June 30 could have been bigger, a true general strike, if the leaderships of the main Federations (Força, UGT, CUT) did not dismantle the stoppages, specifically among factories, and particularly in São Paulo. Despite this, as a proof of the outrage and disposal to struggle of the rank and file, it was a strong day of stoppages, including among the industrial working class, and there were demonstrations all over the country. In some states, a repetition of April 28 was imposed [by the worikers] and there was a general strike in fact.
Editorial of Opinião Socialista 538 – Brazil.
Behind the dismantling, there is a double “super-agreement”. First, the negotiation by the summit of the Federations regarding the labor reform, from Temer’s promise to somehow maintain the indecent union fee. Only the CSP-Conlutas is against this fee and refuses to receive it. The “corrupt-saving” agreement gathers the PT, PMDB, PSDB, PCdoB, and Solidariedade, all going in that direction, although in different ways: looking aside, not constructing the general strike, or directly acting all together against the Lava Jato operation.
But the struggle continues and so does the crisis of the government. The working class is not defeated, it is willing to struggle, and the ones “above” know that. They know so much that they are afraid of a possible social explosion. The unemployment rate is unbearable, the wages were reduced, and the public services are being dismantled. Violence does not stop, and the outrage against the government, the Congress, and the Judicial Power are strong.
They want to pass the labor reform in the Senate before July 14, and in the Chamber, the government wants to vote and defeat the denunciation for corruption against Temer before July 18. If the Chamber accepts the denunciation, Temer will be accused in the SJC, and he will be forced to leave the Presidency for 180 days, while he is on trial. To defeat the denunciation, Temer needs to avoid for two-thirds of the deputies to vote in favor. The longest the process lasts, the deeper his wearing process is, and more deputies, even corrupt ones, are worried about going down with him.
The crisis up there continues. Despite the return of Aécio Neves [PSDB, released from prison and retituted], and despite releasing “the man of the $500k bag,” and also despite some Federations accepting to negotiate our rights, the general situation is the same. The government is having a hard time guaranteeing the promise made to the leaderships of Força and UGT of maintaining the union fee. As soon as “the man of the bag” was released, another friend of Temer, the former minister Geddel Vieira Lima, was arrested.
It is very important for the working class to know and understand what happened on June 30, and make a balance. We need to take lessons and know what is behind the dismantling carried by the leaderships of some Federations. We also need to know that, despite this, June 30 was strong, as it is the outrage, disposal, and preparation to struggle of the rank and file. The bosses, the media, and even part of the leadership want us to believe that the fault of not having a General Strike is the base’s, the workers’ fault. They want to trick us by saying we are not strong or prepared enough to struggle. But this is not true: our problem is not “below” but above, among the leaderships.
It is important to be aware and demand a protest demonstration during the voting of the labor reform. The struggle goes on! The general strike is still necessary and possible, and we need to continue fighting for it.
We want a Socialist revolution
The struggle did not stop. We keep our path and destination clear at every step. We do not forget where we want to go. We are not lost when we are struggling; when it comes to class struggle. We have a goal, and we are going for it.
We want the Government, the Congress, and the reforms out. But we need to go beyond. We want a dignified life: jobs; reduction of work shifts without wage reduction; a decent salary; housing; retirement; labor rights and public health and education; we want the end of the genocide of the poor Black youth in the periphery. We want basic stuff; things that everyone should have the right to.
In 2017, it is the 100 anniversary of the Russian Revolution. The Russians also wanted basic things: bread, peace, and land: bread against hunger, peace against the war in which millions of peasants were dying, and land for them to work. For those basic rights, workers, peasants, and soldiers made a socialist revolution.
Here too, to get a decent life, we need to conquer, through our struggle, a workers’ socialist government in which “the ones below” rule through Popular Councils.
In times of crisis, the masks of the government, the justice, and the bourgeois democracy fall off. While the ones below are fighting and the ones above are afraid that any straw will be the one that breaks the camel’s back, we need to recall our strategy at every single step we take. We are not here just “walking around”.
Thus, it is important that, together with our next steps, we reinforce the committees of struggle, and also make a balance, take lessons out of the struggle, and debate what to do and how, to truly change Brazil and the world.
The Next Steps
