The Conditions Are Calling on Workers to Act Forcefully and Consciously

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


Banner at Status for All demonstration in Montreal, July 4, 2020, affirms "We Have Value, We Have Rights, Together We Fight for Our Cause."

The organizing of forms to build the strength of the working class independently of the imperialist elite is the most essential and crucial work for the workers' movement at this time. The working class is the largest and most advanced social class in the country and the only social force capable of moving the economy in a new pro-social direction and for democratic renewal to allow working people control over those economic, political and social affairs that affect their lives.

In the circumstances of the pandemic/economic crisis and in opposition to the needs, views and demands of the working class, the ruling elite in control of governments have taken measures to defend the wealth, power and privilege of the oligarchs at all costs, abandoning their social responsibility for the people and society.

A basic weakness of the ruling elite is that they do not want the working class to participate in setting the aim and direction of the economy and country. This can be seen in the response to the pandemic, where the ruling elite have blocked the working class from taking control of the situation and mobilizing the human and material resources of the country to overwhelm the virus with science and social consciousness and responsibility.

Clearly, if the working class was not deprived of its leading role and the country had not been weakened with the decades-long anti-social offensive, the people would have been in a position to defeat the pandemic without falling into crisis. Strong social programs in health care and education including daycare, employment insurance and workers' compensation that meet the needs of all; public services and public enterprises that can act quickly to defend the public interest and not be beholden to private interests of the global rich, plus a fully mobilized and organized working class ready and willing to defend the people and society would bring the pandemic under control.

The ruling oligarchs have made the health emergency even worse by generating an economic crisis on top of the pandemic, in particular in the service sector, making life unbearable for many vulnerable workers and small business people. This should never have happened and the fault lies squarely with those in control who are determined to pay the rich, destroy social programs and deny workers their leading role regardless of the consequences.

Depriving the working class of its central position in modern society has greatly exacerbated the problems arising from the pandemic. The decades-long anti-social offensive of paying the rich and attacking social programs and the rights people have by virtue of being human have left the economy and country weak in the face of the virus. We are now witnessing how federal and provincial governments and the government of Quebec are at the service of the global imperialist interests which are dictating that governments and the economy must respond to the situation in ways that favour the expansion of their control and power and further concentrate wealth in fewer hands. The Throne Speech expected on September 23 will provide arguments to justify this in the name of high ideals.

The global oligarchs are using the situation to bring all aspects of the economy under their direct control, including the small business, retail and other sectors, and to broaden their influence and control over the political and social affairs of the country. The concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few is unprecedented and a great danger to the people and society.

Labour Day 2020 finds the working class facing great difficulties but also opportunities, as illusions are being shattered right and left that some social class or force other than workers themselves is going to defend their rights and save them from the worsening conditions.

Workers can see for themselves that the ruling imperialist elite have no interest in upholding the social responsibilities of the state towards the people and society. The global ruling elite are fixated on defending their own private wealth, power and privilege in complete disregard for any social responsibility. This can be seen in the anti-social anti-worker measures being enacted in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and elsewhere, using the pandemic as an excuse.

The pandemic and economic crisis have added pressure and difficulties for the working class, coupled with the continuing anti-social offensive attacking workers' rights and conditions of work and life. But the working class is not powerless in the face of the situation; it is fighting and embracing the need to organize forums which put the workers at the centre of all economic, political and social affairs and bring into being a pro-social direction for the country to stop paying the rich, increase investments in social programs, public services and public enterprise, and defend the rights of all.

Facing the conditions with courage, wisdom and a firm belief in their capacity to organize and lead a militant defence, workers will turn the situation around in their favour as they must.

Together let us build the forms that give workers their own voice, advocates, leaders and independent politics that serve them well.

Our Security Lies in the Fight to Defend Our Rights!
Only Workers Ourselves Can Turn the Situation Around in Our Favour!
All Out to Organize Our Independent Politics and Workers' Forums!