LABOUR MOVEMENT IN RUSSIA – REPUBLICS OF EX-USSR – INTERNATIONAL
AUCPB EXPRESSES CLASS SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT
Joint Statement of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the AUCPB for Ukraine, Moldova and Transdniestria and the editorial of AUCPB newspaper "Workers' and Peasants' Truth" (Raboche-Krestyanskaya Pravda)
Dear fellow Kazakh comrades!
We admire your courageous fight for your rights: against rising prices, for higher wages, the establishment of normal working conditions, safety measures, providing good housing and environmental conditions for the establishment and maintenance of independent labour unions.
Together with you, we support your workers’ leaders Natalia Sokolova, Natalia Azhigalievu, Akzhanata Aminov, hunger strikers and other comrades who have selflessly and courageously defended the rights of the oilmen and the rights of the working man.
We note that the conditon of the working class, working people of Kazakhstan - as well as workers in other republics of ex-Soviet Union – which are akin to slave states was a result of the criminal destruction of our great Soviet Motherland, the privatization (embezzlement and misappropriation) of socialist public property and the return to the exploitative capitalist system .
We are deeply outraged by the repression against the protesters, against your workers and union leaders, repression inflicted by the authorities and security forces of the anti-peoples bourgeois regime of Nursultan Nazarbayev - traitor of the Communist Party and Soviet people and faithful servant of capital.
At the same time, we urge you to remain vigilant and not allow the use of the labour movement in Kazakhstan as a tool by the imperialist secret services of the U.S. and the West, when on a wave of indignation of the working masses against the intolerable conditions of life, the top echelons of power of one protege of the bourgeoisie is replaced by another one, and an openly pro-American, pro-Western and anti-Russian one at that.
You can achieve true victory by destroying the power of capital and bringing to power a Soviet workers' government. Let your fight be an inspiring example for the working class and toiling masses of all the other republics ("independent" states) of the ex-USSR.
We wish you success and VICTORY in the struggle!
July 13, 2011
http://vkpb.net.ua/
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IN THE PORT OF KALININGRAD, CREW GO ON STRIKE ABOARD A DUTCH CARGO SHIP
Dry cargo ship "Navin Kestrel" belongs to the Netherlands company "NYKI SHIPPING BV". The sailors, among them citizens of Russia and Ukraine have not been paid since May. They refused to sail on and appealed for help to the Kaliningrad inspection ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation).
As reported in the inspection, after negotiating with the Netherlands branch, and having made a collective bargaining agreement with the company, part of the salary was paid. However, now the owner has stopped communicating with the sailors. Then they said that the ship will not leave the port until they are fully paid.
Meanwhile the "Navin Kestrel" fully loaded remain in the port of Kaliningrad. In addition to salaris, the shipowner will have to pay material damages to the maritime authorities of the port. When entering Kaliningrad on electricity on the freighter disappeared, and the ship passed the pier entrance gate.
===================
IVANOVO WORKERS DEMAND THE REMOVAL OF THEIR UNSCRUPULOUS DIRECTOR
On July 18 at the entrance of "Specialized municipal enterprise for sanitary cleaning of the city and facility improvement of the city of Ivanov", at the initiative of workers of that enterprise and Ivanovo City Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, a protest was held against the destructive activities of the director of the facilities V.A. Gorobtsov and mass layoffs of workers.
Head of the Administration of Ivanovo A.S. Kuzmichev, denied workers the right to picket at 17.00, and proposed moving it to 19.00. Workers refused to change the time of and gathered at the entrance of the company, as stated in the notice.
By the entrance about 60 people gathered. Conversation took place about the situation prevailing in the enterprise with the new director V.A. Gorobtsov. All that accumulated in recent months, was talked about by people among themselves, and they also so spoke to local TV journalists .
Deputy Mayor of Ivanov K.V. Bocharov came out to the entrance. The workers confidently state that V.A. Gorobtsov was led to the company by precisely K.V. Bocharov. The Deputy Head of the city looked, assessed the situation and emotional intensity of the crowd and invited everyone in the auditorium of the enterprise. The workers, after consulting among themselves, agreed and headed towards the entrance security checkpoint. But it was not so easy to pass it. Security laid down a condition that only 5 people could be allowed to go in at a time. This angered the employees. With indignation at the "draconian order" established Gorobtsov, people left the checkpoint and continued their protest, which in the form could not be seen as a protest, but on the internal content and intensity, it was precisely such.
The police present at the same time, watched what was happening but did not intervene, warning protestors they would not tolerate breaches in public order. I must say that workers at the time of this standing at the entrance, behaved consistently and with dignity, without giving any reason for police intervention.
After some time out of doors of the company, again appeared K.V. Bocharov and repeatedly asked the workers to come into the assembly hall, while ensuring that all interested persons could pass through, except reporters and TV crews. Why the representative of city government suddenly formed a disliking of the media, he failed to explain, and nobody ask him about that. They all took it for granted. What can you do?! That’s the authorities for you ...
The small room dimly lit hall of failed to evoke much optimism, and very emotional situation gathered clouds over the upcoming meeting, and prepared a storm and threat of popular anger.
The hall gradually filled up, and almost all the seats were occupied. At the presidium sat K.V. Bocharov and A.N. Avtoneev, secretary of the Ivanovo city committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) and chairman of the public association "Perspective".
Bocharov conducted the meeting. Trying to calm the audience, he began the conversation by offering to settle the conflict at the company and begin normal operation, and asked what the workers were not satisfied with at work. His last question "added fuel to the fire." The hall was in uproar.
Valery Lavetkin, a heavy goods driver stood up, and in turn asked Bocharov a number of counter-questions, "Why is the enterprise conducting mass layoffs? At one time you said that it would be better lay off 100 workers rather than one manager, so how do you think about that now? Why lay off people who signed the letter to the President of Russia, just because they put their signature to this letter? Why are entire teams being fired for this?" The hall thundered: "Our demand is that it is necessary to replace the head of the enterprise."
Trying to seize the initiative and reassure those present, Bocharov, not answering the questions by Lavetkin, changed the conversation and said that from Friday (15/07/2011), all orders on reduction in employee number will be revoked, and layoffs on those grounds will not be made. "If there are layoffs, then, only for violations, truancy, boozing, and the rest he will sort out himself", - said deputy head of administration.
It seemed that this message was to reassure people, but no. In the hearts of so many workers boiled resentment at the indignity and humiliation they suffered from the director Gorobtsov, that they did not want to make any concessions. Only one condition, said the workers - the director had to be fired. The hall was buzzing with indignation. People took turns getting up to speak, or directly from their seats, and expressed the bitterness that had accumulated in recent years, with difficulty selecting an expression that would not upset the authorities by the workers’ directness, they demanded from the administration only one thing - replace the director. They were by now not worried about the argument of the presidium, that a worse director could replace the present one. They had only one argument - "It can’t get any worse than it is already."
Again Lavetkin Valery stood up and said: "Today I get cake on one side spread with honey and mustard spread on the other side. If Gorobets remains, then tomorrow he will dismiss all of us one by one from the company. I know him from the Kohomsky DRSU company, which he successfully ruined and bankrupted. I had to leave there. Today, he is destroying the SMP and is preparing me again the fate of an unemployed man."
The workers supported Valery, and voices could be heard saying: "And what about those who have already been fired? They should be reinstated."
After enduring a brief pause, Bocharov agreed with the need to restore the previously dismissed workers. He suggested that those who had already been dismissed, some of whom were present in the hall, write an application for reinstatement.
Only yesterday the authorities were adamant they did not even want to listen to ordinary people, but now are available, softer, supple and making concessions. Politically infantile citizens would ask themselves what happened with the authorities. But something is clear to us. The answer is ridiculously simple. First of all, workers appealed for help to the Communists, and secondly this is all on the verge of elections in October 2011 in the State Duma and in March 2012 - Russian Presidential elections. The "United Russia" party has a problem with getting votes in this election, and in the company a large group of disgruntled workers has formed, so the authorities are rushing to extinguish the conflict and to "stabilize" the situation at least until March 2012. And the elections will pass and again, they will do anything they like, including violate all past commitments, arguing - political expediency. Until the next election which will be in 5 years, during this time, all resentment will be forgotten, and on the shoulders of naive once again they will "enter into power."
Events in the company, are somewhat similar to the situation with the electric trolley buses in the regional center, which the authorities wanted to destroy in the spring. The authorities managed to extinguish the conflict. Will it be able to cope with this?
Times change, people change, and they are not so gullible as they used to be. They frankly do not believe the authorities. That is why in the hall, unflattering accusations flew: "We have two "fronts", one for managers who receive a salary and live happily ever after, and another, our "front" of workers, those who lose their jobs and wages, have lowered allowances, and are denied bonuses".
Presiding Bocharov, knowing that he was unable to control the situation at a meeting, and trying to seize the initiative went on to make further concessions: "As for pay, the foreman puts forward the allowance, and whoever does not agree with this allowance, we will create a commission, which will include a member of HR, a chairman of the trade union ...". The explosion of laughter do not let him finish. Through the laughter of the workers said: "What kind of defenders of the people are they. They follow the bosses orders and have no opinions of their own."
Behind the podium stood Director Gorobets. The words he uttered, a few disconnected phrases and difficult to understand outraged the hall. Sounded: "What is there to talk to him about! Lets get out of here!" The workers all at once got up and walked to the door, talking on the way about this meeting. In their words, there was no optimism, no hope for the future and no satisfaction, even in view of the fact that the employer knocked out individual concessions. They are well aware of their director and are assured that this gentleman will not forgive anyone or anything. People said: "The Rubicon has been crossed" and we should now go to the end, until victory. Only replacement of the director can make a difference to the enterprise."
In the empty hall remained Bocharov, Gorobets, Avtoneev and several people from the administration of the company.
All the workers left the checkpoint, where they were met by waiting journalists and TV people yearning for information and with professional curiosity asked questions and recorded on camera interviews with workers about the meeting in the auditorium and the latest news that the journalists needed but were excommunicated by the will of the local authorities.
Gradually journalistic curiosity was satisfied, cameras and tripods into the cars the media left to return to their studios and editorial offices to prepare new material about the struggle of the workers for their rights, dosing out the truth by measure of their honesty.
The action continued. The workers waited for Andrei Avtoneev who negotiated with Bocharov, and the managers. It was a long wait and the impatient workers went home. But the backbone of about twenty people continued to wait for the result. After half an hour Andrei came out. The workers surrounded him. He said "Bocharov suggested to the protesting workers nominate candidates for the post of Deputy Director of the company." For the workers, this proposal was a surprise. It could be seen that the situation meant the regional governor had to act in any manner in the shortest possible time to extinguish the conflict. So now the city administration has to make concessions, which were unthinkable before even today. A candidate for Deputy Director was immediately found by the workers, and it just this man that Gorobets has long been methodically persecuting trying to drive out of the company under any pretext. The question arises, how the deputy and director to will work, having such a relationship. One gets the impression that the government's current goal is to extinguish the conflict at the enterprise, and after the elections, "We will work out what to do with him."
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
AUCPB-CLASS STRUGGLE 20 JULY 2011
LABOUR MOVEMENT IN RUSSIA – REPUBLICS OF EX-USSR – INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL MARCH OF STUDENTS IN CHILE ENDS IN CLASHES WITH POLICE
Santiago de Chile, July 15 (Prensa Latina). A national march of students in Chile, which was attended by over 100 000 people demanding democratic and non-privatized education ended with heavy clashes with police.
Riot police used tear gas and water cannon against the participants of the mobilization that took place in Heroes' Square, a few blocks from the Palacio de la Moneda.
The police surrounded the demonstrators and was faced with a group of hooded students trying to get out, witnesses reported at the incident.
Earlier, the government authorized the march on the site Alameda Avenue, which was supposed to start at the main railway station and end up at Heroes' Square, not reaching the palace of La Moneda.
Leaders of the Confederation of Students of Chile did not comply with this order, and called on students and other demonstrators to begin the march from Italy Square, in the heart of the capital, and continue along the Alameda to the outskirts of La Moneda, the seat of the government.
The call for demonstrations, which prompted students from different regions of the country, was sent to families of young college students, high school pupils and to society as a whole.
==================================
IN CHILE, PROTESTS IN DEFENCE OF EDUCATION HAVE CONTINUED
Students, teachers, community organizations and citizens of Chile on July 14 became the protagonists of a new burst of a national campaign for free public education.
"Tomorrow we will again conduct a demonstration under the slogan "Yes" and only "Yes" and walk in the march from Italy Square," said the night before, Camila Vallejo, the president of the student federation at the University of Chile,.
The university leader reiterated the decision of students to keep to the previous course to enhance the wave of protests.
Last week, the student movement rejected the proposal of the Government of Chile on Higher Education, which, they argue, does not make deep structural changes in the education system in the South American country's most expensive and very selective, that is not for everyone.
The system does not guarantee the fundamental human rights to education, leaving quality training at the mercy of the market, as stressed in public statements by the student federation.
The call for a demonstration on behalf of the federation of student teachers and the College of Chile was supported by high school students, the confederation of workers, unions, health workers' and the National Federation of Copper Mine Workers, as well as many other organizations.
Agency "Prensa Latina"
========================
STRIKE BY EMPLOYEES OF BUS TRANSPORT IN VLADIVOSTOK- RUSSIA
Employees of bus companies in Vladivostok on Friday, July 15, held a warning protest against the poverty of the industry, in which work was suspended. For 15 minutes, 10.00 - 10.15 am – cashiers were closed, and buses stopped en route.
Above the cash registers and buses, notices were placed to inform people about the suspension of work for 15 minutes. In addition, passengers were notified verbally. According to reports, there were no complaints form passengers, and they even supported the initiative of the bus workers.
New equipment for maintaining buses which wear, takes about 80% of funds. For three years the price of fuel has increased by 1.5 times, a third - for parts, tires, and municipal services tax, extra-budgetary funds - by 1 / 4. Land tax has to be paid by many, which has risen 12.2 times.
If the measures put forward by members of the bus companies as part of preventive actions are not taken, then they are ready to further and take longer strike action.
On Friday, the action share of employees was supported by the majority of bus companies that are not even in a union. Only Vladivostok commercial buses operating on city routes refused to take part.
==============================
PERFORMERS AT THE BALASHOV DRAMA THEATRE IN THE SARATOV REGION ON HUNGER STRIKE
This took place on July 8, reported to Interfax the chairman of the theatre trade-union, Anna Samson.
Theater workers oppose a 30 percent reduction in staff. Now in the theatre are working 109 people. Management want to fire 33 - on the pretext that there is not enough money in the budget. It has been reported that Russia’s Culture Minister Vladimir Senyukov has gone to Balashov.
==================
THREE PEOPLE BECOME VICTIMS OF CLASHES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
The number of victims of clashes with police which took place in the Dominican Republic accompanying a 24-hour general strike has risen to three. Now on the list of victims - three men.
Two of them were killed in the city of Santiago, located in the north. Also in the course of bitter clashes of protesters with the police 12 people were injured and 20 were arrested.
The unions, who organized the strike in protest against rising food prices, vehicle fuel and medicines, said that their call was supported by about 90% of the workers. Strikers demanded the authorities increase to 35% salaries of civil servants, but also advocated the allocation of additional funds to the education system, according to ITAR-TASS.
KAZAKHSTAN: THE SITUATION IS HEATING UP
Early in the morning of 10 July, about 5 am Astana time, riot police once again moved in and attacked the camp of hunger strikers, many of whom were sleeping, and brutally beat them. Some of the workers were arrested, some activists managed to escape, and those who could not stand up on their own because of the severe weakness due to prolonged hunger (the hunger strike has lasted almost two months), were forcibly placed in hospital under heavy police protection. According to the strikers, against their continued rally at Independence Square in Zhanaozen, a considerable force the Interior Ministry have been mvoing in, including special units with heavy equipment. In the next few hours, they may attack the protesting workers.
Today, the workers managed to get out of the hospital in Zhanaozen, Natalia Azhigalievu a detainee. She was literally lifted out through a window, bypassing the police guards. This was done to prevent the imminent arrest of the activist, as this is her 60th day on hunger strike. Against her as against Akzhanata Aminov and Natalia Sokolova a criminal case has been opened under Article 164 of "inciting social discord" and the secret services intend to put them in prison. Natalia Azhigalivoey’s state of health, according to representatives of independent trade unions, is very serious, as she already recognises the very few people that are present.
Participants in the meeting (5-6 thousand people), which lasts three days, including the striking workers and their families, are expecting over the next few hours, an attack by riot police with reinforcments and other special forces who have gathered around the parts of the city, accompanied with heavy equipment. The workers have publicly declared that, despite the crude blackmail of the authorities to use force to disperse their peaceful rally, they are not going anywhere, and will defend their right to the end. At the same time, through their independent unions, the striking oil workers appeal to the authorities and employers to avoid bloodshed and violence that can lead to casualties. Now the strikers were joined by new labour groups, which suggests that the repression has only spurred a new wave of the strike movement.
Source: socialismkz.info
NATIONAL MARCH OF STUDENTS IN CHILE ENDS IN CLASHES WITH POLICE
Santiago de Chile, July 15 (Prensa Latina). A national march of students in Chile, which was attended by over 100 000 people demanding democratic and non-privatized education ended with heavy clashes with police.
Riot police used tear gas and water cannon against the participants of the mobilization that took place in Heroes' Square, a few blocks from the Palacio de la Moneda.
The police surrounded the demonstrators and was faced with a group of hooded students trying to get out, witnesses reported at the incident.
Earlier, the government authorized the march on the site Alameda Avenue, which was supposed to start at the main railway station and end up at Heroes' Square, not reaching the palace of La Moneda.
Leaders of the Confederation of Students of Chile did not comply with this order, and called on students and other demonstrators to begin the march from Italy Square, in the heart of the capital, and continue along the Alameda to the outskirts of La Moneda, the seat of the government.
The call for demonstrations, which prompted students from different regions of the country, was sent to families of young college students, high school pupils and to society as a whole.
==================================
IN CHILE, PROTESTS IN DEFENCE OF EDUCATION HAVE CONTINUED
Students, teachers, community organizations and citizens of Chile on July 14 became the protagonists of a new burst of a national campaign for free public education.
"Tomorrow we will again conduct a demonstration under the slogan "Yes" and only "Yes" and walk in the march from Italy Square," said the night before, Camila Vallejo, the president of the student federation at the University of Chile,.
The university leader reiterated the decision of students to keep to the previous course to enhance the wave of protests.
Last week, the student movement rejected the proposal of the Government of Chile on Higher Education, which, they argue, does not make deep structural changes in the education system in the South American country's most expensive and very selective, that is not for everyone.
The system does not guarantee the fundamental human rights to education, leaving quality training at the mercy of the market, as stressed in public statements by the student federation.
The call for a demonstration on behalf of the federation of student teachers and the College of Chile was supported by high school students, the confederation of workers, unions, health workers' and the National Federation of Copper Mine Workers, as well as many other organizations.
Agency "Prensa Latina"
========================
STRIKE BY EMPLOYEES OF BUS TRANSPORT IN VLADIVOSTOK- RUSSIA
Employees of bus companies in Vladivostok on Friday, July 15, held a warning protest against the poverty of the industry, in which work was suspended. For 15 minutes, 10.00 - 10.15 am – cashiers were closed, and buses stopped en route.
Above the cash registers and buses, notices were placed to inform people about the suspension of work for 15 minutes. In addition, passengers were notified verbally. According to reports, there were no complaints form passengers, and they even supported the initiative of the bus workers.
New equipment for maintaining buses which wear, takes about 80% of funds. For three years the price of fuel has increased by 1.5 times, a third - for parts, tires, and municipal services tax, extra-budgetary funds - by 1 / 4. Land tax has to be paid by many, which has risen 12.2 times.
If the measures put forward by members of the bus companies as part of preventive actions are not taken, then they are ready to further and take longer strike action.
On Friday, the action share of employees was supported by the majority of bus companies that are not even in a union. Only Vladivostok commercial buses operating on city routes refused to take part.
==============================
PERFORMERS AT THE BALASHOV DRAMA THEATRE IN THE SARATOV REGION ON HUNGER STRIKE
This took place on July 8, reported to Interfax the chairman of the theatre trade-union, Anna Samson.
Theater workers oppose a 30 percent reduction in staff. Now in the theatre are working 109 people. Management want to fire 33 - on the pretext that there is not enough money in the budget. It has been reported that Russia’s Culture Minister Vladimir Senyukov has gone to Balashov.
==================
THREE PEOPLE BECOME VICTIMS OF CLASHES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
The number of victims of clashes with police which took place in the Dominican Republic accompanying a 24-hour general strike has risen to three. Now on the list of victims - three men.
Two of them were killed in the city of Santiago, located in the north. Also in the course of bitter clashes of protesters with the police 12 people were injured and 20 were arrested.
The unions, who organized the strike in protest against rising food prices, vehicle fuel and medicines, said that their call was supported by about 90% of the workers. Strikers demanded the authorities increase to 35% salaries of civil servants, but also advocated the allocation of additional funds to the education system, according to ITAR-TASS.
KAZAKHSTAN: THE SITUATION IS HEATING UP
Early in the morning of 10 July, about 5 am Astana time, riot police once again moved in and attacked the camp of hunger strikers, many of whom were sleeping, and brutally beat them. Some of the workers were arrested, some activists managed to escape, and those who could not stand up on their own because of the severe weakness due to prolonged hunger (the hunger strike has lasted almost two months), were forcibly placed in hospital under heavy police protection. According to the strikers, against their continued rally at Independence Square in Zhanaozen, a considerable force the Interior Ministry have been mvoing in, including special units with heavy equipment. In the next few hours, they may attack the protesting workers.
Today, the workers managed to get out of the hospital in Zhanaozen, Natalia Azhigalievu a detainee. She was literally lifted out through a window, bypassing the police guards. This was done to prevent the imminent arrest of the activist, as this is her 60th day on hunger strike. Against her as against Akzhanata Aminov and Natalia Sokolova a criminal case has been opened under Article 164 of "inciting social discord" and the secret services intend to put them in prison. Natalia Azhigalivoey’s state of health, according to representatives of independent trade unions, is very serious, as she already recognises the very few people that are present.
Participants in the meeting (5-6 thousand people), which lasts three days, including the striking workers and their families, are expecting over the next few hours, an attack by riot police with reinforcments and other special forces who have gathered around the parts of the city, accompanied with heavy equipment. The workers have publicly declared that, despite the crude blackmail of the authorities to use force to disperse their peaceful rally, they are not going anywhere, and will defend their right to the end. At the same time, through their independent unions, the striking oil workers appeal to the authorities and employers to avoid bloodshed and violence that can lead to casualties. Now the strikers were joined by new labour groups, which suggests that the repression has only spurred a new wave of the strike movement.
Source: socialismkz.info
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
AUCPB CLASS STRUGGLE - 13 JULY 2011
LABOUR MOVEMENT IN RUSSIA – REPUBLICS OF EX-USSR – INTERNATIONAL
KHARKOV: SHEVCHENKO FACTORY WORKERS AGAIN TAKE TO THE PICKET LINE
10.07.2011 05:05
Factory workers at the Shevchenko Plant once again come out in protest. More than a hundred factory workers demand payment of salaries. To date, the company's debts to its employees amounts to more than 25 million hryvnia.
Alexander Kotelnikov is owed by the company for the last four years, more than thirty thousand hryvnia. A total debt to its employees is over 25 million. Back in March, workers protested outside the walls of the House of Soviets. Then the governor promised the union that by July all debts will be paid.
But workers decided not to wait until mid-July. They say they are concerned about another problem: many of them - for the sake of economy – have been transferred to a two-day working day. And the salary, if paid, it is paid selectively. Tatiana Pshenichnaya, an employee of the plant to them says: "If we get something, we'd have kept quiet because it was so little. On Friday, the plant was given money, people arrrived to get wages and they are not on the lists of those elegible for pay. At home we need light, gas, and everything else."
Those who were fortunate, received part of their salaries last week. Debts are paid for by the sale of property at the plant. At the auction the company's management was planning to rescue up to 12 million hryvnia, but got less than 225 000. Activist Paul Tishchenko - he is in the forefront of protests - is outraged that none of the management came out to speak to the factory workers,.
Information Center of the Inter-Regional Strike Committee
============================
CONTINUOUS RALLY IS IN ZHANAOZEN
10.07.2011 04:56
Kazakhstan. Five thousand striking oil workers and their families take part in ongoing rally at Independence Square by the city akimat in Zhanaozen. At night, more workers and local residents gathered. As a result of mass protests all detained oil workers on hunger strike were released from the police department building IVS Zhanaozen, and the local authorities, not expecting such a reaction, were in a daze. Despite provocation, the intelligence agencies failed to set up a new shanyraksky events in Mangistau and workers organized to hold rallies and pickets. The hunger strike also continues.
On July 9, protesters sent their negotiators and demanded from the authorities a visit from the Prime Minister, the CEOs of "KazMunaiGaz", the immediate release of trade union lawyer at JSC "Karazhanbasmunai" Natalia Sokolova and leader of the workers at “Ozenmunaygaza", Akzhanat Aminov, as well as the reinstatement of all dismissed workers. Only by satisfying those demands will lead totalks with the government and employers. What is interesting is that also the yellow trade unions have intensified. In words, they support the protesters now, but yesterday worshiped the authorites and bosses at KMG. Rather, it is an attempt to seize the initiative and strike leaders, but it's too late, as the mass of workers said that they only trust talks by Natalia Sokolova and Mukhtar Umbetov.
On the morning of July 9, participant Natalia Azhigalievu in the hunger strike was hospitalized by poisoned vapors of gasoline, due to her yesterday, completely dousing herself with fuel and threatened a mass act of self-immolation. Now Natalia is in the city hospital in Zhanaozen next to another activist Rosa Tuletaevoy for which she was also prosecuted under article 164 of the Criminal Code "inciting social discord." Now the therapy department, like the hospital, is surrounded by police squads checking the contents of all bags, including security officials refusing to hand things to Natalia Azhigalievoy and her sister Rosa Tuletaevoy who were arrested and taken to the police station.
Also, according to Natalia, the road leading into the camp of hunger strikers in the company "Ozenmunaygaz" has a tight cordon of police and is blocked by riot police. Workers, who were guarding the hungry are not being allowed in and not even to take water in. The situation in the region remains tense, but yesterday's clash with strikers stirred up the oil workers even more, and all the local residents who intend to continue the fight to the end and hold a continuous rally in Zhanaozen.
SDK News Service
================================
PUBLIC UTILITIES WORKERS IN SAMARA HOLD UNSANCTIONED RALLY AND BLOCK PROSPECT METALLURGISTS
In Samara on July 7, staff at the housing and maintenance departments of the municipal enterprise "Metallurg" and "Energy" came out in protest. They demanded payment of wages, delayed for three months, and provision of equipment.
Prior to the protest action, the workers at the communal services appealed to the head of Kirov district and the city of Samara, sent a letter to the Governor, the Prime Minister and the President of Russia. Salary debt has exceeded several million rubles. "Energy" alone, owes its employees 20 million rubles. In addition, they have not been paid in three months and for five months, not given money to purchase inventory. In "Energy" now work 20 cleaners instead of 47. People are leaving due to unpaid wages.
A cleaner, clearing rubbish from 13,000 square feet of lawn and 2000 m of asphalt, receives a 4200 rubles per month.
The meeting started at 9 am by the administration building of Kirov region. The action was attended by 300 people, representatives of thirteen housing departments. Not having received any clear explanation from the officials, employees of public services went to the office of the companies that owe tens of millions of rubles. However, there the situation is not clear. Someone in the audience shouted: "That's it! Enough! Block the road!". Then for 20 minutes, Prospect Metallurgists was blocked. The police was able to unblock the road and arrested 12 members of the road block. Protocols have been drawn up on them based on violation of the order of carrying out a protest.
The administration of the Kirov district said they did not have any influence on the management of the company. But an hour after the resumption of traffic on Prospect Metallurgists, in the Kirov administration an emergency meeting was being held with the heads of management of the companies operating in the area, as reported by the management of information and analysis of city administration. According to Acting head of district administration, Vyacheslav Konovalov, on July 7, two hours after a meeting with communal services workers of "Energy", customers should transfer all funds over to the debt. The situation is under the personal control of Konovalov.
link
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RIOT COPS DISPERSE HUNGER STRIKING OIL WORKERS IN ZHANAOZEN
10.07.2011 04:47
A correspondent of the portal "Republic" was telephoned by one of the striking workers at "Ozenmunaygaz" and said that the police force is dispersing the tent city of striking oil workers by force. A group of hunger strikers doused themselves with gasoline to commit self-immolation to protest the actions of the police.
- Several buses full of police arrived. The fact is that today people in Zhanaozen decided to hold a supper, and had killed several sheep for this. And once we started to gather at the table, police appeared in riot helmets. They demanded that we all disperse, and then those who tried to rebel, were beaten with batons and snatched. About ten people were taken to the buses. Some strikers began to disperse to their cars, locking themselves inside them. Several cars left for Zhanaozen. I think the city will now begin an action, they said they would go to the city - an oil worker said by telephone.
According to him, about 30 police officers surrounded the strikers in a tight cordon (kettle).
- They have not allowed us to even eat in peace, and then started throwing our dishes around, like we are dogs, how is this possible at all. Of course, we were indignant. Because we are a day without food, and right now some of the officers began to approach the "Gazelle", where our hunger strikers are. Frankly, I'm afraid that today the city will start something, people are very angry, and already a few cars wilth oil workers have left to go to Zhanaozen.
At a time when we were talking, were heard the shouts of people and noise - talking all the time broke up. It seems that there really is something going on. We will monitor the situation.
19.20. As reported by Ayzhangul Amirov, an activist registered by the "Alga" Party, who is currently in Aktau, and a group of hunger strikers, led by Natalia Azhigalievoy have poured gasoline over themselves to commit self-immolation to protest the actions of police. The police retreated from the hunger strikers, but started to snatch the other strikers.
19.37. According to the latest information, the oil workers have gathered on the square in front of akimat Zhanaozen.There must be about a thousand people. But the police are trying to oust them.
22.33. As one of the workers' of OMG reports, currently on the central square in front of Akimat Zhanaozen have gathered about 5000 people. Among these are residents, students, women with children. The building of the akimat, a light is on but no one has left the area. The area is cordoned off by police, and police buses are everywhere.
22.34. Now, only the hunger strikers are at the strike area, and the rest of the people are in the square – reports Ayzhangul Amirov, an activist registered by the "Alga" Party. According to her, the strike has been continuing for over than 40 days. "40 Days is a special number for the Muslims, and a dinner was dedicated to this. This is a Muslim ritual act for a Muslim which has become a national tradition and has special meaning. It turns out that for the police, is nothing sacred? If they defiled this even" - said Ayzhangul with indignation .
Source:
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PEASANT SQUAD SAGRA PROTECTS THE VILLAGE FROM PUNITIVE FORCES
10.07.2011 04:38
Sagra - another name-symbol that characterizes the fault of the current crisis in Russian society. Earlier this household name became the Karelian town of Kondopoga, then the village of Kuschevki, more recently - one of the central Moscow squares - Manege. Sagra though, is a small village in the Urals 40 km from Ekaterinburg.
But events in it are no less significant than in the capital. They give real meaning to the fact that until recently seemed to many only a metaphor, an exaggeration: punitive forces, policemen, peasants defending themselves and your house with pitchforks and hunting rifles. Because there is no other protection any more from the criminal mayhem, and the state in the face of local government or law enforcement agencies keep themselves aloof at best.
Problems in Sagra began after a gypsy family settled there, and according to local residents, took up the drug trade. According to villagers, they have repeatedly called on the police to deal with this matter, but the police did not respond. How acute the problem of drug addiction in Russia really is, people are well aware of. Moreover, the Urals is one of the regions where this disaster is especially strong. And now – from the militia renamed into the police, it turns out, one should not wait for protection. Then the people of Sagra themselves have forced drug traffickers leave the village. The gypsies decided to take revenge using the hands of members of Sverdlovsk ethnic groups.
The villagers of Sagra were warned in advance that they were coming to "sort them out”. And again, everyone else knew about this except for the police for some reason. At least, not one Traffic Police Post stopped and checked out the column of 15 vehicles, the passengers of which smashed up a car along on the road full of pensioners going to their dachas and beat up a teenager on a motorcycle. In fact, it is alas, nothing unusual for our country. Even armed terrorists with explosives repeatedly travelled hundreds of miles, passing through police cordons unchecked.
An unexpected result was that the villagers themselves did not allow the punitive locals into the village. Nine men, who all had three hunting rifles, pitchforks and axes repelled an attack by dozens of armed skinhead thugs, with cold arms, bats and machetes used by the Caucasians. One of the attackers, an ethnic Azerbaijani, a Georgian citizen Faig Musaev, received a shot charge in the chest and later died. The shooting lasted for about an hour. The cannonade, say locals, was akin to a war. However, the villagers called the incident a war. They suggest that the attackers might come back and just in case, prepare for a possible defence.
Again, hope is low for any help from the law enforcement bodies. After all, when it became known that dozens of armed men at night were going to the village, its inhabitants called the police. But no one came. One of the members of the village of the defence, Sergey Zubarev, according to him, personally phoned the police, and said the police came only a day later and asked him to come to the station. He went – and he was detained.
Allegedly, the two arrested were demanded by police to admit guilt, saying that the victim was the nephew of a thieving kingpin, so it was better to confess, otherwise everybody in the village would be worse off, because "this would not be forgiven."
Sergey Zubarev was interrogated for eight hours. This is how he tells it: "I ask for water - the interrogator raises a bottle, shakes it, but does not give me water. In the room are about eight people, all of them smoking, and I am a non-smoker. It's difficult. In the evening a man came in, and asks if I will confess? I was told that I had been detained on suspicion of murder. I immediately handed my things over, go into the cell, and in one of my ears, an interrogator whispers, that in any case I will have Article 228 thrown at me, as among my things which were handed over to the police upon being detained, will be found drugs – and this will mean prison from 8 to 20 years. On Monday, the investigator began to dictate about admitting the murder, but I told them all how it was. I was released."
The second detainee from Sagra, Victor Gorodilov was released,. However, they both remain suspects under Article 213 of the Criminal Code - "Hooliganism", in which they face up to seven years in prison.
Anastasia Uderevskaya’s lawyer says that during his interrogation of Zubarev, around the district police department, a number of Azerbaijanis gathered, and head of the Verkhnyaya Pyshma police, native of Baku, Marat Khalimov was especially zealous in order to force a confession from Zubarev,.
Naturally, the police deny this. How to deny the fact that the cause of the incident was drugs. "The Gypsy, who lives in the village for the last 7 and half years, never figured in the drugs related cases," - said the chief of the Interior Ministry of Sverdlovsk region, Mikhail Borodin.
But if you ignore the complaints of citizens then there will be nothing to do! But whatever it was in reality, the situation will all perfectly fit in documents. We recall the Kuban Kuschevku: while there was no mass slaughter that killed 12 people, the authorities did not want to pay attention to the rampant crime, fused with the police. And the locals for almost a decade were under wraps there by everyday fear.
The villagers of Sagra were not afraid. And if they will allow themselves to be intimidated further, and the case is "shut up", then perhaps they will get at least some justice. At least, when it received public attention, something was put into motion. An hour long shooting-spree arranged by visiting armed men is still referred to as a "mass brawl". However, the detained members of the defence of the village were released, and finally (almost a week after the attack), a criminal case has been opened against the very criminals, which at first no one thought would happen. While hot on the trail and if you wanted to, it would be quite easy. Now it is much harder: "They're now in hiding, and I think many of them have long moved out of the Sverdlovsk region and even from Russia. There were almost no Russian citizens among them, the majority being migrants,"- says representative of the Azerbaijani community of Yekaterinburg, Assad Kuliev in an interview with "Ura.Ru".
Only on the 6th day, when it gained wide public resonance, the Sverdlovsk Oblast government made it clear: what happened in Sagra was not a trivial “drunken” fight or a "criminal gang fight." Governor Misharin assembled the heads of the Federal Drug Control Service and police of the region to discuss the situation. On July 7 Sagra was had a visit by the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin.
Whether or not the authorities draw any conclusions, is not yet clear at all. Bastrykin also went to Kuschevku, and you wont find a bigger case that what happened there. But now one of its main defendants, Sergei Tsepovyaz, is released on remand: He was accused only in the "earlier concealment." So soon it turns out that there was no gang!
And now law enforcement leadership is doing everything possible in order to make out the attack on Sagra was in no way linked to drug trafficking, because then you have to be responsible for the impunity of the drug traffickers.
The second theme, which the authorities want to avoid in every way - is the national theme. The men defending Sagra say that at the time it made no difference what nationality the gang came from. However, they also point out that they were Caucasians, in this case - Azerbaizhanis, and this is no accident.
Ethnic organized crime feels impunity especially in today's Russia. The magic word "diaspora", or rather, its rich and influential leaders have repeatedly shielded and saved their own people from deserved punishment. So the indigenous inhabitants of Russia see the word itself as been associated with some criminal ethnic group. So it is not without some grounds to claim that the villagers of Sagra got lucky. They were not accused of kicking out of the village, bandits and Roma drug traffickers because of hatred based on nationality. But they could well have been written in as "Russian fascists".
When the state frees itself from its direct functions, the citizens have no other option, but to defend themselves. Including defending themselves from such a state. In the Urals, this kind of life has led people to taking up pitchforks and shotguns in the truest sense.
Russian source:
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FOREIGN SAILORS IN THE PRIMORSKY TERRITORY ON STRIKE
On July 8 at the port of Posiet Primorye, a foreign crew on board "Porto Maina" (16 sailors -Filipinos, Romanians and captain) went on strike due to unpaid wages, which the owner, a Greek company had not paid the sailors .
The seafarers' have not received wages for three months. The amount of debt is approaching170 thousand dollars. The sailors informed the owner in advance about their intention to strike, after which the owner promised to repay the debt, and even allegedly transferred about 70 thousand dollars to the accounts of the sailors. However, they never received the money. So the sailors have closed the holds where there is cargo of coal, and have refused to unload the ship.
The ship "Porto Maina" is running under a Liberian flag of "convenience". The term "flag of convenience" means that the owner of the vessel registers it abroad and pay taxes to a state that provides offshore discount facilities, but the crews often do not have even minimal social guarantees.
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CHRONICLE OF CLASS STRUGGLE (JUNE 15 - JULY 1, 2011.)
PROTEST IN ATHENS ENDS IN CLASHES WITH POLICE
On June 15, during another strike of workers in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens, which was attended by about 10 thousand people ended in clashes with police.
Initially, the demonstrators were planning to create a "human chain" and block the parliament building, but they did not succeed: the police blocked access to the main entrance. Therefore, at first the protesters against the policies of the leadership of the country were limited by the fact that they chanted slogans calling for the abandonment of budget cuts. But then the police were pelted with flying stones and bottles of yogurt. In response, the Greek police fired tear gas.
The clashes wounded 10 strikers and 8 policemen. The strike was the third protest, organized by trade unions for private sector workers (GSEE) and civil servants (Adedy) since the beginning of the year. Demands are for ending tough economic measures that the Government is implementing in exchange for loans from the IMF and the EU (110 billion euros).
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STRIKE BY BLIND WORKERS AT A CALL CENTER IN MOSCOW ENDS IN VICTORY
The strike that began on June 15 by blind workers in a Moscow call centre over non-payment of wages ended in victory on the same day. The main demands of the strikers were payment of their entire salary arrears, which totalled about 200 million rubles. This demand was satisfied.
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IN BRAZIL, WORKERS BEGAN AN INDEFINITE STRIKE
On June 17, about five thousand workers at Bosch in Curitiba (Brazil) rejected the new offer by management on the distribution of profits, known in Brazil as “PLR”, and went on an indefinite strike.
The original proposal by Bosch was the payment of R4600 for achieving the set goals of 100%, but then the company increased the amount of up to R4,800. Workers demand a double increase in their share of the profits.
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Chinese workers have achieved the victory with a strike at the Kumho Company,
Starting from June 20, the company for three days had to stop production because of strikes protesting at low wages.
As a result of the strike, Kumho agreed to raise workers' wages in all four of its plants located in mainland China.
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Workers at the Priluksk "Belkozin" again take to the streets
Workers at Prilutsk "Belkozin" plant a year ago having achieved repayment of debts on wages and tariff increases due to a series of protests and strikes, were once again forced to resort to collective action.
Of the only enterprise in Ukraine and one of the few in Europe now for the production of collagen sausage, threatened closure is looming over workers. Demanding to maintain the unique enterprise, the workers came out on June 8 on a picket in front of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in Kiev and on June 17 – at the entrance to the company.
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Victory to Strikers at “Elevatorremstroya"
On June 20, workers' at “Elevatorremstroy" began receiving their pay for April, and in May, the company's management promised to pay the debt before the end of the month. We recall that 45 workers of the company on May 15 did not stop the strike, demanding payment of wage arrears. Through unity and solidarity, the strikers were able to turn the tide in their favour.
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In Zimbabwe, teachers demand higher wages
On June 23, in Zimbabwe, teachers strike in demand of raised salaries by 150 percent. In addition, they urge the militants to stop attacking the president. (The teachers, especially in rural areas, are repeatedly attacked by the militants of President Robert Mugabe).
Participants in the strike also demand government assistance in the acquisition of new housing and solving transportation problems.
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Russian sailors get paid under the threat of strikes
On June 23, Russian sailors from the ship «Lady Fox», threatened to strike and then received back pay amounting to 75 thousand dollars. On June 20 crew «Lady Fox», announced that due to unpaid wages they would go on strike in South Korea. The sailors were planning to refuse to unload the ship.
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Employees of the military sanatorium "Sukhumi" block a central highway
On June 30, in Sukhumi, about five hundred employees of the military sanatorium of Defence Ministry in protest against the closure of the sanatorium, closed the central highway, resulting in an hour long traffic jam.
Activists blocked the road and categorically demanded that the authorities pay attention to the problem of closing the sanatorium and the firing by the Russians of more than 1,000 employees.
"Despite our repeated appeals to the Russian leadership, the pickets in front of the parliament and walking from office to office of the Abkhaz leadership, we have not received any clear answer from the Russian side, nor from the government of Abkhazia" – said outraged representatives of the group.
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Strike begins at steel plant in Nazarovo
At JSC "East-Siberian Steel Plant" in Nazarovo (Krasnoyarsk Territory) a difficult situation has recently formed. The enterprise wrote off debts to creditors, which resulted in later problems with production and wage arrears.
According to available information, the company owes the workers about 9 million rubles for two months. Because of the debt, a section of the plant staff went on strike on June 30.
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Railway strike in Jamaica
On June 30, railway workers of Jamaica began a general strike in protest against delays in wage payments, and is the fifth demonstration and protest this month. Working for more than two months, they have not been paid wages, and problems with the payments began in 2010.
Siberian division of the AUCPB
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KAZAKHSTAN. LEADER OF STRIKING OIL WORKERS AKZHANATA AMINOV, IS BEING MURDERED IN PRISON!
07.07.2011 09:34
The condition of union leader of striking workers at "Ozenmunaygaz", Akzhanata Aminov, who was arrested two months under Article 164 of the Criminal Code for "incitement of social discord" and Article 335 for "organization of an illegal strike," has deteriorated sharply because of refusal to provide him with medical care. We were told about this by activists on the strike committee, stating that this is being done deliberately by police as the authorities are well aware that the trade union leader was ill with diabetes of the second group! In fact, it's a slow death torture, when a person is dying in front of your eyes and nothing is done. This is done with one purpose - to break the will and the health of one of the leaders of the workers.
To date, Aminov just been thrown into a cell, completely isolated from the outside world and deprived of his medical care. In jail his injection of insulin is deliberately banned and now he is not given any medication at all. In other matters in Aktau prison, there is not even a doctor, and all transfers of medication to the prisoner have been denied! His wife, close relatives and associates in the union are not allowed to visit him. Investigator Kushkinov and detective Onalbekov authorizing the arrest, just run away from workers and human rights activists, and are refusing to comment on the situation.
The body of Akzhanata Aminov, as reported by his fellow inmates, is covered with sores, which means that dehydration has set in due to lack of medication that should be given every three hours. If the situation does not change, the trade unionist may simply die, which is what the company KazMunaiGaz "KMG", the Chinese corporations, intelligence agencies and Acorda want. We need to hold immediate protests and large-scale organization of solidarity to stop the torture and humiliation of a leader of the working class in the Mangistau region.
On 6 July at 1130 am in Almaty, activists of the Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan intend to picket the Consulate General of China and other administrative buildings, demanding an end to discrimination and repression against striking workers in the oil and gas industry.
Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan
Videos of strikers being dispersed by riot police
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KHARKOV: SHEVCHENKO FACTORY WORKERS AGAIN TAKE TO THE PICKET LINE
10.07.2011 05:05
Factory workers at the Shevchenko Plant once again come out in protest. More than a hundred factory workers demand payment of salaries. To date, the company's debts to its employees amounts to more than 25 million hryvnia.
Alexander Kotelnikov is owed by the company for the last four years, more than thirty thousand hryvnia. A total debt to its employees is over 25 million. Back in March, workers protested outside the walls of the House of Soviets. Then the governor promised the union that by July all debts will be paid.
But workers decided not to wait until mid-July. They say they are concerned about another problem: many of them - for the sake of economy – have been transferred to a two-day working day. And the salary, if paid, it is paid selectively. Tatiana Pshenichnaya, an employee of the plant to them says: "If we get something, we'd have kept quiet because it was so little. On Friday, the plant was given money, people arrrived to get wages and they are not on the lists of those elegible for pay. At home we need light, gas, and everything else."
Those who were fortunate, received part of their salaries last week. Debts are paid for by the sale of property at the plant. At the auction the company's management was planning to rescue up to 12 million hryvnia, but got less than 225 000. Activist Paul Tishchenko - he is in the forefront of protests - is outraged that none of the management came out to speak to the factory workers,.
Information Center of the Inter-Regional Strike Committee
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CONTINUOUS RALLY IS IN ZHANAOZEN
10.07.2011 04:56
Kazakhstan. Five thousand striking oil workers and their families take part in ongoing rally at Independence Square by the city akimat in Zhanaozen. At night, more workers and local residents gathered. As a result of mass protests all detained oil workers on hunger strike were released from the police department building IVS Zhanaozen, and the local authorities, not expecting such a reaction, were in a daze. Despite provocation, the intelligence agencies failed to set up a new shanyraksky events in Mangistau and workers organized to hold rallies and pickets. The hunger strike also continues.
On July 9, protesters sent their negotiators and demanded from the authorities a visit from the Prime Minister, the CEOs of "KazMunaiGaz", the immediate release of trade union lawyer at JSC "Karazhanbasmunai" Natalia Sokolova and leader of the workers at “Ozenmunaygaza", Akzhanat Aminov, as well as the reinstatement of all dismissed workers. Only by satisfying those demands will lead totalks with the government and employers. What is interesting is that also the yellow trade unions have intensified. In words, they support the protesters now, but yesterday worshiped the authorites and bosses at KMG. Rather, it is an attempt to seize the initiative and strike leaders, but it's too late, as the mass of workers said that they only trust talks by Natalia Sokolova and Mukhtar Umbetov.
On the morning of July 9, participant Natalia Azhigalievu in the hunger strike was hospitalized by poisoned vapors of gasoline, due to her yesterday, completely dousing herself with fuel and threatened a mass act of self-immolation. Now Natalia is in the city hospital in Zhanaozen next to another activist Rosa Tuletaevoy for which she was also prosecuted under article 164 of the Criminal Code "inciting social discord." Now the therapy department, like the hospital, is surrounded by police squads checking the contents of all bags, including security officials refusing to hand things to Natalia Azhigalievoy and her sister Rosa Tuletaevoy who were arrested and taken to the police station.
Also, according to Natalia, the road leading into the camp of hunger strikers in the company "Ozenmunaygaz" has a tight cordon of police and is blocked by riot police. Workers, who were guarding the hungry are not being allowed in and not even to take water in. The situation in the region remains tense, but yesterday's clash with strikers stirred up the oil workers even more, and all the local residents who intend to continue the fight to the end and hold a continuous rally in Zhanaozen.
SDK News Service
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PUBLIC UTILITIES WORKERS IN SAMARA HOLD UNSANCTIONED RALLY AND BLOCK PROSPECT METALLURGISTS
In Samara on July 7, staff at the housing and maintenance departments of the municipal enterprise "Metallurg" and "Energy" came out in protest. They demanded payment of wages, delayed for three months, and provision of equipment.
Prior to the protest action, the workers at the communal services appealed to the head of Kirov district and the city of Samara, sent a letter to the Governor, the Prime Minister and the President of Russia. Salary debt has exceeded several million rubles. "Energy" alone, owes its employees 20 million rubles. In addition, they have not been paid in three months and for five months, not given money to purchase inventory. In "Energy" now work 20 cleaners instead of 47. People are leaving due to unpaid wages.
A cleaner, clearing rubbish from 13,000 square feet of lawn and 2000 m of asphalt, receives a 4200 rubles per month.
The meeting started at 9 am by the administration building of Kirov region. The action was attended by 300 people, representatives of thirteen housing departments. Not having received any clear explanation from the officials, employees of public services went to the office of the companies that owe tens of millions of rubles. However, there the situation is not clear. Someone in the audience shouted: "That's it! Enough! Block the road!". Then for 20 minutes, Prospect Metallurgists was blocked. The police was able to unblock the road and arrested 12 members of the road block. Protocols have been drawn up on them based on violation of the order of carrying out a protest.
The administration of the Kirov district said they did not have any influence on the management of the company. But an hour after the resumption of traffic on Prospect Metallurgists, in the Kirov administration an emergency meeting was being held with the heads of management of the companies operating in the area, as reported by the management of information and analysis of city administration. According to Acting head of district administration, Vyacheslav Konovalov, on July 7, two hours after a meeting with communal services workers of "Energy", customers should transfer all funds over to the debt. The situation is under the personal control of Konovalov.
link
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RIOT COPS DISPERSE HUNGER STRIKING OIL WORKERS IN ZHANAOZEN
10.07.2011 04:47
A correspondent of the portal "Republic" was telephoned by one of the striking workers at "Ozenmunaygaz" and said that the police force is dispersing the tent city of striking oil workers by force. A group of hunger strikers doused themselves with gasoline to commit self-immolation to protest the actions of the police.
- Several buses full of police arrived. The fact is that today people in Zhanaozen decided to hold a supper, and had killed several sheep for this. And once we started to gather at the table, police appeared in riot helmets. They demanded that we all disperse, and then those who tried to rebel, were beaten with batons and snatched. About ten people were taken to the buses. Some strikers began to disperse to their cars, locking themselves inside them. Several cars left for Zhanaozen. I think the city will now begin an action, they said they would go to the city - an oil worker said by telephone.
According to him, about 30 police officers surrounded the strikers in a tight cordon (kettle).
- They have not allowed us to even eat in peace, and then started throwing our dishes around, like we are dogs, how is this possible at all. Of course, we were indignant. Because we are a day without food, and right now some of the officers began to approach the "Gazelle", where our hunger strikers are. Frankly, I'm afraid that today the city will start something, people are very angry, and already a few cars wilth oil workers have left to go to Zhanaozen.
At a time when we were talking, were heard the shouts of people and noise - talking all the time broke up. It seems that there really is something going on. We will monitor the situation.
19.20. As reported by Ayzhangul Amirov, an activist registered by the "Alga" Party, who is currently in Aktau, and a group of hunger strikers, led by Natalia Azhigalievoy have poured gasoline over themselves to commit self-immolation to protest the actions of police. The police retreated from the hunger strikers, but started to snatch the other strikers.
19.37. According to the latest information, the oil workers have gathered on the square in front of akimat Zhanaozen.There must be about a thousand people. But the police are trying to oust them.
22.33. As one of the workers' of OMG reports, currently on the central square in front of Akimat Zhanaozen have gathered about 5000 people. Among these are residents, students, women with children. The building of the akimat, a light is on but no one has left the area. The area is cordoned off by police, and police buses are everywhere.
22.34. Now, only the hunger strikers are at the strike area, and the rest of the people are in the square – reports Ayzhangul Amirov, an activist registered by the "Alga" Party. According to her, the strike has been continuing for over than 40 days. "40 Days is a special number for the Muslims, and a dinner was dedicated to this. This is a Muslim ritual act for a Muslim which has become a national tradition and has special meaning. It turns out that for the police, is nothing sacred? If they defiled this even" - said Ayzhangul with indignation .
Source:
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PEASANT SQUAD SAGRA PROTECTS THE VILLAGE FROM PUNITIVE FORCES
10.07.2011 04:38
Sagra - another name-symbol that characterizes the fault of the current crisis in Russian society. Earlier this household name became the Karelian town of Kondopoga, then the village of Kuschevki, more recently - one of the central Moscow squares - Manege. Sagra though, is a small village in the Urals 40 km from Ekaterinburg.
But events in it are no less significant than in the capital. They give real meaning to the fact that until recently seemed to many only a metaphor, an exaggeration: punitive forces, policemen, peasants defending themselves and your house with pitchforks and hunting rifles. Because there is no other protection any more from the criminal mayhem, and the state in the face of local government or law enforcement agencies keep themselves aloof at best.
Problems in Sagra began after a gypsy family settled there, and according to local residents, took up the drug trade. According to villagers, they have repeatedly called on the police to deal with this matter, but the police did not respond. How acute the problem of drug addiction in Russia really is, people are well aware of. Moreover, the Urals is one of the regions where this disaster is especially strong. And now – from the militia renamed into the police, it turns out, one should not wait for protection. Then the people of Sagra themselves have forced drug traffickers leave the village. The gypsies decided to take revenge using the hands of members of Sverdlovsk ethnic groups.
The villagers of Sagra were warned in advance that they were coming to "sort them out”. And again, everyone else knew about this except for the police for some reason. At least, not one Traffic Police Post stopped and checked out the column of 15 vehicles, the passengers of which smashed up a car along on the road full of pensioners going to their dachas and beat up a teenager on a motorcycle. In fact, it is alas, nothing unusual for our country. Even armed terrorists with explosives repeatedly travelled hundreds of miles, passing through police cordons unchecked.
An unexpected result was that the villagers themselves did not allow the punitive locals into the village. Nine men, who all had three hunting rifles, pitchforks and axes repelled an attack by dozens of armed skinhead thugs, with cold arms, bats and machetes used by the Caucasians. One of the attackers, an ethnic Azerbaijani, a Georgian citizen Faig Musaev, received a shot charge in the chest and later died. The shooting lasted for about an hour. The cannonade, say locals, was akin to a war. However, the villagers called the incident a war. They suggest that the attackers might come back and just in case, prepare for a possible defence.
Again, hope is low for any help from the law enforcement bodies. After all, when it became known that dozens of armed men at night were going to the village, its inhabitants called the police. But no one came. One of the members of the village of the defence, Sergey Zubarev, according to him, personally phoned the police, and said the police came only a day later and asked him to come to the station. He went – and he was detained.
Allegedly, the two arrested were demanded by police to admit guilt, saying that the victim was the nephew of a thieving kingpin, so it was better to confess, otherwise everybody in the village would be worse off, because "this would not be forgiven."
Sergey Zubarev was interrogated for eight hours. This is how he tells it: "I ask for water - the interrogator raises a bottle, shakes it, but does not give me water. In the room are about eight people, all of them smoking, and I am a non-smoker. It's difficult. In the evening a man came in, and asks if I will confess? I was told that I had been detained on suspicion of murder. I immediately handed my things over, go into the cell, and in one of my ears, an interrogator whispers, that in any case I will have Article 228 thrown at me, as among my things which were handed over to the police upon being detained, will be found drugs – and this will mean prison from 8 to 20 years. On Monday, the investigator began to dictate about admitting the murder, but I told them all how it was. I was released."
The second detainee from Sagra, Victor Gorodilov was released,. However, they both remain suspects under Article 213 of the Criminal Code - "Hooliganism", in which they face up to seven years in prison.
Anastasia Uderevskaya’s lawyer says that during his interrogation of Zubarev, around the district police department, a number of Azerbaijanis gathered, and head of the Verkhnyaya Pyshma police, native of Baku, Marat Khalimov was especially zealous in order to force a confession from Zubarev,.
Naturally, the police deny this. How to deny the fact that the cause of the incident was drugs. "The Gypsy, who lives in the village for the last 7 and half years, never figured in the drugs related cases," - said the chief of the Interior Ministry of Sverdlovsk region, Mikhail Borodin.
But if you ignore the complaints of citizens then there will be nothing to do! But whatever it was in reality, the situation will all perfectly fit in documents. We recall the Kuban Kuschevku: while there was no mass slaughter that killed 12 people, the authorities did not want to pay attention to the rampant crime, fused with the police. And the locals for almost a decade were under wraps there by everyday fear.
The villagers of Sagra were not afraid. And if they will allow themselves to be intimidated further, and the case is "shut up", then perhaps they will get at least some justice. At least, when it received public attention, something was put into motion. An hour long shooting-spree arranged by visiting armed men is still referred to as a "mass brawl". However, the detained members of the defence of the village were released, and finally (almost a week after the attack), a criminal case has been opened against the very criminals, which at first no one thought would happen. While hot on the trail and if you wanted to, it would be quite easy. Now it is much harder: "They're now in hiding, and I think many of them have long moved out of the Sverdlovsk region and even from Russia. There were almost no Russian citizens among them, the majority being migrants,"- says representative of the Azerbaijani community of Yekaterinburg, Assad Kuliev in an interview with "Ura.Ru".
Only on the 6th day, when it gained wide public resonance, the Sverdlovsk Oblast government made it clear: what happened in Sagra was not a trivial “drunken” fight or a "criminal gang fight." Governor Misharin assembled the heads of the Federal Drug Control Service and police of the region to discuss the situation. On July 7 Sagra was had a visit by the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin.
Whether or not the authorities draw any conclusions, is not yet clear at all. Bastrykin also went to Kuschevku, and you wont find a bigger case that what happened there. But now one of its main defendants, Sergei Tsepovyaz, is released on remand: He was accused only in the "earlier concealment." So soon it turns out that there was no gang!
And now law enforcement leadership is doing everything possible in order to make out the attack on Sagra was in no way linked to drug trafficking, because then you have to be responsible for the impunity of the drug traffickers.
The second theme, which the authorities want to avoid in every way - is the national theme. The men defending Sagra say that at the time it made no difference what nationality the gang came from. However, they also point out that they were Caucasians, in this case - Azerbaizhanis, and this is no accident.
Ethnic organized crime feels impunity especially in today's Russia. The magic word "diaspora", or rather, its rich and influential leaders have repeatedly shielded and saved their own people from deserved punishment. So the indigenous inhabitants of Russia see the word itself as been associated with some criminal ethnic group. So it is not without some grounds to claim that the villagers of Sagra got lucky. They were not accused of kicking out of the village, bandits and Roma drug traffickers because of hatred based on nationality. But they could well have been written in as "Russian fascists".
When the state frees itself from its direct functions, the citizens have no other option, but to defend themselves. Including defending themselves from such a state. In the Urals, this kind of life has led people to taking up pitchforks and shotguns in the truest sense.
Russian source:
==================================
FOREIGN SAILORS IN THE PRIMORSKY TERRITORY ON STRIKE
On July 8 at the port of Posiet Primorye, a foreign crew on board "Porto Maina" (16 sailors -Filipinos, Romanians and captain) went on strike due to unpaid wages, which the owner, a Greek company had not paid the sailors .
The seafarers' have not received wages for three months. The amount of debt is approaching170 thousand dollars. The sailors informed the owner in advance about their intention to strike, after which the owner promised to repay the debt, and even allegedly transferred about 70 thousand dollars to the accounts of the sailors. However, they never received the money. So the sailors have closed the holds where there is cargo of coal, and have refused to unload the ship.
The ship "Porto Maina" is running under a Liberian flag of "convenience". The term "flag of convenience" means that the owner of the vessel registers it abroad and pay taxes to a state that provides offshore discount facilities, but the crews often do not have even minimal social guarantees.
================================
CHRONICLE OF CLASS STRUGGLE (JUNE 15 - JULY 1, 2011.)
PROTEST IN ATHENS ENDS IN CLASHES WITH POLICE
On June 15, during another strike of workers in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens, which was attended by about 10 thousand people ended in clashes with police.
Initially, the demonstrators were planning to create a "human chain" and block the parliament building, but they did not succeed: the police blocked access to the main entrance. Therefore, at first the protesters against the policies of the leadership of the country were limited by the fact that they chanted slogans calling for the abandonment of budget cuts. But then the police were pelted with flying stones and bottles of yogurt. In response, the Greek police fired tear gas.
The clashes wounded 10 strikers and 8 policemen. The strike was the third protest, organized by trade unions for private sector workers (GSEE) and civil servants (Adedy) since the beginning of the year. Demands are for ending tough economic measures that the Government is implementing in exchange for loans from the IMF and the EU (110 billion euros).
---------------
STRIKE BY BLIND WORKERS AT A CALL CENTER IN MOSCOW ENDS IN VICTORY
The strike that began on June 15 by blind workers in a Moscow call centre over non-payment of wages ended in victory on the same day. The main demands of the strikers were payment of their entire salary arrears, which totalled about 200 million rubles. This demand was satisfied.
============
IN BRAZIL, WORKERS BEGAN AN INDEFINITE STRIKE
On June 17, about five thousand workers at Bosch in Curitiba (Brazil) rejected the new offer by management on the distribution of profits, known in Brazil as “PLR”, and went on an indefinite strike.
The original proposal by Bosch was the payment of R4600 for achieving the set goals of 100%, but then the company increased the amount of up to R4,800. Workers demand a double increase in their share of the profits.
----------
Chinese workers have achieved the victory with a strike at the Kumho Company,
Starting from June 20, the company for three days had to stop production because of strikes protesting at low wages.
As a result of the strike, Kumho agreed to raise workers' wages in all four of its plants located in mainland China.
---------------
Workers at the Priluksk "Belkozin" again take to the streets
Workers at Prilutsk "Belkozin" plant a year ago having achieved repayment of debts on wages and tariff increases due to a series of protests and strikes, were once again forced to resort to collective action.
Of the only enterprise in Ukraine and one of the few in Europe now for the production of collagen sausage, threatened closure is looming over workers. Demanding to maintain the unique enterprise, the workers came out on June 8 on a picket in front of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in Kiev and on June 17 – at the entrance to the company.
-----------------------
Victory to Strikers at “Elevatorremstroya"
On June 20, workers' at “Elevatorremstroy" began receiving their pay for April, and in May, the company's management promised to pay the debt before the end of the month. We recall that 45 workers of the company on May 15 did not stop the strike, demanding payment of wage arrears. Through unity and solidarity, the strikers were able to turn the tide in their favour.
------------------------
In Zimbabwe, teachers demand higher wages
On June 23, in Zimbabwe, teachers strike in demand of raised salaries by 150 percent. In addition, they urge the militants to stop attacking the president. (The teachers, especially in rural areas, are repeatedly attacked by the militants of President Robert Mugabe).
Participants in the strike also demand government assistance in the acquisition of new housing and solving transportation problems.
---------------
Russian sailors get paid under the threat of strikes
On June 23, Russian sailors from the ship «Lady Fox», threatened to strike and then received back pay amounting to 75 thousand dollars. On June 20 crew «Lady Fox», announced that due to unpaid wages they would go on strike in South Korea. The sailors were planning to refuse to unload the ship.
----------
Employees of the military sanatorium "Sukhumi" block a central highway
On June 30, in Sukhumi, about five hundred employees of the military sanatorium of Defence Ministry in protest against the closure of the sanatorium, closed the central highway, resulting in an hour long traffic jam.
Activists blocked the road and categorically demanded that the authorities pay attention to the problem of closing the sanatorium and the firing by the Russians of more than 1,000 employees.
"Despite our repeated appeals to the Russian leadership, the pickets in front of the parliament and walking from office to office of the Abkhaz leadership, we have not received any clear answer from the Russian side, nor from the government of Abkhazia" – said outraged representatives of the group.
-----------------
Strike begins at steel plant in Nazarovo
At JSC "East-Siberian Steel Plant" in Nazarovo (Krasnoyarsk Territory) a difficult situation has recently formed. The enterprise wrote off debts to creditors, which resulted in later problems with production and wage arrears.
According to available information, the company owes the workers about 9 million rubles for two months. Because of the debt, a section of the plant staff went on strike on June 30.
---------------
Railway strike in Jamaica
On June 30, railway workers of Jamaica began a general strike in protest against delays in wage payments, and is the fifth demonstration and protest this month. Working for more than two months, they have not been paid wages, and problems with the payments began in 2010.
Siberian division of the AUCPB
-------------------------------
KAZAKHSTAN. LEADER OF STRIKING OIL WORKERS AKZHANATA AMINOV, IS BEING MURDERED IN PRISON!
07.07.2011 09:34
The condition of union leader of striking workers at "Ozenmunaygaz", Akzhanata Aminov, who was arrested two months under Article 164 of the Criminal Code for "incitement of social discord" and Article 335 for "organization of an illegal strike," has deteriorated sharply because of refusal to provide him with medical care. We were told about this by activists on the strike committee, stating that this is being done deliberately by police as the authorities are well aware that the trade union leader was ill with diabetes of the second group! In fact, it's a slow death torture, when a person is dying in front of your eyes and nothing is done. This is done with one purpose - to break the will and the health of one of the leaders of the workers.
To date, Aminov just been thrown into a cell, completely isolated from the outside world and deprived of his medical care. In jail his injection of insulin is deliberately banned and now he is not given any medication at all. In other matters in Aktau prison, there is not even a doctor, and all transfers of medication to the prisoner have been denied! His wife, close relatives and associates in the union are not allowed to visit him. Investigator Kushkinov and detective Onalbekov authorizing the arrest, just run away from workers and human rights activists, and are refusing to comment on the situation.
The body of Akzhanata Aminov, as reported by his fellow inmates, is covered with sores, which means that dehydration has set in due to lack of medication that should be given every three hours. If the situation does not change, the trade unionist may simply die, which is what the company KazMunaiGaz "KMG", the Chinese corporations, intelligence agencies and Acorda want. We need to hold immediate protests and large-scale organization of solidarity to stop the torture and humiliation of a leader of the working class in the Mangistau region.
On 6 July at 1130 am in Almaty, activists of the Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan intend to picket the Consulate General of China and other administrative buildings, demanding an end to discrimination and repression against striking workers in the oil and gas industry.
Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan
Videos of strikers being dispersed by riot police
==============================
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
AUCPB-CLASS STRUGGLE June 21
ANOTHER UNLIMITED PROTEST MARCH HELD ON JUNE 12 IN NOVOSIBIRSK
14.06.2011 13:52
June 12 in Novosibirsk, another pensioners’ protest took place against the decision of the Governor Yurchenko to abolish unlimited free travel for pensioners on public transport.
We recall that the organizers of these actions had decided to hold them in the summer season once a month – on the 12th of each month.
This time there were about 200 people. Firstly a meeting was held at the residence of the governor, and then march on the sidewalk of Krasny Prospect, then a rally at Lenin Square. Participants of the rally - pensioners expressed their determination to fight to the end and again take to the streets in thousands, if the governor does not cancel his decision.
Participants of the rally expressed their attitude to the bogus "holiday" June 12 " Russia’s Day” of, branding it as a day of tragedy and betrayal when, in 1990 the Declaration of Independence of Russia was adopted (in reality - complete dependence on the U.S.) and began to liquidate the Soviet Union.
The rally and march were once again unsanctioned by the authorities, although the organizers are not obliged by law to seek their permission.
On Lenin Square, official authorities had organized a "holiday" concert. When the column of protesters approached Lenin Square and began to hold a rally at the monument to Lenin, from the "concert" stage, was enclosed in a hurry from the statue of Lenin by a metal armature (which hosted the meeting), a deafening rumble was heard with bad taste in the guise of "folk music" in order not to give the pensioners their rally.
People's attitude towards this pseudo folk music and the "holiday" itself could be judged by the number of the 50 or so onlookers gathered at the concert, mostly vacationers, not taking any part in it.
The protesters themselves expressed their attitude to the official "holiday" with anti-United Russia Party chants and slogans along with the singing of Soviet songs - "Arise, great country, arise to the fight to the death!"
The next event is on July 12, then on August 12, same time, same place - at 12.00 am at the residence of the governor.
People are demanding:
- Cancel the unconstitutional decision of the Governor,
- Adopt a regional law guaranteeing the rights of pensioners and people on benefits, to include the right to unlimited travel.
The struggle continues! Down with the power of the bourgeoisie!
AUCPB-Novosibirsk
========================
=============================
KRASNOYARSK MACHINE BUILDERS DEMAND THE PAYMENT FROM EMPLOYER
10.06.2011 13:59
On June 7, in Krasnoyarsk there was a meeting of workers of ZAO "Sibtyazhmash”. The workers demanded payment of wage arrears, which constitute about 50 million rubles. The action was attended by about three hundred people – reports correspondent of "ICD" in the Federation of Trade Unions of Krasnoyarsk Territory. In addition to employees in in the action, activists took part from the trade union of Mechanical Engineering, which includes the trade union of the enterprise.
Incidentally, another requirement of the protesters – is repayment of union contributions - about 500 thousand rubles.
The protest action was a necessary measure after it developed as a result of negotiations between the representatives of trade unions and enterprise management over debt repayment schedule of wages broke down.
It was a noisy protest, and people's emotions can be understood. The company's management refused to come out to talk to the people, despite persistent appeals.
A resolution demanded that workers at the rally were repay debts on wages, preserve the plant and jobs and resume its work, to pay outstanding contributions to the trade union – says the newspaper "Solidarity".
Previously, workers at the company held protests. Thus, a mass rally to demand payment of arrears of wages took place on December 24, 2010. However, over time the owners of the company have not solved the problem.
IA "IKD"
=================
14.06.2011 13:52
June 12 in Novosibirsk, another pensioners’ protest took place against the decision of the Governor Yurchenko to abolish unlimited free travel for pensioners on public transport.
We recall that the organizers of these actions had decided to hold them in the summer season once a month – on the 12th of each month.
This time there were about 200 people. Firstly a meeting was held at the residence of the governor, and then march on the sidewalk of Krasny Prospect, then a rally at Lenin Square. Participants of the rally - pensioners expressed their determination to fight to the end and again take to the streets in thousands, if the governor does not cancel his decision.
Participants of the rally expressed their attitude to the bogus "holiday" June 12 " Russia’s Day” of, branding it as a day of tragedy and betrayal when, in 1990 the Declaration of Independence of Russia was adopted (in reality - complete dependence on the U.S.) and began to liquidate the Soviet Union.
The rally and march were once again unsanctioned by the authorities, although the organizers are not obliged by law to seek their permission.
On Lenin Square, official authorities had organized a "holiday" concert. When the column of protesters approached Lenin Square and began to hold a rally at the monument to Lenin, from the "concert" stage, was enclosed in a hurry from the statue of Lenin by a metal armature (which hosted the meeting), a deafening rumble was heard with bad taste in the guise of "folk music" in order not to give the pensioners their rally.
People's attitude towards this pseudo folk music and the "holiday" itself could be judged by the number of the 50 or so onlookers gathered at the concert, mostly vacationers, not taking any part in it.
The protesters themselves expressed their attitude to the official "holiday" with anti-United Russia Party chants and slogans along with the singing of Soviet songs - "Arise, great country, arise to the fight to the death!"
The next event is on July 12, then on August 12, same time, same place - at 12.00 am at the residence of the governor.
People are demanding:
- Cancel the unconstitutional decision of the Governor,
- Adopt a regional law guaranteeing the rights of pensioners and people on benefits, to include the right to unlimited travel.
The struggle continues! Down with the power of the bourgeoisie!
AUCPB-Novosibirsk
========================
=============================
KRASNOYARSK MACHINE BUILDERS DEMAND THE PAYMENT FROM EMPLOYER
10.06.2011 13:59
On June 7, in Krasnoyarsk there was a meeting of workers of ZAO "Sibtyazhmash”. The workers demanded payment of wage arrears, which constitute about 50 million rubles. The action was attended by about three hundred people – reports correspondent of "ICD" in the Federation of Trade Unions of Krasnoyarsk Territory. In addition to employees in in the action, activists took part from the trade union of Mechanical Engineering, which includes the trade union of the enterprise.
Incidentally, another requirement of the protesters – is repayment of union contributions - about 500 thousand rubles.
The protest action was a necessary measure after it developed as a result of negotiations between the representatives of trade unions and enterprise management over debt repayment schedule of wages broke down.
It was a noisy protest, and people's emotions can be understood. The company's management refused to come out to talk to the people, despite persistent appeals.
A resolution demanded that workers at the rally were repay debts on wages, preserve the plant and jobs and resume its work, to pay outstanding contributions to the trade union – says the newspaper "Solidarity".
Previously, workers at the company held protests. Thus, a mass rally to demand payment of arrears of wages took place on December 24, 2010. However, over time the owners of the company have not solved the problem.
IA "IKD"
=================
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
AUCPB - CLASS STRUGGLE 08 JUNE
FIVE THOUSAND METALLURGISTS PROTEST IN KIEV
05.06.2011 09:54
In Zaporozhye protest action by metallurgists and workers of mining and metallurgical industry in the region took place. According to preliminary data, the protest, which was planned to have 4 thousand workers take part, gathered no less than 5 thousand people.
The press service of the Zaporozhye regional committee of trade union of metallurgists and miners of Ukraine reports.
"The reason for the protest is thelarge-scale reduction of jobs at most enterprises is due to the economic situation, provoked in the first place, to say by the "strange" state policy against the largest budget filling enterprises in the region" - said the head of the trade union Valery Kozub. - "For 10 years in the Zaporozhye region, some 18,000 workers have lost their jobs, with 7,000 workers losing their jobs in just the past two years."
According to the report, the main cause of layoffs is a rise in electricity prices for large industrial enterprises, so that the work of the enterprises of metallurgical plants becomes unprofitable.
In particular, the Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant, according to Chairman of the Board of ZFP, Pavel Kravchenko, due to forced closure of two major departments of the enterprise because of the exorbitant cost of electricity has led to a job losses amounting to 1900 out of 3,400 workers.
"The main reason for this situation – is the transfer of the Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant in 2011 from 1 st to 2 nd class power consumption, which caused a significant increase in energy costs, which the share in the cost of production has reached 42% -47% (depending on the type of ferroalloys), which led to a so significantly reduction in the competitiveness of products, that the results of 5 months in 2011, we have to close shop," - said Kravchenko. - "Because we have significantly higher tariffs - more than 2,5 times - to reduce power consumption, in this connection for 5 months in 2011 the state did not receive electricity amounting to 328 million UAH.
According to him, the company's management repeatedly requested to change the tariff in the NERC, NAC "ESC" Fuel and Energy Ministry and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, but to no avail.
According to the union, in the protest action took part representatives of all groups from Zaporizhzhya industrial giants as well as their colleagues from Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and other regions of Ukraine.
The rally gradually moved from the area of trade unions to the area outside the regional government office. In a black coffin, which was set up in the center of the protesters, factory workers "buried" Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant, Marganets GOK and Ordzhonikidze Mining (ore processing plant).
People hold banners were reading: "Do not let them destroy "Mineral"," "We want to work peacefully and not have to fight for survival," and others.
The protest action by Ukrainian steel workers was supported by their colleagues from the other CIS countries, in particular, Chelyabinsk Oblast Organization Mining and Metallurgical Union of Russia and the International Union of workers of mining and metallurgical industry in the CIS countries "Soyuzmetall. If the government "will not take notice" of today's action, metallurgists promise to hold it again, but this time in Kiev.
In Kiev, it is the second protest in which demonstrators to express their vision and attitude towards their problems by using coffins at rallies. Previously, under the walls of governors, protestors "buried" the reforms of the government.
Source
----------------------------------------
SOUTH KOREA - POLICE DISPERSE STRIKING YOOSUNG WORKERS
Week-long strike disrupts production of major automakers
By Lee Hyo-sik
Thousands of riot police raided a regional auto parts manufacturing plant, Tuesday, to put an end to a week-long “illegal” strike that disrupted the production of Hyundai Motor and other major automakers.
More than 2,500 police entered the factory of Yoosung Enterprise in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, at 4:00 p.m., where hundreds of unionized workers have been holed up over the past week, according to South Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency.
Police met little resistance from the workers while dispersing them. About 500 unionists were apprehended.
“We had to use force to disperse the striking workers and hand control of the facility back to the management. The raid was unavoidable as last-minute talks between management and the employees on strike fell apart,” a police officer said.
Police will decide whether to detain the workers or not after looking into their involvement in the walkout.
Police obtained arrest warrants for two union leaders and a search warrant for union offices from the Daejeon District Court.
He said 31 companies of riot police and three police vehicles equipped with water cannons were deployed to the scene.
Police helicopters hovered above the site to monitor the movements of the striking workers.
More than 500 unionized workers began occupying the factory on May 18 after they failed to reach common ground with their management on working conditions and salaries. Following the walkout, the management of Yoosung Enterprise, which specializes in piston rings, cylinder liners and other key components of car engines, imposed a lockout on the plant.
On Monday, the company’s management and labor held unsuccessful talks to resolve the confrontation.
The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), affiliated with Yoosung labor union, released a statement condemning the police raid.
“Law enforcement authorities refused to follow law and order by sending riot police into the plant. This is tantamount to a barbaric act. We will fight along with unionized workers of Yoosung Enterprise to the end until we achieve our goals,” the KCTU said.
It said it will launch a nationwide campaign to force President Lee Myung-bak to step down.
Despite the strike coming to an end on Tuesday, it will likely take some time for the plant to resume operations, meaning that automakers will have to grapple with output disruption for the time being.
According to the auto industry, the ongoing strike has forced automakers to suspend production of several vehicles due to a shortage of engine components.
Yoosung supplies key engine components to all five automakers operating here. In particular, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, the nation’s two largest automakers, depend heavily on its supply as they receive 70 percent of engine-related components from the firm.
Hyundai and Kia said if the walkout lasts through the end of May, they will be forced to cut output by as much as 50,000 cars. The other three carmakers — GM Korea, Renault Samsung and Ssangyong Motor — will see their production drop by a combined 10,000.
Hyundai has already been forced to shut down its assembly line for the Tucson ix sports utility vehicle, while Kia had to halt production of its Carnival passenger minivan.
According to the Korea Employers Federation, the labor strike has already cost automakers over 150 billion won in lost output as of Tuesday. From May 26, they will likely incur over 100 billion won in losses on a daily basis
Photo report
----------------------------------------------
RESIDENTS OF HOSTELS IN NOVOSIBIRSK DEMAND THE PROVINCIAL DEPUTIES TO CARRY OUT VOTERS' DEMANDS
27.05.2011 07:59
On 26 May, at 9.00-10.00am, at the main entrance of the building of the Legislative Assembly of Novosibirsk Region, a picket was held by dormitory residents of Novosibirsk. The picket was attended by residents of dormitories, SB RAS (Illich, 21, Zolotodolinskaya, 29, Academic, 2a, etc.), residences for ul.Zalesskogo, 7, Kirzavodskaya, 6, and Pisarev, 36 / 1. In spite of the working day, the demonstration was attended by about 40 people.
The demonstrators stood at the main entrance to the Legislative Assembly of the NSO, stretching the banner "We, the residents of hostels, elected you, deputies (MP-s). FULFILL THE MANDATES" and placards "Privatization of housing – a legal right," "We demand the transfer of homes on ul.Pisareva, 36 / 1 into municipal property", "living in a hostel, we should not be treated as second class citizens, "The hostel is our only home","Dormitory residents, unite!" and others.
The protesters handed out their Appeal by dormitory residents of Novosibirsk to deputies going into session.
We recall that last year, the residents of hostels in Novosibirsk, who were denied the right to privatize their homes they had earned themselves, united in the movement for the rights of the residents of hostels. At this time, residents of dormitories came to the Legislative Assembly of NSO (a second time) to demand deputies discussed their problems at the session (the next - in June) of the Legislative Assembly. Several deputies came to the protesters, promising support. Support for residents of hostels was promised by the deputy chairman of the Legislative Assembly, Karpov V.
However, there were MPs, who passed by, even refusing to take the appeal, which caused outrage among the picketers.
Residents of hostels believe that to achieve solutions to their problems, this can only be achieved through amendments to the federal housing legislation that would allow residents of dormitories, living in them permanently, to privatize their housing. Legislature by the NSO has the right to initiate legislation and can therefore pass the draft Act to the State Duma with the appropriate Bill.
In June, residents of dormitories intend to carry out a city-wide mass protest to force the government to listen to their demands.
Source: http://vkpb-nsk.ru/
Photos
==============================
05.06.2011 09:54
In Zaporozhye protest action by metallurgists and workers of mining and metallurgical industry in the region took place. According to preliminary data, the protest, which was planned to have 4 thousand workers take part, gathered no less than 5 thousand people.
The press service of the Zaporozhye regional committee of trade union of metallurgists and miners of Ukraine reports.
"The reason for the protest is thelarge-scale reduction of jobs at most enterprises is due to the economic situation, provoked in the first place, to say by the "strange" state policy against the largest budget filling enterprises in the region" - said the head of the trade union Valery Kozub. - "For 10 years in the Zaporozhye region, some 18,000 workers have lost their jobs, with 7,000 workers losing their jobs in just the past two years."
According to the report, the main cause of layoffs is a rise in electricity prices for large industrial enterprises, so that the work of the enterprises of metallurgical plants becomes unprofitable.
In particular, the Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant, according to Chairman of the Board of ZFP, Pavel Kravchenko, due to forced closure of two major departments of the enterprise because of the exorbitant cost of electricity has led to a job losses amounting to 1900 out of 3,400 workers.
"The main reason for this situation – is the transfer of the Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant in 2011 from 1 st to 2 nd class power consumption, which caused a significant increase in energy costs, which the share in the cost of production has reached 42% -47% (depending on the type of ferroalloys), which led to a so significantly reduction in the competitiveness of products, that the results of 5 months in 2011, we have to close shop," - said Kravchenko. - "Because we have significantly higher tariffs - more than 2,5 times - to reduce power consumption, in this connection for 5 months in 2011 the state did not receive electricity amounting to 328 million UAH.
According to him, the company's management repeatedly requested to change the tariff in the NERC, NAC "ESC" Fuel and Energy Ministry and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, but to no avail.
According to the union, in the protest action took part representatives of all groups from Zaporizhzhya industrial giants as well as their colleagues from Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and other regions of Ukraine.
The rally gradually moved from the area of trade unions to the area outside the regional government office. In a black coffin, which was set up in the center of the protesters, factory workers "buried" Zaporizhia Ferroalloy Plant, Marganets GOK and Ordzhonikidze Mining (ore processing plant).
People hold banners were reading: "Do not let them destroy "Mineral"," "We want to work peacefully and not have to fight for survival," and others.
The protest action by Ukrainian steel workers was supported by their colleagues from the other CIS countries, in particular, Chelyabinsk Oblast Organization Mining and Metallurgical Union of Russia and the International Union of workers of mining and metallurgical industry in the CIS countries "Soyuzmetall. If the government "will not take notice" of today's action, metallurgists promise to hold it again, but this time in Kiev.
In Kiev, it is the second protest in which demonstrators to express their vision and attitude towards their problems by using coffins at rallies. Previously, under the walls of governors, protestors "buried" the reforms of the government.
Source
----------------------------------------
SOUTH KOREA - POLICE DISPERSE STRIKING YOOSUNG WORKERS
Week-long strike disrupts production of major automakers
By Lee Hyo-sik
Thousands of riot police raided a regional auto parts manufacturing plant, Tuesday, to put an end to a week-long “illegal” strike that disrupted the production of Hyundai Motor and other major automakers.
More than 2,500 police entered the factory of Yoosung Enterprise in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, at 4:00 p.m., where hundreds of unionized workers have been holed up over the past week, according to South Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency.
Police met little resistance from the workers while dispersing them. About 500 unionists were apprehended.
“We had to use force to disperse the striking workers and hand control of the facility back to the management. The raid was unavoidable as last-minute talks between management and the employees on strike fell apart,” a police officer said.
Police will decide whether to detain the workers or not after looking into their involvement in the walkout.
Police obtained arrest warrants for two union leaders and a search warrant for union offices from the Daejeon District Court.
He said 31 companies of riot police and three police vehicles equipped with water cannons were deployed to the scene.
Police helicopters hovered above the site to monitor the movements of the striking workers.
More than 500 unionized workers began occupying the factory on May 18 after they failed to reach common ground with their management on working conditions and salaries. Following the walkout, the management of Yoosung Enterprise, which specializes in piston rings, cylinder liners and other key components of car engines, imposed a lockout on the plant.
On Monday, the company’s management and labor held unsuccessful talks to resolve the confrontation.
The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), affiliated with Yoosung labor union, released a statement condemning the police raid.
“Law enforcement authorities refused to follow law and order by sending riot police into the plant. This is tantamount to a barbaric act. We will fight along with unionized workers of Yoosung Enterprise to the end until we achieve our goals,” the KCTU said.
It said it will launch a nationwide campaign to force President Lee Myung-bak to step down.
Despite the strike coming to an end on Tuesday, it will likely take some time for the plant to resume operations, meaning that automakers will have to grapple with output disruption for the time being.
According to the auto industry, the ongoing strike has forced automakers to suspend production of several vehicles due to a shortage of engine components.
Yoosung supplies key engine components to all five automakers operating here. In particular, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, the nation’s two largest automakers, depend heavily on its supply as they receive 70 percent of engine-related components from the firm.
Hyundai and Kia said if the walkout lasts through the end of May, they will be forced to cut output by as much as 50,000 cars. The other three carmakers — GM Korea, Renault Samsung and Ssangyong Motor — will see their production drop by a combined 10,000.
Hyundai has already been forced to shut down its assembly line for the Tucson ix sports utility vehicle, while Kia had to halt production of its Carnival passenger minivan.
According to the Korea Employers Federation, the labor strike has already cost automakers over 150 billion won in lost output as of Tuesday. From May 26, they will likely incur over 100 billion won in losses on a daily basis
Photo report
----------------------------------------------
RESIDENTS OF HOSTELS IN NOVOSIBIRSK DEMAND THE PROVINCIAL DEPUTIES TO CARRY OUT VOTERS' DEMANDS
27.05.2011 07:59
On 26 May, at 9.00-10.00am, at the main entrance of the building of the Legislative Assembly of Novosibirsk Region, a picket was held by dormitory residents of Novosibirsk. The picket was attended by residents of dormitories, SB RAS (Illich, 21, Zolotodolinskaya, 29, Academic, 2a, etc.), residences for ul.Zalesskogo, 7, Kirzavodskaya, 6, and Pisarev, 36 / 1. In spite of the working day, the demonstration was attended by about 40 people.
The demonstrators stood at the main entrance to the Legislative Assembly of the NSO, stretching the banner "We, the residents of hostels, elected you, deputies (MP-s). FULFILL THE MANDATES" and placards "Privatization of housing – a legal right," "We demand the transfer of homes on ul.Pisareva, 36 / 1 into municipal property", "living in a hostel, we should not be treated as second class citizens, "The hostel is our only home","Dormitory residents, unite!" and others.
The protesters handed out their Appeal by dormitory residents of Novosibirsk to deputies going into session.
We recall that last year, the residents of hostels in Novosibirsk, who were denied the right to privatize their homes they had earned themselves, united in the movement for the rights of the residents of hostels. At this time, residents of dormitories came to the Legislative Assembly of NSO (a second time) to demand deputies discussed their problems at the session (the next - in June) of the Legislative Assembly. Several deputies came to the protesters, promising support. Support for residents of hostels was promised by the deputy chairman of the Legislative Assembly, Karpov V.
However, there were MPs, who passed by, even refusing to take the appeal, which caused outrage among the picketers.
Residents of hostels believe that to achieve solutions to their problems, this can only be achieved through amendments to the federal housing legislation that would allow residents of dormitories, living in them permanently, to privatize their housing. Legislature by the NSO has the right to initiate legislation and can therefore pass the draft Act to the State Duma with the appropriate Bill.
In June, residents of dormitories intend to carry out a city-wide mass protest to force the government to listen to their demands.
Source: http://vkpb-nsk.ru/
Photos
==============================
Saturday, 4 June 2011
AUCPB-CLASS STRUGGLE June 3
AUCPB-CLASS STRUGGLE June 3
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON STRIKE IN SNEZHNOGORSK
27.05.2011 08:03
Construction workers went on strike in one of the construction companies of Snezhnogorsk (Murmansk region). The workers refused to comply with municipal contracts until they are paid. Promises by management of the company to pay people have been heard almost every day for the past five months. The last time the workers got paid in full was only in December last year.
The company's management acknowledged that the financial position of the firm is shaky. The issuing of a long-term loan of 15 million rubles to pay off debt and pay off the workers was decided. And then hope for a municipal contract, reports the website murman.rfn.ru.
---------------------------------
ELECTRICIANS' STRIKE IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD
27.05.2011 07:57
More than 30 workers at Electrical Services City of Nizhny Novgorod on May 23 participated in a strike against the actions of a housing management company of the Moscow district. This was reported in NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" by the director of “GES” Ltd, Sergei Khachaturov.
The workers went on strike at a housing management company office of Moscow district on Liukin street. The strikers oppose the break of the contract, relating to the service of 675 multi-storey that “GES” Ltd serviced previously.
Employees of “GES” Ltd Ltd demand an extention of the contract for services until the end of 2011 to save personnel and technical staff.
“GES” Ltd (City Electrical Services) is a specialized organization, which carries out maintenance and operation of electrical equipment of 675T multi-storey family homes since 2008.
“GES” Ltd is made up of a dispatch service, an emergency service, working around the clock, thus avoiding the recall of the electricians in the daytime, a group of technical audits constantly monitoring the technical condition of in-house electrical equipment, to compiling an act of inspection of dwelling houses on the basis of which is in the planning of repair and overhaul of in-house electrical equipment;a team of overhaulers; a certified engineer estimator, engineer PHE.
--------------------------------------------
VILLAGERS BLOCKADE ROAD IN BEREZOVSKY
27.05.2011 07:53
Because of the new road in the village of Berezovsky (Krasnodar Territory) there was a threat of flooding. Villagers have a long time been sounding the alarm, but they say no one is listening. As a result, people had to block the road with cars and become a human shield on the road. During heavy rains, the village was permanently flooded, until a deep ditch was dug along the route. 13 years later and history has repeated itself. Alongside the houses, persmission has been given continuing paving the new road, but it has finished up half a meter above ground level. Nowadays after the rains, the water goes floods back into the houses.
Once people understood what threatens them with the new road, they immediately began to request a correction of the mistakes of the road designers and builders. But no amount of appealling to the village administration and no amount of complaints to the Mayor reversed the decision. There are still figuring out exactly who is responsible for this road, reports website ntktv.ru.
-------------------------------------------
NEW COMBAT OPERATIONS BY FILIPINO GUERRILLAS
21.05.2011 16:39
The official police spokesman of the Philippines, A. Cruz said that on 13 May, government troops and police were attacked by guerrillas, of the "New People's Army (NPA) in the town of Rizal in the province of Nueva Ecija.
A day earlier, there was a partisan clash with police in the province of Cagayan, which is located in the region of Luzon, reports the website www.rbc.ua.
The NPA, led by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), is the leading anti-government armed group in the country. According to the military of the Philippines, it now has over 4 thousand members.
The war between government troops and Filipino guerrillas has continued for more than 40 years, reports www.km.ru.
In 2010, according to the guerrillas, they carried out over 250 attacks, killing some 300 soldiers and police. The authorities say that last year they killed 35 militants, and more than 130 were captured.
------------------------------
Kazakhstan
OIL WORKERS AT KARAZHANBAS ON HUNGER STRIKE
21.05.2011 07:42
On a steep upward continues to develop the conflict in Karazhanbas, where the number of workers participating in a full hunger strike is growing rapidly and if their legal demands and are not satisfied, then a stoppage in oil production can happen in the coming days.
On Sunday, May 15 began a full and mass hunger strike by oil workers at Karazhanbas, and roughly the calculated the number of participants was about 280 people and more than 700 people are on partial bunger strike, that is, for the moment just refusing dinner. Workers are demanding the return of their trade union documents, forcibly held by the former chairman of the trade union, Erbossyn Kosarhanovy, who was removed by the general meeting of the collective of Karazhanbas. In addition to this, the workers demand a complete solution to the demands of the collective with respect to wages and additional social guarantees.
------------------------------------------
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SPANIARDS PROTEST AGAINST AUSTERITY MEASURES
21.05.2011 06:54
Tens of thousands of students and unemployed took to the streets in more than 50 cities in Spain on Sunday to denounce the austerity measures by the government and force it to set as priorities job creation and economic growth.
The protesters chanted in Madrid: "We are not a commodity in the hands of politicians and bankers." Many wore yellow T-shirts that the group "Youth without a future" distributed, organized in April to put pressure on Prime Minister Jose Zapatero, that he invest in job creation programs. About 40% of young people of working age are currently out of work, but Zapatero announced the reduction of public investment by 6 billion to reduce the budget deficit.
Under pressure from the International Monetary Fund and the U.S. government, the freezing of pensions and freeze wages for public servants have also been introduced. Other major marches were held in Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao and Zaragoza.The events were mostly peaceful, but in Madrid police arrested 24 people after a clash in the evening.
-------------------------
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON STRIKE IN SNEZHNOGORSK
27.05.2011 08:03
Construction workers went on strike in one of the construction companies of Snezhnogorsk (Murmansk region). The workers refused to comply with municipal contracts until they are paid. Promises by management of the company to pay people have been heard almost every day for the past five months. The last time the workers got paid in full was only in December last year.
The company's management acknowledged that the financial position of the firm is shaky. The issuing of a long-term loan of 15 million rubles to pay off debt and pay off the workers was decided. And then hope for a municipal contract, reports the website murman.rfn.ru.
---------------------------------
ELECTRICIANS' STRIKE IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD
27.05.2011 07:57
More than 30 workers at Electrical Services City of Nizhny Novgorod on May 23 participated in a strike against the actions of a housing management company of the Moscow district. This was reported in NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" by the director of “GES” Ltd, Sergei Khachaturov.
The workers went on strike at a housing management company office of Moscow district on Liukin street. The strikers oppose the break of the contract, relating to the service of 675 multi-storey that “GES” Ltd serviced previously.
Employees of “GES” Ltd Ltd demand an extention of the contract for services until the end of 2011 to save personnel and technical staff.
“GES” Ltd (City Electrical Services) is a specialized organization, which carries out maintenance and operation of electrical equipment of 675T multi-storey family homes since 2008.
“GES” Ltd is made up of a dispatch service, an emergency service, working around the clock, thus avoiding the recall of the electricians in the daytime, a group of technical audits constantly monitoring the technical condition of in-house electrical equipment, to compiling an act of inspection of dwelling houses on the basis of which is in the planning of repair and overhaul of in-house electrical equipment;a team of overhaulers; a certified engineer estimator, engineer PHE.
--------------------------------------------
VILLAGERS BLOCKADE ROAD IN BEREZOVSKY
27.05.2011 07:53
Because of the new road in the village of Berezovsky (Krasnodar Territory) there was a threat of flooding. Villagers have a long time been sounding the alarm, but they say no one is listening. As a result, people had to block the road with cars and become a human shield on the road. During heavy rains, the village was permanently flooded, until a deep ditch was dug along the route. 13 years later and history has repeated itself. Alongside the houses, persmission has been given continuing paving the new road, but it has finished up half a meter above ground level. Nowadays after the rains, the water goes floods back into the houses.
Once people understood what threatens them with the new road, they immediately began to request a correction of the mistakes of the road designers and builders. But no amount of appealling to the village administration and no amount of complaints to the Mayor reversed the decision. There are still figuring out exactly who is responsible for this road, reports website ntktv.ru.
-------------------------------------------
NEW COMBAT OPERATIONS BY FILIPINO GUERRILLAS
21.05.2011 16:39
The official police spokesman of the Philippines, A. Cruz said that on 13 May, government troops and police were attacked by guerrillas, of the "New People's Army (NPA) in the town of Rizal in the province of Nueva Ecija.
A day earlier, there was a partisan clash with police in the province of Cagayan, which is located in the region of Luzon, reports the website www.rbc.ua.
The NPA, led by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), is the leading anti-government armed group in the country. According to the military of the Philippines, it now has over 4 thousand members.
The war between government troops and Filipino guerrillas has continued for more than 40 years, reports www.km.ru.
In 2010, according to the guerrillas, they carried out over 250 attacks, killing some 300 soldiers and police. The authorities say that last year they killed 35 militants, and more than 130 were captured.
------------------------------
Kazakhstan
OIL WORKERS AT KARAZHANBAS ON HUNGER STRIKE
21.05.2011 07:42
On a steep upward continues to develop the conflict in Karazhanbas, where the number of workers participating in a full hunger strike is growing rapidly and if their legal demands and are not satisfied, then a stoppage in oil production can happen in the coming days.
On Sunday, May 15 began a full and mass hunger strike by oil workers at Karazhanbas, and roughly the calculated the number of participants was about 280 people and more than 700 people are on partial bunger strike, that is, for the moment just refusing dinner. Workers are demanding the return of their trade union documents, forcibly held by the former chairman of the trade union, Erbossyn Kosarhanovy, who was removed by the general meeting of the collective of Karazhanbas. In addition to this, the workers demand a complete solution to the demands of the collective with respect to wages and additional social guarantees.
------------------------------------------
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SPANIARDS PROTEST AGAINST AUSTERITY MEASURES
21.05.2011 06:54
Tens of thousands of students and unemployed took to the streets in more than 50 cities in Spain on Sunday to denounce the austerity measures by the government and force it to set as priorities job creation and economic growth.
The protesters chanted in Madrid: "We are not a commodity in the hands of politicians and bankers." Many wore yellow T-shirts that the group "Youth without a future" distributed, organized in April to put pressure on Prime Minister Jose Zapatero, that he invest in job creation programs. About 40% of young people of working age are currently out of work, but Zapatero announced the reduction of public investment by 6 billion to reduce the budget deficit.
Under pressure from the International Monetary Fund and the U.S. government, the freezing of pensions and freeze wages for public servants have also been introduced. Other major marches were held in Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao and Zaragoza.The events were mostly peaceful, but in Madrid police arrested 24 people after a clash in the evening.
-------------------------
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Blaming capitalism
Mass youth revolt shakes Spain
Tahrir Square comes to Madrid
By Ben Carroll
Published May 25, 2011 3:44 PM
Madrid, May 21.
Drawing inspiration from the fighting spirit and determination of Tahrir Square and the peoples of Egypt, Tunisia and the Middle East, the peoples of Spain took the struggle against capitalist austerity, mass unemployment and the conditions of the economic crisis to a new level this past week.
Demonstrations and occupations of city plazas erupted across the Spanish state beginning on May 15 and, as of May 23, show no signs of faltering.
On May 15, a week before regional and local elections were to take place, protests started up in cities throughout the country against the government’s austerity program and mass unemployment, as well as to demand a number of democratic reforms of the political system.
The officially reported unemployment rate sits at a staggering 21.3 percent, the highest in Europe. For young people, the statistics are even worse, as 45 percent of people aged 18 to 25 are unemployed. The situation for youth is so dire that they are referred to as the “youth without a future” or “the lost generation.” Many have begun referring to themselves as “los indignados” (those who are “fed up”).
Tens of thousands were in the streets that day. Following the demonstration in Madrid, young people and workers took over and began an around-the-clock occupation of the central plaza there, the Puerta del Sol. This bold action inspired numerous other occupations of plazas in major cities throughout the country; people demonstrated in more than 166 cities during the week. At least 10 occupations of city squares were also being reported in Italy, and there was a protest outside the Spanish Embassy in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
While the capitalist-owned press has heavily focused on the role of social media in these demonstrations — and it is undeniable that those sites have been an important tool among many used by organizers — it is the objective conditions of the capitalist crisis, the austerity measures and anger over the bank bailouts that have driven masses of young people and workers into the streets throughout the Spanish state, from Galicia to the Basque Country to Catalonia, as well as in the capital city.
“I’m here against the system, against everything, the banks, the government, the Popular Party, unemployment. You name it. Nothing works,” journalism student Sabina Ortega told the Christian Science Monitor (May 20). “It’s against a two-party system. And my goal is to feel represented. I want politicians to know they are not listening. I’ll stay here as long as I have to.”
Despite a ban imposed on the occupations by the Spanish government on May 20, two days ahead of the scheduled elections, tens of thousands of people in Puerta del Sol and elsewhere around the country defied these orders and continued to hold the encampments. Some plan to stay until the following weekend.
Aerial photos of the Puerta del Sol in Madrid show a number of large banners that were raised in the square. One of the most prominent reads, “La crisis es el capitalismo” (“The crisis is capitalism”). Tents and other structures — offering medical, legal and food services — have been established and demonstrators have constituted various assemblies to carry out the many tasks required to maintain the occupation and to vote on different political objectives.
Many of the different communist parties and organizations active in the Spanish state have issued statements of support for the wave of occupations, dubbed the 15-M (May 15) movement, and have been active participants in these demonstrations. They view their main tasks as helping to develop and deepen the working-class consciousness of the protests and to unite the various sectors that are in motion against the capitalist austerity in order to open a broader, worker-led political struggle against the Spanish state and the two ruling parties — the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) and the People’s Party (PP).
Spain in context
In the elections held May 22, the governing PSOE was dealt a defeat by the PP, even in strongholds the self-styled socialists have held since the end of Franco’s fascist dictatorial rule in the mid-1970s, at which time a number of democratic reforms were introduced.
Despite what its name might suggest, the PSOE is a historically social democratic party that currently occupies a position similar to the one the Democratic Party holds here in the U.S. At its congress back in 1979, the PSOE renounced Marxism and the revolutionary struggle of the working class and is now one of the two main capitalist parties in the country.
The other, the People’s Party (PP), is a right-wing party formed in 1989 as a result of the merger of various reactionary parties. Many in the leadership of the PP have connections going back to the Franco regime, with some even having served under him during the fascist rule over the country from 1940 to 1975.
Spain has the world’s twelfth-largest economy. Spain also has the European Union’s third-largest budget deficit and may, like Ireland, Greece and Portugal, be forced to accept a devastating IMF austerity package if it cannot satisfy the banks with its own austerity measures soon.
Within the Galician, Basque and Catalonian regions of the Spanish state there are movements for national self-determination.
Of the three main countrywide trade union federations, only one, the CGT, has continued to wage an open struggle against the state around the austerity programs. The other two federations — the UGT and the Workers’ Commissions (CCOO) — granted concessions to the PSOE government following the country’s first general strike in more than 10 years last Sept. 29 and agreed to stop future mass actions of workers. Most regional unions in the Basque Country, however, support the workers’ struggles.
Capitalism to blame
Although the current demonstrations began one week prior to elections, this revolt is directed not merely against one capitalist party or the other, but is an uprising against the miserable conditions that have been forced upon young people and workers by capitalism and the global crisis, which is now four years old.
The workers, the unemployed and the young people of the Spanish state are following the heroic example of the peoples of Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere throughout North Africa and the Middle East as they take their destiny into their own hands and fight back.
The May 22 elections came and went, but the occupation shows no signs of giving up. Organizers have continued to hold the encampments in Madrid and elsewhere throughout the country and have set May 28 as another major day of demonstrations.
----------------
Tahrir Square comes to Madrid
By Ben Carroll
Published May 25, 2011 3:44 PM
Madrid, May 21.
Drawing inspiration from the fighting spirit and determination of Tahrir Square and the peoples of Egypt, Tunisia and the Middle East, the peoples of Spain took the struggle against capitalist austerity, mass unemployment and the conditions of the economic crisis to a new level this past week.
Demonstrations and occupations of city plazas erupted across the Spanish state beginning on May 15 and, as of May 23, show no signs of faltering.
On May 15, a week before regional and local elections were to take place, protests started up in cities throughout the country against the government’s austerity program and mass unemployment, as well as to demand a number of democratic reforms of the political system.
The officially reported unemployment rate sits at a staggering 21.3 percent, the highest in Europe. For young people, the statistics are even worse, as 45 percent of people aged 18 to 25 are unemployed. The situation for youth is so dire that they are referred to as the “youth without a future” or “the lost generation.” Many have begun referring to themselves as “los indignados” (those who are “fed up”).
Tens of thousands were in the streets that day. Following the demonstration in Madrid, young people and workers took over and began an around-the-clock occupation of the central plaza there, the Puerta del Sol. This bold action inspired numerous other occupations of plazas in major cities throughout the country; people demonstrated in more than 166 cities during the week. At least 10 occupations of city squares were also being reported in Italy, and there was a protest outside the Spanish Embassy in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
While the capitalist-owned press has heavily focused on the role of social media in these demonstrations — and it is undeniable that those sites have been an important tool among many used by organizers — it is the objective conditions of the capitalist crisis, the austerity measures and anger over the bank bailouts that have driven masses of young people and workers into the streets throughout the Spanish state, from Galicia to the Basque Country to Catalonia, as well as in the capital city.
“I’m here against the system, against everything, the banks, the government, the Popular Party, unemployment. You name it. Nothing works,” journalism student Sabina Ortega told the Christian Science Monitor (May 20). “It’s against a two-party system. And my goal is to feel represented. I want politicians to know they are not listening. I’ll stay here as long as I have to.”
Despite a ban imposed on the occupations by the Spanish government on May 20, two days ahead of the scheduled elections, tens of thousands of people in Puerta del Sol and elsewhere around the country defied these orders and continued to hold the encampments. Some plan to stay until the following weekend.
Aerial photos of the Puerta del Sol in Madrid show a number of large banners that were raised in the square. One of the most prominent reads, “La crisis es el capitalismo” (“The crisis is capitalism”). Tents and other structures — offering medical, legal and food services — have been established and demonstrators have constituted various assemblies to carry out the many tasks required to maintain the occupation and to vote on different political objectives.
Many of the different communist parties and organizations active in the Spanish state have issued statements of support for the wave of occupations, dubbed the 15-M (May 15) movement, and have been active participants in these demonstrations. They view their main tasks as helping to develop and deepen the working-class consciousness of the protests and to unite the various sectors that are in motion against the capitalist austerity in order to open a broader, worker-led political struggle against the Spanish state and the two ruling parties — the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) and the People’s Party (PP).
Spain in context
In the elections held May 22, the governing PSOE was dealt a defeat by the PP, even in strongholds the self-styled socialists have held since the end of Franco’s fascist dictatorial rule in the mid-1970s, at which time a number of democratic reforms were introduced.
Despite what its name might suggest, the PSOE is a historically social democratic party that currently occupies a position similar to the one the Democratic Party holds here in the U.S. At its congress back in 1979, the PSOE renounced Marxism and the revolutionary struggle of the working class and is now one of the two main capitalist parties in the country.
The other, the People’s Party (PP), is a right-wing party formed in 1989 as a result of the merger of various reactionary parties. Many in the leadership of the PP have connections going back to the Franco regime, with some even having served under him during the fascist rule over the country from 1940 to 1975.
Spain has the world’s twelfth-largest economy. Spain also has the European Union’s third-largest budget deficit and may, like Ireland, Greece and Portugal, be forced to accept a devastating IMF austerity package if it cannot satisfy the banks with its own austerity measures soon.
Within the Galician, Basque and Catalonian regions of the Spanish state there are movements for national self-determination.
Of the three main countrywide trade union federations, only one, the CGT, has continued to wage an open struggle against the state around the austerity programs. The other two federations — the UGT and the Workers’ Commissions (CCOO) — granted concessions to the PSOE government following the country’s first general strike in more than 10 years last Sept. 29 and agreed to stop future mass actions of workers. Most regional unions in the Basque Country, however, support the workers’ struggles.
Capitalism to blame
Although the current demonstrations began one week prior to elections, this revolt is directed not merely against one capitalist party or the other, but is an uprising against the miserable conditions that have been forced upon young people and workers by capitalism and the global crisis, which is now four years old.
The workers, the unemployed and the young people of the Spanish state are following the heroic example of the peoples of Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere throughout North Africa and the Middle East as they take their destiny into their own hands and fight back.
The May 22 elections came and went, but the occupation shows no signs of giving up. Organizers have continued to hold the encampments in Madrid and elsewhere throughout the country and have set May 28 as another major day of demonstrations.
----------------
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