Workers of all countries, unite!
FOR BOLSHEVISM INSIDE THE COMMUNIST AND WORKERS’ MOVEMENT
No 07 (148) JULY 2015 FOR BOLSHEVISM-AUCPB
ALL-UNION COMMUNIST PARTY OF BOLSHEVIKS
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REVIEW OF WORKERS’ MOVEMENT FROM MARCH – JUNE 2015
Workers from Chuvashia at one of the Moscow suburban construction sites take strike action
Guests from the Volga region went on a rotational basis to work on the construction of a military-patriotic recreation park of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. For a month of work they had not been paid the money earned. On May 22, workers went on strike. The mediator that hired the labor, made no contact for a long time with any of the workers.
Cheboksarka Tamara Hayrapetyan spoke about the work of her husband in Moscow saying that: -a month ago Anatoly went to build the "Patriot" park in the Moscow Kubinka suburb. He, along with fellow countrymen worked 11 hours a day, seven days a week. Fitters and mechanics were left without wages. Now he does not even have the money to travel. They filed complaints to nearly everyone. Local MPs only shrugged and advised them to seek help from the media.
Worker Anatoly Kurdyumov for seven years has been travelling to work at Moscow construction sites. He said the following: -But this is the first time. Today we decided to go on strike. Well, at least they feed us. We live in a dormitory. Now even a bar of soap in there, and the heat outside is almost unbearable. For a month we were not given a penny. They promised 150 rubles per hour worked, but we were not even paid 130 rubles. I do not know how to get back home. The workers were taken on officially.
Strike action in Angarsk, Irkutsk region
On May 28, street cleaners at a local management company serving the historical part of the city took to the Octyabrskaya street demanding the paying of three months salary arrears, as well as the establishment of normal working conditions.
"Last time overalls were issued was six years ago!" - said workers. From the composition of the two teams, only one woman - B. Mironova has been officially taken on according to labour law. The rest do not even have a contract. Now prosecutors and labour inspection will deal with this grey area of the employment scheme. The cleaners have prepared letters to send to them.
The strikers are not satisfied with the low pay either: for cleaning 10 blocks of flats, they are paid just five thousand rubles. In turn, citizens are outraged by the mud in the courtyards and the lack of playgrounds, at the terrible condition of the entrances and waste disposal areas.
In Primorye, workers go on strike at the Mining and Chemical Plant
The reason for the strike by employees of MCP "Bor", located in Dalnegorsk, was down to delay in the payment of wages in April.
On Monday, May 25, the number of strikers amounted to more than 500. Afterwards, the administration listed the salaries of 16 million rubles. Those who were paid the debt, went back to work. The administration promised to repay its debt to the workers for April before 31 May.
In the meantime, debt began to accumulate for May salaries. The advance for the month was not timely transferred to the workers.
Protest held against the humiliating payment scheme of school summer holidays
On May 26, activists of the Association of Trade Union Organizations of the Yaroslavl region picketed the regional parliament. The reason for the protest was the significant decrease in compensation of parental spending on vouchers to children's health camps and the complexity of obtaining compensation funds.
In 2015, the regional government significantly reduced funding for children's recreation. Compensation halved - if earlier, parents of each child on holiday could receive 4,000 rubles, this year the amount has dropped to 2 thousand. And returning these funds to the family budget is much more complicated. Last year, parents without unnecessary red tape bought discounted holiday trips, but now under the new rules they must first pay the full cost of children's holiday up front, then assemble an impressive package of documents, and after apply for compensation. This demeaning scheme has complicated the lives of thousands of residents of the Yaroslavl region and caused the fair indignation of the unions.
Once it became clear that the decision of the regional government would in fact, come into force, trade union activists began to fight against these trends.
The protest, held on May 26, was attended by over 100 people. People came to the regional Duma with placards saying: "Stop the closure of the children's health campaign," "Children's holidays are drowning in bureaucrats paperwork", "Children without rest means children without a summer!"
Representatives of trade unions picketed the government building of the Kiev fascist junta
On May 27 a protest was held against a sharp decline in living standards. Activists of the Ukrainian trade unions demanded that the government increase salaries, pensions and lower the cost of living, introduce fair tariffs for gas and housing services for the population, and abolish the retirement tax.
The Federation of Trade Unions entered into a collective labour dispute with the government, putting forward a number of demands for the protection of social, labour and economic rights of working people. The protesters decided to organize a series of pickets, the first of which took place on May 27.
"We oppose the indefinite shock therapy from the government, the absence of real economic reforms, lack of rights of people in employment, increasing illegal employment, job cuts, uncontrolled inflation and other negative tendencies of this kind," - said one of the union leaders.
In case of refusal of the government to listen to their demands, the activists are going to picket the "cabinet of ministers" of the junta on 3 and 10 June.
Strike action by workers of "Czech Airlines"
On May 27, in the Czech Republic a strike took place. Flight attendants and stewards of local airlines, thus opposed the current collective agreement, proposed by the carrier management.
The protest was attended by more than 90 percent of all workers.
It should be noted that in February, the salaries of flight attendants and stewards were reduced by scores of percents.
Protest by Belgium train drivers
Members of Autonomous Trade Unions of Locomotive drivers went on strike. Protest action started on May 27 in the evening.
The drivers went on strike by decision after the employer had ignored their demands for higher wages and the revision of the bonus system. According to the drivers of locomotives, bonuses should increase depending on the length of working experience. In addition, the strikers are dissatisfied with working conditions.
Strike by car manufacturers in Turkey
In late May, workers of three large enterprises, that produce cars under license from American, French and Italian companies began strike action.
The strikers demanded higher wages.
They were inspired by the positive experience of the strike struggle for the rights of workers of the plant for the production of automotive components, which by means of strikes have increased salaries by 60 percent.
Nigerian Workers Protest
On May 22 representatives of trade unions at the state oil corporation announced they were going on strike. Protesting workers are worried that after the transfer of management functions to another company this will be followed by subsequent workforce reductions that will increase the load on staff and worsen working conditions.
During the strike, work on all oil and gas fields of the corporation was halted, except for one unit that supplies gas to the domestic energy system of the country.
Protest by Khakassia miners
On May 7, miners of Vershino-Teysky and Abakansky mines held scheduled meetings. Protests were held in the village of Vershina Tei and the town of Abaza.
Workers and trade union organizations demanded that the enterprises remain in operation on which the life of three villages and more than two thousand employees depend on. Participants in the rally adopted a resolution-appeal to the central authorities. Copies of this document were also sent to the Federation of Independent Trade Unions in the Mining and Metallurgical Union of Russia.
The group of companies "Ruda Khakassia" sent on unpaid leave from 1 May for an indefinite period about 2 thousand of their workers. Production stopped due to a significant drop in purchase prices for iron concentrate - the main products of the business combination.
The rally in the village Vershina Tei was attended by about 500 people, and in Abaza - about 350 workers from "Rud Khakassia."
In Moscow strike action against wage cuts
On May 7, bus drivers organized a strike in Lytkarino. The reason is that wages have fallen by almost half. As employees of the transport company say, this is all down to an inflated transportation plan. Instead of the usual 50 thousand rubles per month, in Lytkarino bus drivers now receive half that amount.
The size of earnings fell sharply a few months ago. At the same time the authorities approved a new plan for the carriage of passengers. Drivers say that it is impossible to fulfil. All drivers who are more experienced have resigned. Others still are willing to go the route and at the weekend.
As the drivers say, the reason for the resignation of their colleagues and conductors is the inability to fulfil the new transportation plan.
"Italian" strike by Moscow doctors
Doctors in Moscow clinics declared an "Italian" strike. After the May Day holidays two more people joined them. As of May 8, 22 physicians were involved in the strike action.
The strike is planned to continue until full satisfaction of all demands, the basic reason of which is to free employees of medical institutions of unauthorized overtime and duties not covered by their labour contract.
One of the main claims of the protesters to the organizers of health care is the unbalanced staffing of Moscow clinics. According to participants of the strike it is contrary to the norm of the amount of "attached" population and provokes an excessive burden on employees.
In Sverdlovsk region, strikers managed to recieve delayed wages
Workers at one of the workshops of a Sredneuralskaya poultry farm organized a strike. The main reason for the protest was due to a delay in salary.
Decisive action of the strikers took effect. One of the high-ranking officials engaged in the field of agriculture, went to negotiate with the women workers.
As a result, the strikers were able to "knock out" their salary for February-March 2015. The debt was repaid to the team on May 8. On May 12, an advance for April was paid out, and feed imported for chickens, which were kept on a starvation diet.
Political and economic strikes are an effective means of fighting for your rights
Kazakhstani workers on strike
During the first weeks of May, a wave of unrest covered the construction of a gas processing plant in the Chinarevskoye oil and gas condensate field in West Kazakhstan region. More than one hundred and forty workers refused to work. They went on strike, demanding an increase in their salaries, paid holidays under the double tariff.
The workers also called for an early solution to the problem of hazardous working conditions. According to them, the town constantly smells of hydrogen sulfide, and more than a hundred people since April 15 have turned up to the clinic complaining of a headache and high blood pressure. Meanwhile, people claim that their salaries are lower.
Strike action paralyzed the Georgian port city of Poti
On May 5, all 15 berths were paralyzed by the strike. The strikers demanded a raise in their salaries by 14 percent, an introduction of mandatory payment of bonuses, a revision of the system of rewards and sign a collective agreement.
As of May 12, the strike had continued.
The demands of the staff who went on strike, were first put forward as early as 2014, and negotiations regarding them lasted five months.
However, in early May, the situation has changed dramatically. The team stopped negotiations with the authorities and started the strike. "From October to November last year, the currency lari fell by 14 percent, and we were offered an increase of five percent. This is unacceptable, and we will strike until the complete fulfillment of our demands, "- said one of the representatives of the striking workers.
Polish aircraft manufacturers held a protest march
On May 6 in the city Schvidnik, a demonstration of trade union associations defending the interests of the country's largest helicopter factory was held. The inter-factory strike committee called on a demonstration of several hundred people who walked the streets and squares of the city with red-white flags and banners.
According to the trade union organizations, the cause of protests was down to an anti-national decision by the head of state, who declared the continuation of the tests of the multipurpose helicopter manufactured by the French company. In that original way the Polish president said to aircraft manufacturers that Warsaw prefers to rearm the army, relying on products of foreign manufacturers. The final signing of the contract to supply 50 helicopters worth about 3.5 billion euros is expected in the third quarter of 2015.
In this regard, the protesters demanded that the authorities immediately launch an investigation into the legality of the tender of the Supreme Audit Chamber, the Prosecutor's Office and the Investigative Committee. According to the union, the consequences for the economy and the labour market in Poland will be appalling.
- The decision of the Ministry of Defense is a threat to our national interests, as the country will lose thousands of jobs that can lead to the degradation of the whole region. We demand from the government to cancel the deal and stop selling off the sovereign interests of Poland, - said one of the protesters.
The demonstration, held on 6 May was attended by hundreds of activists of the five unions of local factory workers in helicopter building with their families, as well as unemployed villagers of Schvidnik. The unemployed are hoping to find a job at a local company in the case of winning the tender by a domestic manufacturer.
Strike action in Italy against education reforms
On May 5, a mass strike by teachers, students and schoolchildren took place. Protesters demanded the stopping of education reforms, which is currently been implemented by Prime Minister M. Renzi.
The planned government changes promise employment contracts for teachers, part-time work, the abolition of bonuses for length of service and the emergence of payment "for services", thus to expand powers of heads of educational institutions in the field of recruitment.
According to the teachers themselves, the reform did not meet even the minimum needs of schools today.
In Mexico, dozens of strikers were injured in clashes with police
Protesting against low wages and trying to achieve better working conditions, farmers from several tomato plantations went on strike. On May 10, strikers tried to block the entry of strikebreakers to one of the largest plantations in the region, after which the police arrived and brutally detained activists. During the clashes, between 30 to 70 people suffered injuries of varying severity.
Representatives of peasant organizations are believed to be blamed for the conflict with the Mexican government. According to activists, protest actions and subsequent clashes could easily have been avoided if the officials of relevant ministries were to pay attention in time to the demands of agricultural workers.
Strike action at the ports of the west coast of the US
On May 2, a strike was organized by truck drivers serving the ports of California. The strike was attended by more than 500 workers.
During the strike, marine terminals, rail yards and warehouses were picketed. The main complaint of the strikers is that the workers are considered as independent contractors rather than permanent employees.
Ivanovo taxi drivers strike
On April 16 in the regional centre, an initiative group of 200 taxi drivers went on strike in protest against the reduction of fares. The director of the service disagreed with the demands of the employees to increase tariffs and sacked the drivers. They, in turn, are determined to continue the strike and to block incoming requests for taxis.
The management and the strikers have not reached agreement in terms of tariff policy.
Chairman of the Inter-regional transport union, a member of the Public Chamber of the Ivanovo region said that the drivers went out of service for which taxi driving is a major area of employment rather than part-time job.
Strike action in the Far East
In mid-April in the village of Bira, in the Obluchensky District of the Jewish Autonomous Region at the utility of "TaEr", 53 personnel stopped work for several days and announced a strike because of wage arrears for more than two months. Repeated appeals by of workers, demanding a solution to the problem, were ignored by the authorities.
After the meeting by the head of Birsk urban settlement with the strikers, it was decided that all cash on hand at the company was to be distributed among the workers, who are in arrears, and in the future will be decided the question of full repayment of debts. As a result, 600 thousand rubles was divided between strikers, each received 12 thousand. The remaining money will be paid to employees by court order. District Prosecutor's Office took the statements of the workers.
Meeting held by Cherepovets teachers
On April 19, education workers, including members of children's art schools and pre-school educational institutions of the city located in the Vologda region, held a protest. At the meeting, which was held under the motto "For affordable and high quality education and training" came about two thousand people who opposed the destruction of the education system.
The protest was organized by the Trade Union of Education in Cherepovets. One of the main problems was the optimization of the number of employees and the low level of salaries. Teachers were supported by parents of pupils and kindergarten children. At the end of the meeting, the participants adopted a resolution which was sent to the federal authorities, regional and city authorities. Teachers and educators need to take a decision on the inadmissibility of reduction of salaries of public sector employees below the subsistence level.
The builders of the cosmodrome "Vostok" renewed strike action
At the end of the third week of April, several workers held a strike again. Striking builders of the cosmodrome "Vostok" did not come to work because of non-payment of salary arrears. Workers say: "There's a big turnover, hiring for a penny, and they do not even get paid ... The authorities only feed us breakfast, and they say, wait and work. We are tired of believing and waiting. "
Road roller driver Peter Velesyuk said that the builders have written an application to the prosecutor's office in connection with non-payment of salaries for March. Dozens of workers of construction companies, subcontractors at "Vostok" have not received money since the end of last year.
Funds aimed at the construction, were spent on the construction of the recreation centre at Lake Khanka and to build a three-storey mansion for the former head of the company B. Grebnev, as well as for the purchase of expensive yachts.
On the construction there is complete arbitrariness of the bourgeoisie - what they want, they do. This shows utter rottenness of the current anti-people and corrupt false patriotic regime. In words is one thing, in fact – but completely different in reality.
Perm rally for the resignation of the local "Governor"
April 18 in the capital of Kama region a rally was held where the participants demanded the resignations of the governor of the region.
The rally for the resignation of "governor" Basargin has was attended by more than 400 people.
Participants of the rally protested against the corrupt leadership of Perm region, higher utility tariffs, non-fulfilment of promises in solving many regional problems.
On the territory of the DPR occupied by the troops of the Kiev fascist junta, miners went on strike at two mines
This strike began on April 14. However, the problems have not been solved. Therefore, on April 20, miners at the "Central" and SE "Krasnoarmeyskugol" mines continued the strike. The workers were protesting against the non-payment of wages.
On April 19, 152 miners at the Stakhanov (SE "Krasnoarmeyskugol") mine,were scheduled to work the second shift, but many miners went on strike and 58 people took unpaid leave.
To the third shift of 140, only 60 employees turned up to work. The rest of the miners refused to perform their duties in connection with the strike or take unpaid leave.
The miners had not been paid did not pay wages since January 2015.
Thousands-strong trade union demonstration in Warsaw
On April 18th, largest trade union association of the country, "All-Polish Agreement of Trade Unions", held in the capital large-scale protest action under the slogan "For decent work. Enough of rubbish contracts! ". As stated by the organizers, in the streets of Warsaw with flags and banners came out about 50 thousand workers.
Around noon, local time, participants of the largest in recent years trade union demonstration, began a march from different parts of the city towards the Avenue of Ujazdowski, where the Office of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers is located. Of the four columns was the largest group of activists of the Polish Teachers' Union, which demands the government to take immediate action to address the urgent problems in the field of education, and demand the resignation of Prime Minister E. Kopacz. According to various sources, the rally was attended by no less than 25 thousands of Polish teachers.
To remind the authorities about their problems with teachers, to the Warsaw streets in solidarty arrived the miners, farmers, energy sector, railway, metallurgy, medical, chemical industry workers and representatives of other professions. As chairman of the All-Poland Trade Union Agreement Ya Goose stated, there were so many slogans that it was impossible to get a true count of the numbers. In particular, the protesters demanded from the government a maximum limit on the labour market humiliating civil contracts, indexation of salaries of state employees, to increase the minimum wage to the level of 50 percent of the national average, as well as the possibility of retirement in return for their service. For women, it should be 35 years and for men - 40 years.
The All-Polish Agreement of Trade Unions insisted, moreover, on raising the threshold of income to receive social assistance for more equitable distribution of financial assistance to the poor, as well as calls for greater state responsibility for the health of their citizens.
In Germany, railway workers go on strike
On April 22 began mass strike action by German train drivers. The union was able to expand it. Striking drivers of freight trains were joined by their colleagues from the passenger trains.
The main stumbling block in the ongoing confrontation between the union and the company "Deutsche Bahn" is its willingness in the future to protect the interests not only of train drivers, but also all personnel, in particular conductors.
General strike in South Korea
In late April, in Seoul there was a general strike which was attended by more than 260 thousand people. Among the protesters were health workers, civil servants, teachers and workers of many factories. Their main demand is for the government to abandon the changes, it plans to make to the labour laws. According to the unions, the planned changes will benefit exclusively the capitalists- "employers."
"The government is trampling over our labour rights. We need to start a tough fight against government attempts to suppress and crush the unions ", - said one of the protesters at the rally in front of Seoul City Hall.
Mexican students held a protest in the west of the country
On April 26, in the state capital of Guerrero took place serious clashes between protesters with the authorities. The city of Chilpancingo was the site of student demonstrations in which participants engaged in open confrontation with the local police.
A group of young people on Sunday broke into the building of the Congress of an administrative district and seized several cars parked there. Protesters rammed the fence outside the building and then set the cars on fire.
Police used tear gas, and demonstrators used stones and firebombs in response.
On the territory of Guerrero have been repeated a protests with the demand to continue the investigation into the abduction of several dozen students in the municipality of Iguala in September last year. Then, the corrupt police and armed criminals shot at a peaceful demonstration of students, resulting in a six protesters being killed, 25 were injured and 43 young people were missing. Later, their bodies were found.
Kachatka builders via strike action have been paid their delayed wages
On April 10, workers - members of trade union organizations "SU 707" (one of the subunits of Spetsstroy Russia) wrote a statement about the suspension of work. The reason for the protest was the delay of payment of wages, as we notified employers. Just a few hours after the start of the strike bosses surrendered an advance for March 2015, because of the two-week delay that brought about the labour conflict.
As of April 10, there are no arrears of wages to the workers of the organization, but the situation remains difficult at the enterprise.
Since last December, the employees' of “SU 707" because of the difficult financial situation of the company began to lowers wages. For a few months were issued only fairly low wages. Then there were delays in payments. At first small delays, just a few days. Soon the salary was delayed for two weeks. Naturally, people began talking about strike action. Union representatives explained to them the legal basis of the protest actions and advised in this case to write a statement about suspension of work. This led to payments being in the shortest possible time.
In Astrakhan, a worker in protest against the tyranny of the bourgeoisie tried to set fire to himself
Capitalists with their brazen arbitrariness have brought workers to suicide attempts. In Astrakhan, one worker tried to commit self-immolation.
The incident happened at noon on April 7 on a Tuesday. The 51-year-old man climbed into a technical structure that is located on Yablochkov street. He doused himself with a liquid from a bottle and, holding a lighter, threatened to set fire to himself.
Policemen who arrived at the scene cordoned off the area.
When the worker who tried to commit suicide was taken to hospital, he said he decided to take this desperate step because of conflicts with the employer in a company in which he works as a welder.
The staff organized a strike at Ivanovo bakery
On April 2, at the regional centre a protest was held. Drivers at Ivanovo bakery №3 went on strike. The reason was delay in the payment of wages since November 2014.
The strike involved more than 20 employees. Previously, they notified in writing the management of the bakery about the planned action.
The strikers composed a collective statement to the prosecutor.
Achinsk workers hold a protest rally
On April 13, at noon, near the administration building of the city, located in the Krasnoyarsk region, representatives of the collective enterprise "Road mobile mechanized column" gathered for a rally. They have over several months not received any salary and those who have resigned cannot get a final settlement.
It should be noted that in the 10 minutes before the start of the meeting, "the head" of Achinsk, Akhmetov hastily left the administration building. And the organizer of the protest Alexander Mashintsev was issued with a warning by police, noting that as the organizer, he was entirely responsible for this event.
The demonstrators openly expressed their position on the current situation, accusing the authorities of inaction in Achinsk. Protesters also resent the position of the prosecutor's office. The gathered people demanded to talk with the authorities and, after 40 minutes, Nikitin, deputy chairman of the City Council met with the protesters. The outcome of the meeting was the adoption of a resolution in defence of the workers' at “DPMK Achinskaya", and the leaders of the labour collective made an agreement with Nikitin to hold round table talks to take concrete decisions on the wage arrears.
In Buryatia, workers of the communal utility enterprise take strike action
In Severomuisk on April 9, began the strike action. It was carried out by workers of the local utility company. Since January 2015 they have not been paid any wages. The amount of debt exceeds 3 million rubles. Workers of the enterprise a week before the strike, informed the authorities about the upcoming protests.
A spokeswoman for the striking crews Galina Kazantsev said: "Not only does the new organization, not pay us wages, they want to have more, and fire us. We said, "We are no longer working for nothing." Management then tell us, "Well, if you do not want to, then we shall find others that will." They gathered such people who do not understand anything about the pumps. Now the village is sitting without water, no heating, they do not know how to do anything." Each of the employees who left the company is owed 60 to 80 thousand rubles by the company.
Protest action in the Kazakh city of Shetpe
More than 30 railway workers at the "Mangistau enlarged distance route" gathered on April 10 in front of the akimat of Mangistau region. They demanded higher wages, social benefits, as well as being issued with labour contracts in their hands.
A railway worker with 20 years of experience Rustem Kushikbaev said that he and his colleagues still have not received employment contracts. "We demand the issuing of the labour report card for 2014 and decryption of deductions" - said Kushikbaev. According to him, the workers of the enterprise "Mangistau enlarged distance route" are not paid for sick leave and are not given childbirth allowance on the pretext that the workers are not in a union.
The labour dispute by railway workers at Shetpe station has lasted since December of 2013. The company "Mangistau enlarged distance route" created by former enterprise PCh-13, employs about a hundred people. The total number of workers of Shetpe, Mangyshlak and Zhanaozen stations in the Mangistau region stands at 546.
Kharkov workers on strike
On April 4, employees of a local aviation plant organized a strike, due to unpaid wages since August 2014 have not been paid. The total debt of the company owners to the workers is about 43 million hryvnia.
The first deputy director of the Department of innovative development of industry Kalabin and acting director of the plant Gontar met the protesters. They said that the gathering of people was "unreasonable and illegal", laying the blame for what is happening on the dismissed in February 2015, former director of the plant, and said that "any day now" they were waiting for the receipt of funds.
The workers said that their answers were not satisfied, so the strike will continue. The protesters were planning to block the main street of the city - Sumy.
Polish energy sector workers preparing for a large-scale strike
On April 5th, trade unions at the largest Polish power plant "Opole" initiated a collective labour dispute with the authorities and announced the beginning of a protest. On the territory of the enterprise, placards and banners were unfurled, and explanatory work conducted with the workforce. According to trade union organizations, in the near future the management will resort to the practice of mass layoffs.
In 1995, at the power plant worked 1,750, but today there are less than a thousand, and, according to the trade union, this trend will continue. In the near future will be the launch of new units, but this should happen on the background of further layoffs. Realizing the complexity of the situation, the unions at "Opole" unanimously supported the idea of a collective dispute, and protests. If management will not make concessions in the near future it can be organized into big strike.
Anti-government strike in Kathmandu
At the end of the first week of April in Nepal, clashes between police and protesters took place. In the capital, Kathmandu, began a nationwide three-day anti-government strike. During the protest, passions were running high to the limit. Organizers of the rally were detained and a few people finished up in hospital.
These protests were initiated the Communist Party of Nepal. Protesters in addition to other demands called for constitutional change.
Mass strike action in Argentina
Early April began with a strike by transport workers. Across the country, buses, trains and subways ground to a halt. Local flights were cancelled.
The main demand of the protesters was the abolition of income tax on the salaries of workers of the transport industry.
In Brazil, thousands of protesters called for the impeachment of the President
On April 12 in major cities across Brazil were mass protests. The activists chanted "Down with Dilma" and "Time for Change", demanding the resignation of President Dilma Rousseff.
The reason for the protests was the corruption scandal surrounding the oil company "Petrobras", the head of which for seven years has been Rousseff.
As it became known, some functionaries of the company signed contracts and took 3 percent of the transaction as a commission. This money was then used to bribe politicians and officials.
Strike by builders of cosmodrome "Vostochny"
On March 24 in the Amur region a protest was held by builders of the cosmodrome "Vostochny". The reason for the strike is prolonged delay in payment of earnings.
The chiefs worked out a debt repayment schedule, but this scheme suited not all the workers.
Under this plan, the first money should get to staff at the end of their rotational period, the second amount - to workers carrying out construction and installation work at the site, the third amount – to the ones who left the spaceport to wait for payment of wages at their places of residence.
On the construction are involved more than 11 thousand people.
The workers have not been paid since January 2015, and some – since December 2014.
In Vologda policemen and interior troops were involved in suppressing protesting workers
On March 23, workers of a local machine factory came with banners to the building of the regional administration and almost began to storm it. The authorities immediately called the police and internal troops in full combat gear with ammunition.
The "boiling point" for the workers of the Vologda machine-building factory, who had not been paid for eight months, was the decision by management to carry put mass redundancies. At the entrance of the enterprise was posted a list of 50 names of employees who will be laid off. Given that at the factory were working just 90 people, this reduction means the actual death of the enterprise.
At first, the indignant workers with posters came to the building of the regional legislative assembly. However, realizing that little could be expected from local deputies, they moved on to the building of the regional administration.
After numerous threats from the policemen, who promised to bring a criminal case against the protesters for unauthorized mass action, workers were able to get a meeting with the deputy, "the governor of the Vologda region" Kozhevnikov. He "sympathized" with the labour collective of VMZ and assured them that the situation at the plant is under constant review and promised to solve all the problems, however, only after the procedure of bankruptcy and change of ownership.
According to a local prosecutor's office, at the plant in recent years corruption flourished, and the company had "made off" with a lot of money. Recently, the factory whilst undertaking defence orders had its management completely replaced, and against the previous one a criminal case was opened. The property of the enterprise, including manufacturing equipment, seized by bailiffs for debt, in the workshops the heating has been turned off for non-payment. Even in these conditions, workers at VMZ, for eight months have not seen wages, but have continued to carry out orders - mostly defence orders.
Meeting of Rostov workers
On March 25 at the territory of the local electric locomotive plant a protest was held. Participants of the rally, which amounted to more than 1,000 people expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the authorities and illegal, in their opinion, retention bonuses.
More than 150 plant employees stopped work and demanded a meeting with the administration of the enterprise, to express their disagreement with the order of the director. According to the order, which the factory trade union refused to negotiate, due to the failure in February 2015 of the production target to which all categories of workers will be paid out only 39 percent of the premium, envisaged by the situation on bonuses. This means that all of the company's employees (about 1,500) will lose a significant portion of their earnings.
The workers are not going to tolerate this arbitrariness factory bosses and will seek payment of the bonus in February in full and, in the long term, the revision of provisions for bonuses.
Kachkanar miners protest
On March 24 at an ore-enrichment plant, located in the Sverdlovsk region, began an "Italian" strike. The team worked in strict accordance with instructions and safety requirements. The miners were pushed to taking this action due to numerous violations of their labour rights. Employees are being unlawfully excluded from certain jobs and forced to work on faulty equipment. Dust accumulation in the workshops is many times higher than the maximum permissible concentrations.
A strike by workers in the Leningrad region received support in Moscow and in regions, solidarity actions took place
On March 20, workers at the Vsevolozhsk car factory went on strike. It was attended by 35 per cent of the workers of the assembly shop and 40 percent of the body shop employees. Every day, the pressure on the owners of the enterprise was enhanced by introducing new strikers into the strike. On March 18, only 10 percent of the plant was working. Workers stopped the release of one of the car models.
Despite this, the administration has completely rejected the strikers’ demands for the indexation of wages, as well as guarantees and compensation in the event of downsizing or liquidation of the company.
The ongoing strike at the auto plant in Vsevolozhsk resonated with conscious workers in different regions of Russia. Pickets of solidarity with the strikers were held in Kaluga, Omsk and Leningrad.
On March 19, in Moscow a rally in support of the workers at Vsevolozhsk was held. The participants held placards: "To all employees - a decent salary", "Workers do not have to pay for the crisis", and "Fulfil the union's demands!"
Strike by miners in western Ukraine
On March 24, work at all seven mine shafts of the Lvovugol state enterprise stopped.
10,000 miners did not come to work because of wage arrears owed to them, which is 190 million hryvnia. After a picket outside the regional state administration, they resorted to drastic measures - abandoned the rock faces and gathered in the Chervonograd main square. Miners at the same time focused on the blocking of the "Lviv - Rava-Russia" international highway.
The strikers also demand to stop the closure of mines and insisted on the resignation of the Minister of Energy and Mines.
Kazakhstani workers strike
On March 18, employees of the construction company Karaganda organized a protest. More than 70 workers gathered at almost completed high-rise apartment blocks, and said they would not take up their duties as until they are paid. According to the strikers, they have not been paid money since December last year.
Builders were told that the employer has not in time deducted contributions to the pension fund, and that those that have been deducted, their size does not correspond to the real wages.
People claim that the owners of the company are not in talks with them and not explaining the reason for the delay in payment of wages.
In Germany, a mass demonstration against the activities of the European Central Bank
On March 18, police arrested about 350 protesters in Frankfurt.
To disperse the demonstrators the police used water cannons and tear gas. According to the organizers of the action, it was attended by over 10 thousand people.
The demonstration, timed to coincide with the official opening of the new headquarters of the ECB, started early in the morning. The protesters rightly accused the European Central Bank for the unfolding social crisis. The bulk of the demonstrators were representatives of leftist parties, communists and anti-fascists.
A strike at a shoe factory in China
On March 17, about 2,000 workers of an enterprise producing the shoes, came out in protest. The strikers are not satisfied with "organizational changes" planned by the owners of the company.
In particular, with the merging of the plants, as promised by the bosses, only the number of administrative staff will be reduced, but many workers are afraid of losing their jobs, and are demanding written guarantees.
Last year, employees of the factory held a mass strike because of the inconsistent provisions in the law on social insurance regulations and other payments, as well as the countervailing subsidies for housing and real minimum amounts paid by the employer.
In Canada, there have been clashes between police and demonstrators
On March 25, Montreal police used tear gas against student protesters.
The authorities declared it an illegal action, and began to make arrests. In response, the students pelted police vehicles with improvised means.
According to some reports, several thousand students of local universities took to the streets of Montreal to express their dissatisfaction with the plan of "austerity", which the authorities plan to implement in the province of Quebec.
Funding cuts will affect many social spheres, including education. Student unions have already declared that such actions will continue in the next two weeks.
Mass strike in Mexico
On March 26, more than 50 000 farm workers participated in a mass strike that took place in the country's northern state of Baja California. The strikers were actively protesting against low wages, abuse and poor working conditions.
Hundreds of strikers blocked the highway that runs from north to south. Protests spread across the state.
Demonstrators were demanding payment of medical insurance, overtime, weekend breaks, as well as stopping the practice of arbitrary dismissals and violence (especially sexual abuse) from the plantations’ managements. The protesters want an increase in wages to $ 20 per day. Currently, earnings of most workers is 8-10 dollars for a full day’s work on the hot fields.
Review prepared by the Department of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on relations with the workers and the trade union movement
UK KFA NEWS MID JUNE 2015
1. KFA WEBSITE AND EMAIL NOW BACK ONLINE
Due to the actions of forces hostile to the KFA , our central website www.korea-dpr.com was taken offline ,firstly for a period of 48 hours and then about 5 days . This also affected our email which is why when several people tried to contact us the emails bounced back . Now
email is working as well. However Hotmail and Outlook still emails emails from our server . This is an act of censorship bythe US !
2. UK KFA AGM AND SEMINAR SUCCESSFULLY HELD
The UK Korean Friendship Association held its annual general meeting onthe 6th of June in central London at 2pm. It was attended by UK KFA members, including new KFA members as well as Spanish KFA members staying in London . In attendance was one KFA member who is a local councillor(Socialist Labour Party ). A representative of the DPRK Embassy in London also attended.
The meeting received messages of greetings from KFA branches and sections worldwide including US, Belgium , Switzerland, Austria,Poland, Singapore and Spain
KFA President Alejandro Cao De Benos message read in part I warmly salute you and congratulate you on the 6th UK-KFA AGM.
First I would like to thanks to all KFA Officials and members that are relations between the UK and the DPRK.
KFA-UK is our very first international branch.
Each person helping, even a little, is worth a hundred that just remain idle. I want to encourage you to assist and suggest projects and action, to reach the biggest awareness in the general population.
2015 is a very important year, both for DPRK and KFA itself. We will be celebrating in November our KFA 15th Anniversary in the DPRK Embassy of Madrid. I would like to invite you to join us on that important occasion, make friends and witness our strength and spirit.
A message of greeting was received from the New Communist Party . Also UK KFA members unable to attend sent messages.
Dermot Hudson KFA Official delegate/chairman UK KFA gave a report of the work of the UK Korean Friendship Association during the past year which highlighted the main activities of the UK KFA during the past year such as 2 pickets , a meeting in Liverpool and a skype meeting.
He said that that UK KFA must adopt the Juche spirit and do work with the attitude of a master
Theo Russell UK KFA comms secretary gave a communications report outlining work done.
Ryan Hermann UK KFA organisation secretary said that the DPRK is the most anti-imperialist country and people should be should be climbing mountains to support it.
Dermot Hudson UK KFA Official Delegate spoke about the 15th anniversary of the June 15 declaration he said " On the 15th of June it will be 15 years since the historic north south declaration was signed between the DPRK and south Korea... The historic June 15th
declaration was a bridge over the chasm of national division that had been imposed by outside forces principally the aggressive US imperialists. It was a bridge of hope , a rainbow bridge of unity and national reconciliation.The June 15 declaration fully represented the will and aspirations of the entire Korean people north and south for peaceful reunification. The June 15 declaration was the precious fruit of the persevering and continuous efforts of the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL who worked day and night for reunification. It was a lofty manifestation of the DPRK's stance fo independent reunification and its profoundly peace-loving policy. The speaker stressed that Korea must be reunified by Koreans and that the Park Geun Hye should
be denounced for fostering confrontation and division and depending on outside forces .
Theo Russell UK KFA comms secretary said "The DPRK remains a stronghold of the idea that small countries should decide their own destiny, and not be pushed around by powerful countries, and the idea that ordinary working people, not just the rich and powerful, should
be able to lead a secure life and to have knowledge and culture. The great movement under the banner of Juche alone guarantees that Koreas struggle for total independence and sovereignty will continue until victory is achieved, and the Korean people can at last live in peace and freedom. This movement, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un today, which alone represents the true interests and destiny of the Korean nation."
During the discussion it was stressed that it is very important to support and publicise the struggle of Anti-Imperialist National Front of south Korea
Dermot Hudson also spoke about the 51st anniversary of the start of the work of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il at the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea saying " it is 51 years since the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL took the baton of leading
the work of building the Workers Party of Korea , the ruling party of People?s Korea... The decades of leadership and guidance to the WPK given by the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il had been decades of victory and glory in which the socialist citadel of People's Korea was
consolidated. We salute the achievements made in guiding the WPK by eternal general secretary great comrade Kim Jong Il.
Today the cause of Juche party building is carried forward by dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un the First Secretary of the WPK and successor to the cause of Juche.
Next the Month of Solidarity with the Korean people was introduced by the chairman of the meeting . Ryan Hermann UK KFA Organisation secretary read out the article "Evil Country " about the crimes of US imperialism , he said "The United States of America is an aggressor
that, regardless of international laws, ruthlessly infringes upon sovereignty of other countries, and an evil country that inflicts untold misfortunes, pains and death on humankind. Utterly infatuated with extreme national chauvinism and misanthropy, the US slaughtered
the Korean and other nations indiscriminately as it had hunted American Indians. Though it frequently professed human rights? and world peace, it only sought to satisfy its own interests and realize its wild ambition for world domination... The mass slaughter the American troops committed in Rogun-ri during the Korean war (1950 1953) is a showcase for it.
James Taylor KFA member read out a statement background to the Korean War he said " Now, putting all the facts together, it is obvious that the Korean war would never have taken place if the US had not occupied south Korea.....
...President Truman sent Secretary of Defense Johnson and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Bradley to the MacArthur Command in Tokyo, Japan, and senior advisor to the State Department Dulles as presidential envoy to south Korea. They had to examine and confirm the
preparations on the spot and issue a directive for starting the war...
Eventually, on order No. 29 by President Truman the south Korean army under the command of American military advisors, launched a full-scale armed invasion against the DPRK on the dawn of June 25, 1950."
It was announced that there would be a picket of the US embassy by UK KFA on the 25th of June as part of the month of solidarity with the Korean people against US imperialism
David Munoz Spanish KFA member addressed the meeting stressing how important it is to support the KFA and DPRK.
A resolution condemning the US stockpiling of anthrax in south Korea was adopted.
A letter to dear respected Marshal KIM JONG UN was adopted.
Books and publications from the DPRK were displayed and a keen interest in them was shown by participants in the meeting.
Excellent refreshments provided by the Spanish KFA members and DPRK Embassy were served
TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION
UK KFA RESOLUTION ON ANTHRAX IN SOUTH KOREA 06.06.2015
This meeting of he UK Korean Friendship Association strongly condemns the US for storing anthrax germs at the Osan Air Base in south Korea . This clear evidence of preparations for biological warfare against the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea and is as such a grave crime against humanity.
During the past Korean War(1950 to 1953) the US imperialists attempted to commit genocide against the Korean people by using biological weapons even though they are outlawed under international conventions.
More than 1.23 million people were brutally killed in the northern half of Korea during the war due to the U.S. imperialists' indiscriminate air raids and bio-chemical warfare.
We call for the US to withdraw all it forces from south Korea along
with its biological and nuclear weapons .
Furthermore we call for the US president, the US defence ,the commander of US forces in south Korea and the south Korean authorities to be brought before the International Criminal Court.
UK KFA
3. MONTH OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE KOREAN PEOPLE
On the 25th of June will the 65th anniversary of the provocation of theFatherland Liberation War by the US imperialists and it is also the start of the month of Solidarity with the Korean people against US imperialism . The Organisation of Solidarity with the African , Asian
and Latin American Peoples in 1965 declared that June 25th when the Korean War started and July 27th when the armistice was concluded should the Month of Solidarity with the Korean people.
Wednesday, 1 July 2015
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