Founding Congress of the new international anarcho-syndicalist and revolutionary syndicalist.

Submitted by Ragnar on May 8, 2018

Founding Congress of the new international anarcho-syndicalist and revolutionary syndicalist.

On the weekend of May 11 to 13, the founding Congress of the new Labor International will be held in Parma, which aims to bring together anarcho-syndicalist and revolutionary workers from all over the world. The Congress will be presented at a press conference on Thursday, May 10, at 11:00 am at the headquarters of the USI-AIT in Parma -in Vía Testi, 2, venue of the Congress-. Likewise, a public presentation is scheduled on the same day at 9:00 am in the Municipal Employees Circle -en Vía Mentana, 31A-.

This important event is the culmination of a previous phase of international meetings, designed to give continuity to the ideals of the International founded in Berlin in 1922. Yesterday, as today, and even more so tomorrow, a libertarian, assembly and international trade union organization is needed combative, in order to defend workers effectively today and, at the same time, establish the pillars to build a new society in freedom and equality, without relation to the mechanisms of political and economic power.

Assistants:
USI-AIT (ITA), CNT-E (SPA) , FAU (GER) , IWW NARA (USA-CAN), IP (POL), ESE (GRE), FORA (ARG), GG/BO (GER), FOB (BRA), Vrije Bond (OLA), IWW WISERA (IRL/GB), Rocinante (GRE), Mov. Pop. Rifeño(MAR), Rojava (KUR),Trab. base Brasil (BRA), CNT-F (FRA) and many others.

Spikymike

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on May 8, 2018

Can someone explain the nature and geographical extent of the IWW's involvement (if any?) in this new organisation ?

klas batalo

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by klas batalo on May 8, 2018

I don't think IWW NARA delegates have a mandate besides "go there".

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 8, 2018

Let the "games begin"

AnarchoWinter

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by AnarchoWinter on May 8, 2018

If only we could merge the IWA (1922), the new 2018 one, and all the other revolutionary syndicalist and anarcho-syndicalist unions. This would be the best idea as far as I know. And then begin to further improve relations with the IFA. Then we would have a much stronger anarchist movement. Show me why I'm wrong, but I doubt many of you will disagree.

drakeberkman

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by drakeberkman on May 9, 2018

If only we could merge the IWA (1922), the new 2018 one, and all the other revolutionary syndicalist and anarcho-syndicalist unions. This would be the best idea as far as I know. And then begin to further improve relations with the IFA. Then we would have a much stronger anarchist movement. Show me why I'm wrong, but I doubt many of you will disagree.

I mean if you want to ignore the the material world these organizations exist in and are shaped by, then sure, just cobbling them all together into One Big Really Tiny Org sounds like a great idea

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 9, 2018

Who or what is "GG/BO (GER)"?

Edit: Never mind, it's the Gefangener Gewerkschaft-Bundesweite Organization ˗ Prisoners' Union- National Organisation (http://column.global-labour-university.org/2016/01/interview-with-german-prisoners-union.html)

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 9, 2018

MALATESTA, I don't know if you are aware but this whole stuff is the outcome of some years of attempts to split the IWA and also to move it towards attemots to merge with organizations which diverge from more specifically anarchist positions. So no, this is something which is making the anarchist position much weaker. And at least in the case of Spain, many FAIistas have keft or been kicked out of the CNT-R so the organuzation cannot support it, akthough there are some folks there that do as IFA has many tendencies.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 9, 2018

MALATESTA, I don't know if you are aware but this whole stuff is the outcome of some years of attempts to split the IWA and also to move it towards attemots to merge with organizations which diverge from more specifically anarchist positions. So no, this is something which is making the anarchist position much weaker. And at least in the case of Spain, many FAIistas have keft or been kicked out of the CNT-R so the organuzation cannot support it, akthough there are some folks there that do as IFA has many tendencies.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 9, 2018

Do you know Akai who asked for the state subsidy to the FAL? the expelled ones that today you are defending. Those people were not expelled because they were anarchists, oh no, the anarchists and anarcho-syndicalists are the majority in today's CNT. They were expelled for not paying, for insulting, for skipping CNT's internal regulations, for sabotaging it, for not abiding by the agreements.
If it had been for anarchists, how do you explain that there are still FAI groups whose members are affiliated and are active members of the CNT?

Stop supporting a reactionary group that has the name CNT and anarcho-syndicalism / anarchism for something almost religious, please.

Juan Conatz

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on May 9, 2018

Spikymike

Can someone explain the nature and geographical extent of the IWW's involvement (if any?) in this new organisation ?

The North American IWW's 2017 Convention (which is based on mandated delegates from its branches) voted to send people. I think there were some broad guidelines on what those people are supposed to bring to this but I can't remember. The other Regional Administration of the IWW, based in the UK, is also participating in some capacity.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 9, 2018

There are lots of different anarchists - but that's for another post. Anarchists have been known to support strange things, so I don't care about these labels. As for what is reactionary or not, I reserve the right to see things in the opposite way to the guys here with strange fantasy game names.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 9, 2018

If you are not able to see that you are helping people who have signed EREs, ask for state subsidies for the FAL, which have Falangists (Tarragona) and sexists in their ranks (Tarragona, Albacete, Chiclana ...), which have been expelled by not paying, for insulting, for skipping CNT's internal regulations, for sabotaging it, for not abiding by the agreements. In addition to that he added that they were not responsible for the death of a historic militant who had a fatal accident in his exlocal ...
However, you use the argument that many Faistas no longer support the CNT, well I tell you that there are also many Faistas who are active in their unions. Even if you do a search in the anarchist cooperatives, collectives and associations in Spain you will see that they support the current CNT and not the Spanish section of IWA.
But of course, you can believe what you want. A pity that you continue spending your time in supporting them.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 9, 2018

What is a pity is that your way of dealing with your problems with your comrades, until you make real enemies, in order to avoid smelling you own shit. Luckily I figured things out sooner rather than later so I don't waste my efforts. As I said, my assessment is very different and I'm not likely to be tricked by bullshit. In any case, time will tell all.

doug

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by doug on May 9, 2018

Think IWW WISERA are sending observers only, and look forward to seeing how it goes. It could be really positive for the organisations involved and lead to much more practical co-ordination across borders. I also hope different syndicalists can move away from bashing each other. I get there have been real historical fights but we need to move on and focus on organising.

Spikymike

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on May 9, 2018

What is WISERA??

Juan Conatz

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on May 9, 2018

Its the IWW Regional Administration based in the UK, but it also includes the German IWW.

doug

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by doug on May 9, 2018

Haha, yeah it stands for Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England Regional Administration. Folk wanted an alternative to Britain & Ireland.

Pretty sure Germany is now in a different RA, though.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 9, 2018

akai

MALATESTA, I don't know if you are aware but this whole stuff is the outcome of some years of attempts to split the IWA and also to move it towards attemots to merge with organizations which diverge from more specifically anarchist positions. So no, this is something which is making the anarchist position much weaker. And at least in the case of Spain, many FAIistas have left or been kicked out of the CNT-R so the organuzation cannot support it, akthough there are some folks there that do as IFA has many tendencies.

The OP is a newer and young comrade. Please approach informatively and "gently".

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 9, 2018

I didn't think I was being rough here - just saying. That's why I said "I don't know if you are aware" because it sounded like someone who didn't know this story.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 9, 2018

akai

I didn't think I was being rough here - just saying. That's why I said "I don't know if you are aware" because it sounded like someone who didn't know this story.

It was said in general, to anyone who wants to reply. While I don't agree with the OP, just wanted to share they're still developing/learning

jolasmo

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by jolasmo on May 9, 2018

doug

Haha, yeah it stands for Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England Regional Administration. Folk wanted an alternative to Britain & Ireland.

Pretty sure Germany is now in a different RA, though.

Yeah it's the UK & Ireland IWW, formerly ERA, formerly BIRA, formerly BIROC, etc. etc.

God knows what we'll be called after the next annual conference lol.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 10, 2018

As for developing/learning folks, I totally get it. The problem on the internet is that you don't always get any sense of who you are communicating with. Although I appreciate that internet gives us some opportunities, it also has many faults.

But for developing/learning folks, without any wish to discourage anybody, one thing that should be learned upfront is that historically, both anarchism and syndicalism and anarchosyndicalism as embracing a variety of approaches, some of which do not always co-exist. Perhaps sometimes they can, but that takes a certain level of respect for others which has not been the case here. The most important thing in all this to learn is that movements are not necessarily made by throwing everything together, but by careful assessment of the situation around you and finding ways to start real activity. Then going on consistently.

The poster asks to be shown why he is wrong. While he may not be wrong as such, because obviously it would be better if people could cooperate better, he may not understand all the issues which make this unlikely to happen.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 10, 2018

akai

And at least in the case of Spain, many FAIistas have keft or been kicked out of the CNT-R so the organuzation cannot support it, akthough there are some folks there that do as IFA has many tendencies.

Example: there are two FAI members that are in favor of the new international and are working in this way in CNT, that 2 years a go were General Secretaries of their regionals. Also nearly all the anarchist that were in the anarchist groups of action in the 80's that were imprisoned and now a dais are in CNT working in the same way. Only one person I know that is not, now is in the spanish IWA section, after putting a building buy with CNT money in his name, expelling from his union all the young anarchist of his local union because they asked for the account book of the union (the union never had it) etc.
Also there are ex IFA members in CNT in responsibility positions.

So your position doesn't have so much sense. Please, focus in your organization and stop to say bullshits about other organizations.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 11, 2018

Entrevista al Secretario de Exteriores de la CNT

Con motivo del Congreso fundacional de la Nueva Internacional, entrevistamos al Secretario de Exteriores del sindicato, Miguel Pérez. Nos explica los entresijos de este histórico evento, que pretende crear un espacio que relanzará las ideas libertarias a nivel mundial.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 11, 2018

[FOB] Saudação à Conferência Internacional de Refundação da AIT

Estimados companheiros e companheiras,

Enviamos saudações desde o Brasil à Conferência Internacional de Organizações Anarcossindicalistas e Sindicalistas Revolucionárias.

A Federação das Organizações Sindicalistas Revolucionárias do Brasil (FOB – antigo Fórum de Oposições pela Base) é uma organização sindicalista revolucionária, constituída em 2010, para agrupar militantes sindicalistas e do movimento estudantil que realizavam oposição às correntes socialdemocratas e ao sindicalismo de Estado no Brasil.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 11, 2018

L’anarcosindacalismo rinasce a Parma: in città una sessantina di delegati da tutto il mondo per il congresso (ri)fondativo

Arrivano da ogni parte del mondo, e faranno nascere una cosa nuova: è questo, in estrema sintesi, quanto sta per avvenire nel sindacalismo di ispirazione anarchica. E avverrà a Parma.
Nella sede di via Testi, presso l’Ateneo Libertario, si è tenuta la conferenza stampa di presentazione dell’evento. I primi ospiti, due rappresentanti canadesi ed uno statunitense dell IWW ( PER APPROFONDIRE LEGGI ), hanno cominciato a riempire la sede, primi arrivi di un gruppo di una sessantina di ospiti.
A spiegarci il programma e le motivazioni dell’iniziativa sono stati Angelo Mulé e Massimiliano Ilari.

doug

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by doug on May 11, 2018

Some good stuff from the Google Translation of the interview with CNT's Secretary of Foreign Affairs melenas posted above.

Miguel Pérez

In what fields do you think that the New International is more likely to be useful to workers?

As I said before, it is time for our international organizations to start making positive contributions to the development of their local sections. From the moment that anarcho-syndicalism and revolutionary syndicalism are no longer useful, but necessary for workers and workers from all over the globe, an International that contributes to their development and settlement can only be positive. In this sense, sharing experiences, training and resources would be a first step in many cases.

In addition, often working conditions, wages and life in a territory are determined by the place it occupies in a global chain of production and consumption. An international organization is in a position to provide perspective and analysis to this global structure and to provide the framework in which to plan a response. There is no doubt that our resources will be very limited in this regard for a long time, but the objective is to move forward so that we can tackle the response to large global processes.

Finally, in the sense of the above, international solidarity has to materialize in acts that go beyond issuing communiqués or holding pickets of solidarity. The concrete form of this solidarity will depend, of course, on each particular case, on the needs of the sections involved, etc. but the new International should tend to propose joint processes and projects that respond to these needs according to their possibilities. These cases should be addressed with imagination, creativity and resolution and in that sense, the role of the relationship committee can be fundamental in facilitating these processes.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 11, 2018

^^^^^ Candidly, there didn't need to be a split to provide for this.

doug

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by doug on May 11, 2018

Comrade, aren't you substituting the idea of the IWA for a/syndicalist internationalism? I think the facts speak for themselves: a long-running acrimonious internal dispute (that benefited nobody), 90+% of the IWA taking the position that the international structures couldn't function, the lack of coordination with non-IWA revolutionary syndicalist organisations across the world. Why do an organisation's initials matter so much?

We'll see how far the new international does in living up to the aims described above. But they're achievable with good will and participation. And this sort of thing needs to happen if we're to live up to our ideas!

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 11, 2018

It all matters. Though this discussion has been hashed out elsewhere
I'm not a fan of your premise or of much of anything else going on with the intra and inter organizational stuff.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 11, 2018

syndicalist

^^^^^ Candidly, there didn't need to be a split to provide for this.

Was the only way, sadly. IWA is not ready to accept more than one section in each country as was doing at the begining. Several sections can't understand that 10 people can't be a section, can be a start but not a section with the same power than thousand ( this rule of one section one vote was logical when we sections were real unions of 100 thousands members, there are sections that in Spain they could not be not even a local union). The discussions and meetings we are having the last 3 years could not be imagined within IWA. I hope the things change in the future, but now a days I think that the fact that between 80/90% of the IWA militants decided to create something new can't be seen as a simple banality of their members. Have in mind that left IWA the militants with the biggest experience in working class organising.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 11, 2018

Sorry, I don't accept your opinion.^^^^^^

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 11, 2018

syndicalist

Sorry, I don't accept your opinion.^^^^^^

Your answer is the best example of why it was necessary a new international. Good luck with your acronym.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 11, 2018

melenas

syndicalist

Sorry, I don't accept your opinion.^^^^^^

Your answer is the best example of why it was necessary a new international. Good luck with your acronym.

Well, I don't. If there is a will, there is a way.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 12, 2018

http://cnt.es/noticias/cr%C3%B3nica-de-la-primera-jornada-del-congreso-internacional

La jornada del viernes del Congreso Fundacional de la Internacional ha comenzado de forma distendida. Las anfitrionas de USI han organizado un recorrido turístico por los puntos de interés revolucionario de la ciudad de Parma. A media mañana se han recogido las acreditaciones de delegadas y delegados. Posteriormente, el colectivo "Cucine del Popolo" ha organizado un buffet social en el que se ha podido almorzar, merendar y beber a lo largo de toda la jornada.

Spikymike

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on May 12, 2018

Some more feedback here:
https://freedomnews.org.uk/founding-of-a-new-international/
Maybe we will get some feedback and comment from the IWW in the UK later. There is presently a degree of cooperation between the IWW and the SolFed (IWA) in the UK (both accepting duel union membership with other unions) but not sure how that might pan out in the future on the back of this. In the UK there are already a number of different but equally small alternative base type unions apart from the above, operating mostly in the more precarious sectors of employment. Not sure how the approach of the main components of this new anarcho/revolutionary syndicalist international might differ from that of either the IWW or the SolFed ?.

Red Marriott

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Red Marriott on May 12, 2018

Spiky

Not sure how the approach of the main components of this new anarcho/revolutionary syndicalist international might differ from that of either the IWW or the SolFed ?.

They'll probably issue a 10 point program claiming that supporting Scottish independence is the road to anarchist revolution :) http://libcom.org/library/10-point-program-catalan-cnt

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 12, 2018

Spikymike

Some more feedback here:
https://freedomnews.org.uk/founding-of-a-new-international/
Maybe we will get some feedback and comment from the IWW in the UK later. There is presently a degree of cooperation between the IWW and the SolFed (IWA) in the UK (both accepting duel union membership with other unions) but not sure how that might pan out in the future on the back of this. In the UK there are already a number of different but equally small alternative base type unions apart from the above, operating mostly in the more precarious sectors of employment. Not sure how the approach of the main components of this new anarcho/revolutionary syndicalist international might differ from that of either the IWW or the SolFed ?.

Fwiw, this^^^^ presents it's own challenges in the US as well.
More so on a lesser and individualized level. Though organizationally, to the extent it may exist as well (tho more as it related to international stuff).

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 12, 2018

Red Marriott

Spiky

Not sure how the approach of the main components of this new anarcho/revolutionary syndicalist international might differ from that of either the IWW or the SolFed ?.

They'll probably issue a 10 point program claiming that supporting Scottish independence is the road to anarchist revolution :) http://libcom.org/library/10-point-program-catalan-cnt

Got a good chuckle

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 13, 2018

New international ready

Confederación Internacional del Trabajo.

Steven.

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on May 13, 2018

Interesting stuff, I wish the participants all the best.

Intriguing to see that the CNT-F are taking part. I thought they were very much in the bad books of the Spanish CNT for taking part in works councils. Is that no longer the case?

Rob Ray

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Rob Ray on May 13, 2018

Is that the new official name??

Rob Ray

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Rob Ray on May 13, 2018

.

.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 13, 2018

Rob Ray

Is that the new official name??

Is what told me a comrade that is there.

Rob Ray

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Rob Ray on May 13, 2018

So it'll be Confederación Nactional del Trabajo-Confederación Internacional del Trabajo (CNT-CIT) :-D

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 13, 2018

Not too self-serving of a name.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 13, 2018

Rob Ray

So it'll be Confederación Nactional del Trabajo-Confederación Internacional del Trabajo (CNT-CIT) :-D

No, CNT has agreement to use locally only Confederación Nactional del Trabajo CNT.

So maybe only internationally you could see it.
There is only one CNT in Spain no reason to put any thing more.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 13, 2018

ICL/International Confederation of Labor

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 13, 2018

EL CONGRESO FUNDACIONAL CUMPLE SUS OBJETIVOS: NACE LA CONFEDERACIÓN INTERNACIONAL DEL TRABAJO

EL CONGRESO FUNDACIONAL CUMPLE SUS OBJETIVOS: NACE LA CONFEDERACIÓN INTERNACIONAL DEL TRABAJO

Durante estos cuatro días en Parma (Italia) nace la nueva internacional del sindicalismo revolucionario y del anarcosindicalismo.

CNT somos su sección española junto a otras: alemana, italiana, griega, polaca, estadounidense, canadiense...

Se acaban de aprobar sus estatutos bajo el nombre de Confederación Internacional del Trabajo

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 13, 2018

Gründung der Internationalen Arbeiter*innen Konföderation (IAK) in Parma

Am 13. Mai 2018 wurde unter minutenlangem Applaus die Gründung der internationalen Gewerkschaftskonföderation IAK in Parma (Italien) vollzogen. Delegierte aus sieben Ländern hatten sich drei Tage über Statuten und Arbeitsschwerpunkte verständigt, um dem globalisierten Kapitalismus und den autoritären Entwicklungen in Europa und den Amerikas endlich eine kämpferische Internationale syndikalistischer Gewerkschaften entgegenzustellen.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 13, 2018

In relation to the post above in Spanish, this is really an interesting international which has sections whose organizations haven't voted to join yet. But details, details... :-)

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 13, 2018

akai

In relation to the post above in Spanish, this is really an interesting international which has sections whose organizations haven't voted to join yet. But details, details... :-)

Mrs split:

Which section didn't vote? Because they came with agreements, or is like in other situations that you decide about other organizations if they take agreements or not base on your own criteria?

In CNT we saw several times how you were deciding which agreements of CNT were valid and which no base on your own criteria.

Also is interesting the delegates of WAS and ARS that express interest about the new international.

klas batalo

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by klas batalo on May 14, 2018

Looks like the IWW NARA delegates went against their mandate and committed the IWW NARA to founding the CIT and being secretariat in 4 years.

IWW NARA 2017 Convention Mandate

Be It Resolved, that any decision to affiliate with the new international shall be made via a member referendum.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 14, 2018

Let's see, all unions have to endorse, or make referendum or the meeting they need to ratify or not the outcome of the congress.

And even then, it can be taken for granted, except rare, as the attendees comment and the work is almost two year of previous work ... it is easy to see that those will be the members of ICL.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 14, 2018

In all the congresses and in al the organizations there is a period to retificate the agreements or not. Totally normal. I go further, this is free federation, in any moment can a union decide to change and leave.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 14, 2018

Melenas, Klas has given one answer to your question/accusation. I don't find it a minor point - I find it a basic problem when people don't understand this concept.

Hope the folks in NA who do understand this will work to ensure that people don't act this way. (Or you can end up with fallout like the CNT-R.)

Yepa

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Yepa on May 14, 2018

Akai, as general secretary of IWA, it is pathetic to see you trolling in every post of CNT or the new international. Just mind your own business and your own organization. You will be remembered as one of the main persons that destroyed IWA loosing 95% of the members. You took active part in an internal conflict of an organization that wasn’t yours when you should stay neutral as IWA Secretary, adding fire instead of looking for consensus.
Just leave us alone.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 14, 2018

This is a public discuss and the purpose of such forums is exactly to discuss, not to serve as a promotional tool for one option. Furthermore, your posts avoid the merit of what was said and try to harrass people, especially using untrue statements, while your friend tries to attach sexist married titles. This way of acting is why you had internal problems, not me. I really wonder how stupid people have to be to give credence to your theories instead if the most likely scenario.

I hooe comrades of IWW will do a better job of sorting things out than you did in Spain.

Rob Ray

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Rob Ray on May 14, 2018

Tbh akai Yepa's right, the split has happened, they're nowt to do with the IWA any more and having the IWA's secretary making snide comments about the new grouping comes across as undignified and more than a bit bitter ex.

edit: Also who's downvoting me for pointing out the CNT-CIT thing? C'mon it's mildly amusing :P

MT

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by MT on May 14, 2018

Rob Ray

having the IWA's secretary making snide comments about the new grouping comes across as undignified and more than a bit bitter ex.

which comments do you mean and why do you think they are snide (especially, in the context of all the bullshit comments the hateful members of CNT-CIT and IWW wrote here)? This debate is far from nice but it is interesting to see that the attacks can be made against akai but when she gives facts, she is expected to rather refrain from commenting. Also, we see that the IWW NA has already failed in keeping in line with their mandate and I wonder what is the case of WAS and ARS, since at least WAS had a clear mandate to just observe. I can understand that many people don't care about such facts, but is it such a problem to accept that it matters to some and they think it actually is imporant and should be exposed?

Rob Ray

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Rob Ray on May 14, 2018

Oh come on MT half her comments are just straightforward sniping. And I don't give a crap about what the CNT people are saying (other than the comments I've already made repeatedly about how everyone should stop being childish), they're neither in my international nor representatives of anything.

doug

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by doug on May 14, 2018

Valid, respectful criticism of an organisation is fair enough. But many of the comments in this and related threads are just trolling (from the same crowd). Admins should warn and then delete constant sectarian comments - whether it's against the unions in the new international or the IWA.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 14, 2018

Oh! Hateful members of spanish CNT. I gonna be pride of that. I love it. You make us so important.

MT I repet just for you:

Let's see, all unions have to endorse, or make referendum or the meeting they need to ratify or not the outcome of the congress.

And even then, it can be taken for granted, except rare, as the attendees comment and the work is almost two year of previous work ... it is easy to see that those will be the members of ICL.

so... IWW NARA not failed in their mandate.

I think you should rethink that about direct democracy, you're not understanding it very well, I suggest.

Juan Conatz

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on May 14, 2018

Seems a bit premature to be making public accusations that people violated their mandate when all the information that seems available is brief, Google Translated articles.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 14, 2018

Yes perhaps somebody will kick me off here for pointing out that what was claimed in the text against their organization's mandate, that would be pretty much in line with the type of behaviour that has been all too problematic in some organizations.

As for MT's questions, WAS did not attend but sent a greeting. They wrote and I will forward. As for ARS, people tried to ask and it seems like nobody kniws. You can ask yourselves but they haven't joined. But it's best to ask about such things directly to avoid rumors.

Steven.

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on May 14, 2018

For the people in the old IWA, not sure if you care what I think, but as someone who sympathised more with your perspective in the split than the other side, unfortunately the way you are seeming to come across in subsequent discussions is showing you in a very negative light.

The split has happened, you can't change that. It would seem that the best thing for you to do is move on and focus on your organising work and concrete struggles you are involved in, not getting involved in silly spats with organisations you are now unconnected with.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 14, 2018

Deleted comment.

Rob Ray

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Rob Ray on May 14, 2018

Steven didn't actually mention you akai, and I did so only in the context that you're the secretary of the IWA. I'm calling everyone involved in this argument childish regardless of gender, the only difference with you is that you are the formal representative of the international I'm affiliated to.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 14, 2018

Also, Akai. of the hatefuls members of the CNT we don´t care if you are a woman or not. As you can see in all the threads, we answer all of them in the same way. What you have never wanted to see in our criticism of your position in social networks is the same as your colleagues in the IWA said, you can´t dissociate your personal comments from those of being the general officer of the IWA, because you have an organizational responsibility .

So it's not Akai, woman, who answers here. It´s the general secretary of the IWA who answer here.

Flava O Flav

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Flava O Flav on May 14, 2018

malatesta1932

If only we could merge the IWA (1922), the new 2018 one, and all the other revolutionary syndicalist and anarcho-syndicalist unions. This would be the best idea as far as I know. And then begin to further improve relations with the IFA. Then we would have a much stronger anarchist movement. Show me why I'm wrong, but I doubt many of you will disagree.

Merging with the 1922 IWA sounds great but I don't think time travel is really a goer.

MT

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by MT on May 14, 2018

akai

As for MT's questions, WAS did not attend but sent a greeting. They wrote and I will forward. As for ARS, people tried to ask and it seems like nobody kniws. You can ask yourselves but they haven't joined. But it's best to ask about such things directly to avoid rumors.

I know what about WAS position since we talked about it with them. I was pointing out at how it was "sold" here to uninformed readers:

Also is interesting the delegates of WAS and ARS that express interest about the new international.

Which sounds like if they were about to join. Maybe this is just a translation issue, but at least to me it sounded misleading. Still, I think that making such a comment shouldn't be considered inappropriate. If anything, it is rather inappropriate to use IWA Friends in kind of pissing contest. And interestingly, no-one cares about the authors of this comment and prefers to criticise those who point at the way the CNT-CIT present information about the congress and other groups.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 14, 2018

Pardon my ignorance, who is WAS and ARS?

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 14, 2018

Well I'm not in the international that has problems with inviting, working or collaborating with other unions that are not in my international. I imagine that it will continue to be considered the WAS or ARS as a "parallel activity" within the IWA. That is why it is reviewed as something to be taken into account.
The truth is that what interests me the most is the work that will be developed from now on within the international CIT / ICL.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 14, 2018

syndicalist
WAS and ARS are iniciatives anarcho-syndicalist in Austria and Bulgaria.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 14, 2018

Ragnar

syndicalist
WAS and ARS are iniciatives anarcho-syndicalist in Austria and Bulgaria.

I figured it out when someone wrote "parallel", then looked at IWA site.
Thank you anyway.

klas batalo

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by klas batalo on May 14, 2018

The IWW delegates have stated in an attempt at clarification that despite the CNT declaration on their website that says all these unions founded the CIT / ICL all they agreed to was the statutes, and are not a founding union (CNT, USI, FAU, FORA are supposedly the only CIT unions at this time), that this will indeed go to referendum.

Apologies if I was a bit anarcho-lawful neutral but certain folks have pushing this as a shot gun wedding. Ultimately I trust there will be robust IWW debate and deliberation.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 14, 2018

A couple of things. There is no problem if WAS wanted to observe anything. They are honest, told about it and said why. Association or not with us is free. There is a big difference if somebody wants to observe things and even cooperate or if they cross some boundary where they want to refound things without the agreement of others. If people do something new, that is their choice. If, by contrast, some had acted straightforward like that instead of like they did, there would be fewer problems in the world.

In any case, the press releases, CNT web sites, etc.,say something different. But it's not the same time. In Barakaldo there were also incorrect statements.

Hope that people work things out. As I see now, some people in Spain are also surprised they were volunteered to do the Secretariat, while some people say it just "needs to be ratified". But everybody should be working to instruct delegates not to oblige the organizations to things before the membership has voted.

That's just a general comment.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 14, 2018

IWW will take their agreements, as will do the the rest of the unions that took part in the congress. Of course, all respect to the process of each union and their times.

The truth is that the proposals of IWW were important in the congress.

In my point of view, if you take active part in something like a congress making proposals and voting you are a founding union. But as I said, each union will see the result and take its agreements.

About WAS and ARS, I was expecting this reaction. Basically because is how works some people in IWA. The internal control that make some sections to others is not sane.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 14, 2018

Klas batalo How I said before:

Let's see, all unions have to endorse, or make referendum or the meeting they need to ratify or not the outcome of the congress.

And even then, it can be taken for granted, except rare, as the attendees comment and the work is almost two year of previous work ... it is easy to see that those will be the members of ICL.

It´s nothing rare in what´s going on.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 14, 2018

akai

A couple of things. There is no problem if WAS wanted to observe anything. They are honest, told about it and said why. Association or not with us is free. There is a big difference if somebody wants to observe things and even cooperate or if they cross some boundary where they want to refound things without the agreement of others. If people do something new, that is their choice. If, by contrast, some had acted straightforward like that instead of like they did, there would be fewer problems in the world.

You could have already done so with the FAU. Now it is understandable and not before? What a curious way to act as the secretariat of the IWA.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 14, 2018

melenas

The truth is that the proposals of IWW were important in the congress.

I'm curious what this means in a practical, formative sense.

MT

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by MT on May 14, 2018

melenas

About WAS and ARS, I was expecting this reaction.

Could you be precise about what were you expecting? It is not clear.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 14, 2018

syndicalist

melenas

The truth is that the proposals of IWW were important in the congress.

I'm curious what this means in a practical, formative sense.

I wasn´t in Parma, but comrades told me is that for example the agreement about how much will pay each section is base on IWW proposal. They told me other things but with out being there is very easy to write things that are not right.
In one month I will visit some delegates I know so I will have more direct information a part from the agreements.

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 14, 2018

I thank you.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 14, 2018

MT

melenas

About WAS and ARS, I was expecting this reaction.

Could you be precise about what were you expecting? It is not clear.

The reaction of Akai, she was aggressive and became more aggressive.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 14, 2018

Agressive? Hehe. No, I am having a good laugh really.

Like I never stigmatized people for people small or anything, only you. But you are very happy that the smallest Friends wrote a letter and think somebody will have a fit about it. Not that I am criticizing them, but there's some irony in it.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 14, 2018

akai

Agressive? Hehe. No, I am having a good laugh really.

Like I never stigmatized people for people small or anything, only you. But you are very happy that the smallest Friends wrote a letter and think somebody will have a fit about it. Not that I am criticizing them, but there's some irony in it.

Please, have fun.

MT

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by MT on May 14, 2018

melenas

MT

melenas

About WAS and ARS, I was expecting this reaction.

Could you be precise about what were you expecting? It is not clear.

The reaction of Akai, she was aggressive and became more aggressive.

Could you please quote the aggressive reaction? I cannot see it.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 15, 2018

MT

melenas

MT

melenas

About WAS and ARS, I was expecting this reaction.

Could you be precise about what were you expecting? It is not clear.

The reaction of Akai, she was aggressive and became more aggressive.

Could you please quote the aggressive reaction? I cannot see it.

You can read the forum or if you prefer follow her in FB. Other day we can speak about her monothematical blog about CNT.

La fundación de una nueva internactional (correct link)

Los ideas de la IWW incluyen que la confederación no debe ser ¨anarquista¨ o ¨política¨, ninguna restrición de religión y más de un sindicato por país.
Algunes compañeres de los EEUU ya son hartes del proceso y espero que van a resolver esta situación de contabilidad mejor que la CNT Renovada.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 15, 2018

Yes, I think it is interesting to discuss the ideas that the IWW brought to the table, especially from a historical-political-ideological point of view. Maybe the people from that organization would comment. Without pointing them all out, several are interesting and show a divergence from the politics of the IWA. It is no secret to anybody that the IWW Constitution does not allow it to affiliate to anything it calls a "political" organization, which to translate (because we don't use the same terminology), would be a "finalist" one, or ones that are anarchosyndicalist. So the IWW mandates it should not be an anarchist or otherwise politically affilliated international.

(BTW, for clarification, the IWA is not only for anarchists, but it's end goal is the creation of libertarian communism.)

It is also interesting that it is still concerned about no religious restrictions, which was a issue from the 1930s. Then people understood that the IWA bars people because of religion, which was never the case. There is one line about "the Church" which is: "Revolutionary unionism is opposed to all organizational tendencies inspired by the centralism of State and Church" I think this is clear. However, it should be changed now, the word "church" because it reflects just one organized religious sector.

Anyway, I don't know the outcome but the founding organizations I suppose wanted to combine anarcho-syndicalist organizations with revolutionary syndicalist ones but it seems that the IWW's position was that there is not an anarchosyndicalist identity. They can correct me if I am wrong.

evgeni5150

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by evgeni5150 on May 15, 2018

i'm a member of ARS. I see that you comment my union so i can add some clarity: we were invited to the congress as observers. Voted to send one, but finally we couldn't because of financial reasons, so instead we send a greeting note with a little information about ARS and our recent struggles.
Most of the workers in ARS don't know or don't care about the splits and fights.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 15, 2018

Laure wrote:

En realidad, hay un problema con esta información. La IWW de Norte América ya no decidió adherirse. Según su resolución, deben enviar delegados, para influir los acuerdos y decir qué tipo de confederación sería amenable para ellos. Para adherirse, hay que celebrar un referendum.

Algunes compañeres de los EEUU ya son hartes del proceso y espero que van a resolver esta situación de contabilidad mejor que la CNT Renovada

One of the first official acts of the CIT was to issue a statement of solidarity with the remaining 59 #J20 defendants, and to demand the dropping of all charges against them.

The IWW was one of several revolutionary labor unions (including the Spanish CNT, the Italian USI, the Argentine FORA, and the German FAU) that met in Parma, Italy, this weekend to discuss the forming of an new international federation of revolutionary unions. The English name for the new International will be the International Confederation of Labour (CIT).

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 15, 2018

Parma, si è concluso il congresso sindacale all’Ateneo Libertario: nasce la Confederazione Internazionale del Lavoro.

E’ stato un successo, il congresso iniziato alcuni gioni fa da Ateneo Libertario e conclusosi nella serata di domenica. Per quanto possa apparire pomposo, all’atto pratico la nostra città verrà ricordata come terza tappa di un processo, dopo Londra 1864 e Berlino 1922.

.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 15, 2018

Since Barakaldo meeting some unions started to put in practice some of the ideas and agreements they have. There are different examples of this toke place last February. There other examples of solidarity and Sare experiences in workplaces.

The IWW Montreal invites you to attend a workshop with the CNT Madrid. The workshop will explore the following subjects:.

1 - Ongoing projects of the CNT

2 - Case studies of workplace organizing

3 - CNT structure and how it enables workplace organizing

4 - International cooperation between CNT-IWW

5 - Questions and Answers

6- Projection of the movie Norma Rae from Martin Ritt, original version with French subtitles

CNT Grafícas Madrid unionizes actors, communications workers, and graphic artists. CNT Grafícas Madrid recently participated in the 2017 IWW general convention as observers, and are participating in the building of a new international labour federation which will include the IWW.

CNT Grafícas Madrid Contact Info
Website
http://graficasmadrid.cnt.es/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CntGraficasMadrid/
Twitter
@CNT_Graficas

Salvoechea

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Salvoechea on May 16, 2018

Anarchosyndicalism needed a leap forward. Let's see if CIT is able to represent a truly (libertarian) socialist trend instead of a life-stylish red&black-ghetto inside the workers movement. For that, they need to design an updated project for factory occupation, workplace management, contingency funds, permanent formation in collective negotiation, etc.

OliverTwister

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by OliverTwister on May 22, 2018

I'm not sure what happened to Akai's comment stating that the CNT is subject to Basque Nationalism simply because the current secretariat and some of the largest unions are in the Basque country - was that the one they deleted? In any case, there is a fundamentally racist and chauvinist logic at play there. The implication is that internationalists should only base themselves in "Spain" proper, which is obviously garbage.

The IWW has a large branch in Montreal (and most of the Canadian officers are from there), so we could just as easily be accused of capitulating to Quebecois nationalism.

Probably better not to organize at all and remain irrelevant.

Juan Conatz

Seems a bit premature to be making public accusations that people violated their mandate when all the information that seems available is brief, Google Translated articles.

It's also noteworthy that even after the delegation clarified internally that it stuck strictly to its mandate, none of the people who had immediately accused the delegation of having violated it (on here or Facebook) have apologized.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 22, 2018

Saudação à Confederação Internacional do Trabalho.

A Liga Anarquista no Rio de Janeiro saúda o nascimento da Confederação Internacional dos Trabalhadores ocorrida entre 11, 12, 13 de maio de 2018 em Parma-Itália.

Reconhecemos a coragem e determinação das organizações sindicais de trabalhadores e trabalhadoras e as bases de seus sindicatos em todos os países. Levantemos e nos ponhamos a caminhar para nossa libertação social e econômica com o fim do capitalismo e a organização federalista autogestionária social e econômica.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 22, 2018

[RMC] Fundada a Nova Internacional: Confederação Internacional dos Trabalhadores (CIT).

Entre os dias 11 e 13 de maio foi realização o Congresso Internacional que aprovou os estatutos e fundou a Confederação Internacional dos Trabalhadores (CIT) depois de três anos de discussões. A associação internacional que englobará o anarcosindicalismo e o sindicalismo revolucionário é inicialmente composta pela USI (Itália), FAU (Alemanha), CNT (Espanha), IWW (Norte América), ESE (Grécia), FORA (Argentina) e IP (Polônia).

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 22, 2018

Founding of a New International.

The Congress, which began yesterday in Parma, Italy, is being held at the headquarters of USI and participants have said they view it as a continuity of the ideals of the International Working Men’s Association, the largest anarchist organisation ever formed in 1922. In a statement ahead of the gathering, organisers said:

Yesterday, as today, and even more so tomorrow, a combative libertarian, assembly and international trade union organisation is needed in order to defend workers effectively today and, at the same time, establish the pillars to build a new society in freedom and equality, without relation to the mechanisms of political and economic power.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 23, 2018

Great news from Parma in Italy!.

After a four-day congress with delegates and observers from across Europe and North America, a new international of revolutionary syndicalist and anarcho-syndicalist unions has been formed: the International Confederation of Labor (ICL) / Confederación Internacional del Trabajo.
The IWW is in the process of democratically deciding our position on the new international. In the meantime, we look forward to following its development.
Clydeside IWW

Lugius

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lugius on May 23, 2018

"Meanwhile, some CNT sections in Spain that continue their affiliation with the IWA-AIT are being sued by the other CNT for slander, which would suggest a marked departure from anarchist principles."

https://robertgraham.wordpress.com/2018/05/21/may-day-statement-cnt-ait-spain/

Marxist-Leninism justifies any means (taking another union to court) by the ends (creating yet another international).

Anarchism asserts that the means (anarcho-syndicalist principles of organisation) determines the ends (a free and equal society).

It was precisely this philosophical point that split the First International. Whereas the IWA continues with the anarcho-syndicalist tradition of the First International, it remains to be seen which tradition associated with subsequent Internationals the CIT will follow.

Juan Conatz

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on May 23, 2018

Since the CNT went to court during the CGT split I would have assumed "anarchist principles" were already departed from. Or are court disputes acceptable if you personally disagree with the defendent politically?

Lugius

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lugius on May 23, 2018

The two are not comparable as you well know, as one process was in regard to the patrimony and the other on the basis of defamation, but for the sake of an argument let's pretend they are equal in moral equivalence; are you justifying the actions of your compatriots in the CNT-R on the grounds that the CNT took the CGT to court? If it is wrong, why not condemn it in all cases? It would appear your support for the CNT-R legal action against the CNT-AIT in the Spanish courts for defamation (all defamation laws are there to benefit the powerful) on no other basis than that you personally disagree with the defendant politically.

btw, why did you change the title of your post from 're-founding' to 're-organising'?

https://libcom.org/forums/news/cnt-leaves-iwa-intends-start-new-iwa-05042016

Are you a graduate of the Airbrush School of History? (I screen shot all my posts)

The means determine the ends, the ends do not justify the means.

Juan Conatz

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Juan Conatz on May 23, 2018

So an anarchist union going to court with parts of itself over money is within the ground rules but an anarchist union going to court with parts of itself over what it considers libel is out of bounds?I suppose the former is something the IWA needed and the latter is all the IWA has now.

Steven.

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on May 23, 2018

It kind of seems that this discussion has outlived its usefulness… Does anyone have any good reason as to why we shouldn't lock this discussion now?

syndicalist

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by syndicalist on May 23, 2018

Steven.

It kind of seems that this discussion has outlived its usefulness… Does anyone have any good reason as to why we shouldn't lock this discussion now?

To let folks vent and sell their lines. There are some useful pieces here and there in the discussions.

Lugius

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lugius on May 23, 2018

It kind of seems that this discussion has outlived its usefulness… Does anyone have any good reason as to why we shouldn't lock this discussion now?

Not before Juan answers to question as to why he changed the title.

Lugius

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lugius on May 23, 2018

Never mind. He is a libcom admin - accountable only to libcom.

Yepa

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Yepa on May 23, 2018

Lugius... I remember perfectly when we discussed here about the IWA spit... you said CNT have the right to leave in peace, but We can’t use the IWA name to form a new international, you were right, and the new international doesn’t have IWA as name.
Now some small unions that left CNT created a new federation ( with a small founding congress and everything) and they are calling it CNT.... now what do you think? Hipocresy at its best.

This is exactly the same as CNT/CGT issue.
Some unions left CNT and created a new organization called also CNT (actual CGT or “CNT-AIT”). If you leave, you leave with all consequences.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 23, 2018

This thread has gotten off the topic of the new international. But since it is, I have written elsewhere why this is not the same as CGT/CNT. First, in that case, nobody sued anybody for damages. But that's not the main thing. CGT left in order to circumvent the Congress decisions which were taken in accordance with both the statutes and anarchosyndicalist practice, in order to participate in state collaboration schemes and promote such methods. By contrast, if anybody left CNT of their own accord, it was in order to avoid anti-statory decisions and moves towards methods which collide with anarchosyndicalism. Since CNT-R breached its own statutes many times, the only way to uphold the CNT-AIT statutes was to continue outside of the usurpant group.

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 23, 2018

You know you're saying that ZSP should have been called IP-AIT and not ZSP, right? for putting an example close to you... Do not you see that it doesn´t make sense? Do not you see that if you are expelled or leave an organization it is crazy to be called as the organization that you are no longer part of?
Seriously do not you see it?

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 24, 2018

You don' t follow the statute or final purpose of CNT-AIT, so no.

The comparison you gave doesn't make sense. Although technically the name IP was stolen by a handful of people who registered the union contrary to the Congress decisions in order that the Chairman they appointed with no vote could be a candidate to the management board of one company. But nobody wanted to fight with them because they considered it a different direction. The difference is that nobody spent decades building it, it happened early on and it didn't want to refer to anarchosyndicalism, only later some do it. So yes, I see things clearly. You are another historical diversion

Ragnar

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ragnar on May 24, 2018

Do you know that the statutes can be modified by the union branches in the congresses? true? Do you know that the statutes of the CNT have been changing over the years since 1910?

Of course, the "Spanish section" - AIT follows a path that the hundreds of unions of the CNT do not want. In the same way they do not want to follow the path that CGT took. And in the same way CNT will take the legal (and not legal) means necessary so that they do not usurp their initials)

It´s easy to understand. Why can not you? why don´t you get energy in developing the AIT and not in telling lies about the Spanish CNT?

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 24, 2018

This is about new international, not about your personal obsessions and paranoia.

You have a blog monothematic about CNT with 20 texts. You publish in the last days 3 entries in the website of IWA about CNT, you run throw Facebook writing in several groups about CNT and I'm sure that there are several things more that we don't know and you do about CNT. You have a big problem and is not this forum where you will find a solution, you need help of professionals.

Your obsessions are insane. You wrote an other lie in Facebook base on your own paranoia:

CIT es una confederacion creada por comites. En el IWW Norteamericana, no tomaron acuerdos de afiliarse, pero su delegado participo como un fundador. Tuvo mandato para observar el proceso. Pero esto no se puede saber de los comunicados de la CNT-R.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/2212214153?view=permalink&id=10156408495914154

You insist to write bullshits about other organizations because someone told you something, instead to think that the organizations depends on their assemblies and are all the members opinion the one that matters.

Had happened several congresses of different organizations with several assemblies made by each union for each congress to discuss the proposals and to make proposals. But you try to defend your paranoic idea that all this is made backwards to the workers of the unions. This speach can be useful for your interest out of this organizations, because the workers that toke part in the assemblies of their unions know perfectly that what you say is a lie.
But your idea is to try to isolate the unions and try to keep together your organization. You keep a program of war propaganda for your own interests.

Your war propaganda is arriving to the point of manipulate the split of the 80s. The unions that today are CGT left part of them CNT after the congress of 79, they were a minority and the excuse was that the congress was irregular. They impognate the congress and call for a new one. This repeat again in the VI CNT congress. Again a minority loose the congress and leave CNT. Then they join with the ones that left in 79. Also there are several unions expelled. What says the court is that they didn't follow the correct procedure, that CNT is the one that have to vote of the 79 congress is correct or not. Also explain that the congresses are call by the general secretary of the union. So this is very similar to what is happening today. Unions that are expelled and other that left call their own congress saying that the previous congresses were irregular.

The rest is known.

Now focus in your organization and take part in the forum in a healthy way.

Thanks.

OliverTwister

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by OliverTwister on May 24, 2018

Akai is basically acting at this point like a jealous ex who is trying to smear their former partner's reputation. Nobody in any of the unions who were at Parma is spending any time talking about the IWA anymore, except that I've heard a few people make positive comments about the growth in Bangladesh. All of the vitriol is coming in one direction. It's time to move on. If I was in a group affiliated to the IWA, I would be embarrassed that this is the activity of the general secretary.

The mental gymnastics for defending the small group of splitters trying to claim the CNT name are interesting. As Melenas pointed out, it's the membership of the CNT that is responsible for determining if the CNT is following its statutes and aims. There is nobody with a higher capacity than the membership as a whole. Those statutes and aims did not descend from the heavens, perfect and immutable. Those who want to position themselves as priests who guard an orthodoxy will never have anything to do with real revolutionary working class movements.

As has been pointed out, there were strong arguments against this new international trying to claim the name of the IWA. The unions at Parma decided not to and to create a new name. The small groups which left the CNT are in the same position, and should take the same path (though I suspect that all that is holding them together is their desire to be the "true" CNT). If they have anything real to offer to the working class, the name won't matter.

It's logically impossible to say that the CNT was right to fight for its name in the 80s but that the current fight for the name is a breach of anarchist principle. Presumably if the new international had taken the name of IWA, the existing IWA would be quite upset. The gymnastics that people are twisting themselves into are visibly ridiculous.

Akai hasn't addressed the racism inherent in her position that the CNT having large branches and a secretariat in the Basque country means that they are influenced by Basque nationalism. Luckily it seems that the small split group has no presence in the Basque country so they won't have to worry about that.

Also still nothing from the folks who immediately and publicly accused the IWW delegation of breaking its mandate, even though it has been clarified that it did not.

Yepa

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Yepa on May 24, 2018

Just to clarify numbers.

Unions that left IWA were more than 90% of IWA membership, still we do not claim that name.
Unions that left CNT in different years were less than 5% of CNT membership (and I am being very generous)... still they claim the name. It is just ridiculous.

Actual ICL will be between 20 to 30 times bigger than IWA.... and still smaller than Spanish CGT, there is lots of work forward, everybody should focus on making their local group grow. There is no revolution without masses.

akai

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by akai on May 24, 2018

This type of behaviour is why so many libertarian people dislike what' s going on and is the basis of yoyr authoritarian swing.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 25, 2018

Inicjatywa Pracownicza na kongresie założycielskim Międzynarodowej Konfederacji Pracy

W dniach 11-13 maja 2018 w Parmie we Włoszech odbył się kongres założycielski Międzynarodowej Konfederacji Pracy (ang. International Workers' Confederation). Oficjalne powołanie tej międzynarodowej organizacji poprzedzone było spotkaniami roboczymi w Barakaldo (Kraj Basków / Hiszpania) w listopadzie 2016, Frankfurcie nad Menem (Niemcy) w maju 2017 i Madrycie (Hiszpania) w styczniu 2018. Inicjatywa Pracownicza przystąpiła do organizacji decyzją ostatniego Zjazdu Delegatów i Delegatek w kwietniu 2017, a więc jeszcze w trakcie jej tworzenia, na zaproszenie niemieckiego Wolnego Związku Pracowników (FAU) oraz hiszpańskiej Krajowej Konfederacji Pracy (CNT). "Międzynarodówka" zrzesza związki zawodowe odwołujące się do tradycji anarcho-syndykalizmu oraz rewolucyjnego syndykalizmu.

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 26, 2018

Μια νέα Διεθνής γεννιέται!

11-13 Μάη διεξήχθη στην Πάρμα της Ιταλίας το ιδρυτικό συνέδριο της νέας διεθνούς. Και το όνομα αυτής: Διεθνής Συνομοσπονδία Εργασίας (ICL). Στη νέα διεθνή συνδικαλιστικών ενώσεων του αναρχοσυνδικαλισμού και του επαναστατικού συνδικαλισμού συμμετέχουν οι : CNT (Ισπανία), FAU (Γερμανία), USI (Ιταλία) και FORA (Αργεντινή) που προέρχονται από την παλιά AIT καθώς και οι ΕΣΕ (Ελλάδα), IP (Πολωνία) και οι IWW (Βόρεια Αμερική και Ευρώπη). Ως παρατηρητές συμμετείχαν οι CNT-F (Γαλλία), FOB (Βραζιλία), Vrije Bond (Ολλανδία και Βέλγιο), GG/BO (Γερμανία) and UVW (Αγγλία).

melenas

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by melenas on May 27, 2018

UVW ¡presente! at international independent union congress in Italy

United Voices of the World was proud to be invited to Italy last week to observe the founding Congress of the International Confederation of Labour, a new initiative to unite independent unions and workers’ organisations across frontiers.

UVW representatives Claudia Turbet-Delof, Juliana Salgado Vega, Wilson Tovar and Paul Salgado joined other union activists and organisers from 17 countries at the Congress in the city of Parma.

Lugius

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lugius on May 30, 2018

Just to clarify numbers.

Unions that left IWA were more than 90% of IWA membership, still we do not claim that name.
Unions that left CNT in different years were less than 5% of CNT membership (and I am being very generous)... still they claim the name. It is just ridiculous.

Actual ICL will be between 20 to 30 times bigger than IWA.... and still smaller than Spanish CGT, there is lots of work forward, everybody should focus on making their local group grow. There is no revolution without masses.

90% is the figure most often quoted by dictators as their share of the vote in the democratic elections they conduct. But even this lacks credibility, Putin was smart enough to only claim 70% as a more plausible figure. This device, oft used by politicians, constitutes an appeal to the authority of public opinion and as such, is consistent with the authoritarian attitude of imagining the CNT is entitled to 're-found' the IWA. It essentially boils down to the concept of 'might is right'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Might_makes_right

Yepa quotes no credible or verifiable figures in support of his claims and presumes the IWA is doing nothing to make "their local group(s) grow". The IWA is currently experiencing a rate of growth unmatched by any affiliate of CIT bar none.

There seems to be something of an obsession about quantity on behalf of CIT affiliates (mooted or otherwise) while ignoring the reality that in global terms, the CIT itself is quite insignificant. And yet Yepa stands upright, legs astride, hands on hips and taunts the IWA "Ours is 20 to 30 times bigger than yours" without even apparently a frisson of embarrassment.

And just to clarify the numbers further, it is my understanding that minimum membership requirement for prospective affiliates of the CIT has been adjusted from the arbitrary figure of 125 to the equally arbitrary figure of 75. When it was originally proposed at the 2010 Congress to exclude those sections with a membership of less than 125 from voting, it was argued for the basis of a vague appeal to representative democracy despite the reality that the IWA was a federation of sections, with each section equal. It was argued that 5 Russians shouldn't have the same decision-making power as 10,000 Spaniards completely ignoring the fact that they themselves participated in the decision to admit the "5 Russians" as a section in the first place.

That the figure has now been adjusted downwards demonstrates, in my view, that the purpose of the proposal to apply a minimum had nothing to do with any commitment to democracy and everything to do with exclusion and the concentration of decision-making power into fewer hands (had the 125 figure been adopted, every IWA section, i.e. the majority, would have been excluded save four sections;CNT, FAU, USI and SolFed). This is further evidence of the centralising authoritarian drift of the CIT.

Lugius

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lugius on May 30, 2018

I'm not sure what happened to Akai's comment stating that the CNT is subject to Basque Nationalism simply because the current secretariat and some of the largest unions are in the Basque country - was that the one they deleted? In any case, there is a fundamentally racist and chauvinist logic at play there. The implication is that internationalists should only base themselves in "Spain" proper, which is obviously garbage.

If that is a demonstration "fundamentally racist and chauvinist logic", how would you describe the notion of the IWW being 'of the world' when they are obviously and largely confined to the Anglosphere? Is not the idea that the template for revolutionary unionism originating in the United States over a century ago and eminently suited to export globally (mirroring the US government's presumption its model of democracy is universally applicable) a demonstration of "fundamentally racist and chauvinist logic" by your definition?

The current Secretary of the IWA is the first one to be serious about building the IWA outside the narrow confines of the North Atlantic with a particular emphasis on, but not limited to, Asia. From the moment the current Secretary of the IWA became responsible for the office, she took initiatives to that effect; organising the the IWA events in Hong Kong and Taipei in 2014. When this was first proposed, the USI (CIT affiliate since May this year) denounced it as a "waste of the IWA's money" and accused of the IWA Secretary of seeking a "paid holiday" at the IWA's expense. Would you describe your compatriot's attitude to organising in Asia as a wasted effort as "fundamentally racist and chauvinist logic"?

Indeed, the enthusiasm with which the current IWA Secretary sought to expand the IWA beyond the narrow confines of Europe (approx.pop. 0.5 billion) towards Asia (approx. pop. 4.5 billion) in 2014 was regarded by the CNT/FAU/USI as a serious threat to their hegemony over the IWA as they were concurrently engaged in a campaign to concentrate decision-making power into fewer hands and was probably the final straw that triggered the CNT to declare in December 2015 that they would arrogate to themselves the authority to 're-found' the IWA to make it great again. From their point of view, it was bad enough that upstart East Europeans imagined themselves to be the equal of the CNT/FAU/USI 'real unions' without a whole bunch of interlopers from Asia, I mean, how could they be expected to manipulate that many votes? Would this sufficiently fit the definition proffered?

If anyone is making statements that are "obviously garbage", I would suggest it's you as it appears not to be based on any facts but on a single opinion of a single person that you claim has been deleted.

Lugius

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lugius on May 30, 2018

Akai is basically acting at this point like a jealous ex who is trying to smear their former partner's reputation. Nobody in any of the unions who were at Parma is spending any time talking about the IWA anymore, except that I've heard a few people make positive comments about the growth in Bangladesh. All of the vitriol is coming in one direction. It's time to move on. If I was in a group affiliated to the IWA, I would be embarrassed that this is the activity of the general secretary.

I admit I'm surprised to learn that yourself and Melenas are qualified psychiatrists but not surprised that you would submit her to your pathologising gaze (an authoritarian act in and of itself). Denouncing criticism of the CNT-CIT taking the CNT-AIT affiliated unions to court for defamation as vitriol is a clumsy attempt to suppress a dissenting view and a feeble effort to defend the indefensible. For the record, I am a member of an IWA affiliated workers organisation and proud of it. I'm proud to be a member of a section of the IWA, the fastest growing anarcho-syndicalist international in the world today bar none.

The mental gymnastics for defending the small group of splitters trying to claim the CNT name are interesting. As Melenas pointed out, it's the membership of the CNT that is responsible for determining if the CNT is following its statutes and aims. There is nobody with a higher capacity than the membership as a whole. Those statutes and aims did not descend from the heavens, perfect and immutable. Those who want to position themselves as priests who guard an orthodoxy will never have anything to do with real revolutionary working class movements.

That the membership of the CNT is responsible for determining if the CNT is following its statutes and aims is predicated on the assumption that all the facts and relevant information were made available to the membership when they made the decision. If there were facts and relevant information that was omitted or distorted or manipulated, then it would render the decision invalid. The failsafe against a bad decision is the process of ratification which occurs only in the duly constituted assemblies of the affiliates not behind a closed door of a hastily convened meeting of delegates at the Congress venue on the day.

As has been pointed out, there were strong arguments against this new international trying to claim the name of the IWA. The unions at Parma decided not to and to create a new name. The small groups which left the CNT are in the same position, and should take the same path (though I suspect that all that is holding them together is their desire to be the "true" CNT). If they have anything real to offer to the working class, the name won't matter.

Yes, these strong arguments were made by myself and others on the basis that the entirely authoritarian act of declaring the 're-founding' of the IWA by any section was completely inconsistent with the practice of anarcho-syndicalism. Yet, when the declaration was made the FAU, the USI and the IWW were the first on board. The major flaw in your argument is that it is based on the entirely false premise that the "small groups" you refer to pejoratively declared that they were re-founding the CNT which they did not. Consequently they are not in the same position and your argument is found to be without merit.

The fact remains; an adherent of CIT has initiated a legal process against unions affiliated to CNT-AIT for defamation with the presumed goal of ruining it financially. Every other affiliate of the CIT are complicit in this by their tacit approval. If the CNT-AIT is as small and inconsequential as you and others a making out, why is the CNT-CIT attempting wipe out any trace of it? Perhaps it is because that for as long as the CNT-AIT exists, the legitimacy of the CNT-CIT will remain in question. The CNT-AIT has every right to call itself CNT. Nobody is trying to stop CNT-CIT calling itself CNT. The CNT has split in two; one remains true to anarcho-syndicalism and the IWA while the other has chosen a different path and created a new international. Let them.

The CIT has made claims it wants to reach out across the world in a non-ideological, non-sectarian way. But these claims are wholly undermined by the unequivocally hostile attitude actions towards the IWA which exists right now and continues to grow.

If the CIT is serious and genuine about international co-operation, it ought call upon the CNT-CIT to drop the court case it is pursuing against anarcho-syndicalist unions as a matter of urgency.

drakeberkman

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by drakeberkman on May 30, 2018

admin: personal abuse removed. This is a warning

Steven.

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on May 30, 2018

Lugius

It kind of seems that this discussion has outlived its usefulness… Does anyone have any good reason as to why we shouldn't lock this discussion now?

Not before Juan answers to question as to why he changed the title.

Lugius

Never mind. He is a libcom admin - accountable only to libcom.

I don't really understand your aggressive and paranoid tone. I hope that you realise it is unhelpful to your cause, and will have the effect of turning people against your side in this debate.

JC is not a libcom admin as he left the collective a while ago. That said, he is still an editor on the site who helps out with things (as are several of our users), for which we are very grateful. The person who originally posted this thread changed the title. Edits need to be approved by editors, which JC did.

By the way, as I said before I largely agree with your account of what happened and why the CNT did what it did, and don't think it was good form. However you have now split and are separate organisations, so I don't think you or your organisation is going to benefit from keeping banging on about what happened.

You want to recruit and organise workers and win disputes, right? If this is the case, then new workers who join your organisation are going to be put off by spats with other groups.

no1

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by no1 on May 30, 2018

admin: personal abuse removed. This is a warning

Glad to see admins drawing a line at last. I was surprised that the two following comments were tolerated earlier - feels to me like the usual sexism that suddenly appears when male leftists can't deal with a female comrade making a stand :

melenas

You have a big problem and is not this forum where you will find a solution, you need help of professionals.
Your obsessions are insane. You wrote an other lie in Facebook base on your own paranoia

OliverTwister

Akai is basically acting at this point like a jealous ex who is trying to smear their former partner's reputation.

Mike Harman

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Mike Harman on May 30, 2018

Going to lock this thread now, it's massively overrun its course. If people really want to discuss either the CIT or IWA they can of course open new threads.