Student strikes
Nov 8 2007
They've started and I should be facing my first picket line tomorrow.
Is it worth doing an interview and what would be the best way of going about it? A few of my students know that I am sympathetic to them so I could talk to them (probably will anyway) Is it a good idea to write notes or not. Should I tell them I'm doing an interview and give them the website address etc? Should I assume that they want to be anonymous or should I ask them.
I'm really hoping I don't get jumped by trot cunts who think I'm a student trying to cross a picket line. I'm not going to teach as long as the stike holds which I think is the right thing to do, but I will go in and explain to any students who have crossed the pickets why I am not teaching.
I was thinking:
Why are you striking? (to win, to protest etc)
Do you expect to win?
What other tacics do you plan to use?
Do you plan to extend the struggle and how?
How widepread do you think support is amongst other students?
What inspired you to picket etc?
Should I put the inspire question earlier on so it doesn't seem like I'm spying? I got looks from one or two people at the last AG I attended because I was the only teacher present.
Nov 9 2007
#2
hello
could you please inform on the reasons for the mobilisations?
i've read (in paris.indymedia.org about a LRU law, but i can't make out the french. i hope we (in greece) begin too...
Nov 9 2007
#3
good luck jef!
will you not get in shit for not teaching?
Nov 9 2007
#4
John. wrote:
good luck jef!will you not get in shit for not teaching?
Possibly if they hadn't blocked my building.
I wish I'd taken my camera, I'd have got some better pictures, after the rain stopped it was really sunny although cold. I'm a bit worried about taking it Monday in case it kicks off. I'm about to start a write-up.
Nov 9 2007
#5
Sotev.
Students also have many other demands mainly relating to increased budgets for universities, more bursaries, more student housing, removal of campus security and amnesties for militants, some of whom are being punished for action during the anti-CPE movement."
other info
report from previous AG
student flyer for the most recent AG
The CNT have a newswire listing unis that are striking, apparently it's only 35ish out of 85.
Nov 9 2007
#6
thanks. hope everything explodes again
Nov 9 2007
#7
pictures from the occupation.
Nov 12 2007
#8
The blockade was lifted today by CRS riot police, a stormy AG voted to continue strike action and blockades. They're currentlmy debating whether to occupy the buildings now, because of the coming transport strike the mood seems to be they need to take the uni now while it's worth doing (during transport strikes noone will be here.
There si also talk of sarkozy visiting nanterre on weds and of setting up a welcome committe for him
I've got to get back to the meeting eve though it's a bit hard to follow what's going on.
I'll do a proper report for tonight but signs are encouraging and the movement is definitely growing.
Nov 12 2007
#9
jeff you heard anything about the students going to picket the train stations tomorrow evening?
Nov 12 2007
#10
Yes the national co-ordination meeting agreed that as a tactic and I think participation will be decided locally. I'm doing an update now.
Nov 13 2007
#11
nice one mate, keep us informed...
Nov 13 2007
#12
Riot police lifted the blockade of the F building, some students and teachers went in, in total 150 at the most. Apparently the head of the university called for a general assembly, obviously with the police at the doors no one who had been on the pickets was getting through. He had previously claimed that the other AG were not legitimate and had demanded a secret ballot.
Although the F building was forced open and the picketers abandoned the pickets of the other buildings, few if any classes took place. The entrances to the buildings were locked so that there was only one entrance which was manned by university security and anyone wishing to go in needed to show proof of ID to go in and then use the internal connecting corridors to move between buildings. I was also told that individuals were also not allowed to enter, that it had to be a teacher with a class.
Today was a very important day because once the transport strikes begin whether the university is blockaded or not becomes a moot point. The number of people on the blockades has increased each day. Even though they have been attacked two days running. Although the blockade was technically defeated the university still remained closed and the strike was still effective.
Nov 13 2007
#13
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3gy59_forces-de-lordre-a-luniversite-de-n
a video of actions, you can see the anti-bloqueurs cheering the police the cowards.
Nov 13 2007
#14
An account I got from someone at the blockade at Nanterre.
http://libcom.org/library/riot-police-attack-blockades-nanterre-university-13112007
edit: 27 universities either blockaded or to be blockaded tomorrow
aris VIII(st denis), Paris X(nanterre), Paris XIII(villetaneuse), Rouen, Tours, Caen, Nantes, Rennes I, Toulouse II, Toulouse III, Pau, Perpignan, Lyon II, Montpellier II, Montpellier III, Lille III, Lille I, Limoges, Brest, Le Havre, Bordeaux III, Amiens, Angers, Besançon, Dijon, Metz, La Rochelle.
3 closed (after votes to strike) Paris I(tolbiac), Rennes II, Aix en provence.
another 15 universities have strikes without blockades or other actions ongoing.
Nov 14 2007
#15
Jef - there's only 80-90 universities right? So that's a third already? Was it about 60-70 during CPE iirc?
Nov 14 2007
#16
84 universities I think.
It got very high during the CPE but it did take a while to get going, it is building momentum certainly although the votes in a lot of place seem to be closer than they were during the CPE.
The heavy-handed tactics might be backfiring as well. At Nantes and Nanterre using riot police against the bloqueurs has definitely increased support for the strike.
I think one or to more went out today as well. Yesterday strikers from the Sorbonne tried to take the gare d'austerlitz but were driven back, they went back to the campus and occupied it.
related question. How easy is it to remove faces from pictures? Some got picked out during CPE protests using photos etc posted online.
Nov 14 2007
#17
Jef - you can blur faces very easily. Download GIMP www.gimp.org/windows/
Nov 15 2007
#18
I know that this thread is headed "students", but think that their struggle is part of the class wide fight and, going on from the lessons around the CPE, that students should be actively seeking solidarity with workers.
I saw last night that the main unions have now agreed to separate negotiations, a move which couldn't be more divisive.
Since the Oct. 18 strike, quite well supported and with positive elements, the unions have undertaken their work of division in calling some public sector workers out and others not; some private sector workers out and others not. Transport strikes can be positive as part of an outward going movement but in the hands of the unions can become a weapon for keeping workers either exasperated or at home. In several towns, including Marseille in the last strikes, it was the management that announced that trains that were running were not running, whereas the situation now calls for large numbers of workers demonstrating, particularly in the major centres.
What I saw on TV last night confirmed the ICC's French section view that union "protests" over the last couple of days are taking place leading files of workers with loudspeakers belting out rock music, colours, whistles, drums - none of it conducive to workers' discussion. The CDFT has already said not to "mix up all the problems, and all the claims" (Sec. General Chereque) - division rather than unification, the latter the only element that will push back the French bourgeoisie.
On the even of the 18th some minor drivers, unions began direct negotiations with the govt. while others tried to provoke a minority to stay out isolated.
The aim of the French bourgeoisie is to launch a massive attack on the whole class - necessitated by the deepening crisis, under the guise of so-called "special pension arrangements" (paid for out of workers' wages).
The propaganda in the British media is for support to Sarkozy and against the workers.
look forward to hearing more Jef.
Nov 15 2007
#19
Hi Baboon, we're working on something based on France, there was a thread on transport strikes I think but it sank more quickly than this one. Also a fair amount of what I've posted on here isn't quite good enough for news whereas the transport stuff is. While this strike wave is essentially a series of defensive struggles you're certainly right that it is a chance for younger workers to gain experience. One of the unions pulled out of the transport/energy strike (I forget which one) and the CGT looks as if it is going to sell out its members, I think it was Le Monde tha thad an stricle titled CGT: caught between the will to negotiate and the rank and file members. Which says it al really.
You're also right about the protests. From what I've seen at the university the movement grows due to efforts by militants to engage with others, to debate and inform. The fighting with the police has its merits but it reinforces negative views of the movement. Although one encouraging developent was the refusal of anti-blockade teachers to teach whilst police were on the campus, equally many students, while not agreeing with the blockade were against the attacks by police. The media here is spewing lies to a ridiculous extent about everything. I imagine the rail strike will hold until the weekend, I'm hoping it holds until the public sector strikes on tuesday, a lot of people are talking about 1995, when it took three weeks of strikes to win. I'm not sure that workers have the stomach or the public support this time.
Nov 15 2007
#20
One question about these student blockades and strikes... are they effective?
I mean I'm sure they disrupt universities a lot, but how much pressure does this put on the govt.? Are there pushes to shut down roads and rail instead/as well? What do uni workers think about the university autonomy laws?
I suppose if students wanted to stop those laws the blockades might be enough, but how much sentiment is there amongst students about the workers' struggle over pensions etc?
Nov 15 2007
#21
Student strikes are not very effective unless there are blockades. The pressure put on the government is partly in terms of PR and partly due to the potential cost of having a year's worth of students not pass, both in terms of losing them to the joib market for a year (maybe not so serious) and having to fund an extra year's teaching.
Nov 15 2007
#22
John from what I can see there's already been blockades of rail stations (or big attempts at them anyway). The CPE concessions last year I reckon were due to an increasing generalisation of that tactic - certainly there were much more incidences the two weeks before the announcements.
Nov 15 2007
#23
Last time the students were blocking rail stations that weren't on strike though. Which makes a difference. The government is certainly going to great lengths to stop solidarity actions.
http://libcom.org/news/france-students-strikes-spread-solidarity-actions-begin-15112007
Nov 15 2007
#24
During the CPE workers at the unis were striking too weren't they?
Have students spoken to rail workers about helping mass picket stations? How are relations/attitudes between workers and students?
Nov 15 2007
#25
baboon wrote:
I saw last night that the main unions have now agreed to separate negotiations, a move which couldn't be more divisive.
This is true, and for once I think you've managed to find the crucial point in this and the way in which any sort of movement will probably be defeated. Also, if anyone wants evidence of the horrific British coverage of this, here's an appalling BBC article for ya:
Nov 15 2007
#26
jef costello wrote:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3gy59_forces-de-lordre-a-luniversite-de-na video of actions, you can see the anti-bloqueurs cheering the police the cowards.
"allez les bleus!" what a bunch of horrible kids. not wanting to sound like some sort of cultural/class essentialist, but most of the anti-bloqueurs look pretty well-to-do. would that be a fair assessment jef?
Nov 15 2007
#27
Yes, it's a bunch of middle class kids cheering riot police hitting others. The anti-bloqueurs are disgusting and their actions turned a lot of people against them. I saw the girl that the guy is mocking, her eyebrow piercing was half torn out, she got gassed and hit with a truncheon and her friend got hit when she bent over to help her. They were both five foot nothing. I hope someone cracks his forehead open.
The transport strkes are definitely weakening, the CGT is talking tougher than yesterday, not sure if this is a sign it's about to sell out its members or not.
Nov 15 2007
#28
hi John, Jef etc, hope yous are all well. sent JC a pm elsewhere - won't be able to do blog work like during CPE sadly, but will be watching all this closely.
just seen on Le Figaro that seven unions are all calling for further strike action for tomorrow so maybe they are converging on the same stance again?
fingers crossed anyway
Nov 15 2007
#29
They are but the official estimates for the service tomorrow have jumped up again for tomorrow (and they were spot on yesterday) it looks as if the strike is weakening. The end of the strie won't necessarily be a defeat for the workers but it probably will. They need some more inventive tactics, I thought of one when I was arguing with my flatmate, if they delayed processing payments for season tickets (but not issuing the tickets themselves) they could cost the company a fortune. It would need strong support for staff at the sharp end though.
Nov 16 2007
#30
i mind this guy from the CPE, does good photos and gets about too:
http://thibautcho.free.fr/FFSF/?album=_La_LRU_on_s_en_fout_work_in_progress
also flickr again:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ian--/sets/72157603199487749/
also seems to have been some students protests & strikes in canada in the last week:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2007/11/15/qc-studentprotest1115.html
Depends on your memory/handwriting. I can't take notes for shit.
Yeah probably.
Definitely ask them.