Worcester: PL’ers Build Fightback

WORCESTER, MA, October 10 — The class struggle between antiracists and the capitalist state is intensifying here. In response to solidarity demonstrations with the Ferguson and Baltimore rebellions, the local government is distracting workers with token concessions and empty dialogues. Progressive Labor Party is calling out the bosses on their racism. We’re promoting the only real winning strategy: multiracial unity.  
Carrot and Stick
Since the rebellions in August 2014, the Progressive Labor Party and groups like the Communities United Collective have led the antiracist fight here. We supported college students in leading a citywide walkout and blocking traffic.  We also participated in militant meetings at Worcester City Hall.
The city government was shaken by this resurgence of student militancy and feared the outbreak of rebellion. In an effort to undermine the coalition, the city created a new position of chief diversity officer. The bosses’ politicians hoped to mute our voices by having our some of our groups’ leaders compete for it. But nobody was fooled; the antiracists understood that the position will have no real power.
To further intimidate PLP and others fighting racism and economic inequality, the city brought criminal charges against several protesters and initiated a financial audit of a neighborhood center that supports the protests.
DOJ Distractions
When he city recently invited the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to hold so-called “Dialogues on Race,” PLP recognized this sham to distract people from the crimes of capitalism: police terror, racist unemployment, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Even worse, you could count the number of Black and Latin workers present on one hand.
We used these DOJ meetings to explain how the profit system requires racist police terror to divide workers and impose its economic misery. We also called out the Worcester police as brutal and racist, noting that one local cop is being tried for beating a shackled prisoner while using racist hate speech. At the last DOJ hearing, PL’ers shouted from the floor while holding signs in front of the stage that accusing the city organizers of being part of the disease that is racism in the City.
These dialogues are an opportunity for PLP to meet antiracist workers and raise antiracist, antisexist issues. But we also know they have limitations. DOJ reformers can never end racism or police terror because their job is to maintain capitalism.
As a follow-up, Progressive Labor Party and the Massachusetts Human Rights Committee held a forum titled “Reform and Revolution.”
Divided We Fail
PLP also challenged ideas that white workers should organize separately from Black workers, a doomed strategy. The super-exploitation of Black, Latin, Asian and immigrant workers opens the door for attacks on white workers. Our struggles are interrelated; we must fight as one united working class. These struggles and forums have moved several people closer to PLP.
We need the unity of workers, students, and soldiers willing to smash this racist system. Along the way, we will continue to struggle with our friends and comrades who have nationalist ideas. We will continue the struggle for multiracial unity and against reformist ideas being peddled by the ruling class. Only communism will end racism. Join us!