There are some who regard issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia and militarism as issues as holding little relevance for the anarcho-syndicalist and revolutionary union movement. Those who hold such a point of view tend to argue that spending time dealing with such "petty," "trivial" or "one-dimensional" issues distract attention away from the all-important work of agitation and struggle around the point of production.

That such a distinction is made between anti-discrimation and anti-militarism, on the one hand, and workplace organising on the other, suggests a profound ignorance surrounding the role racism, sexism, homophobia and militarism play not only as evils in themselves, but also as obstacles to workers' solidarity, one of the most basic of principles of any successful working class movement.

Such a viewpoint also ignores the fact that divide and conquer is the oldest trick in the book. When a dominating class wants to keep a subject class under its control, what better way to distract it than to keep it fighting amongst itself. If a subject class is kept busy fighting each other as individuals and trying to gain small advantages or favouritism over each other, it will be all the easier to keep them in check. A subject class which is divided on the basis of arbitrary and superficial differences such as gender, race, nationality or sexual orientation will always remain subject.

This part of Anarcho-Syndicalism 101 will also seek to examine the development of links between workers and social and environmental movements, particularly in industries such as logging where the interests of workers and the social and environmental concerns of those outside the industry appear to clash. We will also focus on other matters which affect working people such as health care, housing and transportation issues.