yesterday i went and had a meeting with a representative of Red Light ( a group of social service workers who aligned to become a support network for the members of the now defunct SWAT, Sex Workers Action Team) and another member of the IWW, Industrial Workers of the World. We spent two hours discusing the policies of the IWW, and the organizational histories of both as they pertain to sex work and the industry.
Sex Workers are a margenalized group with very specific needs and a vast array socio econmic, and legal issues to consider.
Not only are things like independant contractor status, and mob run facilities issues, but there is some question as to just how much the IWW(a union) can offer when it comes down to positivly affecting the lives of those who are most margenalized and stigmatized by the line of work, street workers.
the M/O of campaign development is to
a)research
b)develop contacts
c)build organizing committee
d)develop campaign
e)execute
right now i am the only member of Industrial Union 690 Union of Sex Workers and Performers in the Philadelphia branch of the IWW. My experience within the industry is with the two most privelaged groups, phone sex workers, and strippers. As this is the case i understand the need to educate myself on the conerns of street workers, independant internet whores, adult film actors and actresses, parlor workers. The nature of the industry is to exsist and thrive between the cracks, so as not to be bothered to much by the strong arm of the law ect.
That said the union aligns istelf with any one who is engaged in an employee/employee relationship, self employed, and who does not posses the means by which to control the livleyhoods of other workers. So if a street worker has a pimp she/he/ze is activly engaged in an employee/employer relationship and can forseeably come under the protection and utilize the services that the union provides. The key is figuring out exactly what dynmamics that relationship consists of so that they can be defined and regulated by the members of the union and their support networks.
The IWW is suitible for this kind of operation because it does not recognize the legitiamcy of current power structures or the law more than is neccesary or useful to meet its ends. It is an anti capitalist organization with a long history of effective radical action.
At this point the concern is to take the neccessary time to research and develop stratagies of creating comunity involvment that will yeild meaningful outcomes for those who are involved.
There will be no fluffy white-bread-good-femenist "solutions" to very real problems that are encountered by by people who have very pragmatic and valid resons for doing what they do. At least not on my whatch. So its education time, for lil' ole me, attend a lecture on labor law here, a planning meeting for the Sex Worker Sub Committe (of the death revue board) Helath Summit there, read read , read, discuss , discuss , discuss. This is the kind of work that takes lots and lots of paintence. It's all worth it though, because if done well it can
be of significant benefit to the community, and if done wrong can become something that defeats its own purpose. That purpose is: To take back economic and social power from the bosses, to be utilized by the workers themselves on their own terms. Empowerment is the name of the game.
education+consensual organization+action= a sustainable and fundametaly sound movement
!!!!!!!!!!Sex Worker and Performer Solidarity!!!!!!!!!!!