Labor Peace and Capitulationism
Today, the labor movement is dominated by its right wing. The practice of ‘business unionism’ and ‘labor peace’ – the close collaboration between union leaders and capitalists – has led to the near collapse of the working class as a relevant political force in the US.
Pizzeria Workers in Portland Face Union Busting
On January 9, 2025, workers at the Central Eastside location of Sizzle Pie, a Portland pizzeria chain, unanimously voted to unionize, choosing to join the Restaurant Workers United after convincing an overwhelming majority of their coworkers to sign union authorization cards. Their demands included liveable wages, predictable scheduling, safe working conditions, and stable employment – all things that every worker deserves. By unionizing, the workers exercised their collective power – in other words, the people whose labor makes Sizzle Pie run demanded a say in how the business is run.
Palestinian Liberation and the Tasks of US Labor
Israel’s ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza has shocked the world. This genocide is only possible through the provisioning of arms, ammunition, and funding from the US capitalist empire. Without US capitalist backing, the regime would collapse quickly, as apartheid South Africa did some thirty years ago. So where is the US working class?