richard Mabion, a
veteran community leader in Kansas City, Kansas, and a promoter of dialogue
between people of color and environmentalists; and Molly Madden, a retired
KCATA bus driver long active in union community outreach efforts on transit
issues.

In addition to worthwhile presentations and audience discussion, the
gathering will be a good place to meet other activists and share experiences
informally. The complete call, schedule, and registration information can be
accessed by going to kclabor.org
<http://www.kclabor.org/><http://www.kclabor.org/>and following the
conference links.

http://www.socialistaction.org/onasch18.htm
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