Solidarity Forever

Picture taken from DeWereldMorgen (Kevin Van den Panhuyzen)

Today was the March for the Future at Genk, the unions and social organisations answered in big numbers and gathered in a long line of thousands of people heading for the old mine site where twenty-five years ago a similar social drama took place. It was heartwarming to see such a big expression of solidarity. But this is just the start. Yes, we have now marched and shown our empathy to the workers and our demand of the politicians to act,  but the struggle is still on: we need to constantly remind the policymakers that we will not accept this, we have to keep the story in the media and keep the public opinion sharp.

To all who where there: thank you, it was a pleasure marching with you, but the struggle has just started.

More:

• "We laten ons niet afslachten door Amerikanen" (deredactie.be, in Dutch)
• Pictures from the March: deredactie.be and De Wereld Morgen
• "Het deed deugd, de mars in Genk" (De Morgen, letter in Dutch)

Solidarity Forever

         G
When the union's inspiration through the workers' blood shall run,
          C                      G
There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun;
         G                                 B7                 Em
Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one,
        Am    D7       G
But the union makes us strong.


G
Solidarity forever,
C             G
Solidarity forever,
G             B7 Em
Solidarity for-e-ver,
        Am    D7       G
For the union makes us strong.

Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite,
Who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might?
Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight?
For the union makes us strong.

Chorus

It is we who plowed the prairies; built the cities where they trade;
Dug the mines and built the workshops, endless miles of railroad laid;
Now we stand outcast and starving midst the wonders we have made;
But the union makes us strong.

Chorus

All the world that's owned by idle drones is ours and ours alone.
We have laid the wide foundations; built it skyward stone by stone.
It is ours, not to slave in, but to master and to own.
While the union makes us strong.

Chorus

They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn,
But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel can turn.
We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learn
That the union makes us strong.

Chorus

In our hands is placed a power greater than their hoarded gold,
Greater than the might of armies, magnified a thousand-fold.
We can bring to birth a new world from the ashes of the old
For the union makes us strong.