Vol. 80/No. 13 April 4, 2016
(front page)
SWP: Workers need to organize independent of
bosses’ parties
Mary Martin, SWP candidate for governor of Washington, campaigned with supporters among thousands of people at a March 20 rally for Bernie Sanders in Seattle.
Many of those she spoke with were interested in her view that working people need to learn from the example of the Cuban Revolution and of the need to take political power out of the hands of the capitalist class.
“A lot of what you say is true but I don’t think the American people are ready for real socialism,” said Keith Fiorino, 28, a musician. “Don’t you think that Sanders is basically going in the right direction?”
“None of the capitalist politicians have solutions to the grinding effects of the world economic crisis on working people,” Martin replied. “The working class is the only force that is capable of fighting for our own interests. That’s why we need a labor party based on the unions for workers to have an independent voice.”
Dave, a railroad worker and union member who didn’t want to give his last name, said he knows about engineer Tom Harding, who is facing frame-up charges for the 2013 oil car train crash in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. “They say he didn’t set enough brakes, but once the fire crew cut out the brake lines, the cars were going to roll,” Dave said. “I don’t think it was his fault.”
“Workers need to have control of safety on the job,” said Martin. “We need to use union power to stand up against frame-ups of Harding and others.”
Shavon Hayes, a public transit bus driver and member of the Amalgamated Transit Union, was glad to hear Martin had joined some of the bus drivers’ informational picket lines protesting split shifts and lack of breaks.
In an indication of the interest in the communist alternative, 15 people bought copies of the Militant, two subscribed and two got copies of The Cuban Five Talk About Their Lives Within the US Working Class: “It’s the Poor Who Face the Savagery of the US ‘Justice’ System,” one of several books campaign supporters are using in discussing what way forward for working people.
Sam Manuel, Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. Senate in Georgia, joined Felicia Thomas, Delisa Davis and dozens of others at the Smyrna, Georgia, City Council meeting March 21 to protest cop brutality and the promotion of officer Kenneth Owens to lieutenant.
Owens fatally shot Thomas’ son Nicholas in the back while the 23-year-old was at work at a tire shop a year ago. Davis’ brother Kevin died Dec. 31, 2015, two days after being shot by a DeKalb County cop in his apartment after calling 911.
“For Owens to be promoted is like spitting in my face, rewarding him for killing my child,” Thomas told Manuel.
“The Socialist Workers campaign in Georgia and nationally will be a voice for all those fighting to oppose killings by cops,” said Manuel.
Supporters of Eleanor García, SWP candidate for U.S. Senate, joined a March 19 protest in Bakersfield, California, against killings by the police.
“García has been a part of the fight against police brutality, as well as standing up against deportations,” SWP campaign supporter Laura Garza told the crowd. “She will be discussing the fights here as she joins the nurses striking at Kaiser in Los Angeles, the port truckers and workers demanding a raise in the minimum wage. We can strengthen our fights by joining others standing up.”
California’s Secretary of State informed García March 17 that she will be on the ballot for the June primary.
Janice Lynn in Smyrna, Georgia, and Bill Arth in Bakersfield, California, contributed to this article.
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SWP 2016 candidates
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