- An ABC of Communism by Tony Clark
- Principles of Communism by Friedrich Engels
- The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
- Blackshirts and Reds by Michael Parenti
- Wage Labour and Capital by Karl Marx
- Value, Price and Profit by Karl Marx
- Socialism: Utopian and Scientific by Friedrich Engels
- The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State by Friedrich Engels
- The State and Revolution by V. I. Lenin
- Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism by V. I. Lenin
- Women, Race, and Class by Angela Davis
- Philosophical Trends in the Feminist Movement by Anuradha Ghandy
- Towards a Scientific Analysis of the Gay Question by Los Angeles Research Group
- The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
- Fascism and Social Revolution by R. Palme Dutt
- The Housing Question by Friedrich Engels
- Could We End Evictions? by KC Tenants
- Strike Strategy by William Z. Foster
- Organizing Methods in the Steel Industry by William Z. Foster
Labor Assembly of Buffalo
All power to the working people!
Building working-class power, fighting fascism and organizing for socialism.
About Us
The Labor Assembly of Buffalo is a revolutionary organization of the working class dedicated to fighting for the interests of the working class and for socialism.
LAB was founded to protect and advance the interests of the working class in Buffalo in a time of deepening crisis and growing attacks on working people. Across the country and here in Buffalo, workers are facing a worsening job market, low wages, unaffordable rents, rising costs, heavy tax burdens, cuts to programs like SNAP and Medicaid and a political system that has failed to meet the basic needs of the people.
At the same time, the lazy parasitic capitalist class grows richer. Fascists continue to unleash barbaric attacks on the working class, especially LGBTQIA+ workers, oppressed nationalities and ethnicities and migrant workers. The danger of imperialist war also grows as the great powers struggle to redivide the world among themselves. In Buffalo, where more than one in four residents already live in poverty, these conditions make it even harder for ordinary working people. LAB exists to help working people organize, defend themselves, build collective power and ultimately free ourselves from the shackles of capitalism.
We believe that working people cannot rely on capitalist politicians or parties to solve these problems. We must rely on our own organizations and power.
The purpose of the Labor Assembly of Buffalo is to help build democratic bodies of workers in workplaces and neighborhoods through which working people can collectively organize, defend their interests and exercise collective power over the issues that affect their lives. Through this struggle, LAB works to build the power of the working class to break from capitalism and fight for a socialist democracy, a democracy of the working class and not the dictatorship of the capitalist class.
Workplace organizing, tenant organizing & political education.
Our members participate in workplace organizing, tenant organizing, community aid efforts, political education and various other struggles that advance the interests of the working class and oppressed people.
We support workers in their immediate struggles while working to build the power necessary for the revolutionary transformation of society from capitalism to socialism.
Our time is now. Victory to the people! We will triumph!
Points of Unity
The following Points of Unity constitute the political basis of the Labor Assembly of Buffalo. Membership in LAB is contingent upon acceptance of these principles.
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01
We recognize that the interests of the working class and the capitalist class are fundamentally opposed. The Labor Assembly exists to defend and advance the interests of the working class.
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02
We support the establishment of democratic bodies of workers in workplaces and neighborhoods through which working people can collectively organize, defend their interests and build working-class power. We demand the political independence of working-class organizations and oppose attempts to subordinate these organizations to the interests of the capitalist class or its collaborators.
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03
We support the rights of working-class people to speak freely, assemble, organize, strike, bargain collectively and engage in political action without fear of repression. We oppose political repression, union-busting and other efforts to suppress the working class. We support the right of workers and oppressed peoples to defend themselves against capitalist violence.
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04
We support the immediate struggles of workers for higher wages, shorter working hours and safe working conditions.
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05
We support universal public healthcare, free public education, affordable housing and access to the necessities of life as rights rather than privileges.
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06
We support public ownership and democratic control of major industries, banks, transportation systems, utilities, natural resources and other key sectors.
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07
We oppose fascism, racism, national oppression, sexism, anti-LGBTQ discrimination, ableism, anti-immigrant chauvinism and all reactionary ideologies used to divide working people.
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08
We oppose imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, sanctions and wars of aggression. We support the struggles of peoples resisting imperialist domination and for self-determination of oppressed nations.
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09
We support immediate struggles that improve the conditions of working-class people while recognizing that our exploitation is inherent to capitalism and cannot be overcome through reforms alone.
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10
We support the struggle for socialism and for a society in which political and economic power is held by working-class people through their own institutions rather than by the capitalist class.
We must fight for a better tomorrow today. Onward to revolution!
Resources & Media
The Red Phoenix
The Red Phoenix is the newspaper of the American Party of Labor, published bimonthly in print and available online. The goal of the newspaper is to provide a platform for working people of all kinds and offer class-conscious socialist perspectives without the mitigation of the corporate media.
Red Phoenix is linked as a reading resource only. Reading it is not required for LAB membership and does not imply membership in or affiliation with the American Party of Labor or Red Phoenix.
Political education resources
Leftist and Labor Readings
If you are looking to do further reading on leftism and labor organizing, the following are texts we often read and consider important. Reading these texts is not required for membership in the Labor Assembly of Buffalo, but it is encouraged.
This list is for purely educational purposes only. The list does not mean that LAB endorses every position in every text. These works are included because their general spirit remains valuable for understanding labor struggle and the fight for working-class power.
Friends of LAB
Listed groups are allies and related projects connected friendly to LAB's work. This list does not indicate affiliation with any of these organizations or projects.
“Then I realized a fundamental thing: For one to be a revolutionary, there must first be a revolution. Isolated individual endeavour, for all its purity of ideals, is of no use and the desire to sacrifice an entire lifetime to the noblest of ideals serves no purpose if one works alone, solitarily, fighting against adverse governments and social conditions which prevent progress.”Che Guevara
Join LAB
The Labor Assembly of Buffalo is open to all working-class people who agree with our Points of Unity and wish to organize for a revolutionary transformation of society.
Labor Assembly of Buffalo Application
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Death to fascism!
Contact
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Reach out to ask questions, get involved or connect with LAB.
Onward toward Socialism!
Long live the people’s struggle!