OAKLAND, Calif. — The launching of the 2024 Socialist Workers Party campaign in California was greeted with enthusiasm at a packed hall here when Rachele Fruit, the party’s candidate for president, and vice presidential candidate Margaret Trowe spoke March 2. They were joined by Laura Garza, the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate from California.
“What we will be raising in this campaign concerns nothing less than the future of humanity,” Fruit said. “The system of capitalism is in crisis and we are seeing intensified exploitation of working people, disorder and expanding wars. The nightmare is not going to end until working people around the world find their voice and realize their ability to organize and take political power.”
Fruit, a long-time trade unionist and member of UNITE HERE, described the encouragement she received from her co-workers at the hotel where she has worked in Miami Beach when she announced her candidacy. “We are a party of workers who join and build solidarity with union and other working-class struggles.”
Participants in the meeting viewed a video of Jeremy Kimbrell announcing that many workers in the Alabama Mercedes-Benz plant where he works have decided to join the United Auto Workers union.
“Their decision is an example of why the low point of labor resistance is behind us,” Trowe said. “After years of being pushed back, the confidence of millions of workers, their readiness to fight the employers’ attacks is on the uptick.”
Garza, a rail conductor and member of the SMART-TD union, described a demonstration of many hundreds of flight attendants from American Airlines, United and Southwest at the airport in Los Angeles. “You could see the impact of workers standing up together, the potential power,” she said.
‘Workers need party of our own’
During the discussion, Levi Meir Clancy asked the candidates what kind of reception the campaign has been getting. “There is nothing for the working class with either Biden or Trump,” Fruit replied. “Many workers see this. They are more open today to discuss our position that workers need a party of our own and that only the power of workers can solve what we face today.”
Trowe described the party’s response to the rise in antisemitism and attacks on Jews in the Bay Area, including the recent shutdown of a speaker invited by Jewish groups at the University of California, Berkeley by a violent Jew-hating mob. Trowe’s campaign released a statement condemning the attack and the failure of university authorities to ensure the event would take place, even after the thugs announced their intent to shut it down. The Jewish Coalition of Berkeley posted the SWP statement on their blog, with a link to the Militant.
Greetings to the meeting were read from Ilana Pearlman, a parent who has been fighting antisemitism in the Berkeley public schools. “During a time when free speech has come under violent attack, the SWP has shown unwavering support by speaking out against Jew Hate at city council meetings, school board meetings, and in the Militant, while simultaneously participating in solidarity events, such as the Holocaust Remembrance Day March in Piedmont,” she wrote.
Dorothea Dorenz also sent a message. She and Trowe both spoke against a resolution demanding Israel agree to a cease-fire at a recent city council meeting. “When we fight against antisemitism we also fight against loss of rights for workers, unions, women, Blacks, Asians, LGBTQ and other minorities,” she said. “Your group is unique in understanding this while others on the so-called left think it’s OK to demonize Jews and Israel and at the same time think that they will be safe from persecution. Nothing can be further from the truth.”
The family of Carlos Harris, framed up on attempted murder charges, congratulated the candidates on their upcoming campaign, thanked them for their support and encouraged them to continue speaking out about the fight to free Harris, who has served 19 years of a 28 year, four month sentence.
Campaigning at factory gates
Supporters of Fruit and Trowe are campaigning at factory plant gates and knocking on doors in working-class communities. On Feb. 28, Trowe and her supporters campaigned during the shift change at the chocolate factory where she has worked and now is on leave as she runs for vice president.
Trowe, a member of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers union, is known among co-workers as a staunch supporter of union struggles. Workers stopped to take a campaign flyer or get a copy of the Militant,saying, “I’ll be following you,” “I’ll vote for you,” and “good luck.” One gave $15 for the campaign and two others pledged a contribution. Another renewed her Militant subscription. Two mechanics expressed agreement with Trowe’s opposition to Hamas and wished her well.
On March 2, campaign supporters set up a table outside a Walmart in San Leandro. Walter Hill, a former autoworker and unionist, stopped to talk after seeing signs at the table saying, “Opposing Jew-hatred is a union question” and “Support the 100,000 flight attendants fighting for union contracts.”
“I’m against hatred of any kind,” Hill said. “I have always supported the Democrats. But with what’s going on I’m questioning that. I’m looking for something different.” Hill subscribed to the Militant and bought a copy of The Low Point of Labor Resistance Is Behind Us: The Socialist Workers Party Looks Forward by SWP leaders Jack Barnes, Mary-Alice Waters and Steve Clark.
On March 3, the candidates and supporters joined thousands at a “Unity March Against Antisemitism” in San Francisco. Despite rain, SWP campaign supporters were able to get out the SWP’s statement condemning antisemitic violence at UC Berkeley and sign up five new subscribers to the Militant. The Jewish News of Northern California reported that the SWP candidate for vice president was at the action.
For how to join campaigning for the SWP in California or elsewhere, see the campaign headquarters listed here.
