[van-discuss] Re: [van-announce] Steelworkers rally Sat., May 31st - more info

[Marjorie Brown]

Yes, Eric, I actually agree with you completely.  But! Two things...there
is no other demo of any sort organized against the Lib leadership debate. 
This is a bit unfortunate in a city the size of Vancouver.  I was speaking
with a friend in Regina and the peace community there has organized
against the up-coming debate there to oppose the son of Star Wars
plan...unfortunate Vancouver does not have something similar.

Which leads to the second point, the fact that there is no other demo
speaks to where we are at in this fight against capitalism here.  So you
start with what you have...and workers and unions are not a bad place to
start.

The left/anti-capitalism whatever you want to call it does not have a lot
of appeal to the ordinary working person right now.  On the other hand,
loss of jobs and destruction of community is something people relate
to...the idea should be to go from there into a more penetrating
discussion (as you aptly did) as to why that's happening and what REALLY
needs to be done to address such problems.

So Eric, I would suggest going to the demo and I would suggest you engage
the working person standing next to you in a conversation about the issues
you raise.  Radicalization will only happen when there are people involved
pushing the issues and pushing the movement.  As interesting as a
discussion on a list like this may be it's no substitute for trying to tap
into the groups and organizations that engage joe q. worker.

in solidarity,
Marjorie



> On May 28, 2003 at 9:03 PM (PDT), Marjorie Brown wrote:
>
>> "KEEP CANADIAN STEEL STRONG" DEMONSTRATION
>>
>> * 12:30 PM - Saturday, May 31, 2003
>> * Westin Bayshore Hotel
>> * Vancouver
>>
>> BC Steelworkers are planning a welcoming demonstration for federal
>> Liberal
>> leadership candidates to raise the issue of cheaply imported steel being
>> dumped on the Canadian market.
>>
>> For over sixty years, the United Steelworkers of America have
>> represented
>> Canadian workers in the steel industry. In recent years, Steelworkers
>> employed in the industry dropped from over 100,000 members to
> approximately
>> 40,000 workers.
>>
>> THE CURRENT SITUATION IS DIRE!  Tens of thousands of jobs throughout the
>> entire Canadian steel industry are now at risk due to unfairly and
>> cheaply
>> imported steel that is being dumped on Canadian shores by foreign steel
>> producers.
>>
>> Steel companies in Canada that are among the world leaders in production
>> technology, efficiency and product quality may not survive.
>>
>> Canadian workers, their families and surrounding small businesses who
>> are
>> located in these steel industry dependent communities are facing
>> uncertain
>> and potentially catastrophic futures.
>>
>> Support the Steelworkers' call for action by the Federal government by
>> joining them at this important event.
>>
>> For more information, contact:
>>
>> Scott McRitchie
>> President USWA 2952
>> mailto:lu2592 at telus.net
>
> So, let's see, the aim of this action is to "KEEP CANADIAN STEEL STRONG".
> What does that mean? As far as I can see, it can mean nothing other than:
> protest in order to defend the CANADIAN steel industry. That is, to defend
> CANADIAN steel corporations!
>
> "Steel companies in Canada that are among the world leaders in production
> technology, efficiency and product quality may not survive." Just like
> Canadian mining companies that were once "among the world leaders in
> production technology, efficiency and product quality" were unable to
> survive as a result of global competition forcing down the prices (and
> therefore also the profits) of said companies, resulting in "Canadian
> [mining] workers, their families and surrounding small businesses who are
> located in these [mining] industry dependent communities [facing]
> uncertain
> and potentially catastrophic futures." And just as is currently occurring
> also in the forest/lumber industry.
>
> It's time to wake up! This is how capitalism works. Get used to it or get
> involved in the struggle to overthrow the global capitalist system, rather
> than defending the steel (or forestry or ...) industry in CANADA. The
> struggle against capitalism is a global struggle. That means that it is
> completely antithetical (i.e. opposed to) all NATIONALIST struggles; that
> is, all struggles which defend ONE NATION or one people as against OTHER
> nations or other peoples.
>
> But, you might respond, we aren't opposed to any other ('FOREIGN')
> countries
> or peoples. But in fact, insofar as you engage in the actions promoted in
> your message, you are. What about the "workers, their families and
> surrounding small businesses who are located in  steel industry dependent
> communities" in the countries where this "unfairly and cheaply imported
> steel that is being dumped on Canadian shores" is produced? The action you
> are promoting is in reality an attack on those (FOREIGN) workers, their
> families and surrounding small businesses, whether or not you recognize it
> to be so.
>
> This Steelworkers strategy of BLAMING foreign steel workers for the
> problems
> of OUR local steel industry is one of the most reactionary things going on
> within the supposedly "progressive" activist community. Remember the
> Steelworkers in Seattle on N30/1999, when they "dumped" a load of FOREIGN
> steel into the Seattle harbour? It was sickening (to some of us, atleast)
> and had no connection whatsoever to the most radical, promising actions
> that
> were occurring in Seattle at that time.
>
> Make no mistake, the Steelworkers campaign is based on a latently RACIST
> perspective, because the problems of OUR (Canadian or American or ...)
> industry are blamed on those OTHERS, those FOREIGNERS who are UNFAIR (in
> the
> capitalist sense of what constitutes FAIR COMPETITION) and are CHEATING
> us.
> The real problem isn't FORIEGN workers or even FOREIGN companies. OUR
> (Canadian) steel companies are no better, no FAIRER than any other steel
> companies from any other countries. ALL capitalist enterprises are equally
> opposed to the fundamental interests of all workers, all (non-capitalist)
> human beings, all living beings, and even the earth itself. To defend ONE
> group of capitalist enterprises in their fight against OTHERS, their
> competitors, is to defend capitalist barbarism (including imperialism,
> war,
> etc.) as against the fundamental historical interests (including survival)
> of humanity. One needs to ask herself the question: which side am I on?
>
> Workers of the world unite!
>
> You have no country to defend!
>
> You have nothing to lose but your chains!
>
> Capitalism is gradually collapsing. It does not need our help to save
> itself
> from its own excesses and insanity. The sooner ALL capitalist industies
> collapse the better for all  workers, other humans, other (non-capitalist)
> living beings and the planet itself.
>
> Btw, foreign steel is not "dumped on Canadian shores by foreign steel
> producers". This is the distorted, thoroughly self-interested view of the
> Canadian steel producing corporations. In reality, certain Canadian
> importers are trying to buy/import this "cheap", "unfair" steel for their
> own self-interested reasons -- that is, to maximize their own profits
> (surprise, surprise!). These supposedly "unfair" foreign steel producers
> are
> not FORCING their "cheap" steel onto Canada. Again, it is other Canadian
> companies that are trying to bring it into Canada. Your beef is really
> with
> them (those "cheap" Canadian importers). If you really want to defend the
> Canadian steel industry, you should target them by trying to convince them
> of the benefit of BUYING CANADIAN steel. Doesn't that really make more
> sense? Nationalist protectionism -- which the Steelworkers campaign is a
> clear instance of -- has a well known track record of leading, during
> times
> of severe international economic crisis -- such as we are now in the midst
> of -- to imperialist war and mass slaughter. This madness has to stop
> soon.
> Humanity needs to wake up soon if it is to survive.
>
>
> Wage Slave X
>
>
> website: www.geocities.com/wageslavex/
>
>
>
>