1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,640 I'm Marco, I started working on  building sites when I was 16, 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,720 then worked in  various factories, 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,760 mobile phones, cars, bicycles, carpets. 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,120 I worked in call  centres, in India too. 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,520 I worked for the railway as a shunting engine driver. 6 00:00:18,639 --> 00:00:20,480 Now I work at the hospital 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,880 as Health Care Assistant and in the operating theatre. 8 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,720 We change hip joints, primarily. 9 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,680 For me at the beginning it was more of a survival strategy, 10 00:00:29,735 --> 00:00:31,775 a personal strategy. 11 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,458 That was in the early 90s. 12 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,240 It was a scene of punks and skinheads, 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,240 It was very class-divided, 14 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:47,160 There were people who who grew up in institutions 15 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,080 and then there were others  from middle-class families. 16 00:00:51,639 --> 00:00:54,592 And in the time when you are around 16, 17 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:56,520 then you realise that. 18 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,880 There were two tendencies that pulled this scene apart. 19 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:06,735 One was of course drugs and self-destruction, 20 00:01:06,828 --> 00:01:07,882 And the other was: 21 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,560 OK, now you have to see where  you find your place within the system 22 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:18,480 and perhaps become a social  worker of your own friends. 23 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,960 And I think in  that situation 24 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:28,000 it was a survival strategy, that I try to pull myself out of it 25 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:29,863 from such a tendency. 26 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:35,040 I then left school  in 10th grade 27 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,847 and started working in construction 28 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,400 and I thought to myself at  least I don't have to sell my head. 29 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:46,002 And then, fortunately bumped into people, 30 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,280 who had a similar  political strategy, 31 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,658 a collective called Wildcat. 32 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,080 And then I got to know  other comrades 33 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,080 and then the whole thing  became a bit more political 34 00:01:57,145 --> 00:02:00,160 and I chose more precisely where I wanted to work, 35 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,165 as part of a collective project. 36 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:11,000 What does is mean to work strategically? 37 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,120 Going to work strategically, 38 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:21,160 means that you look for a job according to political criteria. 39 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,840 And in the best case it  is political criteria, 40 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,040 that are discussed  together with others. 41 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,080 When you talk about social changes 42 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,640 and think that workers 43 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,200 or the oppressed play a role, 44 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,880 then I think you want to be part of it. 45 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,360 And on the other hand you want  to understand what is happening. 46 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,320 And not take it all from  the press, from the media, 47 00:02:52,392 --> 00:02:53,672 from the books. 48 00:02:53,836 --> 00:02:57,360 For example, if a new industry arises, 49 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,766 or as now in the last two decades in the West 50 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,520 for example logistics has developed 51 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,680 as an important industry, where new battles happen, 52 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,360 even without  us being there, 53 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:19,120 and that one tries to support these tendencies 54 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,520 of fights and also make sure that they perhaps radiate 55 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:29,520 to other sectors, which have perhaps been less 56 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:31,120 directly connected  to them. 57 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,680 Thus establishing connections within the class. 58 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,880 Sacrifice 59 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,200 Yes, it is often said 60 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,200 that going to work in a  factory, from outside, 61 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:47,880 like it was done in the 1960s, 70s 62 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,800 by a few students, not only students, 63 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,480 that has something of a sacrifice, 64 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,160 that would be very exhausting and alienating. 65 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,240 And yes,  I would ask: 66 00:04:00,279 --> 00:04:02,679 What are the alternatives on a personal level? 67 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,640 Can you avoid  going to work? 68 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:06,835 You can't always. 69 00:04:06,913 --> 00:04:09,743 And then you can just think about it. 70 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,760 Looking for niches without alienating yourself 71 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,040 is also becoming  increasingly difficult, 72 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:17,920 in the sense of 73 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,040 you still have to write an application here 74 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,800 or maybe see if you can write a PhD... 75 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,520 And that then becomes very individual. 76 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,560 And people internalise this individual pressure. 77 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,320 That also destroys  you in a way. 78 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:37,000 And I think on the one hand perhaps on a spiritual level 79 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,440 to connect  the political, 80 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,720 the political ideas, with one's own life 81 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,880 is actually  a good thing. 82 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:52,440 If you assume that change  happens from below. 83 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,680 Being there, is actually a thing 84 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,440 that gives you a bit  of fulfilment 85 00:04:58,513 --> 00:05:02,146 Of course it's exhausting, can be exhausting, normal job. 86 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,120 A Collective Effort 87 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,800 I think if you approach a few things more collectively, 88 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,920 if you take the experiences you have there, which are not always positive, 89 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,360 you have arguments with with all kinds of people, 90 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,160 sometimes you just have to do with people, 91 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,588 who betray other people, 92 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:30,800 - to you talk about  it together is helpful. 93 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,640 Organising everyday life  together is helpful. 94 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,600 In the best situations we said: 95 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,640 A few people have to work shifts, for example, 96 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,800 if that was in the car industry there are shifts, 97 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,640 that means other people were making sure 98 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,240 that the children were  taken to school. 99 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,280 If someone was on a shift where that wasn't possible 100 00:05:51,391 --> 00:05:53,056 or that food is there 101 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,080 and that it rotates  in the collective. 102 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,400 Who could do such things just did them. 103 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,000 Then of course it is also more about reflection. 104 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,480 That means that when you start working somewhere, 105 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:09,760 it's good if you understand a bit more 106 00:06:09,846 --> 00:06:11,320 about the history of the company, 107 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,040 and other companies in similar situations, 108 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,240 perhaps struggles  in other countries. 109 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,920 That is a bit of research work, and you can't do that either 110 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:25,080 if you're working  at the same time. 111 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,760 If people can  share this work, 112 00:06:29,381 --> 00:06:31,221 that is an advantage. 113 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,520 Then also: You quickly become operationally blind, 114 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,800 which means that you already assume 115 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,160 that you understand your own situation 116 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,040 or that all people know  their own situation. 117 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,440 So to tell  other people, 118 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,840 for example in the form of diaries, 119 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:55,000 often helps to sharpen  one's own vision. 120 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,600 For this as well a collective is important 121 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:00,865 and of course if you want to do something. 122 00:07:00,966 --> 00:07:04,160 We are not just there for sociological reasons or 123 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:09,880 because it's somehow spiritual, to work in a car factory, 124 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:11,800 but also 125 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,600 to be able to intervene at a point where it is important. 126 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,480 And that happens often spontaneously. 127 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,680 You just have to have a  flyer ready the next morning 128 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:23,960 and it's good, if there are people there, 129 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,560 who can do that  and distribute it. 130 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,785 Things like that. 131 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:31,880 You need a  group for that. 132 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:39,000 A Good Idea For  The Climate Movement? 133 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:41,280 Yes, I think for the climate movement 134 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,160 it's probably important  for two reasons 135 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:45,920 to work strategically. 136 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:47,520 On the one hand because,  137 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,440 the strategy to get  in touch with workers, 138 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:55,120 especially in the energy sector, the  transport or in the automotive sector: 139 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,960 if you rely solely on the trade unions 140 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,280 and the official  representatives 141 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,320 then these will be thin bridges, 142 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,800 these are not independent relationships. 143 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,160 So having someone who works  there or to work there yourself, 144 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:17,280 would mean that you can act independently. 145 00:08:17,466 --> 00:08:19,106 That on the one hand. 146 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,320 And on the other hand, it is also about a certain knowledge, 147 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:27,280 which you can't get from academia alone 148 00:08:27,390 --> 00:08:32,080 or from the books, for example engineering knowledge. 149 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,400 I would also say, 150 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,640 to strategically decide I work in an area, 151 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,800 where I can learn something about modern industry 152 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,240 in the sense of 153 00:08:46,130 --> 00:08:48,411 new energy generation 154 00:08:48,489 --> 00:08:52,640 or better insulation of houses and things like that. 155 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:54,376 To say that: 156 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:59,360 We try to obtain the knowledge  by working in such areas 157 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,960 is also important. 158 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,200 What Are Strategically  Important Workplaces? 159 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,000 I think on the one hand, when you talk about strategy, 160 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:17,320 there are what we traditionally  call the "pulling sectors", 161 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:22,720 where workers due to objective factors 162 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:27,000 can develop  social power. 163 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:32,520 But if you now consider the longer term 164 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,800 and a social transition, 165 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,360 a fundamental change, of how things are produced, 166 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,760 a fundamental change in the division  between manual and intellectual labour 167 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:44,720 and the abolition  of hierarchies 168 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,120 or to change them  at least. 169 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,760 In such a  longer-term view, 170 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,040 it is important to have  an understanding 171 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,040 of the essential sectors, that is, the sectors, 172 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:05,360 which are there to survive materially. 173 00:10:05,560 --> 00:10:06,720 And I think, 174 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,760 if you look at the  pandemic, for example, 175 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,640 who worked  from home 176 00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:15,880 and who still had to work, you can say that 30, 40% 177 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,880 of social labour 178 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,290 is essential in the sense of survival 179 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:28,120 and 60 % rather to keep  capitalism and the hierarchies. 180 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,960 And I think in the long term it is  then important to know people 181 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:39,760 in these essential sectors, that  a kind of knowledge develops, 182 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:44,880 of how these sectors are  structured, technically, socially 183 00:10:45,102 --> 00:10:50,071 and that in the struggles that take place, 184 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,094 we see an increase in strikes 185 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,600 especially in these sectors: health, transport, energy, 186 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,120 in a few industries, 187 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,200 that in these strikes this question of control 188 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,800 who actually  controls the work,  189 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:13,840 who controls whether what we are  doing makes social sense or not? 190 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,727 That this control is becoming more and more part 191 00:11:16,790 --> 00:11:18,883 and that it is not simply just about wages, 192 00:11:18,977 --> 00:11:21,440 but actually about: Who controls? 193 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,520 And that happens first and foremost  in strikes and struggles 194 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,720  and in everyday life. 195 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,520 It doesn't happen in a way that people sit down and think: 196 00:11:30,603 --> 00:11:34,190 "Oh, that would be a good idea" and then tell people that, 197 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,800 it rather happens from the inside out.