Welcome to
THE INTERNATIONAL
Workers of the World
The anarchosyndicalist trade union, workers' confederation and section of the Anarchist International

Latest news and actions at the bottom of this document.

Join The Green Global Spring (GGS) - A bottom up pressure action for sufficient high degree of democracy, that will
automatically also be sufficient green, via Cogrips-model and -policy - in due time before full blown climate-crisis. Click here!

SLOGANS: Less Than 1,5° C Global Warming! Drop Fossil Fuel! Green Energy! Full Employment! 5 % Green GDP growth! Small Income & Rank Differences!
Down with the Gini-index to 20 %! Liberal Social-Democracy! Real & Green Democracy!
Eco-Anarchy For Ever! Sufficient High Democracy Degree! Zero Population Growth!

May Day 2023 - Manifesto and anarcho-syndicalist international direct action
by the International Workers of the World!
Against a.o.t. what Ragnar Frisch called "The unenlightened plutarchy"!

 

 

For Real, i.e. including green Democracy = Anarchy & Anarchism - and more of it!

May Day 2023 - Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than sixteen years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions with links. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management broadly defined and the end of the economic and climate crisis. The Corona crisis has dramatically increased the unemployment rate further, but health precedes everything - including the economy - until all are vaccinated and everyone has become immune. And the welfare of the People must be secured, also possibly via Quantitative Easing - "printing fresh money".


CONTENTS:

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD
May Day 2010 & 2011 & 2012 & 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 & 2021 & 2022 & 2023: The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy world wide
- European Day of Action
15.12.2010 and 14.11.2012 - and more...
IWW's international direct action 'Towards anarchy in France' and the situation in France
IWW protest against Toronto G20: The policy of a) the uninformed of real economics and b) bureaucracy economics
101 syndicalists murdered in 2009 world wide. Pressure on workers' rights grows. Direct actions by IWW
The AI, IWW and ACLA condemn the murder of syndicalist Pedro Antonio García in Guatemala
May Day Manifesto 2009 - Full employment now!
The Anarchist International protests against the sacking of CNT's Juan R. Dominguez at Magma Tratamientos SLU- Spain. He must immediately get his job back!
The International Workers of the World supports CGT's (Spanish anarchosyndicalists) actions against the Returns Directive.
May Day 2008 - Hunger demonstrations, it's the struggle of the people!
Belarus: Condemnation of a police raid and violation of workers' rights
GENERAL STRIKE IN ITALY NOVEMBER 09th 2007
Call for International Convention to protect Domestic Workers
MAY DAY MANIFESTO 2007
SUPPORT TO SAC, THE FOSIE CASE
MAY DAY MANIFESTO 2006
MAY DAY GREETINGS FROM THE ANARCHISTS 2005
MAY DAY MANIFESTO 2004
DIRECT ACTION AND GENERAL STRIKE IN ITALY APRIL 16th 2002
GENERAL STRIKE IN SPAIN SEPTEMBER 2002
THE ICC AND THE NORWEGIAN SECTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD ETC.
IWW/AI solidarity strike for the Norwegian journalists 29.05. - 07.06.2002
THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE INDUSTRIAL AND THE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD
15.09.2023. UAW strike: Workers walk out at US motor industry giants. The International Workers of the World supports the strike
The situation in Norway 2024


ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD

This is the official web-page of the International Workers of the World, IWW/AI - affiliated to the IFA - L'Internationale des Fédérations Anarchistes - The International of the Federations of Anarchists - The International of Anarchist Federations (IAF) and the Anarchist International (AI). For the history of IWW/AI in general, see link to the history of IFA/IAF/AI, at "Links" below. The Confederation consists of anarchosyndicalists in the Anarchist Federations of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Finland, and in several other countries of the Anarchist International broadly defined, from Iceland to the New Artisan and Workers' Union in Mauritius (click on: NAWU ), etc. i.e. world wide.

This section of the Anarchist International was founded/reorganized at the The First Nordic Anarchist Congress 15-17 october 1982 in Oslo, and further developed at later congresses, and it is rooted back to the in Geneva 1866 founded 1st International's i.e. the IWMA - International Workingmen's Association's conference at Saint-Imier, in The Swiss Confederation, 15-16.09.1872. At this conference it was decided an anarchist resolution denouncing all forms of [authoritarian] political power, i.e. political/administrative and economically broadly defined. Also a solidarity and fellowship pact was decided upon by the delegates. The resolution put forward by Michael Bakunin 16.09.1872, under the title "The political action of the proletariate", at the Saint-Imier congress, should not be forgotten. The Anarchist International had meetings several times during the years passing by, first within the framework of the IWMA 1872-77, later related to other international anarchist congresses.

Bakunin's famous word of wisdom: "Liberty without socialism is privilege, injustice; socialism without liberty is slavery and brutality", is still valid. Another important event in the international anarchist and labor movement's history is the "Haymarket affair" related to the Chicago anarchists in 1886, the backround and origin of May Day as the international workers' day, see May day .

The Anarchist International (IFA) was reorganized at a congress in Carrara (Italy) 31/8-5/9 1968. The purpose of the congress was, among other things, to create a world wide anarchist organization as an alternative to "Cohn Bendit et autres gauchistes", also called "the children of Marx". Anarchists were tired of people presenting basically marxist or marxian ideas as anarchism. In the following years, several congresses were organized, see the History of the Anarchist International IFA/AI .

The anarchosyndicalist branch was as indicated above officially confirmed as a section of the Anarchist International at the IFA-congress in Oslo 1982, deciding a.o.t. the following: "El principal tema de este congreso ha sido la cooperación anarquista nórdica. El acuerdo se ha hecho sobre la aceptación de una cooperación muy ampllia. La cooperación ideológica [i.e. political] económica y cultural ha sido enfocada sobre los ountos siguientes: la acción de los anarquistas en los sindicatos, el movimiento colectivista, cooperativista, el movimiento ecologista, feminista, el apoyo a los jovenes..." This is a.o.t. documented in the Bulletin C.R.I.F.A. no 42 novembre 1982 p. 4. , plus Folkebladet No 4/1983 and IFA-Solidaritet No 8/1983. The Anarchist Manifesto ISBN 82-90468-09-1 of the Northern sections of IFA published in 1983, confirms the branch of "anarko-syndikalister (fagbevegelse), i.e. anarcho-syndicalists (labor confederation/movement)" within the general program.

The anarchosyndicalist section was later expanded universally when the Anarchist International world wide was officially confirmed at the International Anarchist Congress in Oslo medio December 1998 and later.

In 1997 the term Anarchist International (AI) was officially introduced, although mentioned several times before, say, in International Journal of Anarchism, IJ@ no 10/26 (15) in 1985. The constitution of the Anarchist International AI was as mentioned officially confirmed on the International Anarchist Congress, i.e. the 5th Anarchist Biennial, arranged by the NAC/IFA/AI in Oslo medio December 1998. The AI is a broader organization and network than the IFA anarchist federations of some countries in the South and North, see the Anarchist International .

The International Journal of Anarchism, IJ@, is the only officially mandated and publicly registered organ of the Anarchist International AI-IFA-IAF, the IWW/AI included. There are sections/federations for support work, community action, research and different tendencies of anarchism broadly defined, among them as mentioned the anarchosyndicalist section International Workers of the World - IWW/AI.

The IWW/AI, i.e. the Anarchist International-WW must not be mixed up with the Industrial-WW, founded in 1905 in the USA. The Industrial-WW is mainly a leftist marxist/marxian* organization, neither anarchist, libertarian nor anarchosyndicalist, i.e. outside the anarchist quadrant on the Economical Political map, see System theory and economic-political map .

The IWW/AI forms a junction between the Anarchist International in general, and the general syndicalist and trade unions world wide.

The network of the IWW/AI broadly defined is usually just called the INTERNATIONAL.

IWW/AI promotes anarchosyndicalism, anarchism; decentralism, free contracts, federalism and real democracy etc. as opposed to statism, centralism, slave-contracts and other authoritarian tendencies in the unions and generally, see the Oslo Convention and www.anarchy.no all around.

Especially IWW/AI works for 1. Citizen remuneration above the powerty line. 2. A significant higher minimal salary - it must pay to work! The purpose of this is to do away with relative slave-contracts in the different countries, i.e. "wage slavery". Furthermore IWW/AI is for 3. unconditional support to free research from the people's perspective as opposed to the national or authorities' perspective, based on the non-dogmatic, non-dialectical, scientifical method suggested in Peter Kropotkin's "Modern Science and anarchism" (1903-13), i.e. the hypothetical deductive method. Thus, also the left-Hegelian dialectical ideas of, say, Bakunin and Max Stirner, and later Daniel Guerin, Sam Dolgoff and Murray Bookchin, must principally be rejected as pseudoscience, similar to Marx and his followers' ideology. Also central theorems in marxist economics are not compatible with the hypothetical deductive method, and thus are pseudoscience.

IWW/AI works against 4. party political and state-socialist rule of unions, and 5. support to political parties from the budgets of the unions. The main strategy of IWW is direct action .

This is the general program of IWW/AI. There are however also some other cases that may be mentioned:

IWW/AI is also against the "all workers - one big union" strategy of the Industrial-WW and others, that reminds us of the Soviet Union; and their intrigues, lies and smearstories related to Jamal Hannah & co at jah@iww.org against the Anarchist International and its sections, similar to Marx's intrigues etc. against Bakunin in the First International. There is not so much new under the sun! Nobody should link up to this student commie type joke of an "industrial union" nor take it seriously. Boycott "Industrial-WW" in America!

There are also other marxist groups and fascists/neonazis posing as "anarchosyndicalists", "anarchobolsheviks", "anarchonationalists", "revolutionary syndicalists" etc., see the The International Anarchist Tribunal - The Anarchist Press Tribunal - International Branch and Nordic Branch for an update. Say, in Sweden 1999 a real anarchosyndicalist Björn Söderberg of SAC was killed by two nazis, after trying to stop the fascist infiltration in a union-club. 23.10.1999 about 20-40000 persons all over Sweden demonstrated against fascism and to honor the memory of the brave syndicalist.

At the Anarchist Conference in Stockholm, arranged by the Nordic IFA secretariate and the Swedish section of the Anarchist International, in 1983, neonazi skinheads tried to infiltrate the movement, but strong measures were taken to stop these dangerous intruders. These efforts of the Anarchist International were however a good investment.... Our fellows at SAC have, as mentioned, been less successful dealing with this problem. And the anarchists of course remember well that communists killed a lot of anarchists in the Spanish revolution 1936-39, as well a more recent ochlarchical repression of libertarians by marxists, say, at May Day demonstrations.

The IWW/AI calls on all anarchists, anarchosyndicalists included, to be on the alert against authoritarian infiltration: Fascists, nazists, trotskyites, lubbeists, red brigades, etc. - and ochlarchists (ochlarchy = mob rule broadly defined). A stitch in time saves nine - better look before you leap, i.e. organizations ruined, persons being wounded or be killed:

"The fight against fascism begins with the fight against bolshevism"
- Otto Rühle -

Contact IWW? Click here!

http://www.anarchy.no/iwwai.html


Click on Links to see some federations related to the IWW/AI network broadly defined, i.e. organizations with significant factions of anarchosyndicalists. There are however more!
There are no unions without anarchists, click on:
International Workers of the World in Global Unions


May Day 2010 & 2011 & 2012 & 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 & 2021 & 2022 & 2023: The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy world wide - European Day of Action 15.12.2010 and 14.11.2012 - and more...

Ad May Day 2010 & 2011 & 2012 & 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 & 2021 and more. The IWW has adopted the resolutions of the World Economic Council regarding the fight against the unenlightened plutarchy in USA, the Euro-zone including Greece, and world wide, see the WEC resolutions, and calls on all syndicalists and the people in general, to do the same. Workers of the world, i.e. the People, seen as a class as opposed to the superiors in rank and/or income: Unite and fight the unenlightened plutarchy world wide! In general, the International Workers of the World and the anarchists at large support the strikes and demonstrations against the unenlightened plutarchy, as long as they are direct actions, i.e. without ochlarchy. The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy is a also struggle against economic crisis, economical plutarchy, i.e. capitalism; plutocracy in general and statism; and for real democracy world wide.

A wave of strikes and many demonstrations directed against the unenlightened plutarchy have been, are - and will be - happening all over Europe and more. The IWW regularly participate in, and is holding, direct actions against the unenlightened plutarchy, especially at May Days. The May Day demonstrations are here seen in the context of the general fight against the unelightened plutarchy and for anarchy, i.e. the first part of this resolution. May Day 2010 is the next chapter. The European Day of Action 15.12.2010 and 14.11.2012 are the 3rd chapter, and May Day 2011, May Day 2012, May Day 2013, May Day 2014, May Day 2015, May Day 2016, May Day 2017, May Day 2018, May Day 2019, May Day 2020, May Day 2021, May Day 2022 and May Day 2023 the last chapters of this resolution so far.

Working people in all corners of the globe, gathering together on the 1st of May, celebrate the tremendous achievements of the anarchist and labor movement in general, and commemorate all those who have given so much in the cause of justice, equality and human dignity. Especially we remember the Chicago anarchists and the origin of the May Day as the special day of workers' demonstrations, see The History of May Day. 2011 is a year of historic importance for international anarchism. It is 125 years since the Haymarket affair that initiated the celebration of May Day as the international workers' day. We will use our strength to transform the world of work and the world at large in the interests of all men and women. By reaching out to all workers, standing with those who fight for their rights against exploitation and dictatorship, and campaigning for global peace and security, anarchists around the world will have a significant voice. In 2012 & 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 & 2021 & 2022 & 2023 this struggle and co-operation continue.

1. Related to... May Day 2010 & 2011 & 2012 & 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 & 2021 & 2022 & 2023: The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy world wide - Direct actions by the International Workers of the World!

IWW backed the general strike in Greece 24.02.2010, and supports most of the protests and strikes against the unenlightened plutarchy in the country, see the situation in Greece for more information. This Web-site about the situation in Greece is often updated, follow the news, comments and direct actions. General strikes in Greece 11.03.2010, 20.05.2010, 29.06.2010 and 08.07.2010, the sixth in 2010... and more!

French air traffic controllers went on strike Tuesday 23.02.2010 as labor unrest continued to roll across Europe despite the suspension of a strike by Lufthansa pilots after just one day. The action comes a day after German-based Lufthansa and its pilots' union agreed to suspend its standoff and return to the bargaining table. The suspension will expire on March 8, barring an agreement before then, both sides said in a Frankfurt labor court. 

On Monday British Airways cabin crew voted to strike, although no dates were announced. A planned 12-day walkout by Unite, the union which represents the workers, during the Christmas holidays was blocked by a judge. Unite said it is continuing negotiations with the airline. Like Lufthansa pilots, British Airways staff are concerned about wages and job security as larger, older airlines deal with the twin blows of the global recession and increased competition from low-cost carriers. "These are not mindless militants looking to bring the company down, these are ordinary, decent people who do a highly professional job, and very evidently they have a deep set of grievances," Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary of Unite said. (See also note on strike at BA 24.05.2010 below)

Airline industry: Strike, strike, everywhere a strike... European airlines were not the only ones hurting. Japan Airlines de-listed its shares from trading in Tokyo Saturday as part of its bankruptcy restructuring. And in Australia, Qantas Airlines announced this week it would eliminate first class travel from its flights. Industry watchers expect to see more industrial actions at airlines across the world. Beyond the airline industry, other labor disputes are spilling into industrial action in Europe.

In France. French gas giant Total said about 100 of 4,000 gas stations in the country are beginning to run out of fuel as a strike by oil refinery workers enters a second week. However on Wednesday the strike ended after workers at all but one of the oil refining plants voted to halt their walkout. Workers at five of oil giant Total SA's French refineries that had been striking since last week voted in separate ballots to go back to work. A sixth refinery, near Dunkirk in northern France, will remain shut until a scheduled meeting with management over the refinery's future on March 8. The walkout had been sparked last week by concerns about Total's plan to convert the Dunkirk refinery for other uses, as well as about as the future of refining in general. The oil company pledged Tuesday to neither close nor sell other plants in France for the next five years. More information about the situation in France, see the resolution: IWW's international direct action 'Towards anarchy in France' and the situation in France below .

And in Spain, labor confederations, including the anarchosyndicalist CGT, protested on Tuesday 23.02.2010 against a government plan to raise the retirement age from 65 to 67. Thousands of workers protested in Spain's major cities against government spending cuts and the plans to raise the retirement age. The rallies were the first mass labor protests in the six years of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist government. Spain is a major industrial economy still in recession and has one of the European Union's highest unemployment rates, of about 19 percent. For workers under 25, the jobless rate is about 40 percent, the government reports. The government plan to raise the retirement age to 67 aims to prevent, in the coming decades, the pension system from going bust, as Spaniards live longer and collect retirement benefits for longer periods, with a projected declining number of workers paying in to the social security system, government officials have said publicly in recent weeks.

13.05.2010. Spain's efforts to bring its budget deficit down with wage and spending cuts, i.e. unenlightened plutarchy, have sparked an angry response from the country's two biggest unions. They said they would strike in protest. Union leaders met Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and told him they 'totally disagreed' with his plan to cut public sector wages this year, freeze them next year and slash public investment spending by six billion euros. The head of the UGT union, Cándido Méndez, said that after talking to the prime minister they were unconvinced and are completely opposed to the austerity measures. He added "They are a sharp blow to the chances of maintaining certain levels of consumption and will lead to delays in economic recovery." Ignacio Fernández Toxo, the general secretary of Comisiones Obreras, said: "The prime minister has just presented the worst solution at a time when the crisis has not yet been solved, just to respond to the demands of the financial markets." They plan a public sector strike for the second of June affecting hospitals and schools, and have threatened to call a general strike.

08.06.2010. Spanish public sector on strike against austerity plan. Spanish public sector workers have been holding a strike in protest against an average 5% cut in pay that comes into effect this month. The cuts are part of a government austerity package aimed at reducing the country's budget deficit, swollen by almost two years of recession and depression. Several thousand protesters gathered in front of Madrid's finance ministry blowing horns and chanting slogans. The city was bracing for a major rally and march on Tuesday evening. Spanish unions said 75-80% of public sector workers had joined the day-long strike.

29.06.2010. Unions in Spain's Basque country have been holding a general strike - huelga general, in protest at the government's belt-tightening measures. In Bilbao, hundreds of people took the streets forcing shops and businesses to close. Police made several arrests as anger turned into violence. Elsewhere, striking workers protesting over a five percent pay cut forced the closure of Madrid's metro. The move is expected to be repeated on Wednesday as union anger spreads over the austerity measures. The anarchosyndicalist confederation CGT participated in the strike, called for sharing and social justice, and sent the secretariate of the International Workers of the World and the Anarchist International a report/link with the following picture:

29.09.2010. General strike and mass protest. IWW protests against the unenlightened plutarchy - a direct action world wide. IWW condemns the tendencies of ochlarchy. No anarchists, including anarchosyndicalists, were involved in the ochlarchy.

General strike - 'huelga general', in Spain - and protests in Brussels and in other EU-memberstates. Airlines canceled flights and picketers hurled eggs at buses and blocked trucks from delivering produce to wholesale markets as Spanish workers staged a general strike Wednesday to protest austerity measures imposed by a government struggling to slash its budget deficit and overcome recession. The stoppage was the opening salvo of a day of protest expected to see tens of thousands of people converge on EU buildings in Brussels to protest belt-tightening measures that unions see as punishing workers for a crisis they consider to have been triggered by bankers and traders, many of whom had to be rescued by massive government intervention. The Spanish anarchosyndicalist confederation CGT participated in the strike. Also the anarchosyndicalist International Workers of the World participated in the protests - against the unenlightened plutarchy, and also condemned the tendencies of ochlarchy (i.e. mob rule broadly defined). The IWW's direct action was world wide.

The stoppage was called to a.o.t. protest austerity measures that include wage cuts for civil servants, a freeze on most retirement pensions and labor market reforms that make it easier and cheaper for companies to lay people off. Some of the latest protests against the Spanish government's planned spending cuts turned violent. In Madrid, police said that some 40 people had been arrested since the strike began in the early hours of Wednesday morning. In Barcelona, demonstrators hurled objects at security forces and set fire to a police vehicle. Meanwhile, protesters in Valencia tried to storm a government building. Several were injured in the clashes. No anarchists, including anarchosyndicalists, were involved in the ochlarchy.

European unions orchestrated a crescendo of anti-austerity protests across the continent, sending workers ranging from Greek doctors to Spanish bus drivers to Lithuanian engineers out to vent over job cuts, higher taxes, soaring unemployment and smaller pensions. One man even blocked the entrance to the Irish parliament with a cement truck, decrying the country's enormous bank bailouts with slogans like "Toxic Bank" and "All politicians should be sacked." Waves of demonstrators clad in bright red, green and blue union jackets marched through Brussels toward European Union buildings, aiming to reinforce the impact of Spain's first nationwide general strike in eight years. Unions estimated the turnout in Brussels at 100,000 people. Some protesters there confronted riot squads with a sit-down protest in the middle of the street. About 150 people were detained, some in scuffles with police.

Police sealed off the EU headquarters and barricaded banks and shops ahead of the protest in Brussels. It was described by unions as a day of action under the slogan "No to austerity, priority to jobs and growth". The demonstrators, many carrying large red and green balloons and banners, headed towards EU institution buildings in the Belgian capital. They made heard their voices, whistles, horns and anything else they could find, says the BBC's Nick Childs in the city, amid the sound and smoke of firecrackers.

Strikes or protests took place Wednesday in Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Slovenia, Poland, Italy, Latvia and Lithuania, all aimed at the budget-slashing, tax-hiking, pension-cutting austerity plans that European governments have implemented to try to control their debt. The march in Brussels came as the EU Commission proposed new penalties to punish member states that have run up deficits, mainly to fund social programs in a time of high unemployment. The proposal, backed by Germany, was running into strong opposition from France, which wants elected politicians, not rigid accounting rules, to decide on what sanctions big spending countries should face. "It is a bizarre time for the European Commission to be proposing a regime of punishment," John Monks, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, told Associated Press Television News. "How is that going to make the situation better? It is going to make it worse."

Unions fear workers will become the biggest victims of an economic crisis, as mentioned, set off by bankers and traders, many of whom were rescued by massive government intervention. "It is not right that people on low salaries have to pay to prop up the country. It should be the banks," said Belgian demonstrator Evelain Foncis. Several governments, already living dangerously with high debt, were pushed to the brink of financial collapse and have been forced to impose punishing cuts in wages, pensions and employment - measures that have brought workers out by the tens of thousands over the past months.

"There is a great danger that the workers are going to be paying the price for the reckless speculation that took place in financial markets," Monks said. "You've really got to reschedule these debts so that they are not a huge burden on the next few years and cause Europe to plunge down into recession." The strike in Spain on Wednesday was the country's first general one since 2002 and marked a break in the once-close relationship between unions and the Socialist government. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government is under severe pressure because of unpopular measures put in place to save Europe's fourth-largest economy from a bailout similar to the one that saved Greece from bankruptcy in May. The cuts have helped Spain trim its central government deficit by half through July but the unemployment rate still stands at a shocking 20 percent, and many businesses are struggling to survive.

Whistle-blowing picketers blocked trucks from delivering produce to wholesale markets in Madrid and Barcelona. Strikers hurled eggs and screamed "scabs" at drivers trying to leave a city bus garage in Madrid. Airlines canceled hundreds of flights at Spanish airports. Greece, which had to be rescued this spring by the 15 other nations that share the euro currency just to stave off bankruptcy, also has been forced to cut deep into workers' allowances, with weeks of bitter strikes and actions as a result. Also Wednesday, some 400 protesters rallied in an illegal demonstration in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, to demand authorities cease harsh austerity measures such as salary cuts. "All of working Europe is on the streets today to express dismay over nearsighted income-cutting politics," said Vytautas Jusys, a 40-year-old engineer who lost his job this year. In Slovenia, thousands of public service workers continued their open-ended strike to protest the government's plan to freeze their salaries for two years - or until the economy grows again at a rate of 3 percent. In Portugal, a country with one of the euro zone's most fragile economies, about 20,000 people took part in an evening demonstration in Lisbon, unions said.

20.01.2011. The Spanish anarchosyndicalist labor confederation CGT is campaigning for "another general strike" against a "social pact" with further cuts in labor and social rights for the working class, and sent the secretariate of the International Workers of the World and the Anarchist International (AI/IFA) a report/link with the following picture:

Spanish parliamentary elections were held on the 20th of November 2011. Spanish citizens elected their representatives for both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. The results show a clear victory for Partido Popular (PP) and a remarkable defeat for the Spanish so called socialists (PSOE). Focusing on the outcome of the elections at the Congress, which is the main legislative body in the Spanish bicameral system, the PP won the elections with the 44.62% of the votes, followed by PSOE with the 28.73%. The global turnout of the elections was 71.69%, slightly lower to the latest elections of 2008. No improvement in the economic-political situation is expected by the new PP-government. The new governemnet will probably not create increased demand for the Spanish GDP, economic growth and reduced unemployment.

General strike in Spain 29.03.2012. Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy faces his first test as unions stage a general strike Thursday 29.03.2012 against fresh austerity measures. Tensions flared in the early hours as workers from the country's largest unions clashed with police at a bus depot in Madrid. Later police fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds in downtown Barcelona after hooded youths, i.e. extremist marxist ochlarchists, threw rocks at windows and set rubbish bins alight in Spain's second city, where - as in much of Spain - unemployment has been devastating among the young. Police made a total of 176 arrests and there were 104 injuries, the Interior Ministry said. The anarchists condemned the rioting ochlarchists.

The small anarchosyndicalist unions CGT and CNT-AIT also participated in the general strike. There is anger over labor reforms the government plans to introduce on Friday which protesters say will make it easier to fire people. "Strikes won't solve our problems. But they're the best way of putting pressure on the government to fix them," one demonstrator said. Nonetheless, the government has vowed to press ahead with its labor reforms which it says will reduce unemployment.

Spain is now tipping into its second recession since the end of 2009 and some observers expect at least another million people to join already swollen unemployment lines. The jobless rate is the highest in the European Union at 23 percent and almost half of under 25-year-olds are out of work. Spanish unions called Thursday's strike to protest a jobs reform that makes it cheaper for companies to fire people and dismantles the nationwide system of collective bargaining. "The labor reform has taken away workers' rights my parents managed to win. This strike is just a starting point for protests and I see things ramping up in the coming months," said train driver Miguel Pastor, 40, at Madrid's Atocha station. But union influence has been slowly disintegrating, with fewer than a fifth of Spanish employees currently affiliated with the country's two biggest unions, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and UGT. The anarchosyndicalist unions CGT and CNT-AIT are very small and with very little influence. Though organizers said millions attended evening marches in 110 cities local media estimates, in the absence of data from authorities, put the crowds in only the hundreds of thousands.

15.09.2012. Tens of thousands of people from all over Spain rallied in the capital against punishing austerity measures enacted by the government, which is trying to save the country from financial collapse. 25.09.2012. Protesters clashed with police in Spain's capital as the government prepares a new round of unpopular austerity measures for the 2013 budget. At least 22 demonstrators were detained and 28 injured, as clashes continued late into the evening near the Spanish parliament, Spanish broadcaster TVE reported. IWW condemns the ochlarchy and the ochlarchists.

29.09.2012. Tens of thousands of Spaniards and Portuguese rallied in the streets of their countries' capitals Saturday to protest enduring economic pain from austerity measure, and the demonstration in Madrid turned violent after Spaniards enraged over a long-lasting recession and sky-high unemployment clashed with riot police for the third time in less than a week near Parliament. IWW condemns the ochlarchy and the ochlarchists.

Portuguese civil servants walked off their jobs on Thursday 04.03.2010, hoping to close schools, courts and hospitals in a protest strike against austerity measures imposed by the so called Socialist government. The strike was the biggest in years in Portugal and will test the minority government, which has been pressed by financial markets to cut spending after Greece's fiscal crisis turned the focus on weak euro zone members. Portugal's unions say they have had years of worsening conditions as public pensions and other benefits were cut by the government, which this year froze public wages in its effort to win investor confidence by cutting the budget deficit.

"There is immense discontent which you can see in the way workers behave," said Manuel Carvalho da Silva, leader of the 725,000-strong General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP). The Iberian country of 10 million people is slowly, too slowly, recovering from its worst economic downturn in decades and unemployment, at 10 percent, is the highest in a quarter of a century. The strike, which comes on the heels of industrial action in Spain and Greece, raises pressure on the government just as it prepares a long-term budget plan to cut the budget deficit to below 3 percent of gross domestic product by 2013. Portuguese unions have threatened more strikes if the government extends the freeze on civil servant wages beyond this year -- something which has been under consideration.

Tens of thousands marched in Lisbon on Saturday 29.05.2010 against the government's austerity measures, with the leader of CGTP vowing to intensify resistance. Manuel Carvalho da Silva said that the union plans to escalate protests against the financial cutbacks. His union has left open the option of calling a general strike. "We are committed to all the forms of resistance the constitution allows, and will decide on their timing and form depending on the government's actions," Carvalho da Silva said.

24.11.2010. General strike in Portugal against austerity measures. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled due to a general strike in Portugal. Trains and buses are also affected. Services from healthcare to schools and banks have been hit. Unions say the whole country has more-or-less ground to a halt. This is the first joint general strike by Portugal's two biggest unions since 1988. They have been angered by plans to cut public sector wages, freeze pensions and increase taxes. Private and public sector workers take part in the stoppage. Prime Minister Jose Socrates wants to stop rumours that Portugal will be the next eurozone country to need a bailout after Ireland and Greece. The stoppage comes just two days before the parliament in Lisbon is due to vote on an austerity budget.

24.11.2011. General strike in Portugal against austerity measures. Trade unions stage a general strike against austerity measures adopted in return for a euro78 billion ($104 billion) international bailout. The 24-hour walkout comes amid increasing hardship as Portugal, one of western Europe's frailest economies, sheds jobs and sinks deeper into recession and economic depression. Unemployment is up to 12.4 percent and prospects for an improvement are grim as a double-dip recession is forecast to worsen next year.

15.09.2012. Large anti-austerity protests took place in Portugal. Demonstrators in Lisbon threw tomatoes and fireworks at the Portuguese headquarters of the International Monetary Fund. Two protesters were arrested, but otherwise the rally was peaceful. IWW condemns the ochlarchy.

And in Italy there were strikes and protests against the populist light brown & blue Berlusconi regime Friday 12.03.2010. A large workers' strike to demand a.o.t. job protection grounded dozens of planes and idled buses and trains across Italy. The four-hour strike snarled traffic in some cities, and Alitalia had to cancel or reschedule some flights as a result of the protest. Hospital and school workers were staging an eight-hour strike, causing delays and forcing some schools to shut down. The walkout was called by Italy's largest union, CGIL, to protest cuts at companies including Fiat, which plans to end auto production at a plant in Sicily next year, and to press Premier Silvio Berlusconi's government to come up with employment-boosting policies.

There were also demonstrations on the streets in Rome, with protesters demanding lower taxes and better job security. If the unenlightened plutarchy in the country continues, "consumer spending in Italy will take as many as five years to return to the level enjoyed before the economy entered the worst recession since World War II," retailers' organization Confcommercio said: "Spending won't regain its pre-crisis level until 2015. It's painful but necessary to note that both per capita gross domestic product [GDP]  and consumption - are today, corrected for inflation, on the same level of 10 years ago." After falling into a recession in the third quarter of 2008, the $2.3 trillion economy exited the slump a year later, only to contract again in the three months through December. Consumers were a drag on growth with their spending falling 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter, national statistics institute Istat said this week.

The anti-Berlusconi protests in Rome continued 13.03.2010. Tens of thousands of Italians have been taking part in a protest in Rome's main square against the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The demonstrators, called out by the opposition and unions, accused him of changing laws for his own benefit. The protest organizers also called for employment, education and health to be at the centre of campaigning for this month's regional elections. A recent opinion poll showed only low levels of support for Mr Berlusconi. His so called "People of Freedom" party has seen its preparations for the regional elections on 28 and 29 March marred by problems over electoral lists.

Italy's top administrative court, the State Council, refused on Saturday to reinstate the ruling coalition's candidates for the Lazio region, which includes Rome. The government had passed an emergency decree to ensure its list was included, despite a "People of Freedom" official missing a deadline to submit the required documents to local electoral officials. Mr Berlusconi has said the list was excluded as an attempt to damage his party, and that he only acts in the interests of Italian democracy. Italy's political atmosphere has rarely been more intense since he came to office two years ago. 

25.05.2010. BBC reports: Italy joins euro austerity drive. The Italian government has approved austerity measures worth 24 billion euros (£20bn; $29bn) for the years 2011-2012. Italy will take measures to reduce public sector pay and will put a freeze on new recruitment. Public sector pensions and local government spending are also expected to be hit. Added to these, a clampdown on tax avoidance is also planned. The cuts are equal to some 1.6% of gross domestic product (GDP). Similar reductions in spending measures have already been announced by Greece, Spain and Portugal. Some Italian workers have already been out protesting. In Rome, workers at the Italian Institute for the Professional Development of Vocational Training of Workers (Isfol) held protests against the cuts at their headquarters.

One worker, Simone Casadei, said the public sector had already paid a heavy price. "The sector of public research has already paid its toll and suffered cuts in the past," he said. "So we are asking for our sector to be left out of the new budget cuts." He added that the money should be raised by getting tough on tax evasion. "We also demand that the money needed to face this problems... is obtained through a tough action against tax evasion. The state cannot always take the money from the same sources, that is workers and pensioners." The government hopes to bring its deficit down to below 3% of GDP by 2012 - from 5.3% now - in order to help maintain the confidence of international investors and prevent the spread of a Greek-style debt crisis. The IWW agrees with Simone Casadei in this case, and reminds about the fascist 'Berlusconi-Mussolini connection', search for Mussolini in the International Anarchist Tribunal - Anarchist Press Tribunal. Fascism has never been 'worker friendly'...

25.06.2010. General strike in Italy. There was a general strike in Italy, called by the country's biggest union in protest at the national austerity plan, known as 'la manovra'. The strike was a major blow to Silvio Berlusconi's populist, moderate fascist government, and 'la manovra'. Growing discontent over the proposals is threatening to affect the Berlusconi-government's popularity. It's clear not everyone in Italy is singing from the same hymn sheet: "Our contracts might not be renewed – and they have already run out. This has brought us out onto the streets to show how angry we are," said one protestor. The effects of the stoppage was far-reaching. Burials at municipal cemeteries were postponed – and the country's airports were deserted. The general strike was throwing transport and state services into disarray.

16.10.2010. Thousands of workers demonstrate in Italy. The effects of the current climate of protest are making themselves felt across Europe. In Italy, thousands have taken to the streets of Rome, to draw attention to the pay and conditions of metalworkers, particularly those in the car industry. Police were sent onto the streets due to fears the protests would be infiltrated by troublemakers, but they passed off in a libertarian way, peacefully. Italy's unions have also planned nationwide demonstrations for this month to press for tax reforms.

06.09.2011. Italians launch general strike against austerity. Tens of thousands of Italians have taken to the streets during a day-long strike against the government's latest austerity measures. Flights, trains and buses were cancelled, and government offices shut. CGIL, which called the general strike, is Italy's largest union federation, and millions of workers were thought to be taking part. The CGIL is demanding stronger action against tax dodgers and continuing job protection. It has been infuriated by a new clause that will make it easier to dismiss workers. "We are on the edge of the abyss, we need responsible government," said CGIL union leader Susanna Camusso. "We are striking against measures that are irresponsible, and which put all of the burden on public sector workers," she told strikers in Rome.

However, smaller, more moderate union federations have rejected the strike. They say there is no point in striking against employers when everybody's jobs are at risk. In Milan striking workers threw eggs and smoke bombs at banks, in Turin they scuffled with police, while in Palermo in Sicily demonstrators burned the flags of trade unions that refused to take part in the strike. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's populist centre-right coalition has been forced into urgent government spending cuts and tax raises by Italy's eurozone partners. Parliament is due to pass into law this week its amended austerity plan, first drawn up hastily during the August holidays at the insistence of the European Central Bank. Many of the original measures in the plan - including a tax on the highest earners, pension reforms, and the scrapping of local councils - have been changed or ditched after raising howls of protest.

The Italian government says the bill will be put to a vote of confidence - a common technique for ensuring the passage of controversial measures. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has compared Italy's economic plight to that of Greece. Meanwhile, Mr Berlusconi's popularity rating has sunk to an all-time low. Italy has helped take some of the focus off Spain's difficulties - though they were also set to come back to the fore on Tuesday, with unions planning rallies to protest against a new constitutional amendment which will oblige governments to ensure that budgets are balanced.

12.11.2011. Silvio Berlusconi officially resigned as Italy's prime minister Saturday 12.11.2011, according to the presidential palace press office. Berlusconi's resignation comes after Italy's lower chamber on Saturday approved a series of austerity measures, a move to shore up confidence in the country's economy. The package, which includes spending cuts and proposals to boost growth, was approved by the Senate Friday, resulting in a market surge. The prime minister, who has survived many sexual and ethical scandals, pledged to step down once the economic measures passed both houses of parliament. Berlusconi's departure signals the end of an era in Italian politics. The 75-year-old business tycoon has been a dominant force since forming his Forza Italia party in 1994. Berlusconi stepped down amid jeers, cheers and heckles of "Buffoon" from thousands of people who packed downtown Rome to witness his government's downfall after a stunning week of market turmoil that upended his defiant hold on power and threatened to tear apart the eurozone.

16.11.2011. Technocratic populism in Italy. Monti forms new Italian govt with no politicians. Premier Mario Monti formed a new Italian government without a single politician Wednesday, drawing upon bankers, diplomats and business executives for a team to steer Italy away from financial problems. The 68-year-old former European Union competition commissioner told reporters he will serve as Italy's economy minister as well as its premier as he seeks "sacrifices" from across the political spectrum to solve the economy's woes and get it growing again. This will probably not work. In Rome, after introducing his government, Monti and his new cabinet ministers were sworn in at a solemn ceremony at the presidential palace, formally ending Silvio Berlusconi's 3 1/2-year-old government and the media mogul's 17-year-long political dominance.

The word 'technocrat' has been plastered all over news articles describing the crisis in the eurozone in the last couple of days. It's being used to talk about the professorial economist now installed as Prime Minister in Italy (Mario Monti) & co, to replace career politicians in this time of crisis. However this will most likely not change the long run average coordinates of the Italian system on the economic-political map. Thus, the populist, moderate fascist, system in Italy, with unenlightened plutarchy, will probably continue, and may now  be labeled 'technocratic populism'. The Monti government is a part of the populist unenlightened plutarchy and will probably not create increased demand for the Italian GDP, economic growth and reduced unemployment.

Monti and his government  are not elected - but proponents say their expertise is much needed to rescue Italy from its perilous economic state. However the 'technocratic' solution is an erosion of democracy, although it may contribute somewhat to continued stability, in order to keep the semi-democracy afloat. Politicians are rather useless unless they have qualities that seriously help the morale and situation of the country. Economists and experts created and got the system in several countries including Italy into the crisis; it is wrong to let them have much of the power. However 'the markets' are calling the shots. New technocrat era certainly shines a massive light on importance of relevant experience for top govt jobs. The protests should continue, of course without ochlarchy.

28.09.2012. General strike in Italy. The two largest labor unions in the public sector in Italy arranged an anti-austerity general strike. 30 000 took to the streets.

28.01.2011. Note from USI-AIT. The national executive Alex Pesigupe of the main section of the Italian anarchosyndicalist labor confederation USI-AIT, celebrating its 99 years anniversary, sent a picture with the convention manifesto to the AI and IWW secretariate:

19.05.2010. Romanians protest over pay cuts. Tens of thousands of Romanian public workers took to the streets of Bucharest protest at planned pay cuts. Their pay packets will shrink by 25 percent as part of an IMF -brokered deal, while pensions funds will be cut by 15 percent. Romania must slash public spending to receive any of the remaining 8-billion euros from a 20-billion-euro aid package agreed last year. But unions argue ordinary people are bearing the brunt for politicians' shoddy economic management. One protesting policeman said it should be government ministers made to feel the pinch of a lighter wallet. "We are working day and night and doing unpaid overtime. All the police unions from all over the country are here and we will be back if necessary," he said, declining to give his name.

24.05.2010. British Airways cabin crew begin 5-day strike. The union representing British Airways cabin crew has begun a five-day strike but the airline says it will still be able to carry 70 percent of passengers who have booked flights. Monday's strike follows the failure of weekend talks between the Unite union and the airline. A key issue is the union's demand that the airline restore employee travel benefits which the airline suspended following an earlier strike. The union's joint leader, Tony Woodley, says BA already has secured its aim of cutting 1,700 jobs. Woodley said the dispute has turned personal because he believes the airline dislikes the cabin crew union. British Airways says it has accepted an invitation for more negotiations, and says it believes the union will also accept. 30.06.2011. Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers have gone on strike across the UK over planned pension changes.

30.11.2011. British public sector strike 'largest for a generation'. Unions say the strike is set to be the biggest single day of industrial unrest since the Winter of Discontent. Public sector workers are staging a strike over pensions in what unions say is set to be the biggest walkout for a generation. More than 1,000 demonstrations take place. The chancellor urged more talks, saying strikes would not achieve anything. Unions object to government plans to make their members pay more and work longer to earn their pensions. Later BBC reported tens of thousands of people have joined rallies around the UK as a public sector strike over pensions disrupted schools, hospitals and other services. About two thirds of state schools shut, and thousands of hospital operations were postponed, as unions estimated up to two million people went on strike. But Prime Minister David Cameron described the action as a "damp squib".

06.11.2014. Belgian police have used tear gas and water cannon against violent anti-austerity protesters in central Brussels after a largely peaceful march by about 100,000 workers. Steelworkers, dockers and teachers were among the thousands who took part, protesting against government austerity policies. Belgium's new government plans to raise the pension age, freeze wages and make public service cuts to meet EU targets. The centre-right government of Prime Minister Charles Michel says tough austerity measures are necessary to keep the budget deficit down. But Marie-Helene Ska, secretary general of the union CSC, said the government had to look elsewhere for the cash. "The government tells us and all of the parties tell us that there's no alternative. We don't contest that they have to find 11bn euros (£8.6bn; $13.6bn) but we've been saying for a long time that it's possible to find this money elsewhere, rather than in the pockets of the workers." Government-led talks between unions and employers opened on Thursday 06.11.2014. Trade unions plan a series of strikes. The anarchists support the strikes and protest marches, but condemn the ochlarchy and ochlarchists.

12.12.2014. Italy. A general strike has paralysed transport and shut schools and hospitals across Italy, as workers protest against labour market reforms. Scuffles broke out between the police and some protesters in the northern cities of Milan and Turin. Rallies took place in all major cities. Trade unions say the government's reforms would endanger job security by making it easier to dismiss workers. The anarchists support the strike and protest marches, but condemn the ochlarchy and ochlarchists.

18.03.2015. Germany. Anti-austerity protests at new ECB hq in Frankfurt. German police have clashed with anti-austerity protesters at the opening of the new headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. Thousands of demonstrators congregated at the security cordon set up around the new €1.3 bn complex. As many as 550 protesters have been detained and 90 police officers injured. Ochlarchy broke out around the Alta Oper concert hall and the city’s financial district. More than 100 demonstrators suffered injuries as police cars were smashed and set on fire and security services responded with tear gas and water canon. One young protestor explained why he was there: “ Above all I think I think the ECB is the symbol of monetary power in Europe and the power politics of capitalism. It is simply very important that lots of people from lots of different countries come together to fight against these policies.” German police say around 17,000 turned up to protest, organisers put the figure at 20,000. A number of trade unions, among them our fellows from the French CNT, were present along with members of Greece’s ruling Syriza party, as Athens attempts to renegotiate the terms of its bailout loan. No anarchists participated in the ochlarchy. The anarchists, included IWW/AI, condemn the ochlarchy, but support the protest in general, that was largely peaceful.

30.03.2015. Belgium. Thousands of people have taken part in an anti-austerity march through the centre of Brussels. Between 17,000 and 20,000 turned out as around 150 different associations protested against cuts in public funding and unfair taxation. The slogan for the rally was “10 principles for a different society” – real democracy and the environment among them. The anarchists support the protest march.

Protests all over the Arab world in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are significant, see IJA 1 (41).

28.04.2011. International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers! Joint IWW, ITUC, AIT/IWA resolutions. Gathering in Bordeaux arranged by IWW's French fellows CNT/AIT. International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers, April 28, has been organized worldwide by workers' confederations and the labor movement in general since 1996. This year International Workers of the World joins the resolutions of our fellows in France, CNT-AIT/IWA and ITUC in this connection. There is also a gathering in Bordeaux arranged by the local union of the French CNT-AIT/IWA. Our fellows in CNT has also sent the IWW-secretariate a pdf-version of the resolution, see Tract28Avril - Click here! CNT's resolution and gathering are also a part of the general struggle against the unenlightened plutarchy and for Anarchy world wide, and of course in France. The resolutions in French and English, and CNT's call for action, are also published on IWW's international direct action 'Towards anarchy in France' and the situation in France. The struggle continues - Stop the ochlarchy - Updated! Click here!

28.04.2011. Solidarity with Ukrainian miners and NPGK. The authorities of Ukraine, political/adminstrative and/or economically, i.e. the capitalists/economical plutarchists, continue to attack the rights of the working class and independent labor confederations. The working class is the people, seen as a class as opposed to the superiors, the authorities, political/administrative and/or economically, i.e. in rank and/or income/wealth.

One of the independent labor confederations being severely attacked is the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Krivbass (NPGK), operating in the Dnipropetrovsk region, primarily in the mine "October" Krivoy Rog iron ore (KZhRK). The union brought together nearly 500 miners and actively defended the interests of the workers. However NPGK's main secretary Nikita Stotsky has not given in, he has already passed two dozen trials, requiring compliance with the legal rights of NPGK, and challenging the rulers, i.e. the administration and owners, of KZhRK.

The rulers of KZhRK, of which several are members or recently were the deputies of local authorities from the nationalist-fascist party "Our Ukraine", headed by former President Viktor Yushchenko,  have actively supported the union leadership of NPGU. This corrupt union, NPGU, is closely associated with one of the largest financial and political groups in Ukraine, the right-fascist team around Yulia Tymoshenko, and is conducting an active policy of supporting "their" businessmen and politicians. On this background, the rulers of KZhRK and the bosses of NPGU by force seized the office of NPGK with all union possessions.

Hundreds of workers at KZHRK are struggling to restore the rights of their independent trade union. But the rulers, i.e. the company management, local government and the corrupt courts, do not back down. The International Workers of the World (IWW) demands that the rulers of "October" Krivoy Rog iron ore (KZhRK) restore all legitimate rights of NPGK, stop interfering in union activities, and return the union's rightful possessions! Hands off NPGK's main secretary Nikita Stotsky!

The International Workers of the World and its Ukrainian section call for an end of the present totalitarian left fascist regime with severe ochlarchy in Ukraine, and a steady and orderly movement of the social, i.e. economic and political/administrative - system towards real democracy, i.e. anarchy - a real revolution and a velvet revolution; and continued increased libertarian degree, see System theory - Chapter V. B.!

A development towards real democracy must be done by the people's actions - more and more, i.e. act with dignity, use real matter of fact arguments and add weight behind via direct actions, including mass actions & industrial actions, and via organization, dialog and elections! Junctions in this connection are the International Workers of the World and its Ukrainian section, as well as the independent labor movement in Ukraine in general, e.g. the Coordination Council of Workers' Movement of Ukraine (KSRD). More information about the economical-political system in Ukraine, see the resolution 'Ukraine on the economic-political map - Solidarity with Ukrainian miners and NPGK' at the Anarchy Debate. This resolution is sent to a) the Ukrainian authorities, b) to international newsmedia and mandated persons in general, and c) to anarchists and syndicalists etc. world wide, 28.04.2011.

14.09.2011. Workers rights must be defended, ILO chief says. While deficit reduction and growth may be the current priority of most governments, workers rights must also not be forgotten. That was the clear message from Juan Somavia, the Director-General of the International Labor Organization, to MEPs in Strasbourg. "Given the values of the European Union, it's a moment in which the respect for workers rights and the conditions of work highlight one basic thing that we know: that the quality of work defines the quality of a society. They also see the financial crisis, but they say: look, sometimes I have the feeling that there are banks that are too big to fail, and that we are people that are too small to matter." The warning by the ILO chief echoes similar calls from labor confederations and unions across Europe, including IWW, to protect workers rights in the face of government austerity cuts.

28.11.-09.12.2011. Against global warming. The IWW joins ITUC in direct actions against manmade global warming related to 'The 17th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17/CMP7)' in Durban, South Africa, see GAIA.

South Africa. Apartheid-era murder charges against 270 miners “absurd”. The laying of murder charges against 270 South African miners under a common purpose law notorious during the apartheid era is absurd, according to the IWW. Prosecutors announced the charges on 30 August, after 34 workers were killed confronting police at the Marikana platinum mine two weeks ago. The use of this common purpose law is simply unacceptable, and effectively involves collective punishment which has no place in post-apartheid South Africa. The legal system needs to ensure that the rule of law is properly applied, and that the underlying causes of the mounting discontent, in particular rising inequality in income and rank, and more general capitalism and statism, are addressed. Charging mine workers for the killing of their own colleagues by the police goes beyond what words can describe. IWW condemns the actions of police in charging mine workers for the killing of their colleagues and calls for the immediate release of the mine workers.

According to News24.com 03.09.2012 state prosecutor Nigel Carpenter confirmed the murder and attempted murder charges against all 270 miners arrested were dropped. 07.09.2012 the strike is still going on, supported by IWW. Striking platinum miners at Lonmin's Marikana mine in South Africa accepted a hefty pay rise offer on Tuesday 18.09.2012. The strikers cheered when they were told that management were offering a 22 percent pay increase, and said they would return to work on Thursday 20.09.2012. Lonmin confirmed that the deal had been signed in Rustenburg on Tuesday night. "The agreement includes a signing bonus of 2,000 rand and an average rise in wages of between 11 and 22 percent for all employees falling within the Category 3-8 bargaining units, effective from 1 October 2012," it said in a statement. The result of the strike, supported by IWW, must be considered as a victory. The number of killed during the strike and protests is revised upwards to 44, according to BBC. IWW gives condolences.

31.03.2016. France. Hundreds of thousands of workers and students took to the streets of French cities on Thursday 31.03.2016, braving heavy rain to protest against proposed labour changes. The demonstrations - which led to scores of arrests as youths and police clashed in a number of cities - were part of a nationwide strike against changes that could alter France's 35-hour working week and make it easier to hire and fire employees. Official figures said 390,000 people took part in the protests, while unions put the figure at 1.2 million. The IWW supports the protest, but condemns the ochlarchy.

28.04.2016. Ochlarchy in France. Twenty-four police officers have been injured, three of them seriously, during protests against a proposed labour law change in France. More than 100 protesters were arrested as tens of thousands gathered on the streets of major cities. Some burned tyres and threw bottles and stones at police. The IWW supports the protest, but condemns the ochlarchy.

01.05.2016. More ochlarchy in France. Clashes have broken out between French police and demonstrators during a May Day parade in Paris. Trade unions used the traditional march to protest against a proposed labour law to be discussed by parliament. Police responded with tear gas when youths began throwing missiles, bringing the march to a standstill. France has seen two months of unrest over the reforms. Several police officers were injured during countrywide protests on Thursday. The proposed law, to be debated in parliament on Tuesday, would remove some of the protection workers enjoy against being laid off, in an attempt to encourage businesses to hire more people. The socialist government says its aim is to combat chronic unemployment, but opponents say it will let employers bypass workers' rights on pay, rest time and overtime rates. The IWW supports the protest, but condemns the ochlarchy.

10-11.05.2016. Even more ochlarchy in France. Fierce protests have broken out across France after the government forced through controversial labour reforms. Nantes saw clashes between protesters and security forces. In Paris police fired rubber pellets on demonstrators outside the National Assembly. Earlier, the cabinet approved using special powers to pass the changes without parliamentary approval. The government says the reforms are essential to help cut high levels of unemployment. The changes make it easier for employers to hire and fire but opponents fear they will also enable employers to bypass workers' rights on pay, overtime and breaks. President Francois Hollande has faced months of resistance to the bill from students, unions and even members of his own Socialist Party. The IWW supports the protest, but condemns the ochlarchy.

26.05.2016. Continued ochlarchy in France. France has been hit by another day of strikes and protests against controversial labour reforms. Public transport, oil refineries and fuel supplies, nuclear power stations, all continued to be disrupted on Thursday. The state rail company SNCF said fewer trains were affected than during a similar strike last week. Estimates for the number of protesters on the streets mirrored the gap between the government and its opponents: 19,000 in Paris said the authorities; 100,000 was the unions’ figure. Prime Minister Manuel Valls has insisted the government will not withdrawn the law and will break up the blockades. He has hinted there could be some tweaks to the reforms but not on any of its key measures. The government hopes that giving companies more flexibility over rigid employment regulations – in areas such as overtime pay, leave and the 35-hour week – will encourage firms to recruit, reducing high unemployment. It has been described as President Hollande’s last throw of the dice before next year’s elections. Opponents doubt the changes will bring the required employment boost and fear more job insecurity. Six unions back the communist CGT, the main union organising the protests. Several more arrests were reported as again clashes broke out in Paris and other cities. The IWW supports the protest, but condemns the ochlarchy.

15.09.2016. Soon end of ochlarchy in France? Unions in France have vowed to keep fighting the country’s new labour law, but admitted on Thursday that dwindling support meant months of street protests were now ending. In the French capital, around 40,000 people rallied according to the hardline communist CGT union. The strike was part of a day of nationwide action against the now adopted legislation. In addition to Paris, Marseille and several other French cities saw protests. The new law, forced through parliament in July, aims to help France’s rigid labour market become more flexible by making it easier for firms to hire and fire. But Unions say it damages hard-won worker rights. While the demonstrations generally passed off peacefully, in the western city of Nantes sporadic violence broke out between some protesters and riot police. Despite fading support for street action, union leaders say they intend to challenge so called application decrees – documents which will spell out exactly how the new labour law applies on the ground. The IWW supports the protest, but condemns the ochlarchy.

01.10.2017. Referendum and general strike in Catalonia. Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont says the Spanish region has won the right to statehood following a contentious referendum that was marred by violence. He said the door had been opened to a unilateral declaration of independence. Catalan officials later said 90% of those who voted backed independence in Sunday's (01.10.2017) vote. The turnout was 42,3%. Spain's constitutional court had declared the poll illegal and hundreds of people were injured as police used force to try to block voting. In another development, more than 40 trade unions (included CGT and CNT-AIT) and Catalan associations called a region-wide general strike on Tuesday 03.10.2017 due to "the grave violation of rights and freedoms". The IWW supports the general strike.

03.10.2017. General strike in Catalonia. Thousands of people in Catalonia were rallying and blocking roads in protest over Spanish police violence during Sunday's (01.10.2017) independence referendum. There is little public transport across the region, after local trade unions called a general strike. Barcelona's port was at a standstill, union sources said. Almost 900 people were hurt as police tried to prevent the vote. Thirty-three police officers were also injured. On Tuesday 03.10.2017, about 300,000 people took to the streets of Barcelona, city police were quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. Protest rallies were also taking place in other major cities and towns of the north-eastern autonomous region. CNT-AIT declared "Against all States. For freedom. For social revolution!". This is also valid for an indepent State of Catalonia, thus IWW is against it.

More and updated resolutions from IWW about the situation in Spain Click here.

22.10.2017. Italy: Lombardy and Veneto regions vote on autonomy. The two northern regions have been staging non-binding referendums on Sunday 22.10.2017. Voters have been casting their ballots in two wealthy regions of northern Italy on claiming more autonomy from Rome. Lombardy and Veneto, both run by the once openly separatist Northern League, have been holding non-binding referendums. Unlike the recent vote in Catalonia, these are within the law. The ruling party hopes the result will deliver it a mandate to negotiate better financial deals from the national government. Back in the 1990s the Northern League campaigned for an independent state of “Padania” stretching across the north. Now the two regions use arguments about efficiency and bureaucracy – saying they’re better than others to the south. And crucially they complain they pay far more in taxes than they receive. Lombardy, home to Milan, accounts for around a fifth of Italy’s economy. The League’s opponents say the vote is a waste of time and money. Lombardy’s referendum doesn’t specify the areas where it wants more  autonomy. There are fears that a strong “yes” vote could deepen the old north-south divide dating back to before Italian unification in the 19th century. Update 23.10.2017. More than 95% of voters who cast ballots in Veneto and Lombardy opted to vote "yes" to more autonomy, according to officials in both regions. Turnout was more than 57% in Veneto, the region's spokesperson said. In Lombardy, turnout was about 39%, that region's spokesperson said.

02.06.2018. Thousands of people gathered in the streets of Rome on Saturday 02.06.2018 evening to celebrate the installation of Italy's new populist government. Attendees came from all over Italy to celebrate, excited to finally see their representatives from the anti-establishment left-populist Five Star Movement at the highest levels of the government, which was formed after the creation of a coalition with the right-populist League party.

And more! Direct actions by IWW and others for real democracy, i.e. anarchy; and against the unenlightened plutarchy and crisis world wide continue with full strength!

2. May Day 2010

01.05.2010. May Day protests and demonstrations world wide: Tens of thousands of workers marched in cities world wide Saturday to mark international worker's day, demanding more jobs, better work conditions and remuneration for the people seen as a class as opposed to the superiors in rank and/or income. There were also protests against the unenlightened plutarchy, the crisis, and the rule and mismanagement of the superiors in rank and/or income in general. Anarchosyndicalists and anarchists in general participated in the protests and demonstrations. BBC reports: ... May Day rallies. In many countries, May Day, also known as International Workers' Day or Labour Day - is traditionally a time of political demonstrations organised by trade unions, anarchists and [other] socialist groups.

About 140,000 jubilant workers gathered in Istanbul's Taksim Square in the first celebrations at the site since dozens of people died there in a May 1 gathering more than three decades ago. The demonstrations in Istanbul, which sits on both European and Asian continents, marked a special victory for the Turkish unions, which had been denied access to the Taksim Square since 1977, when 34 people died after shooting triggered a stampede. The culprits were never found and workers demanded Saturday an inquiry into the deaths of the demonstrators.

Most of the annual May Day marches were peaceful, but in the Chinese territory of Macau police used water cannons and pepper spray against protesters who tried to break away from the approved route. Hong Kong radio RTHK reported at least eight people injured, including a photographer. Athens also witnessed riots, with police using tear gas to disperse demonstrators who threw firebombs and stones in a large May Day rally against austerity measures needed to secure loans for near-bankrupt Greece. In the Anarchy of Switzerland, the Swiss Confederation, Zurich police used water cannons in an attempt to disperse dozens of stone-throwing protesters as unions and politicians protested against "excessive" Swiss banking bonuses, but most of the demonstrations were peaceful - non-ochlarchical. In the Anarchy of Norway, the demonstrations were without any tendencies of ochlarchy.

May Day demonstrations in the Anarchy of Iceland. The event is being celebrated with marches, demonstrations and family entertainment all over Iceland. In Reykjavik a large coalition of unions and associations have come together to host a rally starting at 13.00 at Hlemmur and moving down to Austurvollur, Parliament Square. Once at the square, a series of speeches begins at 14.10, and due to end at 15.00. Two brass bands and the popular rock band Hjaltalin are also taking part. After the speeches, most big labor unions and political parties will be offering coffee and cakes to the public and some of the political parties are taking the opportunity to formally open their election offices today for the upcoming local elections. Today is an official flag day in Iceland, and many call May Day the Revolution Day. 01.05.1966 is celebrated as the Day of the Anarchist Revolution in Iceland, see Anarchism in Iceland.

German police detained 250 neo-Nazis who attempted to attack them in downtown Berlin, while they braced for further clashes after sundown. Nadine Pusch, a spokeswoman for Berlin police, said 7,000 officers were scattered throughout the city in an effort to ensure peaceful demonstrations. Overnight in Hamburg, 17 officers were injured in clashes on the eve of May 1 and at least nine demonstrators were detained, the German news agency ddp reported Saturday. The turnout in Cuba was massive, as expected, and authorities falsely claimed the march by hundreds of thousands of Cubans amounted to approval of the island's communist system amid mounting international criticism over human rights.

Thousands joined peaceful May Day marches in Stockholm, where the opposition blamed the present government for failing to stem rising unemployment and eroding the nation's cherished welfare system. Several thousand demonstrators in Paris also took to the streets amid concerns about conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to overhaul the pension system. In Manila, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced she had ordered the labor secretary to speed up negotiations between unions and employers on a 75-peso ($1.67) increase in daily minimum wage.

In Indonesia's capital, thousands of workers marched on the presidential palace, shouting: "Workers unite! No more layoffs!". Rally organizer Bayu Ajie said a free trade agreement with China had cost jobs, decreased wages and encouraged corruption. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised to create safer working conditions and improve job prospects if the workers maintained political and economic stability. Thousands of Communist demonstrators, carrying red balloons, red Soviet flags and portraits of Soviet leaders Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin, called for the Russian government's resignation over rising prices and unemployment in Moscow. Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov led hundreds of opposition activists in a separate rally. They also called for the ouster of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, whom they accuse of stamping out democracy. A few thousands also rallied in Ukraine's capital.

In Seoul, South Korea, Tokyo and Taiwan, thousands marched for better working conditions and permanent jobs. Jeong Ho-hee, spokesman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Union, vowed to fight against long working hours and high death rate related to industrial accidents. In the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, several hundred workers protested a proposed 4 percent goods and services tax while about 1,000 protesters, including janitors, construction workers and bus drivers, demanded the government in Hong Kong to introduce a minimum wage of 33 Hong Kong dollars ($4.30). This freewheeling capitalist Chinese enclave is one of the world's wealthiest cities, but critics say its wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. "A lunch box at a fast-food restaurant costs about HK$30 ($4). It's an insult if you can't afford a lunch box after working for an hour," pro-democracy legislator Leung Yiu-chung said on the sidelines of Saturday's protests.

3. The European Day of Action 15.12.2010 and 14.11.2012

Call for actions: European Day of Action 15.12.2010. "No to austerity for the many and bonuses for a happy few". General strikes and nationwide protests all over Europe 15.12.2010. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the International Workers of the World (IWW), are calling for a decentralized day of action on 15 December: to protest against austerity measures and against bonuses granted to traders, which have risen spectacularly; in short against the unenlightened plutarchy. Many countries have already been and continue to be subjected to austerity plans. Labor confederations' protest actions are being organized across Europe in reaction to these measures, which are damaging to the economy and citizens alike. The ETUC and IWW affiliates will organize a range of activities: demonstrations, work stoppages, general strike and so on, in short direct actions. IWW calls for such actions all over Europe 15.12.2010 within a decentralized framework, i.e. all workers as they see fit: a general strike happening. Join in the general strike happening 15.12.2010!!!

15.12.2010. European Day of Action. A general strike happening all over Europe. Europe-wide anti-austerity protesters, anarchists and others, fear that public belt-tightening programs may spread poverty. Euronews reports. "Protesters in capitalist vampire garb and Christmas hats decry austerity." In France protesters in Santa Claus costume and with a large balloon made a demonstration to a real happening. A spokesperson at a rally underlined that the austerity measures were done in "an authoritarian way". The largest protests were in Spain, Greece and Ireland, countries very much hit by the unenlightened plutarchy and austerity measures. Significant demonstrations also took place in France, the Czech Republic, and Belgium. Hundreds of trade union demonstrators formed a symbolic ring around European Commission headquarters, saying austerity threatens years of economic winter, and the only solution is growth...

In Brussels, they urged EU ministers to think about making national debt into European debt, to wrest it from the clutches of speculators. A spokesperson for IWW said "You can pay back debt more easily when the economy is growing, also taking into account the environmantal issue, and at the moment growth is being killed, in Ireland, Spain and Greece. But it will also soon be killed in other countries, when austerity clicks in, particularly next year." This was as the EU heads of state and government were preparing for this Thursday's summit, to pore over escape plans for the beleaguered Euro-zone. The unions call to governments is: do not throw out Europe's hard-won social model, for that would sap millions of Europeans already laid low by the economic and financial crisis. The struggle for more efficiency and fairness, i.e. for anarchy, and the fight against the unenlightened plutarchy, continue.

14.11.1012.  The IWW has pledged its full support to the European trade union movement’s November 14 Day of Action and Solidarity. Strike actions, general strikes, in Greece, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal are planned, along with demonstrations and solidarity activities in 23 countries across the continent. The mobilisation has been called to strengthen opposition to the destructive austerity policies being pushed by the “Troika” (European Commission, European Central Bank and IMF), and build momentum for a social compact for Europe with a proper social dialogue, an economic policy that fosters quality jobs, and economic solidarity among the countries of Europe.

Youth unemployment is one of the most damaging consequences of the Troika’s obsession with the discredited economics of austerity. More than half of young people in Greece and Spain are without work, more than a third in Italy and Portugal, and 27% in Cyprus. This is simply intolerable, and even worse, the architects of austerity have no idea and no plan of how to rebuild economic growth – they are simply focused on keeping financial markets happy without regard to the social and economic costs. IWW calls for Cogrips-policy and economics, as an alternative to outdated Keynesian policy as well as the discredited austerity policy, see the WEC resolutions. The strikes degenerated into ochlarchy, by marxist exremists. IWW condemns the ochlarchy.

4. May Day 2011

125 years since the origin of May Day. Working people in all corners of the globe, gathering together on the 1st of May, celebrate the tremendous achievements of the anarchist and labor movement in general, and commemorate all those who have given so much in the cause of justice, equality and human dignity. Especially we remember the Chicago anarchists and the origin of the May Day as the special day of workers' demonstrations, see The History of May Day. 2011 is a year of historic importance for international anarchism. It is 125 years since the Haymarket affair that initiated the celebration of May Day as the international workers' day. We will use our strength to transform the world of work and the world at large in the interests of all men and women. By reaching out to all workers, standing with those who fight for their rights against exploitation and dictatorship, and campaigning for global peace and security, anarchists around the world will have a significant voice.

Call for actions 01.05.2011. May Day protests and demonstrations world wide: The IWW calls on direct actions i.e. demonstrations, etc., against the unenlightened plutarchy and for real democracy world wide May Day 2011. The IWW has adopted the resolutions of the World Economic Council regarding the fight against the unenlightened plutarchy in USA, the Euro-zone including Greece, and world wide, see the WEC resolutions, and calls on all syndicalists and the people in general, to do the same. Workers of the world, i.e. the people, seen as a class as opposed to the superiors in rank and/or income: Unite and fight the unenlightened plutarchy world wide! In general, the International Workers of the World and the anarchists at large support the May Day demonstrations 2011 world wide as long as they are direct actions, i.e. without ochlarchy. The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy is a also struggle against economic crisis, economical plutarchy, i.e. capitalism; plutocracy in general and statism; and for real democracy world wide. - And remember celebrating 45 years of the Anarchist Revolution of Iceland May Day, see (click on:) Anarchy in Iceland. Also remember the resolution "Anarchist policy is the main issues - marginals are for the Communists" at the Anarchy Debate.

The International Workers of the World is of course a 100% anarchist organization, but we a) also join the larger and more general labor confederations and internationals to give them as much as possible an anarchist approach, and b) with sound arguments at the www.anarchy.no and press releases & direct actions add weight to an anarchist approach in the larger unions and in general. We are against sectarian marginalized policy by anarchists. Anarchist policy is the main issues. Marginals are for the communists and other socialist sects. We concentrate on the main issues and wide popular support for anarchist, real democratic policy and actions in the main, larger unions & internationals and in general.

One of IWW's fellows in Spain, the anarchosyndicalist CGT/RyN, sent the picture below and the following note to the IWW & AI/IFA secretariate 06.04.2011: "1º de MAYO 2011: Contra la Crisis, es hora de pasar a la ACCIÓN. El 1º de Mayo es una fecha especialmente simbólica para la clase trabajadora de todo el mundo. Con ella recordamos y recuperamos la heroica lucha de trabajadores y trabajadoras asesinados por la patronal en Chicago en demanda de la jornada de ocho horas, allá por el año 1886." And 07.04.2011 the CGT sent a May Day Manifesto, a pdf-file, to the secretariate, click here: Spain May Day 2011. Many other libertarian and other organizations have sent May Day manifestos and greetings to the IWW & AI/IFA secretariate, and we send our solidaric greetings to all.

May Day 2011 Manifesto: A tribute to modern-day Haymarket heroes and heroines - International Labor Day 125 years - 45 years of the Anarchist Revolution of Iceland - Red & Black International Network.

On this day, amid spiraling resistance around the world, we pay respects to struggles that gave birth to May Day as an international workingclass holiday 125 years ago in Chicago, Illinois in the USA. The fight for the eight-hour workday, with anarchists in the frontline, was gaining steam. In an attempt to destroy the movement, provocateurs threw a bomb at a peaceful labor rally in Haymarket Square. Eight anarchist activists were charged with murder, and four were hung. A defiant August Spies exclaimed before his execution: "If you think that by hanging us you can stamp out the labor movement... the movement from which the downtrodden millions, the millions who toil in want and misery expect salvation -- if that is your opinion, then hang us! Here you will tread upon a spark, but there and there, behind you, and in front of you, and everywhere, flames blaze up. It is a subterranean fire. You cannot put it out."

The International Workers of the World, affiliated to the Anarchist International (AI/IFA), offers its gratitude to the Haymarket Martyrs. These early radicals and libertarians were principled internationalists. Albert Parsons dismissed bigots who derided his Haymarket brothers for being "foreigners": "My patriotism covers more than the boundary lines of a single state; the world is my country, all man-kind my countrymen." Today, the Haymarket activists' vision of international class solidarity, the solidarity among people seen as a class as opposed to the superiors economically and/or political/administrative, i.e. in income and/or rank, is alive and growing. This was dramatically clear when democracy protesters in Egypt and labor activists in Wisconsin carried signs supporting each other's struggles. Both movements have wakened ever-widening revolts.

Rebels across North Africa and the Middle East, from Tunisia, Libya and Egypt to Palestine, Syria and Yemen, are exchanging strategies and tactics to foment change. Many workers and students are realizing they need to move beyond replacing corrupt officials at the top. Protests globally are opposing statist and capitalist/economical plutarchist tendencies -- authorities are doing everything possible to contain these insurgencies and prevent them from concluding that socialism & autonomy and real democracy, i.e. anarchy, are the solution. But is this possible in a world where rebellion is reaching the boiling point?

In Ukraine this March, female electronics workers who had not been paid for 14 months stormed the bosses' offices and overwhelmed top officials and the police who tried to save them. Throughout March, teachers in Honduras held massive demonstrations against privatization of schools that sparked a general strike against austerity measures. For several weeks in April, thousands of Bolivian workers, farmers and students protested neoliberal economic policies, the unenlightened plutarchy. In the US, outrage is mounting over the slashing of needed social services and jobs and the people are demanding that the bosses pay for their crisis. In Iceland the "Pots and Pans Revolution" continues and we are all celebrating 45 years of the Anarchist Revolution of Iceland this May Day. And there are many more struggles for real democracy, i.e. anarchy, and against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism, here at the IWW's homepage on the World Wide Web.

The International Workers of the World offers solidarity to modern-day Haymarket heroes and heroines across the globe. This is a crucial time for libertarians to work together in united efforts to challenge authorities, political/administrative and economically, i.e. economical plutarchists -- and create revolutionary change for and towards real democracy, i.e. anarchy, and more of it... Together, we will prevail! In this connection the IWW & AI/IFA symbolic have changed the name of  the old and well known pluralistic loose network "anarchists and syndicalists" e-mail-list to "The Red & Black International Network", however not suggesting any joint program or platform... May 1, 2011.

USA: May Day demonstration at the monument to the Haymarket anarchists in Waldheim Cemetery, in forest Park, just west of Chicago. Workers and their allies will have a mass commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs and rededication of the monument in the cemetery, now officially known as Forest Home. The anarchist Emma Goldman is also buried there. The Illinois Labor History Society, owner of the deed to the Haymarket anarchists' monument - the only cemetery monument cited as a National Historic Landmark - calls it the statue of liberty for workers around the world. "As a symbol of international labor solidarity, come together to honor our history and remember the only way to stop the worldwide assault on working people by corporate greed is to stand together," the society says. Labor groups planning the rededication are not only focusing on the past, however. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler will deliver the keynote address at the rededication, discussing labor's struggles now. The event is arranged by the Illinois Labor History Society, in conjunction with the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Illinois AFL-CIO.

The May Day celebration of the restored Haymarket monument has evolved into a mission to unite public and private union members outraged by recent efforts to limit collective bargaining rights for public workers. "We all know what happened to public workers in Wisconsin and Indiana, but there are so many states that are below the radar, where varying degrees of these legislative proposals are moving forward," said Liz Shuler. "The Haymarket anniversary is an opportunity to recognize that workers are angry, frustrated and finally standing up and saying, 'We've had enough.'" This May Day, working people are rallying across the country to oppose attacks on workers' rights and immigrant rights. People will declare: "Somos Unos — Respeten Nuestros Derechos" or "We Are One — Respect Our Rights".

Over 100 cities across the United States will be participating in marches and rallies as part of a national day of action. NB! In a country where May Day is not a public and workers' holiday! AFL-CIO is the syndicalist central organization and the largest labor confederation in USA. Thousands of workers took to the streets all over USA on Sunday to celebrate May Day, demanding a.o.t. rights for those "who toil in the sun" while others pocket the profits. Underlying Sunday's gatherings was seething anger over the rising cost of living and growing disparities between rich and poor - exacerbated by the global economic squeeze. Below is a small picture from a demonstration by AFL-CIO this year, with an 'anarchist black fist' and a call for: "Solidarity!" — plus the slogan: "We Are One", in the background. At today's demonstration in Chicago the anarchist black flag was used, also shown on TV internationally. All in all a dignified demonstration and celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Haymarket events.

Syria: Anti-government protests in Syria. Syrian protesters stay defiant amid crackdown by the ruling dictator and his henchmen. Activists, vowing to keep up the pressure on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, said a "week of breaking the siege" protests would begin in Deraa on Sunday and around the capital, Damascus, on Monday. Meanwhile, Syrian rights groups urged the authorities on Sunday to release a prominent opposition figure seized by security forces the previous day despite the lifting of emergency rule.

Greece: May Day anti-government demonstration and strike. Public and private sectors unions ADEDY and GSEE held a protest rally on May Day, at Klathmonos square. An estimated 15,000 protesters marched in Athens to condemn the populist rulers' budget cuts related to the Greek debt crisis. Labor Day in Greece has also been marked by a transport strike to protest against austerity measures the government has introduced. Train and ferry services were cancelled as workers downed tools. They feel the low paid are bearing the brunt of the cutbacks that were demanded as part of an EU and IMF emergency financial rescue. Greece was forced to ask for help to avoid going bankrupt. One protester at a rally in Athens said: "They are telling us that we should pay for this crisis. Well no! Workers don't owe a single euro because it is not them who made this crisis." Another added: "The final battle has not been won. We won some fights but not the final battle over these measures they are imposing on us." It has been more than a year since the austerity measures were brought in. Jobs have been lost and workers in several sectors have had their pay cut. But the government is still facing a big budget deficit. Populism with unenlightened plutarchy is ruling Greece!

The Nordic countries. In Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and Finland there were rallies, demonstrations and protests related to unenlightened plutarchy as well as international solidarity with the anti-government and pro-democracy and freedom movements in Libya and Syria etc. Mostly red, but also green and anarchist flags were used. In Sweden the red & black SAC protested several places. Anarchists also celebrated the 45 years of Anarchist Revolution in Iceland with red/black flags, caviar and a little champagne. Also the 125th anniversary of the Haymarket event was marked in a dignified way.

UK. In a small pre-May Day rally and street party in Brighton Saturday the local branch of Anarchist Black Cross demonstrated in an umbrella organization with "stand up for workers' rights and resist oppression" and a placard with MAYDAY - MAYDAY, i.e. in red & black, on the program. A few marxist ochlarchists were arrested. The anglophone Anarchist Federation is working in close cooperation with the Anarchist Black Cross. The event was also covered by BBC. At Trafalgar Square in London 10,000 persons gathered and in Oxford 18,000.

Other countries. Activists marked international workers' day around the world with marches demanding a) more jobs, b) better working conditions included better labor protections, and c) higher salaries including higher minimal salaries and wages; and protesting against d) rising cost of living and e) growing disparities between the rich and poor, plus f) anti-government protests; i.e. de facto demonstrating against the unenlightened plutarchy and for real democracy economically and political/administrative.

Across Germany, some 423,000 people took to the streets to demand fair wages, better working conditions and sufficient social security, the country's unions' umbrella group, DGB, said. Union group head Michael Sommer said the turnout - similar to last year's - was a clear message to the government that it should give up its refusal to introduce a national minimum wage. "Fair wages, good jobs and social security are the minimum standard in this country that workers expect, need and have to fight for time and again," Sommer said at a protest in the central German town Kassel. As usual marxist anti-capitalist ochlarchists clashed with the police in Berlin. In Austria, more than 100,000 people peacefully took to the streets of Vienna, protest organizers said. In France there were demonstrations in around 200 places. 120,000 demonstrated with the unions at May Day in Paris. Fascists tried to hijack the event: the rightwing extremist National Front party's new president, Marine Le Pen, stressed her party's long-standing anti-immigrant stance at a rally.

In Spain, where the unemployment has reached a eurozone high of 21.3 percent, several thousand people gathered in the eastern port city of Valencia and protested the government's failure to create new jobs. The Spanish system is marxist social-democracy, state-socialism, with an unenlightened plutarchist tendency. Economical plutarchy is capitalism, there is thus a capitalist tendency in the present Spanish state-socialism. The system is most likely on the road to populist state-capitalism, a moderate, parliamentary, form of fascism, but probably not there yet... The anarchosyndicalist CGT protested several places with their red & black flags, declaring a.o.t. "it is time for action against the crisis", see the picture below from the demonstration in Lleida. CGT was very significant present in Valencia and Barcelona. The Spanish anarchosyndicalist CNT-AIT and other libertarian and semilibertarian groups were also on the streets. All in all tens of thousands demonstrated in Spain. Also in Portugal tens of thousands workers took to the streets.

Activists flooded a central plaza in Turkey's largest city Sunday. About 200,000 workers gathered in Istanbul's Taksim Square in the largest May Day rally there since 1977, when shooting of several people triggered a stampede. Turkish unions weren't allowed back until last year. In South Korea, police said 50,000 rallied in Seoul for better labor protections. They also urged the government to contain rising inflation, a growing concern across much of Asia, where food and oil prices have been spiking and threatening to push millions into poverty.

Thousands of workers also marched in Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines to vent their anger over the rising cost of living and growing disparities between the rich and poor. Chinese holidaymakers flocked to Beijing's Tiananmen Square to watch the daily flag-raising ceremony. In the Philippines, about 3,000 workers demanding higher wages held a protest in a Manila square that included setting alight the effigy of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III grinning in a luxury car. Aquino was criticized this year for buying a secondhand Porsche in a country where a third of people live on a dollar a day. In Taiwan, about 2,000 people rallied in Taipei to protest the widening income gap and to demand their government create better work conditions.

About 3,000 people in Hong Kong took part in a Sunday morning protest while another 5,000 were expected at an afternoon rally, local media reports said, citing union organizers. By the way BBC 01.05.2011 reported: Hong Kong has introduced a minimum wage that is expected to benefit 270,000 low-paid workers, or around 10% of the working population. Workers will now earn a minimum of HK$28 ($3.60; £2.18) per hour. With the exception of Singapore, most Asian countries now have a minimum wage or are considering one. The move is expected to boost the pay of Hong Kong's legions of street sweepers, security guards and restaurant workers. "The employers now cannot squeeze the lowest paid sectors of society," said Lee Cheuk-yan, general secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions and a legislator.

Unions had campaigned for a minimum wage of HK$33 an hour and many workers say the wage increase will not cover rising living costs. The government said it was forced to introduce the legislation after a voluntary minimum wage scheme in 2006 met with a tepid response from businesses. Even before its implementation, the legislation has led to disputes between workers and employers. Some employers have re-hired workers on new contracts with unpaid meal breaks and rest days to avoid paying a higher wage bill. The legislation does not cover the territory's almost 300,000 domestic helpers, who mainly come from the Philippines and Indonesia.

In Pakistan workers protested against the new Industrial Relations Act which, they believe, has put them in a position worse than that in Chicago of 1886. Talking about the current state of affairs of the working class especially the laborers in the country, Pakistan Working Women Organization President Rubina Jamil, Muttahida Labour Federation Chairman Muhammad Yaqoob and Pakistan Workers' Federation General Secretary Khurshid Ahmed said that due to energy crises, more than 6,000 industries had been closed in the past one year alone and more than 400,000 workers had become unemployed. They said 1.6 million workers were entering the labor market every year and the current rate of employment was shamefully low.

Also they said that through privatization in the country, hundreds of thousands of workers had become unemployed and they were being ousted from the public sector/institutions. In the country, prices had increased 400 times due to which 11 persons, including women, were committing suicide daily. They said under the existing laws against workers, making of unions had become difficult and labor inspectors were banned from inspecting in the factories. The National Industrial Relation Commission (NIRC) had been finished and provincial government had been asked to make labor laws at the province level such as the Punjab Industrial Relation Act (PIRA).  In the field of agriculture, there were 80 percent laborers, including women, but they were deprived of labour laws.

In Moscow, up to 5,000 communists and members of other leftist groups marched through the city. The dominant pro-Kremlin party, United Russia, gathered the largest crowd by pulling in workers from factories and institutes in and around Moscow. Party organizers claimed that 25,000 people took part. The holiday also brought out about 30 members of the Syrian diaspora to protest their government's use of military force against protesters calling for an end to President Bashar Assad's rule. In Cuba, hundreds of thousands of people marched through Havana and other cities to mark May Day in a demonstration touted as a vast show of support for economic changes recently approved by the Communist Party.

Protesters demanded better working conditions in Indonesia. Workers clogged the streets of the Indonesian capital on Sunday, chanting, "wages, land and jobs," and demanding the resignations of the nation's president and the vice president. Protesters clashed with police during the May Day rallies in Jakarta as they pushed their way toward the presidential palace. When workers reached the front of the heavily-guarded palace, they burned tires. At least 66 labor groups joined the protests, according to Syawal Harahap, an Indonesian metalworkers' union official. Organizers had said earlier that about 50,000 workers would attend, though it was unclear how many protesters turned out.

The workers demanded higher minimum wages, an end to outsourcing by companies, union rights and the implementation of an already-legislated social security system for all Indonesians. Thousands of workers hold protests every year on May 1 and often scuffle with the security personnel near the presidential palace. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was not in the palace when protesters reached its entrance. He was scheduled to visit two factories just outside of Jakarta. Protesters called for the resignations of Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono. Indonesia has no national minimum wage. Regional governments set the minimum wage in their own provinces or districts. About 7,000 police officers were deployed for Sunday's rallies, Jakarta police said. In Nepal the maoists demonstrated, and tens of thousands of workers called for a general strike in the capital. In Australia thousands took to the streets in Perth

In Brazil about 10 million people demonstrated in 200 places. In Mexico thousands of workers demonstrated in Mexico City, a few anarchists also marked the day. In Colombia about 50,000 demonstrated in Bogota and 115 persons were arrested for violence. In Zimbabwe 5,000 workers related to the central syndicalist organization, ZCTU, gathered in Harare.

May Day: Arab workers demands for jobs and rights echo reform movement across the region, ITUC reports in a press release sent to the IWW and AI/IFA secretariate 02.05.2011. Egypt celebrations violently attacked by Mubarak thugs. Tens of thousands of people across the Arab world have demonstrated to demand decent jobs, social justice and an end to repression on May Day. At trade union rallies across the region, from Iraq in the east to Mauritania in the west, workers from all walks of life added new momentum to the groundswell for democracy and workers' rights following the fall of the dictatorships in Egypt and Tunisia. Some 77 national trade union centres and sectoral trade unions across the region have also signed an "Arab Countries Declaration for Democracy and Social Justice", DTUACDSJ - May Day 2011, adding even further pressure to change to the Arab Spring movement.

ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow joined Palestinian workers and their families at the Palestinian trade union centre PGFTU's march and rally in Ramallah, to support their demand for a minimum wage, social protection, labour law reform and the setting up of labor courts to tackle exploitation. "These matters are crucial to the development of a viable and vibrant economy, and action on these must go hand in hand with the building of a free, independent and sovereign State [i.e. in the meaning of country, hopefully not State in the meaning of x-archy, where x can be anything, but not 'an'] of Palestine," she said. "This May Day, workers across the world have taken heart from the courage of working people in the Arab countries, and I feel immensely privileged to be able to share in this moment with my Palestinian colleagues."

In Cairo's Tahrir Square, a peaceful rally was violently attacked by thugs believed to be from the Mubarak regime's discredited official "trade union" ETUF.  Despite being pelted with stones and bottles, the workers from the new independent union EFITU carried on with their rally, with the crowd swelling to some 50,000 marchers. ITUC Deputy General Secretary Jaap Wienen who took part in the rally said "Despite the disgraceful aggression by the ETUF and the failure of the authorities to properly protect the peaceful assembly, the tens of thousands of workers refused to be intimidated. This provocation only reinforces the determination of the international trade union movement to supporting every way possible the completion of the fundamental transformation which lies at the heart of the Egyptian [so far just an embryo-] revolution. We will stand with our sisters and brothers in the new Egyptian trade union movement in their campaign for full respect for fundamental rights for working people"  The ITUC, with the Public Services International, which also took part in the rally, released an official statement condemning the violence and reiterating support for the EFITU, see May Day 2011 - Egypt Statement.

Elsewhere in the Arab world on May Day, according to reports already received by the ITUC:

-  in Morocco, thousands of people joined events organized by the three ITUC affiliates to celebrate May Day in Casablanca and Rabat, calling strongly for reinforced social dialogue, which is more important than ever given the demand, especially from young people, for better wages and social protection;

-  in Tunis, the ITUC Tunisian affiliate UGTT celebrated the central role played by the union movement in the success of the [so far only an embryo-] revolution, re-stated its total commitment to the building of a new society without injustice and repression, and stressed the need for an economy which ensures decent jobs for young people. It also called for urgent reform of the country's labor laws;

- The Mauritania trade unions organized an impressive march in the capital Nouakchott involving thousands workers from the formal and informal economies, giving top priority to ending the exploitation of migrant workers, many of whom took part in the event. The high cost of living, anti-democratic and anti-social legislation and the need for social protection and decent work were also prominent in their demands.

- To see the fotos of the May Day in Irak and the first post revolution May Day in Egypt as well as other fotos of May day in the Arab Wold, click on: Flicker - ITUC's photo collection - Mayday 2011 in the Arab world. The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 151 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates.

5. May Day 2012 & 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 & 2021 & 2022 & 2023

May Day 2012 & 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 & 2017 & 2018 & 2019 & 2020 & 2021 & 2022 & 2023 - Anarcho-syndicalist international direct action by IWW/AI!

May Day 2012 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than five years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2013 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than six years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2014 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than seven years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2015 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than eight years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2016 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than nine years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2017 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than ten years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2018 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than eleven years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2019 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than twelve years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management and the end of the economic crisis.

May Day 2020 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than thirteen years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions with links. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management broadly defined and the end of the economic and climate crisis. The Corona crisis has dramatically increased the unemployment rate further, but health precedes everything - including the economy - until a vaccine is developed and everyone has become immune. And the welfare of the People must be secured, also possibly via Quantitative Easing - "printing fresh money".

May Day 2021 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than fourteen years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions with links. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management broadly defined and the end of the economic and climate crisis. The Corona crisis has dramatically increased the unemployment rate further, but health precedes everything - including the economy - until all are vaccinated and everyone has become immune. And the welfare of the People must be secured, also possibly via Quantitative Easing - "printing fresh money".

May Day 2022 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than fifteen years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions with links. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management broadly defined and the end of the economic and climate crisis. The Corona crisis has dramatically increased the unemployment rate further, but health precedes everything - including the economy - until all are vaccinated and everyone has become immune. And the welfare of the People must be secured, also possibly via Quantitative Easing - "printing fresh money".

May Day 2023 Manifesto

The fight against the unenlightened plutarchy and statism including ochlarchy, and for anarchy i.e. real democracy, continues world wide. It is more than sixteen years since the financial crisis hit, followed rapidly by a larger economic crisis. The resulting shock added millions to the already teeming ranks of the jobless and threw millions more into precarious work. Many workers have lost good jobs and far too many have also lost the fundamental rights that went with them.

There is only one cause of the crisis: lack of proper demand management. Proper demand management is more easy done in anarchy than archy, look to Norway, The Swiss Confederation and Iceland, but anarchy is not necessary for proper demand management. The main player in demand management is the central administration be it anarchist or archist. The most efficient demand management is Cogrips-policy, see the WEC resolutions with links. We call for Cogrips-policy world wide for proper demand management broadly defined and the end of the economic and climate crisis. The Corona crisis has dramatically increased the unemployment rate further, but health precedes everything - including the economy - until all are vaccinated and everyone has become immune. And the welfare of the People must be secured, also possibly via Quantitative Easing - "printing fresh money".


IWW's international direct action 'Towards anarchy in France' and the situation in France

Ad the General Strikes in France 19 & 28.10, 06 & 23.11 & 15.12.2010 and more: Join in the international world wide solidarity direct action!!!
Direct action in France, Toulouse - Selfadministered anti-LOPPSI camp 13...01.2011 and more!!!
LOPPSI is Big Brother security laws.
International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers 28.04.2011! Joint IWW, ITUC, AIT/IWA resolutions. Gathering in Bordeaux arranged by IWW's French fellows CNT/AIT.

The struggle continues - Stop the ochlarchy - Updated!

Click here!


IWW protest against Toronto G20:
The policy of a) the uninformed of real economics and b) bureaucracy economics

Ad violent clashes with police etc, i.e. ochlarchy,  in Toronto 2010 related to the G20 meeting.
No anarchists involved

1. The anarchists condemn marxist vanguardism, hallmarked by symbolic violent attacks on state and capitalism, say, banks, government buildings and other symbols of wealth and power, i.e. ochlarchy and ochlarchist, futile from anarchist point of view, and the opposite of anarchism and anarchist. Such symbolic violent actions are typically marxist vanguardism, similar to RAF-ml (Baader-Meinhof), etc. and the opposite of anarchism and anarchist. Arrest the marxist 'vanguard', the marxist leftwing extremist ochlarchists, i.e. terrorists, vandals and hooligans, see also point 2. for more information.

2. Ad so called "anarchists" that use/used firebombs (Molotov coctails) and similar and/or do/did vandalism and hooliganism, i.e. throwing stones at police etc. 

The thruth is that terrorism, including bomb, arson attacks and firebomb attacks and similar - including threats of terrorism and calls for terrorism, is a form of ochlarchy, and very much a top down approach, ultra-authoritarian and extremist, and not anarchist. The anarchists condemn terrorism and are strongly opposed to all forms of extremism. These terrorists using firebombs, so called "anarchists",  are anti-capitalist, i.e. socialist, and ultra-authoritarian. Authoritarian socialists are marxists - not anarchists, and should not be called so by the media.

Ad so called "anarchists" that do/did vandalism and hooliganism, i.e. throwing stones at police etc. They are also in reality leftwing extremist marxist ochlarchists and not anarchists. Such violent attacks on police etc. are ochlarchist, very much a top down approach, ultra-authoritarian and extremist, and not anarchist. The anarchists condemn these violent attacks on police etc., and are strongly opposed to all forms of extremism. These so called "anarchists" are anti-capitalist, i.e. socialist, and ultra-authoritarian. Authoritarian socialists are marxists - not anarchists. Arrest the criminal marxist ochlarchists!

As indicated above, these so called "anarchists",  that use/used firebombs (Molotov coctails) and similar and/or do/did vandalism and hooliganism, i.e. throwing stones at police etc., are in reality not anarchists, they are extremists and ochlarchists. The only violence anarchists accept is defensive violence, proportionate in pure self defense, not terrorism, i.e. extremism and ochlarchy. Other violent actions are ochlarchy and ochlarchist, and not anarchistic.

No anarchist groups have been involved in the terrorism, including bomb, firebomb and arson attacks and similar and/or do/did vandalism and hooliganism, in Toronto, not now and not before. These so called "anarchists",  are in reality marxist leftwing extremist ochlarchists, and thus not anarchists. Anarchists and ochlarchists are opposites. Such marxist, extremist ochlarchists, including copycats, have already long time ago got Brown Cards from the IAT-APT, meaning they are expulsed from the anarchist movement. NB! They are thus not anarchists! IAT-APT hands out fresh Brown Cards to these ochlarchists, to 'hooded ones', black clads', etc, also the ones falsely posing as "anarchists" and using anarchist flags, so called "anarchists", to underline that they are expulsed from the anarchist movement, and thus are not anarchists, according to the (click on:) Oslo Convention.

People doing ochlarchy, i.e. ochlarchists/ochlarchs, are clearly authoritarian, and not anarchistic and anarchists. The difference between ochlarchs/ochlarchists and anarchists is per definition dependent on what you do, not what you say you are or flag or be called in the media or by others! Anarchism means anarchist, i.e. non-authoritarian, non-ochlarchical means and methods, as well as anarchist ends and aims. There must be consistency between means and ends. This is the only strategy that works. The real aim is in general the consequences of the use of the means involved, not some ideological manifesto with good intentions, if any.

Anarchism and anarchist strategy are to change the societal organization in horizontal direction, not attacking persons or things... Anarchists see extremist symbolic actions on capitalism and statism as futile vis-a-vis changing the social organization in horizontal direction - the anarchist aim and strategy, and thus such actions are practically certain not done by anarchists, and not in this and similar cases.  'Hooded ones', 'black clads', 'black blocs/blocks', etc., falsely posing as "anarchists", are as mentioned in reality marxist leftwing extremist ochlarchists, and not anarchists. Ad 'hooded ones', 'black clads', 'black blocs/blocks', etc. - anarchists are against political uniforms, this is used by authoritarian groups, not libertarians. A so called 'black bloc/block' is a very hierarchical, uniformed and para-militarist ochlarchist group, very authoritarian, and far from anarchistic and anarchists.

3.  As mentioned anarchists and ochlarchists are opposites. To mix up opposites as anarchists with marxist ochlarchists is equally authoritarian as mixing up opposites as peace and war, as Big Brother did in Orwell's "1984" newspeak. Such notes in the media also produce copycat ochlarchists - mainly mislead youths, falsely posing as "anarchists". It should be stopped, and the IAT-APT hands out Brown Cards, as free criticism of this authoritarian tendency. 

4. The Anarchist International and the International Workers of the World call for direct actions, i.e. demonstrations with dignity and without ochlarchy, against the authoritarian policy of the G8-G20 and for horizontal organization, i.e. socialism and autonomy, now and later. The IWW, AI and anarchists in general arrange, support and participate in direct actions, i.e. strikes, general strikes, rallies, etc., against the unenlightened plutarchy world wide, but are clearly - and fight - against ochlarchy and ochlarchists/ochlarchs and authoritarian tendencies in general!

The anarchists are against the State in the meaning of societal x-archy, where 'x' is a lot, but not 'an', and do and support direct actions against the State, i.e. top heavy societal pyramid, economical and/or political/administrative. Cut bureaucracy costs - increase the demand of the people - the people seen as a class as opposed to the superiors in rank and/or income - for full employment - against the unenlightend plutarchy of IMF, WB, euro and the Euro-zone, EU in general, and the G8 and G20 countries.

The anarchists thus call for proper demand management now and later. In general it must pay to work, for the people. More information about the fight against the unenlightened plutarchy - and for full employment, see No to euro - Full employment - Anarchist vs bureaucracy economics - IJA 1 (32), the WEC resolutions, The unenlightened plutarchy and The general theory of anarchist economics. More information about the best alternative to the unenlightened plutarchy, i.e. real democracy and horizontal organization, see (click on) System theory, Real democracy, Industrial organization and Horizontal organization - a brief survey.

Associated Press reports 27.06.2010 about the G20 meeting: World leaders pledging to reduce global deficits. As global deficits equal global surplus, this is the same as doing away with surplus, and is the policy of a) the uninformed of real economics and b) bureaucracy economics. It is typical unenlightened plutarchy. This is counterproductive, especially when the world economy very likely is entering a double dip depression, and with about 10% unemployment in many countries, including USA and the Euro-zone. Economic depression is per definition equal to or more than 5% unemployment ratio. This is certainly not the right time for reducing surplus = deficits, but time for proper demand management. Mandated persons! Do it now! Especially, weakening the over-evaluated US $, the British £ and the Euro, i.e. the currencies of the main "deficit countries", is a good thing in the present situation, not the opposite.

5. Reuters and Pav Jordan falsely report 26.06.2010. "G20 protesters burn police cars, smash windows. Black-clad "anarchists" separated from what began as a peaceful procession, fanning out through the core of a city generally known for its civility, and forcing police to rush to keep up... Anarchist groups, which led the violence, had specifically mentioned banks as targets in the run-up to the G20, and a Royal Bank of Canada branch in Ottawa was firebombed last month by a group saying they would protest at the summit." These so called "anarchists" are ochlarchists, the opposite of anarchists. They are practically certain marxist leftwing extremist ochlarchists - and thus not anarchists. In fact no anarchists participated in the violence, and "Big Brother" Reuters and Pav Jordan get Brown Cards according to the Oslo Convention for publishing this liestory.

6. Euronews reports 27.06.2010. "G20. Violent anti-G20 summit protests in Canada. ... What started off as a peaceful rally, transformed into ugly scenes as anarchists, dressed in black, broke away from the main group... At least two police cars were set on fire, one in the financial district of the city. Shop fronts were destroyed, as people wearing masks continued to cause havoc, moving to just blocks away from the three meter fence around the summit site." These so called "anarchists, dressed in black", are ochlarchists, the opposite of anarchists. They are practically certain marxist leftwing extremist ochlarchists - and thus not anarchists. The truth is that no anarchists participated in the violence, and "Big Brother" Euronews gets a Brown Card according to the Oslo Convention for publishing this liestory.

7. NRK-Dagsrevyen translated 'anarchy' to 'kaos/chaos' in their report about the G20-meeting, but put the blame for the ochlarchy in Toronto falsely on 'black bloc/block anarchists/anarkister', and joins Reuters and Euronews with a Brown Card from IAT-APT.

8. The IAT-APT hands out Brown Cards to all newsmedia that have similar reports as Reuters and Euronews. It must be mentioned that Euronews later had a report without falsely calling ochlarchists, "anarchists".

9. The other main international newsmedia including CNN, BBC and Associated Press, reported quite objectively about the violent ochlarchy in Toronto, and did not falsley call the ochlarchists "anarchists". BBC-TV Saturday showed a lot of red, marxist, flags, directly connected to the violent ochlarchy.

AP reported: "Police made more than 400 arrests after black-clad demonstrators broke off from a crowd of peaceful protesters at the global economic summit and went on a rampage in downtown Toronto that lasted into the early morning hours, authorities said Sunday. The roving band of protesters torched four police cruisers and shattered shop windows with baseball bats and hammers for blocks, including at police headquarters, then shed some of their black clothes, revealing other garments, and continued their rampage. Some demonstrators hurled rocks and bottles at police. Toronto Police Sgt. Tim Burrows said Sunday that at least 412 people had been arrested in the rampage that began Saturday afternoon. Burrows said many of the violent protesters were Canadian. He added that authorities had known of their plans for some time. "We're not sure we have the leaders, but we have a large proportion of those people and the people who decided they wanted to be influenced by these violent protesters and join with their cause," Burrows said. "A lot of them were home grown. There's a lot of Canadian talent in the group."

CNN later Sunday reported: "G-20 protests plagued by violence, vandalism. Police fired tear gas Sunday to tame groups protesting the arrest of G-20 demonstrators in Toronto, Canada, said Nena Snyder, a spokeswoman for the Integrated Security Unit. An old film studio was converted into a prisoner processing center specifically for handling G-20 protest arrests. Police released tear gas outside that center where other people were protesting the arrests, Snyder said. "I do not believe that the individuals bent on vandalism and violence in our city have finished with their intent, so we will remain vigilant," Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said Saturday night. Police have made a total of 562 arrests since June 18, said Constable Rodney Petroski of the Ontario Provincial Police. From 6 a.m. ET Sunday through late afternoon, 224 people were arrested, he said. Some of those have been released from the prisoner processing center, while others were being held for bail, according to Petroski.

Mobs [ochlarchs/ochlarchists] were scuffling with police in multiple locations, Snyder said. Of the Sunday arrests, 70 took place on Bancroft Avenue, she said. "At no time was there risk to the safety of summit participants," according to the ISU. There were no reports of serious injuries to either protesters or police, said Integrated Security Unit spokeswoman Jillian Van Acker. Blair told reporters that packs of disruptive demonstrators infiltrated peaceful protests in order to cause chaos [ochlarchy, the opposite of anarchy] and distract police. "These criminals rely on the anonymity of hiding in a larger group of the curious and the naive," he said."

10. The anarchists condemn the violent marxist ochlarchists/ochlarchs, and welcome the arrests. The anarchists call for arrest of all criminal marxist ochlarchists/ochlarchs, now and later. The anarchists are not naive in these matters, see Direct action against the World Bank etc. at the ABCDE-conference.

11. Associated Press 28.06.2010 reported: Police arrest more than 600 at Toronto summit. Police raided a university building and rounded up hundreds of protesters Sunday in an effort to quell further violence near the G-20 global economic summit site a day after black-clad youths [leftwing extremist marxist ochlarchists] rampaged through the city, smashing windows and torching police cars. The violence shocked Canada, where civil unrest is almost unknown. Toronto police Sunday said they had never before used tear gas until Saturday's clashes with anti-Globalization activists [leftwing extremist marxist ochlarchists]. Police said they have arrested more than 600 demonstrators, many of whom were hauled away in plastic handcuffs and taken to a temporary holding center constructed for the summit.

Police adopted a more aggressive strategy Sunday by going into the crowd to make arrests, compared to the previous day when they stood back as protesters torched four police cars and broke store windows. No serious injuries were reported among police, protesters or bystanders, Toronto Police Constable Tony Vella said Sunday. Thousands of police officers in riot gear formed cordons to prevent radical anti-globalization demonstrations [leftwing extremist marxist ochlarchists] from breaching the steel and concrete security fence surrounding the Group of 20 summit site. Security was being provided by an estimated 19,000 law enforcement officers drawn from across Canada. Security costs for the G-20 in Toronto and the Group of Eight summit that ended Saturday in Huntsville, 140 miles (225 kilometers) away, were estimated at more than US$900 million.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper deplored the actions of a "few thugs" [leftwing extremist marxist ochlarchists] and suggested the violence justified the controversial cost. "I think it goes a long way to explaining why we have the kind of security costs around these summits that we do," he said. The disorder and vandalism [ochlarchy, the opposite of anarchy] occurred just blocks from where US President Barack Obama and other world leaders were meeting and staying. On Sunday, protesters gathered at a park near the detention center - about 2 1/2 miles (four kilometers) east of where the leaders were meeting. Plainclothes police jumped out of an unmarked van, grabbed a protester off the street and whisked him away in the vehicle. The protest was then quickly broken up by riot police, who set off a device that created a cloud of smoke that sent protesters running down the street. Vella said it was not tear gas.

Bridie Wyrock, 20, from Cleveland, Ohio, said she was arrested for public mischief for sitting on a street in the financial district. Wyrock, held for 19 hours before being released, said there weren't enough toilets and said some people resisted detention, but said police treated most people with respect. "They put us in cages, blocked off on all three sides," Wyrock said. "It was cold and dirty." An anti-poverty group called The Global Call to Action Against Poverty [and anarchists] criticized the protesters who committed violence [ochlarchy, the opposite of anarchy]. "A bunch of pimply faced teenagers trashing shops and burning cars does not help anyone," said Rajesh Latchman of GCAP South Africa. "These hooligans [leftwing extremist marxist ochlarchists] obscure the real issues."

Previous global summit protests have turned violent. In 1999, 50,000 protesters shut down World Trade Organization sessions in Seattle as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets. There were some 600 arrests and $3 million in property damage. One man died after clashes with police at a G-20 meeting held in London in April 2009.

More information at (click on the file:)
The International Anarchist Tribunal - The Anarchist Press Tribunal - International Branch
.
See the also the note "Anarchy is optimal order" in the introduction to this file, and the chapter "Anarchists against political extremism".

The IWW supports the resolution of the IAT-APT


101 syndicalists murdered in 2009 world wide. Pressure on workers' rights grows. Direct actions by IWW

101 syndicalists murdered in 2009 world wide, most in Latin America. Pressure on workers' rights grows as economic depression hits jobs. The International Workers of the World does, and calls for more, direct actions against this trend, and for anarchy, world wide.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of syndicalists*) murdered in 2009, with 101 killings – an increase of 30% over the previous year. There is also growing pressure on fundamental workers' rights around the world as the impact of the global economic crisis on employment deepened. Say, USA and the Euro-zone seen all in all, are in economic depression, with Spain as the worst Euro-zone country with about 20% unemployment ratio per 2010. Of 101 murdered syndicalists in 2009, 48 were killed in Colombia, 16 in Guatemala, 12 in Honduras, six in Mexico, six in Bangladesh, four in Brazil, three in the Dominican Republic, three in the Philippines, one in India, one in Iraq and one in Nigeria. Twenty-two of the Colombian syndicalists who were killed were senior trade union leaders and five were women, as the onslaught of previous years continued. The rise in violence in Guatemala and Honduras also followed a trend developing in recent years.

Colombia was yet again the country where standing up for fundamental rights of workers is more likely than anywhere else to mean a death sentence, despite the Colombian government's public relations campaign to the contrary. The worsening situation in Guatemala, Honduras and several other countries in Latin America is also cause for extreme concern. ITUC's Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights for 2009 presents an extensive list of violations suffered by syndicalists struggling to defend workers' interests, this time in 140 countries. Many other violations remain unreported, as working women and men are deprived of the means to have their voices heard, or fear to speak out due to the consequences to their jobs or even to their physical safety. Along with the appalling list of killings, the Survey provides detailed documentation of harassment, intimidation and other forms of anti-syndicalist persecution.

A further ten attempted murders and 35 serious death threats were recorded, again mostly in Colombia and Guatemala. Furthermore, many syndicalists remained in prison and were joined by around hundred newly imprisoned in 2009. Many others were arrested in Iran, Honduras, Pakistan, South Korea, Turkey and Zimbabwe in particular. The general labor and trade union rights' situation has continued to deteriorate in a number of other countries, including Egypt, the Russian Federation, South Korea and Turkey. Anti-democratic forces continued to target labor confederation's activity, aware that unions are often in the front line in the defense of democracy, semi- and real-democracy, and in the fight against totalitarian systems. This was evident in Honduras during the post-coup violence and in Guinea during a protest demonstration against the ruling junta which turned into a terrible massacre on 28 September 2009. Anarchy and anarchism are real democracy...

Numerous cases of strike-breaking and repression of striking workers were documented in each region. Thousands of workers demonstrating to claim wages, denounce harsh working conditions or the harmful effects of the global financial and economical crisis faced beatings, arrest and detention, including in Algeria, Argentina, Belarus, Burma, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Honduras, India, Iran, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan and Turkey. Dismissals of workers due to their labor confederation's activities were reported in many countries. In Bangladesh, six garment workers on strike for a pay increase and settlement of outstanding wages died after a police intervention.

Union busting and pressure continued to be widely used by employers. In several countries, companies threatened workers with closure or transfer of production sites if they organized or joined a labor confederation. Often employers simply refused to negotiate with legitimate workers' representatives while the authorities did nothing. Some labor codes were amended to permit more "flexibility" and to unravel social welfare systems, which often impacted the existing industrial relations systems and thus curtailed trade union rights. 

The undermining of internationally recognized labor standards saw more and more workers facing insecurity and vulnerability in employment, with some 50% of the global workforce now in precarious jobs. This affected workers in export processing zones, especially in South East Asia and Central America, domestic workers, particularly in the Middle East and South East Asia, and migrants and agricultural workers. Many of the worst affected sectors have high concentrations of women workers. Furthermore, the growth of informal employment and the development of new "atypical" forms of employment were seen across both regions and industrial sectors. The difficulties faced by these workers to organize or exercise their trade union rights are directly related to their highly vulnerable position in the labor market.

The Survey also highlights many cases where, while labor confederation's rights are officially protected in legislation, restrictions on legal coverage and weak or non-existent enforcement added to the vulnerability of workers already struggling in the depths of the crisis. Severe restrictions or outright prohibition of strikes also exist in a large number of countries. Furthermore, complex procedural requirements, imposition of compulsory arbitration and the use of excessively broad definitions of "essential services" provisions often make the exercise of syndicalist rights impossible in practice, depriving workers of their legitimate rights to union representation and participation in industrial action. 

The ILO Convention 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining has still not been ratified by countries such as Canada, China, India, Iran, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. Thus, approximately half of the world's economically active population is not covered by this Convention.

The majority of the world's workers still lack effective protection of their rights to organize labor confederations and bargain collectively. This is a major factor in the long-term increase in economic inequality within and between countries. Inadequate incomes for much of the world's workforce contributed and contribute to the global economic crisis and depression, and is making it much harder to put the economy on a path of sustainable growth, i.e. environmental sustainable growth, says a spokesperson for the World Economic Council, WEC. The International Workers of the World does, and calls for more, direct actions against this trend, and for anarchy, world wide. Sources: ITUC's Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights (for 2009), ILO, WEC, IWW, AIIS.

PS. Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for those exercising the right to freedom of association, and Colombia accounts for 63.12% of syndicalists murdered over the last decade around the world. At least 10,887 acts of violence were committed against syndicalists between 1 January 1986 and 30 April 2010, including 2,832 murders. Five hundred and fifty seven syndicalists have been murdered during President Uribe's time in office. At least 48 such murders were committed during 2009, and 29 trade unionists have been killed thus far during 2010. The IWW is aware that there is a protection programme and a special unit of public prosecutors, but expresses its concern because, in spite of these measures, syndicalists are still being killed and the rate of impunity remains at 97%.

The Colombian government will not recognize the serious and persistent violence facing people belonging to syndicates of workers, and seek to conceal the situation with figures and declarations that contradict the facts. The IWW demands that the Colombian government will comply with the recommendations of the Committee on the Application of Standards, which underlined in 2009 that a syndicalist movement can only exist in a climate that is free of violence, and urges the Colombian government to bring an end to the current climate of violence, ochlarchy, and impunity through the application of continuous innovative and effective policies and measures. Ochlarchy is mob rule broadly defined. Although Colombia was not included in the list of 25 countries to be examined by the Committee on the Application of Standards, the government has had to agree to a high-level tripartite mission of the International Labour Organisation. The ILO does not send a mission of this magnitude to a country where trade union rights are not violated. More information about the economic-political system in Colombia, see the note 'Colombia - A right-fascist system with severe ochlarchy' at Anarchy Debate. Sources: ITUC and IWW. 11.06.2010.  

*) The concept 'syndicate' is defined in general as 'an association of people formed to promote a common interest', and is especially related to the labor movement. The concept 'syndical' broadly defined means 'of a labor union or labor confederation, i.e. of a syndicate of workers'. Thus, a 'syndicalist' broadly defined is any man or woman 'of a labor union or labor confederation, i.e. of a syndicate of workers', thus including all labor union or labor confederation members and activists, i.e. 'union men and women', members and activists of syndicates of workers. 'Syndicalist' narrowly defined is one who believes in or advocates 'syndicalism', a theory and movement of trade unionism originating in France, in which all means of production and distribution would be brought under control of syndicates of workers, i.e. labor confederations and labor unions, by direct action, such as general strike. The IWW above, and often, makes use of the term 'syndicalist' broadly defined, as 'union men and women', i.e. members and activists of syndicates of workers.


The AI, IWW and ACLA condemn the murder of syndicalist Pedro Antonio García in Guatemala

AI, IWW and ACLA strongly condemn the murder of Pedro Antonio García, a member of the Malacatán Municipal Workers Union, which is affiliated to the Confederation of  Syndicalist*) Unity of Guatemala (CUSG) [Confederacion de Unidad Sindical De Guatemala] . We also denounce the grave violations of workers' labor and syndicalist organization's rights, particularly in the municipal sector.

The murder took place as Pedro Antonio García was on his way home in Malacatán.  For the past year, municipal workers have suffered serious breaches of syndicalist organization's freedom and labor rights. These abuses were committed by the State of Guatemala, in its capacity as their employer.  The syndicalist organized employees of the municipality of Malacatán, with spokesperson Pedro Antonio García, organized actions on 5 and 6 January 2010 to demand the payment of salaries owed to them from 2009, compliance with the collective agreement and payment of other benefits. 

In this resolution, sent as e-mail to the Guatemalan authorities, anarchists and syndicalists, newsmedia, etc. world wide and also published at the IWW website - AI, IWW and ACLA  call on President Álvaro Colom to take urgent measures to find and punish the perpetrators of the crime and do his utmost to ensure that human, labor and syndicalist organization's rights are respected in his country. The government must also make all state aid to the municipal administrations subject to full observance of the ILO's fundamental conventions, which were ratified by Guatemala.

Alarming increase in anti-syndicalist violence: AI, IWW and ACLA are seriously concerned at the alarming increase in anti-union violence seen in Guatemala since the year 2007. The poaching of members and the rise of "parallel" "labor" confederations aimed at dividing the labor movement, robbing it of its independence and making it serve the interests of the government rather than the genuine interests and needs of Guatemala's workers, are a cause for grave concern, together with the recurrent violence against syndicalists. 

AI, IWW and ACLA call for direct actions and other actions against the State of Guatemala, and for a movement of the economic-political system of the country in libertarian direction, i.e. towards significant socialism and autonomy = Anarchy! 10.02.2010

The Anarchist International (AI/IFA) - http://www.anarchy.no/ai.html

International Workers of the World (IWW) - http://www.anarchy.no/iwwai.html

The Anarchist Confederation of Latin America (ACLA) - http://www.anarchy.no/latina.html


May Day Manifesto 2009 - Full employment now!

The world is facing its gravest economic crisis in over 60 years. Tens of millions of jobs are being lost due to the greed, plunder and incompetence which have, through decades of "free" market deregulation, led the world into deep recession. Global poverty and inequality are increasing fast, and working women and men everywhere face levels of insecurity unprecedented in recent times.

We accept no leaders of the world, be it USA, Russia, EU or China. However guidance is a must. Look to the three anarchist, the only real democratic, countries of the world, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland, guided by a.o.t. the International Workers of the World, the Anarchist International, AI, and the International Institute For Organization Research, IIFOR. They will probably be the first to solve the economic recession problem, balancing 1) Total demand nominally = (Price level)(Labor productivity)(Total labor force). Where 2) Total demand nominally = Public and private consumption + Public and private real investment + Export - Import, 3) Price level = (1 + Inflation %/100)  and Labor productivity is national product volume per employed,  averagely, and inflation is measured by the price index for the national product.  

How to achieve this aim? Read A SHORT NOTE ON THE GENERAL THEORY OF ANARCHIST ECONOMICS: The General Theory. The traditional Keynes type countercyclal monetary and fiscal policy measures, may not be sufficient to solve the problem. Measures to lower inflation and to achieve a modest increase in labor productivity, taking into account green economics, should also be introduced, etc. For the world seen all in all Export - Import = 0, thus protectionism must be avoided. Anarchies have the best conditions to do proper demand management. The other most libertarian countries should follow them in coordinate efforts to solve the recession problem. The rest of the world should also join in. The sooner the better! Proper demand management now!!!

THE 25 HIGHEST RANKING COUNTRIES ACCORDING TO LIBERTARIAN DEGREE ETC.
SYSTEM ANALYSIS

Countries:

Rank of country according to libertarian degree, and type of system

Libertarian degree and (authoritarian degree) %

Degree of socialism
and (capitalism) %

Degree of autonomy and
(statism) %

Gini-index

Norway

1 Anarchy

54,0 (46,0)

55,0 (45.0)

53,2 (46,8)

25,8

Switzerland

2 Anarchy

53,0 (47,0)

51,0 (49,0)

55,1 (44,9)

33,1

Iceland

3 Anarchy

52,0 (48,0)

54,0 (46,0)

50,1 (49,9)

25,0 (est.)

Liechtenstein

4 Soc.dem.

49,5 (50,5)

51,4 (48,6)

47,7 (52,3)

32,0 (est.)

Luxembourg

5 Soc.dem.

49,2 (50,8)

52,1 (47,9)

46,5 (53,5)

30,8

Denmark

6 Soc.dem.

48,8 (51,2)

55,3 (44,7)

43,0 (57,0)

24,7

Japan

7 Soc.dem.

48,5 (51,5)

55,2 (44,8)

42,6 (57,4)

24,9

Belgium

8 Soc.dem.

48,2 (51,8)

54,0 (46,0)

43,0 (57,0)

25,0

Finland

9 Soc.dem.

47,9 (52,1)

53,8 (46,2)

42,6 (57,4)

26,9

Sweden

10 Soc.dem.

47,5 (52,5)

54,0 (46,0)

41,7 (58,3)

25,0

Netherlands

11 Soc.dem.

47,2 (52,8)

52,0 (48,0)

42,8 (57,2)

30,9

Canada

12 Soc.dem.

46,8 (53,2)

50,9 (49,1)

43,0 (57,0)

33,1

Austria

13 Soc.dem.

46,5 (53,5)

52,1 (47,9)

41,4 (58,6)

30,0

Ireland

14 Populist

46,2 (53,8)

45,0 (55,0)

47,4 (52,6)

35,9

Germany

15 Soc.dem.

45,9 (54,1)

53,0 (47,0)

39,6 (60,4)

28,3

Spain

16 Soc.dem.

45,5 (54,5)

51,5 (48,5)

40,1 (59,9)

32,5

Australia

17 Populist

45,0 (55,0)

48,0 (52,0)

42,2 (57,8)

35,2

United King.

18 Populist

44,5 (55,5)

44,7 (55,3)

44,3 (55,7)

36.0

New Zealand

19 Populist

44,0 (56,0)

44,6 (55,4)

42,4 (57,6)

36,2

France

20 Soc.dem.

43,5 (56,5)

51,4 (48,6)

36,6 (63,4)

32,7

Italy

21 Populist

43,0 (57,0)

44,7 (55,3)

41,3 (58,7)

36,0

USA

22 Cons. lib.

42,5 (57,5)

24,5 (75,5)

69,8 (30,2)

40,8

Israel

23 Populist

42,3 (57,7)

47,8 (52,2)

37,3 (62,7)

35,5

Hong Kong

24 Cons. lib.

42,1 ( 57,9)

22,1 (77,9)

74,8 (25,2)

43,4

Greece

25 Populist

42,0 (58,0)

47,9 (52,1)

36,6 (63,4)

35,4

The estimates are approximately figures. © IIFOR/IJA ISSN 0800 – 0220 2007 and later.
Anarchy = here social-individualist anarchism; Soc. dem. = social democrat marxism; Populist = here moderate parliamentarian democratic fascism; Cons. lib. = Conservative liberalism. See economic-political map. Ranking of countries according to libertarian degree, estimates of the libertarian degree in general, and information on methodology, see http://www.anarchy.no/ranking.html and http://www.anarchy.no/a_e_p_m.html . For the libertarian vs authoritarian, capitalist vs socialist and statism vs autonomy degree we have used " , ", the European standard instead of American/UK standard, i.e. " . " as decimal separator. For other figures on www.anarchy.no we have usually used the American/UK standard. The term "ca" is an abbreviation for the latin circa, which means about or approximately.

Economic-political world map

 

*) The stars indicate the position of the Norwegian economical-political system after the revolutionary change in 1994/95. Read more about the anarchist velvet revolutionary change in 1994/95 and the development afterwards at http://www.anarchy.no/a_nor.html and http://www.anarchy.no/ija1994-96.html  

The International Workers of the World, the AI and IIFOR demand far-reaching, urgent and coordinated actions to pull the world out of recession. Public sectors must act to keep the working class broadly defined, i.e. the grassroots, the people, seen as a class in contrast to the superiors economically and/or political/administrative, in work and create new jobs, to avoid an even deeper and longer-lasting crisis. These actions are essential, but alone they are not sufficient.

We demand nothing less than a full-scale transformation of the world economy. A new global economy is required, which is built on the anarchist principle of social justice and the other anarchist principles and which:

• Delivers decent work, with full respect for workers' rights, to all;

• Is based on effective, real democratic and accountable global management, self management - autogestion - which puts the needs of the people first;

• Ensures strong financial regulation, putting finance at the service of the real economy and the real economy at the service of people;

• Guarantees respect for the rights of all working people and puts an end to poverty, inequality, discrimination, repression and exploitation; and,

• Secures sustainability through green investment and green jobs.

Public sectors have the responsibility and the possibility to build the new global economy. The trade union movement and civil society in general, including the anarchists, will press forward the demand for public sectors to fulfill this responsibility, and insist on full involvement at every level in making it a reality.

We will not accept a return to the politics of greed, which allowed a tiny elite to amass vast wealth at the expense of the many, robbing workers of their dignity and security. Central to this is restoring the role of public sector in regulating the private sector and ensuring public provision to meet fundamental social needs. Decades of "free"-market ideology have weakened the essential functions of public sector as regulator and provider, with the IMF and the World Bank playing a major role in ensuring that public sectors comply with that discredited ideology. These institutions have now been given huge responsibilities and resources to combat the recession. Their structures and their policies, and those of the WTO, must be changed dramatically in order for the new global economy to be possible. Direct actions etc. are means to achieve this aim.

The central role of decent work in the new global economy must be fully realised. It is essential to meeting the needs and aspirations of people everywhere, and is the only sustainable way to restore demand for goods and services. The rights to organize and bargain collectively are central to maintaining and improving living standards and to stimulating growth. We call upon world's mandated persons to agree urgently on a Global Jobs Pact to deliver decent work, and we insist that the ILO be placed at the heart of the management of the world economy.

The removal of rules for managing banking and finance has been the biggest single cause of the crisis. Strong regulations are required. But in a global economy, no country can properly regulate in isolation, nor can any country alone stop taxpayers being cheated by the vast flow of money into tax havens. Public sectors have to work together to design the new rules and put them into place, and they must do this without delay.

The world's mandated persons have come together many times to pledge to defeat poverty and hunger, to promise development and guarantee that fundamental rights at work and in society would be respected. Yet the economic system they built ensured that many of the pledges they made would remain just words, while the crisis today is being used as yet another excuse to strip working people of their rights and entitlements. The new global economy must support, not undermine, the timeless and universal rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, interpreted in a libertarian way, see Anarchist Human Rights, and the ILO core labor standards.

Time is running out to save the planet from the ravages of climate change. The new global economy must be a green economy, where high-carbon jobs are transformed into low-carbon jobs, and where investment in this transformation and the creation of new green jobs is assured. The world community must agree this year, at the Copenhagen Climate Summit, to far-reaching measures to cut emissions, build green infrastructure and jobs and ensure that the transition to the green economy is efficient, just and fair.

The world's biggest economies, at the G20 Summit in London, responding to direct actions, opened the possibility for work on the new global economy to begin. They agreed that jobs are central to recovery, and that there must be new regulations, global cooperation and reform. They committed to work on a Charter for Sustainable Globalization, which could become a guide for the kind of world economy which working people demand. But these are still no more than the first few steps along the necessary path.

The trade unions of the world, including the International Workers of the World, and civil society in general - including the anarchists - will carry forward our quest for the new global economy. Building on our firm traditions of global solidarity, our capacity to mobilize for change and our determination to hold decision-makers to account for their actions, we will pursue our agenda for change with public sectors, at the UN and the G20 and in every other place that matters.

From the ruins of the crisis, a new era of prosperity, equality, real democracy and peace must arise. We proclaim our continued resolve to bring this new sustainable era into being, and to oppose, with every libertarian means at our disposal, those who stand in its way.

May Day 2009 was honored worldwide with millions of people who took to the streets and whose main slogans focused on better labor relations, the combating of unemployment and poverty.


The Anarchist International
www.anarchy.no

The Anarchist International protests against the sacking of CNT's Juan R. Dominguez at Magma Tratamientos SLU- Spain. He must immediately get his job back!

L. Jakobsen - International Workers of the World, affiliated to AI
H. Fagerhus - International Journal of Anarchism
A. Quist - The Anarchist International
07.10.2008

Hola AI

Nos hemos enterado hoy mismo. Juan R. Dominguez, delegado sindical de la sección sindical de CNT en la empresa Magma Tratamientos SLU ha sido despedido de su puesto de trabajo como camionero y emprendemos acciones de lucha. De momento pedimos faxes de solidaridad, correos electronicos y el miércoles en asamblea estudiaremos emprender más acciones.

CNT Camp de Morvedre

FAX: 96 140 20 72
Send protest letters to info@magmagrupo.es
___

Hola AI - 08.10.2008

Juan R
Responsable de la Web del S.O.V de C.N.T. Sagunto
Adherida a la A.I .T. (Internacional Revolucionaria)
Valencia – España

La presente es para agradecer las muestras de apoyo
Por el envió de faxes y corros electrónicos
gracia.

Sin más, Excepto que la lucha continua recibir un cordial saludo.

Salud y Anarquía

Dirección Av. País Valencia 10 Bajo. Sagunto Cp 46500, Ap 133
___

Hi Juan R

The www.anarchy.no has about 15 000 visitors and 50 000 hits per month. We hope our resolution will contribute to a victory in this case...


The International Workers of the World supports
CGT's (Spanish anarchosyndicalists) actions against the Returns Directive.
21.06.2008: The anarchists, including anarchosyndicalists, step up their direct actions against the Returns Directive.

see The Anarchy Debate


May Day 2008 - Hunger demonstrations, it's the struggle of the people!


Everywhere in the world the problem is striking between the human needs and the needs of capitalism and statism. Grim murderous merry-go-round of stock exchanges and markets, cynical and murderous calendar of adjustment structural plans, state repression, all this implies for our class, the people as opposed to superiors economically and/or political/administrative, always more misery, deprivation, daily and generalized poisoning. State and capital's catastrophe speeds up and it's always our class that picks up the tab! World wide:

Capitalism and statism deprived us of anything to force us to work

When they don't need our labor force anymore, they let us dying

State and capital kill and don't have anything else to offer

But the people don't take the increasing brutality of the many attacks against its survival conditions without doing something. These last weeks, in dozens of countries all over the world, our class took to the street, reappropriating something to eat for not dying. Faced with this human reaction marxism, liberalism and fascism deplore revolts "without prospects". In the name of saving the planet the  superiors advocate austerity, abnegation and submissiveness. Denouncing such or such "pernicious effect of the system", brandishing the mystification of "world overpopulation", the  superiors feed us again with their wild imaginings of accounting reforms supposed to regulate profit and to humanize the statist and/or capitalist barbarity.

Everywhere in the world the people get nowadays hammered through generalized attack against their purchasing power. Yet, resignation through marxist, liberalist and fascist acceptance of the "lesser evil" globally still prevails today: The worst is and will always be elsewhere, farther, in the "third world", by "the poorest", "the most exploited", "the most repressed". The superiors can still take the liberty of maintaining the struggles of our class in isolation and restore its social peace while murdering with impunity our class brothers and sisters striking for their most elementary needs. And this with the necessary support of these useful idiots, these docile citizens who vote and sort out their household waste, these sloppy spectators standing before their television and who will maybe shed tears over "violence and hunger in the world" between two elections or sports results.

Dying or struggling, there is no other alternative for the people world wide

Hunger and suburbs demonstrations - these struggles are ours

Let's support our struggling class brothers and sisters, let's fight everywhere against exploitation and repression

Our enemy is everywhere the same - the superiors economically and/or political/administrative

This system is in crisis! May it die?

Fellows, this leaflet is an expression of our struggling class, copy it, and spread it!

Belarus: Condemnation of a police raid and violation of workers' rights

The anarchist International Workers of the World, IWW/AI,  today expressed its strong condemnation of a police raid last week, on 6 December in the evening, against the office of  the Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP). Police officers detained several young activists present in the office for printing information about a meeting of entrepreneurs and sealed or confiscated BKDP equipment and documents. The detainees were later released but were called up to appear in court for alleged "hooliganism".

The BKDP considers the matter as a clear provocation orchestrated by the Belarusian authorities to attack the independent labor movement. The BKDP is the largest independent labor organization in the country. It has for many years been fighting for labor rights and freedoms, its members are regularly being harassed and discriminated and its delegates have repeatedly been arrested for their commitment to - and defense of -  fundamental rights of workers and democracy,

The IWW/AI condemns the raid and calls on the authorities to respect and protect the work of the BKDP and of all its structures, including its central office, to remove the charges against its members and to repair damage made to its office and equipment. It is outrageous that in a country which is under the close supervision of the ILO and which has been denied EU GSP preferences precisely for labor rights violations just half a year ago, the police raids this labor confederation's offices, removes its documentation and equipment and brutally interferes with union activities.  The methods the authorities are using to undermine the independent labor movement leave no place for hope that the regime is serious about respecting its ILO obligations and repeated commitments to its own people and to the international community. (11.12.2007)


GENERAL STRIKE IN ITALY NOVEMBER 09th 2007

(click on): Italy - 2007


Call for International Convention to protect Domestic Workers

The IWW/AI calls for an International treaty to protect domestic workers. The question of a possible International Standard for the tens of millions domestic workers in the world will be discussed next month at  the International Labour Organization (ILO).  "Domestic workers lack protection under both international and national laws" says the document tabled for discussion by the ILO. "They represent an important and growing segment of the labor and their work is enabling others to improve their living standard" it adds. Domestic workers are a vital link in every country's economic chain, carrying out essential tasks for millions of households.

Domestic work is often not recognized by national legislation. Domestic workers therefore do not enjoy the protection of the labor rights laid down in such legislation, so the door is open for all kinds of abuse by their employers. A large number of domestic workers are migrant women. In their countries of origin, many of them hold qualifications that are considerably higher than those required for domestic workers, but the social reality and the obvious need of money to survive push those women to accept to travel and to work as domestic workers.

The IWW/AI is calling for actions worldwide to obtain support  to develop an international instrument, i.e. the ILO will have to decide  to put this on the agenda of the International Labour Conference in 2010 with the prospect of having a treaty adopted in 2011. Domestic workers must have protection just like others workers. We strongly urge the ILO to take the right decision in this case. An International Convention will make a good framework for direct actions in this matter. 01.11.2007


MAY DAY MANIFESTO 2007

Working people in all corners of the globe, gathering together on the 1st of May, celebrate the tremendous achievements of the anarchist and labor movement in general, and commemorate all those who have given so much in the cause of justice, equality and human dignity. Especially we remember the Chicago anarchists and the origin of the May Day as the special day of workers' demonstrations, see The History of May Day.

Each and every person has the right to decent work and a decent life. For the vast millions to whom these rights are but an aspiration, it is through the determination and collective will of the anarchist and labor confederations that this aspiration can become a reality, and for those who today enjoy these rights in their daily lives, it is through their confederations that they will be defended and maintained.

The International Workers of the World, affiliated to the Anarchist International, (IWW/AI)  gives us means and renewed vitality in our quest for a better world.  We will harness the fight for workers' rights  to its very maximum, to bring solidarity to all those who need it, and to change the course of the global economy to make it serve the interests of the many rather than the few.

Our commitment to build a better world, where economic progress serves social needs, where those who live in poverty and at the margins of society are empowered to live decent and fulfilling lives, remains steadfast.  The universal values which have underpinned more than a century of proud anarchist and labor movement history, remain as valid today as they did  at the very birth of our movement.

We oppose all forms oppression and exploitation, and proclaim our determination to continue the struggle against all those who seek to profit from deprivation, discrimination and despair.  We stand united with all women and men who suffer violations of their rights as workers and as human beings and will come to their aid in every way we can.  We condemn all those who profit from the misery of others and will carry forward the fight against the rapacious excesses of corporate greed.  We will maintain our struggle for a world where all can live secure and peaceful lives, free from authority, the threat of violence, war and destruction, see Anarchism.

The generations of today hold the very future of the planet in our hands.  Our actions will leave an indelible mark on the lives of the children of the world and those to come.  We shall fulfill our solemn duty to work for sustainable economic and social progress, to play our part in tackling climate change, in providing health and education for all and confronting the enormous challenges which we face as a world community. See The Green Libertarian Manifesto.

We seek a world where all countries can cooperate to the common good, building and sustaining fairness, efficiency and  social justice in economic and political/administrative relations, where no country is left behind and where the aspirations of all men, women and children to a decent life are met in full.  We pledge, in furtherance of the great and durable traditions of our movement, to turns these dreams and hopes into reality.


SUPPORT TO SAC, THE FOSIE CASE. CLICK ON:
Resolution of AFIS


MAY DAY MANIFESTO 2006

May Day 2006, on international workers' day, we celebrate the fruits of decades of collective struggle, and pay homage to all those who have made sacrifices in the name of freedom, equality, solidarity, social justice and human dignity.  We pledge to continue to use our collective strength to bring about a safe and just world, where every woman and man has the chance of a decent job, based on free contract, not slave contract.

In the face of great challenges confronting working people, the hope that springs from the tenacity of the human spirit is evident everywhere.  From young people demanding their rights at work, to migrant workers fighting exploitation, to millions of women in export processing zones or trapped in informal work and striving for justice, people across the world understand better than ever that our common struggle is truly global.

Our international resolve is strong.  Long before globalization became a household word, anarchists understood that the fate of workers in one country is inextricably linked with the fate of workers in another. We will continue to confront those who seek to divide, and to profit from division, by pitting worker against worker.  We will carry forward the fight to those who advocate xenophobia and racism.  We will stand, as ever, in solidarity with all those who face oppression, discrimination and violation of their rights.  We remain steadfast in our determination to end global poverty, and to build a global economy that serves the interests of people rather than capital, where the rules of trade and finance support workers' rights and development instead of promoting a race to the bottom. 

2006 is a year of historic importance for international anarchism.  It is 120 years since the Haymarket affair that initiated the celebration of May Day as the international workers' day, see The History of May Day. We will use our strength to transform the world of work and the world at large in the interests of all men and women.  By reaching out to all workers, standing with those who fight for their rights against exploitation and dictatorship, and campaigning for global peace and security, anarchists around the world will have a significant voice.

Global action on global issues is essential to realizing our primary tasks of fighting for fundamental workers' rights, for equality and for safe, sustainable and healthy work for all.  It is indispensable in the fight against HIV-AIDS and the other great crises facing humanity.  We pledge to fight for a world in which each human being is empowered to fulfill their potential, no matter where they live. We pledge to fight for a world in which each worker is treated with dignity and respect. Our collective aspiration is timeless, and will live on in the hearts and minds of the working men and women world wide. Anarchy and anarchism mean "system and management without ruler(s), i.e. co-operation without repression, tyranny and slavery".  Anarchy and anarchism are coordination on equal footing, without superiors and subordinates, i.e. horizontal organization and co-operation without coercion.  This means practically or ideally, i.e. ordinary vs perfect horizontal organization respectively.  Thus, anarchy and anarchism mean real democracy, economical and political/administrative, in private and public sector.  The best political road ahead is in general towards real democracy, i.e. anarchy, and more of it.  Long live the Anarchist International. See AI/IFA and IWW.


MAY DAY GREETINGS FROM THE ANARCHISTS 2005

Warm greetings on this international workers holiday to our sisters and brothers, compañeras and compañeros around the globe.

The fifth year of the 21st century is filled with heroic fight for more libertarian organization and against authoritarian rule world wide. Salutations to the brave working people on every continent who are fighting to protect  their children, their water, food, jobs, pensions, birth control, libertarian human rights and lives from authoritarian rule, overpopulation and misery.

Let us turn today’s strong fight into an advance toward universal human fulfillment, a significant horizontal social organization in each country. A radical, anarchist, international, force of  workers, women and oppressed peoples could end the current conflicts and  construct a new improved economic system based on libertarian cooperation and meeting social needs.   Stand up for your rights, organize in labor unions and cooperatives world wide. Onward to a libertarian socialist, feminist, egalitarian world in our time!

No union without anarchists, click on: http://www.anarchy.no/global.html
The anarchist International Workers of the World IWW/AI, click on: http://www.anarchy.no/iwwai.html
The history of May Day, click on: http://www.anarchy.no/mayday.html


MAY DAY MANIFESTO 2004

May 1st, International Workers' Day, commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world, and is recognized in most countries. The United States of America and Canada are among the exceptions. This despite the fact that the holiday began in the 1880s in the USA, linked to the battle for the eight-hour day, and the Chicago anarchists, see (click on) The History of May Day.  

Today, May 1st 2004, workers all over the world are celebrating the achievements of trade unions, and expressing their hopes for the future. More than ever before, in this globalised world, the situation of workers in one part of the world is linked to the challenges faced by workers in another. More than ever, an injury to one is an injury to all. Never has the need for effective international solidarity been more pressing.

This is why we are adding our voices to the call for Respect for workers wherever they live, wherever they work.

We want RESPECT for workers' rights. Worldwide, many employers try to gain unfair advantage by undermining workers' rights. Strong and inclusive unions, anarchosyndicalist and others, are the only real way for workers to get respect at work.

We want RESPECT for women workers. Unions need women as much as women need unions. Women workers are especially vulnerable in the globalised, liberalised labor market. Organising and protecting women workers must be a priority for labor federations all over the world.  

In this Olympic year, we are making a special demand that the Olympic values of "fair play" be brought not only to the games in Athens, but also to the millions of mostly women workers who produce sportswear under often appalling conditions.

We want RESPECT for those working in poverty. A "race to the bottom" is forcing entire countries and their workforces to compete against each other for trade and investment. Trade union rights are violated and workers are being pushed into poverty wages, not least in the world's export processing zones. And in the informal economy, lacking legal and social protections, it's harder and harder for workers to join and form unions. Let's get some respect for these workers, so that they can work their way out of poverty with the help of strong workers' federations.

On May 1st workers' federations will be calling for prosperity. In this time of continued threats to peace and stability strengthening of the international community,  we salute the common front for peace and against terrorism which is supported by labor federations and their members the world over.

The labor movement hereby pledges to expand its struggle for the rights and livelihoods for working women and men, for democracy, human rights, peace and Respect for all.

Long live international labor solidarity! Long live the Anarchist International and the International Workers of the World of AI.


DIRECT ACTION AND GENERAL STRIKE IN ITALY APRIL 16th 2002

We, labor-activists in the International Workers of the World, feel obligated to stand-up and offer our solidarity to our fellow-workers of Italy in this fight for workers' rights. Berlusconi's attack on labor is an attack upon our families and children, world wide. We must fight against these attacks.  Relative slave contracts, Orwellian "1984" newspeak "At-will" employment, etc. are horrible.  You must not allow it to become the legal standard in Italy!  Please, strike and take to the streets on April 16th! The International Workers of the World support the general strike in Italy the 16th of April. Get on the road to anarchy in Italy! Press release about the general strike etc. at (click on) : Italy 2002.

GENERAL STRIKE IN SPAIN SEPTEMBER 2002

Manifesto from CGT sent to the IWW-secretariate:

More info - click on: IWW - CGT - SPAIN 2002


THE ICC AND THE NORWEGIAN SECTION
OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD ETC.

The Norwegian section of IWW/AI, Anarkosyndikalistisk Føderasjon i Norge - AFN, is hosting the International Confederal Council of the IWW/AI. The ICC is an autonomous organ of the IWW/AI and works anarchosyndicalistical as a coordinating organ within the general framework of the Anarchist International, similar to the Anarchist International Embassy, and was founded and mandated at the same congress in 1998, see AIE. The Norwegian anarchosyndicalist section of the AI/IFA/IAF has worked with several important struggles of the anarchist and labor movement broadly defined. The support actions for "Solidarity" in Poland together with the Anarchist Black Cross Norwegian Division and the Polish section of AI/IFA in 1982 and later, may be mentioned, see, say, IJ@/folkebladet No 1 - 1982. Today the fight against the blue & brown right populist Carl Ivar Hagen and his so called "Progress Party", i.e. reactionary, say, calling for a broad based front against this fascistoid element in Norwegian politics in a manifesto called "Breifront mot Fremskrittspartiet", published 30.04.2002 may be mentioned. See Dugnad, and search for Hagen and IWW. People that don't understand Norwegian may try the translation tool at Links.

The IWW/AI celebrated the 20 & 130 years anniversary, 1872 - 1982 - 2002, also on Internet May Day 2002. We thank everybody that wrote comments/congratulations for interesting feedback world wide. They will not be forgotten. We however quote only a short one here: "Peace brother" from J.A. to the anarchosyndicalists in AFIS, later reported to ICC-IWW/AI. The answer was "O.K". Also the International Anarchist Tribunal was in action on the day of celebration, see IAT-APT, search for, say, Genoa, organ, WW, and May Day... By the way, the web-counter reached an all time high ca 200% above the usual number of hits on a good day. PS. The ICC of IWW sometimes works together with the International Anarchist Tribunal, and in such cases together they also have functions somewhat similar to the more well known ICC International Criminal Court.

For freedom, equality, solidarity and other anarchist principles! May Day is no party day. Anarchosyndicalist greetings from L. Jakobsen S.G. ICC - IWW/AI


IWW/AI solidarity strike for the Norwegian journalists 29.05. - 07.06.2002,
see
Streik 2002

07.06.2002: English summary: Journalists' strike ends. Newspapers and their web sites in Norway were cranking back into business on Friday after a nine-day journalists' strike that had shut most of them down. The newspaper owners and the journalists' unions came to terms late Thursday night. The agreement includes an extra week of holiday, meaning that all journalists will now get a fifth week off every year. Additional vacation days will be phased in over the next few years, while journalists with more than 18 years' seniority will get a sixth week of annual holiday. Pay will also rise, by an average NOK 8,000 a year (about USD 900) for all union members. Both sides claimed they were pleased with the new agreement. All newspapers were expected to be back in full production over the weekend. The AIIS-club of the Norwegian section of IWW/AI joined in with a solidarity strike one hour per day as long as the strike in general was going on, although as an autonomous co-operative not being directly a part of the pay and holiday conflict.


THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE INDUSTRIAL
AND THE INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD

*) As mentioned the Anarchist International Workers of the World, must not be mixed up with the mainly marxian Industrial-WW. "We are Marxian ... in our critique of capitalism", Jim Crutchfield NYC General Membership Branch, Industrial Workers of the World, expresses in a mail to the International Workers of the World sent Wednesday, April 10, 2002. Steve Ongerth, Web Site Administrator of the Industrial Workers of the World partly agrees in a letter sent Tuesday, April 16, 2002 "When Jim Crutchfield says that the IWW's critique of capitalism is "Marxian", he is correct, but so what? ... There's nothing to be ashamed of. Marx was correct about the evils of capitalism." Furthermore Jim Crutcfield in a letter sent April 11, 2002 declares: "You are correct in saying that the Industrial Workers of the World is outside the anarchist quadrant on (the) political map, and that is as it should be." We on the other hand declare that the International Workers of the World is significant within the anarchist quadrant on the Economical Political Map, see System Theory.

Thus, these two organizations are quite something different related to the economical political map: 1. The International-WW is anarchist /anarchosyndicalist, and 2. the Industrial-WW is mainly not, and they should never be mixed up by the media or others. Both organizations declare they are against capitalism, but the Industrial-WW has mainly a marxist criticism, the International-WW an anarchist criticism. These are significantly not the same as the anarchist criticism is based on libertarian principles and anarchist political economy broadly defined, while the Marxian is based on historical materialistic dialectics and labor theory of value etc, marxist economics and sociological ideology, i.e. mainly pseudoscience. Furthermore the International-WW has a clear cut anarchist alternative and aim, while the Industrial-WW says they have no clear cut ideology, but indirectly they mainly operate with a) a rather vague marxian communist, socialist and syndicalist mixed partly contradictive type of program, with a dash of libertarian rhetoric, based on "one big industrial union", without b) a clear cut anarchist, consistent, system based on all of the libertarian principles as practical policy and aim. The important question is not what you are against, but what you are for, i.e. the real alternative directly or indirectly indicated by the policy. No union is non-political. If a union have no political actions, they are in reality for status quo. If nothing is clear cut, it is vague fogarchy, i.e. authoritarian. Thus Industrial-WW mainly claiming to be non-ideological and not political, may practically not be so. The policy will be found by investigations based on the general theory of revealed preferences.

In the 1950s, the Industrial-WW earned a place on the list of "subversive" US organizations, because they refused to agree to the provisions of the Taft-Hartley act (which required that Labor Unions renounce "Communism"). The Industrial-WW was then considered a "Communist" organization. It may also be mentioned that the Industrial-WW in the early 1990s overwhelmingly voted against joining the AIT/IWA/IAA, that no doubt convinced some syndicalists that the IWW was marxist and not anarcho-syndicalist. Neither are they members of the Anarchist International. What we have seen from so called libertarians, i.e really ochlarchs, in the Industrial-WW, such as Jamal Hannah & Co, have nothing to do with anarchist, anarchy or anarchism. The typical marxian bully ochlarchy of the Industrial-WW of today is also documented from somebody that have been mobbed just for speaking out and using his right to free speech. IIFOR has the documentation. If this goes on the International-WW will take actions against this marxian ochlarchy of the Industrial-WW. Conflicts must be solved in other ways than with ochlarchy against fellow workers. Consent if possible should not be manufactured by persecution and ochlarchy, but achieved freely in a libertarian way based on dialog and free, matter of fact, criticism. This does not mean that all members of the Industrial-WW are of this ochlarchical type. The dialog between the International Workers of the World and the so called Industrial continues so far.

But the International Workers of the World's point of view is that seen all in all the Industrial-WW is not significantly anarchist, but mainly some kind of marxian type organization on the economical-political map, mainly with some socialist, communist and syndicalist mixed tendencies and sometimes a bit vague libertarian rhetoric, sometimes a bit semilibertarian leftist, sometimes a bit more autoritarian and militant similar to "non-dogmatic" IS-trotskyites, some members this - and some members that, with no clear consistent policy, an thus also a bit chaotic authoritarian. The IIFOR also has documentation stating several "former" trotskyists and trotskyite friends were involved in the reorganization of the Industrial-WW after a long time where the union was practically finished after medio 1900s. Thus, the organization has developed into a typical "student commie type" joke of an authoritarian union, from a more or less libertarian or semilibertarian past in the beginning of the 20th century, - although not so many students perhaps. The boycott of the American Industrial-WW will continue as long as a faction of the Industrial-WW is spreading smearstories and making intrigues against the Anarchist International, and as long as they are posing and (wrongly) labeled as an anarchosyndicalist and libertarian syndicalist union, i.e. what they mainly not are. The Industrial-WW in America and other places is mainly marxian syndicalist - not anarchosyndicalist and anarchistic.

More lies about the International Workers of the World from the Industrial Workers of the World

In 2005 the Industrial-WW put up more lies about the International-WW, this time on their website in the USA, quoting: "A former General Secretary Treasurer of the Industrial Workers of the World, Fred Chase once jokingly remarked that the Industrial Workers of the World should ask the International Workers of the World to join up, since they're obviously a large and influential organization!... Around the year 2000, a self described anarchist from Norway created an "organization" actually called the "International Workers of the World" complete with the abbreviation "IWW". This individual then proceeded to engage in sectarian jibes at specific IWW members and the IWW (i.e. the actual, Industrial Workers of the World) accusing them of being "Marxist" (because those specific individuals he criticized weren't sufficiently "anarchistic" in his opinion). In any case, this odd individual, while perhaps creatively opportunistic in their attempt to take advantage of the so-often made mistake in the actual IWW's identity, has not succeeded in appropriating the actual IWW's doppelganger. As the actual IWW has gained further notoriety with its recent organizing campaigns, it seems the International Workers of the World (whether it be the nonexistent or Norwegian doppelganger) will finally fade into history!"

The facts are 1. that the anarcho-syndicalist section of the Anarchist International was reorganized in 1982, although the name International-WW, often abbreviated IWW/AI, was first used on Internet later on. 2. IWW/AI has more than 50 000 persons in groups plus individuals associated to the nework, and is of course not "one odd individual", see pictures of the AI & IWW secretariate and rebuffing lies about the AI & IWW. 3. The International-WW is a much larger organization than the Industrial-WW. The International-WW has more than 50 000 networkmembers/subscribers and about 20 persons in the secretariate. The Industrial-WW is a small mainly marxist including communist and left socialist sect, probably with a few hundred members. 4. The boycott of the American Industrial-WW will continue as long as a faction of the Industrial-WW is spreading sectarian lies, smearstories and making intrigues against the Anarchist International and International-WW. 5. The International-WW will not "fade into history". 6. The anarchist International-WW has of course no plans to join up in the mainly marxian Industral-WW.


Translation tool Norwegian to English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Chinese etc., and vice versa: Google Translate.

LATEST NEWS AND ACTIONS

15.09.2023. UAW strike: Workers walk out at US motor industry giants, see: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66803278. Source: BBC. The International Workers of the World supports the strike.

The situation in Norway 2024

06.02.2024. IWW krever 7-timers normal-arbeidsdag, med full lønnskompensasjon, ved årets lønnsoppgjør. Dette som utgangspunkt for lønnsforhandlingene, og med trussel om streik om det ikke går igjennom helt eller delvis.

AD LØNNSOPPGJØRET TIL VÅREN! DET STORE FOLKERANET MÅ TA SLUTT. FOLKET ER DE SOM IKKE HAR NOEN UNDER SEG I STILLINGEN, ALTSÅ I MOTSETNING TIL ØVRIGHETEN.
FOLKETS REALINNTEKT HAR GÅTT NED. BNP HAR ØKT. ØVRIGHETEN HAR FÅTT MER AV BNP. SE NEDENFOR. IWW.

Ad lønns- og inntekts-oppgjørene til våren mer generelt. Folkeranet må ta slutt. FOLKET er alle som ikke har noen under seg i stillingen sin, i motsetning til ØVRIGHETEN = BYRÅKRATIET bredt definert. ØVRIGHETEN inkluderer politikertoppene, LO-toppene og andre overordnede inklusive plutarkene (inntektstoppene) bredt definert, etc., både i privat og offentlig sektor. Nå er det KLASSEKAMP: FOLKET MOT ØVRIGHETEN. Landets inntekt, indikert ved Bruttonasjonalproduktet, BNP øker jevnt og trutt, også regnet i volum, dvs. korrigert for prisstigningen (inflasjonen). BNP regnet i volum er KAKEN i Norge, som skal deles mellom FOLKET og ØVRIGHETEN.

ØVRIGHETEN har forsynt seg grovt og stadig mer av kaken, mens FOLKET, grasrota, har hatt realinntektsnedgang helt siden ca. 2015. Det er dette som er DET STORE FOLKERANET. ØVRIGHETEN har robbet FOLKET. Når det gjelder kompensasjon for prisstigningen må en ta hensyn til at matprisene har steget mer enn den generelle konsumprisindeksen (KPI), og FOLKET har større andel av mat på husholdningsbudsjettet enn ØVRIGHETEN. Inntektsøkningen for FOLKET må derfor være mye større enn den generelle KPI-økningen, for å få til realinntekts-vekst for FOLKET. Det må en være klar over når inntektsforhandlingene kommer i gang til våren. Først lønnsoppgjøret med LO vs NHO i spissen, så jordbruksoppgjøret og pensjonist-oppgjøret. NÅ MÅ FOLKERANET TA SLUTT, OG DET BLIR EN KRAFTIG REALINNTEKTSVEKST FOR FOLKET. FOLKET MÅ FÅ SIN RETTFERDIGE DEL AV KAKEN. OG ØVRIGHETEN MÅ DA FÅ MINDRE AV KAKEN. IWW.

PS. IWW & NØI-INDECO-OSE-NETTVERKET: Vi skal ikke bare få slutt på FOLKERANET i år. Vi krever at FOLKET får tilbake alt som har blitt stjålet siden ca. 2015. Dvs. alt som ØVRIGHETEN har stjålet fra FOLKET i de 9 årene siden 2015, med renter og rentes-rente. 21.02.2024.

PPS. SKAL VI UNNGÅ MYE PRISSTIGNING (INFLASJON) AV ÅRETS INNTEKTSOPPGJØR, MÅ DET IKKE GIS PROSENTILLEGG, MEN KUN KRONETILLEGG OG LITE TIL ØVRIGHETEN, MEST TIL FOLKET. SAMTIDIG BØR DET GIS SKATTELETTE TIL FOLKET, OG SKATTESKJERPELSE TIL ØVRIGHETEN.

IWW = INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD: http://www.anarchy.no/iwwai.html.

AD THE SALARY SETTLEMENTS IN THE SPRINGTIME! THE GREAT ROBBERY OF THE PEOPLE MUST END. THE PEOPLE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NO ONE BELOW THEM IN THEIR POSITION, IN OPPOSITION TO THE AUTHORITIES. THE PEOPLE'S REAL INCOME HAS DECREASED. GDP HAS INCREASED. THE AUTHORITIES HAVE RECEIVED MORE OF THE GDP. SEE BELOW. IWW.

Ad the salary and income settlements for the spring more generally. The robbery of the people must end. THE PEOPLE are all those who do not have anyone under them in their position, in contrast to the AUTHORITIES = THE BUREAUCRACY broadly defined. THE AUTHORITIES includes the top politicians, LO tops and other superiors including the plutarchs (income tops) broadly defined, etc., both in private and public sector. Now it's a CLASS STRUGGLE: THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES. The country's income, indicated by the Gross Domestic Product, GDP is increasing steadily, also calculated in volume, i.e. corrected for the rise in prices (inflation). GDP calculated in volume is the CAKE in Norway, which must be shared between the PEOPLE and the AUTHORITIES.

THE AUTHORITIES has roughly and increasingly supplied itself with more and more of the cake, while the PEOPLE, the grassroots, have had a decline in real income ever since approx. 2015. This is THE GREAT ROBBERY OF THE PEOPLE. THE AUTHORITIES have robbed the PEOPLE. When it comes to compensation for the price increase, one must take into account that food prices have risen more than the general consumer price index (CPI), and the PEOPLE have a larger share of food in the household budget than the AUTHORITIES . The increase in income for the PEOPLE must therefore be much greater than the general CPI increase, in order to achieve real income growth for the PEOPLE. One must be aware of that when the income negotiations get underway in the spring. First the salary settlement with LO vs NHO at the forefront, then the agricultural settlement and the pensioner settlement. NOW THE ROBBERY OF THE PEOPLE MUST END, AND THERE MUST BE A STRONG REAL INCOME GROWTH FOR THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE MUST GET THEIR FAIR SHARE OF THE CAKE. AND THE AUTHORITIES MUST THEN GET LESS OF THE CAKE. IWW.

PS. IWW & NØI-INDECO-OSE NETWORK: We must not only put an end to THE ROBBERY OF THE PEOPLE this year. We demand that the PEOPLE get back everything that has been stolen since approx. 2015. That is everything that the AUTHORITIES have stolen from the PEOPLE in the 9 years since 2015, with interest and compound interest. 21/02/2024.

PPS. IF WE ARE TO AVOID A LOT OF PRICE RISE (INFLATION) OF THIS YEAR'S INCOME SETTLEMENTS, THERE MUST NOT BE A PERCENTAGE SUPPLEMENT, BUT ONLY A MONEY (KRONE) SUPPLEMENT AND A LITTLE TO THE AUTHORITIES , MOST TO THE PEOPLE. AT THE SAME TIME, TAX REDUCTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE, AND TAX INCREASES TO THE AUTHORITIES .

IWW = INTERNATIONAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD: http://www.anarchy.no/iwwai.html.