Brig. K.G. Behl (Retd.)
President, All India Consumers Council & Sanyukta Nagrik
Around the world, on May 1st, millions of men, women, and children flood the streets of towns and cities, waving flags and joyously shouting slogans, laughing, marching, cheering – all over the globe. Masses of people join or watch on that day keeping aside, racial, religious, linguistic and even National feelings and boundaries to celebrate the greatest of supranational secular holidays – International Workers Day.
Working Class means that one works for one’s own living. That’s all. To pay bills one has to have a job, as opposed to those who could, if they chose to, live on their investments, inheritance, or income from property. If you could do that, if your money – or Capital – could provide you with a reasonable living, you would be a Capitalist. If, however, you must work – if you are someone else’s employee in any way to pay your bills, you are a Worker. If you own a business which you must work at to cover your basic living expenses, you are a Worker/Owner. A Police Officer who beats back strikers or does his other duties as an employee of the State to earn his living is a worker, even though doing an unpleasant job. For which he is paid. Independent Contractor is also a Worker. Again an Artist too is a Worker. Doctor, Lawyer, butcher, baker, panty maker are all Workers. The vast majority of American too fall in this category of Workers. You are a Worker if you must work so that someone else will pay you, whereby you can afford the necessities of life.
This global celebration of Working Class is celebrated with pride everywhere – except in the United States. It is, of course, ironic, since May Day was created as a celebration of the struggle of American Workers. International Workers’ Day is the commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in 1886, when Chicago police fired on and killed workers during a general strike for the Eight Hour Day, the resulting riot, and to memorialize the execution of four Anarchists sentenced to death for not successfully discouraging someone, they did not know, from throwing a bomb. That’s right – all benefit from an eight hour day but May Day commemorates the people who died protesting for it.
The concept of working class differs in countries with capitalistic and socialistic approach. As a matter of fact lines have been drawn on capitalism and communalism. In America capitalist has been defined differently and they feel that there is no separate working class. According to them admission of belonging to the Working Class is tantamount to admitting failure, that Workers are only workers because they are not willing to try harder to succeed, and that anyone who confesses to being a proud member of the Working Class is self-evidentially too stupid to get rich in the land of easy money, which is available in plenty.
In capitalist countries it is noticed that very few politicians of either party even talk about the Working Class anymore. What they do talk about is The Middle Class – a term that doesn’t even have an agreed upon definition. Middle Class is just a Worker with a bigger debt, who has been brainwashed into thinking that belonging to the Working Class is somehow a bad thing. And because they control the media, and the political machinery, this message of the Capitalists – that being a worker is something to be ashamed of. That the Boss is their best friend, and the Unions are the enemies. It is better and somehow nobler to dream of individual riches than identify with your fellow Workers and strive to improve the lot of your entire class. According to them a united Working Class is the greatest threat to Freedom.
In the countries where working class is predominant, those workers who build the roads, cars. bridges, planes, their fellows workers feel proud of them. It is not that Capitalists have no place in a vibrant economy, but their profit and riches are not the noblest objects of pursuit, as it generates the feeling that a united Working Class is the greatest threat to Freedom. Until it is felt by them that are proud of workers and can stand up and say that they are members of the Working Class.
Workers feel that they will always be prey to the machinations of those who would use them, swayed by the propaganda that separates workers from capitalists. But in the changing circumstances the realization is coming that everyone is a worker in its own sphere but all have to work together to achieve results in order to make progress not only in the that industry but for the development of the country.
So, Workers, celebrate this day, and admit that most frightening of things – that you are in the Working Class. Give yourself permission to rejoice in yourself and your fellow Workers. Find joy in unity, and reject the lie that you and your fellows organized is somehow your worst nightmare. Only the enemies of the Workers would despise a united Working Class, just as enemies of Democracy despise free and fair elections.
These days a lot many problems are coming up due to accidents happening due to various climatic reasons where workers are finding difficult to get compensation and the management too is finding themselves helpless to meet those demands. The changing weather which has become unpredictable is the main source of creating such problems specially during floods, droughts and other natural calamities. Since no provision is made to meet such disasters the management as well as workers get the feeling as if they are not been fully looked after. As such the oragnisations must make some provision out of which such calamities could be met or atleast some immediate help could be provided to the workers in every field. Normally we associate workers with factories alone but actually workers are there in every field who need such help.
There is a general feeling that the workers association are formed to fight against the owners of the factories, may be individual or Govt. owned. But actually the associations work for the welfare of the workers and look after their interests in different fields of the society. Actually they are supposed to work hand in glove with the management for the welfare of not only the workers but the organization itself. It is where they are considered as links between the two who work for the good of the organization. The workers and the management has to work together keeping good of the formation where they sit together and sort out the mutual problems.
While keeping alive the spirit of May day we pay homage to all those who died in the tragedy and pray that their souls may rest in peace. Let us all contribute to the cause to enable the sufferers to come back on their feet and realize the power of workers.
