Vol. 77/No. 4      February 4, 2013

During the last two weeks in December and first few days in January, 10 workers donated $1,300 in blood money to the Socialist Workers Party Capital Fund.

Cecelia Moriarity and Mary Martin in Seattle sent in a check for $25 each, a Christmas gift card from the network cable company they worked at as temps. “Two hours after we received the card, we were suddenly laid off!” Moriarity wrote. “One worker spoke up and pointed out that the gift card didn’t begin to make up for lost wages. We heartily agreed. We’re sure the money will be put to excellent use.”

The term “blood money” refers to so-called bonus payments and other bribes from bosses pressing workers to accept speedup, wage cuts, concession contracts and dangerous working conditions. At the turn of the year they often come as holiday gift cards, year-end bonuses and profit-sharing payments. Communist workers turn them over to the SWP Capital Fund to finance long-range work of the party.

Ellen Brickley and Maggie Trowe in Des Moines, Iowa, sent in checks for $250 each from the plastics factory where they work.

“Yesterday the bosses handed out year-end ‘bonuses’, thanking workers for ‘all your hard work,’” they wrote in a note. “For the last month they have been scheduling us on Saturdays and Sundays for straight pay, forcing us to take a weekday off, so they can end their year well.”

Clay Dennison in Seattle sent in a check for $394.56. “This is the latest blood money contribution from the foundry I work at,” he wrote. “Twenty-five dollars is for a Christmas ‘gift’ card. The rest is called production bonus. Once again, we turn the bribe into its opposite.”

To make a blood money contribution, contact Militant distributors listed on page 6.

—EMMA JOHNSON