As we write, there is a struggle going on between the Sarkozy government, trying to use police to reopen oil refineries, and oil workers' pickets trying to keep them shut (see the BBC website here). The situation in France is approaching crisis point! Please raise this issue in your union branch or other organisation as a matter of urgency, and if you can put this motion which has been passed by Lambeth Unison, Croydon NUT, PCS DWP Sheffield and Hull Trades Council. (London Transport Region RMT has also sent a statement - see below.) Email edward.maltby@gmail.com for more information or if you have passed the motion.
***
This branch notes
1. The huge strikes taking place in France, sparked by the Sarkozy government's attack on pensions.
2. That transport, road haulage, petrol and chemicals, ports and docks, gas and electricity and state television are on "reconductible" strike - workers meet every morning in General Assemblies to vote on continuing. There are also strikes in education, hospitals and the post, and school and university students are entering struggle. 3.5 million demonstrated on 12 October.
This branch believes
1. That this is most important battle against cuts to take place in Europe since the crisis began, and should inspire our fightback here.
This branch resolves
1. To publicise these struggles as widely as possible among the membership;
2. To send solidarity messages to the CGT branches at the Austerlitz rail station in Paris; all thirteen oil refineries in France; Line B of the RER (Paris overland rail); and the SUD branch in the Paris region District 92 post.
3. To donate £100 to one of the groups of workers mentioned above.
4. To invite a French worker, or a British activist who has been in France during the strikes, to speak at the next branch committee and/or branch meeting.
Comments
Daft
Aeschylus - it is unfitting for you to take his name, because the real Aeschylus was a very clever man, and going by your comment, you are a cheap philistine. What a miserable, sideline-sniping, unargued, tutting, snooty thing to write! You are daft.
The pensions battle is about class struggle, not demography. People are getting older, so they are living longer after retirement, and so it will cost more to fund longer retirements? This is true, yes. But labour is becoming more productive now, as technology and training improve. Despite the economic crisis, big business is turning enormous profits and paying an insultingly small amount of tax on their vast wealth. Workers are creating enough wealth, generating enough profit, producing enough goods and services, to make society rich enough to afford long retirements.
Society can also afford good healthcare and education and all sorts of other good things, for everyone, for free.
Why are these things not provided? Because the wealth of society is being systematically appropriated by an incredibly wealthy elite, and the economy is being run in a bumbling, inefficient, anarchic way.
We should take all the wealth of society off these bastards and employ it properly!
Support from Hull
Another supporter
London protest in solidarity with French strikers, 27 October
No to Sarkozy's strike-breaking! Solidarity with the French strikers!
6-7pm, Wednesday 27 October
The French embassy, 58 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7JT (Knightsbridge or Hyde Park Corner tube)
Join our protest at the French embassy in London in solidarity with the French strike movement, and against the Sarkozy government's police repression.
Called by: Alliance for Workers' Liberty, Worker-communist Part of Iraq, Worker-communist Party of Kurdistan, Worker-communist Party of Iran (Hekmatist)
To add your organisation's support, email edward.maltby@gmail.com
Facebook event here.
AWL delegation to France 23-4 October
A delegation of AWL members visited northern France on the weekend of 23-24 October. In addition to discussing extensively with comrades in Lille and Paris (from different factions of the New Anticapitalist Party; the smaller group Liaison-Le Militant; and French activists linked to the Worker-communist Party of Iraq), we visited the struck and picketed oil refinery at Grandpuits near Paris and attended a national coordination of school students. Reports, interviews and pictures will be posted soon.
France's twelve oil refineries are playing a central role in the struggle. Refinery workers are striking solidly, and many petrol stations are already closed, with huge queues at those that remain open. Sarkozy has responded with attempts to use riot police to break refinery blockades, and to temporarily draft workers into the military to force them to work. The battle continues. This is a central front in the current class struggles.
More soon. Meanwhile, please send messages of solidarity to the Grandpuits refinery workers from your union branch, student group or other organisation:
cgtgrandpuits@gmail.com
Send donations to the Grandpuits workers via the PayPal button on their website:
Statement from London Underground workers
Statement from the London Transport Region of the RMT to French workers in struggle.
***
Je vous écris au nom de la région londonienne du syndicat nationale des travailleurs ferroviaires, maritimes et des transports (RMT) du Royaume Uni. Je vous écris pour vous rendre compte de notre profond soutien pour l’action que vous menez pour defendre vos retraites.
Après une vie passée au travail dans une service publique comme le transport, la moindre chose à laquelle les ouvriers ont droit, c’est la retraite avec confort et dignité. Mais il parait que le gouvernement veut vous refuser cela, et veut vous faire travailler plus pour gagner moins. C’est juste de résister cette attaque en utilisant la meilleure arme que vous avez – le retrait du travail, la grève.
Ici dans les transports en commun de londres, nous luttons contre des suppressions de postes énormes. Les patrons de Transport for London mènent une programme de dépouiller des gares des personnels, et de réduire les fonctions administratives au minimum vital. Si nous n’arrivons pas à arrêter cette attaque, le transport de Londres deviendra mois sécure et moins fiable pour ses millions des usagers. Ceux qui restent au travail seront confronté par une charge de travail intolerable et il y aura des milliers moins des emplois pour les chômeurs de Londres.
En luttant contre cette austerité barbare, nous tirons beaucoup d’inspiration en entendant parler de vos lutes. Il est particulièrement beau de voir la façon démocratique dont les ouvriers eux-mêmes dirigent l’action, et de voir les cheminots prendre l’action aux côtés des ouvriers dans les autres secteurs.
Sachez que vous avez notre solidarité et nos meilleurs voeux. Dites-nous ce que nous pouvons faire pour mieux vous soutenir.
En solidarité
Janine Booth
Sécretaire
RMT London Transport Regional Council
***
I am writing on behalf of the London Transport Region of the National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) here in the UK. I write to tell you of our strong support for the action you are taking in defence of pensions.
After a lifetime of hard work providing public services such as transport, the least that workers should be entitled to is comfort and dignity in retirement. It seems, though, that your government wants to deny you that, and to make you work longer for less. You are quite right to fight this attack with the strongest weapon at your disposal - by withdrawing your labour.
Here in London Transport, we are fighting massive job cuts, as Transport for London oversees a programme of stripping staff from stations, slashing engineering and maintenance jobs, and paring admin support to the bone. If we do not stop this attack, London's transport will become less safe and less reliable for its millions of passengers. Those who remain in work will face an intolerable workload, and there will be thousands fewer jobs for London's unemployed.
As we fight these savage cuts, we gain great inspiration from hearing about your struggles. It is especially good to see the democratic way in which rank-and-file workers are directing the strike, and to see rail and transport workers taking action alongside workers in other sectors.
You have our best wishes and solidarity, and look forward to hearing more reports. Please let us know what we can do to support you.
Yours in solidarity
Janine Booth
Secretary
RMT London Transport Regional Council