Spanish Syndicalism (1) CGT Strike in Unipost

CGT DECLARES UNLIMITED STRIKE IN SPANISH 'UNIPOST' OVER HOLIDAYS


      The following is a translation from a Spanish language article at Rojo y Negro, the organ of the Spanish anarcho-syndicalist union the CGT. I have had to rather "freely translate" as the particulars of Spanish labour practices are quite different from here in the Anglosphere. Any mistakes are my own responsibility.

CGT UNIPOST CALLS INDEFINITE STRIKE FROM 13-D

     The stoppages will be for 24 hours (from 00:00 to 24:00) and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are not included. The schedule is as follows: December 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27 and 30 and the 2 and 3 of January 2014. If the dispute is not settled we reserve the right to call further stoppages which will be conducted according to applicable legal provisions.

     There are two principle objectives of this strike. On the one hand the breaches of agreement on the part of management, salary cuts and non-payment of summer bonuses. (Such bonuses are a regular part of Spanish labour practice...mm) On the other hand an end to layoffs.

     Thus the CGT, having consulted both general assemblies and workshop assemblies, has decided to carry out the strike to show important solidarity with the workers to carry it out.

     We want to thank those who have expressed their support in favour of your decision and we want, secondarily, to encourage the rest because everyone together will have more force and power to achieve the objective marked out.

     We also inform you of the suspension of the December 2 hearing by the High Court about the pay cut that we applied for in August 2013. It was going to address three charges of non-compliance and misappliance, one of them not cited by the works council, on procedural grounds. To avoid a full trial it was decided to postpone the hearing until January 28, 2014. On that day the hearing will hear the complaint of unpaid summer bonuses. At the same time some unions have been in negotiations with the company and have reached a possible agreement to agree to the suspension (of the bonuses...mm). This is something the CGT does not agree with given the negotiating intransigence of the company.
AGAINST LAYOFFS AND INSECURITY IN UNIPOST !
FOR DIGNIFIED WORK IN UNIPOST...A SUFFICIENT CAUSE !
UNLIMITED STRIKE FROM 13D !

CHOOSE THE CGT, JOIN THE CGT - THE UNION THAT DARES !
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @cgtunipost

LOCAL EVENTS- WINNIPEG:

ISRAELI APARTHEID WEEK FINAL PRESS RELEASE:

I have already expressed my opinion of this matter previously, particularly as it relates to my support for free speech in general- despite the fact that anti-Israel activists haven't proven to be entirely consistent on this point in the past in other places in Canada. Ah, the lure of self-righteous militancy. Still, I am happy that IAW was allowed to speak. Here's their final press release.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) Press Release - March 16th, 2010‏
Please find attached our final, wrap-up press release from Israeli Apartheid Week.

Brian Latour

Spokesperson

Winnipeg IAW Coordinating Committee

***

WINNIPEG – March 15, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
First Israeli Apartheid Week in Manitoba a Success
The organizers of Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) would like to thank everyone who spoke at, volunteered for, sponsored, attended or otherwise supported our events. The events of IAW went very well, with large turnouts, excellent speakers and robust debate. While the events of IAW are now over, the organizers would like to point out a few facts about the first run of IAW in Mantoba.

Israeli Apartheid Week, contrary to the claims of some opposed to discussing the issue of Israeli apartheid, went smoothly and successfully. "We proved that all accusations of anti-Semitism and race baiting were totally unfounded, and showed that our event was genuinely anti-racist in intent and practice," said Brian Latour, spokesperson for the Winnipeg IAW Coordinating Committee. "Each of our events actually had audience members spontaneously stay afterwards to continue the debate, sometimes for hours, proving that Israeli Apartheid Week actually served to encourage debate and discussion. "

Organizers fire back against Parliamentary and Legislative motions to condemn IAW

The organizers would also like to respond to the attempts by Members of the Manitoba Legislature and Canadian Parliament that seek to shut down debate and discussion on Canadian campuses. While the motion was rejected in Parliament thanks to the courage of a few MPs who voted with their conscience, the motion proposed by MLA Heather Stefanson for the Manitoba Legislature is still a reality.

“These attempts to crush free speech and defend apartheid are as anti-democratic as they are pathetic and any MLA who votes for or otherwise supports this effort to crush freedom of speech should be ashamed of themselves and resign immediately," declared Latour.

In contrast to the behaviour of some Members of the Legislature, the organizers would like to recognize the principled decision made by the University of Manitoba administration to avoid infringing on our free speech rights. They did so despite pressure from organizations like B'nai Brith who repeatedly slandered us in the media and in correspondence with the University administration. We can only assume that when IAW inevitably expands to other University campuses in this province that their administrations will be as respectful of the democratic rights of students.
About Israeli Apartheid Week
Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is an anti-racist event intended to educate about the realities of Israel's apartheid policies. In addition to the broad subject of apartheid, this inaugural year included panel discussions on the impact of apartheid on women, Canadian government complicity, indigenous solidarity, and the appropriateness of Israeli Apartheid as a topic for discussion on University campuses. It also included an evening event featuring a spoken word performance by Lyrical Militant, a socially-conscious, local hip-hop artist.
Full details of the events can be found online at winnipeg.apartheidweek.org.
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Media contact:
Brian Latour
ph: 226-4186
email: iaw.winnipeg@gmail.com