The struggle continues at Chicago-Lake Liquors - John O'Reilly
A reportback of a IWW picket in Minneapolis of Chicago-Lake Liquors, which fired 5 organizers in April 2013. More information can be found here.
Over a month after the retaliatory firings of five works shocked South Minneapolis, a noted progressive community within the Twin Cities, workers at Chicago-Lake Liquors continue their fight for justice at work by taking it right to their bosses.
Yes the present hour is very severe at least
May Day 2013 leaflet by Groupe Express-Roularta, Paris.
This is a response to a leaflet produced by the striking workers of the Aulnay PSA (Peugeot-Citroen) plant which is due for imminent closure. Translated by Chronos Publications.
Hospital workers fight police in Milan
Healthcare workers at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan protest after receiving the first 40 letters of redundancy. After a general assembly, the struggling workers occupied the hospital reception and the roof of the building, prompting the heavy-handed response by police.
It has been a week of renewed struggle at Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital, with mass meetings, rooftop occupations, demonstrations and fights with the police.
Sparks #21
Issue of anarcho-syndicalist public transport workers' bulletin Sparks from January 1990. Importantly this was a special issue produced during the Melbourne tram lockout, where anarcho-syndicalist-influenced workers took over the tram system before bosses cut the power.
IWW liquor store workers in Minneapolis fired for union activity
Some updates on a recent IWW campaign in Minneapolis, in which 5 workers were fired for organizing.
From The Organizer:
Lionesses of Cisanello: workers’ victory in times of austerity
Cleaners at the Cisanello hospital in Pisa picketed their workplace for over three months, from October 2012 to January 2013. They were protesting the proposed cancellation of 78 jobs to comply with the cutbacks to healthcare spending. Their determination earned them the nickname of "lionesses," several tensions with local high ranking members of their union, and, eventually, victory against the contracting firm. Their resistance and solidarity shows that workers can still win in times of austerity.
The lionesses of Cisanello
For the cleaners at Pisa’s Cisanello Hospital, the nightmare began in October 2012 when the Local Health Agency of Pisa announced a reduction of 5% in the cleaning budget to comply with the Spending Review bill passed by the Monti cabinet. The hospital had only recently been renovated, with the Emergency Department opening in 2010.
Tim Burgess: 'celebrity' Charlatan scab
As journalists at the BBC strike to defend their jobs while senior execs get huge payoffs, former front man of middle-of-the-road Britpop act The Charlatans, scabs on them by covering for Lauren Laverne who joined the walkout. Presumably, as he is so desperate, being a scab is the only way he can get on the radio.
Thousands of members of the National Union of Journalists at the corporation walked out on 18 February against job cuts. As the corporation makes compulsory redundancies while advertising posts externally and giving huge payoffs to failing bosses like George Entwistle who quit during the Jimmy Savile scandal.
Community turns out in force for the Halesowen 4
On Saturday 26th January over 200 people took to the streets of Halesowen to demand the reinstatement of four members of the Maths department who had been sacked. On a cold day, with snow on the ground, there was a fantastic array of banners and placards showing how far people had come to express solidarity with the Halesowen 4.
Music and speeches made for a carnival atmosphere as trade unionists, educators, students and members of the local community assembled outside the gates of Halesowen College.
Richard-Ginori: still turmoil
Richard-Ginori, famous around the world for the production of porcelain, is one of the best known “Made in Italy” names. The firm’s production plant has been in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence, since 1735. In August 2012, due to the firm’s critical economic condition, all 314 workers at the plant were laid off and on January 7th the Court of Florence declared the company bankrupt.
Manufacturing was closed down. Between January 7th and 15th the 314 workers occupied the plant for a week, in contravention of the Court’s decision. On January 15th, however, the Court declared the plant could be reopened for a provisional period and production, even if reduced, started once again.
IKEA struggle: January update
On January 3rd, porters and stores workers at IKEA and subcontracted cooperatives in Piacenza again blocked the entrance to the warehouse.
Over the past two months, in spite of an uphill battle against the giant furniture company, workers in loading & unloading, logistics and goods distribution have led a nation-wide struggle with initiatives taking place all over Italy. A small and symbolic demonstration also took place in a IKEA store in Stockholm.













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