About the bourgeois experts
Latvia’s most popular news portal, “Delfi”, has long become the most mediocre propaganda mouthpiece of the ruling class. There is not even a hint of objectivity in their materials. But they do not cease to amaze! One of the titles of the article is simply astounding: “A new trend in the labor market – workers are demanding higher wages because of rising costs”.
They seemed to live in peace: they raised the prices of goods and services, increased their profits, and then the workers (what a cheeky bunch!) demanded an increase in wages, thus encroaching on a part of the capitalist’s profits. – Oh, my God! Where did this “new trend” come from?
We hasten to tell you that this is no trend at all, but an ordinary class struggle. The workers are grumbling, reluctant, but trying to resist the bourgeois onslaught.
How new is this “trend” (as the headline on “Delfi” claims)? Yes, it has existed since the world entered the age of capitalism, as soon as free people began to sell their ability to work to the owners of the means of production. And as soon as they realized that if they didn’t unite and fight, the bourgeoisie would surely force them to work for a pittance and no weekends.
So the workers are demanding wage increases en masse. Sensing something wrong, Endziņš, an employee of the capitalists’ union, immediately spoke on the subject: “There is a pronounced tendency to ask for a wage increase. He added something about labor productivity: “You see,” he said, “if wages are rising faster than labor productivity, there’s no way you can do that.
We, too, have something to say about this. Since 1917, the very productivity of labor has increased several times, but the working day has remained 8 hours (and this is at best). Could we then reduce the workday to at least 4 or 5 hours, according to the increased productivity over 100 years? It is calculated that the worker works 1 or 2 hours out of 8 hours for himself (producing his own wage) and that the rest of the time he makes a profit, which is completely confiscated by the capitalist. So how about reducing the workday to 2 hours while keeping the wage?
In the world of capital, workers are always fighting for better working conditions and higher wages. After all, we have nothing, unlike the bourgeoisie, except our ability to work. But we must fight intelligently, because our class opponent will not simply give in. Unite, form trade unions, conclude collective bargaining agreements. To win the struggle, you have to learn and fight and learn to fight.
