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    Vol.62/No.14           April 13, 1998 
 
 
Support Labor Struggles  
 The Militant urges its readers to actively extend support to labor struggles unfolding across the United States, Canada, and elsewhere - from the 3,300 United Auto Workers members at the Case Corp. plants in the Midwest who are preparing for a possible strike, to the Woodworkers occupying a sawmill in British Columbia, to the locked-out oil workers at Crown Central Petroleum in Texas who are combating frame- up charges of sabotage. This combativity indicates more willingness among unionists to stand up to the bosses' demands for concessions and is another reflection of the fact that the long retreat of labor movement is halted.

The labor movement and young fighters around the world should support this working-class resistance. The bosses count on the corroding effects of competition for jobs bred by the market system and its dog-eat-dog values to keep workers divided. The bourgeoisie is surprised when human solidarity comes together in explosive and unexpected resistance to assaults on workers' living standards, job conditions, and democratic and social rights. More than 1,000 workers from two dozen unions recently showed up at a solidarity rally in Marietta, Ohio, to support 80 striking Steelworkers who are fighting to keep their union and against forced overtime at low wages. Contingents of garment workers, coal miners, and steelworkers were among battle-tested unionists who came to the action looking to bolster each others' fights.

Class-conscious fighters should reach out to these struggles, bring others with them to the picket lines, and spread the word about this working-class resistance. The Militant and its Spanish-language sister magazine, Perspectiva Mundial, are important tools to build solidarity and bring together the struggles of fighting unionists with anti-imperialist fighters such as Puerto Rican youth demanding independence, and working people in other countries like the Albanians fighting for self-determination in Kosovo.

Taking the socialist press as well as Pathfinder titles like The Changing Face of U.S. Politics to picket lines, plant gates, anti-imperialist conferences, and other political events are important steps to help build confidence and develop political consciousness among the layer of fighters who are beginning to take action.  
 
 
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