"If you want fair trade, a healthy society, an inclusive economy and a peaceful planet, then come out on the streets on September 10, and let the government know, NZ IS NOT FOR SALE"

This is a statement taken from the 'Learn More' page of this campaign blog. What do we 'learn'?

This statement amounts to anti-neo-liberalism, not anti-capitalism. It suggests that the reasons we don't have these things is neo-liberalism, a sort of rougeish aberrant rampant globalism that can be roped and pacified by street action, hopefully built up to Bolivarian proportions.

But this sort of action is not a united front because the OBJECT OF THE PROTEST IS TO TELL LABOUR we want these things, as if we will then get them. Putting demands on a capitalist government can only work when workers are in a position of power and when the bosses are forced into concessions. Such power only comes from workers power to shut down industry and society.

If you want to put "first things first" you could start by building a united front that does not beg the government of the class enemy to change its spots, but that instead builds a campaign to occupy and control, and therefore socialise, the key industries that we need to run a healthy, peaceful society.

For example, to reject a FTA that allows complete privatisation of health, we should start by uniting and coordinating all health workers against the EXISTING privatised elements of health.

The campaign against Spotless, should be extended into a campaign to unite all health workers to throw out the management and the private contractors, including the medical specialists, and run the service themselves to meet the peoples' needs.

Of course this would bypass any legal action under a FTA as a Labour govt would send in the cops right away, but that would at least make it clear that street action isnt going to stop Labour from signing a FTA and privatising remaining services.

Dave Brown