The London transport women workers' strike, 1918 - Ken Weller
Submitted by Steven. on Dec 19 2012 19:36
A short history of the partially successful wildcat strike of women workers in London's public transport network during World War I for a war bonus payment and equal pay with men.
As World War I progressed, thousands of jobs normally done by men were taken over by women, and nowhere was this process more marked than in public transport.
FIOM strike and student demonstrations
Submitted by StrugglesInItaly on Dec 15 2012 14:57
The union FIOM (the metalworkers’ federation) held a general strike on December 5 and 6 to protest against both the agreement’s merit and the fact of having a separate agreement signed by the sector’s right-wing unions excluding FIOM, the sector’s most representative union.
The union FIOM (the metalworkers’ federation affiated to CGIL) held an eight-hour general strike on December 5 (in Lombardy, Marche and Tuscany) and on December 6 (in all other regions of Italy) to protest against the separate agreement signed by the sector’s right-wing unions, FIM and UILM.
Fired workers taken to court for blogging about work conditions
Submitted by akai on Dec 11 2012 08:43
Solidarity with the Workers of Natais popcorn factory in France! Exposed to hazardous substances, forced to work on precarious conditions, the workers tried to fight back. On Thursday, two former employees will be in court for supposedly "defaming" their former employer!
On Thursday, December 13, 2012, former workers from the Natais popcorn factory in Bézéril, France will go to trial for supposed „defamation” of their ex-employer, for talking about their working conditions on a blog.
Education workers’ strike in Slovakia after two weeks – global solidarity welcome!
Submitted by MT on Dec 10 2012 18:52
This is a very rough and hardly exhaustive summary of recent two weeks of strike in education sector in Slovakia. The strike is still on despite being put on hold by its initiator, the mainstream union OZ PŠaV. The relations between key players are mentioned very briefly and thus can not be interpreted as exhaustive. We hope this helps to explain what is going on in Slovakia but for an accurate analysis more time will be needed. Protest actions in front of Slovak institutions abroad are more than welcome – preferably this week!
A SUMMARY OF THE ONGOING EDUCATION WORKERS STRIKE IN SLOVAKIA (26TH NOVEMBER – 7TH DECEMBER)
Monday, November 26
External and internal militants: Workers autonomy in Porto Marghera seen from West Germany 1971-1974 - Karl-Heinz Roth
A text describing the relationship between the struggles and ideas of the workers of the Porto Marghera chemical plant in Italy, along with the group Potere Operaio which they were closely linked to, and the ex-student activists in West Germany who tried to learn from the Italian example and develop similar workers' initiatives in their own part of Europe.
Introduction
This text recently appeared in French in the recently published book Pouvoir ouvrier à Porto Marghera - Du Comité d’usine à l’Assemblée de territoire (Vénétie – 1960-80) [“Workers’ Power in Porto Marghera – from the Factory Committee to the Territorial Assembly (Venetia – 1960-80)”], Les nuits rouges, 2012.
Lisbon on strike: November 14th in Portugal
On November 14th 2012, thousands of people took to the streets of Portugal as part of a European wide general strike. Until recently, the International Monetary Fund held Portugal as an ideal example of the effectiveness of austerity policies, but today, its economy is heading in the same direction as Greece and Spain. This short documentary details the week of the November 14th strike in Lisbon and the events surrounding it.
Education workers’ strike sabotaged by the union in Slovakia
Submitted by MT on Nov 28 2012 22:07
Workers in education sector in Slovakia have started an indefinite strike on Monday 26th, 2012. However, the education workers' union put the strike on hold on Wednesday, because they entered negotiations with the government. There are no results yet and the demands have not been met.
Putting the strike on hold is nonsense as it discourages and demoralizes the striking workers. We would very much appreciate an international solidarity by sending an e-mail to the teachers’ union officials via the following online form as soon as possible.
The 'Black Friday' Wal-Mart strikes: an analysis
Submitted by Chilli Sauce on Nov 22 2012 23:08
Friday the 23rd of November will see Wal-Mart, which owns UK chain ASDA and which has an entirely non-union workforce, hit with coordinated strikes and protests on “Black Friday”, the busiest shopping day of the year.
This article, written by a American-born SolFedder who's worked retail in the past, seeks to explore the strikes: their roots and their implications for the American working class. This is written in lieu, I should add, of a proposed North London SolFed solidarity picket on the day. It didn't happen. I blame PAMSU 
So what should radicals make of this? First and foremost, we should support the strikers. We should make an effort to understand how such strikes were organised, how they've spread, and why, at this particular point, Wal-Mart workers have found the confidence to strike. Second, however, we should also analyse the potential pitfalls of the so-called “viral strikes”.
The trade unions and the "crisis of leadership" narrative
Submitted by Phil on Nov 21 2012 19:04
The ongoing struggle against austerity have brought into focus the differences between the "left" and "right" of the trade union movement. But they have also shown the inadequacy of the trade union left and the illusions it promotes. So what hope do militant workers in the UK have of going beyond the limitations imposed on us from above?
On Monday Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union, declared that the British trade union movement faced a "crisis of leadership." It is safe to say that he summed up the feelings of an awful lot of trade union members and activists when he did so.
IWW John Lewis cleaners win pay rise
Submitted by Steven. on Nov 20 2012 20:16
Cleaners at contractor ICM working in John Lewis stores in London, who are members of the Industrial Workers of the World revolutionary union, have won a 9% backdated pay rise following them balloting for strike action.
Outsourced John Lewis cleaners have won an immediate and backdated 9% pay rise following their pledge of industrial action. The increase, backdated 5 months, takes their pay to £6.72 per hour at three central London sites, and £6.50 at one outer London site. Supervisors will now get £8.00 per hour and £7.84 respectively.
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