The International Workers Association

The turn of the year saw the 85th anniversary of the IWA’s founding in Berlin in December 1922 and January 1923. Here, we look at the struggle to establish an (anarcho-)syndicalist International in the 50 years between the demise of the 1st International and the events in Berlin

Many basic tenets of anarcho-syndicalism developed within the 1st International. After the split between anarchists and Marxists in 1872 the anarchist wing of the International, with a membership of 150,000, still had influence beyond its numbers. Throughout the 1870s, it assisted the development of anarcho-syndicalism.

A report on the Portuguese General Strike of November 24th

The following is a report by our Portuguese sister organisation on the one-day general strike that paralyzed Portugal on November 24, as Portuguese workers fight austerity measures being imposed by the Socialist Party government.

This is the first general strike in Portugal for the last 22 years and that alone should shed some light over the social situation in this country. In fact, class struggle in Portugal is quite low and the number of strikes has actually been falling for the past thirty years, despite the continuously worsening situation of the Portuguese working class. Unionisation rates tend to fall as well, as the two large Portuguese party-run Trade Unions serve more to appease and stall conflicts than to fight exploitation, and that hasn't gone unnoticed.

Global anti-war actions

Anarcho-syndicalists around the world took part in actions and strikes against the war in Iraq co-ordinated by sections of the International Workers. Association (IWA). While small sections such as the Solidarity Federation could only take part in demonstrations around the country, the larger sections of the IWA could be at the forefront of actions, including the calling of general strikes.

In Italy, the anarcho-syndicalist union USI, along with other rank and file organisations, called a general strike on Thursday 20th March. It was estimated that over one million workers took part in the strike joining marches, demonstrations and blockades that brought many parts of Italy to a standstill.

Day of action for sacked Peruvian garment workers

Members of Liverpool Solidarity Federation have held an informational picket outside Zara, in Liverpool One, and handed out leaflets to customers, staff, and passers-by.

Despite some attention from security guards, who informed us we couldn’t operate on private property, we were able to hand out all our leaflets and our action was generally well received. One woman even came over as we were packing away to inquire what we were up to, and offered her support when we explained what we had been doing and why.

This was part of international solidarity actions supported by the International Workers Association (IWA) for workers in Peru, in response to the sacking of 35 trade unionists. The union members were working in a factory for ‘Topy Top’, one of the major suppliers to high street store Zara, and also a supplier for Gap.

Report back from IWA conference in León, Spain

Three delegates from the Solidarity Federation attended the conference mainly dealing with 'precarity', self-management and co-operatives. The conference was hosted at the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo's IX anarchist camp near León in northern Spain.

There were about 100 people at the camp and 60 participants in the conference. Ten sections were represented: CNT-F (France), FAU (Germany), Priama Akcia (Slovakia), ZSP (Poland), SolFed (Britain), SP (Portugal), USI (Italy), KRAS (Russia), NSF (Norway) and of course the CNT-E (Spain). There were also two guest organisations: MASA from Croatia and two delegates from the Peruvian newspaper La Humanidad, who however arrived several hours after closure of the conference due to immigration/visa problems.

Berlin: ban of FAU grassroots union overturned

News from our comrades in Berlin, who had been dragged into the courts by the bosses of the Cinema Babylon.

About 50 people gathered in the biggest hall of Berlin’s Higher Court on the morning of June 10th. They were waiting for the decision on the FAU Berlin’s appeal on whether they could call themselves a union. Only 15 minutes into the trial, the judge delivered the verdict. The injunction is overturned; the ban is repealed; the crowd goes wild.

The Free Workers' Union (FAU) in Berlin have been banned, Solidarity with the FAU

As of yesterday, December 11, 2009, FAU Berlin (FAU-B) has essentially
been banned as a union. The decision was made by the Berlin Regional
Court (Landgericht Berlin) without a hearing. FAU-B was not even
informed that the Neue Babylon GmbH – which is involved in a labor
dispute with FAU-B – had started legal proceedings against them. The
court’s decision goes beyond merely taking away FAU-B’s rights as a
union within the Babylon cinema. From this point on they are no longer
allowed to call themselves a union!

Background

Free the Belgrade Six

Statement the Serbian Anarcho-syndicalist group ASI presented to the
International Workers Association Congress in 2009 on the states
attempts to fit up six anarchists.

Report on circumstances which led to arrest of Belgrade anarchists and International terrorism charges