September 3, 2018

Labour Day 2018

The Dignity of the Working Class Is Found
in Its Defence of the Rights of All

- Workers' Centre of CPC(M-L) -

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The Workers' Centre of CPC(M-L) greets the workers on this Labour Day which they mark with much on their minds. The future of the society and its security lie in the workers leading the fight in defence of the rights of all!

This Labour Day more than ever before, it can be seen that the dignity of the working class is at stake. Due to the severe crisis in which the democracy is mired, the workers are systematically deprived of wages commensurate with the work they perform, conditions which guarantee their health and safety at work, and secure pensions. They are also deprived of effective means to affirm their rights.

The ruling class and the governments in its service, along with their transmission belts which form the cartel party system, have never been so desperate to keep themselves afloat by seizing all the human and material resources which belong to the people. Their cut-throat competition for riches and power is such that they spend their lives attacking each other and talking gibberish to the people about how their sell-out is in the national interest and for the good of the people.

No one can ignore that oligopolies possess unbridled global economic and political power. They have seized dominant positions throughout the economy and state, and are using their power to favour their narrow private interests against the working class and all others. Within the economy and society, working people are challenged to develop new methods of struggle to defend their rights.

Working people of BC and Alberta, alongside Indigenous peoples, demand a say and control
over how resources are developed. Top: demonstration against Kinder Morgan buyout in Vancouver, August 24, 2018. Bottom: actions in Alberta against the pipeline and for a new
direction for the economy.

The situation workers face has given rise to deep concern over the direction of the economy and future of society. At present, the anti-social offensive appears as the concentration of power in the hands of the global oligopolies of the financial oligarchy. Their supranational arrangements are designed to place at their disposal for use in their private empire-building the natural resources and means of production of the nation and all the social wealth workers produce.

Steelworkers, Hamilton, Labour Day 2017.

The workers are fighting and the people's striving for empowerment is manifest in demands to reform the political process which the ruling class is manoeuvring to defeat. Subjecting Canada to U.S. Homeland Security and crushing the organized resistance of workers and their unions is in the forefront of the attack of the oligopolies on nation-building and society. The financial oligarchy knows full well that an organized and conscious working class is the greatest defender of the rights and well-being of all and the general interests of nation-building and society, which is why they target the workers and their organizations for attack.

This is why the workers are also stepping up their opposition to laws and arrangements which trample their rights in the mud. When the oligopolies want something, they demand the state institutions and political representatives pass laws and regulations in the service of their private interests. Only the struggle of the workers for justice, human dignity and the rights of all stands between the people and intensified impoverishment, enslavement and war, all carried out under alternating banners of prosperity, freedom, human rights and democracy for the few.

Across the country, workers in manufacturing, mining, forestry, transportation, health care, education and throughout the public and private services sectors, including casinos, as well as those representing injured workers and seniors, have shown tremendous determination to defend their rights and honour.

Quebec crane operators and other workers in the construction sector have stood up and met with determination the arrogance of the construction oligarchs and their political and media flunkies. Construction workers refuse to have their honour besmirched and dragged in the mud of media slanders and backward legislation that criminalize their right to an organized say over their conditions of work.

Montreal crane operators oppose unsafe changes to training requirements, May 5, 2018.

Salt miners in Goderich, Ontario stood tall along with fellow residents to blockade scab mercenaries from entering their mine during a recent strike. With their action they forced the U.S. oligarchs to negotiate and come to an agreement.

Striking Goderich salt miners prevent scabs from entering plant and force company to return to bargaining table and back off on concessions.  Photo above shows rally July 14, 2018.

Over one thousand aluminum smelter workers in Bécancour, Quebec continue to activate their forces in opposition to a lockout that has lasted more than half a year. The workers have taken their battle throughout North America explaining how the global oligarchs are manipulating the aluminum sector to serve their private interests and destroy what workers have built. The Rio Tinto and Alcoa oligarchs in collusion with governments in power are stealing not only the social wealth workers produce but wrecking any prospects for nation-building.

This Labour Day let workers pledge to step up their organized resistance in defence of the rights and dignity of all. Stop the oligarchs from expropriating the country's social wealth to get richer while depriving the working people of any say or control over the economy and the social product they produce.

Stop Paying the Rich!
Increase Investments in Social Programs!
Make Canada a Zone for Peace!

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