Power of the working class:waking a sleeping giant

Whether it is increasing labor unrest in china or Saudi Arabia, the general strike that brought down Mubarak in Egypt,Wisconsin's labour unrest or the mobilisation of Hamilton steel workers who are taking on the corruption of U.S Steel, Global capitalists have succeeded in waking a sleeping giant: the repercussions of which could be revolutionary in scope.

Many folks believe this workers movement is only a movement of North African and Middle Eastern workers workers but the contagion that many global capitalists fear is becoming a reality.

Wisconsin has seen massive workers protesting as a results of Governor Walkers bill that strips the majority of state employees of any meaningful collective bargaining. Not only have public workers rallied in the ten's of thousands over the last couple months,these protests have started to spread to other states like Ohio and Michigan. Although much of the early energy, including calls to prepare for a possible general strike, have been funnelled by liberals towards recall votes, May Day in Wisconsin may very will be a galvanizing point of the struggle that may see the Wisconsin workers heading for a general strike

On this May Day, The Hamilton steel workers are organising a rally on Parliament hill. Stelco workers have been fighting to protect their pensions from being gutted by U.S Steel, The workers have been locked out since November 7th, 2010.The May Day rally on the hill has the potential to build much more national support for the steelworkers fight against U.S Steel

I am proud to say that the Halifax May Day march will be lead by a large contingent of CUPW workers. The national union has  recently voted 94.5 % in favour of strike action. Even though Canada post has had 16 years of profitability, Canada Post wants to reduce new hires salaries by 30%, attack benefits of all workers and retirees and roll back gains won by CUPW members in past strike action.

It is only a coincidence that the Canadian federal election is the Day after May Day, With that being said, the possibility of of the economic elites of Canada being so concerned with this growing working class courage that they choose to manufacture an NDP alternative that looks attractive to Canadian voters, is very real. In a society where economic power buys political power, where the economic elite own the vast majority of the media, who sells our minds to the advertisers, who are advertising products that the economic elites sell us, it is only natural to expect the political pundits,who are owned by the economic elite,would sell us a vote in an attempt to pacify us. I would not be surprised to see an attempt by the federal NDP to co-opt this years May Day  to funnel the workers into voting booths to vote them into office.

Regardless of what workers choose to do on May 2nd, the day before the election is our day, not a day for electioneering. We must keep our eyes on the prize and realize that even if an NDP government would throw the workers a few more crumbs,those crumbs don't get thrown unless the economic elite say so and no mater how many crumbs are thrown, production relations, the way they are now and thus workers exploitation will not end. The severity of our exploitation and oppression may ease but it's essence will stay the same. Only we the workers can emancipate ourselves, no knight in orange shining armor will hand emancipation to us.

We have a choice in front of us, we can accept the austerity measures pushed upon us by the state and capital or we can fight back. I don't know about you, but I would rather die on my feet then live on my knees. Let's march forwards to victory comrades, lets march forward to victory!!!

                                                Aaron Doncaster, food service worker

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