North America
US: Truck plant strike leaders sacked
Two weeks after a wildcat strike against layoffs, eleven Freightliner LLC workers in North Carolina have been fired.
Christopher Kirkpatrick reported in the Charlotte Observer that more than two weeks after an unauthorized strike sputtered, Freightliner LLC workers in Rowan County are set to vote today on a new contract, similar to agreements overwhelmingly approved by the company's Mount Holly and Gastonia workers.
Canada: CN Rail lock out strikers
After increasing strike activity to five locations across Canada, CN Rail have locked out all participating employees.
CBC.ca reported that the dispute flared up again after union members rejected a tentative deal struck in February to end a 15-day walkout.
United Transportation Union workers in Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia began rotating strikes late Tuesday to force Canada's largest rail carrier to return to the bargaining table.
Unmasking the Zapatistas - Wildcat
A critical analysis of the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico and "an alternative to the almost universal uncritical laudation which Marcos and co. have received."
It may seem smug to knock the Zapatistas from the sidelines. But this is a perennial red herring. The fact that the Zapatistas and their supporters live in hardship and risk their lives does not in any way demonstrate that their program is what the Mexican proletariat needs. This article should provide an alternative to the almost universal uncritical laudation which Marcos and co. have received.
Union calls off truck plant wildcat strike
With layoffs imminent, truck manufacturing workers in North Carolina walked out until union officials called off the action.
After the workers' contracts expired on Saturday, staff at the Rowan County plant went on the offensive and walked out on the evening of Monday 5 March demanding safer conditions and higher pay.
Employer Freightliner LLC announced in December it was to slash 1,200 of 4,000 jobs.
1973: The Skylab 4 mutiny
A brief account of the 24-hour mutiny during the Skylab 4 mission in 1973/4 triggered by the astronauts' complaints of excessive workloads.
Class war in space - The Skylab 4 mutiny
Canada: Wildcat strike in solidarity with sacked auto workers
Workers at a plant in Guelph, Ontario struck on Saturday in support of sacked Toronto car employees occupying their plant for severance pay.
The Guelph Mercury reported that auto workers at Guelph Products Collins & Aikman went on a wildcat strike Saturday to support workers at a Toronto plant pushing for severance pay for 200 laid-off workers.
Nearly 75 of the Guelph plant's staff walked off the job around 3:30 p.m. and management barricaded the turnstile entrances with chains and steel bars so the workers couldn't re-enter.
Canada: Indefinite strike at Laval University
A total of 2000 university teachers have been on strike since the 14th of March after management refused to make concessions to their demands.
The strike concerns chargés de cours, who are teachers who are employed part-time to teach specific lessons. They are not permanent employees and are paid significantly less than permanent full-time teachers.
Toronto: auto workers occupy factory
150 auto workers occupied their factory yesterday in a dispute over unpaid severance pay whilst hundreds more demonstrated outside.
Workers barricaded doors at the Collins & Aikman plant in Scarborough, a suburb of Toronto, yesterday. The factory produces floor, acoustic systems and cockpit modules for cars.
200 workers have been laid off at the plant since it filed for bankruptcy in 2005, but they have not been paid severance pay. The company claims that its US arm won't release the funds.
Trinidad: air traffic controllers on "sick out"
Air traffic controllers in Trinidad called in sick en-masse over the weekend due to the slow pace of negotiations for their first collective contract.
The mass sickie was called on Saturday, with very little information available.
The Airport Authority first said that things were running as normal, but later admitted to "high absenteeism" stating that this was not the first time it had happened.
Canada: Wildcat strike in post wins extra staff
Sorting office workers downed tools yesterday morning after managers had failed to take heed of complaints about excessive workloads.
Citynews.ca reported that workers at a Canada Post sorting facility at Keele and Wilson briefly walked off the job Monday 19 March morning in a wildcat strike.
The reason for their special delivery protest? They claim they've been waiting three months for management to take action on complaints about their excessive workloads.
