the workers

hurray!!! the sf chinese progressive association celebrates a great victory today. after a 3-month heroic fight against their former boss for back wages & past-due overtime pay, the workers at new on sang poultry shop in chinatown finally won their demands. regularly joined on the picket lines by other low-wage & immigrant workers and their families, their win is a victory for just compensation but also for worker solidarity. ¡¡felicidades, compañeros!! the celebration is today at cpa @ 1pm. all are welcome.

from shaw san:

new on sang worker leader lin gan sums it up: "long live worker unity!"... this fight isn't just about unpaid wages; it's about standing up against exploitation of immigrant workers in chinatown and elsewhere. we hope you will continue to support all workers who are struggling against wage theft, and for full respect and dignity as workers.


el vals del obrero (the workers' waltz) : ska-p



éste es mi sitio, ésta es mi gente
somos obreros, la clase preferente
por eso, hermano proletario, con orgullo
yo te canto esta canción, somos la revolución.

¡sí señor!, la revolución,
¡sí señor!, ¡sí señor!, somos la revolución,
tu enemigo es el patrón,
¡sí señor!, ¡sí señor!, somos la revolución,
¡viva la revolución!

**

this is my place, these are my people
we are the workers, the most important class
it's why, my proletarian brother, with pride
i sing you this song, we are the revolution.

yes sir, the revolution!
yes sir, yes sir! we are the revolution,
your enemy is the boss,
yes sir, yes sir! we are the revolution,
long live the revolution!


i've recently been working on some curriculum about la crisis económica, and thinking a lot about the working class, increasing productivity & declining real wages, globalization & de-industrialization. and about: how and when will the workers finally seize the means of production?!... hmm, sometimes the picture looks pretty bleak. but thank goodness for the worker leaders of new on sang, republic windows & doors, fasinpat (ex-zanón) & chilvert! they remind us all of what's possible...

¡todo el poder al pueblo! ¡que vivan los trabajadores!

fotos : 1. occupy-resist-produce 2. raúl 3. fermín 4. base & superstructure diagram : chilavert reclaimed printing press, under worker control : buenos aires, argentina