assemblies

Anarcho-syndicalism in Puerto Real from shipyard resistance to community control

An account of resistance to shipyard closures in Puerto Real, Spain, that lead to community wide involvement, with the anarcho-syndicalist union CNT playing both a prominent and decisive role.

Foreword
The recent struggle in and around the shipyards of Puerto Real, Spain, in both workplace and community, against threatened closure witnessed the anarcho-syndicalist union CNT playing both a prominent and decisive role.

Commentary on the Sussex not for Sale campaign at Sussex University

Critical article on the Sussex Not For Sale campaign at the University of Sussex, written by an active member of the campaign.

Higher education is going through significant transformations on an international, or at least European, level. The UK is not immune to these changes. Whilst there have been various small protests in places around the country to resist these changes, no major local campaign has existed as of yet. Sussex not 4 Sale was born out of this context.

Sussex not for Sale rally, University of Sussex, 7th March 2008

Rally at the University of Sussex in support of the Sussex not for Sale campaign on March 7th 2008. Photos from here.

Belgium: striking workers at sub-contractor close Ford plant

Workers at Syncreon, formerly TDS Automotive, went on strike on Monday.

The strike began on Monday after 81% of Syncreon's 250 workers voted in an assembly to reject a new salary structure as it did not includes figures for a salary increase. Workers had been demanding an increase of one euro per hour.

Brief report on the assemblée générale of students at Nanterre university 27/11/07

A brief account of the results of the meeting, attended by at least 1000 students.

The first motion was that strike committees and coordination with workers and other students were the favoured step and were necessary to win. It refused all attempts to negotiate before the law is withdrawn. and denounced the UNEF for trying to do so.
This was passed by such a massive majority that there was no count.

Account of the assemblée générale of staff at Nanterre university 27/11/07

The assemblée générale was attended by a total of around 130 staff, almost 30 of whom addressed the meeting. A student representative was also present.

Results

The meeting eventually voted on the following proposals:

For the meeting to go to the President's office and deliver a statement condemning the intervention of police on campus and the LRU law. Voted for unanimously

For the word abrogation (annulment) to be replaced with suspension (with regard to the LRU law). 7 for, 1 abstention, 3 non-votes and the rest against.

France: university strikes and occupations against the LRU continue

Students across France have been voting on the next step in the ongoing struggle against the so-called reforms of the LRU law.

On Monday the government announced a 50% increase in university budgets over the next five years and also vowed to spend 11M on student housing.

France: Rail workers end strikes

After nine days of strike action rail workers finally ended their strike, although they did not win their demands the strike still had many positive aspects.

There is a certain bitterness amongst rail workers, with other strikers abandoning solidarity actions and their own unions selling them out. However what must be noted is that the strike itself was a victory for the rank and file.

France: transport strikes enter second week

The transport strikes that have crippled France enter their second week today with negotiations scheduled for tomorrow.

The number of strikers seems to have stabilised at a relatively low figure of around 20% for the RATP (Paris transport) and 25% for the SNCF (rail), however this number does not reflect the effect upon services. General assemblies of rail workers cotinue to vote to continue strike action by massive majorities even thogh the number of strikers is lower.

France: Schoolchildren join student and teacher strikes

School students also played an important role in the Anti-CPE struggle last year

Across the country secondary school students are voting to join strikes in support of university students and the wider struggle.

Tomorrow many of France's teachers will go on strike as part of a wider civil service action. Some universities have seen staff vote on further solidarity action with students.