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
Aug 3, 2009
Los Angeles politicians have launched a big assault on workers’ wages and benefits.
Claiming that the city has a 360-million-dollar budget deficit, they are threatening layoffs–unless city workers agree to concessions.
Big concessions, in fact. Mandatory furlough days every other Friday for a whole year–a 10% pay cut. A 2-to-7% increase in the workers’ pension contributions–another pay cut. A two-year wage freeze–a third pay cut, considering inflation. The city is also trying to push some workers out on early retirement, some of them without even a cash “buyout” payment!
These are the same old, much-used tricks from the bosses’ sleeves. But city workers can have a trick or two up their sleeves as well, giving these scoundrels the only answer workers, and their families, can afford: A big NO!