The Spark

the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist

“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx

Ford Workers Started It

Mar 23, 2009

Ten Ford bargaining units voted NO! against the new concessions. Forty-one% of the overall membership voted NO.

Sometimes we hear people say there is nothing you can do about a problem.

But there were many Ford workers who didn’t believe that. Despite the media saying they had no other choice; despite all the politicians demanding that auto workers give up their standard of living; despite the International Union sending people into the plants every day pushing a YES vote; despite all the scare tactics and pressure–there were Ford workers who worked hard for a NO vote–and they almost beat it.

Workers often just wish to come to work, do their jobs, get paid, go home and take care of their families. But companies like Ford, GM and Chrysler are not going to leave us alone. They are going to be coming back for more concessions, again and again, until workers stop them.

Other workers can build on what Ford workers did. The wages and benefits workers have were not just given. Someone did something–someone fought in the past to get them. And workers will have to fight today to keep them.