Dockers’ Union of Russia chairman knifed in Kaliningrad
Jun 12 2007 21:39
Global union in justice call after Russian knife attack
12 June 2007
The ITF today called on its member unions to back it in its demands for a proper investigation into the knifing of a member of the Dockers’ Union of Russia (DUR) outside the union’s Kaliningrad office.
The call comes after Mikhail Chesalin, Chairman of the DUR’s branch in the city, was beaten and repeatedly stabbed from behind by an unknown number of assailants as he was about to enter the office at 10:30 on 7 June 2007. He was left lying unconscious on the ground.
In an appeal to its affiliated unions to join its calls to the Governor of Kaliningrad and the Director of the Port of Kaliningrad for an investigation, Frank Leys, Secretary of the ITF’s Dockers Section, said: “The ITF was outraged to hear about the violent assault of Mikhail Chesalin.
http://www.itfglobal.org/press-area/index.cfm/pressdetail/1336
Jun 13 2007 13:31
#2
Jun 14 2007 23:18
#3
labourstart via newyawka wrote:
RUSSIAN DOCKERS' LEADER BEATEN AND STABBED - AN URGENT APPEAL FOR HELPFour days ago, on 7 June, Mikhail Chesalin, the chairman of the local
Dockers Union in Kaliningrad, Russia, was savagely stabbed and beaten
outside the union office. An unknown number of assailants attacked
Chesalin when he got out of his car, stabbing him numerous times in the
spine, and beating him severely about the head. He was left lying
face-down, unconscious, in a pool of blood. Chesalin's colleagues
believe that the attack was orchestrated by Vladimir Kalinichenko, the
General Director of the Sea Commercial Port where the dockworkers' union
is currently running an organizing campaign.When we talk about "urgent action appeals" this is exactly the sort of
thing that we mean. It is our responsibility as trade unionists to
rally to the support of our brothers and sisters in Kaliningrad and to
demand that attacks on trade unionists cease and workers' rights be
respected. Please send your message of protest today:http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=265
And most important -- pass this message on, mobilize members of your
unions, let's send thousands of messages to Russia today.
Jun 17 2007 02:54
#4
I don't like the way that when the Soviets renamed loads of places, I know Königsberg's not much better, but Kaliningrad is pretty shit!
I'm guessing that this guy's survived the stabbing?
Jun 17 2007 03:02
#5
cool, thanks rkn
Jun 17 2007 04:03
#6
jimmer wrote:
I don't like the way that when the Soviets renamed loads of places, I know Königsberg's not much better, but Kaliningrad is pretty shit!I'm guessing that this guy's survived the stabbing?
It seems he did survive, but only by sheer luck:
Quote:
An unknown number of assailants attacked Chesalin when he got out of his car at 10:30am local time, stabbing him numerous times in the spine, and beating him severely about the head. He was left lying face-down, unconscious, in a pool of blood.
Jun 17 2007 10:25
#7
Is this a pattern of violence? I seem to remembr one or two other union leaders gettng attacked, fascists are already good at shutting down meetings, has is got to the point where they are being used to attack unions?
Jun 17 2007 10:43
#8
I was wondering the same thing myself, Jef. The labourstart solidarity page says it was probably private security hired by the local port director who's been trying unsucessfully to break the union and also lost to Chesalin in a political election.The "unofficial" repression seems to be getting bolder, they've gone from backstreet attacks on anarchist youth to public mobbing of the gay pride march in Moscow and now a murder attempt on a high profile union politico.
knifed