During the last two weeks in March 18 workers contributed a total of $3,911.79 of “blood money” to the Socialist Workers Party Capital Fund, which strengthens the party’s long-term work.
“Enclosed is $102.01 from ‘incentive pay’ I received from the steel bosses in my final check,” wrote Nadine Carr from Chicago. “Working there was quite an education not only in the forms blood money can take, but in the corrosive effect it can have on the union and class solidarity. An immense amount of what is considered union activity there revolves around who gets what incentive, with all of the resulting infighting and division you can imagine.”
“For my new job in retail,” continued Carr, the head of ‘asset protection’ said that if we don’t clean up spills rapidly and a customer falls and sues the company, it comes out of our ‘MyShare.’ What a cynical and anti-working-class perspective!”
Bosses use bonuses like this and other such payments as bribes to discourage workers from resisting speedup, dangerous conditions, long hours and attacks on wages. SWP members and supporters give this money to the party to build the working-class movement and encourage other workers to do the same. To contribute, contact the SWP branch nearest you.