When the fat cat city ‘bankers’, stock broker, financial whiz kids and economists: the people who really run the country, the people who determine government policy on the economy and public spending (or lack of) and taxation, the people who cream off obscene personal fortunes for them selves and their rich buddies, when they get into a crisis as is inevitable, all of a sudden we have a bottomless pit of tax payers money available to bail them out.
So they pay themselves huge salaries on the basis that they are doing such a risky job and then when it all screws up do they end up losing their jobs and joining the rest of us in the dole queu? No. They get cushioned by the rest of us that they have been fleecing all along.
This dual standard of course is no surprise. We live under a system that is there to benefit the few at the cost of the many. This is just yet another example of the inequality and injustice we live under.
They will be safe, many of them will make a killing from the turbulence in the economy, even a recession can be good news for them. Not so for us, we face more uncertainty, job losses, social upheaval / friction and attacks on our standard of living.
The politicians and financiers have shown that they will work together to protect them selves through this crisis and they hope that we will pay the price without challenging their rule.
The days and months ahead will be hard for our class and, as much as ever, it is essential that we build strong and independent organisations that can grow and play a vital part in our historic struggle to create an equal, secure and just world where we will not be subject to market forces and exploitation by the few.
The IWW, though small, is growing and has the potential to become a credible tool in workers emancipation. This is a call out to all members, stand strong within the union. Where you have a workplace branch, meet and organise yourselves ready to stave off the attacks ahead and keep in touch with the GMB. Through industrial branches we must seek to increase our numbers and expand our influence so get involved if you are n’t already. Our GMB will seek to reach out to new workplaces and members and always welcomes members participation.
WE need a bit of old fashioned solidarity and that requires organisation. Let’s get building!