Libertarian Workers' Group
Encyclopedia
The Libertarian
Workers Group (LWG) was a United States
New York City
-based anarcho-syndicalist
affinity group
which was a member of the US Anarchist Communist Federation (ACF). The Libertarian Workers Group (LWG) left the ACF in 1981, as did other affinity groups in Milwaukee, Toronto
, Montreal
among others.
The LWG had conferences with these other affinity groups. The groups agreed to continue to publish a continental publication, Strike!. Collectively, they engaged in other projects including Libertarian Aid to Latin America
n Workers (LALAW), creating the publication No Middle Ground. Also together, the groups worked to support for underground workers' and anarchist
movements in the former Soviet Union
. Concurrent with these other projects the specifically anarcho-syndicalist journal Ideas and Action
was launched.
Areas of LWG activity in the New York and New Jersey
region included activities in the needle trades, hotel industry, warehousing and among students. LWG members initiated the rank-and-file oriented Needle Trades Workers Action Committee (NTWAC). It also issued a semi-regular newsletter, On the Line, as well as many topical leaflets.
In addition to workplace activities, LWG members were active in the anti-nuclear power
and arms movement
, and formed the Anarchist Local of the anti-nuclear group the SHAD Alliance. LWG also tried to reach out to African American
workers, and was active in condemning the apartheid
in South Africa
.
In November 1984, the LWG along with anarcho-syndicalists from San Francisco, West Virginia
, Montreal and elsewhere met in New York and established the Workers Solidarity Alliance
; Ideas and Action became the WSA's journal. The newly formed organization became the United States affiliate of the International Workers Association
.
Libertarian socialism
Libertarian socialism is a group of political philosophies that promote a non-hierarchical, non-bureaucratic, stateless society without private property in the means of production...
Workers Group (LWG) was a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based anarcho-syndicalist
Anarcho-syndicalism
Anarcho-syndicalism is a branch of anarchism which focuses on the labour movement. The word syndicalism comes from the French word syndicat which means trade union , from the Latin word syndicus which in turn comes from the Greek word σύνδικος which means caretaker of an issue...
affinity group
Affinity group
An Affinity group is usually a small group of activists who work together on direct action.Affinity groups are organized in a non-hierarchical manner, usually using consensus decision making, and are often made up of trusted friends...
which was a member of the US Anarchist Communist Federation (ACF). The Libertarian Workers Group (LWG) left the ACF in 1981, as did other affinity groups in Milwaukee, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
among others.
The LWG had conferences with these other affinity groups. The groups agreed to continue to publish a continental publication, Strike!. Collectively, they engaged in other projects including Libertarian Aid to Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n Workers (LALAW), creating the publication No Middle Ground. Also together, the groups worked to support for underground workers' and anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
movements in the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Concurrent with these other projects the specifically anarcho-syndicalist journal Ideas and Action
Ideas and Action
Ideas and Action is an anarcho-syndicalist journal that was founded in 1981 as a result of numerous conferences organized by the New York Metropolitan area Libertarian Workers' Group and the Syndicalist Alliance of Milwaukee...
was launched.
Areas of LWG activity in the New York and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
region included activities in the needle trades, hotel industry, warehousing and among students. LWG members initiated the rank-and-file oriented Needle Trades Workers Action Committee (NTWAC). It also issued a semi-regular newsletter, On the Line, as well as many topical leaflets.
In addition to workplace activities, LWG members were active in the anti-nuclear power
Anti-nuclear
The anti-nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes the use of nuclear technologies. Many direct action groups, environmental groups, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, national, and international level...
and arms movement
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
, and formed the Anarchist Local of the anti-nuclear group the SHAD Alliance. LWG also tried to reach out to African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
workers, and was active in condemning the apartheid
History of South Africa in the apartheid era
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority 'non-white' inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
In November 1984, the LWG along with anarcho-syndicalists from San Francisco, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Montreal and elsewhere met in New York and established the Workers Solidarity Alliance
Workers Solidarity Alliance
Workers Solidarity Alliance is a United States political activist group whose politics are rooted in anarcho-syndicalism and class struggle. WSA is not a trade union or proto-union....
; Ideas and Action became the WSA's journal. The newly formed organization became the United States affiliate of the International Workers Association
International Workers Association
The International Workers' Association is an international federation of anarcho-syndicalist labour unions and initiatives based primarily in Europe and Latin America....
.