European general strike? - 14 November

Submitted by Mark. on October 19, 2012

[quote=The Guardian]

Spain's two largest unions have called a general strike for November 14 in protest at the government's austerity package.

The choice of date is very significant -- general strikes have already been called in Portugal and Greece on the same day.

Fernando Lezcano, a spokesman for the Spain's largest union Comisiones Obreras, said (via Reuters):

Next November 14 we will have the first Iberian general strike in history.

Iberian and Hellenic. Yesterday the head of Greece's GSEE union, Yiannis Panagopoulos, declared that another general strike would be held in Greece on the 14th.

EU unions had called for a pan-Europe general strike this week, and it appears to have been answered.

The question now, is whether other countries might follow….[/quote]

Bruisedshins

11 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Bruisedshins on October 19, 2012

I'm genuinely unsure of the scale of unon representation throughout Europe or how united unions are abroad.

Sadly I think we're miles away from anything even resembling a general strike being carried out in the UK. Large swathes of the workforce aren't unionised and those who are rightly view the union hierachy that appears utterly detached from the rank and file with distrust.

Entdinglichung

11 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Entdinglichung on October 19, 2012

according to http://www.kaosenlared.net/component/k2/item/34441-14-n-eurohuelga.html also on Cyprus ... and unions in Italy and France are discussing if they join in

Sten

11 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Sten on October 19, 2012

ETUC appeal for "a day of action and solidarity" on November 14, "including strikes, demonstrations, rallies and other actions". Dated October 17th (after the Greeks and the Portuguese called their strikes).

Not exactly radical, but at least Southern Europe (including France) could be promising for this.

Melnitz

11 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Melnitz on October 20, 2012

FB event for General Strike on 14/11:

http://www.facebook.com/events/500418443315506/

Mark.

11 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 21, 2012

#14N - European Strike on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/EuropeanStrike

‪#14N‬ on Twitter

http://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%2314n

rooieravotr

11 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by rooieravotr on October 21, 2012

There are people discussing organizing things in the Netherlands, mostly people with Occupy- or Occupy-related experience. Keep you updated as things develop (I couldn't resist involvement:-) )

Mark.

11 years 5 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 22, 2012

Sten

ETUC appeal for "a day of action and solidarity" on November 14, "including strikes, demonstrations, rallies and other actions". Dated October 17th (after the Greeks and the Portuguese called their strikes).

Comment on urban75 re the international TU politics in the background. I couldn't make any judgement on its accuracy as I really know next to nothing about the ETUC. Apart from this it will be interesting to see if the call out takes on a momentum of its own, independent of trade union officialdom.

There's a europe wide day of action? Shows how much the TUC are going to put into it if I've not heard of it... buy yeah, you're right, aside from N30 which was driven by/about the strike (and followed by sell out), what you want hasn't happened, and I've no idea how to make it happen either. Midlands TUC are fucking useless. December 5th is Autumn statement, we're organising a demo in Birmingham, I imagine there'll be a few around the UK.. but then that's not enough time to pass motions etc. all the way up to the TUC central committee I suppose.

It's criminal what TUC, Verdi IG Metall, CGT - the major 'north' European countries are doing - every time the southern European countries get together and coordinate their strike days - the north European countries think it inappropriate to attack their own governments. Only by threatening to breakaway from ETUC was the Day of Action even on the agenda.

Who is the General Secretary of ETUC? John Monks (has been since 2003), former General Secretary of the TUC, and he is strongly pro-EU integration (part of the European Movement), which to the south Europeans seems like 'shaft the south with austerity and steer clear of it up north'.

The northern Confederations basically believe the Greeks deserved it and are lazy, and 'their' national money is being spent on Greece so they better show value for money. (Greeks on average work about a fifth longer than British people do).

I think I had better stop now. Does anyone remember John Monks? What was his role in the 1970s and 1980s?

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 23, 2012

The CGT has moved its strike call to 14 November but will keep 31 October as a day of action. The CNT had previously agreed to join the CGT's strike call and so will presumably now also be joining in on 14 November.

-----

http://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23n14

http://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23EuropeanStrike

http://twitter.com/EuropeanStrike

Ed

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on October 24, 2012

So I've not been able to find anything online, but I've heard odd bits and bobs about some of the Italian base unions organising a strike for 14th November.. the last base union strike in June was quite good so hopefully if the base unions manage to come out together it should be fairly decent..

Meanwhile, the major union confederations (CGIL, CISL and UIL) are dragging their feet. CGIL (the most left-wing of the three) have said vaguely they will 'take to the streets' on Nov 14th and that they will consult with the other two to get them to join in. This will probably mean concessions on the part of CGIL i.e. a while back CGIL planned a 4 hour strike while the other two planned a two hour strike on a different day.. in the end they struck on the same day but for three hours.. :roll:

I'll put my money on a general strike of the base unions around the country, plus a national demonstration in Rome organised by the mainstream unions. Which wouldn't be too bad, given the circumstances..

georgestapleton

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by georgestapleton on October 24, 2012

Mark.

Sten

ETUC appeal for "a day of action and solidarity" on November 14, "including strikes, demonstrations, rallies and other actions". Dated October 17th (after the Greeks and the Portuguese called their strikes).

Comment on urban75 re the international TU politics in the background. I couldn't make any judgement on its accuracy as I really know next to nothing about the ETUC. Apart from this it will be interesting to see if the call out takes on a momentum of its own, independent of trade union officialdom.

There's a europe wide day of action? Shows how much the TUC are going to put into it if I've not heard of it... buy yeah, you're right, aside from N30 which was driven by/about the strike (and followed by sell out), what you want hasn't happened, and I've no idea how to make it happen either. Midlands TUC are fucking useless. December 5th is Autumn statement, we're organising a demo in Birmingham, I imagine there'll be a few around the UK.. but then that's not enough time to pass motions etc. all the way up to the TUC central committee I suppose.

It's criminal what TUC, Verdi IG Metall, CGT - the major 'north' European countries are doing - every time the southern European countries get together and coordinate their strike days - the north European countries think it inappropriate to attack their own governments. Only by threatening to breakaway from ETUC was the Day of Action even on the agenda.

Who is the General Secretary of ETUC? John Monks (has been since 2003), former General Secretary of the TUC, and he is strongly pro-EU integration (part of the European Movement), which to the south Europeans seems like 'shaft the south with austerity and steer clear of it up north'.

The northern Confederations basically believe the Greeks deserved it and are lazy, and 'their' national money is being spent on Greece so they better show value for money. (Greeks on average work about a fifth longer than British people do).

I think I had better stop now. Does anyone remember John Monks? What was his role in the 1970s and 1980s?

Yeah. For what its worth I think that comment is pretty uninformed.

1. John Monks isn't General Secretary of the ETUC. He was replaced by Bernadette Ségol over a year ago.

2. Any complaint about the unions not doing something is imho stupid. Unions are not revolutionary bodies nor are they even radical. Complaining that they don't act like revolutionary bodies is a bit like saying 'OMG, the community worker who covers my estate for the local council isn't creating neighbourhood committees which could then unite with militant unions in the workplace to bring about a social revolution.' Yeah, that's not their job.

3. I think its a really bad attempt at mapping 'labour aristocracy' onto the ETUC with national unions in the north supporting their imperialist governments over the south, where there's real revolutionary potential. I don't think this is true in any sense. The unions in the north don't "think it inappropriate to attack their own governments". (There are a million and one problems with the TUC but to say they haven't 'criticised' the government is just hyperbole.) There is no real revolutionary potential in the south. And finally, the relation between the north and south in the Eurozone (where in some geographic acrobats Ireland is on the mediterranean) is not one of imperialism.

All that said, understanding why there isn't more transnational organisation and action by workers is worth thinking about. And formal organisational questions like the relations and structure in the ETUC are worth thinking about.

tarcoteca

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by tarcoteca on October 25, 2012

international call to 14-N Golbal and General Strike.
http://tarcoteca.blogspot.com.es/2012/10/internationa-call-14-n-towards-world.html

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 27, 2012

Civil Service Rank & File Network: Call for a day of action against attacks on civil service terms and conditions

On Thursday 18 October, HMRC staff in Coventry took part in a 15 minute walkout to protest the arrival of cabinet minister Francis Maude. Trade union activists are now calling on civil servants across the country to follow their example, with a day of action on 14 November against plans to roll back terms and conditions.

The government has announced plans to undermine the working conditions of civil servants, already facing a pay freeze and pension cuts. The plans include increased working hours, reduced leave, reduced sick pay and the prospect of forced moves anywhere in the UK. The PCS union has condemned the plans, whilst rank-and-file members and workers are livid and demanding action.

A member who took part in the Coventry walkout said:

Today marks the beginning of the fight against vicious attacks on us all as ordinary hard working people.

To members and activists everywhere: don’t wait any longer, call your 15 minute meetings and one by one start walking out all over the country, drive this Government to the negotiating table on our terms. We can’t always wait for the ballots and the leaflets and politics at the top of the union.

To the union leaders: take up this fight with no compromises and repay the bravery shown by ordinary members who have taken a risk today on behalf of all of us.

Government departments are due to present their proposals for changes to terms and conditions on 16 November. Two days before, at least four European countries will be taking part in coordinated general strike action. We call on civil servants to join them, and make this day a landmark in our own fight against these vicious attacks.

We urge workers in all government offices, through mass meetings, rank-and-file workplace committees or union branch committees, to support the following action on Wednesday 14 November:

▪ 15 minute lightning walkouts
▪ Protest rallies outside your workplace
▪ A communications blockade* of the office of Francis Maude

We further call on all fellow trades unionists, trades councils and individuals or organisations opposed to austerity to join us in these actions and show the workers your solidarity.

If we do not beat these attacks, it will embolden employers to drive down the working conditions of all workers. The time to stand our ground and fight is now. Join us.

The Facebook event for the day of action can be found here and for the communications blockade here.

*A communications blockade entails mass phone calls, emails and faxes with the aim of jamming up communications.

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 27, 2012

[quote= Algarve Resident]

Last month Portugal’s largest trade union CGTP called a general strike for November 14 against the “exploitation and impoverishment” of the Portuguese population.

The union stressed the need to change government policies “for the sake of a better future” and urged all to join in the protest against the government and its recently announced austerity measures for next year.
[...]
Turning its back on CGTP, the country’s second largest trade union UGT decided to go it alone, with leader João Proença saying his union would not be joining the general strike due to CGTP’s “divisive and partisan intent”, like calling a general strike without previous discussion. “This strike is against the government, but also against UGT,” said Proença, adding that his union may organise another general strike in the near future.

Now, Spain’s main trade unions have announced that they too will join the strike on November 14 and thus “celebrate the first Iberian general strike”, said Fernando Lezcano, spokesperson for the trade union federation Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras, which called the strike in agreement with its counterpart Unión General de Trabajadores and other smaller unions, after a week of protests against Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government.
[…]
Greece recently held its second general strike in three weeks and the head of Greece’s trade union federation General Confederacy of Greek Workers (GSEE), Ylannis Panagopoulos, has already declared that another general strike would be held on November 14.

Meanwhile, other South European countries may consider joining Portugal, Spain and Greece in the protests, after the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) enticed all European countries to oppose austerity in the face of the current economic crisis.

After a meeting in Brussels on October 17, the ETUC’s executive committee called for a “day of action and solidarity” for a Social Compact for Europe, on November 14.
[…]
While Cyprus and Malta are still considering the matter, a strike contagion is likely to be felt across several other European countries.[/quote]

------

LaCerca.com: CC.OO: Los sindicatos italianos y alemanes se sumarán a la Jornada de Acción europea del 14N

Report in Spanish of a meeting between the CC.OO (Spain), CGIL (Italy) and DGB (Germany), with an unconfirmed proposal for a two hour strike in Italy.

Ed

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on October 28, 2012

The situation in Italy is looking typically messy.. as Sten posted, COBAS will definitely take part on 14th November (Sten, correct me if I'm wrong, but COBAS are the biggest of the base unions, right?)..

As for the others, Unicobas, along with CUB and USB school sections are striking on the 16th November. On 16th November, there will also be a strike by FIOM (metalworkers - probably the most militant section of the CGIL) and a national mobilisation of students.

Finally, there should be a fairly big school workers' strike on 24th November with COBAS and the big unions.

CUB are meeting on the 30th to decide what they are doing, and I think USI-AIT are also waiting to see which day will be the best to strike on.

Chilli Sauce

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Chilli Sauce on October 28, 2012

communications blockade

Interesting choice of words, there. Don't want to overstate it or anything, but I'm pretty sure that's our radical terminolgy making it into r-n-f groups.

rooieravotr

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by rooieravotr on October 28, 2012

Sten and Ed, some links about Italian initiatives maybe?

Ed

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on October 28, 2012

Not much online so far tbh, and the odd bits and bobs that I've found are all in Italian..

Sten linked to Cobas' statement about 14th November, there's some stuff [url=http://ufficiostampa.usb.it/index.php?id=20&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=49658&cHash=9edd833932&MP=63-618]here[/url] on the November 16th school strike.

News article here on Fiom's strike also on the 16th. Article also mentions the national day of action by students.

Some stuff here from the Cobas website about the school strike on the 24th, alongside CGIL, CISL, UIL and a few other unions.

rooieravotr

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by rooieravotr on October 29, 2012

Thanks Ed, apologies to Sten, I overlooked the link;)

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 29, 2012

[youtube]Kx2Gshq26Iw[/youtube]

Entdinglichung

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Entdinglichung on October 30, 2012

http://labournet.de/internationales/europa/index.html

Ed

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on October 31, 2012

Okay, so now Unicobas and CUB's school section are striking on the 14th, not the 16th.. I have a press release in my email from Unicobas, which I could copy and paste but its not that interesting apart from the first line "If Cobas won't come to Unicobas, Unicobas will go to them!" referring to the fact that Cobas hadn't consulted any other base unions before deciding to strike on Nov 14th.. sometimes the base unions in Italy act worse than Trot parties in England!

It looks like the FIOM strike on the 16th is off now as well, being rolled into the 4-hour CGIL strike on the 14th.. it will be interesting now to see if the students decide to protest on the 14th as well now, or if they'll prefer to have a seperate day of 'student struggle'.. hopefully not, imo

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 31, 2012

In Portugal various UGT affiliated unions have now said they will strike on the 14th, including civil servants, teachers and media workers. The UGT had previously declined to join the CGTP's call out, arguing that it was 'party political'. Report in Portuguese here.

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on October 31, 2012

In Barcelona the CGT and CNT are going ahead with their own general strike today, in addition to the strike on the 14th:

http://www.alasbarricadas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=53427&start=195

anarcocapo

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by anarcocapo on November 1, 2012

Hi there, first of all: Sorry for my horrible English... ¡¡ Thks a lot to include a reference/link to our site !!. Brief intro on what we're doing: All we can to promote/help/support to achieve a real International Strike at 14N. We are not only the 15M-workgroup dedicated to International Strikes, we have a strong and solid assembly composed by several Black/Red sindycate members, workers and real 15M supporters. Any help/ideas/initiatives are more than welcome and will receive real militance. One of our goals now is to reach a new level of fight inside the Social assoc. promoting the active presence in the Strikes as informative pickets.
Salud - Cheers

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 1, 2012

Hi anarcocapo - welcome to libcom. Don't worry about your English - any updates would be helpful.

fingers malone

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by fingers malone on November 1, 2012

Welcome anarcocapo, and we can translate reports from Spanish if they are not too long!

Ed

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on November 1, 2012

14 novembre - #occupyeurope
This article (in Italian) is a bit vague but it sounds like the students and social movements in Italy are looking for ways to come out on 14th November as well.

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 2, 2012

FdCA: 14 November, first European general strike

On 14 November, workers are called to a Europe-wide strike, the first sign of an international response to an attack being made on the working class of the entire continent, in different but equally harsh forms, by the European bourgeoisie and its governments. The workers must take back their pride of place in the struggles, struggles which will be as radical as the workers themselves are able to make them.

They will have pride of place, over and beyond the union they belong to, finally unifiying their demands and their dissent; they will have pride of place over and beyond the fragmentation that exists, over and beyond the logic of each to his own or of testing the waters, as is the case with certain unions who are thinking more about internal politics than the streets, a fine example of the cultural and political subordination of a large part of our union leaderships, but also a confirmation of the different commitment and support needed to fight the restructuring of capital and the effects of this on society in general.

Let it be the workers themselves who stand up to the subordination imposed on them by the ideology of capital and by trade-union collaboration, the residue of twenty years of defeats resulting from a system of now redundant social relations, no longer able to withstand the struggle.

Let it be with a general strike of the workers themselves and not their various unions, one which involves casual workers and students, those made unemployed or redundant, freelance workers and migrants.

Let it be a strike which is built up city by city, in assemblies, a strike which must not end at the end of the day without a definite plan to continue to build more mobilizations.

Let it be a strike that sets out to win back political and labour freedoms, inside and outside the workplace, demanding better pay, hours, rights, equalities, pensions and public welfare, guaranteeing secular public education for all.

All this today seems like a utopia. But only this can avoid a war between the poor, between natives and foreigners, in a framework of widespread precarity into which the first signs of barbarity are working their way and where class solidarity is an increasingly rare sight...

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 2, 2012

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 2, 2012

David in Atlanta

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by David in Atlanta on November 2, 2012

The youth federation of the Belgian FGTB has declared for the strike along with a affiliated metal workers union. The youth federation claims anti-authoritarian principals and social revolution as the objective. How that works out for a constituency of what looks like a pretty mainstream union federation overall would be interesting to know.

yeksmesh

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by yeksmesh on November 2, 2012

yeah, the FGTB (the french part of the social democratic union organization) is a pretty mainstream union, being pretty much in line with the other two unions in the country (this being the christian democrat one and the liberal one). Note that the intro was written 15 years ago and that these social democratic organizations still employed socialist rhetoric for a pretty long time, and that youth organzations generally tend to be more radical than the mainstream of the organization. But from recent political releases I have read from this organizations youth wing (albeit from the flemish part which generally tends to be a tad less radical) they mostly just support a soft left position contrary to the cuts and with the accompanying positions on womens rights, ecology, anti-racism...etc, but not mentioning capitalism.

Also on the 11th of november there is gonna be a protest march against the closing of Ford Genk which is probably gonna result in the loss of about 10 000 jobs, and it would be cool if these two struggles could be joined together somehow (although most likely still limited within the usual social democratic framework).

english language link

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 3, 2012

Chilli Sauce

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Chilli Sauce on November 3, 2012

Man, I want those sort of photoshop skills.

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 3, 2012

14N is now getting plenty of mainstream media coverage in Spain. Here are a couple of reports from Público. The first is about the involvement of 15M and the indignados. The second report is about Agora 99, an international meeting of activists from across Europe organised by 15M, aimed in part at coordinating their action on the 14th.

El 14-N, la fecha en la que los indignados europeos tratarán de "reconquistar el futuro"

Indignados de media Europa se citan en Madrid contra la austeridad

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 4, 2012

France - Solidaires proposed a strike, the other union federations declined. Agreement for a national call to organise demonstrations instead.

Salarié-es en activité, au chômage, en retraite, en formation, nous sommes tous concerné-es 
Nous manifestons le 14 novembre!

Le mouvement syndical doit agir à travers les frontières pour imposer un autre système que celui qui exploite les travailleurs/ses, pille les pays du sud, organise la famine d’une partie de la planète, … Le 14 novembre, la Confédération Européenne des Syndicats appelle à une journée d’action et de solidarité contre l’austérité, sous formes de grèves, de manifestations, de rassemblements,… Solidaires soutient cette initiative car nous avons besoin d’actions convergentes au plan européen ; mais nous disons aussi notre désaccord avec certaines positions développées dans l’appel de la C.E.S., notamment le soutien aux Traités européens dont nous considérons qu’ils sont, non pas des garde-fous, mais bien des outils pour organiser l’austérité et la politique pro-patronale que nous combattons. 


Licenciements, précarité, suppressions d’emplois publics, flexibilité, … D’autres solutions sont possibles!



La journée européenne du 14 novembre s’inscrit dans notre réalité quotidienne. En participant massivement aux manifestations interprofessionnelles organisées partout en France, en agissant de manière coordonnée en Europe, nous affirmons notre solidarité, mais surtout nous continuons à défendre nos intérêts face aux prétentions et appétits patronaux.

14 novembre, grèves nationales interprofessionnelles en Grèce, en Espagne, au Portugal, à Chypre, à Malte … 
En France, seule l’Union syndicale Solidaires a proposé un appel à la grève



Les organisations membres du réseau européen des syndicats alternatifs et de base (l’Union syndicale Solidaires mais aussi la CGT et la Confederacion Intersindical en Espagne, CUB et USI en Italie, le réseau TIE en Allemagne, SUD en Suisse, etc.) soutiennent les grèves et manifestations du 14 novembre. Une journée de grève nationale interprofessionnelle est décidée au Portugal, en Espagne, en Grèce, à Chypre, à Malte. En France, une rencontre intersyndicale s’est tenue le 26 octobre ; seule l’Union syndicale Solidaires a proposé un appel à la grève. L’accord s’est fait sur un appel national à organiser des manifestations.

Agir ensemble dans toute l’Europe, le 14 novembre! 
Débattre et décider ensemble des suites, en se réunissant dans chaque entreprise, chaque service, chaque ville!

Dans plusieurs pays européens, les manifestations seront accompagnées de grèves sectorielles. En France, des rencontres intersyndicales se tiennent dans les prochains jours, mais le refus des autres organisations interprofessionnelles de l’appel à la grève que nous proposions laisse peu de marge pour organiser une grève d’ampleur. Pour autant, des mobilisations existent dans diverses branches professionnelles ; l’Union syndicale Solidaires considère qu’il est dommage de ne pas les faire converger le 14 novembre, mais elles demeurent un point d’appui pour la suite...

http://www.solidaires.org/article42617.html

Ed

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ed on November 4, 2012

As a quick note about Italy, outside of some people I know from the base unions, it doesn't seem like anyone is talking about 14N. I asked some friends of mine who are part of a Circolo ARCI (a kind of left-wing cultural society) and pretty close politically to one of the local social centres but they hadn't heard anything about it. They said they would ask around and get back to me on it.

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 4, 2012

It's obviously a big deal in Spain. I'm not sure how much interest or coverage there is anywhere else. Portugal will be involved - the CGTP really set the ball rolling - but maybe it's just one more in a series of strikes. Likewise Greece where the general strike planned for the 6th and 7th is getting the publicity - I think the call out for the 14th is still on but you wouldn't really know this from anyone reporting from Greece. Cyprus and Malta are supposed to be involved but I haven't seen any direct confirmation. There seems to be a real mismatch between the interest in Spain and elsewhere.

rooieravotr

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by rooieravotr on November 4, 2012

More rumblings from the Netherlands: initiative for student strike, with a call-out on Facebook. Also, a general call-out to 'do something' from an autonomous collective in Ede, small town in the centre where usually not much happens. This collective has its roots in radical Occupy people. Here the Facebook-call

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 5, 2012

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 5, 2012

FAU article on 14N (in German): http://www.fau.org/artikel/art_121104-220908

machine translation

FAU is calling for participation in the European day of action and solidarity with the general strike in countries from Portugal to Spain to Cyprus. Basic enforcement of impoverishment is unparalleled against the European population under significant influence of the German government. 


Workers in this country may not therefore stand aside. And ultimately, no one can say exactly what happened, when the economic downturn also covers Germany. Therefore: 



14th November Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate
- 15:00 clock rally of the DGB 

- 16:30 clock demonstration of Greece Solikomittees
See you at the black and red flags!

[...]

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 5, 2012

From an interview with CNT secretary general Alfonso Álvarez in the November issue of CNT:

¿Qué objetivos se marca en concreto la CNT para el 14-N?

Nos marcamos los mismos objetivos que en anteriores huelgas: trabajar de cara a generar una oleada de movilizaciones que marquen una ruptura con las políticas de concertación social del mal llamado sindicalismo mayoritario. Nuestra idea del 14-N es que es un día de conflicto abierto, de enfrentamiento con quienes están expoliando a los trabajadores; por ello la CNT apostará por realizar convocatorias unitarias lo más masivas posible, siempre al margen del sindicalismo institucional y centrándose en incentivar el espíritu de lucha de los trabajadores/as. Es muy importante para nosotros que cale el mensaje de que enfrente tenemos a todo un grupo de políticos y empresarios/as que están dispuestos a robárnoslo todo, y que ante eso sólo queda organizarse para responder con idéntica contundencia a la que ellos emplean.

Va a haber algún tipo de actuación coordinada con el resto de las secciones de la AIT, -o sindicatos cercanos a la Internacional- en aquellos países donde se van a producir procesos huelguísticos?

CNT siempre ha defendido la necesidad de internacionalizar las luchas, y es evidente que una respuesta adecuada a las políticas que se están imponiendo en distintos paises europeos desde las intituciones políticas y financieras europeas exige una respuesta coordinada de la clase obrera por encima de fronteras nacionales que hace mucho que el capital ha dejado atrás. En consecuencia CNT viene defendiendo en el seno de la AIT la necesidad de coordinación de luchas entre las secciones europeas, y más allá del aspecto sindical ha participado en llamamientos a la acción en otros ámbitos de coordinación como el M-31. Y en esa línea vamos a seguir porque es vital el fortalecimiento de la lucha internacional. En el caso concreto de la huelga del 14N, trataremos que la AIT se movilice, especialmente en aquellos paises donde haya finalmente convocatoria de huelga o jornadas de lucha y que el trabajo que se realice sirva para construir las convocatorias de lucha internacional que necesitamos y que habrán de venir.

http://www.cnt.es/periodico/periódico-cnt-nº-394-noviembre-2012

uhu

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by uhu on November 6, 2012

a for the moment list of manifestations (no strike actions in the case of 14N) in germany can be found here:
http://www.chefduzen.de/index.php?topic=26386.0
we'll see how many will take to the streets there...

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 7, 2012

Greece: 'GSEE Nov14 work stoppage 12:00-15:00 & demo at 13:00 in Athens', from here.

Malaquias

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Malaquias on November 8, 2012

IWA Secretariat statement:

November 14 - Mobilizations, General Strikes, Direct Actions and Solidarity!

Austerity cuts come over and over again - they are driving down the conditions of life of workers and their aim is to crush or/and weaken the ability to organize and fight The profit is privatized and the rich are getting richer, but the costs, risks and oppression are socialized!

The bureaucratic trade union CGTP has called a general strike in Portugal and the CCOO and UGT have called for a general strike in Spain against the austerity measures for November 14. For this same day, general strikes are also being called in Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus etc. as part of a Day of Action by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

The position of the IWA and its Sections and Friends is that we are not only against the government of the "troika" and the austerity measures, but against the class society and against an economic and social system based on the exploitation of wage labor and environmental destruction. We are for works self- organizing and emancipation, and by this our struggle is directed against and outside the class collaborationist structures!

Our sister organization in Spain the CNT-AIT says in a declaration that the reformist CCOO and UGT after hesitation have called for the General Strike of 14-N which they have been dragged into: “On the one hand, by increasing social unrest and mobilizations in the streets and on the other, by the continued anti-labor measures of a government at the service of financial elites and employers with no intention of conceding even the crumbs that allow institutional unionism to justify their role.”

And further: “CNT has agreed to call a general strike for November 14 and we will do this in our own way, with our own demands. We say that this strike is necessary but is not sufficient and we call for it to go beyond the sterile and frustrating scenario of the institutional unions that people have become accustomed to”.

The AIT- Portugal writes in an article in IWA- External Bulletin-3 [*] about the encouraging demonstrations on September 15 that mainly were convened through internet. It has been estimated that 500 000 people demonstrated in Lisbon and 100 000 in Porto, and there were demonstrations in more than 30 cities in Portugal.

Since then it has according to our Portuguese comrades been held demonstrations almost every week. They also see weaknesses and contradictions in the movement if it is merely directed towards political objectives as early elections etc, the dangers of nationalism and if they only become pressure movements and not “the growth of a social movement for the self-organization of struggles, with prospects for radical economic and social change”.

The Secretariat of the International Workers Association (IWA) sends hereby its support to the mobilizations of Spanish CNT-AIT and AIT- Portugal and the further steps that are so strongly needed to intensify the direct actions and solidarity.

It`s in these times clearly revealed that the “freedom” for the capitalists means economical dictatorship and slavery for the vast majority, and the IWA- Sections and Friends will both show solidarity to our sister organizations on November 14 and protest against austerity measures, exploitation and oppression!

For workers self- organization and emancipation!
Long live the IWA and anarchosyndicalism!

Oslo, November 5 – 2012
IWA-Secretariat

and in spanish, portuguese, romanian, german...

* IWA- External Bulletin-3

marta bolgan

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by marta bolgan on November 8, 2012

Hi everybody.

Does somebody know about demostration in Ireland on November 14th?

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 9, 2012

marta bolgan

Does somebody know about demostration in Ireland on November 14th?

General Strike in Southern Europe: 14 November (14N)
Irish Solidarity Rally 1pm Central Bank Plaza, Wed 14 November

[...]
We call on all Irish trade unionists to support the solidarity protests on Wednesday 14th November at 1pm at the Central Bank Plaza on Dame St, D2.

The strike on 14N cannot be an end in itself. It must serve as a springboard for further action, it must also be a step towards an even wider European mobilisation. We are calling on the ICTU to join any future co-ordinated international days of action by organising solidarity protests and strikes in Ireland alongside the European trade union movement...

http://en-gb.facebook.com/events/501186876572614/

I'm not sure who's organising this.

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 9, 2012

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 12, 2012

[youtube]FL3b8vzFIhc[/youtube]
Video from Juventud sin Futuro

yeksmesh

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by yeksmesh on November 12, 2012

In Belgium we wont have a general strike but certain sections of the unions will strike, these are as of now supposed to be the regions of Centre and Luik-Hoei-Borgworm for the socialist union (the Wallonian part of ABVV-FGTB), the socialist union for public workers (ACOD) and the socialist metalurgy union (MWB). Besides that some protest actions are suppose to take place, and as a goal it is stated that in every company there should at least be one hour of non-working by having informative meetings during working hours and doing stuff such as handing out pamphlets.

Also note that strikes, particularly in the public services where most of the unions are concentrated, are generally quite unpopular in Belgium because of one-sided media portrayal and the fact that they cause significant hinderance to regular people as they particularly heavily disrupt public transport on which alot of people rely (there is stated to be heavy disruption of train traffic thanks to the strike in ACOD). Also the strike will depend on how much it is followed up by the local groups as you arent forced to strike when a general strike is declared and often some sort of minimum service is still guaranteed.

sources (in dutch): http://www.pvda.be/nieuws/artikel/actiedag-14-november-besparingen-neen-werk-en-solidariteit-ja.html

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnenland/article/detail/1531857/2012/11/09/Mogelijk-ernstige-verstoring-treinverkeer-op-14-november.dhtml

http://www.abvv.be/web/guest/press-releases-nl/-/press/1073925/;jsessionid=Za13xGEIo5DK8jk0RNg9eI9&p_l_id=13635

yeksmesh

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by yeksmesh on November 12, 2012

double post

Malaquias

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Malaquias on November 12, 2012

CNT-AIT (Spain) and AIT-SP (Portugal) joint statement on the general strike:

http://cnt.es/noticias/las-secciones-de-la-ait-en-espa%C3%B1-y-portugal-llaman-los-trabajadores-ib%C3%A9ricos-la-huelga-gene

http://ait-sp.blogspot.pt/2012/11/greve-geral-14-novembro-espanha-e.html

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 12, 2012

Some 14N posters from Catalonia here

14N twitter feed: https://twitter.com/search?q=%2314nRiseUp

Inhousejoke

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Inhousejoke on November 12, 2012

Mark.

marta bolgan

Does somebody know about demostration in Ireland on November 14th?

General Strike in Southern Europe: 14 November (14N)
Irish Solidarity Rally 1pm Central Bank Plaza, Wed 14 November

[...]
We call on all Irish trade unionists to support the solidarity protests on Wednesday 14th November at 1pm at the Central Bank Plaza on Dame St, D2.

The strike on 14N cannot be an end in itself. It must serve as a springboard for further action, it must also be a step towards an even wider European mobilisation. We are calling on the ICTU to join any future co-ordinated international days of action by organising solidarity protests and strikes in Ireland alongside the European trade union movement...

http://en-gb.facebook.com/events/501186876572614/

I'm not sure who's organising this.

From the looks of things it's being organised by the United Left Alliance (ULA, its sort of a coalition of the SP, SWP and a few independants that was started just before the elections), looks like it has a broad enough attendance though.

Here in Ireland the main protest for the next while will be on November 24th, its an anti-austerity demo before the budget comes out supported by DCTU, the CAHWT (anti-household tax campaign) and some student unions so far.

Entdinglichung

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Entdinglichung on November 13, 2012

http://www.ituc-csi.org/european-trade-unions-mobilise-on.html

The ITUC has pledged its full support to the European trade union movement’s November 14 Day of Action and Solidarity. Strike actions in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal are planned, along with demonstrations and solidarity activities in 23 countries across the continent.

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 13, 2012

14N updates from Spain: http://www.alasbarricadas.org/noticias/node/22619

silkandmatt52

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by silkandmatt52 on November 13, 2012

November 14th a case of symbolic action replacing actual action?

Mark.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mark. on November 13, 2012

[quote=Anarchists in Jordan]General strike tomorrow is announced[/quote]

[quote=DarthNader]Jordanian activists call for a general strike tomorrow...the same day as the European general strike![/quote]

Steven.

11 years 4 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on November 13, 2012

Now there is a news article on this so I will lock this thread. Future discussion and updates can take place below the news article: http://libcom.org/news/europe-strike-against-austerity-live-updates-13112012