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Unions became integrated within the Capitalist mode of production in the 50s-70s, and many workers began to see unions as sort of "insurance policy", protecting them from the almighty power of management. This is one aspect of the role of a union, but it ignores the other aspect which is revolutionary : to prepare the working class to TAKE OVER the running of infrastructures from the bourgeoisie. Anarcho-syndicalists, since the 1890s, have always been extremely weary of the tendency to view unions as just "the representatives of workers" vis-a-vis the bosses. This conception of the role of a union, as merely transmitting upwards the "frustrations" of the working class, is the role favoured by Statist socialists, Keynesians and believers in a "mixed-economy". The result is the emergence of a union bureaucracy and, paradoxically, increased disempowerement of the working class. Since the union is just a tool for self-serving ends, workers come to regard it as a tool of self-serving individuals, not as THEIR OWN means of emancipation. However, the 1980-2010 period has clearly shown to most workers that the current epoch is characterized by a ruthless subjugation of US to THEM. There is simply no more room for institutionalized unions. As workers are confronted with massive unemployment and increased casualization of labour, class consciousness (US against THEM) will become more acute. And workers will inevitably start to organize. ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
