Labor Day Greetings 2024!

from Philly Metro Area WSA

Coworkers, comrades, and fellow labor activists—wishing you a restful Labor Day weekend!

In keeping with our radical political traditions, we put our activist energies into May Day, not Labor Day. This doesn’t mean that we haven’t been craving a rest from the bone-aching grind of our labor. In our WSA branch, we are furniture movers, home workers, pink collar assistants, and healthcare workers. We all need a rest from exhaustion. This three day weekend is needed to recover.

Labor Day was fought for and won by workers. But we also know that this is far from enough. It’s a drop in the bucket.

Labor Day, with its parades and picnics, took the shape of a more capitalism-friendly alternative to the more radical May Day that was characterized by street protests and strikes.

While we focus our eyes on May Day, you will still see us with friends at local Labor Day events, re-affirming the community aspects of our work lives. We need to recuperate in preparation for amplifying workplace voices and building relationships. As we know, building relationships is the heart of organizing. So, strike up the grill. But tomorrow, we build the General Strike ! 

From Philly Metro WSA 

“We are committed to building a future rooted in a classless and stateless society, where we, as working people, create workplace and community democracies that prioritize human needs over profits for the few. Our vision is a world free from the social oppressions of racism, sexism, and queerphobia. Through our revolutionary unions, we will transform the nature of work, paving the way to our collective liberation.”

From Greater Chicago WSA

Union Busting Pizza Shop Vandalized on May Day

from Instagram

A local union busting pizza shop was apparently decorated by an anonymous actor on May 1st, international workers day, this year. That same pizza shop is now re-opening after closing their doors, over a year ago, because workers presented them with a union contract vote. We at ruthless believe everyone deserves more direct democracy in the work place and the best way to begin that process is a union. F@$k small business tyrants and down with union busting. We don’t need these types of businesses in HBG. We miss Mercados any ways!!!!

Third Annual May Day A Success !

from Philly Metro Area WSA

By Greater Chicago WSA

Reprinted from WSA Discussion Bulletin # 75

1

Wednesday, May first, at 8 30 pm EDT, workers from around  the country and Canada gathered for our third annual May Day online event.

The recent passing of our beloved Clarissa, who was pivotal in the first two years of our evening May Day, was frequently mentioned through the gathering.

The opening song, by Martin Traphagen, ‘Arrival,’  was inspired by Clarissa.

The third annual May Day Speech, this year delivered by Rebecca Croog, vividly described the impact that Clarissa had on her work:  “As I find my way into this work, I am visited multiple times a day by the memory and spirit of our Comrade Clarissa, who we recently lost to long covid. I can hear her encouraging us:

‘Don’t mourn, organize!’ I can feel her galvanizing us: ‘Let’s build coalitions! Let’s make this moment bigger and bigger!’ Gathered together as an anarcha-syndicalist community, let’s invite her in to remind us: ‘ALL BUILDS TO THE GENERAL STRIKE’

Rest in power, Clarissa! Free Palestine!”

As attendance increased, speakers reported on recent health care labor struggles, and one of the founding members of WSA, Steve Rabinowitz, read from the history of the Haymarket Martyrs, specifically the words of August Spies.

After the formal program, attendees shared news of May Day events and Gaza actions in their areas, from Philadelphia, Asheville, Greater Chicago WSA and other cities.

Comrade Greg McGee shared breaking news of attacks on the Ceasefire Gaza encampment at Columbia University.

Rebecca shared news of her work with Jewish Voice for Peace, recent union drives, and workers  standing up for Gaza.

At one point everyone joined in singing happy birthday to our comrade Alexandra, who is a May Day baby!!

2

As the meeting wound further down, comrades stayed for more informal discussion. Comrade Mitchell, (WSA zone 2 delegate in Oregon), asked what anarchist-syndicalists make of Rosa Luxembourg. This led to an energetic discussion on how anarchists can build relationships with anti-authoritarian Marxists, such as council communists and anti-state Marxists, outlining how Luxembourg’s work prefigured councilism, lamenting how Trotskyist groups have claimed her. Like later councilists, her criticism of anarchists seemed to be more that, at that moment, they were disorganized and had little capacity, different from criticism of organized libertarian communism itself.

By this point there were a few brave and sleepy comrades engaging in this conversion, and there were warm goodbyes. And for annual attendees not part of WSA, there were hopes to see everyone on May Day 2025!

 

 

Below is Martin’s opening song ‘Arrival’, in honor of Clarissa –

 

 

Another May Day Report

Submission

After a lapse of three years anarchists held their own May Day demonstration. May first is an anarchist celebration of spring, remembrance, rebellion and it’s important to me that the left doesn’t completely co-opt this anarchic holiday. I’m heartened that anarchists have organized our own way of commemorating and celebrating the arrival of May. I encourage anyone who doesn’t know the history of May Day to look up the Haymarket Affair in Chicago and how anarchists across the world have celebrated.

The May Day demonstration was held behind the Juvenile Justice Center (a prison for kids) in West Philly. A group of us walked over from a nearby meeting location, and upon arriving shot fireworks, lit flares, howled against the police, and made a lot of noise. The kids locked inside could be seen silhouetted against the frosted windows, banging in response to our loud presence. The police arrived very shortly afterward and the crowd dispersed.

The police’s arrival was surprisingly fast. Previous demonstrations at the same prison have lasted longer and were met with less police, about five police cars showed up after at most three minutes. I have some thoughts on why this may have happened. The assembled crowd was dressed in anonymous multi-colored clothing. This wouldn’t be particularly suspect if people were seen in twos or threes but a large group of masked people still draws attention. Moving from one location to another in a more dispersed way or meeting up behind the prison without all walking together could have reduced the attention we drew to ourselves on the street. The benefit of not wearing all black means that we don’t stand out in a crowd or on the street but if we are the crowd then that benefit is lost. This combined with the fact that there were a good amount of people on the street leads me to believe someone called the police on the group as we walked over. There’s no way to know for certain, but, we can learn from the situation and figure out ways to be more discreet when the situation calls for it moving forward.

Free Palestine!
Solidarity to the struggle at Rockview prison!
Down with the prisons! Up with the spring!
Happy May Day!

May Day reportback

Submission

Philly May Day demo-actions are back baby!!!!

This May Day, Philly anarchists went back to doing what we do best….anti-gentrification and anti-prison actions. The evening started out with a demo at the juvenile detention center in West Philly. Around 20 of us walked from the meet-up spot to the parking lot behind the facility, where demonstrators can be heard from the kids’ dorms. There were a bunch of loud fireworks, flares, and anti-cop chants, as locked-up kids pounded on their windows in response. This unfortunately only lasted about two minutes, as apparently the cops’ response times to these kinds of demos has dramatically improved. Cop cruisers immediately pulled up and blocked both exits we’d been planning to use, and one cop car attempted to run over a couple of our friends on their way out. Luckily as far as we know there were no arrests and everyone got out fine in the end, if a little shaken.

Around twelve of us met back up a couple hours later to attack a very ugly new apartment building on Spruce St and 49th St. This is another classic of Philly anarchy – terrorizing gentrifiers by mobbing up to attack a new building while its residents are already living in it. At least ten of its huge windows were taken out and a paint bomb or two got thrown.

Attacking isn’t always easy; most of the time it takes a lot of courage just to show up and a lot of planning to make sure everyone gets out safely. We appreciate how carefully these two actions were organized and everyone who showed up. Let’s keep being brave and supporting each other and maybe one day we can take down Amerikkka 😉

Solidarity to the comrades struggling in and around SCI Rockview, you are not alone! Long live anarchy! <3

Third Annual May Day Online Event

from Philly Metro Area WSA

Dear Comrades, you are warmly invited to attend!

This Wednesday, May 1st , at 8:30 EDT

Here is the link:

https://meet.jit.si/WSAMayDay2024

Opening Song by Martin Traphagen: “Arrival”

Annual One-Minute May Day Speech, by Rebecca Croog

Heath Care Workers’ Struggles

Haymarket Historical Quotes

Relaxed Reports Back from May Day Events and Issues

See you there!

 

May Day Noise Demo

Submission

In celebration of May Day this year a group of us had a noise demo behind the Juvenile Justice Center in West Philly. We wrote graffiti, shot fireworks, and made noise outside the dormitories and saw the silhouettes of kids behind the frosted windows. We left without any arrests or police attention.
-some anarchists

HAYMARKET Documentary Film Screening

from Instagram

We’re back on our bullshit! May 1st 7:30pm! Get your tickets on our website in the calendar section! ~ Online screening of Haymarket, a brand new feature length documentary followed by discussion with the director Adrian Prawica~

Banner over 676

from Instagram

Banner over 676, “Incarceration is murder – empty the cages” #mayday2020 ????

Philadelphia: Anarchist Group ‘Bristling Badger Brigade’ Burns Cell Tower (U$A)

from 325

Another May Day, another cell tower set alight. A small act in the earliest hours, but an escalation beyond the norm. And we never want to return to ‘normalcy.’ We don’t know the difference between 4G and 5G. All we know is we want none of it.

The tower’s proximity to a train yard, a major pharmaceutical company’s office, and other military/mercenary enterprises in the Philadelphia Navy Yard was intended to interfere with their operations, however small the impact. It should also be a reminder that no one is untouchable if you have the appropriate determination. And this particular act was quite easy.

The first flame was a warm hug for the comrade Badger, allegedly on the run after a series of similar incidents in Bristol. Stay free!

The ensuing smoke a signal to the comrades undergoing the Scripta Manent persecution in Italy… we stand with you!

For freedom,
for anarchy!


Bristling Badger Brigade

may day

Submission

Just before our May holiday began someone cut comcast cables beneath an access panel in the sidewalk outside of the “Real Time Crime Center.” Located in the Quartermaster Plaza in South Philly, these chumps sit around watching us, monitoring police cameras all over the region. Get a life! Stop trying to suppress ours!

No way to confirm or deny the impact, but we hope it poked them in the eyes and blinded them to the life-affirming actions that anarchists may or may not have taken that night.

Philly Tenants Union Calls for a City Wide Rent Strike on May 1st

from It’s Going Down

Call from the Philly Tenants Union for a city-wide rent strike starting on May 1st.

On Friday 5/1, thousands of Philadelphians will participate in a rent strike, either in solidarity with other tenants or because they cannot afford to pay rent. Over 1.3 million Pennsylvanians have filed for unemployment, meaning 1 in 5 workers in the state are jobless. A recent study found that Pennsylvania’s unemployment trust fund will run out of money in 11 weeks, a timeline far shorter than most other states.

The Philadelphia Tenants Union has published an official call for a citywide rent strike to take place on May 1st. The guidelines for the strike are laid out in an official statement on their website. The guidelines include filling out a form so that the organization can connect tenants with each other who share the same landlord to draft collective demands for reduced or cancelled rents. If landlords refuse to provide relief for tenants who cannot pay, then that is when the tenants officially join the rent strike. It is imperative that the largest Real Estate Firms in Philadelphia – with the most political influence – feel the organized power of their tenants, and Philadelphia Tenants Union is working hard to build those unions.

The strike’s demands are directed towards Pa.’s Governor Tom Wolf, State Senators and State Representatives to:

  • Cancel rent and mortgage payments for 6 months, with no debt accrued.

  • Enforce rent and mortgage forgiveness for any missed payments dating back to March, 2020.

Demands are also directed towards Philadelphia’s Mayor Kenney and City Council members to:

  • Make all evictions, eviction filing, and foreclosures illegal for at least 6 months

  • Freeze rent rates at the current level for a year beyond the end of the crisis

  • Enforce comprehensive rent control

  • Take immediate action to provide housing for the houseless

  • Build city-funded public housing that will meet the city’s need

The Philadelphia Tenants Union will also be offering support in three forms. The first is with an “Emergency Anti-Eviction Task Force” that will use legislative methods and direct action to disrupt and prevent evictions. The second is a “Rent Strike Fund” which will provide monetary funds for legal support for collectives of tenants on strike. Thirdly, is “Organizing Support”, providing resources and guidance to tenants as they prepare for May 1st.

The Rent Strike is a preventative measure for combating displacement and potential homelessness in the city and state, and is a direct action to pressure state legislators to provide immediate assistance to the impending economic recession. The official statement and rent strike guide can be found on Philadelphia Tenants Union’s website.

Hello!

Submission

Yuppie hair salon on Baltimore ave was greeted this week with a shattered window and red paint, with “Welcome! to Philly” painted on the door. We’re not interested in local business models or co-ops. We’re not interested in ‘conscious’ capitalism. It’s still capitalism, it’s still gentrification.

We’re not done.
Happy May!

May Day Anti-Gentrification Actions

Submission

For May Day we claim responsibility for the following actions:
-Deflating the tires and painting the windshield of a yuppie housing shuttle bus.
-Throwing paint at the facade of two OCF properties.
-Smashing glass and cutting all non-hydraulic cables of at least four construction machines at the site of a development project intending to manicure a once wild place.
All of our targets are part of the ongoing gentrification of the city.

Solidarity with the comrades in Italy facing repression.

On May Day anarchists aren’t sleeping!

may day greetings

Submission

we saw these in west philly and thought we’d share. one of the photos shows graffiti getting buffed on a new yuppie building.