Today in UK there is supposed to be a „Polish strike” takin place. It is an informal initiative started during discussion on Polish emigration internet forums and results from the dissatisfaction with antiimmigrant rhetoric of the british government and a feeling, that work of Poles living in UK is not being respected.

At the first glance it seems that our initiative of antifascist immigrants should support such a strike. There are many factors that decide against it though.

First of all, as a group following the notion that „working class has no nation” we think that any strike action limited only to one national group is not only ineffective, but also very often harmful, helping priviliged classes to divide workers instead of uniting them. By all means we support strikes, but only those aimed at improvement of ALL workers , doesn’t matter what is their country of origin, race, gender or other criteria.

Analysing motivation of many of the strike supporters we notice, that often it is not a workers solidarity that speaks through them, but sometimes it is a feeling of superiority. It is being proudly highlighted that they are here „not for the benefits”, incorporating themselves in the government campaing scapegoating people on welfare. At the same time in the very same community there was a significant lack of support for general strikes happening in recent years and some of them even acted as scabs. Basic factor here seems to be a complete egoistical motivation. We are not interested in any sort of connection with „away patriots” and initiatives dividing working class along national lines.

During the discussions about the subject of strike, opposition to the idea had been voiced by well knows to us organisation of nationalists in suits, Patriae Fidelis. Its leader trying to suck up to British politicians and big bussiness criticises not the idea of strike being limited to one nation, but the very notion of Poles participating in any actions of such kind. He explains that it gives bad example and we should all simply work hard, instead of protest offering action „Polish blood” ie. donating blood. It is a classic act of that clown Byczyńskiego and we are not surprised at all to see it, after all far right is a natural ally of capitalism.

We should also mention embarassing case that is a stance of part of Polish immigrant community. On social media there is no lack of opinions, that we should all sit quiet and simply be happy that somebody wanted to employ us. In such statements we see picture of servility towards the bosses, which fills is with an absolute disgust and which stance is unfortunately is not something uncommon amongst Polish emigration

Everybody needs to understand, that only way to success is a COMMON struggle of all workers. Organise yourself, unite, join militant trade unions, look around for good workers initiatives (we recommend for example https://workerswildwest.wordpress.com/ ) .

Dywizjon 161

https://frontlinews.wordpress.com/2015/08/20/o-strajku-polakow-stanowisk...