A link to an excellent article by Michael Lebowitz (pictured left), exclusive to Links - and essential explanation of socialist trade union activity.Michael A. Lebowitz: The capitalist workday, the socialist workday
As May Day approaches, there are four things that are worth remembering:
- For workers, May Day does not celebrate a state holiday or gifts from the state but commemorates the struggle of workers from below.
- The initial focus of May Day was a struggle for the shorter workday.
- The struggle for the shorter workday is not an isolated struggle but is the struggle against capitalist exploitation.
- The struggle against capitalist exploitation is an essential part but not the only part of the struggle against capitalism.
What I want to do today is to set out some ideas about the capitalist workday and the socialist workday which I hope can be useful in the current struggles in Venezuela and, more immediately, in today's discussion.
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