EN

INDIA May 22 : Nation wide protest

2020-05-31

On May 22, in a symbolic protest, a few trade union leaders assembled near the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi. Government denied permission for assembly and demonstration. Within minutes they were arrested, taken to police station and later released. Delhi, May 22, major union leaders before their arrest. Workers in different parts of the country, observing physical distancing norms, opposed labour law changes, displayed placards, some wearing black ribbons; demonstrations too were held in isolated areas including a 2-hour strike. Social media was effectively used to make workers aware of the high degree of damage caused to them. Unions have vowed to fight back, defend labour rights, protect the past gains and counter capitalist offensive once workers are free from lockdowns conditions. Trade Union Joint Action Committee, Mumbai, comprising all unions, including NTUI, joined May 22 protest in Mumbai and also in different parts of the country. Lockdown [...]

FRANCE An appeal by the National Bureau of the POID (Democratic Independent Workers Party) Prevent the threatening disaster

2020-05-31

Certain disaster threatens our country. The health crisis that is hitting the country is combining with the destruction of half a million jobs in two months. By the bosses’ and government’s own admission, millions of jobs could be destroyed in the coming weeks. On top of this, there is the food crisis that seeing more and more families unable to feed their children correctly. Also, there are the attacks on democratic rights. Certain disaster threatens our country. Everyone knows this. But nothing is being done to prevent it. Even worse: the government and [employers’ organisation] MEDEF are taking advantage of it to go on the offensive against all of the labour and democratic gains won through struggle. In particular, they want to use the crisis to deregulate and extend legal working time (notably by widely extending deregulated teleworking), and to bring about the artificial bankruptcy of the Social Security system in order to be able to get rid of it, doing all of [...]

More than 13,000 participants at the International Rally on May 1st, at the initiative of the IWC: « Three hours for the Workers’ International »

2020-05-20

Nambiath Vasudevan « This May Day meeting is unique, » stated Nambiath Vasudevan, one of the two coordinators, along with Daniel Gluckstein, of the International Workers Committee Against War and Exploitation, for the Workers International (IWC), in introducing the rally. He added: « Despite enormous obstacles, workers and activists from 45 countries have decided to come together in this online rally in the true tradition of international working class solidarity to raise their voices and speak out against the continued abandonment of the working classes, who are denied the most basic care. » In fact, forced by the pandemic and the measures of containment and restriction of movement, the international rally convened by the IWC had to be held « online« . For three hours, 48 speakers (see list below) from 45 countries followed one another. Beyond their origins and their diverse political and trade union affiliations, they all placed themselves in the common framework of this [...]

CHINA / Hong Kong Lee Cheuk-yan, Chinese trade union leader, summoned to court! Declaration of the China Inquiry Commission

2020-05-20

Lee Cheuk-Yan, General Secretary of the HKCTU trade union federation In this month of May 2020, when the general lock-down has made the celebration of May Day virtually impossible, the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, a region of the People’s Republic of China, has summoned Lee Cheuk-Yan, General Secretary of the HKCTU trade union federation, to court under the charge of “participating in a public demonstration on August 31, 2019, which violated the Decree on public order of Hong Kong”. The decree that the Carrie Lam government is using is the upshot of the emergency rules which the British colonial government had issued against the seamen’s strikes back in 1922 and the 1967 workers’ strikes. It is in the name of this public order that over 7,000 demonstrators have been arrested since June 2019 and 1,000 have already been sentenced! Lee Cheuk-yan appeared in court on May 5 and is summoned again to appear on May 18. When tens of thousand workers have [...]

PAKISTAN Message of condolence from All Pakistan Trade Union Federation

2020-05-20

Arif Wazir Ali To the family and friends of Arif Wazir Ali member, of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement, brutally killed by some forces to stop their voice & struggle for their economic and basic rights but some forces don’t want peace in this province. We whole heartedly support your struggle which is ours too to bring peace to protect the lives of innocent people lost their lives every day. We stand with Arif Wazir and his family and friends. Red Salute To Arif [...]

UNITED STATES “We need conferences like this to unite our struggles”

2020-03-29

Nnamdi Lumumba An interview with Nnamdi Lumumba, activist of the Black workers-led Ujima People’s Progress Party in Baltimore, Maryland, and one of the 407 initiators of the World Conference against War and Exploitation, and for the Workers’ International (in Paris, 5 and 6 November). The city of Baltimore will be welcoming a national conference of activists for Black and workers’ independent politics at the end of July. Why is this the issue of the moment, according to you? We are in the middle of an interesting presidential election year in the U.S. The liberal imperialist Democratic Party is openly struggling against progressive elements within its party for the party’s nomination to run for president against president Donald Trump who is a member of the conservative imperialist Republican Party. We have watched progressive forces go from being very energized and optimistic that they could win the Democratic Party nomination via proclaimed democratic socialist Bernie [...]

FRANCE Wage war on the epidemic, give oneself the means to do so Statement by the Independent and Democratic Workers Party (POID)

2020-03-29

On 12 March, French President Macron solemnly called for sacred union against coronavirus. One week later, pandemonium has spread at lightning speed. This government, and the governments that came before it, are very largely responsible – and guilty – for this expansion. The terrible lack of masks, testing kits , beds, intensive care units and medical staff accuses the successive ministers and presidents of the French 5th Republic. They had a billion masks and they got rid of them. They had the means to produce tests kits and they didn’t. They had hospitals and beds, and they closed them. They had medical staff and they refused to hear their demands – all of that in order to meet the demands of capitalist profit. Macron claims to be at war against the epidemic. But who is he waging war against? While he threatens sanctions for whoever won’t not obey the lockdown, he has multiplied joint calls with MEDEF (the French bosses’ union) to demand [...]

INDIA After the anti-muslims pogroms N. Vasudevan calls on the « mobilisation of the labour movement » in order to impose a « fair enquiry that will reveal the truth »

2020-03-14

Hindu women demonstrate « against hatred and violence » against Muslims. The disturbing tragedy unfolded in India’s capital city, New Delhi, during February 24-26, which took over 42 lives, both Muslims and Hindus, injured 200 men, women and children is a matter of serious concern. That tragedy took place after months of massive protests by the Indian people to the attempt to divide them and discriminate on the basis of religious beliefs. It took place also after Modi’s party, the BJP, suffered a severe electoral setback in Delhi. The tragedy took place in working class areas. Houses and shops were burnt down. Hundreds are without shelter and food. Hindus and Muslims in the local area have shown tremendous empathy with each other. The communal flame was incited by ruling BJP leaders who vowed to retaliate against those opposing the new Citizenship Act in India, particularly women sitting in Shaheen Bagh for over 70 days. Despite US President being in Delhi on [...]

INDIA Modi’s government bears responsibility for anti-Muslims pogroms (correspondence received from Nambiath Vasudevan)

2020-03-14

Hindus and Muslims in Delhi protest together against attacks by BJP militias: “Stop the violence! « ; « Stop dividing India! « ; « CAA and NRC boycott! » « Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arranged a $150 million US dollar grand reception for the US President and his family in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) where Modi was the State Chief Minister till 2014. India has a 4 million diaspora in the US. A big chunck of this is from Gujarat. In the November 2020 US election Indian voters can play a role. Traditionally Indians in the US have been supporters of Democratic Party. It was the custom earlier that Indian government would not show its preference to any party or candidate in the US elections. This was changed when Modi was in Houston recently addressing a large Indian crowd where he shouted an election slogan in favour of Trump : “Ab ki baar Trump Sarkar” (This time Trump government). About Trump visit to India, The Indian Express editorially said : “Underlying the [...]

CHINA/HONG KONG General Secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU),  Lee Cheuk-yan arrested for questioning — Communiqué of the China Inquiry Commission

2020-03-14

Lee Cheuk-yan The China Inquiry Commission has been informed today of the arrest by the Hong Kong police of Lee Cheuk-yan, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions HKCTU, maybe for his participation in demonstrations last August. He should be summoned to appear in court on May 5. The China Inquiry Commission wants to strongly protest against this arrest which comes at a time when dozens of unions have been formed in recent months; it demands that all proceedings against Lee Cheuk-yan be dropped. The Commission assures Lee Cheuk-yan of its full solidarity. Lee had been invited last October in Paris to the 22nd solidarity banquet with Chinese workers. The communiqué will be sent to inform all the unions in France. Paris, February 28, 20:20 Alain Denizo China Inquiry [...]