US Workers V Capitalism

 As highlighted by SOYMB, 3^rd December, the threatened American railway workers' strike was prevented when the executive committee responsible for running American capitalism forcibly prevented the strike from taking place.

“The US was on the brink of its first national rail strike in 30 years. The walkout was averted only after Biden and Congress imposed upon rail workers the terms of a new contract which offered a pay rise, an additional personal day and a few other benefits - but no paid sick leave.”

As already noted, “The US is one of only two countries in the 38-member Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development without a national law guaranteeing paid sick leave for its workers. The other, South Korea, is now trialling a paid sick leave programme.”

Capitalism doesn’t care about the working class. Its raison d’etre is profit and the accumulation of more profit.

A railway worker, quoted in the BBC report said that since he didn’t want to suffer any consequences for taking time off to visit his doctor about a health issue he had he delayed doing so. His reason for delaying. was down because his company had an attendance policy which penalised workers for time away from work’ When he finally attended a medical appointment his doctor told him that the earlier discovery of his ailment could have been treated with medication, but, because of the delay in being diagnosed he would now have to have some tissues removed.

Thirty million American workers a denied access to paid sick leave.

The railway worker, a registered Democrat, who voted for Biden in 2020, is quoted as saying,"It's a slap in the face,...People are scared for their jobs ....We need protection...He is supposed to be this super pro-labour president and Amtrak Joe and everything like that," he said, referring to a nickname given to the president for his fondness of riding the national passenger rail.

For Socialists, it’s of no surprise that workers continue to get only the crumbs from the capitalists' table even when they threaten, or pursue, the ultimate weapon left to them, withdrawal of labour. Unfortunately, the railway worker quoted typifies the attitude of many who still believe that politicians, and the government, have workers' interests at heart. Nothing could be further from the truth. The likelihood is that he, along with many others, ignorant of how capitalism works, will continue to support the exploitative iniquitous system even at the risk of damage to his, and their health.

There is only one viable alternative, for workers like him, and for everyone: and that is Socialism.

Dave C.