WORLD WORLDWIDE AUSTRALIA - news journal UPDATE - (en) Australia, Brisban, AC Meanjin: The ALP's Attack on the CFMEU Is a Warning to All Workers (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 The Australian Labor Party has launched an all-out assault on militant

trade unionism, and the CFMEU is squarely in their crosshairs. This
isn't just an attack on one union; it's a stark warning to every union
across Australia. The ALP, which postures as the party of workers, has
revealed its true colours: they're prepared to crush any union that
fights too effectively for its members. ---- This shouldn't surprise us.
We've seen this before, and we're seeing it again now. The ALP has
always existed to shepherd workers back into the fold of capitalist
stability, acting as a sheepdog to keep the labour movement in line.
Their role isn't to challenge the system but to ensure its
sustainability. When push comes to shove, their loyalty lies with the
preservation of the status quo, not with the workers who keep the system
running. The ALP is more than willing to drop its mask and act as an
attack dog for the bosses, undermining and neutralising any force that
disrupts the smooth operation of capitalism.

Learning from History
In other countries, neoliberalism was forced upon workers by right-wing
governments-Thatcher's Conservatives in the UK, Reagan's Republicans in
the US. But in Australia, it was the ALP. While the labour movement in
the UK fiercely resisted neoliberalism, here union leaders, in collusion
with the ALP, signed away our right to strike. And with that, we lost
our power, our vibrancy, and our militancy.

Since the Accords of the 1980s, union membership has plummeted, and
strikes have become a rarity-much to the delight of the bosses. Most
unions have drifted away from meaningful member democracy, turning into
little more than service providers. The collapse of working-class
organisation has led to stagnant wages and declining living standards.
Many Australian workers no longer see unions as a force that can
concretely improve their working conditions, or as something that
belongs to us.

Ratfucking the Rank-and-File
This isn't the first time an ALP government has tried to dismantle a
militant construction union. Back in the 1980s, their target was the
Builders Labourers Federation (BLF), a forerunner to the CFMEU. The BLF
was militant not only in winning better pay and conditions but also in
pushing beyond the usual boundaries of workplace demands. It became
legendary for defending the working class and our communities, most
notably through the famous Green Bans. The BLF was too effective, too
aware of its own power, and too politically conscious to be allowed to
thrive-and so it had to be crushed. The ALP, then as now, was all too
eager to oblige. As Hawke infamously declared in 1985, "We're gonna
smash those bastards. We're going to deregister the BLF."

Why the ALP is No Shield for Workers
Allowing ourselves to be lulled into complacency just because Labor's in
government is to leave ourselves open to attack and on the back foot,
like we are today. The ALP is a party of the bosses, just as much a
threat to the working class as the LNP.  The struggle to defend the
CFMEU is a battle we can't afford to lose, but win or lose, this lesson
must be ingrained in our collective memory.

The issue here isn't just the ALP. Their behaviour isn't due to some
unique moral flaw or lack of backbone-it's a product of how the state
operates under capitalism, with parliament as its tool. Step into the
state, and it will twist you to its will, forcing you to serve the
interests of capitalism and protect the rich.

Why the Greens Won't Save Us Either
It's tempting to see the Greens as a promising alternative, even a
potential saviour for the labour movement. But shifting our allegiance
from the ALP to another political party would be to repeat the same
mistake.  Pro-worker positions are easy to maintain when you're a
minority opposition, far removed from the running of the capitalist
machine. But once in government, any party is forced to play by the same
rules, dictated by the entrenched interests of capitalism. The Greens
can afford to be more progressive while they're on the periphery, but as
they inch closer to state power, where the gears of the capitalist
machine grind relentlessly, the system's demands will shape them just
the same. The problem isn't just about who's in charge; it's about the
very nature of the state itself.

Why Union Power Must Come from the Rank-and-File
Rejecting union affiliation with political parties doesn't mean ignoring
political issues. Far from it. What we reject is the poisonous idea that
political struggle must be confined to parliament or fought on our
behalf by political parties. Whether it's the fight for a free
Palestine, sustainable energy, or simply making it home from work alive,
our strength comes from our position as workers. It's through industrial
struggle that we wield our true power.

We must pursue political change outside of, and in opposition to, the
government-not from within it. We must embrace the necessity of illegal
and unsanctioned strikes and reject mandatory arbitration, which only
serves as chains on our collective power.

Instead of pinning our hopes on any political party, we must build a
labour movement so powerful that it renders the question of who holds
parliamentary power irrelevant. The strength of our unions lies in our
collective action, not in any political party.

We have to recognise that rebuilding the strength and control of the
union rank-and-file will mean acting against the interests of many union
leaderships and the ALP. Change must come from us, acting, organising
and growing rank-and-file militancy and structures within our unions.
Like when we confront the bosses, it is our collective power that will
be able to create change.

The only beneficiaries of union affiliation with the ALP are the bosses,
Labor politicians, and union bureaucrats eager to climb the political
ladder. We, the rank-and-file, gain nothing from these alliances. By
aligning with any political party, we sacrifice our independence and
strength. Our unions and our world should belong to those who built it-us.

Organise. Mobilise. Fight back.
The future of the labour movement in Australia is at a crossroads, and
the choices we make today will determine whether we continue to fight or
allow the forces of capital to dismantle our power. If members can take
anything away from this, it's this: get involved. Attend meetings,
volunteer for delegate or HSR roles, form jobsite committees, educate
yourself on union issues, and strategize with fellow members on how best
to fight this administration

The working class cannot afford to place its trust in political parties
that serve the interests of the bosses any longer. We must put our trust
back where it belongs-with the workers. We must rely on our own
strength, our own organisation, and our own power. It's our duty to act,
to organise, and to fight for a future where the interests of workers
come first.

https://www.acmeanjin.org/article/alp-attack-cfmeu
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