I07 - A PRELIMINARY MOLLY REPORT:

The international anarcho-syndicalist conference, I07, held in Paris last weekend was a resounded success. Even though some delegates from Palestine and Africa were unable to attend because they were refused visas people representing union initiatives from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Guinea, Cameroun, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali,Benin,Burkino Faso, Madegascar, Bangladesh, Palestine,Siberia, Turkey, Columbia, Mexico, Argentina, the USA, Brasil, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Greece, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain,Sweden, New Zealand and, of course, France made their way to Paris to network and plan further actions. Canada was conspicuously absent. The meetings on April 28th and 29th resulted in many fruitful discussions and plans for future campaigns. The meetings that were held included that of syndicates in certain industries, on unemployment, on the different national laws that restrict and condition the right to organize, public services and privatisation, the European Union, migration, ecology, women workers, antifascism, Chiapas, prisons, the worldwide campaign against Coca-Cola, imperialism and neo-colonialism, youth, the upcoming G8 meeting in Germany and regional meetings such as that of the Mediterranean region. It should be noted that the conference affirmed that the formation of cooperatives is a legitimate and valuable means of syndicalist struggle especially in the face of factory closures. This attitude contrasts with that of the more doctrinaire anarcho-syndicalists who disparage the building of cooperatives.

More later on this meeting on Molly's blog. In addition to the reference given previously on this blog go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/8163962@NO8 for more photos of this event.

More later,

Molly