Students and others joined in the discussion at the event, which included Bill Schmitt, SWP candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 4th District. Schmitt explained the need to extend solidarity to workers in struggle like those in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, who work at Minnesota Beef and recently won a hard-fought union election.

Earlier that day, Calero spoke to an audience of similar size at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC). “A lot of people have a distorted idea of what socialism is, but after the meeting some stuck around and wanted to talk,” noted Dean Satter, a student at MCTC. “I decided to go for what I believe in,” said another new campaigner, Stephanie, in explaining why she decided to build both meetings and campaign for the SWP ticket rather than work for the election of another capitalist politician.

The afternoon of October 5, Calero was invited to a house meeting with workers at Dakota Premium Foods. Calero worked for the company in the past and participated in a groundbreaking union-organizing drive there.

Adan, a worker from Minnesota Beef who has helped to lead the fight for dignity and better conditions at that meat packing plant, also made the two-hour trip after work from Buffalo Lake to South St. Paul for the meeting.

Adan explained that workers at the slaughterhouse in Buffalo Lake organized a campaign over the past months to shift the vote to victory in the election a couple of weeks ago. He said the conditions, line speed, and demands of the bosses led to a one-day strike in the boning departments several months earlier.

In the discussion, Calero described the struggle by the Co-Op miners in Utah and their union, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) to win union representation at the coal mine (see article in this issue). Calero talked about the effectiveness of these workers reaching out for broad support from the labor movement and other organizations using the existing union structures.

Before leaving town on the morning of October 7, Calero campaigned at the Dakota Premium Foods plant gate. He and other supporters of the socialist election campaign, including Schmitt, passed out dozens of campaign brochures and sought support of workers entering for the day shift.
 
 
Related articles:
Break from parties of the employers!
Socialist candidate for Senate in N.Y. debates Green, Libertarian opponents
Socialists campaign in Texas, Louisiana
Calero stumps in Tampa
New Jersey socialist candidates join debates
SWP vice-presidential candidate meets farmers, unionists in D.C.  
 
 
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