Living standards, the LIFE campaign and the next federal election
Coalition governments are committed to keeping down working class living standards, and the union movement, and to rejecting First Nations claims for land and justice. By “working class” I mean everyone who must work or struggle for enough income to pay the regular household bills.
The alternatives to the Coaliltion
Labor in government attempts to reconcile unions and employers, and to appear to strike a balance. It typically offers some concessions to union demands, but never without concessions to investors. When push comes to shove, Labor has caved in, and been keen to prove its value to system stability and profitability. Labor has not disrupted, and some say it was instrumental in creating the conditions for, neoliberalism in the sense of privatisation, cuts in public expenditure and anti-union laws. Labor at best has committed to review the level of unemployment benefit, but not to lift it above the poverty line. Its housing policies fall far short of what is needed. Unfortunately the ALP and the ACTU are both so bureaucratised, that ALP affiliated unions do not hold Labor governments to account on the needs of working class people.
The Greens policies of all parties holding seats in parliament, are are closest to the demands of the Living Incomes For Everyone – LIFE campaign. But they are not only a minority party. Despite joining protests, their primary aim is to win seats, not to be accountable to a labour movement, and help to build it so that it can win its own demands. The labour movement includes unions, housing campaigns, groups demanding better social security and care services.
Hostility between Labor and the Greens expresses competition for office, rather than genuine efforts to achieve reform, or build a popular movement that can hold politicians to account. Neither, as a parliamentary party, is committed to the working class. Yet there are members and supporters of both parties who are committed to the labour movement, and who want to fight capitalism.
Towards a workers’ government, not a policy shopping list
A typical issues based approach to elections, by social movements, is to read policy statements and interview candidates, then score them on the shopping list of issues at hand to give voter advice.
There is a longer-term picture against which to judge the value of election intervention.
The long-term political aim of the labour movement should be to achieve our own government, made up of representatives committed to taking our side, and being accountable to our democratic organisations, and helping to see ahead and stand up to opposition from the ruling class, with self-organisation. We have no party capable of even contesting elections to achieve such a government. So how can election intervention make progress?
1. There is an opportunity in an election period to get the attention of voters. It is a good time to talk about demands for meeting people’s needs, particularly as formulated by LIFE. Supporters can explain what we want the political parties to commit to or concede, and how LIFE is helping to build a movement to win that. We can reach people via leafleting, door-knocking and talking at election meetings. Interviewing and lobbying candidates can be fed back into the building of our own organisations, by asking newly emerging helpers to join the movement longer term, and when canvasing voters, by making an effort to have deeper discussions and encourage them into organisations and the movement.
2. Choosing between voting for Labor, Greens, yet smaller parties or not at all, is potentially fraught and divisive for the LIFE campaign. But LIFE may be able to host debates amongst movement building activists on election perspectives, that might contribute to understanding and resolution of dilemmas.
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