The 'Spanish Revolution' hits Brighton

The occupations and demonstrations that have rocked Spain in opposition to austerity, unemployment and party politics have reached Brighton. At least 30 people, mostly from Spain, were occupying part of the Old Steine in Brighton city centre tonight in solidarity with the movement in Spain. An assembly run on directly democratic lines, with a megaphone being passed around participants, discussed tactics and goals of the camp, with decisions made to stage further protests and put on a programme of workshops. The assembly also reiterated its independence from all political ideologies and parties.

CNT-E: Es nuestro momento, que continúe la ocupación de plazas y la desobediencia

A translation of this CNT-E statement is available here.

Las multitudinarias concentraciones y acampadas que están sembrando las plazas de ciudades y pueblos desde el pasado día 15 son un claro ejemplo de la capacidad organizativa del pueblo cuando decide ser protagonista de su propia vida; superando la apatía, la resignación y la ausencia de una toma de conciencia con la que articular respuestas, para afrontar y construir alternativas a los múltiples problemas que hoy sufrimos el conjunto de la población: trabajadores/as, parados/as, estudiantes, inmigrantes, jubilados/as, precarios/as...

Spain: It's our moment - may the occupations and disobedience continue!

A statement on the May protests by the CNT, our Spanish sister section.

The countless demonstrations and occupations that are taking root in the main squares of cities and villages since the 15th are a clear example of the organizational capacity of the people when they decide to be the protagonists of their own lives; overcoming apathy, resignation, and the absence of a self-awareness with which to articulate solutions to take on and construct alternatives to the many problems that today face all of us: workers, the unemployed, students, immigrants, retired, the casualised...

Solidarity from CNT Tenerife

On Friday 7th of Febuary, a group of sixteen students and workers of our sister anarcho-syndicalist union in spain, the CNT, held a protest infront of the british consulate in the capital of tneerife in canary islands. This was their first action of solidarity with british students against the cuts in eduaction.

The comrades handed out information to everyone in the street during that morning, but promised this would not be their last action of solidarity. On Friday 25th of march, the Tenerife comrades protested inside the local university, “Campus Guajara”, a day before the TUC demo in London. They have plans of action for the coming week.

¡Viva la CNT-AIT! 100 years of anarcho-syndicalism

Today (November 1st 2010) marks the 100th anniversary of our Spanish sister organisation, the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT-AIT). Liverpool Solidarity Federation extends revolutionary greetings to our comrades in the CNT-AIT and best wishes for the next century of struggle.

¡Viva la CNT-AIT !
¡Viva la AIT y el Anarcosindicalismo!

Read more on the CNT-AIT here.

 

General strike 2010 – Barcelona

Two members of Liverpool SolFed recently visited Barcelona to show solidarity during the Spanish general strike of September 29th. They report:

During our stay in Barcelona we visited the Banesto building on Plaça de Catalunya which had been occupied for several days by anti-capitalists. They used the derelict space to celebrate resistance, as well as freely exchange information and radical ideas. However the building was later brutally repossessed by riot police.

On the day of the general strike, we joined a lively demonstration of several thousand organized by our sister organisation, the CNT, who put forward a much more militant message of resistance compared to that of the reformist trade unions.

Spain: CNT Takes on Robber Boss

Following the current fashion, José Velas-co, boss at magazine publisher, Onis Comunica-ción, is using the economic crisis as an excuse to rob workers. The company is chaotically managed, so much so that suspension of wage payments is a specialism for Velasco and his associates. Indeed Onis was set up to take over titles from another of their publishing ventures which had hit similar problems, with similar attempts to cheat workers out of their pay.

Velasco and co. are hoping the state will save them money, by paying Onis workers (part of) what they’re owed from the Salary Guarantee Fund. They’ve certainly shown no desire to negotiate a solution.

CNT vs. Ryanair

Ryanair workers in Zaragoza, Spain, are currently in dispute. The workers involved are members of the anarcho-syndicalist union, the CNT. The dispute started in March when Ryanair cut the hours of staff by reducing the working day. The strikers are also protesting at Ryanair’s refusal to make staff on temporary contracts permanent.

The dispute deepened when the delegate of the CNT’s union section in Ryanair received a letter of dismissal, for reasons of unsuitability, claiming a drop in the worker’s performance – a claim that is clear nonsense. Ryanair hoped that by sacking the CNT delegate the rest of the strikers would be intimidated back to work.