Oil refineries’ strikes: ‘For’ or ‘against’, leftists undermine the struggle

You reject “the implication that ‘spontaneously' workers are ‘nationalist' and that they need leftists and unions to prevent them from going astray” while stating, conversely, that “the weight of nationalist illusions was undeniable, and it was essential for revolutionaries to oppose these illusions without any compromise.” Which is to be then? You are directly contradicting yourself.  The truth is a minority of workers at the Lindsey strike came up with a nationalist slogan borrowed unwisely from the Prime Minister of the day and banded about in the capitalist media. The SP pointed out this was unwise and encouraged the workers to support their Italian and Portuguese comrades by fighting for better working conditions for all. What’s xenophobic and reactionary about that?  If you don’t agree with working in trade unions, that’s one thing, but to accuse a trade-union based workers’ party of being xenophobic and reactionary when all it is doing is fighting for better conditions for workers in an attempt to raise their political consciousness by using a clear programme transitional demands, is a complete mystification of the truth and unworthy of Marxist analysis.

Setting aside the positive praise for so-called 'workers' parties' and labor unions in your post, the last sentance in your post is contradicted by evidence from these very parties and groups.

While many here (including the group hosting this forum) would not agree, at all, that labor unions and 'workers' parties' are "fighting for better conditions for workers in an attempt to raise their political consciousness by using a clear programme transitional demands," you claim that these groups cannot be reactionary and/or xenophobic.

The AFl-CIO during the 1970's under Meany and Abel was extremely reactionary, openly so. Supported the Vietnam war, did little to improve solidarity among white and non-white workers, gave money and political support to the right-wing party (Republican Party) and over the years builds up and supports 'Buy American' and similar nationalistic, nativist, xenophobic programs. Same can be said of the UK labor unions and the Labour Party with their 'British Jobs For British Workers' jingoism.