It's Time to Hit Back
Building Towards a General Strike
Economically, the data speaks for itself: nearly 67% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, 72% have less than $1000 in savings, and roughly 78% of Americans have less than $100,000 in savings.
So we have it bad enough. The passing of Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill represents a distinct attack of class nature on the proletariat of this state. In this pamphlet I propose a commensurate response.
The proposed date and duration of the strike is from Monday, August 25th, 2025, to Sunday, August 31st, 2025; it will start a week before Labor Day, and end the day before, to give an extra day of buffer space and make the strike all the more effective. I hope to bring new significance to the previously outmoded holiday!
The entirety of this pamphlet is meant to help you prepare on both an individual and an organizational level for such a strike. Feel free to skip to the most relevant sections. It is written for the cadre, or the revolutionary individual in particular; this individual is meant to disseminate the ideas in a digestible sense among the public. So while more defined and rigorous Marxist theory is hoped to be present here, this is not what should be said in particular to the masses.
At the end, there’s a section including some (really bad) pamphlets I threw together to facilitate distribution. The cadre should adapt the pamphlet to their local area; this one is specific (where relevant) to the Salt Lake Valley, so portions should be edited to correspond with the working locale of the reader in question, again where relevant.
General Preparation for Proletarian Members and Families
In this section we hope to empower the individual and foster collective responsibility.
One should consider the principles of Financial Preparedness: budgeting for the strike, the basics of an emergency fund, and debt prioritization.
For budgeting, one should gradually pare down expenses like online television, subscriptions, and other low priorities leading up to the strike. There should be a reduction of reliance on non-essential goods and services, such as food service and travel.
Even small savings can make a difference. I suggest realistic, incremental savings goals — such as 5-10% of each paycheck — over the three-month period, building up to some kind of stored funds which can be withdrawn; but more on that later.
One should prioritize essential bills (rent/mortgage) over consumer debt if necessary, but understand the potential consequences; there is more discussion later on how this harms the capitalist system directly, but defaulting on these payments may have an impact on your credit score and your payment plan going forward. It is only a week, but weigh it for yourself; in the end it’s up to you.
On Skill Sharing and Community Workshops, we suggest a prior distribution of practical skills, like community workshops on basic repairs (plumbing, electrical, automotive), gardening, food preservation (canning, drying), first aid, and basic hygiene product creation.
There is importance in mutual aid network building, facilitating connections among neighbors for skill-sharing and mutual support.
Regarding Mental and Emotional Well-being, we find we put emphasis on stress management; there is a severe psychological toll in enduring a general strike, and there should be strategies for managing stress and anxiety (such as communal activities, mindfulness, and limiting news consumption).
To maintain morale, there are already organizations holding collective activities and cultural events. Another idea is shared storytelling, or even mass speaking events like soapboxing, calling back to revolutionary movements of the past.
To preserve the welfare of children and the elderly, families can organize childcare and support for elderly or vulnerable members during the strike. Assuming critical strike numbers are met among the workforce of care centers, it is likely necessary to occupy the care centers as the general proletariat and maintain their integrity for the duration of the strike.
This is also true of other sectors, but that will be addressed in the next section, on the specifics of sector preparations and the risks that come with it.
Sector-Specific Preparations and Risk Assessment
This section is modeled after a certain assessment I saw online which detailed the number of weeks that an economy could last if a given sector were to go on strike. So, it’s grouped into categories (0 weeks, 1-2 weeks, 3-4, and 5+) and each category has a few example sectors. There are clearly many economic sectors not included here; the cadre is meant to fill in the blanks, using these assessments as examples.
—0 weeks—
Healthcare: capitalist healthcare prioritizes profit over people. A strike here immediately impacts everyone. We must build community-based alternatives to protect our comrades and leverage this system’s inherent fragility.
For prep work, we encourage stockpiling: organize local medicine collectives for essential over-the-counter meds, first aid, and basic supplies. Help comrades with chronic conditions secure necessary medications through mutual aid.
There should be designated community centers or accessible spaces as care hubs for basic first aid, triage, and supportive care. Recruit volunteers with medical knowledge and train others in basic first aid. Remember, three months may seem like a while, but it’s really not a long time to prepare for a week-long strike.
Form neighborhood care teams for wellness checks and in-home support, especially for the elderly or vulnerable.
On risks and mitigation, we find that our infrastructure can’t replace all critical care. I advocate for occupation and minimum staffing in capitalist emergency rooms by willing comrades if absolutely necessary, under strike committee oversight.
Also, striking healthcare workers should be connected with legal aid and should be encouraged to maintain public solidarity pledges to discourage scabbing.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
Free for all, publicly funded, democratically controlled, universal, single-payer healthcare;
Fair pay and staffing ratios for all healthcare workers, i.e. living wage and safe conditions;
A nationalized pharmaceutical production system for free, accessible medicines and prescriptions.
Water and Sanitation: access to clean water and functional sanitation is non-negotiable for public health. Disrupting these systems creates immense pressure but requires careful, strategic planning to avoid harming our own.
For prep work, we would then encourage water sourcing, or the mapping of alternative water sources (wells, rainwater collection) and the provision of water purification training and supplies.
We should plan for alternative sanitation methods (such as composting toilets and designated waste areas) if water systems fail.
We should also implement widespread water conservation measures in the lead-up to the strike.
On risks and mitigation, we find there should be prioritized targeted disruption over total shutdown. Maintain critical minimums for drinking water and essential waste removal to avoid widespread harm.
Identify workers willing to assist in safe deactivation/activation or maintenance of essential functions.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
Public ownership of utilities; end corporate control, manage utilities as public services;
The repair and modernization of aging water and sanitation infrastructure in a widespread investment.
—1-2 Weeks—
Food and Agriculture: food access is fundamental. Capitalist supply chains are long and fragile. We must localize food systems and ensure equitable distribution.
For prep work, we’d encourage the creation of community gardens and farms; expand existing ones, and identify local farms willing to support collective food distribution.
Organize workshops on canning, drying, and fermentation to preserve food.
Establish community food hubs and direct distribution networks to share resources fairly.
On risks and mitigation, we would emphasize equitable distribution and communal sharing to prevent hoarding (but don’t try to ‘punish’ it if it happens. It’s going to happen).
Prepare for potential blockades or seizure of food resources; organize community defense for food hubs.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
Community control over food production and distribution, or food sovereignty;
Significant public investment in sustainable, worker-owned agriculture.
Energy (Electricity, Gas, Fuel): modern societies rely heavily on energy. Strategic disruption in this sector can cripple industry and commerce, but it also requires careful management for our own needs.
For prep work, the cadre should implement widespread energy conservation measures (such as reducing heating/cooling, and removal of non-essentials).
Identify essential community services (detailed elsewhere in the pamphlet, but including care hubs, communication centers, food hubs, etc) needing backup power (generators and solar panels).
Encourage reliance on non-electric methods for cooking and heating (wood stoves, camping stoves) where safe.
On risks and mitigation, there is a potential for catastrophic failure; the cadre needs to prioritize targeted disruption of corporate/industrial energy while aiming for minimum essential service to residential areas. The power service stations should be occupied if necessary.
The cadre should clearly communicate safety guidelines for utility outages (carbon monoxide from generators and gas leaks, etc).
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
The end of corporate control of utilities and the managing of energy as a public service;
An affordable sourcing of clean energy for all, and a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.
—3-4 Weeks—
Communications: capitalist communication networks control information flow. We need independent, resilient ways to connect and organize.
For prep work, we find that the cadre should establish local mesh networks, walkie-talkie groups, and pre-arranged physical meeting points.
Prepare for mass production of printed materials (pamphlets, newsletters) and community bulletin boards.
Encourage possession of battery-powered/crank radios for independent news and emergency broadcasts.
On risks and mitigation, we find that the cadre should assume capitalist media and internet will be compromised; rely on decentralized, peer-to-peer communication.
Rapidly counter state/corporate propaganda with truthful, localized updates.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
Internet access should be treated as a public utility, with infrastructure dedicated as such;
Independent media needs to be protected, as does community journalism, from disinformation campaigns and state/capital interference.
Basic Retail and Supply Chains (Non-Food Essentials): while not immediate survival needs, disruption in this sector highlights reliance on capitalist production and distribution for everyday goods.
For prep work, we suggest the cadre slowly acquire non-food essentials (soap, cleaning supplies, batteries, personal hygiene items) over the prep period.
Organize workshops for basic repairs (clothing, tools) and DIY production of simple goods (soap is fun!)
Facilitate local barter systems and community swap meets for goods.
On risks and mitigation, emphasize that shared resources and collective ingenuity can meet needs. Highlight the need for localized production and self-sufficiency in the face of a dependence on imports.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
State support for community-owned workshops and small-scale manufacturing;
Legal frameworks protecting the right to repair consumer goods.
—5+ Weeks—
Transportation and Logistics: capitalist economies rely on constant movement of goods and labor. Disrupting transport cripples commerce and reinforces localism.
For prep work, the cadre should emphasize local production and consumption to reduce reliance on long-distance travel. They should map out safe walking and cycling routes within communities, and organize bicycle repair workshops and collective maintenance.
On risks and mitigation, the cadre should prevent communities from becoming isolated; establish robust communication networks beyond capitalist infrastructure.
Ensure clear pathways for community emergency services to operate.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
Robust, publicly owned, and free mass transit systems;
The empowering of transport workers in decision-making and safety in a broader worker-control of transport.
Financial and Banking: money is the lifeblood of capitalism. Freezing its flow and establishing parallel systems starves the beast.
For prep work, the cadre should encourage their comrades to gradually accumulate physical cash for small, essential transactions before the strike. They should advise on prioritizing essential bills (rent, essential utilities) over non-essential consumer debt.
There should be developed local skill-sharing and goods exchange networks. Establish community “free markets” for swapping items.
On risks and mitigation, the cadre should plan for cash shortages, by pooling money communally and distributing available cash for critical needs. Organize tenant unions and housing defense collectives to resist evictions and foreclosures.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
Mass cancellation of student, medical, and consumer debt;
Nationalization of major banks; democratically controlled financial institutions.
Government & Public Administration: this sector represents the state’s administrative and coercive power. Disrupting it undermines its authority and clears space for revolutionary governance.
For prep work, the cadre should establish neighborhood assemblies for local decision-making and conflict resolution; there should be identified which essential local government services (waste collection, basic road maintenance) can be replaced by community collectives.
Also, one should identify legal resources available for comrades facing state repression.
On risks and mitigation, the cadre needs to prepare for police and military intervention; there should be emphasized non-violent resistance where possible, but also if needed, community self-defense.
Fill the void of state services with organized community efforts to avoid a total information vacuum.
On the specific needs of this sector, we demand:
Abolition of prisons, defunding of the police, and investment in restorative justice;
Transfer of state power to worker’s councils and community assemblies;
Robust public housing, educational, and social safety nets.
Organizations and Collectives to Rely On
Included here is an example template directory (partially filled-in) and call to action for the Salt Lake Valley; the cadre should adapt this example to their specific area when pamphleting.
—Local Directory—
Food: SLCMA (Salt Lake City Mutual Aid) runs community kitchens; find them on Instagram | The Wasatch Presbyterian Church runs a soup kitchen | There’s a registry of food pantries on the Utah food pantry website; there is an account on Instagram called Salt Lake Community Fridges that does food distribution | the Anti-Cult Cult (on Instagram) can help with food distribution in a mutual aid sense | there are urban farms in Millcreek that can be contacted for potential donations or participation in collective distribution;
Housing: there is a notable lack of tenant unions in the Salt Lake Valley; there exists a group called Wasatch Tenant Unions, but they’ve become difficult to contact recently | However, Armed Queers Salt Lake City is likely a good resource to turn to for mass education on tenant’s rights, and if you’d like to form your own tenant union, I’d look to them for resources. | Utah Legal Services (ULS) offers free legal assistance in civil cases for low-income Utahns, including those facing housing issues and eviction. They can provide legal advice, assist with document preparation, and even represent clients in court. Their Salt Lake City office can be reached at (801) 328-8891, M-F, 9 AM to 2 PM. You can also apply online. | Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake is a non-profit that provides free legal representation in Salt Lake County. They have an Assisted Pro Se Program that offers free limited-scope representation for income-eligible individuals representing themselves in court. | Utah Community Action (UCA) offers landlord/tenant mediation services to navigate conflicts and provide tenant education. They do not provide legal services or representation, but they can assist in finding legal aid. You can reach their landlord-tenant mediation program at (801) 214-3109 or via email at mediation@utahca.org. | ACLU of Utah focuses on protecting civil rights and liberties in Utah. While they don’t directly represent individuals in squatting cases, they might be interested in cases that have the potential to set legal precedent related to civil liberties | There is a Homeless Connections Hotline at 801-990-9999. | For general information and connection to health and social services in Utah, dial 211.
Defense/Security: For events and group services, utilize Armed Queers Salt Lake City or West Valley Brown Berets. The cadre should also form neighborhood watch initiatives (purposed for collective safety) and look for legal aid for strike-related issues.
Healthcare: Look for volunteer medical professionals and set up first-aid stations. In Salt Lake, the Maliheh Free Clinic, Fourth Street Clinic, and People’s Health Clinic are prominent examples with services provided ranging from primary care to specialty consultations. However, efforts should be made by the most prominent Marxist-Leninist collectives present in any given area to set up their own free clinics.
Education/Childcare: During a strike, schools can and should continue to run; if you’re available to watch your children and temporarily withdraw them (putting pressure on the capitalist system while simultaneously relieving their educators), then that’s great, but where possible a cadre should facilitate community occupation and maintenance of schools, ensuring their continuity through a strike. | Extensive preparations should be made for childcare arrangements, including contacting small daycare businesses and requesting their assistance should the time come.
With regard to a call to action, we encourage the reader present in Salt Lake to actively connect with and support these groups now, not just during the strike.
For the broader cadre reader-base, there may be many areas lacking these resources; take the initiative and start them, whether it be a community fridge, mutual aid network, or a defense collective. If you can see the need, attempt to fill it.
Stocking Up on Food and Supplies
This gradual schedule is meant to be highly practical and accessible.
On Calorie and Water Calculation, there’s a simple formula: (Calories per person per day) x (Number of days) = Total calories needed; or, (Gallons of water per person per day) x (Number of days) = Total water needed.
An example: 2000 kcal/day for 7 days = 14,000 kcal needed for one person. 1 gallon water/day for 7 days = 7 gallons.
Some optimal calorie sources are grains, legumes, canned goods, and dried fruits/nuts. Start gathering these things now and practice preparing them in ways you enjoy and could readily eat. There should be an emphasis on non-perishable, easy-to-prepare foods.
So the schedule proposed goes as follows: on month one, there’s a focus on water (bottled, with purification methods), basic grains (rice, pasta), and easy-to-store canned goods.
On the second month, there should be added more diverse canned goods (vegetables, fruits, proteins), dried beans, lentils, cooking oil, salt, and basic hygiene products like soap and toothpaste.
During the third month, the cadre should top off any shortfalls, acquire essential non-food items (batteries, candles, first-aid kit, manual can opener).
For gray water and sanitation, there should be methods implemented to conserve water overall; cycle gray water in the use of washing dishes, flushing toilets, etc.
Implement strategies for waste management, like composting and having designated waste areas. Learn DIY sanitation methods if plumbing fails.
Things to gather beyond food include medical supplies, like basic first aid and any necessary prescription medications; power and lighting, like batteries, flashlights, solar chargers, and candles; communication methods, like battery-powered or crank radio, and pre-arranged meeting points; and tools, like basic repair tools, a manual can opener, and so on.
Avoiding Capitalist Systems
There is a methodology attempted here finding strength in empowering the cadre, not restricting them.
With regard to alternative transportation, the cadre’s pamphleting should highlight the health benefits and community-building aspects of walking and cycling. Map out safe routes. Emphasize the beauty of a locally-focused life during the strike, and if absolutely necessary, organize ride-sharing within trusted networks — the roads will likely be dangerous if not outright unusable during a successful general strike.
To find a temporary alternative to the current economy, organize platforms or community boards for trading skills (“I can fix bikes, I need help with childcare”). Facilitate local “free markets” or swap meets. In broader planning structures and strike committees, briefly discuss the concept of local, temporary currencies if any initiatives exist or are proposed.
I advise on having a small amount of physical cash on hand for essential, immediate needs before the strike. There also should be a reduced reliance on debit/credit cards and online transactions prevalent during the strike, so practice beforehand with that minimization is also suggested.
Withdrawing funds or defaulting on non-essential payments can exert tremendous pressure on the capitalist system. We should exploit these financial pressure points.
The cadre should also highlight alternative news sources, community radio stations, and the importance of word-of-mouth networks. I warn strongly against corporate media narratives designed to break the strike; this will surely be an obstacle to be faced. Support a broader awareness among the masses of propaganda.
Specific Demands of the Strike
The working class of the broader strike demands:
A Universal Living Wage of at least $25/hr;
Universal Maternity/Paternity Leave of at least 24 weeks and full pay;
A Universal Healthcare System of single-payment and comprehensive coverage;
Affordable Housing via rent control, public housing initiatives, and an end to homelessness;
Worker’s Rights in the form of stronger unionization rights, democratic workplaces, and an end to at-will employment;
Environmental Justice via a transition to renewable energy, holding corporations accountable for pollution;
Free Public Education from pre-K through university, and widespread debt cancellation;
Demilitarization/Peace Economy via shifting resources from military spending to social programs.
These demands are interconnected; they represent a holistic and ambitious vision for a more just society.
I would like to clearly articulate the Marxist-Leninist stance on these demands; they are not end goals, but rather are stepping stones towards a more fundamental transformation.
What to Do During the Strike
In the cadre’s individual pamphleting, this section should inspire collective action and solidarity.
There should be an emphasis on non-violent direct action, de-escalation techniques, and legal rights during protests; however, avoid collaborating with the police. This terrible practice is in direct antithetical position to the movement. For picket lines and demonstrations, target key capitalist institutions or government buildings. Find methods to support other striking sectors than just your own, showing solidarity.
For community building and mutual aid, the cadre needs to foster a sense of unity and shared purpose — a proposed method is through collective meals and activities, neighborhood assemblies (regular meetings for planning, problem-solving, and decision-making within the community), and sharing resources, or organizing the equitable distribution of food, water, and supplies.
There should be space left for education and political discussion; utilize the time for collective political education, reading Marxist texts, and discussing theory in open forums, encouraging debate and discussion on the future of society.
It would be a beautiful thing to find significant cultural expression during the strike; art, music, and poetry could all be performed as having a broader role in revolutionary movements. I always have encouraged creative expression as a form of resistance and solidarity.
I emphasize again the importance of face-to-face communication, community notice boards, and independent zines/leaflets for spreading information and counter-narratives.
Call to Action & Next Steps
I encourage you to join a local collective or union; for the cadre’s pamphlet, provide concrete steps for getting involved.
Regarding this specific pamphlet, distribute it! Share it on Substack:
. . . or create a printed format — you could even utilize the example pamphlets I’ll be providing below. For this kind of thing to ever work, we need to get the word out, so even outside a self-centered call to action of sharing my own written work, why not just do word of mouth? Tell your coworkers you heard a rumor of a week-long general strike right before Labor Day. See what they think.
Again for the cadre, one should organize their neighborhood; this is the grassroots level of organization. You should know your neighbors.
I remind you that the strike is a powerful tactic, but the struggle for a new society is ongoing and requires a sustained effort. See my article below for its inclusion in a broader vision for a better world:
This is a bit of an ambitious edition, and overall an ambitious idea; I can be a bit foolish sometimes. But I think it’s far enough away that, if enough people are neutrally exposed to the idea, it might gain some serious traction. I also need to acknowledge that I’m calling for some pretty serious shit in this edition, and I’d appreciate if you kept me in your thoughts going forward; I’m kind of sticking my neck out with this release.
To the reader who’s sold: good luck! Thanks for reading regardless!
Pamphlets
These are really shittily-designed and formatted, but I’m really not one for graphic design. Please just take the central concept and idea and make it your own.
