“I received a $25 gift card for the holidays from the food service company where I work,” wrote Cicely James from Miami. “This outfit offers a lot of small perks in exchange for workers accepting no benefits, low wages and unsanitary conditions. So put this ‘blood money’ to use!”
Socialist Workers Party members and supporters use the term “blood money” to describe production, attendance, safety and other bonuses given out by the bosses to discourage workers from resisting low pay and unsafe working conditions. Instead of taking these bribes, party supporters turn this money over to the SWP’s Capital Fund to strengthen the party’s long-term work.
Writing from Virginia, Mike Galati sent in a check for $437.25, an “attendance bonus” from the railroad bosses. “These type of payoffs are attempts by the bosses to pressure us not to take needed days off,” Galati wrote. “I can think of no better way than to put this blood money to use building the only working-class revolutionary organization here in the U.S.”
If your bosses attempt to bribe you and you’d like to turn the money over to help advance the working-class movement, contact the SWP in your area listed on page 8.