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The FIT re-published a pamphlet some years ago called "The Trenton Siege and the Army of Unoccupation," about a sit-in at the NJ State House organized by the Workers Alliance in 1938. The Workers Alliance was actually an unemployed league, primarily based in Newark, NJ. Among its leaders were George and Dottie Breitman. Paul Le Blanc probably can get a copy for you. Tom -----Original Message----- From: marxism-bounces+biastg=embarqmail....@lists.econ.utah.edu [mailto:marxism-bounces+biastg=embarqmail....@lists.econ.utah.edu] On Behalf Of brad bauerly Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 6:24 PM To: Thomas Bias Subject: [Marxism] Towards a Union of the Unemployed ? ====================================================================== Rule #1: YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. ====================================================================== In Capital Vol. I Marx makes the following remark when discussing the general law of capitalist accumulation: "...as soon as they (laborers) discover that the degree of intensity of the competition amongst themselves depends wholly on the pressure of the relative surplus population; as soon as, by setting up trade unions, ect., they try to organize planned co-operation between the employed and the unemployed in order to obviate or weaken the ruinous effects of this natural law of capitalist production on their class. So soon does capital and its sycophant, political economy, cry out at the infringement of the 'eternal' and soc to speak 'sacred' law of supply and demand." Does anyone know the history of attempts to build a union of the unemployed in the US or attempts by organized labor to reach out to the unemployed? Does anyone think this idea would resonate with sections of the, organized and otherwise, labor and activists during this crisis? Any thoughts on what this could do politically? Brad ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/biastg%40embarqmail.com ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com