Santiago
The cordones industriales [assemblies of rank-and-file workers in a local industrial concentration] are new bodies that have emerged from the rise in combativity on the part of the Chilean workers. They involve workers in a particular area by organizing them on a geographical basis, rather than in terms of the branch of industry they may work in. (See Intercontinental Press June 11, p. 706.)
The reformists, especially the Communist party, have taken a hostile attitude toward these bodies from the very start. The reason is clear: They are dynamic bodies that elude the control of the Central Unica de Trabajadores [CUT - Workers Central Union], whose leadership is reformist - for the most part Communist. The reformists accuse the cordones of being "illegal," "unconstitutional," etc.
Nevertheless, the reformists have had to change their tactics as the workers have ignored their evaluation and have begun to regard the cordones as their own vanguard organization, around which they unite during critical moments.
In recent months, the reformists have been talking about the cordones, but by referring to them as bodies that ought to be under the authority of the CUT.
Now that the Chilean process initiated by the Popular Unity is in a state of retreat, the cordones are standing out as the main focus of resistance. In view of the seriousness of the situation Chile is going through, preparations are being made for a meeting of all the cordones industriales and the comandos comunales (Community Commands -bodies that involve squatters and peasants as well as workers) in Santiago Province.
The Cerrillos Cordón is planning to hold a community meeting prior to the provincial meeting. It was during a meeting called to help organize this meeting that the new tactic of the CP toward the cordones could be seen in action.
The report by the president of the 732
cordón went more or less as follows: "The cordones are nuclei of popular power and must be developed because the government is locked into the framework of bourgeois institutions, which prevents it from thoroughly confronting the bourgeoisie; as for the state bureaucracy, it leaves much to be desired, and we can state that it is in the service of the bourgeoisie.
"Beginning September 4, 1970, there
SALVADOR ALLENDE
has been an intensification of the class struggle, but in spite of this the government has made concessions to the bourgeoisie. The cordones must be restructured and reorganized and must extend their activities and their propaganda and struggle to take control of the economy out of the hands of the bourgeoisie by nationalizing the monopolies and introducing the direct distribution of goods.
"The perspective of civil war is being constantly posed, and the only way to avoid it is to prepare for it, not to go around collecting signatures [a direct reference to the approach of the CP]. Preparations for civil war must be made."
The position of the CP, expressed by CUT delegates and certain union leaders, hinged around the following points:
"We have major organizations that cannot be ignored. The CUT is the body of all the workers, and it must be represented in the cordones.... Parallel organizations are being created out of a desire not to be under the jurisdiction of the CUT.... We agree that the meeting should take place, but the statutes and norms of the CUT must be respected. Let the CUT issue the call for the meeting and we will put out the publicity for it. ...
"Attendance should be restricted to union representatives; the comandos comunales, the JAP [Juntas de Abastecimiento y Control de Precios — Supply and Price Control Boards], students, ete., should be excluded.... It is true that the community CUT is not functioning, but it is not necessary to create parallel bodies. ... The community CUT should be reorganized and the representatives of other groups should join in discussions with the CUT."
Workers representatives who were not from the CP responded:
"The cordones are not trying to be parallel bodies. The cordones industriales and the comandos comunales sprang up in the face of the inactivity of the CUT. ... What did the leaders of the CUT do in October? [This is a reference to the national crisis brought on by the bosses' strike.]... Without consulting anybody the CUT approved the plan for the Social Sector of the economy [a plan drawn up by Minister of the Economy Orlando Millas (a CPer), which includes giving back to their former owners many factories that were taken over by the workers and have been temporarily nationalized]...