May Day 2011 – It is time to take control

Melbourne May Day Rally
1pm Sunday 1 May
– Trades Hall Lygon St Carlton

download the Melbourne May Day Committee leaflet

It is time to take control
AAWL May Day statement – 1 May 2011

Strike together. Industrial action is our strongest weapon. We have the power to control the economy. The most effective way to stop capitalist attacks is by strike action. By stopping production, transportation and services, we link up with other workers, we learn to use our power and we stop the flow of profits …

Read more …         download the AAWL May Day statement

Melbourne May Day Rally
1pm Sunday 1 May
– Trades Hall Lygon St Carlton

download the Melbourne May Day Committee leaflet

It is time to take control
AAWL May Day statement – 1 May 2011

Strike together. Industrial action is our strongest weapon. We have the power to control the economy. The most effective way to stop capitalist attacks is by strike action. By stopping production, transportation and services, we link up with other workers, we learn to use our power and we stop the flow of profits …

Read more …         download the AAWL May Day statement

International solidarity. Workers in every country face the same issues. We are paid in different currencies, divided by state borders. But we often work for the same companies, producing the same products. We need to help workers in other countries whenever we can

Migrant workers. Many of our brothers and sisters come from different countries and speak different languages. Many are afraid of being deported. We need to organise so that all workers can have the same conditions. Our demand is for full resident rights for all migrant workers in all countries

Women’s rights. Restricting women’s rights is an effective way to divide workers. Women must have the right to education, to equal work and equal pay, without any harassment. Religion and culture are never a good reason to restrict women’s rights

Indigenous people & Land Rights. Capitalist plunder destroys the environment and the cultures and societies of Indigenous people. The workers movement must use its power to stop this. Indigenous people must be guaranteed their full rights as workers, as well as Land Rights and reparation for their societies

Control of workplaces. We need to make decisions together in our own workplaces about the way production and sharing need to be organised. Direct democratic control of our workplaces and communities by assemblies of working people can begin to restructure the economy in favour of the great majority

Defending ourselves. Recent events in North Africa and West Asia have shown that when we organise to change society we come under attack. We need to organise the support that is needed to build and defend our new society. Workers need to organise community defence committees, capable of protecting us and able to provide an opportunity for defection by government forces at critical times

No imperialist interventions. As rebellion grows across the world, some capitalists and their governments try to say that they care about our rights. Some generals and dictators now pretend to love democracy. But their new governments and their bombing campaigns are just another way to stay in control. We don’t just want a less corrupt capitalist government. We want and need a new society that is equitable with an economy that is run by workers

Political organisation. When we act as a class, we can change the world. We need to use our unions, political organisations, demonstrations, pickets, workplace and community assemblies to make collective decisions to change the way the world is organised. We need to see an end to a system of economic crisis for the many and wealth for a few. We need to rescue the planet from environmental collapse. We must stop the repression and imperialist wars. It is time to use our power to end capitalism, and improve the situation for all workers in the world

1 May 2011