Professor Jeff Noonan, as contained in a reference to his work in a previous post( The Poverty of Academic Marxism, Part One), claimed that historical materialism must evolve. This seems to imply that his form of historical materialism, under present conditions, is superior to the historical materialism proposed by Marx. Professor Noonan claims the following … Continue reading The Poverty of Academic Leftism, Part Two: Collective Bargaining and the Interests of the Working Class
Tag: Unions
The Toronto Airport Workers’ Council (TAWC): One Step Forward and Two Steps Backward?
This was written around six years ago; it is still relevant. I thought it appropriate, on May 1, the International Workers' Day, to refer to something that disturbed me on Facebook yesterday--a post by the Toronto Airport Workers' Council (TAWC), which included some remarks (and a video) by Howard Eng. Howard Eng is the CEO … Continue reading The Toronto Airport Workers’ Council (TAWC): One Step Forward and Two Steps Backward?
Working for an Employer May Be Dangerous to Your Health, Part Two
I thought it appropriate to post on the issue of safety and health in relation to working for an employer. In Canada, April 28 is the National Day of Mourning, or Workers' Mourning Day, for workers killed, injured or suffering illnesses due to workplace hazards. Why do unions and the social-reformist left often speak in … Continue reading Working for an Employer May Be Dangerous to Your Health, Part Two
The 2018 West-Virginia Teachers’ Strike and a Socialist Movement
Read this post in English [Utilicé ChatGPT (Inteligencia Artificial) para traducir la versión en inglés al español.] The social-reformist left like to claim that what they are interested in is class struggle from below--the self-organization of the working class that opposes the power of the class of employers. In a podcast, David Camfield's analysis of … Continue reading The 2018 West-Virginia Teachers’ Strike and a Socialist Movement
Critique of a Social-Reformist Left’s Position in RankandFile.Ca on GM’s Decision to Close the Oshawa auto plant
An article (Buckle Up: GM Declares War on Oshawa) by Gerard Di Trollo, Dave (or David) Bush and Doug Nesbitt, written for the social-reformist unionist website Rankandfile.ca purports to look critically at GM's decision to close the Oshawa plant. It is far from critical in this regard. The title of their article is GM's … Continue reading Critique of a Social-Reformist Left’s Position in RankandFile.Ca on GM’s Decision to Close the Oshawa auto plant
The Poverty of Academic Leftism, Part One
I had a short debate with the academic philosopher Jeff Noonan on his blog. I am pasting it here since there was no further reply to my criticisms on his post. [Jeff's reply] Hi Fred, Thanks for the detailed and thoughtful comments. Some brief replies: [My initial reply]: Some of the above post is dead … Continue reading The Poverty of Academic Leftism, Part One
Management Rights, Part Five: Public Sector Collective Agreement, Ontario
There are some among the left who idealize the public sector. They fail to address how the public sector magically treats workers in the public sector, who are employees, as human beings rather than as things. They have no solution to the problem of the employer-employee relation in general except--nationalization. Such nationalization hardly implies democratization … Continue reading Management Rights, Part Five: Public Sector Collective Agreement, Ontario
Once Again on the GM Plant Closure in Oshawa and the Limitations of the Social-Reformist Left
Sam Gindin published an article on the Socialist Project website entitled GM Oshawa: Making Hope Possible. The following is a continuation of two previous posts on the closure and the inadequate nature of the social-reformist left in dealing with such closures (see Management Rights and the Crisis in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Limitations of the Reformist … Continue reading Once Again on the GM Plant Closure in Oshawa and the Limitations of the Social-Reformist Left
Management Rights and the Crisis in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Limitations of the Reformist Left, Part Two
In an earlier post, I questioned the Socialist Project's characterization of the problem that workers in Oshawa face (Management Rights and the Crisis in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Limitations of the Reformist Left, Part One). I also, implicitly, questioned their proposed solutions. In this post, I will question their proposed solutions explicitly. The Committee then proposes … Continue reading Management Rights and the Crisis in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Limitations of the Reformist Left, Part Two
Management Rights and the Crisis in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Limitations of the Reformist Left, Part One
The Socialist Project Steering Committee wrote the following on its website (Taking on the GM Shutdown: Unifor, Oshawa and Community Control) : General Motor’s plan to end production at its Oshawa plant at the end of 2019 is a callous, cynical act by the U.S.-based multinational auto giant that needs to be challenged. After accepting … Continue reading Management Rights and the Crisis in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Limitations of the Reformist Left, Part One
The Abolitionary 