NEW YORK CITY, December 17 — “Haitian rebels are under attack: what do we do?  Stand up, fight back!” “Clinton, Préval, you can’t hide: we charge you with genocide!” Chants from fifty angry demonstrators bounced off the walls of the Haitian consulate building in Manhattan, as crowds of workers passed by on their way home in the frigid night. Speakers and flyers explained why workers in Haiti were right to rebel in the streets in the face of UN armored troop carriers, as living conditions there grow absolutely intolerable.
Haiti has 1.3 million homeless, 70% unemployment, more than a million school-age children excluded from schooling, a raging cholera epidemic in which 650,000 people (6% of the population) are expected to fall ill in 2011. The promised earthquake aid money has failed to reach the people and reconstruction plans rebuild for profit, not for people. Compared to all this, a rigged election is the least of their worries.
We praised the rebels in Haiti for showing the way ahead for workers everywhere, as similar rebellions break out in Europe. As a black building worker we spoke to recently about racism against Latino immigrants told us: “The whole world is waiting for a revolutionary change!” The rally was coordinated with activist union and student friends in Haiti. They included a photo and a statement from our rally in their press conference at a demonstration against the military occupation by MINUSTAH (UN Mission to Stabilize Haiti) and for free public schools for all.
We handed out the CHALLENGE issue (12/15/10) with an article on this Haitian campaign for public schools, versus the plan of the Reconstruction Commission to rebuild mainly charter schools on the New Orleans post-Katrina model. The article pointed out, however, that even free public schools under capitalism will never fulfill the needs of workers’ children. In the same issue a student writer from Haiti explained how cholera in Haiti was most probably brought into the country by MINUSTAH troops. She condemned the entire structure of NGOs (non-governmental organizations like the Red Cross or Doctors without Borders) in Haiti as “business humanitarianism” secured by imperialist armed force.  
These small beginnings joining workers’ forces in Haiti and the U.S. hold out hope that the international solidarity which the old communist movement once built can be rebuilt, on an even stronger political foundation. The only hope in places like Haiti is the revival of communism led by PLP. The same is true in the imperialist heartland, the U.S. Rebellious workers of all countries need one another to fight a global system. “The workers, united, will never be defeated!” “¡Oberos, unidos, jamás serán vencidos!” “Les ouvriers, unis, ne seront jamais conquis!”

NEW YORK CITY, December 6 — “I think it’s not fair to U.S. workers how they send jobs out of the country,” said Lisa as a group of workers were talking about unemployment. “But that’s what they always do,” responded Jenny. “It’s the way the system works. That’s how the capitalists make profits all over the world.”
“Some people are lazy, they expect free help,” said Jaime. “But there’s no assistance. It’s welfare to work,” explained Nelson. “Everyone is looking for work and there are no jobs.” “I work 12 hours a day, six days a week in a restaurant. When I demanded overtime the boss said OK, work 40 hours here and look for a second job,” said Juan. “Or stay here, work your 60 hours and get the money you need for your family.”
“There are no legal protections, only class struggle,” responded Jenny.
The capitalists and their politician servants are debating the economic crisis in terms of government spending, tax cuts, rising healthcare costs and “costly entitlements” like Social Security and Medicare. Their debate results in a massive attack on the working class while covering up the cause of the economic crisis.
The working class needs to listen to Jenny. The crisis comes from the anarchy and competition of the capitalist system. Only revolution to establish communism — a system that produces based on need, not profit — offers the world’s working class a future.
U.S. unemployment is “officially” about 10% but including under-employment it’s 21%; double that for black and Latino workers. Over 8 million jobs have been lost in this Great Recession in the U.S. The ruling class predicts “recovery” to take 4-5 years. Their so-called recovery (“normal” is 6 million jobless) will be based on a greatly expanded military, increased military production, and much greater exploitation. It also means deep cuts in federal, state and city spending as U.S. imperialism gears up for bigger wars against its competitors.
The workers quoted above are involved in efforts to establish a jobs committee in the neighborhood group where we organize and study. Workers in the group have voted to set up a committee with nine members and new leadership. We are writing a ‘’join us” leaflet to use in the group and surrounding community.
Organize the Unemployed
Our goal is to get at least 50 participants to begin the campaign. The leaflet says: “Demand jobs now. Make the bosses and bankers pay. No deals, no compromises. Demand the government provide assistance to all unemployed and underemployed workers, no matter their status — citizen, documented or undocumented. Make the rich pay. No negotiations.”
Our approach calls on rank-and-file workers to join, lead and go on the political offensive in direct action. Meanwhile the neighborhood group represents the liberal ruling class agenda of legislative reform, voting and engaging and getting support from the politicians. Limited reforms are presented as victories for the workers, while in reality the quality of life for the working class is being eroded.
PLP is active in the neighborhood group and the jobs committee. We are distributing 75 CHALLENGES, including six networks and have a study-action group. We expect sharp struggle within the group as the political ideas, organizing and protests of the committee develop.
We know that PL members and friends must be determined and principled. There is both danger and opportunity. The struggle is worth every ounce of our strength!

MEXICO CITY, December 18 — This past weekend, about 25 members and friends of the Progressive Labor Party organized a communist school. Over the two days workers, teachers and young people studied the PLP document “Reform and Revolution” (see PLP website). A comrade teacher summarized the essence of the subject: “The importance of recognizing the limits between reform and revolution is needed to keep the ideas of the Party and of communism firm. The lack of clarity in this subject can lead to abandoning the fight for revolution, whether it’s because in our practice reform dominates or because we isolate ourselves from the workers and their struggles.”
Most of the people were impressed by a young female comrade´s welcome with a poster where she explained how capitalism chains our minds through consumerism, nationalism and electoral politics. She also showed us the importance of our task to break those chains.   
The international character of the Party was present with the participation of two comrades from another Latin American country. With their experiences and understanding they stressed the importance of dedication to the Party and to communism.
A comrade discussed the struggle the Party began in the community to the east of the Valley of Mexico to prevent its flooding (see 12/01/10). He explained the role that CHALLENGE has played in showing neighbors that the only solution is communism and that capitalism will never be capable of solving the problems it creates. Capitalists make decisions based on what will create the most profit for them. Under communism decisions would be made based on what the working class needs.
Teachers from Oaxaca reported on the battles they fought against the fascist government of the state in 2006. They described how the Party has developed under those conditions; it has grown in its militancy and in the presence in the teaching profession and also amongst neighbors.
Three new workers described their admiration for the work our Party does and said they were ready to participate with us. One of them said: “the seed we represent gives the future hope.” Another one said that he was very happy to encounter the ideas of his youth once again. At the end of the first day we had a gathering where cameraderie and solidarity prevailed. When the working class is united, it acquires the strength of steel which the bosses can´t destroy, no matter how much force they apply to it.
The second day we had a discussion about war and the importance of CHALLENGE. We also spoke about the situation of the working class internationally. Despite the current large protests globally we workers are on the defensive. We fight so that the bosses don´t take away the reforms we won a century ago. That is why fighting to change capitalism is not enough. The rulers will always take away reforms workers fight for, to pay for their imperialist wars and economic crises. This shows the need of the Party to put the workers on the offensive to take power. 
There was a heated discussion about the work in the Department of Transportation. It brought out that the contradiction between reform and revolution is solved with sharp internal struggle and in the class struggle. This struggle will be written for further discussion.
We ended both days with the singing of the “Internationale,” the working-class anthem. We agreed on concrete tasks to reach more workers. We recognized the importance of being by their side in class struggle with the goal to build the Party and win them over to communist revolution.

Storm College Senate Meeting

NEW YORK CITY, December 2 — Nearly 100 students and faculty members at the City University of NY (CUNY) held an indoor rally to protest next term’s threatened tuition increases and then invaded a College Senate meeting to denounce the hikes.

A student leader gave an impassioned, detailed speech explaining the racist nature of the hikes. Thirty-five years ago CUNY tuition was free. Now the majority of CUNY students are black, Latino and Asian, and because of long-standing racism in employment and wages are in an even worse position to pay this exorbitant tuition.

The speaker called on his fellow students to give more leadership in fighting the many problems that the working class faced.

A faculty member told the crowd that the PSC union (Professional Staff Congress of CUNY) was 100% behind the students’ struggle and related their struggle to students’ fight-back worldwide. He asked those present to say what they felt. At first it was quiet, but then it was like a dam bursting.

Student after student angrily condemned the injustice of ever-increasing tuition and of the deteriorating physical conditions on campus.

Plans were made for another meeting next week. When the student leader explained that the administration made it difficult for him to e-mail announcements to the entire student body, the crowd shouted “let’s go talk to him now!” We were told that at that very moment a “College Senate” was being held upstairs. As we surged towards the stairs, the chief of campus security said we couldn’t go up to the meeting. But 50 angry students went around him as he called on his walkie-talkie for back-up.

Upstairs inside the Senate meeting the student leader blasted the planned tuition hikes — which are city-wide — as well as protesting the increase in local campus fees. While some had told him to “take it easy” and “be quiet,” he said he would never be silent in the face of injustice. A veteran faculty member rose to report that the faculty council on campus had voted against the hikes. The administrators remained silent.

 Confront Board of Trustees

NYC, November 15th – Outside, students and faculty were chanting, “Let us in!” and “Education is a right! Fight! Fight! Fight!; inside, the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York (CUNY) began a “public” hearing on the proposed CUNY budget which included increases in tuition.

This is the undeniable reality of our society: CEOs, bankers and politicians, none of whom feel the crushing reality of this racist capitalist system, make decisions that consign thousands or millions of workers to more and more racism and suffering. We don’t need these blood-sucking parasites! The Board of Trustees meeting was the latest opportunity for the revolutionary vision of PLP to stand as an antidote to capitalism and its never-ending crises, war and racism.

A left-wing professor sharply attacked the trustees as being sneaky and underhanded. Why did they announce the planned hikes just a few days before the hearing?  Why was the hearing in such a small room?  If they wanted to maximize participation, why didn’t they have the hearing in a large venue on one of the campuses?

He explained that Greece, England, Ireland, France, and the U.S. were all capitalist countries facing economic crises where the bosses were trying to make the working people pay and where students and workers were fighting back. “When you call for taxing the super rich, some people say, ‘Oh, he’s advocating class war!’

“Well yes, that’s what I am talking about — class war. Because right now, class war is being waged against us — the working class. But merely taxing the rich will not end the fundamental exploitation of capitalism. CUNY will still be underfunded, our students will still live in a racist, sexist society and the bosses will still get to decide how we live. These aspects of capitalism are un-reformable. We have seen the shattered promises of capitalist reform. Workers need revolution instead.”

After his testimony, chants of  “No tuition hikes, Free CUNY” broke out. Other speakers rose and attacked the trustees. A student asked Chancellor Goldstein, “Didn’t you receive a free education when you went to CUNY?  All we are asking for is what you got already — a free quality education. Other speakers attacked Goldstein for getting a $45,000 salary increase.

While all this was going on, copies of CHALLENGE and a Party leaflet were being distributed outside and inside the hearing. The Party leaflet explained how the Trustees were businessmen appointed by politicians, and while we must fight hard against tuition increases or any attack against the working class, revolution was the only solution for working-class people. The racist parasites who feed on the mostly black and Latino CUNY students and the anger that is rising in the blood of the students are tremendous opportunities to raise this revolutionary possibility. Next semester and onward we will work to expand these possibilities. J