Global+Solidarity,+Thabo+Sephuma

=Global Solidarity= Today there is growing recognition that global capital demands a labor response that is global. In the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engel’s point out, “Now and then the workers are victorious, but only for a time. The real fruit of their battles lie not in the immediate result, but in the ever expanding union of the workers. This union is helped on by the improved means of communication that are created by modern industry, and that place the workers of different localities in contact with one another. It was just this contact that was needed to centralize the numerous local struggles, all of the same character, into one national struggle between classes.”

Today we must update the last sentence to say, “It is just this contact that is needed to centralize the numerous national struggles, all of the same character, into one international struggle between classes.”

The slogan “Workers of the World Unite” should be back by popular demand! This is a worldwide development. In both developing and industrial countries, the labor movements are increasingly aware of the global nature of the capitalist enemy.

It is far from clear what form global labor solidarity will ultimately take, but it is clear that all manner of international ties are brought built every day.

In the past, these forms were mostly for sharing information and national experiences in fighting and organizing workers in specific industries. Today, unions go beyond sharing information to coordinated action including around strike struggles. And much of the new global solidarity takes place outside of the two world federations and their global union federations.


 * By: Thabo Sephuma

Geneva, Switzerland**

273 words