blockades
Articles about direct action using blockades, often of transport links.
France: workers' blockades attacked by police
Fourteen, mostly female, striking workers required treatment after police charged their blockades.
The, mostly female, striking workers were injured at the Miko factory in Saint-Dizier on Tuesday. Police were sent in after workers had confined the manager, Prakash Patel, to his office the previous day and occupied the site. The ice cream manufacturer recently announced a restructuring plan which will see 254 of the 493 employees lose their jobs.
France: round-up of strikes and more government attacks on conditions
The government continues attacking workers and immigrants and workers continue defending themselves.
Just outside of Paris at the Areva TD factory in Montrouge, 89 striking workers have been occupying and blockading the factory for four days.The movement began after management announced plans to close the factory, which produces electrical transformers. Workers are demanding large compensation payments, management is currently refusing to negotiate.
Refuse workers take to the streets
Bin men and women blockaded roads around Waltham Forest Town Hall earlier this week to protest at proposed pay cuts of up to £8,000 each.
The local Guardian reported that refuse workers fear they will not be able to pay their mortgages or look after their children if the cuts go ahead, and are threatening to strike.
Italy: truck drivers strike over conditions
An estimated 90% of Italian truckers have taken to the streets in protest at rising fuel prices and deregulation of the market.
There have been three major types of protests: filtered barrages on motorways; blockades of motorways and rolling barrages. The strike action is planned to last five days and is likely to seriously affect the 70% of Italian freight that is moved by road. According to La Stampa the strike will cost up to €5bn although the FAI union estimate is €2bn.
France: Student day of action, early reports
.jpg "Nanterre University")
A national day of action, with demonstrations and continued action by student strikes was called for today.
Most demonstrations are to take place in the afternoon, with militants trying to convince as many students as possible during the morning to join demonstrations and mass actions.
Italy: Lightning taxi blockade in Rome
Cab drivers caused gridlock in central Rome on Wednesday in a dispute over liberalisation and rates.
Hundreds of white cabs blocked traffic at Rom'es central Piazza Venezia while drivers protested in front of the nearby City Hall. The strike was called by the taxi drivers' union after it abandoned talks with the mayor.
Cab drivers have staged several strikes in recent months in opposition to government plans to liberalize the service and grant more licenses, and for rates increases.
France: Students demonstrate in Paris
Some 3000 school and university students marched through the streets of Paris today to show their continuing opposition to the LRU
The march began at the PRG campus (Paris VII) on the South side of the Seine, the march then made its way past the gare d'Austerlitz and finally ended at the place de la Bastille where Police blocked off the exits.
France: repression of the student movement intensifies
Student demonstrations and occupations are finding themselves the targets of violence organised or incited by the authorities.
In Grenoble today students of the IEPG (Institute of political studies) were setting up the blockade they had voted for. The director of the IEPG, Olivier Ihl, threatened to set dogs on them, although the dogs were reluctant.
Brief report on the assemblée générale of students at Nanterre university 27/11/07
.jpg "Assemblée générale of students at Nanterre university 27/11/07")
A brief account of the results of the meeting, attended by at least 1000 students.
The first motion was that strike committees and coordination with workers and other students were the favoured step and were necessary to win. It refused all attempts to negotiate before the law is withdrawn. and denounced the UNEF for trying to do so.
This was passed by such a massive majority that there was no count.
France: university strikes and occupations against the LRU continue
.jpg "Nanterre university blockade")
Students across France have been voting on the next step in the ongoing struggle against the so-called reforms of the LRU law.
On Monday the government announced a 50% increase in university budgets over the next five years and also vowed to spend 11M on student housing.
