Inter-ethnic workers’ solidarity

May 1 celebrations occur in various countries, the US, alas, not being one of them, despite its strong historical connections with the labour movement and labour politics.

Two years ago, I was fortunate to witness a very vigorous celebration in the well-known Taksim Square in Istanbul. Over one million people, who represented various organisations, ranging from Turkish political parties of different stripe (including the Kurdish party) but mainly left oriented, to trade unions, women’s organisations and Islamic socialists, thronged the square.

This celebration was of particular significance. It was only the third time the celebration was held, following its long ban which was lifted by the government in 2009 and the first time (on the eve of a general election) when a great participation of organisations and movements was allowed.

In 1977, a similar celebration was marred by fatal violent attacks which left dozens of protesters dead as unknown gunmen opened fire – the official reason for the ban.

The vitality of the 2011 gathering, that was enhanced by the strains of invigorating modern music and chants, familiar to those who have experienced the cauldron of a Turkish football (soccer) stadium on match day, could be felt throughout.

A large number of youth and, especially, young women, many in their teens, made their presence felt. They clamoured for change, an end to corruption, scandals and, of course, the high incidence of precarious living in neo-liberal times. These are recurring inter­national themes and are raised time and time again in the various May Day manifestations that are being held, these days, in various parts of the world.

May Day celebrations provide an opportunity to raise an important question: what is the meaning of workers’ solidarity today?

This question was raised in Turkey with its long history of conflicts involving different ethnic groups. It is also being raised internationally and should be raised in Malta as well.

The notion of worker solidarity is indeed an international issue. It extends beyond national boundaries. It encompasses the plight of immigrants and that of the autochthonous population.

When I was invited in 2008 to speak on the significance of Workers’ Day at a seminar organised by the General Workers’ Union, I emphasised this aspect of workers’ solidarity. The kind of workers’ solidarity called for is an inter­national and not a national one. The latter can easily be a feature of a discourse having racist, ethno-centric underpinnings. Readers need no reminding of what was perpetrated, on the basis of this type of politics, in 20th century history.

This is one of the greatest challenges facing those committed to a genuinely democratic and social justice oriented politics.

This involves work of an unmistakably educational nature.

And the kind of educational work – an anti-racist educational work – in which one must engage, in the contemporary context, is a lengthy one.

With many people throughout Europe and the rest of the world living in a state of precariousness, being the ones most likely to suffer from the devastating effects of neo-liberal globalisation policies, this work becomes ever so urgent.

Unless such an educational strategy is developed, it is more likely that many of those living precariously become attracted to the kind of populist right-wing and often neo-fascist discourse that plays on their fears and leads to further segmentation and antagonism among workers on ethnic lines.

Both are victims of a ruthless process of exploitation.

There have been cases, in certain places, when traditionally socialist parties, once champion­ing the cause of the labouring classes, have been accused of shunning the responsibility of working towards fostering inter-ethnic solidarity among workers.

They are accused of doing so for fear of losing electoral votes, a situation that bodes ill for a genuinely democratic and socially just politics predicated on worker solidarity across ethnic, national and gender lines.

Peter Mayo is professor in the Department of Education Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Malta.