International Solidarity

International Solidarity

Solidarity to the striking workers at the Elliniki Halivourgia steel mill near Athens, Greece from the IWW's International Solidarity Commission

Posted Ne, 03/11/2012 - 2:17pm by IWW.org Editor

By the IWW's International Solidarity Commission - March 8, 2012

The International Solidarity Commission (ISC) of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) sends a message of solidarity to the striking workers at the Elliniki Halivourgia steel mill near Athens, Greece.

Despite a record increase in profits, the company announced its plans to cut the workers' pay by 40%. After a General Assembly of the workers unanimously rejected these cuts, management retaliated by firing 34 workers. Unintimidated, the workers went on strike, occupying their factory and demanding the re-hiring of their co-workers and the cancellation of the pay cuts.

Greece has become the centre of the global struggle against the capitalist crisis, and the flames of your struggle inspire other workers the world over. Rather then acquiesce to the official lie of a nation united in necessary sacrifice for the common good, you have exposed the truth that the working class are not the cause of the crisis and will not pay for it.

The ISC applauds the brave actions of these steelworkers and urges other workers in similar circumstances to look to the example being set at Elliniki Halivourgia.

International Statement of Solidarity With Cuban Anti-Authoritarians: You Are Not Alone

Posted Po, 09/19/2011 - 7:21am by ISC

Statement in support of Cuban Anti-Authoritarian/Horizontalist organizers, workers, activists, artists, musicians y mas in Cuba. Scroll down to see current list of endorsements and the original statement in Spanish.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

The Communist Party of Cuba's VI Congress has just closed with an endorsement of the liberal reforms (“to each according to his labors”) promised in the realm of the economy: but along with these come cuts in social services and an increased presence for military and for technocrats in the machinery of government, with a reduction in the presence of intellectuals and workers.

IWW supports Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in support of Palestinian Rights

Posted Čt, 12/02/2010 - 4:13pm by x344543

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 2, 2010

12/2/2010 The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW or Wobblies) has officially voted to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement in support of Palestinian rights. The “Resolution in Support of the Workers of Palestine/Israel” was adopted in an overwhelming vote both at the IWW’s convention in Minneapolis and by the membership via referendum. This vote makes the IWW the first union in the US and the third union in Canada to officially support the Palestinian United Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions.

Inspired by the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, the BDS movement calls for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel until such time as fundamental Palestinian rights are recognized. The BDS call is supported by a broad cross-section of Palestinian society, including Palestinian unions.

The resolution to support the BDS campaign comes out of the work of the IWW’s International Solidarity Commission and the IWW Friends of Palestinian Workers Group, a grassroots network of Wobblies supportive of the Palestinian, Israeli and international struggle against Israeli apartheid. Support for the BDS campaign was also stressed by all the Palestinian workers who met with members of the IWW on the IWW delegation to Palestine, particularly the Independent Workers Federation of Palestine, with whom the IWW shares a close bond of solidarity.

First Hand Report from France from a Striker

Posted Čt, 10/21/2010 - 4:52pm by x344543

I'm exhausted.

I've spent the last three days going from road block to road block, together with teachers, railroad workers, truckers, nurses, etc.

So far, in our sector, we've managed the feat of keeping the Arnages oil depot totally closed since Friday 4 AM!

As a result, all the petrol stations in aradius of 70 kms are closed, completely out of gas.

I slept 4 hours on Friday night, 6 hours on Saturday, 2 on Monday ...

Today, we got the main Teachers' Union to call on all striking teachers to come and help block all the remaining fuel depots.

The police can't intervene, because the truckers have established road blocks on the major roads leading to the oil depot.

What is incredible is that despite the fact that there is no more oil available, and therefore that people are blocked at home, a resounding 71% of the population approves of the strike (according to today's opinion polls).

The movement is set to last at least another week. I spent the whole of Sunday night with transport (railway and truckers) workers playing cards and drinking beer. It was quite cold (2?C) around 4 AM, but the railroad workers brought several truck-loads of "palettes" (empty wooden containers) and we lit a might bonfire.

Striking workers from the neighbouring Renault factory brought firecrackers and we spent the wee hours of the morning lighting them.

Workers are determined to fight until the bitter end. Workers who chose not to go on strike are being encouraged to donate part of their salary to the workers of the most "strategic" sectors, especialy the Donges raffinery.

German IWW pickets against austerity measures outside the Frankfurter Stadtwerke [Municipal Services]:

Posted Út, 09/21/2010 - 2:41am by x344543

Translated by a member of the British Isles IWW Regional Organizing Committee (BIROC)

Today the IWW distributed the following flyer (image not included) in front of the Frankfurter Stadtwerke [Municipal Services]:

Training outside working hours - "but can they do that?" They keep getting more impertinent!

Today, on Saturday, colleges at EUREST have to work, because by now so many people have been made redundant that trainings can no longer take place during regular working hours. The Compass Group has right during the crises made fat profits - on the backs of their workers. Reduced staff, reduced shifts and unpaid overtime, that's their trick.

So, it's not a surprise that trainings are now happening during the weekend. The location of the Stadtwerke is not the first one where this is practiced. But, no manager has put pressure on the workers quite so shamelessly. He doesn't care, that you have kids you need to care for. He doesn't even care if you're on holiday. You need to show up or proof that you already booked some trip. But time off is time off, and to force colleagues who have taken time off to go to work is, simply put, illegal.

A person like Tobias Engel does not seem to know, that the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany also apply to Eurest. Therefore, it's not surprising that the IWW Union learnt that he recently opened the locker of a worker. How long do you want to take such infringements?

If you don't resist, you'll soon need to show up every Saturday, for a training, or to clean. And the worst is, that it seems the shop steward agreed to this. Why do the NGG-shop stewards do whatever Eurest wants?

The problem, of course, are not just the cuddly unions and shop stewards, who don't represent the interest of the workers. As a union we can insist on the compliance with legal protections and rights of employees. But their implementation depends on whether the workers in the company resist the dismantling of workers' rights.

If you are ready, we'll support you in a big way!