Green syndicalism

Green syndicalism or eco-syndicalism is a form of anarcho-syndicalism that focuses on the abolition of capitalism and the establishment of a democratic regime of workers' control as a means of effectively resolving issues surrounding climate change and the destruction of the natural environment, which advocates understand to be the logical consequences of free market capitalism and the regime of production for private profit rather than for the satisfaction of human needs.

Background

It is related to anarcho-syndicalism and eco-anarchism methodologically, but lacks specifically anarchism and Marxism as ideologies. (However, the term has also been used by those embracing both anarchism and syndicalism, such as authors Graham Purchase and Jeff Shantz).

Its methods are a fusion of the trade union, more robust methods from formal syndicalism, and the direct action and workplace democracy movements (some members of the Environmental Unionist Caucus of the IWW identify as green syndicalists). It may work closely with green movement and fair trade groups. However, it does not usually adopt the larger political goals of these movements. It is more likely to be an outgrowth of craft and heritage worker movements, e.g. to preserve wooden ship building, or traditional organic ranching methods.

The links to eco-anarchism and that movement's Walden-esque philosophy has led to a belief that green syndicalists are closely related to the back-to-the-land, survivalist, or hippie movements, or to ethical traditions that resemble those movements such as Mennonites and the Amish, especially for their focus on appropriate technology. Green syndicalists are, however, often willing to adopt new technologies, and to work with other, similar groups worldwide.

Although Judi Bari, Darryl Cherney, and the other participants in Redwood Summer never actually used the term, the work they did of forging alliances between radical environmentalists and timber workers to oppose corporate clearcut logging of northwestern California's old growth redwood forests has since been described (by Shantz, et al.) as one of the most developed examples of "green syndicalism" in practice.

See also

• Judi Bari
• Green ban
• Murray Bookchin
• IWW
• Lucas Aerospace Workers
• Chico Mendes
• Jack Mundy
• Shell Strike of 1973
• Karen Silkwood

External links

• Anarcho-Syndicalism, Technology and Ecology, by Graham Purchase
• Radical Ecology and Class Struggle: A Re-Consideration, by Jeff Shantz
• Syndicalism, Ecology and Feminism: Judi Bari’s Vision, by Jeff Shantz
• Green Unionism In Theory and Practice, by Dan Jakopovich
• IWW Environmental Unionism Caucus