III. International Labor and Communication Conference 2012

Folks--I just published a new article, "Understanding the Occupy Movement:  Some Reflections, Thoughts and Suggestions," on Z Net today (December 30).  It argues that we need to understand this movement on three levels:  mobilization, symbolic and as social power.  Think it might be of fairly wide interest.  It is at www.zcommunications.org/contents/183708/print .

Dmytri Kleiner: Is capitalism compatible with free P2P Systems? | via Michel Bauwens

Real Democracy and the Future of Work? by Mark Barret

Global Square: “a Facebook for the 99%” | ROAR & WIRED

Fab: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop–from Personal Computers to Personal Fabrication

The Homebrew Industrial Revolution | Kevin Carson

Developing WikiStrike as a Counter Swarm-Attack Strategy for the 99% | via Global Guerrillas

In many parts of the world exposure to an intense level of commercialism, advertising and marketing is part of the last months and weeks of every year. Curiously the miniature stories portrayed in television commercials and the plethora of full page ads in national newspapers and magazines tells the recipient that the consumer world is flush with people capable of acquiring all the goods, services and the lifestyle displayed. Perhaps this would be true today if the world that existed before…

In many parts of the world exposure to an intense level of commercialism, advertising and marketing is part of the last months and weeks of every year. Curiously the miniature stories portrayed in television commercials and the plethora of full page ads in national newspapers and magazines tells the recipient that the consumer world is flush with people capable of acquiring all the goods, services and the lifestyle displayed. Perhaps this would be true today if the world that existed before…

Cheers Carlos.  We set up the Leicestershire Solidarity Group out of a post-N30 rank and file meeting which came about after handing out about 1000 flyers on the big strike day. The initial meeting included mostly public but some private sector workers, Trades Council comrades, IWWs, plus unemployed, pensioners and people from Occupy Leicester.  From that, we set up LSG and now we're planning a bigger, better organised rank and file meeting for the new year to hopefully get more people on…

Press Release

Convention of Midday Meal Cooks

on 28^th December 2011,

University Institute Hall Library

Our Demands:

• Minimum Wage , Regular Payment And A Corruption Free Midday Meal Scheme
• Teachers Get Back To Teaching, Women Must Manage The Midday Meal Scheme,
• Keep Corporates And NGOs…

Whilst approving of and occasionally responding to the increasing flood of international solidarity appeals appearing on UBook, LabourStart or other networks, it does seem to me that we need to surpass this model of stage.

I am thinking of moving from the undifferentiated, individualised, easy and automated e-response to something that is more targeted, collective, demanding and substantial one.

I am aware that inter/national unions and even individual union branches or locals…

Peter sez:

For those interested in challenging (not obscure) libertarian Marxist class and union theory, this extract might provoke attention to the Full Monty [delete] Marxist original. Oh, and it is available in German and, possibly, other languages.

Now read and click on...

http://www.kosmoprolet.org/node/52

23. As a result of capital’s frontal attacks, the trade unions have…

Global Labour – A South African Perspective

Global Labor – a Chinese Perspective

http://www.isa-sociology.org/global-dialogue/2011/07/global-labor-%E2%80%93-a-chinese-perspective/

Global Labor – A Mexican Perspective

Peter sez:

I welcome this piece by an old friend and interlocuteur, Rob Lambert, noting a recognition of and reaching out toward the newest wave of emancipatory social movements. I am, however, unconvinced that the major distinction or contradiction in the international labour movement lies on the North-South axis, since the majority of unions in the Global South (not to mention those in the ex-Communist world) are uncritical members of the Northern-based and…