Strikers hungry for change, fed class consciousness

A few months ago, a community organization to which I belong to, along with other PL’ers, participated in a hunger strike, which lasted over 20 days. The struggle for social services for undocumented workers brought people closer to Progressive Labor Party and built class-consciousness.
One PL’er said these struggles were too pacifist. After discussing it, we decided that we would participate in order to stand shoulder to shoulder with our class. By struggling with our friends, we raise consciousness our class’ consciousness and learn how to fight back against the capitalist system.  
This strike was for undocumented workers who did not receive any social services related to the pandemic. The strike was fulfilled and in the end they managed to win. Unfortunately, the benefits were minimal and not for everyone. This is how capitalism works: they only give you painkillers or candy to stomach the struggles.
The hunger strike was light since we were housed in a church with small beds, heating, refrigerated water, a daily visits from a doctor. All fighters deserve our appreciation, respect and consideration, for the solidarity, responsibility and conscience shown in this fight. We had doubts about the strike since the organizers made this strike a “commercial” strike, in which all participants receieved a financial contribution for each day of fasting... can you imagine that?
Days after the pyrrhic “victory,” the community organization had their annual gala of recognition. The organization’s leaders asked the members to choose a striker to speak at the gala, and they chose a member of PLP. Majority participants are workers, loyal to a community organization that works under the rules of the liberal Democratic Party, from which they receive funds.
Fifteen years of organizing
But we have more than 15 years of work by a group of communist fighters, who in each meeting, in each protest, in each march, in one way or another, have led with the politics of our Party, speaking with the truth, exposing the capitalist system, which will never meet the needs of the working class.
We distributed countless newspapers over the years. We proposed and convened three worker conferences, with the participation of around 100 people in each one, among many other things, which have contributed to the growth of our group. Sometimes, two steps forward and one step back, but growing in our mission to increase the ranks of our international communist movement through PLP.
Workers respond to speech by joining PL study group
In the speech, the PL’er said the strike victory gave a crumb to essential undocumented workers, who were unemployed during that period of the pandemic and did not receive help of any kind, neither state nor federal, for not having a social security numbers.
In the speech, he referred to how workers are in similar struggles worldwide, in which thousands are repressed, massacred and imprisoned by the capitalist forces. This includes Colombia, Haiti, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, Spain, France, and more.
He also mentioned how this struggle against the attack on undocumented workers built unity among the members. In addition, it showed that our working class is increasingly alert and that, organized and led by our PLP, the next step can be taken, towards a communist revolution, when they become aware of our power. And that capitalists’ control over workers can be smashed with the seizure of workers’ power.
The speech at the gala concluded with these chants: “Workers united, you will never be defeated! The workers fights have no borders! This fist is seen, the workers at power!”
They resounded in the venue and ended with an ovation.
Following the speech at the gala, 40 people on our study group list received the speech that was made. The response: 17 people attended the study group to discuss immigration reform. We will continue our work in the community organization, leading with, as always, our communist line. We will continue working with our friends, to attract new fighters.
The final victory will be when we abolish wage slavery and we are treated as workers who have realized their full power. This will be under a communist society. Join and lead this fight with PLP!J
CHALLENGE Responds:
Progressive Labor Party (PLP) does not view hunger strikes as a viable tactic, as its premise is that we can guilt our oppressors into submission. In reality, our lives do not matter to the ruling class.  If  liberation from exploitation and starvation is the goal, our strategy should be to smash our attackers and fight for communism. While we fundamentally disagree with resorting to hunger strikes as a form of protests, we do stand in solidarity with the class struggle in this dark night.