adopted by the III Congress on November 20, 2021
WFL is an organization of the working class, the advanced class of modern society, thus expressing the interests of all working people. WFL sees its main task as combining the labor movement with scientific socialism on the theoretical basis of Marxism-Leninism.
The working class is objectively the most fully and consistently interested in the destruction of all social oppression. In its position as the most progressive class of the age, it is called upon to lead the struggle of all workers for social equality. Considering itself part of the world workers’ movement, the WFL pursues the same ultimate goal as that sought by the advanced working class of all other countries. This ultimate goal is determined by the nature of bourgeois society and the course of its development.
The main feature of the society in which we live is universal commodity production on the basis of capitalist relations of production, in which the basic means of production belong to a small class of persons, while the great majority of the population is forced by their economic situation to sell their labor power to the capitalists and create by their labor the income of the ruling class. Capitalism in its development has now reached its highest imperialist stage. The domination of big capital and transnational corporations is expanding more and more as the means of production improve. Small producers are forced out of the market or become dependent on big capital. Scientific and technological progress leads to the growth of wealth only for the large, mainly financial bourgeoisie. The degree of exploitation of the working class is increasing, and the social achievements of the working class are being attacked by capital everywhere. As a result, social inequality is on the rise all over the world, a small minority of people possessing the lion’s share of all social wealth. The average level of real wages for workers in developed capitalist countries has been falling for many years and does not provide for the simple reproduction of the labor force. As a result, the ruling class is forced, on the one hand, to move industrial production to countries with lower labor costs and, on the other hand, to import cheap labor from developing countries. This exacerbates social contradictions and worsens the situation of wage workers.
Contradictions between capitalist countries are also becoming more acute. There is a constant rivalry among them for access to natural resources, for markets for their goods. Trade wars have become the daily practice of interstate relations. The global capitalist economy is experiencing a systemic crisis, the growth of world debts has long exceeded the growth of world GDP. At the same time small producers are being ruined, the dependence of wage labor on capital is increasing, and the relative and often absolute deterioration of the working class is progressing even faster. The aggravation of such crises has twice in the history of mankind led to world wars.
But as all these contradictions peculiar to bourgeois society grow and develop, so does the discontent of the workers with the existing order of things and their struggle against their exploiters and the governments representing the interests of the ruling class. Bourgeois governments are becoming less and less able not only to ensure the economic development of their countries, but sometimes even to exercise effective control over their own state apparatus, swollen to enormous proportions. The existing system of social relations in bourgeois states comes to its own negation and becomes a brake on social development. At the same time, scientific and technological progress, by strengthening the social character of labor, became the real material basis for the replacement of capitalist production relations by socialist ones.
Humanity has already had the unique experience of living under a socio-economic formation in which private property and the exploitation of man by man were eliminated. The economic and cultural achievements of that period have no equal in history. Unfortunately, there was also a negative experience of the destruction of this system, which began with a return to commodification in the economy and led to the greatest tragedy for the peoples, degradation of production and numerous civil wars. The comprehension and investigation of both the achievements and mistakes of real socialism from a scientific standpoint is today the most important task of our time. Connecting scientific socialism with the workers’ movement remains a necessary condition for the transition to new, higher social relations. The Latvian Workers’ Front has set itself this task.
The replacement of private ownership of the means of production by public ownership and the establishment of an orderly organization of social production will make it possible to ensure the full well-being and all-round free development of every member of society, which is the ultimate goal and the maximum program of the WFL.
Only a certain class, namely the urban and in general the factory and industrial workers, are able to lead the entire mass of the workers and exploited in the struggle for liberation from capitalist exploitation, in the struggle to hold and consolidate victory, in the building of a new socialist society, in the entire struggle for the complete destruction of classes.
On the way to the implementation of this goal, the WFL sets itself immediate tasks, based on the specific socio-political situation in Latvia, which is currently a post-Soviet semi-peripheral state of the world capitalist system. Nevertheless, under the existing economic system, the state structure must comply with the recognized international norms of bourgeois democracy, ensure the development of the economy and the welfare of workers at a level that ensures the expanded reproduction of the labor force.
Therefore, the Workers’ Front of Latvia immediate task is to promote the workers’ movement by upholding the objective interests of the Latvian workers and the democratic changes in society that would ensure:
In the field of labor relations
1. Setting the price of labor force (wages) of Latvian hired workers at a level not lower than its scientifically justified value. Annual calculation of the official living wage in accordance with the objective human needs and the existing level of prices for consumer goods.
2. Legislated increase in the level of real content of wages, stimulating an increase in labor productivity.
3. the abolition of those changes in labor law that worsened the rights of hired workers.
4. The abolition of overtime everywhere, except in industries where it is absolutely necessary under technological conditions, which is decided in consultation with trade unions. The establishment of overtime pay at a level not lower than double the tariff, the elimination of summed working hours.
5. Establishment of a 6-hour workday with a 30-hour work week without reducing wages, further reduction in the length of the workday. Increase in the time of paid vacations.
6. Ensuring real economic guarantees of full employment through the creation of new highly productive jobs with favorable working conditions, the use of productivity growth not to lay off workers, but to increase their free time, the development of a system of vocational training and retraining.
7. Termination of the practice of fixed-term labor contracts, allowing them only in case of special production conditions with the agreement of trade unions.
8. Raising the status and achieving real independence of trade union organizations. To give each trade union the right to conclude a collective agreement in the interests of its members. Free access of trade unions to all financial information of the enterprise in order to prevent corruption. Participation of the trade union in the certification of workplaces and the adoption of documents related to occupational safety.
9. Guarantees the right of all trade unions to engage in collective labor disputes and strikes, including solidarity strikes.
10. Guarantees of employees’ rights to suspend work by notice in case of non-payment of wages for more than two weeks, as well as in case of violation of occupational safety rules.
11. The introduction of criminal liability of owners and administrators of enterprises for gross violations of labor laws (non-payment of wages, etc.).
12. Improvement of conditions of remuneration of out-of-town workers with regard to their expenses for travel to the place of work and accommodation.
In the field of national economy, taxes and finance
Destructive comprador economic policy of the Republic of Latvia, aimed at the destruction of the most important branches of its own industry, Latvia’s accession to the WTO and the EU with its complete political non-sufficiency undermined the country’s economy, turning it into a country that can not exist without subsidies. The revival of the economy has always been associated with measures to protect local producers – protectionism, which should be implemented in Latvia as well.
1. Restoration of the national currency, creation of an independent financial system.
2. Restoration of an independent central bank of Latvia in order to ensure the stability of the national currency, create conditions for the industrialization of the economy, and control the withdrawal of profits abroad.
3. Creation of a national savings bank. Prohibition of lending activities for non-banks.
4. Reform of the system of tax legislation: replacement of VAT by sales tax, increase of profit tax in the financial sphere, abolition of taxes on capital reinvested in the national economy for a period of 10 years. Introduction of a progressive income and inheritance tax on real estate and capital.
5. Industrialization of the economy and the creation of industries with high added value.
6. Creation of enterprises necessary for cooperation with large economic associations on a mutually beneficial basis. Creation of socially important industrial, construction, transport and other state enterprises.
7. Establishment of an inter-sectoral planning body within the government to manage the economy.
8. The introduction of a state monopoly on land rent, that is, the prohibition of land rent to private business.
9. Introduction of a state monopoly on the manufacture of alcoholic beverages.
10. economic incentives for the unification of rural individual farms into large state agro-industrial associations.
11. Increase of customs duties on imported goods similar to those produced in Latvia.
12. Nationalization of natural monopolies and enterprises that do not comply with labor laws and depreciation rates.
13. Nationalization of unused land and forests.
14. Revision of the privatization of enterprises of the 1990s, cancellation of decisions on privatization taken in violation of the law.
In the field of national relations
1. The abolition of the institution of non-citizens, the implementation of real equality of people in accordance with international norms.
2. Fight against manifestations of racism, nationalism and racial discrimination of any kind.
3. Ensuring full rights to use foreign and minority languages wherever they are recognized as necessary by the inhabitants.
In the field of peace enforcement
1. Latvian withdrawal from NATO, elimination of military bases and military presence of military personnel from other countries on Latvian territory. Return of Latvian military personnel from abroad.
2. Declaration of Latvia’s status as a neutral state.
3. Reduced government spending on defense.
4. Legislative prohibition of the use of armed forces against the people.
In domestic politics
1. The actual separation of church from state and school from church. The participation of ministers of the church in state activities and of officials in church activities is permitted only in the status of private individuals.
2. Reduction of the state apparatus. Conversion of all public services into state functions. Stricter accountability of officials to residents for making illegal decisions, including inaction and red tape.
3) Limit the salaries (including bonuses) of deputies, ministers, heads of state enterprises and other employees of ministries and agencies to the average industry wage.
4. Strengthening the system of real local self-government, including financial transparency of local budgets.
5. Transition to an electoral system that ensures the right of voters to recall deputies.
6. Ensure full freedom of speech, the press, assemblies and rallies, street marches and demonstrations. In order to exercise the right to freedom of speech and the press, abolish all bans on the public expression of any ideas other than racial and national hatred, justification and approval of UN-recognized crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes. Provide public organizations with premises for assemblies free of charge.
In the field of social security
1. Development of a network of accessible pre-school institutions and circles.
2. Increase the state family allowance to the level determined by the necessary expenses for the maintenance of children.
3. Transition to a solidary pension system, the voluntary nature of the funded pension.
4. Establishment of a minimum pension at a level commensurate with the wages of the worker.
5. Establishment of a minimum pension at a level not lower than the subsistence minimum.
6. Reduction of the retirement age at the first stage to 60 years for men and 55 years for women.
7. Indexation of pensions in accordance with actual inflation.
8. Establishing the maximum amount of the pension.
9. Establishment of benefits for pensioners and large families on utility payments.
10. Development of the system of care for the disabled and pensioners.
11. Abolishing the flawed system of so-called orphan courts, and banning the adoption of children abroad.
In the field of education and health care
1. Universal free education, including higher education. Providing students in all educational institutions with everything they need: accommodation, food, clothing, school supplies, etc.
2. The right of the population to receive education in their native language.
3. Revision of curricula to include only objective fundamental knowledge about natural and social phenomena in order to form an integral interconnected scientific picture of the world in students.
4. Application in compulsory education only proven and proven teaching methods.
5. A full universal health care system.
6. Establishing the salaries of teachers and health care workers at or above the industry average.
7. Payment of sick leave in full from the first day of illness.
In the field of housing policy
1. Ensuring financial transparency and accountability of utility monopolies to consumers.
2. Establishment of state ownership of natural monopolies (enterprises supplying electricity, heat, water, gas and communications).
3. Provision of quality utilities and guarantee of payment reduction in the absence of such.
4. State financing of capital investments in housing and communal services, including the development of housing for the poor.
5. Revision of the results of denationalization of apartment buildings. Nationalization of buildings whose owners grossly violate the norms of their operation. Nationalization of management companies and the creation of a single service of housing and communal services. Renovation of dilapidated housing stock and construction of new housing by the capacities of state enterprises created for these needs.
6. Nationalization of land under apartment buildings. Abolition of land tax.
7. Creation of a single state construction enterprise for the renovation of dilapidated housing stock, construction of new housing, industrial and economic facilities.
Workers of the world, unite!
