The Marxist-Leninist Daily

On this May Day, CPC(M-L) salutes the workers and oppressed peoples of all lands valiantly resisting the anti-social offensive of world proportions and preparations for fascism and war. CPC(M-L) salutes all those in the forefront of the working class movement who are organizing to resist the destruction of their trade unions and the passing of the burden of the economic crisis onto the backs of the working class, middle strata and most vulnerable.

The Spirit of May Day Means Resisting All Attacks on Workers,
Their Collectives and Defence Organizations

Using the occasion of the worst capitalist economic crisis since WWII, owners of capital together with their representatives in government and the mass media have launched an all-sided assault on the working class, its collectives and defence organizations. The anti-worker attack has been coordinated with deeper annexation of Canada into the U.S. Empire and the wrecking of Canada's socialized economy, especially its industrial manufacturing base. The mass media are engaged in a massive disinformation campaign that the solution to the crisis consists of paying the rich and private monopolies, concessions from workers, dismantling of social programs, war preparations, expanded wars against the oppressed countries and greater neo-liberal free trade under the control of the most powerful monopolies.

The frontal assault on trade unions is broad-based: governments are dismantling public sector unions through privatization and other methods; the Harper Conservative Party in power is attacking the right to strike, women, minoirty and migrant workers and blackmailing auto and other workers to give concessions; owners of capital are dismantling the manufacturing sector resulting in significant loss of livelihoods, union membership and social product, and are using the crisis to pressure workers for unprecedented concessions. Workers and their organizations are bravely responding saying concessions are not solutions and demanding governments bring in emergency legislation to solve the crisis in a way that favours the people, stops paying the rich and increases investments in public enterprise and social programs.

The Spirit of May Day Means Rejecting Theories of Exceptionalism,
"One Nation" Chauvinism and Tripartism in Economic and Political Affairs

Led by U.S. President Obama, owners of capital in the auto industry, which includes owners of debt, are engaged in a campaign of blackmail and coercion to undermine the credibility and authenticity of the United Auto Workers trade union by incorporating it into tripartite ownership of the auto monopolies along with private monopoly equity and debt capital and the U.S. government. This manoeuvre where the UAW has been pressured into accepting company stock in lieu of guarantees of health, retiree and other benefits is an attempt by the U.S. ruling class to block the consciousness of workers regarding the necessity of public enterprise and social programs as an antidote to the failure of the state monopoly capitalist system.

Tripartite ownership involving trade unions, monopoly capital and government is a fascist "one nation" path to living hell for the working class, as it leaves the class defenceless in the face of attacks orchestrated by the owners of capital and government. Tripartism in economic and political affairs is based on theories of exceptionalism that no alternative to the crisis-ridden capitalist system is possible and on "one nation" chauvinism, which does not recognize class divisions in society and the reality that monopoly capital exists by exploiting and negating the working class. These reactionary theories and political lines espoused by Obama and Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, pose a tremendous danger for workers and society. They deny the existence of a working class that can only flourish and advance society if it clearly demarcates its interests, needs, perspective, thinking, aims and ideology from those of the ruling capitalist class.

A "one nation" tripartite ownership arrangement destroys the defence organization of the working class and its coherence. Tripartism turns individual workers and their needs and aspirations against their own trade union organization leaving individual workers without an organized collective of and for the working class, creating confusion and disharmony between individual workers and their collectives and class.

Tripartite private share equity and debt ownership of monopolies is in direct opposition to the modern demand for public enterprise, where ownership is held by the state and no outside private owners or claimants are permitted. Public enterprise allows only two claimants on added-value: those workers directly involved in producing social product or delivering services and the society through the state. Any claim of private capital on public enterprise based on ownership of equity, debt or any other form is considered the worst form of corruption and abuse of public assets. Tripartite ownership is another scheme to use the savings of workers to prop up state monopoly capitalism and the dictatorship of the rich and undermine the independent working class movement. It is similar to the misuse and plunder of workers' pension and savings funds by the financial oligarchy, which in the present crisis has resulted in catastrophic losses.

Theories of exceptionalism, "one nation" chauvinism and tripartism in economic and political affairs pushed by Obama, Ignatieff and the monopoly capitalists is meant to weaken the industrial working class as the backbone of resistance within the U.S. Empire and annexed Canada. A destabilized North American working class movement becomes both a reserve for imperialist war and a target of capitalist plunder.

CPC(M-L) calls on all workers to exert every effort to step up the resistance movement against the nefarious plans of the U.S. Empire and its annexed lackeys in Canada to destroy our manufacturing base and organized trade union movement under theories of exceptionalism that there is no alternative and the tripartite hoax of "one nation" economics and politics. CPC(M-L) salutes all organized and unorganized workers who have rejected the tripartite path to "one nation" disaster, are demanding pro-social emergency measures to confront the crisis and are developing their own human-centred alternative program for nation-building.

The Spirit of May Day Means Organizing Groups
of Writers and Disseminators

CPC(M-L) congratulates those organizations and individuals who have exposed the debilitating propaganda of monopoly capital and its representatives that labels workers as "labour costs, a cost of production, legacy costs or chattel labour." Workers are the source of all social wealth as they transform raw material into use value through their hard work, skill and experience. As the source of all value along with the natural bounty of Mother Earth, workers could not possibly be considered a cost to themselves, society or anyone.

The spirit of May Day recognizes the modern definition of rights that states without equivocation that workers have rights by virtue of being producers of social product and providers of services and that people have rights by virtue of being human. Workers can give this modern definition a constitutional guarantee through class struggle by organizing themselves of and for themselves as a united class of socialized workers within society as a whole, within their collectives and as conscious individual members of their working class.

Quite distinct from the owners of monopoly capital, workers have hopes, dreams, needs, aspirations and an elemental thinking, which can only be fulfilled and reach full potential by uniting into powerful collectives and bringing their superior numbers and the human factor/social consciousness into play. Realization of the goals of a powerful working class movement and the varied demands of its individual members requires conscious organizing and action with analysis to build Groups of Writers and Disseminators, as the core of the independent politics of the working class. It demands great efforts to move forward the organizing of workers of and for themselves as a united class expressing in action with analysis, thoughts and culture their common aspirations as a class, as members of collectives and as individuals. Attaining the lofty aims of workers to humanize the social and natural environments and build an alternative to capitalism entails organizing into larger and more powerful trade unions and other social and political forms.

Let us pledge this May Day 2009 to go all out to build Groups of Writers and Disseminators wherever workers, youth and seniors live, work and study.

The Spirit of May Day Means Organizing
Committees for Democratic Renewal

CPC(M-L) salutes all those workers who are engaged in the battle for democracy. Democratic renewal is the cornerstone of resistance to the owners of monopoly capital. The battle for democracy pits democratic renewal under the leadership of the working class against the establishment democracy controlled by the owners of monopoly capital. The battle for democracy requires Committees for Democratic Renewal that forge the working class and its allies into an effective political force.

CPC(M-L) calls on workers to free themselves from the old capital-centred thinking, habits and outlook of the status quo and defeat any notions of passivity. Life itself demands workers and their allies strive for a new thinking and outlook of the human factor/social consciousness, where understanding comes from consciously participating in class struggle. Such an outlook immediately overcomes any sense of defeatism and paralysis in the face of difficulties such as the economic crisis or the constant anti-worker din of the mass media. The working class through its work has already transformed the old world of petty production and absolutist rule of Kings, Emperors, Shahs, Tsars and Shoguns into a world of mass industrial production but the job is only half done as the absolutist rule of the transitional capitalist class refuses to pass into history. Today absolutism is represented by the various forms of capitalist democracy, which are meant to negate working class democracy. In opposition, democratic renewal marshals the power of numbers and advanced consciousness of the working class to break finally with the old world of absolutist rule and capitalist democracy and usher in a new era of people's political empowerment.

Let us pledge this May Day 2009 to redouble our efforts to build Committees for Democratic Renewal everywhere to organize and inspire the working class and its allies to become an effective political force.

The Spirit of May Day Means Organizing for an Anti-War Government

On this May Day 2009, CPC(M-L) salutes the Canadian proletariat and its allies who are working tirelessly to stay the hand of the war government of the Conservative Party in power and together with all Canadians uphold social solidarity both nationally and internationally and are organizing to forge an anti-war government that immediately brings all troops home from U.S.-led war theatres stretching from Afghanistan to Haiti, contributes to dismantling NATO, gets Canada out of NORAD and opposesall warmongering by upholding the principle that all nations, big or small are equal and have the sovereign right to be.

The Canadian armed forces and government agencies under the Liberal/Conservative parties in power and opposition have become embroiled in U.S.-led wars, occupation, torture, attacks on rights and international law all over the world. An anti-war government would sever all ties with the aggressive war alliances NATO and NORAD and any other military cooperation with the U.S. Empire, which is the biggest warmonger humanity has ever been forced to confront. Canadian workers are conscious that they cannot defend their own rights with a clear conscience without taking an active stand against imperialist war and for an anti-war government.

Let us pledge to make next year's May Day a day of celebration of the working class in having greatly strengthened its organizational and ideological existence as individuals and collectives of and for themselves, and as a class of and for itself.

Long live May First, Day of International Working Class Unity and Struggle!
Workers and Oppressed Peoples of All Countries, Unite!

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Workers' Struggles in the Past Year

Hamilton, May Day 2008: Joint action by USW Locals 1005 and 7135.

Toronto, May Day 2008

Mackenzie, BC, May 23, 2008: About 1,300 workers and community members held a mass rally
to oppose the devastation caused by mill shutdowns plaguing Canada's forest industry.

Oshawa, June 1, 2008: Manufacturing Matters Rally.

Oshawa: Autoworkers protest against announced closure of the Oshawa truck plant, including a nearly
two-week blockade of GM Canada headquarters from June 4-16, 2008

June 11, 2008: Canada-wide Day of Action in defence of Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs).

Toronto, Labour Day 2008

Cultural workers in Toronto on Labour Day and Montreal on September 4 and Edmonton on October 1,
denounce the Harper government's attacks on culture and the arts during the federal election.

Edmonton, September 21, 2008: 325 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Local 1118
on strike at the Maple Leaf poultry plant.

Workers in Val d'Or, Quebec on September 30, 2008 during the federal election, blockade Stephen Harper's campaign bus as it passes through Abitibi-Temiscamingue to denounce the anti-social anti-worker attacks of the Harper government .

Timmins, October 1, 2008: 675 CAW Local 599 workers went on strike at the metallurgical site
of Xstrata's Kidd Creek operations.

Whitby, Ontario, October 6, 2008: autoworkers and local activists took thousands of old work boots from laid off workers across the province to the campaign office of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to "Give Flaherty the Boot."

Striking postal workers and their supporters, November 2008.
Top: Calgary, Halifax; bottom: Halifax, Quebec City.

February 24, 2009: CAW Local 598takes seven busloads of Sudbury workers to Huntsville to picket the
constituency office of federal Minister of Industry Tony Clement to demand Xstrata be forced to abide by its
July 2006 commitment of no layoffs for three years.

Hamilton, December 12, 2008: USW Locals 1005 and 7135 rally against layoffs.

Ottawa-Gatineau, December 29, 2008: Striking OC Transpo workers.

Ontario Nurses Association rally against cuts to nursing at Queen's Park against cuts to nursing, March 5, 2009.

USW Local 1005 holds its weekly Monday rally in downtown Hamilton, March 9, 2009.

CAW Local 195 workers and their supporters rally at the blockaded
Aradco and Aramco plants in Windsor, March 18, 2009.

Hamilton, March 21, 2009: USW Local 1005 holds a mass rally in to denounce the closure of
Stelco (U.S. Steel) plants and demand emergency measures to address the crisis.

April 3, 2009: Striking professors at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Toronto, April 5, 2009: Demonstration against immigration raids on migrant workers.

Hamilton, April 16, 2009: USW Local 1005 holds press conference to demand Stelco plants
remain open and propose emergency measures to deal with the crisis.

Active and retired autoworkers call on MPPs to live up to their social responsibilitiy and defend their pensions. Top: Constituency office of Essex MPP Bruce Crozier, April 17, 2009; bottom: Constituency office of Windsor West MPP Sandra Pupatello, April 16, 2009.

Queen's Park, April 23, 2009: Mass rally of 20,000 workers from across Ontario demand
that federal and provincial governments protect pensions for all workers

April 28, 2008: Day of Mourning for Workers Killed on Injured on the Job.
Top: Calgary, Quebec City; centre: Hamilton, Brampton, Toronto; bottom: Mississauga, Sudbury.

Queen's Park, April 29, 2009: Mass rally to demand an end to cuts to Ontario hospitals.

May Day Celebrations in Cuba,
an Expression of Unity

Havana's Revolution Square will again vibrate on May Day as representatives of 19 Cuban union organizations, students, workers and people in general stage a traditional march that will recall the struggle and victories of the Cuban people over the past 50 years of Socialist Revolution.

Commemorations for International Workers Day are dedicated this year to the 70th anniversary of the Cuban Workers' Federation (CTIC) and to the 50th of the Cuban Revolution.

Among the huge crowd of people there will be some 1,500 visitors from nearly 60 countries of the world who represent different unions and solidarity brigades.

At the center of this year's May Day scenario is the current world social and economic situation, marked by the expansion of multiple crises generated by neo-liberal globalization, which affect all of society's sectors and in particular the families of poor workers in countries where the market economy prevails.

Although Cuban workers are not exempt from difficulties stemming from the global economic crisis they are aware that their state founded on political, governmental and administrative principles, guarantees the social well-being of all citizens, without any kind of exclusion.

Therefore, difficulties facing Cuba have a temporary character and are based on the objective effects of the current world crisis and the prevalence of the U.S. economic, financial and commercial blockade of Cuba.

On May Day, all the people and their Revolutionary government stress their unity in their advance towards an increasingly fairer society, which is quite different from the panorama of May Day commemorations in other countries of the world, where workers voice their repeated and unheard demands against the capitalist yoke.

May Day Celebrations in Cuba will include marches not only in Havana but also in all provinces and main cities and rallies where the Martyrs of Chicago will be always present in the minds of the people.

Workers and Oppressed Peoplesof All Countries, Unite!

The Spirit of May Day Means Resisting All Attacks on Workers, Their Collectives and Defence Organizations

The Spirit of May Day Means Rejecting Theories of Exceptionalism, "One Nation" Chauvinism and Tripartism in Economic and Political Affairs

The Spirit of May Day Means Organizing Groupsof Writers and Disseminators

The Spirit of May Day Means OrganizingCommittees for Democratic Renewal