Rising from the Roots: The Ontaria Common Front reflects on and plans future direction - direct action - Brief Article

The Ontario Common Front (OCF) fall campaign of economic disruption was initiated almost one year ago with a proposal by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) to develop a serious and broadly based resistance to the policies of the provincial Tory government. The OCF eventually brought together over 80 groups including community groups, unions, students, First Nations and artists.

Common Front Actions

The fall campaign kicked off on October 16 when more than 3000 people took part in snake marches which disrupted the heart of Toronto's financial district for much of the morning. (See "Snaking Through" in Briarpatch December 2001)

These actions were reflective of the OCF emphasis on actions which bring a very real cost to the government and its corporate sponsors rather than the tired routines of symbolic protests, banner waving and grievance filings which attempt to shame people who have no shame and care nothing about the needs of our class. The OCF attempted to disrupt "business as usual" and attach a cost to harmful corporate policies, both as a means to stop implementation of those policies and as a way to draw people into the movement who are tired of w at they consider to be pointless and ineffective "protests." Workers and poor people have neither time nor energy to waste on effort which do not have at least some real results. The O16 actions provided a glimpse of the type o efforts which might threaten the neoliberal forces in Ontario.

Several smaller actions followed the "Toronto model" in cities throughout the province. Among the most promising developments in the campaign has been the growth of a high school flying squad network with groups forming throughout the province.

While the campaign did not live up to its head goals, in part because of the changed political climate after September 11, it is clear that the OCF has sparked a renewal of serious resistance to neoliberal capitalism in Ontario. A few lessons can be drawn from the campaign up to this point.

Where Was Labour?

The major shortcoming of the OCF was the near absence of organized labour. This resulted largely from the decision of the national leadership of the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) to withdraw support from the campaign in June, following a mock eviction of the Finance Minister from his constituency office by OCAP, students, and members of CAW and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) flying squads. They also clamped down on the growing CAW flying squads who were brought under control by requiring national leadership approval or the approval of local presidents prior to any action. This strangling of the flying squads may be one of the sharpest blows rank-and-file activists have suffered recently and will deeply hurt fightback efforts in Ontario.

There were other less dramatic instances which showed the difficulties in mobilizing a determined fightback in Ontario. A prime example involved the efforts of CUPE local 3903 to gain the CUPE Ontario Division's commitment to the campaign. Local 3903 delegates to the Ontario Convention worked hard to win a vote on a resolution committing CUPE Ontario to a general strike of at least one day before the end of 2001. By New Year's Day 2002, unfortunately, there had been not a single workplace action and the "at least one-day general strike" had been abandoned. While many CUPE members were present at some of the actions, the numbers were not enough to suggest any concerted mobilization.

Clearly energy must be put into renewing and broadening connections between rank-and-file members. That is the direction that OCAP has decided to take at its annual general meeting held in December. OCAP along with unionist allies is starting a campaign of "plant gate" discussions with rank-and-file workers. This will offer an opportunity to speak directly with workers about the Common Front and specific campaigns or demands. Broadening involvement in the OCF is crucial. The only way to do it which encourages grassroots participation, autonomy and self-determination is through direct engagement among rank-and-file workers, activists and poor people.

Return to the Roots

The Common Front fall campaign made it very clear that in many communities considerable groundwork still needs to be done. Perhaps the most significant lesson is the great need for local community work of the type that OCAP has been doing.

One of the most encouraging developments of the OCF has been the creation of fightback coalitions and 0 CAP-style direct action casework groups in a number of communities. In the face of racist clamouring for war and tighter borders, OCAP is stepping up its efforts to support immigrants and refugees against racial and class discrimination. At some point direct action groups such as these may form a necessary pole of attraction for activists seeking to move beyond the staged reformism of the unions.

One such group has started at York University. In November, OCAP opened its third Toronto office, jointly staffed on campus by OCAP and members of the newly formed CUPE 3903 Anti-Poverty Working Group. The working group is ready to assist people experiencing problems with collection agents, landlords, bosses and police or anyone having difficulties with welfare or other government bureaucracies. The York office provides an important new resource for students especially when one considers the extent of student poverty and the growing numbers of students who have to deal with various combinations of the problems outlined above.

Jeff Shantz is a member of CUPE Local 3903 and is active in the Toronto General Defence Committee which does support work for political and class struggle prisoners.

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