Amazon Workers Fight Back!

In July, thousands of Amazon warehouse workers in Italy, France, England, Germany, Spain, and Poland walked off the job in protest of wage cuts and poor working conditions in Amazon’s warehouses. In some countries, the strike began on July 10th, the week leading up to Prime Day. Others joined later. While Amazon workers make about $12 an hour to stand for long shifts and process as many as 300 orders a minute with rare breaks and constant harassment from supervisors, Jeff Bezos is the richest man alive with a net worth of $152 billion. In this context, it only makes sense that Amazon workers are fighting back and demanding better pay and working conditions.

In addition, it was revealed that Amazon U.S. has been providing ICE and law enforcement with data and facial recognition technologies. In response, Amazon employees have created a campaign for increased transparency and worker control over the creation and distribution of Amazon products. Workers are circulating an internal petition with the hashtag #wewontbuildit to end Amazon’s collaboration with ICE and law enforcement. 

What are some of the lessons we can draw from the Amazon strike, #wewontbuildit, and the history of the labor movement? What can we do to organize and demand better in our workplaces and how is this related to the workers’ struggle against racist policing and deportations? What is the socialist vision for the future of workers? Join us to discuss!

Legalized Apartheid in Israel: The Ongoing Struggle to Free Palestine

On July 19, 2018, the Israeli parliament ratified into law an apartheid system that has long been a reality. “Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People,” is the newly approved Basic Law, which serves as a constitution for the Israeli state. This law ignores the indigenous Palestinian population of the land, including Palestinian citizens of Israel who comprise 21% of its population. In another attack on Palestinian rights, Point 3 of the “nation-state” law asserts that “The capital of the state Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.”

The Nation-state law has been in consideration for many years but total support from the Trump administration, including moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, was the green light for many members of the parliament (Knesset) to vote for the bill now. The massive military and economic support, and diplomatic protection extended by Washington have made Israeli leaders increasingly dismissive of criticism from other governments and international bodies. 

In their towering arrogance, the rulers of Israel have exposed the profoundly racist character of their state and society, while Palestinians are remaining steadfast on their land, fighting for return in the historic Great March of Return in Gaza. The people of Palestine continue to face atrocious human rights violations at the hands of the Israeli government and military. Since 1948, Israel has existed as a settler colonial state that has attempted to force the indigenous peoples of Palestine out through violence and occupation. Now is the time for all people who believe in justice to join in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle for self-determination and liberation!