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 20, 2012
Union workers at the Detroit Water Department have come under ferocious attack. Safe drinking water for four million plus metro Detroit residents is being put in jeopardy.
Why? To be blunt–big banks are taking 44% of the revenue from every water bill customers pay. These banks are pressuring for cuts to Water Department workers so that this loan shark situation can continue.
Recent front page attack headlines in the Detroit Free Press and News quoted as gospel a consulting firm study that recommends eliminating over 80% of all Detroit Water Department employees.
According to John Riehl, President of AFSCME Local 207, which represents 960 water department workers:
“There is no way in the world it is going to be able to operate. They don’t have enough people now. It’s a risk to the public.”
How ridiculous to hand nearly half the money over to banks for debt payments. Detroiters might as well make out their water bill payments to the banks!
So–inquiring minds want to know–which banks are bathing in profits from these loan shark deals?
In attacking water department workers, these banks will destroy the water supply.
The working class of the Metro Detroit area has every reason to join the fight of water department workers to push back these attacks. Otherwise, who wants to drink the water five years from now?