France
New nationwide general strike hits France
Hundreds of thousands of French workers are expected to join the country's second nationwide strike in two months.
Workers are protesting against President Nicolas Sarkozy's economic policies. Unemployment has reached two million and is expected to rise further. Demonstrations are planned in about 200 towns and cities. Many schools are closed and public transport disrupted.
Organisers predict the protest will be bigger than one in January, when more than a million people took part.
General strikes around the world
As French unions isolate a general strike by workers in Guadeloupe, workers in Chad have set next Monday for their general strike while the leader of the Spanish UGT hints at one (or stalls for time?) in Spain.
French unions isolate Guadeloupe general strike
French general strike, 29th January 2009
Photos from France's largest general strike in three years which hit transportation, school, hospital and mail services as more than 1 million protesters took part, with tens of thousands of youths, retirees and unemployed people march across towns and cities to protect jobs and consumers during the global economic crisis.
General strike hits France
As the recession begins to bite in France, transport, education and other services are brought to a halt by a national strike demanding action on unemployment and the rising cost of living.
Bloomberg business news reported that France’s rail network, airports and public schools were disrupted today as the country’s eight biggest labor unions called for a one-day general strike.
International developments in airport workers' struggles
As recession and job losses seem imminent, airport staff across the world have been organising to oppose their negative effects.
Air France unions have called for employees to join mass strikes due to take place on January 29. A statement released last night by seven unions including the two biggest ones, the CFDT and CGT, called for employees to demand greater protection for jobs and pay in the face of the current economic crisis.
Work release scheme proposed for French prisons
The creaking prison system in France unveils a new post-release labour scheme.
Under the terms of the "Les Clés de l’avenir" agreement signed earlier this year prisoners can have their sentences reduced if they pass a selection process and are found work with one of the partnership firms. The following four areas will be open to prisoners: catering, cleaning, building and logistics.
France: demonstrations by school students continue to grow
Demonstrations against the Darcos reforms of the education system are intensifying with more students joining protests and taking more direct action.
Students are angry about reforms to the French secondary examination course, the baccalaureate and also about the planned loss of 25000 teaching posts over the next two years. Today's demonstration (11th Dec.) was called by the school students' union (UNL), the union has called for another day of action next Thursday although it looks as if many students will continue action tomorrow.
France: hospital workers' strike enters third day
Workers, including doctors, nurses and technical staff at the Edouard Herriot hospital in Lyon have voted to continue strike action in support of their demand for more staff and improved conditions.
Strike observance is high amongst medical staff who have organised the strike to protest against understaffing and unsafe working conditions. Those who have been requisitioned to work during the strike (and face legal action if they refuse) have attended work wearing armbands with 'striker' written on them.
Air France workers begin four-day strike
Severe disruptions to Air France flights are expected after pilots begin a four-day strike against legal changes to the retirement age.
Two-fifths of the airline's long haul flights and half of all other services were cancelled as a result. Disruption to flights operated by partner airlines, including Brit Air and CityJet, will not be as great though the strike is thought will cost the airline 100m euros ($127m; £86.1m).
What is the Left?
This excerpt from Alain Badiou's important essay on the Paris Commune in Polemics argues that radical politics always requires a break with the left - it always requires a decision for people to take things into their own hands.
An excerpt from The Paris Commune: A Political Declaration on Politics in Polemics, Verso, 2006. To read the full essay in pdf click here.
