“We have no such pretensions. We are simply making a modest contribution towards the development of ideas which we hope will help to clarify the next steps forward. We are a tendency […]
oaklandsocialist
The administrator of this blog site, I am a lifelong socialist and a retired carpenter and the former recording secretary and an expelled member of Carpenters Local 713. I was expelled for my leading role in the 1999 SF Bay Area carpenters wildcat strike as well as for his opposition to the union bureaucracy in general. I was one of the founding members of a small group called Labor Militant, which was the forerunner to Socialist Alternative. Along with a small group of others, I was expelled when that group started to adapt to the union bureaucracy. I have also visited the workers' movement internationally, including in Pakistan, Egypt (during the Arab Spring), Britain, Mexico and Chile (during the uprising there in 2020). Unless otherwise specified, I am the author of the articles that appear here. Although I am the main author, Oaklandsocialist welcomes articles on any issue that relates to the working class. Contact us at Oaklandsocialist@gmail.com.
We Overhear the NSA Again
NSA Overheard…. Again On Sunday, October 27, the conservative S.F. Chronicle political columnists Matier & Ross carried a report on how various Democratic politicians pressured the BART Board of Directors to accept […]
South African Union Militant & “Race to Bottom”
This web site recently ran a story on longshore workers in Oakland, California, being led through a picket line by their leadership. It cited what we imagined to be a telephone conversation […]
What is Socialism?
Produced over five years ago, this short pamphlet tries to answer the question “what is socialism?” In doing so, it explains how capitalism developed out of feudalism, how it was a necessary […]
Should socialists support Kshama Sawant?
We have received a critique of the campaign of Kshama Sawant, who is running for Seattle City Council as a member of Socialist Alternative. The critique makes a number of arguments why […]
Why ILWU President ordered members to cross picket line
Inspired by the strike of BART workers, the truckers at the Port of Oakland organized and went on strike on Monday, Oct. 21. Because they are technically not employees, but rather […]
“It’s my right to be a racist”
Shouting “I’m proud to be a racist! It’s my right to be a racist!” a young Israeli woman participates in a demonstration against African immigrants into Israel – people made desperate by […]
BART Strike Ends
Late last night, the leaders of SEIU 1021 and ATU 155 – the two unions on strike at BART – announced a tentative agreement and called the strike off. The strike was […]
New Evidence on Marikana Murders
In August of 2012, gold miners in Marikana in South Africa went on strike. Their union leaders were collaborating with the employers and their strike was not supported by the union. Then […]
BART Management Kills Two
This afternoon, two BART employees working behind the picket line were killed by a BART train that struck them as they were working on the track. For details, see here. These two […]