(all links in Spanish)
A new union federation the Sindicato Andaluz de Trabajadores with about 25,000 members is to be launched at an assembly in Seville tomorrow. The SAT is being formed by the Sindicato de Obreras del Campo - the land workers union - with about 20,000 members, Autonomía Obrera - a split from the CC.OO based in Cadiz that has worked closely with the CGT - and some smaller unions. There's an interview with an Autonomía Obrera member here
Our statutes define us as a class based and alternative union for Andalucía. Inside it we will have workers who, from an ideological point of view, have different affiliations (communists, anarchists, nationalists etc.) but everyone is fully agreed on the need for a union model of struggle, avoiding social pacts, solidarity, and commitment to all the political and social struggles which have to do with the needs and rights of the working class in our country, including, naturally, the national rights of the people of Andalucía and the right to self-determination [ ... ] In the SAT we know that we do not have a monopoly on being right and that alongside us there are many comrades, in the CGT as much as in other union organisations (USTEA, S.U., CTA etc.) who advocate strategies and principles very similar to ours [ ... ] Our permanent attitude with respect to the CGT, and all the rest of the union organisations of the left, will always be of looking for understanding, coordination and mutual support [ ... ] The model of unionism practiced by the leadership of the CC.OO and UGT has been characterised by absolute collaboration with the necessities and requirements of the system...
There's an article and discussion about this on alasbarricadas. The contributors, who I think are all CNT members or supporters, are sympathetic but critical of proposals to take part in elections to works councils etc. The left wing nationalism that seems be involved has not been brought up.
In effect, it will follow the same line as the SOC, it will accept the system of union elections and subventions...
There are very combative people in the SAT, unionists I'd take my hat off to because they really put themselves on the line. I know people in Autonomía Obrera and they are exemplary, as are many from the SOC.
I'd rather see this union grow than the CC.OO and UGT.
However, it made me shudder a bit to read the declaration of Cañamero [secretary general of the SOC] and the statement in general. It utilises a rhetoric of financial independence, criticism of bureaucratised unionism... but it reproduces nearly all the structures and functioning of the CC.OO and UGT. And what is even worse, they are orienting their strategy towards obtaining union delegates [on the works councils]. They have accepted in full the rules of the game on the union playing field, rules made so that everything stays the same [ ... ]
I wish them luck. I really hope I am wrong but they are going to end up being the same thing they are criticising.
SOC-SAT Almería now have a website in English, presumably because they're organising immigrants who know more English than Spanish:
http://socalmeriaeng.wordpress.com/the-soc-sat/
Also 200 members of SOC-SAT occupied a branch of Banco Santander in Seville yesterday demanding help for day labourers and immigrants instead of for the banks.
Reports in Spanish:
http://www.alasbarricadas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=38157
http://www.sindicatoandaluz.org/