We are delighted to have you join Socialist Action in the struggle for workers’ democracy, the abolition of capitalism, and international socialism.
This document outlines the rights and responsibilities of a new member of Socialist Action/LAS and how our party operates.
Provisional Member Rights and Responsibilities:
After joining Socialist Action, you will be a provisional member for three months after agreeing with its policies, strategy and discipline.
During this time, you pay dues each month. The minimum is $15/month, but please pay as much as you can afford. Our work is funded solely by its members and supporters.
During the first three months, you will typically attend at least one meeting per month (online during this pandemic period) with a voice but no vote. Please let an organizer know if you cannot attend due to health, work or family reasons.
Provisional members are encouraged to be involved in at least one area of political work that is a party priority, for example, workers’ struggles and labour unions, feminism, the environmental movement, anti-war, anti-poverty, pro-Indigenous, international solidarity, NDP Socialist Caucus, LGBTQ+, migrant workers, socialist municipal election campaigns, etc.
Art design and layout, social media, writing, editing, translation (English-French-English), making phone calls, literature sales/distribution, researching and presenting educational topics are among the many ways you can make a valuable contribution.
Get involved however you choose and to the extent your time allows. No member is expected to be a hyper-activist. Every contribution, however small, is appreciated.
At public events where Socialist Action is present, members are asked to help by holding a banner, a placard or a flag, distributing or selling Socialist Action literature, collecting personal contact data, etc.
Full Member Rights and Responsibilities
After three months in good standing, you can become a full voting member of Socialist Action.
Your right to vote extends to all internal decision-making meetings, locally and at the cross-country level, including the Socialist Action annual convention. Responsibilities remain the same.
Full members are entitled to run for leadership positions in Socialist Action.
And as mentioned above, all adopted policies are implemented collectively, subject to review at the next appropriate Socialist Action decision-making meeting/conference/convention. All comrades have the right to advance their views internally while promoting adopted party policies publicly.
Socialist Action Behaviour Policy:
Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, bullying and harassment are incompatible with membership in SA. An internal, elected Control Commission investigates complaints and reports to the Central Committee and Convention. Our party is where creativity, solidarity, optimism and unity in action thrive.
How Socialist Action functions:
Socialist Action is a Democratic Organization. Decisions on policy and action are made by majority vote at the annual Socialist Action/LAS convention, usually held in June. Between conventions, the elected Central Committee takes on decision-making responsibilities. Tactical and policy issues that pertain to a specific city or regional unit of Socialist Action/LAS are made by the local members of the local executive – consistent with overall party policy.
Decisions are binding on all members, as it is the only way to test our policies in practice. It reflects the right of the majority to see its will implemented with the cooperation of all.
Democracy in debate and unity in action is the essence of democratic-centralism.
We cannot stress this enough: SA/LAS is a working-class party that strives to form a Workers’ Government, overthrow the capitalist system and the capitalist state, and replace it with workers’ power from the bottom up. Socialist Action / LAS is a disciplined party because our task is critical to the survival of life on Earth and because the enemies of the working class are ruthless. Our goal is to build an Eco-socialist society free of exploitation and oppression and completely democratic.
Solidarity, comradeship and mutual respect characterize the relations between Socialist Action members as we strive for a world free of exploitation and oppression, for a democratically planned economy in harmony with nature.
