The below is a reprint of a flyer recently written by the New York transit/industrial section. It attacks the racist fare hike that went into effect on the NYC subway this month and is meant to help unite MTA Transit workers and riders against the MTA bosses.

The MTA is at it again! Another fare increase hit the city’s subways and buses on January 4th. Base fares are now $3. Seven- and 30-day MetroCards have been eliminated entirely. This is a racist attack against the majority Black and Latin ridership, who will have to foot the bill for the MTA’s ever-growing $50 billion-plus debt service—while getting paltry train service in return.

These increases, pushed in liberal NYC—which positions itself as pro-working class—show that Democrat or Republican, they’re all the same…and not on our side. While new Mayor Mamdani talks about taxing the rich to pay for free buses and better municipal services, the reality, coupled with this fare increase, points to a path of funding imperialist war.

While this goes on, ICE is terrorizing Latin workers in neighborhoods like Sunset Park and Bushwick, and African merchants on Canal Street. Many of them rely on the subway. This is a ploy to keep us afraid of fighting back together—everything is connected.

The MTA brass is also targeting riders to justify these fare increases. They claim“farebeaters” are to blame for deteriorating subway service. In several poorer neighborhoods, workers are now dealing with spikes over the turnstiles on top of the fare increase. New, useless “smart” fare gates are being installed (and literally attacking riders with their malfunctions).

The state has also raided MTA funds while the MTA outsources critical infrastructure projects to third party companies which often finish late and over budget.

The only thing that will save us is workers and riders uniting to demand an end to these increases! Make the bosses take the losses!  Transit riders and workers must also come together against the MTA’s attacks in a multifaceted way.

We call for workers to :

• organize strike ready committees for every department or sector they’re in.
• Forge transit-worker unity against racism. Anytime the cops murder an innocent Black or Latin rider, we must flood the streets and make it clear that it won’t be business as usual as long as we are under siege.
• But most of all, we must fight for a communist revolution led by the Progressive Labor Party! Specifically with Black workers at the helm, we will smash the bosses and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat worldwide. That will get us a subway system we can all be proud of-and much more! Join us!

To learn more visit www.plp.org or contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I could hear them chanting over a block and a half away from the picket lines. Their voices rose over the apartment buildings and hospital structures, mixing with the cacophony of car, truck and bus horns as vehicles passing up and down Amsterdam Avenue, just a few blocks from where I live, honked their horns in approval of the demands and the militant picket lines they could see through their windshields at Mount Sinai Hospital, on 112th Street, New York’s Morningside Heights.

NYC nurses are striking for better staffing ratios, higher pay, improved benefits (especially healthcare), and stronger workplace violence protections. Obstacles to the settlement of the strike are the hospital's claim of financial restraints and the claimed costly changes in staffing the demands would make.

Some of the medical facilities in NYC have already settled with the NY Nurses Association. But the holdouts, among the richest and most important NYC hospitals like Mount Sinai, NY Presbyterian and Montefiore, are refusing the demands for safer staffing ratios.

The militant and large picket line here at Mt. Sinai showed the determination that overworked nursing staff have to change the daily conditions of their work. Chanting “No Contract, No Work” and “The Nurses united will never be defeated,” the preparations the nurses' union has made were evidenced by a bus parked nearby so people could take warming breaks, and plentiful food and signs at long tables stretching along the street. Red hats and red scarves was the swag everyone was wearing as they lifted their voices in unison.

The workers, 15,000 in total, are arguing that management is refusing to meet their demands in order to push back earlier victories in previous years. Of course this is what always seems to happen within capitalism. The workers fight back. If the strike is strong, the bosses accede to their demands. Then, later, piece by piece the workers' victories are whittled down. There are so many problems with medical care in the United States it's hard to begin. But let's start with the fact that millions of workers are uninsured and that the system of subsidized health care has people facing rising premiums they can’t afford. In a communist society, health care will be for all and the profits of insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies will disappear. Those dollars will go into extending the care available to all. The Progressive Labor Party is a revolutionary party that fights for another world that is possible, a world where the working class, the nurses this article describes and everyone else, will have the power to create a society with no bosses that cares for people.

May, 1945 was the end of one of the most horrendous capitalist systems the world has suffered. The fascist Nazi government of Germany led by Adolph Hitler was defeated by the communist government of the Soviet Union led by Joseph Stalin. Today there are many anticommunist lies about World War II, the Nazi period, and especially about the role of the then-socialist Soviet Union in smashing the fascist German forces. As we commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz Concentration camp, let’s refute some of those lies.

Liberals and conservatives lie about World War II

The capitalist media never stops rewriting history. In the Public Broadcasting System’s series “The Messengers,” one of the episodes begins with someone saying: “My biggest mistake was to believe that the Red Army won World War II” (PBS, 1995). Actually the Red Army did win World War II. Nine out of 10 German casualties were at the hands of the Red Army.

The liberal PBS is not alone in lying about WW II. In 1995 the “historian” of the U.S. House of Representatives, Christina Jeffrey, was fired when it was publicized that in 1986 she had criticized a school curriculum on the Holocaust by complaining that the perspectives of the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan were not included in it (New York Times, 1/11/95).

The truth about the Nazis

In 1933, Hitler took power with the support of most of the German bosses. He began what he thought was going to be the “Thousand-Year Reich [empire].” He ordered the building of the Dachau, Oranienburg, and Buchenwald concentration camps. These were the first of what was to become 900 big and small concentration camps that existed until the end of the war. One of Hitler’s first decrees introduced the concept of Schutzhaft – preventive imprisonment of “enemies of the state.” First, last, and always, these were mainly communists.

Hitler was very specific about the role of these camps. “Brutality inspires respect … The masses need someone to inspire fear and make them tremble and submissive … I don’t want concentration camps to become family housing. Terror is the most efficient political instrument  ... Those who are discontent and disobey us will think twice before confronting us if they know what is waiting for them in the concentration camps.”

The Red Army liberated Auschwitz

Twelve years later, the Third Reich’s “thousand year” reign of terror was cut short by the communist movement. Around 3 p.m. on January 27, 1945, Soviet troops of the First Ukrainian Front of the advancing Red Army, led by Marshal Ivan S. Konev, saw a sign that read: “Arbeit Macht Frei” – “Work Makes You Free” – on the top of the main gate of Auschwitz. The Nazis called these death camps  “labor camps.” These troops saw with their own eyes what up to then was only a suspicion based on messages smuggled out from the concentration camps: the incarceration and systematic elimination of Jewish and Romani workers, and political “deviates” (read: pro-communists). It was all part of the plan created by the top leadership of the Third Reich, which murdered millions (El Mundo, 1/8/95).

The Red Army troops found 5,000 prisoners. These prisoners were left behind by the Nazis because they were too weak to move (and, in spite of the efforts by the Red Army to save them, many died). A few days earlier, knowing the Red Army was getting closer to Auschwitz, Hitler ordered the camp closed. On January 18, the Nazi SS (Schutzstaffel-elite Nazi squadron)–Hitler’s killer-troops—led the “March of Death” of 60,000 Auschwitz prisoners to Buchenwald, another death camp. Thousands of prisoners died on this march.

But the United States had delayed opening a Western Front for at least a year. They were hoping the Nazis and the Soviet Union would weaken each other. So the 42nd and 45th Divisions of the U.S. Army did not get to the Buchenwald concentration camp until April 11, just a few weeks before the Red Army liberated Berlin and ended the war. But the 5,000 prisoners that remained at Buchenwald had organized a rebellion and had killed most of the SS guards. The same thing happened at Dachau when at 9 a.m. on April 29, dozens of prisoners stopped the SS men from eliminating all the inmates by fighting them. It was not until nine hours later, at 6 p.m., that the 42nd and 45th Divisions entered Dachau and joined the fight, which lasted until the early morning of April 30. 30,000 survived the order, issued by Heinrich Himmler, chief of Hitler’s SS, to kill all the prisoners. But it was the rebelling prisoners that saved these lives. Many more would have been saved if the U. S. had not delayed landing in France. 

The Soviet Union defeated the Nazis

Today the capitalist regimes in Poland, Ukraine, Finland, and elsewhere in Eastern Europe,deny that the populations of these lands were “liberated” at all (though Jewish organizations continue to insist that the Red Army were indeed liberators). Everything is being done to excuse the Polish, British, French, and U.S. capitalist rulers, who sabotaged all efforts to stop Hitler. Instead, these capitalist rulers urged Hitler to invade the Soviet Union and put a stop to the communist movement and the socialist Soviet Union, which did everything possible to stop the Nazis and whose troops ultimately beat the fascist scum.

Solidarity runs deeper than borders

I am a long-time comrade, avid runner, and, for the past 4 years, have been an active member of a large running group within my neighborhood. This “run crew” as we call it, has approximately 500 members and 200 of them are consistently active throughout the year, participating in group runs, weekly races, and community events. While running remains a predominately ‘white’ sport, this organization is one of the most integrated ‘run crews’ in the city. While not a communist organization, the group illustrates what athletics could look like under communism. It demonstrates a somewhat egalitarian leadership, inclusion of all fitness levels, collective encouragement and solidarity, and health promotion without shaming.

The leadership is also integrated and positions women in a variety of necessary and important roles. For many of us, this group provides a sense of community and friendships so powerful that many of us call this group our ‘run fam’ (short for family).

Since the increase in fascist attacks on immigrant workers (e.g., ICE raids, deportations, etc.), and inspiring struggles of my fellow Progressive Labor Party (PLP) club members these past few years, I have begun to speak more openly about Progressive Labor Party within my “run fam” and the need to organize a communist revolution. As a result, I currently distribute CHALLENGE  to five members within our running group. One person within the leadership of our “run crew” distributes approximately five copies  to her co-workers and friends. Recently, she and I attended a “birthday run” held for a member of another “run crew” who was deported two months ago. The campaign to defend this runner surged across social media, mobilizing solidarity runs, community events, and almost $50,000 in legal support. Yet the leadership of corporate-sponsored running groups, including our own, chose not to publicly stand behind this fightback led by various run-crew members. Bound by multiple agreements with Nike, these sponsored running groups operate under tight restrictions regarding what they may publicly promote or speak about.

That restriction extended to publicly backing the campaign to bring our fellow runner home. Just before Thanksgiving, our fellow runner was allowed back into the U.S., but the struggle continues. Hundreds of workers face deportation daily under this capitalist system, and our running group members are no exception to ICE’s reach. I’ve connected with a few members from other running groups, and together we’re planning a “defense committee” so that when the time comes, we’ll be prepared to strike back. Until then, with the support of my club, I will continue engaging CHALLENGE  readers in my running group and other “run crews” in conversations about how we can collectively confront these racist and fascist attacks and, in time, resist the passivity that corporate sponsorships enforce on working-class runners.
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NYC: down with imperialism & chavismo

After the U.S. bosses bombed Venezuela and arrested Maduro, a group of comrades and I went to a protest in Manhattan. Our contingent marched from a few blocks away to join the rally, chanting  “Abajo, abajo, abajo el imperialismo, arriba, arriba, arriba, el comunismo!” and “Asian, Latin, Black, and White, To smash imperialism, we must unite!” as well as “1,2,3,4 we won’t fight your oil wars, 5,6,7,8 smash the bosses and their state!” I believe we distributed around 100 copies of Challenge and a few copies of the Venezuela editorial from the 12/10 issue. Some of the other groups there leafleting and/or giving speeches rightly criticized US imperialism but did so without acknowledging the dangers of all forms of nationalism. It is important that our Party was out here rejecting US imperialism, Chinese imperialism, and nationalism of any kind all at the same time. 

A week later, PLP hosted a study group with 3 comrades and 9 people who have not yet joined the Party. Seven of these base members have attended May Day in the past. We discussed “Chavismo” from the 12/10 issue of Challenge and also part of our key document “Road to Revolution IV.” Our conversation largely centered around the difference between socialism and communism. We also discussed nationalism and the idea of self-determination. Workers asked questions like “How do we get people to stop caring about material gains ?” and “How do we stop the pendulum [swinging back and forth between liberal democracy and open fascism]?” It was a rich discussion and a reminder of the need to learn from the mistakes in previous movements.
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NC: No Maduro, no Trump, no bosses

We participated in a recent peace  protest/ candlelight vigil in Bull Park, Durham, in North Carolina, of over 100 workers and students. This came after Trump’ s overnight sneak attack on Venezuela. The main speaker condemned U.S. aggression against Venezuela. Imperialist rivalries are sharpening globally. For example, Saudi Arabia versus UAE just last week over control of Yemen. This protest, while multiracial, had glaring weaknesses. Waving a Venezulan flag for example. While it’s wrong for American bosses to bomb Venezuelan workers, the Venezuelan flag symbolizes Venezuelan bosses led by Maduro. No boss, be it Trump or Maduro, have ANY worker’s best interests, as bosses are exploiters.

Also, waving a white peace flag with a dove at a protest is bad too. Workers should not want peace at all costs, as that flag hides the class nature of imperialism. Progressive Labor Party (PLP)  had a limited presence there, but 10 papers were distributed, plus one protester took another additional five CHALLENGEs after a PL comrade explained why communist revolution  is the only way out of this imperialist hell caused by capitalism and its thirst for profits. U.S. bosses have long desired Venezuelan oil. The imperialist bosses are going on the offensive, and so must the international working class, and the PLP must lead the fight back!
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$tarbucks strike: scabs will not be victorious

Saturday December 20th and Wednesday 24th PLP Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members from our Baltimore local club joined the Starbucks workers on the picket line, supporting the strike, standing shoulder to shoulder with the workers. Two courageous striking workers out of 12 who are working at the store were also supported by a number of local union members. We distributed a few copies of CHALLENGE and flyers to the workers and local union representatives.

Both days, the target was a Starbucks store located in the Rotunda nestled in north Baltimore’s eclectic Hampden Community. The first day of the strike, striking workers ended up being threatened by corporate private security calling the police on them to be arrested because they were picketing in the front of the Starbucks store. The striking workers and their union leadership opted out of being arrested, so they changed the location to the entrance area of the Rotunda at 41st street.

Two of the rank and file workers are mainly concerned with ULPs (unfair labor practices), such as erratic scheduling times for their working shifts and times for breaks, which can severely limit and disturb their family and free time scheduling, while bosses enjoy their fruits of labor in their citadels. For exactly that matter, it is important that PLP members are out there with the striking workers to educate the workers about revolutionary communism and the challenges in front of us to smash this decaying capitalist system and rebuild it with a more just and egalitarian society - communism!

One of the local union labor daughters with a sign in her hands chanted repeatedly “no contract, no coffee” with the rest echoing the chant and adding “what’s disgusting, union busting” “understaffing, lousy pay! This is how your coffee is made.” Many honks from passing by cars on 41st street and fists in the air came in support for the picketers. On that note, let us not forget that the leadership of unions in the U.S. ignores the international working class (brutal assault on workers by the U.S. government on occupied Palestinian territories, workers in Africa, Asia) while pretending that they are fighting for the workers in the U.S. We at PLP encourage rank and file union workers to join our revolutionary communist organization and to fight against adherents of this current regime.

One of the important aspects for us PLP members is to be on the picket lines in support of workers and to draw a line to differentiate ourselves from other political parties and organizations that  deceive workers with their reform approach of the capitalist system. These reformers try to  use the same institutions under the current capitalist regime to better the lives of the working class. We in the Progressive Labor Party fight for the majority (working class) and will skip the negotiating part with the minority (capitalists) for those few more $$ and shinier cars. We are fighting for democracy for the working class and dictatorship against the ruling class (capitalists). We are fighting for communism!
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