MORE NEWS FROM I07

The international syndicalist conference I07 held late last moth in Paris was apparently a resounding success. More news of what happened continues to trickle in. The latest item is an English translation of an article from Royo y Negro, the house organ of the Spanish CGT. The original is in Spanish. The English translation is available via an article on a-infos and also from the Anarkismo site. The interview says that even though visa problems prevented some from attending that 250 foreign delegates were present, and it claims a total of 6,000 people for the CNTf contingent of the May Day march that followed. Delegates from across the world attended(see previous Molly report) and language problems were something of a hitch.

There is complaint that the need for simultaneous translation in French, Castillian and English slowed the process somewhat. The process, however, could be an inspiring example of internationalism. At one point the speech from a delegate from the Siberian SKT was being translated from Russian into French by a comrade from Mali who happened to know Russian.

The interview goes on to discuss the French CNT's relations with other French anarchist groups and with the SUD(Solidaire, Unitaire et Democratique) unions. The CNT has better relations with the transport section of SUD than with other sections as the SUD due to complicity of the SUD in having the CNT declared illegal in the postal section.

Much more to read about I07 from the interview. Have a look.

I07 - A PRELIMINARY MOLLY REPORT:

The international anarcho-syndicalist conference, I07, held in Paris last weekend was a resounded success. Even though some delegates from Palestine and Africa were unable to attend because they were refused visas people representing union initiatives from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Guinea, Cameroun, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali,Benin,Burkino Faso, Madegascar, Bangladesh, Palestine,Siberia, Turkey, Columbia, Mexico, Argentina, the USA, Brasil, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Greece, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain,Sweden, New Zealand and, of course, France made their way to Paris to network and plan further actions. Canada was conspicuously absent. The meetings on April 28th and 29th resulted in many fruitful discussions and plans for future campaigns. The meetings that were held included that of syndicates in certain industries, on unemployment, on the different national laws that restrict and condition the right to organize, public services and privatisation, the European Union, migration, ecology, women workers, antifascism, Chiapas, prisons, the worldwide campaign against Coca-Cola, imperialism and neo-colonialism, youth, the upcoming G8 meeting in Germany and regional meetings such as that of the Mediterranean region. It should be noted that the conference affirmed that the formation of cooperatives is a legitimate and valuable means of syndicalist struggle especially in the face of factory closures. This attitude contrasts with that of the more doctrinaire anarcho-syndicalists who disparage the building of cooperatives.

More later on this meeting on Molly's blog. In addition to the reference given previously on this blog go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/8163962@NO8 for more photos of this event.

More later,

Molly

PHOTOS FROM

I07- PARIS:

The I07 conference of the new syndicalist movement in Paris was a resounding success. After the conference the participants joined the annual May Day parade in Paris as part of the anarchist contingent. Estimates of the anarchist bloc vary from 2 to 6 thousand people, all unmarred by juvenile antics trying to resurrect the decaying corpse of the 'Black Bloc'. The success of the conference and the large anarchist presence shows that anarchism has something to offer the world besides play-acting at street fighting.

Molly will report on the conference as news comes in. If you want to see more photos of the anarchist contingent go to http://Indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/72984/index.php

I07 INTERNATIONAL SYNDICALIST FORUM:

The I07 International syndicalist forum is ongoing in Paris as we speak. This is a gathering of syndicalists from all the continents of the world to discuss the way forward for a new and militant unionism. The conference is sponsored by the French CNT-Vignoles. , a growing anarchosyndicalist confederation. This conference now has a new open forum so that you can follow the events more closely and even comment on same. You can register at the I07 Open Forum and follow the conference as it unfolds.

INTERNATIONAL SYNDICALIST CONFERENCE:
PARIS, APRIL 27th TO MAY 1st, 2007:
Previous conferences of the international syndicalist and anarchosyndicalist movement have been held in San Francisco in 1999 and Essen, Germany in 2002. The French CNT (CNT Vignoles http://www.cent-f.org ) has undertaken to host another gathering to point the way forward for international libertarian unionism.
The conference will begin on Friday, April 27th with a reception of the delagates. The morning of Saturday the 28th will be taken up with meetings and presentations of the various unions on numerous topics such as the cost of living, wages, redundancy, privatization, labour rights, institutions, revolutionary syndicalism, repression,etc.. The afternoon will be given over to "sectoral presentations" such as construction, education, postal services, health, janitorial services, cultural, press, transport, steel industry, agricultural, etc.. The day will conclude with a concert in the evening.
On Sunday the 29th the morning will be devoted to other libertarian themes that intersect with the union struggle such as women's struggles, anti-fascism, social ecology, housing immigration and imperialism. In the afternoon there will be a collective presentation of the various meetings, and a general assembly will follow in the evening. Monday, the 30th will be devoted to a showing of "militant movies" and visits to various locations in Paris. On Tuesday the conference will join other French anarchists for the annual Mayday demonstrations in Paris.
To keep up to date with the plans visit the site of the French CNT at http://www.cnt-f.org (seulement en francais) or watch the Anarkismo site (http://www.anarkismo.net -or see the Links section of this blog) for announcements that will have English translations.
Ah, Paris in the spring ! Hopefully the Spring of a New World.
Molly Notes:
A Google search of the internet will uncover what happened at the two previous conferences, I 99 and I 02. These conferences are basically put on by syndicalist forces outside of the IWA-AIT (International Workers' Association- Associacion International de Trabahadores: the "official" anarcho-syndicalist International). Many of these are members of International Libertarian Solidarity (see http://www.ils.sil.org or the Syndicalist Links section of this blog). The ILS site has many links that give a flavour of the supporting organizations. Each conference, however, attracts a number of groups that are outside of BOTH ILS and the AIT, and their is even participation from some groups within the AIT. The "unofficial" anarcho-syndicalist movement is far !!! larger than the "official" one and, at least in Molly's view, is no less "anarchist" than the more "purist" AIT.