USA: Build a United Anti-War Movement After weeks of political show-boating, the Democrats have voted to continue the war in Iraq. Editorial for the American Socialist Appeal no. 31.
Is Barack Obama an Alternative for U.S. Workers? After years of Bush’s open-ended war on working people at home and abroad, many on the “left” are desperate for an alternative. For many, that alternative is Barack Obama, a Democratic Senator from Illinois. However, far from being a “progressive” alternative, Obama is at his core a typical representative of the bosses’ political parties.
[VIDEO] Serge Goulart updates situation in occupied factories in Brazil In this video interview (in Spanish), Serge Goulart, the national coordinator of the Occupied Factories Movement in Brazil gives an overview of the latest situation of the struggle against the decision of the Lula government to organise a judicial-police intervention against CIPLA and Interfibra and the attacks on the workers at Flaskó.
[Audio] The National Question and Quebec This audio file, recorded on the 11th June at the Socialist Appeal London aggregate, hears Rob Lyon talk on the National Question in relation to the current and historical situation in Quebec.
Threats and attempted sabotage against Flasko workers, who receive support from MST and CUT The court appointed administrator at Cipla has been at it again. After being expelled from Flasko after an attempt to sack the Factory Committee there, he has now threatened to “crush” the workers. Facing pressure from all side, the workers at Flasko are standing firm in the defence of workers’ control, their jobs, and their factories.
Canada: Fightback at Miners' Memorial Day 2007 Miner’s Memorial Day took place this past weekend on Vancouver Island to celebrate the memory of Ginger Goodwin and the struggles of the miners. A good contingent of youth were present to take part in meetings and discussions.
The San Juan massacre in Bolivia June 24, 1967, entered the memory of the Bolivian people and of the entire world as one of the cruelest episodes in history. The Mineworkers Trade Union Federation of Bolivia (FSTMB) sent us a message commemorating these events. See also in Spanish.
Vietnam - from Marxism and the USA The war in Vietnam, which completely transformed the situation in the U.S.A., did not begin in a planned way. The U.S.A. was sucked into it almost by accident. It began with a covert operation, the sending of officers and “advisers” to prop up an unpopular and corrupt government against its own people. This is the usual style of U.S. imperialism! The regime of Ngo Dinh Diem was guilty of vicious repression in South Vietnam. Buddhist monks burned themselves alive in protest. Finally, Diem was assassinated by his own generals.
Perspectives for the U.S. Revolution 2007 This year’s U.S. Perspectives will bring up to date key aspects of last year’s extensive World and U.S. Perspectives documents. In the past 12 months, the contradictions of the world capitalist system have continued to build up, resulting in violent explosions of the class struggle in one country after another, and preparing even more explosive developments for the coming period.
VIDEO - Flasko workers expel the administrator for the second time Flasko workers have successfully defended their factory for a second time. You can see video footage of yesterday’s event and read an appeal from the workers for solidarity in defending the factory and their jobs.
Canada: High strike rate now leading to factory occupations Today the major industrialized country with the highest proportion of working days not worked due to strikes or lockouts is Canada, the only OECD country with a higher rate is crisis-ridden Iceland. The high strike rate in Canada is now leading to further radicalisation as workers in the manufacturing sector begin factory occupations against plant closures. Canadian workers are setting the pace; the world will follow.
More attacks on occupied factories in Brazil – Workers resist The newly appointed administrator of Cipla/Interifbra recently visited Flasko, another occupied factory, and attempted to sack the general coordinator of the Factory Council. The intention is clear, the Brazilian ruling class wants to crush the occupied factory movement. Urgent solidarity is needed to defend the workers, their jobs, and the occupied factory movement.
Brazil: Cipla workers struggle to regain control of the factory as the campaign spreads After the brutal police intervention in the Cipla factory at the end of May the solidarity campaign has been gaining momentum. On June 13 a rally was held outside the factory with many trade union delegations taking part from Brazil as well as representatives of occupied factories from Argentina, Paraguay and Venezuela.
Report of pickets in Vienna, Brussels and Frankfurt in solidarity with CIPLA workers As part of the international campaign in support of CIPLA workers, Hands off Venezuela and Young Socialist activists gathered yesterday in front of the Brazilian embassy in Vienna. In Belgium and Germany also the struggle of the CIPLA/Interfibra workers in Joinville was taken up with the Brazilian Embassy.
Protest outside Brazilian Embassies in Europe in support of Cipla and Interfibras workers Today, June 12, pickets were organised outside various embassies in Europe to demand that the court order to seize the Cipla and Interfibra factories be withdrawn, and that these be nationalised and returned to workers’ control and management.
