unemployment and the class struggle

Despite all the talk about the recovery of the economy, the jobs have not returned, and those who still have jobs are still haunted by the threat of unemployment. This article looks at ways unemployed workers can fight back.

Thanks to a contribution by a comrade on the 3rd Febrary on the comments section of our Spanish language site, we have learnt about the joint struggle of unemployed and shipyard workers in Vigo in Spain.

The struggle by 600 workers laid off from Visteon on 31st March, originally without any pay or benefits, has attracted both interest and solidarity by many other workers, as shown by the translation of their leaflet into 6 other languages and the appearance of workers from other sectors and even other countries at their occupations and pickets.

The occupation of the Visteon car part plants in Belfast, Enfield and Basildon at the beginning of April is a small but important sign that workers are not prepared to lie down and accept the mauling that capitalism in crisis is inflicting on their jobs and living conditions.

The killing of two soldiers and a policeman in Northern Ireland in early March was only news to the extent that the shootings were ‘successful'.

The avalanche of unemployment across the world is unprecedented since the 1930s Depression. But the crisis and the surge in unemployment don't only bring despair and hopelessness. They also bring clarity: they undermine all the bourgeoisie's propaganda about how well capitalism functions and how, if we just work hard enough or save carefully enough, we can have everything we need.

No workers' job is safe; and even when they have work, wages are being cut and working conditions worsened. But workers around the world are showing their unwillingness to accept these attacks.