How council communists should organize? Contrary to a current idea, I believe people inspired by historical council communism should not begin by building factory groups that act as if they are preparing the future workers’ councils. Or join the IWW or other alternative unions. That puts the cart before the horse. Workers’ councils are not small clubs created in advance by a minority. They arise in broad open struggle, when many workers move together, hold mass assemblies, elect delegates, and keep those delegates under direct control. This was already one of the important lessons drawn by the Group of International Communists (GIC). Looking back at the struggles after the First World War, it argued that older permanent mass organizations such as parliamentary parties and trade unions had lost their old role as real proletarian fighting organs. In their place, new forms appeared in moments of open struggle: assemblies of workers, elected and recallable strike committee...
