Ngakhula ngokwepolitiki phakathi nenhlangano yeBlack Power. Ngaphakathi kwabasebenzi abahlelekile, kokubili ukunyakaza kwe-Black Power kanye ne-Anti-Vietnam War movement kwaba nomthelela omkhulu phakathi nawo-1970s. Kwakwakhiwa ama-Caucus ukuze inselele ubuholi obusemthethweni bezinyunyana eziningi. Iziteleka zamakati zasendle beziqhubeka ezindaweni zokusebenza ezweni lonke. Futhi kwezinye izindawo, kwakusungulwa izinyunyana ezizimele lapho abasebenzi babephethe ngokuthi inhlangano yezinyunyana esungulwe yayingakwazi ukwenza izinguquko ezibalulekile ukuze kubhekwane nezidingo nezimfuno zabasebenzi bezikhundla. Ezingeni likazwelonke, i-Coalition of Black Trade Unionists yavela njengezwi elikhulu iphikisana ngokuthi abasebenzi abahlelekile badinga ukubheka okusha nokuhlukile kwesisebenzi esiNsundu, ukubukeka nokuzibandakanya okwakusekelwe esidingweni senhlonipho nokulingana.
Njengoba singena ekhulwini lama-21, i-Black Labour ididekile. Ezinhlwini zabasebenzi abahlelekile, izikhungo ezehlukene ezivame ukukhuluma egameni labo ziye zadlondlobala. Amakhokhasi amnyama ezinyunyaneni ezehlukene ahoxile ekuphonseni inselelo kanye nokuphusha ubuholi bezinyunyana futhi esikhundleni salokho sehle ezimweni eziningi kakhulu zaba amakilabhu omphakathi noma izitebhisi zokuthi abantu ngabanye bathole izikhundla kuhlaka lwenyunyana. Nakuba kunenani elikhulu labasebenzi abaNsundu futhi, kwezinye izimo, abaholi abakhethiwe, kugcizelelwa ekwamukelekeni—ebuholini babasebenzi abahlelekile—phakathi kwezinhlaka zombutho, kunokugcizelela inselelo nomzabalazo.
Ukuthi lesi simo savela kanjani kungaba into okungabhalwa ngayo incwadi. Okwanele ukusho ukuthi ubunzima bomnotho obuthinta i-Black America, inkinga eyabonakala kakhulu maphakathi nawo-1970, yanciphisa ingxenye enkulu yesigaba sabasebenzi Abamnyama. Kuhlanganiswe nokuhlaselwa kwezombusazwe kwe-Black America yi-Right, saqhubeka nokuzivikela. Emsebenzini ohleliwe, ukwehla kwephesenti labasebenzi abahlelwe ezinyunyaneni, kanye nesimo sezulu esinesihluku esakheka phakathi neminyaka kaRonald Reagan, senza isimo saba sibi kakhulu umzabalazo.
Nokho ngombono wami othobekile okwalahleka ikakhulukazi abaholi bezabasebenzi abamnyama kwakuwumbono. Umbono owavezwa kusukela ngeminyaka yawo-1930s ngokukhula kwe-National Negro Congress kanye neCongress of Industrial Organizations, futhi wathuthukiswa ngawo-1950 noMkhandlu Kazwelonke Wezabasebenzi futhi, kamuva, owaholwa ngu-A. Philip Randolph-Negro American Labor. UMkhandlu, kanye neminyaka yawo-1970 neCoalition of Black Trade Unionists, wagcizelela ngokufanelekile ukufakwa kwabasebenzi abamnyama kuwo wonke amazinga ombutho wezinyunyana. Kwezinye izindawo, ikakhulukazi phakathi kweBlack Labor Kwesokunxele, kube nemizamo efanayo yokugcizelela indlela ebanzi yabasebenzi abahlelekile mayelana nezindaba ezibhekene nabo bonke abasebenzi kanye nesidingo sabasebenzi abahlelekile ukuze babe umngane ocacile futhi ongaguquki we-Black Freedom Movement.
Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1980 kanye nezinguquko ebuholini bezisebenzi eziningi ezihleliwe, ubutha obabuvame ukuzwakala ngabasebenzi abamnyama bashintsha. Lokhu akusho ukuthi umsebenzi omnyama wamukelwa njalo, kodwa kwakusho ukuthi kukhona okungenani ukuqashelwa esidlangalaleni kwesisebenzi esiMnyama kanye nokubaluleka kwaso. Ukuhlaselwa kwe-CBTU, ngokwesibonelo, kunciphile, uma kunganyamalala. Ekuqaleni kwawo-1990, ezinye izinyunyana zase zize zafinyelela ekusekeleni ngokusemthethweni amakhokhasi aBamnyama.
Nokho kukhona okwalahleka. 'Umlilo' owawuzwakale ngezinhlangano ezifana ne-League of Revolutionary Black Workers (kanye nezinkampani ezingaphansi kwayo), noma i-United Community Construction Workers e-Boston, MA, wawungekho kakhulu. Yebo, abasebenzi abamnyama bangahlala etafuleni, kodwa kusashoda yilokho okumelelwa yi-Black Labor njengenhlangano. Ngakho-ke, izisebenzi zabamnyama zaba isithasiselo kubasebenzi abahlelekile kunokuba umgqugquzeli wokuguqulwa kwezinyunyana. Izisebenzi ezimnyama zibe phakathi kwamasosha ashaqisayo abaluleke kakhulu nazinikele; sihlala singabasekeli benyunyana kunanoma iluphi uhlanga/uhlanga; futhi sisebenza ngokungafanele ezinyunyaneni zethu. Lokhu, nokho, akusho ukubumbana, ingasaphathwa eyokuhlangana, kwabasebenzi abahlelekile kanye neMinyakatho Yenkululeko Emnyama.
Uma ungekho umbono wekhulunyaka lama-21 ovela kubuholi bezabasebenzi abamnyama, kokubili ukuphelelwa ithemba kanye nemibono ephikisayo kungenzeka futhi iye yavela. Ukuphelelwa ithemba okukhona kungazwakala endaweni ezungezile. Vakashela iDetroit, eyake yaba isikhungo esikhulu sabasebenzi abaNsundu—ingasaphathwa eyezisebenzi ezihleliwe zizonke—futhi umuntu uzizwa sengathi ubheka isimo sangemva kwezimboni, idolobha elingenalo isu eliphelele lokuthuthukiswa komnotho kanye nentuthuko yezomnotho. lapho isigaba sabasebenzi AbaMnyama sihlupheka futhi sihlakazeka njengamandla asebenzayo. Kuzwelonke, ukugcizelelwa okukhona, ngisho naphakathi kwezishoshovu eziningi ezisencane, kuyaqhubeka izixazululo ngabanye ezinkingeni ezihlangene ikakhulukazi. Ngaphakathi kwabasebenzi abaNsundu kunomuzwa omncane wokuthi izinyunyana zingamathuluzi okubhekana nezinkinga ezinkulu ezibhekene neBlack America. Lokhu akusho ukuthi izinyunyana azinakwa, kodwa kusho ukuthi kukhona umqondo omncane wokuthi zingaba neqhaza elikhulu.
Imibono ephikisayo enye inselele. Okuthole ukunakwa okukhulu kule minyaka embalwa edlule kube ukukhula kwemizwa emelene nabokufika phakathi kwe-Black America, okuhlanganisa naphakathi kwesigaba sabasebenzi Abamnyama. Iqiniso lokuthi ingxenye enkulu yalo mzwelo igqugquzelwe abamhlophe, amaqembu aphikisana nabokufika ilandelana neqiniso lokuthi ukwesaba ukuncintisana nokuxoshwa kwesigaba sabasebenzi Abamnyama kwenze kwaba lula ukuba kube nezingxabano 'zabantu bomdabu'. . Ubuholi babasebenzi abansundu, ngokwengxenye enkulu, behlulekile ukuxoxisana kanye nokubekela inselele ngamandla lo muzwa ngokungaphezulu kakhulu kokubeka imibono. Njengoba isigaba sabasebenzi AbaMnyama sibhekene nokushaywa okuqhubekayo, isifiki—esibhalwe phansi futhi/noma singabhaliwe—uba, kwabaningi, isisulu sokululama kwethu. Kunokuba siqonde uhlobo lwenkinga esibhekene nayo njengokuqamba amanga ngaphakathi kwe-capitalism ngokwalo kanye nokuseshwa kwebhizinisi kwezisebenzi ezishibhile nezisengozini, lowo ovela kwelinye izwe uba yisitha esiphephile nesikahle ngaleso sikhathi.
Umsebenzi omnyama ngokomlando udlale indima ethakazelisayo, into efana nokucasula ku-oyster okuletha iparele phambili. Ukuthi sahlela izinyunyana ezizimele lapho senqatshelwa ukungena ku-American Federation of Labor, noma lapho thina noChicanos siba ngabasekeli abanamandla benhlangano entsha yabasebenzi, njengasekubunjweni kweCongress of Industrial Organizations ngawo-1930 kanye nawo-1940s, izisebenzi zabamnyama ziye zaphumelela. umlando omncane wokungenzi lutho. Sesifikile isikhathi sokuthi abaMnyama babuyele kuleyo ndima yokucasula i-oyster, kodwa ngohlaka lwereferensi yekhulu lama-21.
Izinketho ezibhekene nezabasebenzi abamnyama ziqala ngombono futhi zixhumene nenhlangano. I-Black Freedom Movement ibilokhu inomnyombo wawo womzabalazo wokwandisa imigomo yentando yeningi ngale kwemithetho nemithetho, esikhundleni sokubhekela uguquko emphakathini. Lokhu kwakuyiqiniso kungakhathaliseki ukuthi impi yayimelene nobugqila, ngokumelene nokuhlukaniswa kukaJim Crow, noma ngokumelene de facto ukuhlukaniswa. Kulokhu kufanele kwengezwe ukuthi i-Black Freedom Movement cishe ibilokhu iyingxenye ebalulekile kweminye imizamo yokwandisa intando yeningi nokuphikisa ukungabi nabulungisa nokungalingani. Lo mnyombo—ukulwela intando yeningi engaguquki/ukumelana nokungabi nabulungiswa nokungalingani—kufanele kuhlale kuyizimiso eziqondisayo zabasebenzi abaNsundu kanye nenselelo yabo yezisebenzi ezihleliwe namuhla. Umthelela ujule kakhulu ngokuthi lokho okucelwa kubasebenzi abaMnyama-njengeqembu labasebenzi abahlelekile kanye ne-Black Freedom Movement-ukucindezela yakhiwe kabusha futhi yachazwa kabusha inhlangano yabasebenzi egcizelela uguquko emphakathini.
Kusho ukuthini lokhu ngokuyikho? Phakathi kwezinye izinto iqala ngokuthatha izingozi ezinkulu. Abaholi abaningi bezabasebenzi abamhlophe bakholelwa ukuthi bagonywe ngokwanele ukuze bakwazi ukukhulumela abasebenzi abamnyama. Masiphenye iskripthi. Abasebenzi abamnyama akumele bakhulumele isisebenzi esiMnyama kuphela, kodwa abasebenzi abamnyama kumele kube yizwi elikhulumela bonke abasebenzi. Lokhu kusho ukuthi singazibekeli ezingxabanweni ezimayelana nephesenti labaNsundu kubasebenzi ezinyunyaneni, kodwa kunalokho siphonse inselele uhlelo oluyisisekelo lwabasebenzi abahlelekile okuhlanganisa, kodwa kungagcini nje, nokwehluleka kwabasebenzi abahlelekile ukuba nohlelo lokuhlela abasebenzi abaMnyama.
Ake nginikeze iziphakamiso ezimbalwa:
- Uma isisho esithi “…njengoba siya eNingizimu, kanjalo nesizwe…” sihlala sinembile—futhi ngingasikisela ukuthi sinjalo—khona-ke abasebenzi abahlelekile kufanele bahlanganise iNingizimu. Ukwenza lokho isisebenzi esiMnyama, kanye nomphakathi omnyama ngokujwayelekile, kubalulekile. Abasebenzi maningi amathuba okuthi bavote ngendlela enenqubekela phambili uma behlanganiswe yizinyunyana, ngakho-ke, njengoba iNingizimu inomngcele wezinyunyana, ithuba lokuthuthukisa ipolitiki eqhubekayo e-USA iyonke ligcwele.
- Ukuhlela iNingizimu, umphakathi wabaNsundu kumele ube maphakathi. Lokhu akusho ukuthi i-African American yiyona kuphela isifunda. Abamhlophe, kanye nezibalo ezikhulayo zabokufika baseLatino kanye nabase-Afrika eNingizimu babucayi. Kepha umphakathi wase-Afrika waseMelika ogxilile ngokomlando uba ubalulekile uma ubumbano luzonqoba. Lokho kusho ukuthi ukuhlangana kwezinyunyana kumele kube wudaba lomphakathi. Isidingo esisodwa nje sokukhumbula umshikashika wabasebenzi bezokukhucululwa kwendle wango-1968 eMemphis, TN, noma ngo-1969 abasebenzi basesibhedlela iCharleston, eNingizimu Carolina bazabalaza ukuthola umuzwa wamathuba. Nokho, imizabalazo enjalo yayineminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-40 edlule, futhi akukho zisebenzi ezihleliwe noma iBlack Freedom Movement eyakhe phezu kwezibonelo ezinjalo ngokwesilinganiso mayelana nomsebenzi oqhubekayo (qaphela: umzabalazo wamanje wabasebenzi bakwaSmithfield eNyakatho Carolina kanye nobumbano lwe Abasebenzi Abamnyama Bezobulungiswa kanye neKomidi Elihlela Umsebenzi Wasepulazini nalo eNyakatho Carolina bayizibonelo zemizamo yakamuva kakhulu yokwakha uhlaka olusha olwakhela phezu kwamathuba abonakala ngasekupheleni kwawo-1960 nasekuqaleni kwawo-1970 ukuzijwayeza noma esikhundleni salokho kube okudidayo kuphela isikhathi nomzabalazo ozonquma).
- Umngane wami wamashumi eminyaka ubudala, uDkt. Steven Pitts wase-UC-Berkeley Labor Center, wenze umgomo wokugcizelela ukulwela imisebenzi emihle njengokhiye we-Black America. Iphuzu lakhe elibalulekile ukuthi imisebenzi ingaguqulwa ngokuhlangana kwezinyunyana. Imisebenzi, efana ne-longshore, ebikade iphakathi kwecindezela kakhulu futhi iholelwa kancane, yaba nokuguqulwa-kwezinhlobo-ngokusebenzisa izinyunyana. Imisebenzi ayiqali ngeholo eliphezulu. Kodwa-ke, bangaba amaholo aphezulu ngokusebenzisa inhlangano yabasebenzi. Lokhu kusho ukuthi abasebenzi abahlelekile kufanele babe nohlelo lokuhlela izifunda ezicindezelekile ngokomnotho—njengamadolobha ethu amaphakathi—ukuze kuguqulwe imisebenzi. Lokhu, futhi, kuba indaba yomphakathi. Leli phuzu kufanele ligcizelelwe ikakhulukazi uma kubhekwa umbono wabaMnyama we-neo-conservative, empeleni, ukuthi noma yimuphi umsebenzi odalekayo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukhokha kabi kangakanani, uwumsebenzi omuhle emphakathini ocindezelekile. Ngakho, siyatshelwa, ukuthi umphakathi wabaNsundu kufanele ubonge noma yini ongayithola. Kunokuba kwamukele ukuqashwa kwezinga lobumpofu, ukuzihlanganisa kwabasebenzi ngezinyunyana kungaguqula imisebenzi enjalo ibe imisebenzi ehloniphekile, eholela phezulu. Lokhu bekuyiqiniso ngogu olude kanye namaloli esikhathini esidlule. Omunye ufakaza ukulungiswa okufanayo embonini yokuhlanza ngemuva kweminyaka ukuhlanganisa kabusha umsebenzi ngemva kokuba abaqashi sebeyilungisile kabusha imboni, bacekela phansi izinyunyana nabasebenzi ababekhona, baletha nabasebenzi abahola kancane. Iqiniso lokuthi lesi simo sasingakwazi futhi saguqulwa sakhuluma kakhulu ngesidingo sokubumbana kwezinyunyana kanye nobushoshovu. Ukuzabalaza nokuhleleka, ngamanye amazwi, kungenye indlela yokucela nokwamukela.
- Njengoba ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi kubonakala kukhula usuku nosuku abasebenzi beshiya phansi ama-rolls bengawutholi umsebenzi, umzamo wokuhlanganisa abangasebenzi uba umqoka. Lokhu kusho ukuthi kwakhiwe izikhungo ezisiza ukweseka—ngokwezomnotho nangokwengqondo—abasebenzi abangasebenzi, kodwa futhi nokubanikeza imoto yokubeka izidingo kuhulumeni nezinkampani ukuze bathole imisebenzi noma iholo. Esikhathini lapho izinga lokukhiqiza kwezisebenzi liqhubeka nokukhuphuka, kodwa linqanyuliwe emalini, sidinga ukugcizelela ukuthi ibhizinisi likweleta imiphakathi yethu imbuyiselo yomphakathi. Phakathi kokunye lokhu kusho imigomo yentela esusa umthwalo emalini ephakathi bese ibeka kulabo ababalekela inzuzo.
Iphuzu lokugcina, okungenani okwamanje, yileli. Akukho kulokhu okwenzekayo uma ingekho inhlangano yabasebenzi abamnyama ezimisele ukunyakazisa itafula. Lona ngumsebenzi owehlela isizukulwane esisha sabaholi babasebenzi abaMnyama, kodwa kuwumsebenzi okumele wesekelwe abaholi abangomakadebona. Ikhokhasi ngayinye nenhlangano yabasebenzi abaMnyama kumele izibuze ukuthi ibhekana kanjani nezinkinga ezibhekene nesigaba sabasebenzi Abamnyama. Iqembu ngalinye labasebenzi abaMnyama kufanele libuze ukuthi izinyunyana zethu ziyilungisa kanjani inkinga ebhekene nesigaba sabasebenzi Abamnyama. Ngokubambisana kufanele sibe nesibindi sokuphakamisa ukuthi ngokubhekana nenkinga yesigaba sabasebenzi Abamnyama ngempela asiphonseli inselelo isakhiwo, umgomo kanye nesiqondiso sabasebenzi abahlelekile, kodwa sibekela inselele indlela yamanje ye-neo-liberal yase-USA.
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UBill Fletcher, Jr. ungumhleli we Umhlaziyi Omnyama. Ungumbhali kanye nesishoshovu sabasebenzi kanye namazwe ngamazwe, futhi ungumongameli wangaphambili we-TransAfrica Forum. Angafinyelelwa ku [i-imeyili ivikelwe].
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa kuphela ngokuphana kwabafundi bayo.
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