Sunday, June 20, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR- CHINA:
A NEW WAY TO ORGANIZE:
The communist/capitalist rulers of the Peoples' Republic of China have recently been challenged by a grass roots movement of striking workers at Honda manufacturing plants. Fearful of the spread of this workers' rebellion, outside of the official Communist Party unions, the government has actually conceded to the workers' demands. the reason for this is detailed below. The workers have managed to go beyond the official trade unions and coordinate their actions via the internet. It's an interesting though. Personally I have always favoured established radical anarchosyndicalist unions whatever their disadvantages. In some situations, however, where it is impossible to maintain alternative unions it is still possible given modern technology for a mass movement to grow, as it has in China. Here's the story from the New York Times.
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In China, Labor Movement Enabled by Technology
By DAVID BARBOZA and KEITH BRADSHER
The 1,700 workers who went on strike at the Honda Lock auto parts factory here are mostly poor migrants with middle-school educations.
But they are surprisingly tech-savvy.
Hours into a strike that began last week, they started posting detailed accounts of the walkout online, spreading word not only among themselves but also to restive and striking workers elsewhere in China.
They fired off cellphone text messages urging colleagues to resist pressure from factory bosses. They logged onto a state-controlled Web site — workercn.cn — that is emerging as a digital hub of the Chinese labor movement. And armed with desktop computers, they uploaded video of Honda Lock’s security guards roughing up employees.
“We videotaped the strike with our cellphones and decided to post the video online to let other people know how unfairly we were treated,” said a 20-year-old Honda employee who asked not to be named because of the threat of retaliation.
The disgruntled workers in this southern Chinese city took their cues from earlier groups of Web-literate strikers at other Honda factories, who in mid-May set up Internet forums and made online bulletin board postings about their own battle with the Japanese automaker over wages and working conditions.
But they have also tapped into a broader communications web enabling the working class throughout China to share grievances and strategies. Some strike leaders now say they spend much of their time perusing the Web for material on China’s labor laws.
Wielding cellphones and keyboards, members of China’s emerging labor movement so far seem to be outwitting official censors in an effort to build broad support for what they say is a war against greedy corporations and their local government allies.
And it might not be possible if the Chinese government had not made a concerted effort in the last decade to shrink the country’s digital divide by lowering the cost of mobile phone and Internet service in this country — a modernization campaign that has given China the world’s biggest Internet population (400 million) and allowed even the poorest of the poor to log onto the Internet and air their labor grievances.
“This is something people haven’t paid attention to — migrant workers can organize using these technologies,” said Guobin Yang, a professor at Barnard College and author of “The Power of the Internet in China: Citizen Activism Online.”
“Usually we think of this kind of thing being used by middle-class youths and intellectuals,” Professor Yang said.
The Web and digital devices, analysts say, have become vehicles of social change in much the way the typewriter and mimeograph machine were the preferred media during the pro-democracy protests in Beijing in 1989 — before the government put down that movement in the June 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown that left hundreds dead.
A looming question now, in fact, is whether and when the government might seek to quash the current worker uprisings if they become too big a threat to the established social order. Already, the government has started cracking down on strike-related Web sites and deleted many of the blog posts about the strikes.
The instant messaging service QQ, which is accessible via the Web or mobile phone — and was perhaps the early favorite network of strike leaders because of its popularity among young people — was soon infiltrated by Honda Lock officials and government security agents, forcing some to move to alternative sites, strike leaders say.
“We’re not using QQ any more,” said one strike leader here. “There were company spies that got in. So now we’re using cellphones more.”
Analysts say they were smart to change.
“QQ offers no protection from eavesdropping by the Chinese authorities, and it is just as well they stopped using it,” said Rebecca MacKinnon, a China specialist and fellow at the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University. “QQ is not secure. You might as well be sharing your information with the Public Security Bureau.”
But the activists say they are getting around some of those restraints by shifting to different platforms (including a Skype-like network called YY Voice) and using code words to discuss protest gatherings.
For years, labor activists have been exposing the harsh working conditions in Chinese factories by smuggling cellphone images and video out of coastal factories and posting documents showing labor law violations on the Web. New and notable is that these formerly covert activities have become open and pervasive.
Last month, for example, when a string of puzzling suicides was reported at Foxconn Technology near here, one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers, there were online video postings reportedly showing security guards manhandling workers.
In China, Labor Movement Enabled by Technology
By DAVID BARBOZA and KEITH BRADSHER
The 1,700 workers who went on strike at the Honda Lock auto parts factory here are mostly poor migrants with middle-school educations.
But they are surprisingly tech-savvy.
Hours into a strike that began last week, they started posting detailed accounts of the walkout online, spreading word not only among themselves but also to restive and striking workers elsewhere in China.
They fired off cellphone text messages urging colleagues to resist pressure from factory bosses. They logged onto a state-controlled Web site — workercn.cn — that is emerging as a digital hub of the Chinese labor movement. And armed with desktop computers, they uploaded video of Honda Lock’s security guards roughing up employees.
“We videotaped the strike with our cellphones and decided to post the video online to let other people know how unfairly we were treated,” said a 20-year-old Honda employee who asked not to be named because of the threat of retaliation.
The disgruntled workers in this southern Chinese city took their cues from earlier groups of Web-literate strikers at other Honda factories, who in mid-May set up Internet forums and made online bulletin board postings about their own battle with the Japanese automaker over wages and working conditions.
But they have also tapped into a broader communications web enabling the working class throughout China to share grievances and strategies. Some strike leaders now say they spend much of their time perusing the Web for material on China’s labor laws.
Wielding cellphones and keyboards, members of China’s emerging labor movement so far seem to be outwitting official censors in an effort to build broad support for what they say is a war against greedy corporations and their local government allies.
And it might not be possible if the Chinese government had not made a concerted effort in the last decade to shrink the country’s digital divide by lowering the cost of mobile phone and Internet service in this country — a modernization campaign that has given China the world’s biggest Internet population (400 million) and allowed even the poorest of the poor to log onto the Internet and air their labor grievances.
“This is something people haven’t paid attention to — migrant workers can organize using these technologies,” said Guobin Yang, a professor at Barnard College and author of “The Power of the Internet in China: Citizen Activism Online.”
“Usually we think of this kind of thing being used by middle-class youths and intellectuals,” Professor Yang said.
The Web and digital devices, analysts say, have become vehicles of social change in much the way the typewriter and mimeograph machine were the preferred media during the pro-democracy protests in Beijing in 1989 — before the government put down that movement in the June 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown that left hundreds dead.
A looming question now, in fact, is whether and when the government might seek to quash the current worker uprisings if they become too big a threat to the established social order. Already, the government has started cracking down on strike-related Web sites and deleted many of the blog posts about the strikes.
The instant messaging service QQ, which is accessible via the Web or mobile phone — and was perhaps the early favorite network of strike leaders because of its popularity among young people — was soon infiltrated by Honda Lock officials and government security agents, forcing some to move to alternative sites, strike leaders say.
“We’re not using QQ any more,” said one strike leader here. “There were company spies that got in. So now we’re using cellphones more.”
Analysts say they were smart to change.
“QQ offers no protection from eavesdropping by the Chinese authorities, and it is just as well they stopped using it,” said Rebecca MacKinnon, a China specialist and fellow at the Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University. “QQ is not secure. You might as well be sharing your information with the Public Security Bureau.”
But the activists say they are getting around some of those restraints by shifting to different platforms (including a Skype-like network called YY Voice) and using code words to discuss protest gatherings.
For years, labor activists have been exposing the harsh working conditions in Chinese factories by smuggling cellphone images and video out of coastal factories and posting documents showing labor law violations on the Web. New and notable is that these formerly covert activities have become open and pervasive.
Last month, for example, when a string of puzzling suicides was reported at Foxconn Technology near here, one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers, there were online video postings reportedly showing security guards manhandling workers.
Labels: China, communism, Honda strike, international labour, labour, strike, technology
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR- SPAIN:
CGT PROPOSES TOTAL GENERAL STRIKE:
As Molly mentioned earlier on this blog the turnout for the June 8 public sector general strike was generally considered poor despite the claims of the two major union federations, the CCOO and the UGT. This may have , at least partially, been because neither the CCOO nor the UGT had much real enthusiasm for the strike, and thus they were half hearted in their organization. It may also have been that a public sector only (one day) general strike was the wrong tactical decision, pitting non-public sector workers against the strikers. There may have been many other factors as well.
However that may be the anarchosyndicalist CGT estimated that it achieved an overall participation rate amongst its public service members of 50%, putting it far ahead of the rate achieved by the larger unions. The CGT has generally been estimated to represent about 10% of the Spanish workforce as measured by 'union elections' in the workplaces. Perhaps encouraged by this the CGT has ramped up its efforts to pressure the CCOO to call a real general strike earlier than the September 29 date that the CCOO has set forth in cooperation with the UGT.
The CGT has proposed a date of June 30, perhaps an unrealistically early date to organize such a thing but far better than waiting over three months by which times people are much more likely to have become resigned to the government's measures. Perhaps the best date would be somewhere in between. One might doubt that the UGT leaders have any honest disagreements with what the Zapatero government is proposing and that their opposition is pure showmanship. Any real general strike is from their point of view best put off as long as possible. The CCOO whose leadership is made up of Stalinists who kept their union positions even while the Spanish Communist Party was disintegrating are no doubt playing their own game, hoping to appear the "toughest" of the two major federations while also not having to accept responsibility for another failed strike like that of June 8.
Both unions are helped by the fact that while the so-called labour "reforms" have been passed by government decree they are still not law until they pass Parliament, This will be difficult and involve some compromise...the Socialists are 7 seats short of a majority, but there is little doubt that the measures will for the most part become law. All of this is in a context where it is likely that the EU and IMF are putting together contingency plans to bail out Spain should it go the way of Greece. Various European governments have been falling all over themselves declaring that there is no such plan (a sure sign that there is one ?) this week as borrowing costs for the Spanish government (a measure of investor confidence) have soared almost 45% in the course of a month.
The CGT's proposal, of course, has a snowball's chance in hell of being accepted by the CCOO, let alone the UGT, and the CGT is far too small to try and carry out such a thing on their own. What they are probably doing, however, is playing for the long term, trying to position themselves as the real opposition as workers become disillusioned with the attitude of the UGT and CCOO, especially as the government's present measures are unlikely to be either the last or the worst of the attacks on social rights that are coming. for some time now it has been the policy of the CGT to call for an unlimited real general strike. This proposal to the CCOO should be seen as one move in their long term efforts. What follows is the CGT press release from their website.
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The General Confederation of Labour proposes to CCOO the convening of a general strike for June 30
(10/06/2010)
The General Confederation of Labour has today addressed a letter to Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, Secretary General of the CCOO, proposing the convening of a unified general strike for June 30.
With the economic crisis of recent years, which is hitting the workers so cruelly, it is combined with the latest measures taken by the Government to reduce the deficit by sharply attacking the public employees, pensioners and a set of social benefits and rights that are going to disappear dramatically. Now the Government announces a new labor reform by decree in a purely authoritarian style .
The CGT union views these measures announced in the new labor reform as extremely negative. The CGT also believes that they justify in themselves a forceful response by all Spanish trade unions.
The CGT going to put forth, as it has done in the recent public sector general strike , all its organizational capacity and commitment to make the general strike of June 30 a success.
The General Confederation of Labour believes that the working class and the public will not understand if the unions will not give at this time a rapid response to this serious attack which once more is against labor and social rights.
PERMANENT SECRETARIAT COMMITTEE OF THE CGT CONFEDERATION
Labels: CGT, economic crisis, general strike, international labour, international politics, labour, Spain, strike
Sunday, June 13, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-SPAIN:
CGT ASSESSES GENERAL STRIKE:
Molly reported on the one day public sector strike in Spain on June 8. My opinion was that it was a failure, not the least because the two largest unions the CCOO and the UGT were merely going through the motions and wanted it to fail. Spain's largest anarchosyndicalist union confederation the CGT participated enthusiastically in the strike while, at the same time, calling for a broader and longer lasting real general strike. The response of the CNT was mixed, but many sections were also participants with demands similar to that of the CGT. What follows is the assessment of June 8 on the part of the CGT.
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Press Release issued from the CGT (07/06/2010)
Evaluation statement from the Permanent Secretariat of the CGT of the public sector strike, and the Day of Struggle, convened by the CGT for June 8.
The General Confederation of Labour views the participation of workers and employees in the public sector strike and in the demonstrations of the Day of Struggle for the general strike called by the CGT positively.
The CGT called for a public sector strike on June 8, for those employed by public enterprises (Renfe, ADIF, AENA, Remasa, Mail, etc).
It also convened a day of action from other sectors of the workers for the whole population and society so they can make a combined clamour against the cuts in labor and social rights, against the brutal attack that markets are exerting, against the next labor "reform:. In short, against anti-social policy of the government.
Regardless of the data and statistics of acknowledged participation in public administration (15%),overall the CGT can be considered to have exceeded 50%. However, the important thing today was that after many years of demobilization, especially for the public employees, today was a positive step forward to take up a dynamic of mobilization and as always this effort is to be and more to the black perspective for social situations the labor market.
The CGT as a trade union convener made a significant effort to make this strike a success, and we believe that other convening unions have did not actually bet on the success of the strike. If they had, there would have been massive participation.
On the other hand, for the CGT this is only one more day of fighting in campaigns and demonstrations in favor of a general strike, an action that CGT sees as a priority and absolutely necessary to stop anti-social policy of the government. The CGT has called for the mobilization and participation of all the people and all those that are affected.
Hundreds of informational pickets, dozens of rallies, demonstrations and practical action in many cities of the Spanish state were called for a unanimous outcry against the aggressions of banks, politicians and employers against the working class and society as a whole.
We highlight some data in these demonstrations: 100% participation of the strike on the railways of the Generalitat , an important follow-up postal strike (70%) considering that the June 10 strike was specific to this sector, an important part of the strike in the Public Administration (75%), including particularly the centers where the CGT is present, where the incidence is even greater. Of course, we value greatly the massive participation in many of the events and actions performed.
On the negative side of the mobilization, we emphasize that workers are fed up with the official unions and their domesticated and wrongly timed mobilizations.
Finally, we express our absolute conviction that June 8 will be only the beginning of a social and labor unrest that will lead to an overwhelming response of citizens and the working class to the excesses and aggressions of the employers, governments and Banks:
Today more than ever, we need a GENERAL STRIKE
Permanent Secretariat Committee of the CGT Confederation
Labels: CGT, current events, economic crisis, general strike, international labour, labour, Spain, strike
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-SPAIN:
SPANISH PUBLIC SECTOR GENERAL STRIKE FAILS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES:
As to the title, well maybe yes and maybe no. The general strike of the public sector in Spain yesterday was essentially "plotted" by the largest unions, the UGT (tied umbilically to the governing Socialist Party of Zapatero) and the CCOO (semi-reformed Stalinists who have forgotten everything about socialism but remember everything about bureaucratic manoeuvre). The general opinion in the mass media is that the public sector one day strike was a "test" to see if the idea of a real general strike would fly. The public workers of Spain face a general 5% cut in their pay in addition to other "austerity measures" such as a freeze in 2011, freezing pensions and an end to the Spanish equivalent of the "child bonus". If this was a test the bird didn't fly. This is in the face of an unemployment rate of 20%, the highest in the Euro zone.
Needless to say estimates of strike participation varies wildly. Union (CCOO and UGT) estimates gave numbers as high as 75% while government statements varied but hovered around the 11% range (see Irish Times, Earth Times ). Now long experience has taught me a method of "estimating" the truth in such contradictory claims, and I hold to it even when I am more in favour of one side than another. Double the low number...11% = 22%. Half the high number 75% = 37.5%. Average the two numbers. The probable participation rate by these numbers was 29.75% ie about a little less than 1/3rd of the public sector workers of Spain. This may overestimate the actual participation or at least the enthusiastic participation of public sector workers (ie those who didn't simply adjourn to home or the bar for the day). In Madrid the official CCOO/UGT rally at the end of the day gathered less than 4,000 participants.
I actually dreaded looking this up from the websites of the Spanish anarchosyndicalist organizations, the larger CGT and the much smaller CNT. Given my experience with North American anarchism, which all too often mirrors the idiocy of North American leftism in general I expected a great amount of flag waving and declarations of "victory" like the Communist and Socialist unions are claiming. I was pleasantly surprised.
Both Spanish anarchosyndicalist organizations were actually quite divided about the advisability of the public sector strike with the CNT actually taking pride of place for mentioning "reality" in their debates prior to the event ie mentioning how little support amongst the general Spanish population such a strike would have (or amongst public employees judging from the real participation). The CGT (and the CNT) have long campaigned for a real general strike encompassing both public and private sectors and a strike that was not just a one day symbolic demonstration. The CNT Andalucia joined with CGT Andalucia in reluctant support of the public sector strike. On the other hand the CNT of Badaloz (western Spain) rejected the idea entirely. Within the CGT there was a similar difference of opinion. This was especially prominent in the aftermath of the strike where the CGT of Zaragoza in Aragon republished the statement of the CNT of Aragon denouncing the CCOO and the UGT. the reason for this was the successful attempt of the UGT to exclude the CGT from the official demonstrations and speeches. In most of Spain the anarchists deliberately separated themselves from the official union demonstrations and presented themselves in separate contingents. probably a very wise idea when you are big enough.
The attitude of the CNT and CGT, despite the internal differences in their organizations, had generally two different "tones", connected no doubt to the different situation of the two organizations. The CGT is an organization of perhaps 100,000 members with the support of up to 2 million people in union elections in Spain. As such it is a "real union" and is more inclined to 'realpolitik' than the CNT which has perhaps 5,000 members and doesn't participate in the union elections. The CNT is more inclined to "denounce" the larger unions while the CGT is more inclined to both "pressure" them and present an alternative viewpoint which they hope will serve them in the future. Both organizations were united in saying that a real general strike was what was needed. They differed in how to get to it.
The point may be less than moot now. The underlying subtext of both the CGT and the CNT was that the CCOO and the UGT wanted no such thing as a real general strike. It would upset their cozy bargaining relationship with the socialist government. My brief browsing of the general public opinion in Spain (unconnected to anarchist opinion) is that this was a realistic estimate. Opinions such as "the unions were half-hearted" or "it was merely a show" come up over and over. The bottom line...the play has been acted out. Whatever the CCOO and the UGT claim they will hesitate to try and call a real general strike in Spain for fear of exposing their weakness even more. The government's plans will be carried out, and the great public shows (like in Greece) will give way to the usual backroom dealing - where the participants are more than slightly friendly with each other.
What this means is that even in Spain where perhaps 5% of the population has a favourable long term opinion of anarchism (contrasted to maybe 0.1% in Greece and 0.00001% in North America) that there is a very long term struggle ahead. There will be no magical "rebellion" to pull the country away from the austerity measures. Interestingly there is a little piece of truth in all this controversy about numbers, and it comes from the CGT who report the turnout for the public service sector strike in Barcelona which varied from a low of 20% to a high of 70% (interestingly enough the percentages were generally higher in the sectors where the CGT was strongest). These numbers seem to correlate with my own estimate of about 1/3rd. See here for the CGtT report. It does my heart good to see that my own comrades have a regard for truth.
Labels: anarchism, CGT, CNT, current events, economic crisis, general strike, international labour, labour, Spain, strike, tactics
Sunday, June 06, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR- MISSISSAUGA:
RED CROSS BOSSES ARROGANCE PUSHES WORKERS TO STRIKE:
There are bosses, and then there are bosses. One thing that Molly has observed over the years is that bosses with a presumed "ethical mandate" are the worst of all. This was demonstrated to the tune of close to 100 million deaths under communist dictatorship in the 20th century. But the petty world of charities and NGOs gives ample evidence of this even if their power is (mercifully) restricted. Down Ontario way the bosses of the Red Cross have pushed their workers into a strike position by their arrogance. Here's the story from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
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Red Cross threats, intimidation push drivers to strike
MISSISSAUSAGA, ON – More than forty drivers for Red Cross Mississauga-Halton have decided to exercise their right to strike following an employer campaign of threats and intimidation. Picket lines will go up Monday morning unless an agreement is reached.
“Our members have been in a legal strike position since midnight last Friday,” said CUPE National Representative Helen Gibb-Gavel. “Knowing how important their service is to people who have serious medical needs, others with disabilities, and seniors, they decided to continue working while holding information pickets between shifts.
“The Red Cross has responded with threats and intimidation of a group of low-paid workers who are trying to achieve their first collective agreement.”
Employees received voice messages at their homes threatening termination if they picket during work time. However, said Gibb-Gavel, the drivers work split shifts and have held information pickets between those shifts. As well, on Wednesday a man who identified himself as a Red Cross manager threatened to have picketers’ vehicles towed from a parking lot next door to Red Cross headquarters.
“Instead of being able to spend our time productively at the bargaining table, trying to negotiate a fair first contract, we will be on the picket lines and at the labour board with a charge of intimidation,” said Gibb-Gavel. “More importantly, people who need assisted transportation are going to see their service disrupted.”
The union is ready to meet at any time before Monday to try to achieve a fair collective agreement and avert a strike, said Gibb-Gavel. If there is no agreement, picket lines will go up at 4:45 a.m. at the Canadian Red Cross office, 5700 Cancross, Mississauga, and 6:30 a.m. at Region of Peel TransHelp, 3190 Mavis Road.
For more information, contact:
Helen Gibb-Gavel
CUPE National Representative
Tel: (905)568-4664; cell 905-242-4207
Red Cross threats, intimidation push drivers to strike
MISSISSAUSAGA, ON – More than forty drivers for Red Cross Mississauga-Halton have decided to exercise their right to strike following an employer campaign of threats and intimidation. Picket lines will go up Monday morning unless an agreement is reached.
“Our members have been in a legal strike position since midnight last Friday,” said CUPE National Representative Helen Gibb-Gavel. “Knowing how important their service is to people who have serious medical needs, others with disabilities, and seniors, they decided to continue working while holding information pickets between shifts.
“The Red Cross has responded with threats and intimidation of a group of low-paid workers who are trying to achieve their first collective agreement.”
Employees received voice messages at their homes threatening termination if they picket during work time. However, said Gibb-Gavel, the drivers work split shifts and have held information pickets between those shifts. As well, on Wednesday a man who identified himself as a Red Cross manager threatened to have picketers’ vehicles towed from a parking lot next door to Red Cross headquarters.
“Instead of being able to spend our time productively at the bargaining table, trying to negotiate a fair first contract, we will be on the picket lines and at the labour board with a charge of intimidation,” said Gibb-Gavel. “More importantly, people who need assisted transportation are going to see their service disrupted.”
The union is ready to meet at any time before Monday to try to achieve a fair collective agreement and avert a strike, said Gibb-Gavel. If there is no agreement, picket lines will go up at 4:45 a.m. at the Canadian Red Cross office, 5700 Cancross, Mississauga, and 6:30 a.m. at Region of Peel TransHelp, 3190 Mavis Road.
For more information, contact:
Helen Gibb-Gavel
CUPE National Representative
Tel: (905)568-4664; cell 905-242-4207
Labels: bosses, Canadian labour, CUPE, labour, Mississauga, Ontario, Red Cross, strike
Saturday, May 29, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR- FRANCE:
FRENCH WORKERS AGAINST PENSION THEFT:
Last Thursday, May 27, tens of thousands of workers struck and took to the street in response to a call from the major labour unions to oppose the proposed pension "reforms" that would raise the retirement age in France from 60 to 62 years. While large the demonstrations and the response of workers to the strike call was decidedly smaller than expected by the unions and perhaps suggests disillusionment with the endless rounds of "half-strikes" and street marches that the major unions have relied on in their continued disputes with the conservative Sarkozy government.
It might also suggest that efforts to convince the population of the "necessity" of reduction in government benefits are bearing fruit in the atmosphere of the fiscal crisis of much of southern Europe. The drive to reduce pension benefits, however, predates the present crisis and is an ongoing campaign by governments across the world to roll back pension benefits while maintaining or increasing give-aways to corporate business. With the demise of the pseudo-alternative of the state-communist countries the ruling managerial class has long seen its way open to "rationalize" the system of social support in various ways, and one of these is the reduction of pension benefits, especially by raising the age of retirement. they are aided in this by the fact that most social democratic parties worldwide have abandoned all but the slightest pretence to a "class perspective" in their policies. Either trendy leftism such as "greenishness" or self-promotion as "better managers" has become their raison d'etre. The present fiscal crisis is merely an opportunity for long term plans to be accelerated, not some unique crisis.
It should also be noted that the raising of the age of eligible retirement is a worldwide phenomenon that happens whether a state is in a deficit position or not. In Europe Germany will bring in a retirement age of 67 next year. The trend to raising the age of retirement extends across Europe and way beyond. Retirement ages are increasing outside of Europe in places such as Australia, India, Singapore and South Korea amongst many others. It should also be noted that while a retirement age of 60 (in France) may seem generous by North American standards that there are countries such as China where the age is 60 for males and 55 for females. Appeals to "competitiveness" hardly hold water when you look at the numbers in an international context.
The attack on pension benefits in France has to be seen in the context of the worldwide tendency of government managers to shift income from the working and other lower classes to the ruling classes. They do this in the context of assurance that they have no serious consequences to face beyond possible disorder ie there is presently no widely accepted "alternative" to their rule outside of South America and its neo-caudillos. The so-called fiscal "crisis" that much of Europe faces today is, from the point of view of its managers more an "opportunity" than a crisis. Watch carefully. If France's retirement age goes from 60 to 62 it will become 65 a few years after.
Meanwhile Canada's age will creep up from 65 to 67 to 69 and finally to 70. If you are so unlucky as to have health problems come upon you before then, well tough shit. The hope of government managers is that you die before you can collect a penny.
It will be a long hard slog before a popular alternative to such policies will be built, but doubtless the anarchist movement - in more realistic aspects - will be a major force in the formulation of such a thing. Until then defensive struggles to fight back against the plans of the managers have their place, but perhaps the French are right in their lack of faith in the traditional ways of doing this.
Here's an item from the Globe and Mail about the recent "semi-strike" in France.
ILILILILILILILIL
French workers hit the streets
Paris — Reuters
Published on Thursday, May. 27, 2010 9:56AM EDT
Last updated on Thursday, May. 27, 2010 6:34PM EDT
Tens of thousands of workers took to the streets in cities across France on Thursday to protest against government plans to raise the minimum retirement age of 60 as part of a reform of the costly pension system.
Trade union leaders said the marches were the first step in a long struggle to defend the retirement age, a trademark reform of the late Socialist President Francois Mitterrand, against the current government which says it has no alternative.
Transport was working almost normally and between 10 and 20 per cent of public service workers went on strike in schools, the post office and France Telecom. A poll for the Le Parisien daily said 62 per cent of those responding were ready to demonstrate.
One of the earliest marches, in Marseille, drew a larger turnout than a previous protest day in March. Unions estimated the crowd at 80,000 while police gave a figure of 12,000.
Estimates for the Paris march were due later on Thursday.
“Only a show of force on the streets can defend the 60-year retirement age and the social achievements that [President] Nicolas Sarkozy is methodically attacking,” Bernard Thibault, secretary general of the powerful CGT union, said.
Labour Minister Eric Woerth said on Wednesday that the current retirement age was “not dogma” and Budget Minister Francois Baroin said on Thursday a pension reform bill would be debated in parliament after the summer break.
“There are basically no other measures on the table that are convincing,” Mr. Woerth told reporters.
Mr. Sarkozy added a partisan sting to the debate on Wednesday by saying, to loud protests from the opposition Socialists, that France would have “much fewer problems” if Mr. Mitterrand had not lowered the retirement age in 1983.
According to a report last month by the government-appointed Pensions Advisory Council, France’s pension system faces a funding gap of around €70-billion ($86-billion U.S.) in 2030 and that could balloon to more than €100-billion by 2050.
Like other countries in the euro zone, France is struggling to bring its swollen public deficit under control. It has announced a freeze on central government spending over the next three years but has ruled out tax increases.
According to French media reports, the government is considering increasing the retirement age to 62 or 63 years and extending the period during which contributions have to be paid to 42 years from the current level of 40.5 years by 2030.
However, President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said that no decisions had been taken as yet.
Mr. Sarkozy has singled out an overhaul of the pension system as his government’s key reform project this year but his plans already have aroused strong opposition from unions.
The CGT’s Thibault said further protests could come before the summer break. CFDT union leader Francois Chereque said: “Things will happen over time. One protest will not suffice.”
There have been expectations for several months that a rise in the retirement age would be part of the planned reform but French media have focused closely on the issue in recent days.
The transport chaos that often accompanies strikes in France was mostly absent on Thursday, partly because the reform plan would not touch costly special pension schemes for transport workers, a powerful sector that brought an earlier conservative government to its knees in 1995 when it tried to reform them.
“The government’s plan is not the toughest that could be, despite what the banners will say,” the business daily Les Echos wrote in an editorial.
French workers hit the streets
Paris — Reuters
Published on Thursday, May. 27, 2010 9:56AM EDT
Last updated on Thursday, May. 27, 2010 6:34PM EDT
Tens of thousands of workers took to the streets in cities across France on Thursday to protest against government plans to raise the minimum retirement age of 60 as part of a reform of the costly pension system.
Trade union leaders said the marches were the first step in a long struggle to defend the retirement age, a trademark reform of the late Socialist President Francois Mitterrand, against the current government which says it has no alternative.
Transport was working almost normally and between 10 and 20 per cent of public service workers went on strike in schools, the post office and France Telecom. A poll for the Le Parisien daily said 62 per cent of those responding were ready to demonstrate.
One of the earliest marches, in Marseille, drew a larger turnout than a previous protest day in March. Unions estimated the crowd at 80,000 while police gave a figure of 12,000.
Estimates for the Paris march were due later on Thursday.
“Only a show of force on the streets can defend the 60-year retirement age and the social achievements that [President] Nicolas Sarkozy is methodically attacking,” Bernard Thibault, secretary general of the powerful CGT union, said.
Labour Minister Eric Woerth said on Wednesday that the current retirement age was “not dogma” and Budget Minister Francois Baroin said on Thursday a pension reform bill would be debated in parliament after the summer break.
“There are basically no other measures on the table that are convincing,” Mr. Woerth told reporters.
Mr. Sarkozy added a partisan sting to the debate on Wednesday by saying, to loud protests from the opposition Socialists, that France would have “much fewer problems” if Mr. Mitterrand had not lowered the retirement age in 1983.
According to a report last month by the government-appointed Pensions Advisory Council, France’s pension system faces a funding gap of around €70-billion ($86-billion U.S.) in 2030 and that could balloon to more than €100-billion by 2050.
Like other countries in the euro zone, France is struggling to bring its swollen public deficit under control. It has announced a freeze on central government spending over the next three years but has ruled out tax increases.
According to French media reports, the government is considering increasing the retirement age to 62 or 63 years and extending the period during which contributions have to be paid to 42 years from the current level of 40.5 years by 2030.
However, President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said that no decisions had been taken as yet.
Mr. Sarkozy has singled out an overhaul of the pension system as his government’s key reform project this year but his plans already have aroused strong opposition from unions.
The CGT’s Thibault said further protests could come before the summer break. CFDT union leader Francois Chereque said: “Things will happen over time. One protest will not suffice.”
There have been expectations for several months that a rise in the retirement age would be part of the planned reform but French media have focused closely on the issue in recent days.
The transport chaos that often accompanies strikes in France was mostly absent on Thursday, partly because the reform plan would not touch costly special pension schemes for transport workers, a powerful sector that brought an earlier conservative government to its knees in 1995 when it tried to reform them.
“The government’s plan is not the toughest that could be, despite what the banners will say,” the business daily Les Echos wrote in an editorial.
Labels: class, financial crisis, France, general strike, international labour, labour, managerialism, pensions, strike
Sunday, May 16, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR- WINDSOR:
WILDCAT WINS VICTORY:
Quite often it is not only advisable but also necessary to step outside of the well trodden path. An example of this from the Windsor Star follows. The astute reader will note that the "unauthorized" strike- the wildcat- won its demand. The sacked worker is back at the job. Point proven.
The dismissal was probably a trial balloon on the part of the company to see how many workers they could bounce off the list of those they have to pay out when the plant closes. The other workers have spoken...everyone. Now if the talk of the floor was about workplace occupations if the company's offer isn't fair I can see victory in that case as well. Here's the story.
☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼
Fabco workers walk off job
May 12, 2010 WINDSOR, Ont. — A wildcat strike erupted at Windsor's Fabco plant Wednesday afternoon in support of a worker the union says was inappropriately suspended.
About 70 employees walked off the job just as the afternoon shift was beginning, said Gerry Farnham, president of CAW Local 195, which represents the workers.
Police said the employees briefly blocked access to the plant, but they quickly dispersed and there were no injuries.
The action was organized to support a 24-year veteran of the plant who was indefinitely suspended on Friday. Farnham said the company issued the suspension after determining the worker was not meeting production goals. But the employee had not received a verbal warning about his productivity, Farnham said, and the company didn't take the appropriate disciplinary steps before issuing the suspension.
The worker was back on the job later Wednesday. The union plans to file a grievance against the company over the suspension.
Farnham said the wildcat strike revealed tensions at the plant, which is scheduled for closure on June 30. "With the plant being prepared to close, the membership is already not in the best frame of mind. The reality of it is, you discipline someone with an indefinite suspension and the possibility of termination, obviously the membership got together and said, ‘We're not going to take that.’"
Farnham said the union will continue to fight the plant closure.
Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/Fabco+workers+walk/3020133/story.html#ixzz0o8466F2z
Fabco workers walk off job
May 12, 2010 WINDSOR, Ont. — A wildcat strike erupted at Windsor's Fabco plant Wednesday afternoon in support of a worker the union says was inappropriately suspended.
About 70 employees walked off the job just as the afternoon shift was beginning, said Gerry Farnham, president of CAW Local 195, which represents the workers.
Police said the employees briefly blocked access to the plant, but they quickly dispersed and there were no injuries.
The action was organized to support a 24-year veteran of the plant who was indefinitely suspended on Friday. Farnham said the company issued the suspension after determining the worker was not meeting production goals. But the employee had not received a verbal warning about his productivity, Farnham said, and the company didn't take the appropriate disciplinary steps before issuing the suspension.
The worker was back on the job later Wednesday. The union plans to file a grievance against the company over the suspension.
Farnham said the wildcat strike revealed tensions at the plant, which is scheduled for closure on June 30. "With the plant being prepared to close, the membership is already not in the best frame of mind. The reality of it is, you discipline someone with an indefinite suspension and the possibility of termination, obviously the membership got together and said, ‘We're not going to take that.’"
Farnham said the union will continue to fight the plant closure.
Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/entertainment/Fabco+workers+walk/3020133/story.html#ixzz0o8466F2z
Labels: Canadian labour, labour, Ontario, strike, wildcat strike, Windsor
Thursday, May 13, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR - SUDBURY:
SUDBURY BLOCKADES TAKEN DOWN:
After 7 days of blockading Vale Inco mines in Sudbury striking members of the United Steelworkers have agreed to walk away from the barricades that they erected in the face of a court order and at the behest of union officials. Not all members of the Local were pleased with the decision. The strike is now the longest one in Inco history, and many are feeling frustration that the usual tactics have failed to bring the company to the bargaining table. Hence the blockade. The union, of course, has to argue in favour of court decisions to avoid legal penalties. In some ways this is becoming a ball and chain for the strikers. The judge who issued the decision seems to be a rather bloodthirsty individual as he also criticized the "restraint" exercised by local police during the duration of the blockade. To read more and keep up with this strike see the Fair Deal Now website. In the meantime here's an article from the Sudbury Star about the end of the blockade.
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Blockades left in police hands
By BOB VAILLANCOURT,
Blockades left in police hands
By BOB VAILLANCOURT,
THE SUDBURY STAR
In a decision handed down just hours after two blockades were removed from Vale Inco property in Sudbury, Superior Court Justice Robbie Gordon ruled he would leave the removal of the blockades in the hands of the police.
"Vale is understandably impatient," Gordon said in his ruling Wednesday.
While the company is being denied access to its properties, "vast economic loss is incurred, many persons are deprived of their right to earn a living and public safety is put at risk due to the volatility of some of the industrial operations which are involved," the judge wrote in a four-page decision.
He was impressed with police lawyer Jack Braithwaite's presentation, Gordon wrote.
He was also aware of the case law that suggests he only intervene with the police role "if there was to be evidence of bad faith or evidence that police have acted or are acting improperly ...
"Accordingly, I will not at this time make any further order with respect to enforcement."
One day earlier, Gordon voiced his frustration with police inaction in the 10-month long labour dispute between the United Steelworkers and mining giant Vale Inco.
"The police have not acted, to my knowledge, in a single incident" on the picket line, he said. And in the three days the barricades have been up, police have ignored them, he said.
Lawyers for Vale Inco had gone before the judge Tuesday asking that he order the police to immediately remove the blockades, which were preventing the company from accessing its Coleman Mine property in Levack and the Clarabelle mill property in Sudbury.
The blockades, Gordon said, violated earlier orders he had issued allowing the company and its replacement workers access to facilities.
As a result, the company was asking the court "to take steps to address non-compliance with, and lack of respect, for the orders made by the court."
In a decision handed down just hours after two blockades were removed from Vale Inco property in Sudbury, Superior Court Justice Robbie Gordon ruled he would leave the removal of the blockades in the hands of the police.
"Vale is understandably impatient," Gordon said in his ruling Wednesday.
While the company is being denied access to its properties, "vast economic loss is incurred, many persons are deprived of their right to earn a living and public safety is put at risk due to the volatility of some of the industrial operations which are involved," the judge wrote in a four-page decision.
He was impressed with police lawyer Jack Braithwaite's presentation, Gordon wrote.
He was also aware of the case law that suggests he only intervene with the police role "if there was to be evidence of bad faith or evidence that police have acted or are acting improperly ...
"Accordingly, I will not at this time make any further order with respect to enforcement."
One day earlier, Gordon voiced his frustration with police inaction in the 10-month long labour dispute between the United Steelworkers and mining giant Vale Inco.
"The police have not acted, to my knowledge, in a single incident" on the picket line, he said. And in the three days the barricades have been up, police have ignored them, he said.
Lawyers for Vale Inco had gone before the judge Tuesday asking that he order the police to immediately remove the blockades, which were preventing the company from accessing its Coleman Mine property in Levack and the Clarabelle mill property in Sudbury.
The blockades, Gordon said, violated earlier orders he had issued allowing the company and its replacement workers access to facilities.
As a result, the company was asking the court "to take steps to address non-compliance with, and lack of respect, for the orders made by the court."
MOLLY NOTE:
A public health warning...excessive self importance on the part of the judiciary may lead to fatal constipation. Learn to recognize the signs.
Labels: Canadian labour, current events, labour, strike, Sudbury, United Steel Workers., Vale Inco, Vale Inco strike
Saturday, May 01, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR- SOUTH AFRICA:
VICTORY FOR SOUTH AFRICAN MUNICIPAL WORKERS:
After a week long general strike municipal workers in South Africa gained a victory as the association of municipalities has agreed to a standard job evaluation across the country. The victory was won because instead of trying to bargain individually the workers launched the general strike across the country, preventing the local authorities from picking them off one a group at a time. A lesson to be learned here ? Here's a report of what happened from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
SASASASASASASASA
Victory for South African Municipal workers
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has concluded a seven day general strike. The call to action was due to the employer’s refusal to implement a standard wage system. For seven days SAMWU members remained on the streets for fair wages while the union negotiations team bargained intensely with the South African local government association (SALGA).
“The success of the seven day national strike to ensure that all municipal workers are paid fairly is a great accomplishment,” said CUPE National President Paul Moist. South African municipalities had been able to exploit workers by paying below the correct wage level. As a result of the mass action SAMWU members now have an agreement on wage curves starting 1 July 2010.
Key issues that gave rise to the strike were: SALGA’s refusal to introduce a job evaluation system that will grade all jobs in the sector. The absence of this system allowed individual municipalities to arbitrarily grade jobs and assign their own salary to that job. This led to massive abuse and favouritism. Although SALGA was willing to introduce a job evaluation system it was only prepared to pay at half of the market rates for jobs such as nurses, plumbers, electricians, engineers and technicians. This underpayment of staff led to a loss of skills from the sector as workers seek better paid jobs elsewhere.
Following seven days of general strike action, SALGA conceded to the union’s demands. “CUPE is impressed with the action SAMWU members have taken to stand up for a fair wage system and to push SALGA to use their resources to fund public service delivery for the communities they serve,” added Moist.
Labels: CUPE, international labour, labour, South Africa, strike
Friday, April 23, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR-SUDBURY:
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE SUDBURY STRIKERS:
Molly has mentioned the strike against Vale Inco in Sudbury many times before on this blog, and I have also expressed my opinion that this struggle is very crucial insofar as a "victory" on the part of Vale Inco management,will 'set the bar' as to how managerial power will be able to determine both working conditions and compensation for years to come. The Vale Inco strike is important far beyond the immediate disagreements in Sudbury. Others have recognized this. What follows is a pdf available at the Fair Deal Now website about the Sudbury workers are supported by workers across the world.
This is undoubtedly "comforting" to those who are on strike in Sudbury. Yet it has little effect "on the ground". While recognizing that I am not immediately involved in this strike and therefore being somewhat reluctant to offer "advise" what is happening in Sudbury now seems to cry out for an escalation of tactics as production is resumed more and more via scab labour. Perhaps it's time to consider occupying the workplaces in Sudbury. Yeah, I know just how illegal this is, but it is no less illegal than the previous proposal of union leadership to block the 401 in support of their NDP friends in the Legislature.
Occupying the workplace (ie the mines and the processing facilities) brings the whole matter to an "immediate question". Will the corporation be more be reasonable when their plans for hiring scabs become an impossibility ? Can government be better persuaded to come down on the side of the workers when an occupation hits the world news ? All these things are indefinite. Molly, however, says that something new obviously has to be tried. I suggest an occupation of the mines and the processing plants.
Are people will to defy the law that is stacked against them ? The alternative is to see the strike defeated.Think about it,
Here's the story about the international solidarity from the Fair Deal Now website.
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Declaration of Solidarity with the USW (Canada)
We the 80 organizations from Brazil and 13 other countries that took part in the North
and South fact-finding tours and attended the FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEETING
OF THOSE AFFECTED BY VALE in Rio de Janeiro, declare our repudiation for
Vale’s aggressive posture toward Canadian workers. They have been on strike for 9
months against the attempt by Vale to dismantle rights fought for and won decades
ago. In order to put pressure on workers, in disloyal and arrogant fashion, Vale has
announced it will restart activities in the mines with replacement workers, i.e., scabs.
We reject this attitude and declare our full support and solidarity for the members of
the USW, on strike for their rights. We demand the immediate re-opening of
negotiations, for bargaining to be conducted in good faith and lead to a fair deal for
Canadian workers!
Declaration of Solidarity with the USW (Canada)
We the 80 organizations from Brazil and 13 other countries that took part in the North
and South fact-finding tours and attended the FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEETING
OF THOSE AFFECTED BY VALE in Rio de Janeiro, declare our repudiation for
Vale’s aggressive posture toward Canadian workers. They have been on strike for 9
months against the attempt by Vale to dismantle rights fought for and won decades
ago. In order to put pressure on workers, in disloyal and arrogant fashion, Vale has
announced it will restart activities in the mines with replacement workers, i.e., scabs.
We reject this attitude and declare our full support and solidarity for the members of
the USW, on strike for their rights. We demand the immediate re-opening of
negotiations, for bargaining to be conducted in good faith and lead to a fair deal for
Canadian workers!
Vale has used the global economic crisis to put pressure on workers the world over, to
reduce pay, increase hours, fire people and reduce hard-won rights. The strike, begun
by Canadian workers in June 2009, is an important example of struggle and
resistance against the arrogance and intransigence of the company. In Brazil, workers
suffer from unjustified dismissals, lack of workplace safety and pressures of various
kinds, which have often led them to suicide. The high rates of labour outsourcing at
Vale (out of 146,000 jobs, 83,000 are indirect) mean that the company sheds its
responsibility and obligation to provide its employees with better working conditions,
pay, health and lives. It thus makes labour relations more precarious.
More than ever before, we are energized by the fact-finding tours and by the
FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEETING, and identify with and lend our solidarity
to Vale Inco workers in Canada! The fight for dignified and safe work —
whose resulting wealth belongs to all of society — is a fight that belongs to us
all!
One day longer, one day stronger!!!
Globalize the Struggle, Globalize Hope!!!!
FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEETING, and identify with and lend our solidarity
to Vale Inco workers in Canada! The fight for dignified and safe work —
whose resulting wealth belongs to all of society — is a fight that belongs to us
all!
One day longer, one day stronger!!!
Globalize the Struggle, Globalize Hope!!!!
Labels: Canadian labour, labour, strike, Sudbury, tactics, Vale Inco, Vale Inco strike, workplace occupations
Thursday, April 22, 2010
AMERICAN LABOUR- MASSACHUSETTS:
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY SUPERVALU:
Since last month workers at the Shaw Supermarket distribution centre in Methuen MA have been on strike. Supervalu is the parent company of Shaw, and even though they basically set the negotiations for their subsidiary they refuse to acknowledge their responsibility. The following appeal from the Jobs With Justice group asks that you support the workers by putting pressure on Supervalu.
SVSVSVSVSVSVSVSV
Tell Supervalu to be good Parents!
Support Striking Shaw's Grocery Workers
Supervalu, the parent company of New England grocery store chain Shaw's, is behaving badly. The 310 workers from Shaw's Supermarkets Distribution Center in Methuen, MA, members of UFCW Local 791, have been on strike for almost 7 weeks. Although Supervalu is the driving force behind negotiations, they refuse to take responsibility and come back to the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith. They claim that they are not responsible for their subsidiary Shaw's.
Call and write Supervalu today to tell them to be good parents and settle the strike now!
- Call Supervalu CEO Craig Herkert at (952) 828-4000
- Send a fax to Supervalu http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/supervalu/wukd7sd9y7mbw3k3?
Last month, union workers at Shaw's distribution center voted to go out on strike after the company refused to return to the bargaining table. Workers rejected a company proposal that would have increased employees' health insurance payments, resulting in a net loss of pay.
To make matters worse, the company is threatening to permanently replace all striking workers, placing all the workers at the distribution center's jobs in peril. Shaw's followed up its refusal to bargain with an announcement that they were going to lay off 4% of the workers in its local stores. Then the company announced that, "store associates who are laid off will be offered positions at the Methuen, Mass., distribution center as permanent replacements for 300 striking workers." Then the company announced it was ending health benefits for the workers it has refused to bargain with.
The new CEO Supervalu, Craig Herkert is the former president/CEO of Wal-Mart's operations in North and South America. Supervalu could pay him an annual bonus of more than $2.5 million if the company meets certain "targets" for net earnings. In January, the company announced quarterly net earnings of $109 million. Supervalu is the parent company for grocery stores nationwide, including Albertson's, Jewel-Osco, Cub Foods, Shopper's food Warehouse, and Acme among others. Tell Supervalu to be good parents and settle the strike now!
You can take action on this alert either via email (please see directions below) or via the web at: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/supervalu/wukd7sd9y7mbw3k3? Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/supervalu/forward/wukd7sd9y7mbw3k3?
We encourage you to take action by June 30, 2010
Tell Supervalu to be good Parents!
Support Striking Shaw's Grocery Workers
----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
I support Shaw's Methuen Warehouse workers in their struggle fora fair contract and a living wage with decent benefits. I am writing to express my outrage that your company has forced hundreds of Shaw's warehouse workers onto a picket line to protect good jobs in their community and affordable health care, and has threatened to replace your workers.
Supervalu, as Shaw's parent company, has a responsibility to ensure that Shaw's comes back to the table to negotiate a fair contract. Shaw's cut off health care coverage for strikers and their families, ignoring the plea from U.S. Congressman Michael E.Capuano (D-MA) to reinstate their coverage. The company announced a lay-off of 1,000 workers in their retail stores and offered them positions in the Methuen warehouse in an attempt to permanently replace the strikers.
Many respected voices including political, religious, labor and community leaders have asked Shaw's to come back to the table. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick sent a letter to the UFCW and to Shaw's on April 12 in which he offered to mediate a settlement and Shaw's refused to participate. I urge you to sit down at the bargaining table and bargain in good faith in order to work out a reasonable and fair agreement so that the hardworking men and women at your Methuen, Mass.,warehouse can go back to work and resume their lives.
Labels: American labour, labour, Massachusetts, Shaw Foods, solidarity., strike, Supervalu, UFCW, USA
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
AMERICAN LABOUR-NEW YORK:
SOLIDARITY WITH MOTT'S WORKERS:
Workers at the Mott's plant in Williamson NY have recently taken a strike vote, and voted overwhelmingly to go out if management persists in its unreasonable demands. Mott's, despite its high profits is begging poverty and wants to both roll back wages and abolish the workers' pension plans. The workers, represented by the RWDSU, have launched a campaign for public pressure on Mott's management to force them to bargain realistically. Here's the appeal from the American Rights At Work group.
ALALALALALALAL
Take Action:
Take Action:
Tell Mott's Management: Don't Take Money out of Workers' Pockets!
The Mott's company is raking it in and its market share is up. Just last year, its parent company - the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group - earned $555 million in profits.
The popular apple sauce and juice company should be rewarding its workers for the company’s success.
But Mott's is doing the opposite. At the Williamson, NY, facility, management is trying to slash wages by as much as $2.50 per hour AND take away the workers' pension plan!
Tell the parent company President Larry D. Young: Mott's workers deserve better!
ALALALALALALAL
The Mott's company is raking it in and its market share is up. Just last year, its parent company - the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group - earned $555 million in profits.
The popular apple sauce and juice company should be rewarding its workers for the company’s success.
But Mott's is doing the opposite. At the Williamson, NY, facility, management is trying to slash wages by as much as $2.50 per hour AND take away the workers' pension plan!
Tell the parent company President Larry D. Young: Mott's workers deserve better!
ALALALALALALAL
The Letter:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to Mott's management.
ALALALALALALAL
Dear Mr. Young,
As a consumer who cares about how a company treats its workers, I am writing to express my concern about the Mott's facility in upstate New York. It has come to my attention that Dr. Pepper Snapple, as Mott's parent company, is trying to slash workers' wages and pension plans despite the fact that the company is profitable and financially healthy.
It is an outrage that a company would seek to take advantage of a distressed economy to inflict further economic pain on workers in upstate New York. I would ask that you do what you can to intervene in this situation and work with the union to reach a fair contract that protects workers' pay and retirement.
Dear Mr. Young,
As a consumer who cares about how a company treats its workers, I am writing to express my concern about the Mott's facility in upstate New York. It has come to my attention that Dr. Pepper Snapple, as Mott's parent company, is trying to slash workers' wages and pension plans despite the fact that the company is profitable and financially healthy.
It is an outrage that a company would seek to take advantage of a distressed economy to inflict further economic pain on workers in upstate New York. I would ask that you do what you can to intervene in this situation and work with the union to reach a fair contract that protects workers' pay and retirement.
ALALALALALALAL
Here's an article from the Prnewswire that gives more background on this dispute.
ALALALALALALAL
Mott's Workers Authorize Strike as Company Refuses to Bargain
Profitable Company Trying to Cut Workers' Wages
WILLIAMSON, N.Y., April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over 300 members of Local 220 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, UFCW, voted to authorize a strike if no agreement can be reached with Mott's for workers at the company's Williamson, NY facility. The vote, which was 250-5, gives authorization for the union to call a strike if the company continues to engage in unfair labor practices and refuses to bargain.
"We may have no choice," said RWDSU Local 220 President Mike Leberth. "All we want is a fair contract but the company refuses to even talk to us."
"We want to reach an agreement with Mott's," said RWDSU Representative Ron Duncan. "We stand ready to bargain but the company has taken this position that we should just shut up and accept whatever they are offering. It's really disgraceful that they want to take away from their employees at a time when the company is doing well."
"The employees of Mott's deserve better," said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. "The company should be working with us to resolve whatever issues there may be. But from the beginning they came to the table looking for drastic cuts to workers' wages and pension even though the company is very profitable. There is no economic reason, no justification, for taking money away from the workers. None. They are simply trying to take advantage of the bad economy and high unemployment in the area."
Mott's LLP is a subsidiary of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG). Last year alone DPSG earned $555 million in profits.
"Mott's told us we were simply making too much," said Leberth. "They said they know they are profitable. I guess they figure they can put their hands in our pockets and nobody will care."
"These are hardworking people, decent people, and what the company is trying to do will cause a lot of hardship," said Appelbaum. "That they won't even try and work this out is inexcusable. They may give us no choice but to strike."
Despite Mott's aggressive stance at the bargaining table the union was trying to reach an agreement that would protect workers' wages, health coverage and other benefits. The company made an offer on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, that the union brought to the membership for a vote. That offer was rejected by a vote of 272-18 and the union sought to continue bargaining. The company refused and even threatened to cut workers' wages if their "final" offer was not accepted. The union has filed unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board over the company's conduct.
"The company has violated the National Labor Relations Act and we are confident that the board will find in our favor," said Duncan.
The RWDSU represent 100,000 members in the United States and Canada and is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers.
SOURCE Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
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RELATED LINKS
http://www.rwdsu.org
Mott's Workers Authorize Strike as Company Refuses to Bargain
Profitable Company Trying to Cut Workers' Wages
WILLIAMSON, N.Y., April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over 300 members of Local 220 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, UFCW, voted to authorize a strike if no agreement can be reached with Mott's for workers at the company's Williamson, NY facility. The vote, which was 250-5, gives authorization for the union to call a strike if the company continues to engage in unfair labor practices and refuses to bargain.
"We may have no choice," said RWDSU Local 220 President Mike Leberth. "All we want is a fair contract but the company refuses to even talk to us."
"We want to reach an agreement with Mott's," said RWDSU Representative Ron Duncan. "We stand ready to bargain but the company has taken this position that we should just shut up and accept whatever they are offering. It's really disgraceful that they want to take away from their employees at a time when the company is doing well."
"The employees of Mott's deserve better," said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. "The company should be working with us to resolve whatever issues there may be. But from the beginning they came to the table looking for drastic cuts to workers' wages and pension even though the company is very profitable. There is no economic reason, no justification, for taking money away from the workers. None. They are simply trying to take advantage of the bad economy and high unemployment in the area."
Mott's LLP is a subsidiary of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG). Last year alone DPSG earned $555 million in profits.
"Mott's told us we were simply making too much," said Leberth. "They said they know they are profitable. I guess they figure they can put their hands in our pockets and nobody will care."
"These are hardworking people, decent people, and what the company is trying to do will cause a lot of hardship," said Appelbaum. "That they won't even try and work this out is inexcusable. They may give us no choice but to strike."
Despite Mott's aggressive stance at the bargaining table the union was trying to reach an agreement that would protect workers' wages, health coverage and other benefits. The company made an offer on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, that the union brought to the membership for a vote. That offer was rejected by a vote of 272-18 and the union sought to continue bargaining. The company refused and even threatened to cut workers' wages if their "final" offer was not accepted. The union has filed unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board over the company's conduct.
"The company has violated the National Labor Relations Act and we are confident that the board will find in our favor," said Duncan.
The RWDSU represent 100,000 members in the United States and Canada and is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers.
SOURCE Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union
Back to top
RELATED LINKS
http://www.rwdsu.org
Labels: American labour, campaigns, labour, Mott's, RWDSU, solidarity., strike, USA
Friday, March 26, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR- USA/GREECE:
IWW SOLIDARITY STATEMENT WITH GREEK STRIKERS:
As the series of general strikes continue against the austerity plan of the Greek government the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) has seen fit to send the following message of solidarity.
IWWIWWIWWIWW
Solidarity Statement with Workers in Struggle in Greece
The International Solidarity Commission (ISC) of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) supports the workers in struggle in Greece and their strike actions in opposition to the threat of "austerity measures" by the Greek government, who claim those measures are needed to stop the country from bankruptcy. We are encouraged to see workers across Greece take a stand against the government's gamble with their livelihoods and exploitation of their labour. They have taken to the streets, and stopped working in a visible and powerful refusal to pay for the mess of the banks and financial speculators.
Rather then acquiesce to the official lie of a nation united in necessary sacrifice for the common good, they have exposed that the working class are not the cause of the crisis. We will not suffer for it. As the slogan goes, in Greece and elsewhere, we won't pay for their crisis! As one of the first countries threatening such wide-sweeping cuts, and in turn verging on bankruptcy in this crisis, the protests of workers in Greece are for us all.
As governments across the world respond to the current recession, a fruit of the unfettered gambling by capitalists with the wealth of the earth and the labour of workers everywhere, by further cutting into the subsistence and rights of the working class, we are glad to express our solidarity with the workers of Greece.
Solidarity Statement with Workers in Struggle in Greece
The International Solidarity Commission (ISC) of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) supports the workers in struggle in Greece and their strike actions in opposition to the threat of "austerity measures" by the Greek government, who claim those measures are needed to stop the country from bankruptcy. We are encouraged to see workers across Greece take a stand against the government's gamble with their livelihoods and exploitation of their labour. They have taken to the streets, and stopped working in a visible and powerful refusal to pay for the mess of the banks and financial speculators.
Rather then acquiesce to the official lie of a nation united in necessary sacrifice for the common good, they have exposed that the working class are not the cause of the crisis. We will not suffer for it. As the slogan goes, in Greece and elsewhere, we won't pay for their crisis! As one of the first countries threatening such wide-sweeping cuts, and in turn verging on bankruptcy in this crisis, the protests of workers in Greece are for us all.
As governments across the world respond to the current recession, a fruit of the unfettered gambling by capitalists with the wealth of the earth and the labour of workers everywhere, by further cutting into the subsistence and rights of the working class, we are glad to express our solidarity with the workers of Greece.
We are grateful to them for refusing to comply with the lie of "austerity" measures, which amount to the demand of a sacrifice by the poor for the benefit of the rich and for continuing to take a brave stand in the face of police repression.
In the hope that their struggle, which is also a struggle for workers everywhere, may continue and succeed, the IWW aim to lend our support, by action in solidarity, where it is within our grasp to do so, in our firm knowledge that 'an injury to one is an injury to all'.
In Solidarity,
The ISC of the IWW
Labels: Greece, Greek strikes, international labour, IWW, labour, solidarity., statements, strike, USA
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR - ONTARIO:
SHUTTING DOWN THE PROVINCE ?:
Several thousand people attending the international solidarity rally in support of striking Steelworkers Local 6500 workers in Sudbury last Sunday were treated to an interesting speech by international union president Leo Gerard. As the following article from Northern Life says Gerard asserted that the union intended to press for anti-scab legislation in Ontario with direct action such as shutting down Highway 401 if necessary.
Now this may be just tough talk, and one shouldn't hold one's breath while waiting for the union bureaucracy to initiate such a thing. Still, Molly thinks it is a very worthwhile thing to consider. Such an action would be far more worthy of the term "direct action" than what often passes for such amongst a certain part of the anarchist "scene" in North America. For one thing it would be done by mainly the people immediately concerned themselves (no doubt with some support). For another it would have a clear and achievable goal, something that mini-riots of a couple of hundred people who want to prove that they are "against capitalism" do not. These two facts would mean that such an action would have a local base of community support to whom the goals would be clear, whether such supporters agreed with everything the protesters did or not. This would certainly be far different from the travelling rent-a-riot where it seems they glory in offending those (the great, great vast majority) that they look down on. It is also far less likely to be violent because people involved in such a blockade would have goals rather than something to prove. Food for thought. Food for thought. It's unlikely to happen just as it is unlikely that the government of Ontario will bend and actually pass anti-scab legislation. Still...the very fact that the idea has been breached is a great thing in the context of present Canadian politics.
Here's the story from Northern Life.
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'Shut down' province to force anti-scab legislation: Gerard
Leo Gerard was one of an estimated 5,000 people who came out to support striking members of Steelworkers Local 6500 during the union's Bridging the Gap rally. Photo by Bill Bradley.
Mar 23, 2010
By: Heidi Ulrichsen - Sudbury Northern Life Staff
UPDATED — March 23, 9:02 a.m.
When Vale Inco attempts to bring “scabs” into Sudbury, the United Steelworkers union will push to have anti-scab legislation passed in the province, even if it means closing down Highway 401, the Steelworkers international president told those attending a rally at the Sudbury Arena March 22.
'Shut down' province to force anti-scab legislation: Gerard
Leo Gerard was one of an estimated 5,000 people who came out to support striking members of Steelworkers Local 6500 during the union's Bridging the Gap rally. Photo by Bill Bradley.
Mar 23, 2010
By: Heidi Ulrichsen - Sudbury Northern Life Staff
UPDATED — March 23, 9:02 a.m.
When Vale Inco attempts to bring “scabs” into Sudbury, the United Steelworkers union will push to have anti-scab legislation passed in the province, even if it means closing down Highway 401, the Steelworkers international president told those attending a rally at the Sudbury Arena March 22.
Leo Gerard was one of several thousand people who came out to support striking members of Steelworkers Local 6500 during the union's Bridging the Gap rally. They marched from the union's Brady Street hall to the Sudbury Arena, yelling raucous union chants.
The rally, which was attended by union leaders from across the country and around the world, was originally supposed to take place on the Paris Street bridge, but the venue was changed last week because of safety concerns over the location.
Gerard said the provincial NDP, with the help of the union, would bring in anti-scab legislation “even if we have to shut this whole goddamn province down.”
Provincial NDP leader Andrea Horwath said anti-scab legislation need to be brought in by the province, and also said the province should be “doing something to get binding arbitration” so the Steelworkers can get back to work.
The union leader also took issue with a letter posted by Vale Inco president and CEO Tito Martins on one of the company's websites last week.
In the letter, Martins said the Steelworkers leadership has relied on “misinformation, racism,intolerance and xenophobia...to further its position in a country like Canada that prides itself as a model of multiculturalism.”
Standing with union leaders from around the world behind him, Gerard said he “resents from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head” being called racist.
“These are my sisters and brothers,” he said, referring to the union leaders behind him. “We have a global union. We don't resent our brothers and sisters. We resent the management causing this fight unnecessarily.”
Martins said in his letter that it's ironic that the Steelworkers have taken this position, given that it's an American union. Gerard said he is not foreign to Sudbury, as he grew up here, and was a member of Local 6500.
Gerard also addressed another statement in Martins' letter, which said “it appears name calling comes easier than negotiating.”
“Tito, come to Sudbury tomorrow, we're ready to negotiate. Come to Sudbury tomorrow, or shut your goddamn mouth,” he said.
Federal NDP leader Jack Layton was also among those who attended the rally.
He said multinational corporations around the world are watching the strike in Sudbury to see if Vale Inco can “beat the workers.”
“Well, I said it last September (at a previous rally in Sudbury), and I'll say it again. You picked the wrong union, and you picked the wrong town.”
For the full story, read the Thursday edition of Northern Life.
Labels: blockades, Canadian labour, direct action, labour, Ontario, rallies, strike, Sudbury, United Steel Workers., Vale Inco, Vale Inco strike
Friday, March 19, 2010
INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT- GREECE:
STATEMENT OF THE ESE:
The game of international chicken continues between the government of Greece, the EU, international markets and the working class of Greece. More strikes, general or otherwise, as well as more militant actions are undoubtedly on the menu in weeks to come. Meanwhile each of the statist and corporate players continues to play their hand in full knowledge that they simply can't get everything that they might want. They do, however intend to hold out for all that they can get. Here is the statement of the anarcho-syndicalist Greek ESE union on the present crisis. The following English translation appeared at the Anarkismo website.
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Everyone To The Streets!
We neither fear you nor will we pay for your crisis
Your financial system has failed
Capitalism and governments are the real crisis
Society in the hands of the workers!
Two worlds collide:
On the one hand, society, the world of labour, the unemployed, who are suffering the effects of the harshest attack in recent years (wage cuts, job losses and terrorism from the bosses), all of us who have to take loans to survive from month to month, all of us have been forced to survive in the galleys of modern cities by a rotten, corrupt and unjust system and quits to work to cope on profits of companies and enterprises.
On the other hand, the “socialist” government, PASOK politicians, New Democracy, the LAOS fascists, who along with the European Union and its bankers, businessmen, and everyone around them, who talk about crisis and aim to return to the Middle Ages.
They are the ones
*who ravaged our pension funds,
*who sunk to the scandals, interweaving (in the public and private sectors), all of them who were telling us tales about currency unification, loans, stock, banks, Olympic Games and Eurovision, subsidies, a strong Greece.
*whose descendants will not have to spend the next one hundred thousand years working and they are now talking to us about crisis and bankruptcy, asking us to tighten our belts because "the motherland is in danger"
*who forced us to work for the Tax Authorities, IKA, TEVE, etc., and the bankrupt, corrupt State, talking about social harmony and consensus. The frayed collars of the interweaving, the media, the fascists, the bosses, the so-called union of GSEE and ADEDY, politicians and businessmen... the crisis is all of them. They want us frightened into subservience, in a truly difficult situation where the financial and psychological burden of the attack that everyone is suffering is unbearable. We are not afraid of anything, except that all of them will continue to manage and affect our lives.
*who ravaged our pension funds,
*who sunk to the scandals, interweaving (in the public and private sectors), all of them who were telling us tales about currency unification, loans, stock, banks, Olympic Games and Eurovision, subsidies, a strong Greece.
*whose descendants will not have to spend the next one hundred thousand years working and they are now talking to us about crisis and bankruptcy, asking us to tighten our belts because "the motherland is in danger"
*who forced us to work for the Tax Authorities, IKA, TEVE, etc., and the bankrupt, corrupt State, talking about social harmony and consensus. The frayed collars of the interweaving, the media, the fascists, the bosses, the so-called union of GSEE and ADEDY, politicians and businessmen... the crisis is all of them. They want us frightened into subservience, in a truly difficult situation where the financial and psychological burden of the attack that everyone is suffering is unbearable. We are not afraid of anything, except that all of them will continue to manage and affect our lives.
We must not become the victims of the crisis!
Kick them out!
Self-management in the workplace - indefinite general strikes!
Daily struggle for freedom and dignity
ELEFTHERIAKI SYNDIKALISTIKI ENOSI (ESE – Libertarian Syndicalist Union)
Thessaloniki, Greece
Related Link: http://www.esethessalonikis.gr/
Related Link: http://www.esethessalonikis.gr/
Labels: anarchism, anarcho-syndicalism, economic crisis, ESE, general strike, Greece, international anarchist movement, international politics, strike
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR-WINNIPEG:
CNIB STRIKERS/LOCKED OUT WORKERS SUPPORTED BY CLIENTS:
The CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) strike/lockout began yesterday March 15 here in Winnipeg. I have to admit that there is one thing that has always puzzled me about labour law here in Canada. Quite frankly I can't see any advantage to employers being the first to "draw their guns" and declare a lockout on the eve of an impending strike. If anything they should wait until labour "makes the first move" in terms of public support. Labour is certainly always happy to declare that they are locked out as opposed to being on strike, and to me the advantages of this are obvious. Could somebody more familiar with the law enlighten me ?
In any case the union, Local 832 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, has certainly been quick off the bat in garnering public support for their positions. Here, from their website, is a story about how clients of the CNIB have rallied behind the workers that serve them. Rather inspiring actually as management has been rather treacherous to clients in the past while workers have defended them.
Please refer to the Winnipeg Wobbly Blog as well as the Local website for further coverage of this strike.
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Clients who use CNIB Services outraged
Will support striking CNIB staff on picket line.
UFCW Local 832 members working at Canadian Institute for the Blind (CNIB) will have the support of the people they help in Manitoba on the picket line at 1080 Portage Avenue.
Will support striking CNIB staff on picket line.
UFCW Local 832 members working at Canadian Institute for the Blind (CNIB) will have the support of the people they help in Manitoba on the picket line at 1080 Portage Avenue.
Many of the clients that receive assistance from the staff at CNIB are ready to show their support and walk with them in hopes the remaining issue of paid sick leave can be resolved.
“I think it’s appalling that this strike is taking place. The support workers and everyone on strike have been very good to us, and they were there for us when CNIB closed down our specialty store in 2007. So we want them to know they have our support and hopefully the CNIB will put an end to this strike quickly,” said Eric Mackinder who is a client at the CNIB and the Winnipeg Chapter President for the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians.
The members at CNIB have already agreed to the company’s proposal of a wage freeze in the first year and their proposal of 2.5 per cent in the second year. The unionized staff at CNIB is paid generally $5 less per hour less than other non-profit organizations in the province. The remaining issues are over the reductions to the paid sick leave and long term disability the members have had since their first collective agreement. Both of which the company has stated at the bargaining table are not being abused.
Labels: Canadian labour, CNIB, CNIB strike, labour, labour law, local events, lockouts, strike, UFCW, UFCW Local 832, Winnipeg, Winnipeg Wobbly Blog
