Spartanburg, South Carolina
From June 13-15 more than 400 workers answered the call by the Southern Workers Assembly (SWA) to affirm an action plan to challenge the systemic racism, poverty and anti-unionism of the South.
The dynamic agenda of the summit was held in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with workers mostly from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. All the main sessions were able to be heard in English and Spanish. Workers of all ages participated in very interactive breakout sessions that combined proven tactics for organizing with new ideas and technology.
The appreciation and excitement to hear first hand from the victorious members of the Charleston 5 Longshoremen to the potent solidarity of the National Domestic Workers Alliance/We Dream in Black members to the brave actions of Amazon, immigrant farm and poultry-processing workers was inspiring.
The core of the plan for workers power advanced by the SWA is the formation of local assemblies which join together workers from various job sites, both unionized and non-unionized, to develop a self-directed center that can both challenge anti-worker bosses, politicians and institutions and provide active solidarity to struggles in their communities.
A key element of the activities of the SWA movement is the necessity of political education and local research to ground the development and actions of SWA chapters.
The Fruit of Labor singing ensemble with members from Black Workers for Justice brought their spirited and powerful original songs to every full session. A special performance of a Mexican folk dance delighted the crowd with its energetic footwork.
Currently there are 17 local assemblies in various cities. Given the enthusiasm of those attending the Spartanburg Summit, that number can be expected to increase rapidly over the coming months.
Additional information can be found at [email protected], southernworker.org and @swa_solidarity.