General Strike

CHOP And The Juneteenth Longshore Strike

June 25, 2020 Socialist Revolution. Strategize! Capitalism, General Strike, Rebellion2020, Working Class

On June 19, the International Longshore and Warehouse Workers Union (ILWU), a militant union of 42,000 members, shut down 29 ports along the West Coast of the United States and Canada, as workers withheld their labor for 8 hours. The strike was organized to demonstrate the labor movement’s solidarity with black lives after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and held on the Juneteenth anniversary of the emancipation of the last chattel slaves in the US in 1865. As part of the action, a mass demonstration marched through Oakland’s port and downtown, with several thousand in attendance. Boots Riley, a communist rapper and filmmaker, gave a militant speech to the crowd, emphasizing the critical importance of strikes in furthering the movement.

UAW Work Stoppage On Juneteenth To End Racism

June 18, 2020 Rory L. Gamble, United Auto Workers. Resist! General Strike, Labor Union, Racism, Rebellion2020

As trade unionists and as Americans, we were outraged and heartsick at the horror of George Floyd’s death on May 25. It was yet another tragedy in a long and sorrowful history of the divisiveness of racism in this nation. Since that day in communities from coast to coast, we have seen Americans from all walks of life, black, brown and white, stand together to demand change. To demand – finally – that we address the systemic racial divide that has plagued our nation since its inception. On Friday, June 19, at 8:46 a.m. in each time zone, UAW members and allies across the globe will pause for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the agonizing amount of time that George Floyd lay on an American street begging for his life. We do this in support of the millions who are demanding an end to racism and hate and calling for real reforms.

From Rebellion To Revolution

June 14, 2020 Kali Akuno, Viewpoint Magazine. Strategize! Capitalism, General Strike, George Floyd, Rebellion2020, White Supremacy

The Floyd rebellion is changing the world before our very eyes. What type of change and to what degree it will shift the balance of forces between rulers and ruled, haves and the have-nots remains to be seen. What is clear is that there is an active and open political contest to shape the outcome. For the moment, the right wing and the Republicans have been relatively sidelined in this debate. The real contest as it stands is between the liberals and Democrats on the one hand and the radical mass that has taken the streets all over the country and the world, which is increasingly examining and advancing critical left demands emerging from anarchist, communist, revolutionary nationalist, and socialist analytical and organizing traditions, such as police and prison abolition, economic democracy, and decolonization.

Update From General Strike 2020 – Upcoming Actions

May 30, 2020 General Strike 2020. Resist! General Strike, Minneapolis, Rent Strike, Workers Rights and Jobs

With the unconscionable murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis this past week, we’re reminded of the importance that the fight against racism plays in our struggle. We’ve seen admirable solidarity in those who have taken to the streets to protest police brutality against African Americans in this country. If you’re able, please consider making a donation towards legal aid for those Minnesota protesters working to advance civil rights and police reform: https://www.gofundme.com/f/g2xas-gs2020-legal-aid-for-minnesota-protesters?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet With the economic turbulence we are all experiencing, we are seeing an exponential growth in working class consciousness throughout the world.

The COVID-19 Pandemic Shows That Capitalism Fails Workers

May 26, 2020 the editors, Strike Wave. Educate! Capitalism, General Strike, Unions, Worker Rights and Jobs

The past month has seen unimaginable suffering among American workers—suffering caused by the enormous callousness of bosses, a tyrannical White House, and a society designed to fail those who need it the most. At the same time, we have seen the scope of the politically possible dramatically change, securing the potential—slim though it may be—that crisis can, like the Great Depression, lead to a fundamental realignment of American society away from robber barons like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos and toward American workers. It is up to labor to fight for that future, and it will not be won by begging for scraps from the boss’s table. Unions must fight for their entire sector, not just their membership; they must fight for all workers, not just the lucky few that belong to a union. There is no other organized voice for the working class.

We Don’t Have To Choose Between Our Health And The Economy

May 17, 2020 Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, Popular Resistance. Newsletter COVID-19, General Strike, Public Health, Reopen Economy, Wildcat strikes

The United States is at a critical moment in the COVID-crisis. This week, the nation is likely to surpass 100,000 deaths and new hotspots in the south and midwest are developing. Forty-two states have either started “reopening” their economies or imminently plan to do so without putting in place essential public health measures to prevent the spread of the virus. As of May 7, more than half of the states that had either reopened or planned to do so (30 at the time) have seen an increase in case counts or positive tests. Public health experts are predicting another round of mass illness and deaths. President Trump, whose political future is tied to the pandemic and economic collapse, has been encouraging protests demanding the reopening of the economy.

#GeneralStrike2020: How To Participate

This prolonged and broad campaign will organize around a list of basic demands, as outlined here. Not on the list, but included is the demand to save the US Postal Service. The campaign will follow a three-prong strategy - resistance through noncompliance, mutual aid and building alternative systems in our communities rooted in cooperation, solidarity and participatory democracy. On the next national day of action, June 1, there will be many activities. Read through and decide how you can best participate in the actions. There is something for everyone to do. Be creative!

Rent Strike 2020 A Historical Perspective

May 10, 2020 Rob Rooke, Socialist Alternative. Resist! General Strike, Housing, Landlord, Rent Strike

This country has been catapulted into the biggest health care, economic, and social crisis in generations. One-third of apartment renters were unable to pay their full rent in April and millions more will be in the same position in May. The three million people who signed on to the RentStrike2020 petition signals the outline of an organized response to this current crisis. To help us navigate the coming period where the inability to pay rent will likely become ever more widespread, it may be useful to get a perspective on the historical and international experiences of rent strikes. In this article we look at a few rent strikes spread out around the globe from the 1800s to today. The vast majority of rent strikes are triggered by one of two things: inability to pay due to a rent hike, or protesting landlord neglect of buildings.

Fighting COVID-19 With Mass Action And A People’s Strike

May 3, 2020 Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report. Resist! Capitalism, General Strike, May Day, People's Strike

The passionate debates surrounding the response to the COVID-19 pandemic are useless if they don’t lead to a larger fight against capitalism. The shut downs of business and schools intended to stop the spread of corona virus have created 22 million newly unemployed people. That means those workers have lost their health care. They may not be able to pay rent or mortgages or buy food. All efforts must be directed towards addressing their needs and working towards transformational change. COVID-19 has exposed the fraudulence of American democracy. The neo-liberal austerity regime even targets unemployment benefits , the one program which is thought of as being untouched by the relentless race to the bottom. There is no right to housing or health care or work place safety in this country and millions of people are suffering. The safety net is thread bare.

May Day General Strike, A Strong Beginning To An Ongoing Campaign

May 1, 2020 Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers, Popular Resistance Resist! COVID-19, General Strike, May Day, Recession, Workers Rights and Jobs

On May Day, the first day of an ongoing day of General Strike, there were actions all over the country supporting workers at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Fedex, Shipt and Instacart calling protective gear and hazard payfor essential workers. There were also demands for systemic changes like national improved Medicare for all, a universal basic income and a green new deal (see the graphics of the demands of the General Strike below). The strike required creativity on the part of participants because of the coronavirus pandemic and the physical distancing and stay at home orders but people found ways to get their messages out using a variety of tactics. There will be a General Strike national day of action on the first of every month so we need to learn from each other's creativity and find new ways to protest.

The Red Nation Endorses May Day 2020 General Strike

May 1, 2020 The Editorial Council, Red Nation. Organize! COVID-19, General Strike, Indigenous Rights, May Day

The Red Nation joins the call by Cooperation Jackson for a national and international convergence toward a May 1st 2020 General Strike to End the COVID-19 Crisis and Create a New World. We unite with workers and social justice organizations from across occupied Turtle Island in this call for a general strike to support frontline and unemployed workers, Indigenous peoples, oppressed peoples, and women to free the planet from the current colonial, racial, imperial, patriarchal, and capitalist order. The COVID-19 pandemic is a symptom of this capitalist order in its death throes. The reality is that essential workers on the frontlines, confronting and providing critical health care services and sustaining and feeding entire communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, are already leading the struggle at great risk to their health and families.

Mass Strikes Across The US This May Day

May 1, 2020 Christopher D. Cook, In These Times. Resist! COVID-19, General Strike, May Day, Workers

Toiling amid a pandemic and a callous response from corporate America and the federal government that is exposing millions to deadly hazards and deepening poverty, workers across the country are rising up, planning hundreds of strikes and sickouts for International Workers’ Day on May 1. At a time when worker organizing could be stifled by physical distancing rules and the Trump administration’s disabling of the National Labor Relations Board, workers are walking off the job in massive coordinated walk-outs and sick-outs targeting major employers such as Amazon, Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, FedEx, and Instacart, demanding hazard pay, personal protective equipment and other basic protections.

#GeneralStrike2020: How To Participate On The May Day Launch

April 30, 2020 Popular Resistance. Resist! General Strike, May Day, Rent Strike, Workers

On May Day, the first of May, the #GeneralStrike2020 (and beyond) campaign launches across the country. Learn more about the overall campaign in our most recent newsletter, "The Era of Mass Strikes Begins On May 1; First Day of General Strike Campaign." This prolonged and broad campaign will organize around a list of basic demands, as outlined here. Not on the list, but included is the demand to save the US Postal Service. The campaign will follow a three-prong strategy - resistance through noncompliance, mutual aid and building alternative systems in our communities rooted in cooperation, solidarity and participatory democracy. On May Day and extending through the weekend, there will be many activities. Read through and decide how you can best participate in the actions. There is something for everyone to do. Be creative!

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