Rail and airline workers in the U.S. face the notorious anti-labor Railway Labor Act, which bars their right to strike for years with various deadlines, “cooling-off” periods and other government interference. And, when a strike finally becomes legal, the law empowers the president and Congress to step in and impose a contract to the bosses’ liking. That’s what Joseph Biden did in 2022.
Millions of other workers in North America face similar schemes limiting the right to strike — from government agencies like the National Labor Relations Board to court interference and other obstacles. The goal of all these measures is to preserve the domination of the capitalist ruling class and protect their profits, privileges and ability to compete against rivals abroad.
For five years flight attendants in the U.S. have been fighting for a new contract that includes wages for work that currently goes unpaid and for schedules that allow for rest, a family life and participation in union and political activity. They’re restricted from taking strike action.
U.S. rail workers face a new round of national negotiations for a contract beginning this fall.
In Canada, members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association at WestJet went on strike June 28 despite a federal government order seeking to force them into compulsory arbitration. Bosses claimed the strike was “illegal” and threatened to fire workers who joined the picket line.
Canada Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan has banned 9,300 rail workers at Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City from striking until yet another government-spawned outfit — the Canadian Industrial Relations Board — determines if any shutdown would affect “essential services.” If so, they will bar a strike there. The rail workers have overwhelmingly voted twice to strike.
The Canadian government claims it represents the interests of “the people of Canada.” But its pretense of neutrality is a fraud. It is acting for the class interests of the profit-driven employers.
Government regulatory agencies will do nothing to prevent more disasters like the Norfolk Southern derailment and toxic “vent and burn” in East Palestine, Ohio. Rail bosses everywhere will continue to cut crew sizes, impose unlivable schedules and dangerous conditions. They will drive for profit with utter disregard for the safety and lives of rail workers and people living near the tracks.
As long as capitalist governments hold power, they will use their state to try to hog-tie workers and our unions. This is the role of all government bodies under capitalism, from the president to the local mayor, the cops and the courts, and their military, armed to the teeth. And when these government institutions aren’t enough, they turn to scab-herders, gun thugs and fascist goons.
Workers need to break with all reliance on the capitalist rulers, their government and their political parties.
Workers have shown that we are capable of wielding tremendous power when we act independently of the exploiting class and all its political servants, relying on the power of our own class and our exploited allies. There is absolutely no reason for us to place our trust in the government, nor look to so-called friends of labor among the Democratic, Republican or other capitalist parties.
We need to break from the bosses’ parties and to build a party of our own, a party of labor, that can organize working people in our millions to advance our own class interests — at home and with fellow working people worldwide.
Building a party of labor opens the door to the fight to oust the capitalist rulers and put in power a working-class government of our own. The working class in control of the state power will be in the strongest position to end all the horrors wrought by capitalist exploitation and to open the door to the true potential of working people.