Comrades from Burnaby and East Van cells went out to the labour day celebration at Edmonds Park in Burnaby. There were rows of tables with organized workers representing their unions or labour advocacy groups and a local band was setting a festive atmosphere. Comrades were able to go around and talk to every single table, sell papers, and even get some important union contacts for the student strike campaign at SFU.
Though they were not at a table, there were some teamsters also walking about. We struck up a conversation with them, asking about the recent lockout and back to work legislation forced by the Liberal government through the CIRB. At first, the teamsters were a bit apprehensive about us. But once we pulled out the article in the paper about the rail workers strike, one man ripped the paper out of a comrade’s hands and read the entire two articles then and there. The apprehension was gone. They had realized that we knew what we were talking about. We talked some more about how the system is just set up against workers, and how the postal workers strike got bogged down in the courts for six years. Upon seeing this, the man said he needed to talk to his union rep about this (as the rail workers too are taking the fight to the courts). Finally, they also brought up the point that if the teamsters lose their current case it basically means that no one in Canada will have the right to strike anymore… We ended with getting the contact from one teamster and we parted ways.
A while later, we noticed another teamster looking over at our table curiously. I walked over and got into a good conversation about the strike, how the system is rigged against workers, and more. But it wasn’t just me explaining this! The teamster was well aware of all these points and he even mentioned the need for a revolution and the overthrow of capitalism!! I ended up selling him a paper for the solidarity price
but in hindsight, this was a perfect opportunity for recruitment. Despite what internet content may overwhelmingly suggest, most people are actually quite aware of the state of the current system and its rottenness. All they lack are the revolutionary ideas to express their thoughts.
