It’s May 1st,
May Day, also known as International Worker’s Day across the world. This Saturday will see marches and actions to
celebrate this day in the left-wing calendar.
What are the
origins of May Day? Many fought in the 1800s fought for many rights we now
take for granted, and one such battle for the fight for the 8 hour day (8 hours
for work, 8 for recreation and 8 for rest).
May Day has
come to represent those battles, for better pay, working conditions, pensions, the
weekend, sick leave & pay, material leave & pay etc etc.
But we need
to be careful not to ‘romanticise’ elements of the working class movement. Trade Unions are still hierarchical organisations
with power structures. I believe in the
power of a Union, but we have to be careful when we sing “The Union keeps us
strong” because sometimes the Union bureaucrats sell us out in negotiations.
I am also
aware of the language of the socialist working class movement is, obviously,
about working. It’s very macho,
male-orientated and has a focus on ‘pride’.
Sometimes uses this word ‘hard-working’.
But let’s
not forget, work steals from us. Work
steals our time, energy, resources, dignity.
It puts us into boxes, categories, makes us competitive, gives us a
reason to mistrust immigrants, women and be at the mercy of the managers and
economy.
We are wage
slaves, our cages & chains built with the things we want and need.
Be wary that
‘hard-working’ and ‘pride’ are also the language of the Conservatives and the
Right-wing. They tell us to be proud of
something which steals from us. Be proud
of earn a living. Be proud of earn a
wage. Proud to climb the ladder. Be proud of these chains and cages.
This is
their trap.
And this
focus on ‘working’ as a sense of identity in your class means those who don’t
or cannot work don’t always fit into this working class struggle.
I want to
quote from the preamble to the Industrial Workers Of The World Constitution:
Instead of the conservative motto,
"A fair day's wage for a fair day's work," we must inscribe on our
banner the revolutionary watchword, "Abolition of the wage system." http://www.iww.org/culture/official/preamble.shtml
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