The CLC policy papers criticize the
neo-liberal policies of the existing governments. In the same breath,
they call on the union movement to strengthen the existing liberal
democratic political institutions responsible for the attacks. They say
that the very institutions that are anti-worker should be supported so
as to prevent
the rise of right-wing extremist currents bent on even worse attacks.
In the final analysis, they end up calling for support for the Trudeau
Liberals, which they consider a non-extremist Party, a Party of
fairness. They do not elaborate how the Liberal Party deserves their
support when it has been an avid activist of neo-liberal policies
attacking
working people, social programs and public services and paying the rich
for decades.
They
consider the pandemic a pivotal moment for the preservation of the
system of liberal democracy and liberal institutions and prevention of
societies turning to extremism. The fact that liberal democracy and its
institutions right from the beginning have been dedicated to protecting
private property and not human rights does not appear to be
a concern for the writers. They gloss over the issue of making human
rights a pivotal aim of society rather than property rights. They want
the labour movement to ensure workers are mobilized as a force to
strengthen the institutions that defend property rights and not human
rights.
The
authors of the policy papers avoid any talk of seeking and fighting for
a new direction for the economy that puts an end to the pay-the-rich
economy that serves the global oligarchy and views human rights as an
impediment to property rights or something that can be manipulated
globally to serve their interests. They put emphasis on
workers not becoming political themselves and seeking empowerment for
themselves and an agenda independent of the ruling elite and their
political institutions. Workers are encouraged to put their faith in
the very same people who are the architects of neo-liberalism.
The policy papers consistently call on workers to hand over their
politics and voices to those in the cartel political parties. Workers
are to reduce themselves to pressuring the ruling elite into doing the
right thing. This emphasis negates any discussion of working people
becoming decision-makers themselves and exercising control over
economic, political and all the affairs that concern them and affect
their lives.
The papers argue against being militant and taking a firm line in
defence of rights and claims, which they say damages the image of
unions. Rather, workers should advocate for fairness and equity and
show that unions are those who are providing society with fairness and
equity, etc., in opposition to all that is bad in society. The papers
ignore
the reality that workers are in a contradiction with their employers.
They face a social force that buys their capacity to work to exploit it
for maximum profit. Fairness and equity are not possible, only
organized struggle in defence of rights and claims within which a
certain equilibrium of opposing forces may be achieved that favours
working
people.
The papers suggest the pandemic has revealed the workers as
essential and in response the ruling circles have put austerity on
pause with money flowing, mostly borrowed from the rich themselves. They
warn that there is danger ahead of an increase in right wing extremism, which
means workers must rise to the occasion and come to the defence of
liberal democracy and its institutions instead of strengthening their
own defence organizations and preparing consciously to go on the
offensive to defend their rights and claims and build the New.
The authors seem to think that Parliament and other institutions
have not lost any power or control to the narrow private interests of
the global oligarchy. With this view, unions should continue their role
as an extra-parliamentary pressure group. They appear to propose a line
of march that has already disappeared. As such the policy papers are
holding on to a status quo that has already collapsed. In this way they
are not useful to open a path to the task of democratic renewal which
reality itself is proving to be necessary.
This article was published in
June 16, 2021 - No. 57
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2021/Articles/WO08573.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
