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European Workers Issues

New year sees continuing strike wave in Portugal

By Paul Mitchell, 14 January 2019

So far this year, strike action has taken place or is pending in the judicial system, dockyards, oil refineries and food industry and among teachers and nurses.

UK People’s Assembly protest shows Corbyn’s role in demobilising the working class

By Steve James, 14 January 2019

The deeper the crisis, the more openly the Labour Party and the trade unions reveal their function as a political and industrial police force for big business over the working class.

Jaguar Land Rover announces nearly 5,000 UK job losses in global restructuring

By Robert Stevens, 12 January 2019

Last October, JLR posted losses of £90 million and has seen a collapse in sales by nearly 50 percent in its main and most profitable market, China.

Security personnel at German airports continue protest strikes

By K. Nesan and Marianne Arens, 12 January 2019

The work stoppages make clear the enormous anger of security staff and their willingness to fight.

Ford to lay off thousands, close plants across Europe

By Will Morrow, 11 January 2019

The company’s statement bluntly spells out the role to be played by the unions—which it correctly labels its “trade union partners”—in suppressing opposition among workers.

Macron launches fraudulent “national debate” on “yellow vest” protests

By Alex Lantier, 11 January 2019

The debate is an attempt to strangle mounting opposition while continuing reactionary policies of austerity and militarism under cover of a few empty phrases.

Scotland: 300 laid off at Kaiam plant on Christmas Eve

By Steve James, 3 January 2019

Workers at optical electronics firm Kaiam in Livingston, Scotland, were laid off following the company’s collapse.

Hundreds die on UK streets as homelessness reaches record levels

By Margot Miller, 3 January 2019

Over the last five years, an estimated 2,627 homeless people have perished on the streets.

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

Fight by rail guards at UK rail franchises continues

28 December 2018

The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Commercy “yellow vest” protesters hold second Popular Assembly

By our reporter, 24 December 2018

Over 100 workers, contractors, small businesspeople and unemployed gathered to discuss perspectives for a struggle against French President Emmanuel Macron.

RMT union cancels three strikes on London Underground

By Angela Austin, 24 December 2018

Underground rail workers have been involved in a series of disputes and strikes over worsening working conditions, staff shortages and victimisations.

Protests in Portugal and Catalonia met with police repression amid rising wave of strikes

By Paul Mitchell, 22 December 2018

To stem rising social anger, the government in Portugal secured an agreement from Facebook to close down the Yellow Vest protest organisers’ website and drafted in 20,000 security police.

UK: Half of Royal College of Nursing leadership re-elected after being forced out

By Ajanta Silva, 22 December 2018

The re-elected union functionaries played a crucial role in selling a rotten pay deal to their members earlier this year, after conspiring with other unions and the government.

South Africa Sibanye miners’ strike made illegal

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

21 December 2018

Some 15,000 workers at three mines operated by Sibanye’s three gold mines are continuing a strike that has now been declared illegal based on allegations of violence on the part of workers.

Fifth French “yellow vest” protest opposes Macron government

By Alex Lantier, 17 December 2018

The media and official parties are pressing the “yellow vests” to accept the legalizing of citizen-initiated referendums as a concession that would justify ending the protests.

French state prepares crackdown for fifth Saturday of “yellow vest” protests

By Will Morrow, 15 December 2018

The Paris police prefect announced that the response would be “about the same” as last Saturday, which saw mass arrests of over 1,700 people.

Germany: Ford announces massive job cuts at its Saarlouis plant

By Ulrich Rippert, 14 December 2018

At a factory meeting last Monday, local Ford management announced that production of the company’s C-Max model is to be discontinued with the loss of 1,600 jobs.

Ex-1968 student leader Cohn-Bendit denounces French “yellow vest” protests

By Alex Lantier, 14 December 2018

The eruption of a political movement in the working class has provoked a rabidly hostile reaction from the middle-class anti-Marxist “left” milieu.

Russian workers strike against social misery and austerity

By Clara Weiss, 13 December 2018

The crackdown on the strike in Kamchatka reflects the fear within the Russian oligarchy that the development of the class struggle internationally will sooner rather than later drive Russian workers into open struggle.

Mass layoffs threatened at European GM and Ford plants

By Marianne Arens, 12 December 2018

As part of the new restructuring of the global auto industry, Ford is seeking to cut 25,000 jobs worldwide, with the largest number of job losses in Europe.

High school students protest in Paris against French government’s education reforms

By Alex Lantier, 12 December 2018

The students are opposing the government’s right-wing reforms and re-imposition of compulsory military service, while showing their support for the “yellow vests.”

UK unions call off strikes against redundancies at Cammell Laird shipyard

By Barry Mason, 12 December 2018

The unions have already made clear they accept the need to reduce costs, urging only that there should be no compulsory redundancies.

Egypt bans yellow vest sales as French protesters reject Macron’s concessions

By Alex Lantier, 11 December 2018

Governments worldwide are panicking in the face of the growing militancy and political radicalization of the international working class.

UK workers, young people defend Yellow Vest protests in France: “I only wish that we could do it here as well!”

By our reporters, 11 December 2018

WSWS reporters spoke to workers and youth in Britain who support the Yellow Vest protests in France.

Which way forward for France’s “yellow vest” protests?

By Alex Lantier, 10 December 2018

The critical question is the independent organization of the working class, in France and internationally, in the preparation of a European general strike.

The “yellow vests”: A movement of workers against social inequality

By our reporters, 10 December 2018

In this video, workers participating in France’s “yellow vests” demonstrations explain their demands and appeal for international support.

German workers express solidarity with “yellow vest” protests in France

By our reporters, 10 December 2018

German workers who spoke with Socialist Equality Party (SGP) candidates, expressed sympathy with the mass protests of the “yellow vests” in France. Many share the same grievances and confront the same inequities.

France’s “yellow vest” protesters brave repression and mass arrests

By Alex Lantier and Kumaran Ira, 9 December 2018

The French president’s attempts to staunch the protests through a combination of phony concessions and state violence have clearly failed.

French government threatens bloody crackdown on “yellow vest” protest

By Alex Lantier and Francis Dubois, 8 December 2018

Amid rising popular support for demonstrations against austerity and inequality, French officials are warning they will stop at nothing to halt the protests.

UK: University and College Union seeks to demobilise pay dispute

By Simon Whelan and Robert Stevens, 8 December 2018

The UCU, past masters at isolating and demobilising struggles over pay and job losses, finally authorised a token pay strike at the end of November—at just six institutions.

The demonstrations in France and the global class struggle

By Alex Lantier, 7 December 2018

As they face Macron’s brutal crackdown, workers and students in France fighting austerity and inequality must turn to the international working class.

“We stand with you because all of us are in the same fight”

US autoworkers express class solidarity with French workers

By Jerry White, 6 December 2018

The determination of the “yellow vest” protesters in the face of state repression by the French government has inspired workers in the United States and around the world.

German chemical giant Bayer slashes 12,000 jobs

By Dietmar Henning, 6 December 2018

Bayer AG has announced plans to cut a tenth of its workforce worldwide and divest parts of its corporate empire.

Socialist Equality Party opposes RMT rail union sellout at Liverpool meeting

By our reporters, 6 December 2018

For over two years, RMT and the drivers’ union ASLEF in the UK have sabotaged the fight by thousands of guards in defence of their jobs and the safety of railway users.

GM, Ford, Bayer, Bombardier

Global investors demand escalation of class war on workers’ jobs and wages

By Jerry White, 5 December 2018

The plant closings and layoffs at GM are part of a broader assault on the working class throughout the world being directed by the most powerful corporate interests.

Mobilize the working class against Macron!

By Alex Lantier, 5 December 2018

The critical task facing protests against austerity and inequality in France is to expand the struggle more broadly into the French and international working class.

High school students and ambulance drivers join ‘Yellow Vest’ protests in France

By Alex Lantier, 4 December 2018

With a fourth consecutive Saturday of mass demonstrations against French President Emmanuel Macron’s regressive taxes planned this weekend, tens of thousands of high school students throughout France have staged demonstrations at their schools.

The mass protests in France: A new stage in the international class struggle

By The World Socialist Web Site Editorial Board, 3 December 2018

This weekend’s anti-austerity demonstrations in France have shown the working class to be not just an oppressed class, but a revolutionary class.

Third “yellow vest” protest in France defies government crackdown

By Anthony Torres, 3 December 2018

As protests spread across Europe, after the most violent police crackdown in downtown Paris in a half century, a historic political crisis is erupting.

Strikes and demonstrations shake France

By Alex Lantier, 1 December 2018

The struggles pose the necessity of organizing workers and youth independently of the unions and the parties defending Macron.

Catalonia rocked by a week of strikes against austerity

By Alejandro López, 1 December 2018

For years the regional bourgeoisie has relentlessly promoted Catalan nationalism to bury the socio-economic concerns of workers and youth, both Spanish and Catalan.

UK: Cammell Laird shipyard workers strike against redundancies, Iran sugar and steel strike continues against pay arrears, South Africa’s Sibanye gold miners reject company/union pay deal

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

1 December 2018

Workers at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, England have launched a series of strikes over redundancies while workers at the Tappeh Sugar Cane mill in Iran are continuing a walkout and gold miners in South Africa are continuing a series of job actions marked by employer violence.

Rejecting Macron’s speech, fuel tax protesters call new demonstrations in France

By Alex Lantier, 28 November 2018

French President Macron’s decision to give a speech addressing the protesters only made clear that he firmly intends to pursue his right-wing policies and has nothing to offer.

Slanders depicting “Yellow Vest” protesters as violent neo-fascists collapse

By our reporter, 28 November 2018

None of those arrested at the demonstrations in Paris were wanted on charges associated with either far-right or anarchist groups.

Greek workers protest social attacks by Syriza government

By John Vassilopoulos, 27 November 2018

Strikes and protests in Greece are part of a wider upsurge of the class struggle throughout Europe.

Falling building debris causes injuries and deaths while profits mount for UK developers

By Charles Hixson, 27 November 2018

Rather than being random tragedies, such accidents are the direct result of deliberate government policies.

No to Macron’s maneuvers to strangle the Yellow Vest protests in France

By Alex Lantier, 27 November 2018

The talks Macron is slated to offer today to the Yellow Vest protesters are a trap for a movement that requires a turn to the working class and a revolutionary strategy.

French riot police assault mass protests in Paris

By Alex Lantier, 26 November 2018

The French Interior Ministry claimed that 106,000 people participated in over a thousand protests across France, including 8,000 demonstrators on the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

UK: Vauxhall and Cammell Laird workers strike against mass job cuts

By Robert Stevens, 26 November 2018

Both strikes have developed in a rebellion against the collaboration, by the Unite and GMB trade unions, with the employers’ job cuts.

French president bans fuel tax protest in Paris as strikes expand

By Alex Lantier, 24 November 2018

As the government of French President Emanuel Macron moved to ban protests against its fuel tax increase, strikes and demonstrations in support of the protest movement spread across France yesterday.

Black Friday strikes hit Amazon in Europe

By our reporters, 24 November 2018

Amazon workers launched strikes and protests in Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, France and the UK.

No to driver only operated services at West Midland Trains! For a national mobilisation of rail workers

By Michael Barnes, 24 November 2018

Drivers at West Midlands Trains are resisting a coordinated effort by the private train operator Abellio and rail unions to impose Driver Only trains in 2020.

Scottish teachers overwhelmingly reject pay offer

By our reporter, 23 November 2018

The Scottish government, local authorities, teaching and local government unions are desperate to avoid strikes, and above all to prevent a united offensive by teachers and council workers.

“Macron is the president of the rich”: “Yellow Vest” protesters speak out

By our reporters, 20 November 2018

Participants in the “Yellow Vest” protests across France, which continued yesterday in a number of regions, talked to the WSWS about why they are demonstrating.

France shaken by mass protests

By Alex Lantier, 19 November 2018

There were cries of “Macron resign” from protesters holding signs saying “No to the president of the rich.”

French “Yellow Vest” protesters prepare road blockades against fuel tax hike

By Anthony Torres, 16 November 2018

Fear is growing in official circles that tomorrow’s nationwide road blockades could develop into an explosion of mass social anger against French President Macron.

French teachers mobilize against Macron’s attacks on education

By Anthony Torres, 15 November 2018

Monday’s strike was the first day of action called by the education unions since 2011.

“It’s about safety but the train operating companies want to save money”

UK rail worker speaks to the WSWS about dispute over Driver Only Operated trains

By our reporter, 13 November 2018

Rail workers in the UK have been fighting for over two years against the plans by the private rail franchises to introduce Driver Only Operated (DOO) trains.

Tube workers’ strike brings much of London to a halt

By Peter Austin, 9 November 2018

The tube strikes express the anger of workers after a decade of budget cuts, reductions in real wages, longer work weeks and an increase in working weekends as agreed by the unions.

Nigerian unions call off general strike over minimum wage

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

9 November 2018

Nigeria’s three main labour federations called off a general strike set for November 6 and announced that they had reached an undisclosed settlement with the government over a rise in the country’s minimum wage.

Growing strikes in South Africa; more UK rail strikes

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

26 October 2018

Workers in South Africa’s plastics industry are continuing their strike after an attempt by employers to ban the walkout was temporarily defeated.

Swiss building workers strike in Ticino and Geneva

By Marianne Arens, 24 October 2018

The Swiss unions are organising toothless protests and limited strikes aimed at dissipating the militancy of workers.

Thousands of workers in Glasgow plan strike for equal pay

By Steve James, 23 October 2018

Eight thousand poorly-paid, mostly women workers are due to strike October 23 and 24 in a long-running dispute with Glasgow City Council and its care services agency.

“McStrike”: UK unions police anger of young workers

By Alice Summers and Robert Stevens, 20 October 2018

Behind talk of a coordinated struggle, the demand of service workers for better pay and conditions is being misled by the trade unions.

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

South African plastics workers in national strike; Capetown transport workers wildcat

19 October 2018

Some 10,000 plastics workers in South Africa are on strike seeking the revocation of a pay reduction while bus drivers in Capetown walked out Monday demanding improvements in wages and working conditions.

Bonus removal cancels out Amazon’s UK pay rise

By Alice Summers, 13 October 2018

Workers are effectively paying for their own wage increase through the slashing of employee benefits, share and incentive schemes, with some possibly seeing a net loss.

Britain’s pseudo-left oppose worker rebellion against Royal College of Nurses leadership

By Robert Stevens and Chris Marsden, 11 October 2018

The no-confidence motion against the executive of the Royal College of Nurses is only one example of growing opposition to the decades of betrayals by the trade union bureaucracy.

Turkish government steps up attack on jailed airport construction workers

By our reporter, 10 October 2018

The arrests and the police-state methods of the Turkish government are an attack on workers not only in Turkey, but internationally.

Build rank-and-file committees to unify struggles against austerity in France!

By the Socialist Equality Party (France), 9 October 2018

Workers face the choice between President Emmanuel Macron’s social counterrevolution and a revolutionary struggle to bring down the Macron government.

The destruction of Germany’s Thyssenkrupp and the role of the IG Metall union

By Dietmar Henning, 6 October 2018

The decision to break up the Thyssenkrupp multinational conglomerate, in which the IG Metall union has played a key role, has been secretly prepared for months.

UK: No to Driver Only Trains in any form, mobilise against rail union sellout

By Michael Barnes, 6 October 2018

The struggle by rail workers in defense of jobs is in danger, due to the systematic sabotage of their fight by the unions.

UK nurses vote to remove Royal College of Nursing leadership after pay deal sellout

By Ajanta Silva, 3 October 2018

There is growing opposition among nurses and health care workers to a deal that includes an effective cut in real wages following years of attacks on wages and conditions.

Protest march on October 2 in the Netherlands

The fight against public sector cutbacks requires a socialist perspective

By the European Editorial Board of the WSWS, 2 October 2018

The World Socialist Web Site supports today's march in The Hague, in which thousands employed in the public sector, health and above all education will participate.

Airline workers launch largest strike in Ryanair’s history

By Gustav Kemper, 28 September 2018

The decision by the German unions to call a strike late on Thursday makes today's strikes in five European countries the largest in the budget airline's history.

Vote “yes” on resolution to force out Royal College of Nursing leadership! Build rank-and-file committees!

By NHS FightBack, 28 September 2018

The resolution gives voice to the growing rebellion among nurses and health workers against the RCN executive’s collusion with the Conservative government.

Over 1,000 Ryanair cabin crew and pilots strike in Germany

By our reporters, 13 September 2018

While the workers are fighting for wage increases and better working conditions, the trade unions want to cut a deal with Ryanair as quickly as possible.

In new cost-cutting move, PSA subcontracts Opel operation in Germany

By Marianne Arens, 13 September 2018

The subcontracting of research and development operations in Rüsselsheim is another significant step towards the dismantling of Opel.

Trades Union Congress in Britain silent on anti-Corbyn coup plot

By Robert Stevens, 12 September 2018

The TUC crowed that this year’s congress marked the 150th anniversary of its founding, but not one platform speaker even referred to the attack on the leader of the Labour party established by the unions.

Britain: No-confidence motions passed against leading Blairite MPs

By Paul Mitchell, 8 September 2018

The Blairites have no compunction about defying Labour members and will only go if they are forced out.

Vehicle crashes claim lives of 16 migrant workers in Italy

By Allison Smith, 17 August 2018

The deadly vehicle crashes—caused by sheer greed for profit at the expense of the labourers—are linked to the extremely right-wing course of the government in Rome.

UK National Health Service pay deal fuels growing rebellion against unions

By Ajanta Silva, 13 August 2018

More than 1,000 health workers signed a petition calling for the current leadership of the Royal College of Nursing to stand down.

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

Railworkers strike in UK while Iranian rail strike continues

10 August 2018

The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Ryanair faces largest pilots’ strike in its history

By Marianne Arens, 9 August 2018

On Friday, simultaneous strikes against Ryanair will take place in several European countries. While workers’ anger has grown, the unions are doing everything to isolate the strike.

The Ryanair strike and the resurgence of international class struggle

By Robert Stevens, 8 August 2018

The class struggle is reaching a higher stage of development, posing strategic issues before every section of the international working class.

NHS trade unions’ “best deal in eight years” revealed as a fraud

By Ajanta Silva, 4 August 2018

Health workers are expressing outrage as the truth about the latest union sellout comes to light.

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa

4 August 2018

Some 10,000 footwear workers in south Africa are in the third week of a bitter strike over wage demands.

Ryanair’s mass sacking threat raises need for globally coordinated struggle of airline workers

By Steve James, 2 August 2018

The role of the unions in the airline and other industries is to isolate any struggle, impose the demands of the companies and prevent a unified fight of the entire working class.

German Ryanair pilots ready to strike

By Marianne Arens, 1 August 2018

Every Ryanair pilot who voted cast his or her ballot for strike action, but the Cockpit trade union is seeking to collaborate with management.

UK: South Western Railway conductors to strike over Driver Only Operation

By Tom Holling, 26 July 2018

South Western Railway is Britain’s busiest commuter train network and transports more than 4 million passengers a week in and out of London Waterloo.

French presidential scandal: Mélenchon defends the riot police

By Francis Dubois and Alex Lantier, 24 July 2018

Mélenchon was careful not to appeal to anger among workers and youth at the arbitrary police violence captured in a viral video of a presidential aide assaulting protesters.

Sheffield Supertram workers hold 72-hour strike, as strike ballot in Manchester begins

By Laura Tiernan, 23 July 2018

A fight is only possible if workers break free from the grip of the Unite union, whose strategy consists of dividing workers on a company by company basis.

Sheffield residents voice strong support for Supertram workers’ strike

By our reporters, 23 July 2018

On Saturday, campaigners from the Socialist Equality Party distributed a statement in support of the Sheffield Stagecoach Supertram workers, revealing strong support among workers, young people and pensioners for the strike.