INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRELAND:

IRISH PUBLIC SERVICE STRIKE-DID THEY WIN ?:

Last November 24 public service workers in Ireland surprised the country by engaging in an unprecedented 24 hour general strike. Up to a quarter of a million workers participated in the protest against planned job and service cuts. What does this mean for the future of Ireland and for workers in other countries faced with similar government policies. First, from The Guardian, is a general report of what happened.

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼

Irish public servants stage national strike:
More than a quarter of a million public servants, including police officers, staged a general strike in Ireland today to protest against forthcoming cuts in jobs and services.

For the first time, off-duty members of the Garda Siochána joined picket lines during the national one-day stoppage ahead of the 9 December budget when Brian Cowen's embattled government is expected to impose pay cuts in the public sector. The Fianna Fáil/Green party coalition has said the savings are vital to help plug the €22bn (£19.9bn) black hole in public finances.

Trade unions are opposed to the cuts, claiming that the economic crisis was not caused by public sector workers but, in part, by Irish banks lending billions to property speculators just before the housing boom went bust.

On a picket outside Store Street Garda station in central Dublin today , civilian staff member Jane Heuston said she was angry at the way public sector workers were being singled out in government cost cutting.

"We are sitting ducks," she said, holding up a placard for the CPSU public service union. "Public service workers didn't cause this crisis that was the fault of the greedy bankers and developers," she said.

Her colleague Teresa Dodrill, who works as a cleaner at the station, said they had received tremendous support from even the on-duty gardaí at Store Street.

As she held up a placard for the Impact union, two gardaí walked past and wished the strikers good luck.

PJ Stone, the general secretary of the 11,000-strong Garda Representative Association (GRA), said that while it was illegal for gardai to strike, there were 2,400 civilian, part-time "unsworn officers" who had the right to take industrial action and would do so today.

"Those people are entitled to take part in this strike and our advice to our members is that if they are off-duty to come along and stand in solidarity with them because their difficulties are our difficulties."

Speaking at the GRA headquarters, Stone accepted it was unusual for garda officers to join picket lines, rather than police them.

"It is a first, because for the first time in our history there are people working in garda stations who are entitled to strike.

"We need to show other workers that we stand with them and share their anger about the way this government is treating the public services."

He said public service workers, including garda officers, had already put back more than €2bn into the state's coffers in terms of government-imposed levies on their pay.

"We have already plugged a large gap and it is my view that the minister for finance has decided because we contributed in the levy that it will be easy in the budget to take more pay off public servants."

Stone said the pay cuts for gardaí, firefighters and nurses, alongside other public service workers, could amount to 5% to 10% of their salaries.

"If that were to happen, and with some of my people only on junior rank pay, it will create a police force in a complete state of anxiety at a time of rising crime in Ireland. You can't have people coming to work, putting their lives on the line at times, who are distracted worrying about their own financial position."

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼

Here, from the Irish Workers' Solidarity Movement, is an anarchist view of the events.

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼
Consequences of the 24th November public sector strike:
On the 24th of November something extraordinary happened. Some 250,000 workers acted together in a day-long strike against the public sector wage cuts planned by the government. The vast majority of these workers had never gone on strike before, yet across almost all workplaces the strike involved 90% or more of those working.

This strike took place in the face of hysterical attacks on public sector workers, which included one business commentator suggesting that those going to strike were guilty of High Treason. Conviction for High Treason when Ireland was under the British empire used to involve the person being hung until they had passed out, then being revived so a hole could be cut in their belly and their entrails dragged out before an axeman would cut off their limbs one by one and then, finally, chop off their head. The Class War is clearly escalating from the point of view of the capitalist class!

There is much that can be criticised about the organisation of the strike; after twenty years of social partnership, almost no one in the unions knew how to organise a strike, from the national leadership to the rank and file. This often left those at the base feeling abandoned or trapped in nonsensical decisions. But that is not the interesting story of the day; the interesting story is that despite all the problems, in almost all cases, workers organised themselves at the branch and section level to build effectively for the strike and day-long picket.

The main outcome of the day was that 250,000 workers quite suddenly found themselves thrust into a common identification of workers standing in opposition to local management and the state. All this under a crazed ideological offensive from the capitalist class. Many, perhaps most, had been very apprehensive about going on strike. The actual experience of strike swept away many of those apprehensions and did more in one week to build a confidence and organisation at the base of the unions then had been done in the previous decade.

At the time of writing, between that strike and the potential second one on the 3rd December, it is not clear how the new found militancy will develop. There may be some crappy deal negotiated by ICTU which will defuse the situation until the next time when the government returns for another cut. But the employers are fighting a very aggressive class war, they may not be willing to allow any compromise. In this case, we may already be in the midst of an escalating wave of strikes.

Either way, we have seen a massive demonstration of the potential power of workers when we stand together as workers. That power has been almost invisible in Ireland for two decades but it clearly never went away. That demonstration is what we can build on to fight the crisis and fight for a new world in the months and years ahead.

---For WSM reports from the picket lines of 24th November see http://www.wsm.ie/story/6241

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼

Ah, but then, as if both sides in the dispute were shocked by what had happened the unions and the government began to bargain more seriously. The next general strike in the public sector, scheduled for tomorrow, Dec. 3, was called off as the following article from yesterday's Irish Times details.

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼

Public sector strike planned for Thursday is suspended:
IRISH TIMES REPORTERS
The day of industrial action planned by public servants for this Thursday has been suspended following a breakthrough in talks at Government Buildings this evening.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said meetings have concluded for the evening and will reconvene tomorrow morning.

He welcomed the fact that the industrial action planned for Thursday will not now take place and said he hoped progress can be made in the coming days.

General secretary of the Impact union, Peter McLoone told reporters outside Government Buildings that the strike was being deferred, “in the light of the progress that has been made in the negotiations over the last number of days”.

He said unions had been told earlier in the day that the Government now felt it possible to “design an alternative” to the pay cuts the Minister for Finance had been advocating. The savings would be based on an extra 12 days unpaid leave in 2010.

He said: “The purpose of putting forward the proposition on the unpaid days was that we would put a considerable part of the foundation that needs to be in place to create the alternative savings.”

“That’s now recognised, so the reason that we are going back into negotiations tomorrow, possibly into Thursday, is to complete the negotiations on the 2010 problem, so part of what we will be doing is dealing with the figures.”

Asked to comment on reports that the unpaid leave proposal could save the Exchequer €800m, he replied: “There are lots of figures going around about that. What we need to do tomorrow in order that we’re clear and agreed on the contribution is to look at precisely what the figure is.”

“This stuff is still challenging, but given the progress that we have made to date, the feeling on both sides is that, whatever challenges present, we should be able to overcome them,” he added.

Up to 250,000 nurses, teachers and other public workers held a one-day strike last week over Government plans to cut the public sector pay bill by €1.3 billion in the forthcoming Budget.

Earlier today, the HSE began cancelling between 16,000 and 18,000 procedures for Thursday in preparation of any strike action. The HSE said tonight patients who had procedures cancelled would be contacted by their local hospital tomorrow to have their appointments restored where possible.

Tonight members of the 24/7 Frontline Services Alliance welcomed the progress made in talks saying it “represents an important step forward in the search for a fair and equitable way of addressing the problems created by the current economic crisis for the delivery of public services”.

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼

So, for now, both sides have pulled back from the dispute, each mutually afraid of the consequences should the matter be pushed to a further test of strength. Even though the right wing press in Ireland has gone ballistic on Brian Cowan, the leader of the government,accusing him of "cowardice" at their less strident, he has made just the right amount of concessions to at least delay the matter, and possibly loop the unions back into a 'social partnership' whereby they will negotiate away the rights of their members-just a "little bit" so as to avoid rank and file rebellion. Whether he should have done the "politic" thing in the first place and whittled away at the budget deficit a little at a time (a death by a thousand cuts), avoiding provoking public sector workers by a massive attack is seemingly beyond the ken of the right wing who are spoiling for a fight. From the point of view of the ruling class Cowan could be faulted more from lack of caution than an excess of it. Ah well, his critics on the right will calm down eventually anyways because, in the end, they have no choice other than to support him and his party.

The main "concession" on the part of the unions and the government is to somehow avoid pay cuts by instituting a regime of unpaid days off. How many these would be and over what period of time is still a matter of talks. This sort of thing, of course, is essentially a plan for a 'speed-up' for those public employees who remain at work while others are off (or alternatively everyone speeds up if offices are closed entirely for a day here and there). The matter of how much of the deficit this would cover and what else has to be conceded by the unions is, at this point, the subject of "magical accounting". Numbers that nobody has any confidence float around waiting for a political magician to grab them out of the air. Here's another story from the Irish Times about what is still in dispute.

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼

Union plan 'not a basis for agreement', says Cowen:
ELAINE EDWARDS, MARTIN WALL and MICHEAL O'REGAN
Taoiseach Brian Cowen has insisted the Government is still looking to secure savings “of the order of €1.3 billion” in the public sector pay bill as part of its ongoing talks with trade unions.

“That remains our position, and we wish to discuss with the trade unions on that basis,” he told the Dáil today. “Those discussions are not complete” Mr Cowen said, adding that proposals must still be discussed and developed.

“However, I made clear what the Government’s position is…and we reserve our position until we see if we can find an agreement,” he added.

Union sources have suggested that a scheme of unpaid leave of between 10 to 14 days could provide the basis for an agreement, although they accept the savings from this will be somewhat less than the €1.3 billion target set out by the Government.

Mr Cowen also said today the reduction to the public service pay bill must be both substantial and permanent. He said the Government told unions the proposals “did not, in their present form, provide a basis for the Government to confirm that it would not consider other options to effect the necessary savings”.

Later, the president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) Jack O’Connor said that Government officials maintain that the proposed unpaid leave arrangement for public servants would not generate sufficient revenue.

He said efforts were being made today to look at other measures that could be taken to enable the formulation of a proposal that would be consistent with budgetary requirements.

He said that there had been a sustained campaign of opposition to prevent the Congress alternative proposal to avoid pay cuts from being implemented.

Mr O’Connor also warned that the proposed strike action could be reinstated in the event of pay cuts being implemented by the Government.

“The decision of the congress public services committee yesterday was to defer the strike, not suspend it and not cancel it” he said.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said it seemed as if the Government had abdicated its responsibility to sort out the economic mess into which it had led the State.

“It is not possible to get permanent savings by having a further 12 days’ holidays,” he added. “It is not possible to give the same level of service with five per cent less man-hours.”

Union leaders and Government officials resumed talks this morning to work on a modified plan to cut the pay bill that involves a 12-day unpaid leave arrangement for public sector workers.

The Government agreed elements of the plan yesterday in order to secure a deal with the public service unions. This led to the suspension of tomorrow's planned one-day strike by public servants.

The draft deal involves two stages, a 12-day unpaid leave scheme to produce savings next year and an overall transformation programme for the public service from 2011.

Responding to Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore during Leaders' Questions, Mr Cowen insisted that "discussions are continuing" on how to make those savings.

He said that if an "agreed way forward" was to be found, it would have to be before the Budget on December 9th. Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan would have to have available to him the figures for the public service pay bill next year on that day.

“In the meantime, efforts are being made to see if there is an agreed way forward and how to do that," Mr Cowen said.

Mr Gilmore said the Government had a "muddled strategy - if indeed it’s a strategy at all”. He said that if there was an agreement with the unions, the Government still didn't know if it would be confirmed in a subsequent ballot. It did not appear to have a position "on what happens if there isn’t an agreement".

“Those savings have to be made because the Government does not have the money to pay the public sector pay bill as it is presently constituted.”

┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼┼

SO WHO WON ?

To answer to question posed in the title of this blog, the simplistic answer is "neither side". The advanatge in this "draw" lies with the government as it will be exceedingly difficult for the unions to re-energize any strike movement in the near future, particularily with the Holiday Season drawing close. Further concessions will be made by the unions. On the other hand the very fact that a quarter of a million workers took the unprecedented action of a general strike made the government back down from its initial 'maximal demand'. The unions, however, have no "transition plan" that would allow them to proceed further than single day strikes. Nor should they be expected to have such a plan as it could only be the result of years (decades ?) of igitation amongst ordinary people that bosses, public or private, are not needed, and that people can govern their own lives themselves. Let's hope that such agitation bears fruit sometime in the future.

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-NEW ZEALAND:

MELT THE WAGE FREEZE:

Way down south way, at the antipodes, the new anarchism is growing just as it is across the northern hemisphere. Here's a report, via the A-Infos website, from the Aotearoa Workers' Solidarity Movement about their recent involvement in the campaign against their government's wage freeze on the public sector.

▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼▲▼
Let’s Melt The Wage Freeze:
On Friday November 27th, thousands of workers took part in rallies and marches in 27 cities and towns across the country, demanding that the Government’s wage freeze for state sector employees was lifted. The protests focused on the struggles of hospital and school support staff, and employees at the Ministry of Justice, but many people from other sectors supported the demand and turned out to show their solidarity. Many of the attendees were on strike for the duration of the rallies. Members of the Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement (AWSM) were present at rallies and marches in Auckland, Palmerston North, Levin, Wellington and Nelson. Below is the text of a leaflet handed out by AWSM members at the protests.
Let’s Melt The Wage Freeze

OK, you’re here at the rally about the wage freeze for low-paid government workers. Yeah, the recession has hit us hard, with mass layoffs and pay freezes, and the prices of food and stuff keeps going up and up. At the same time CEOs get hefty pay rises and the banks get bailed out. And bosses and managers still treat us like shit.

So what are we gonna do about it? Passively listen to speeches from union bureaucrats in well-paid, cushy jobs? Clap a bit, yell a bit, and then go home?

It’s time to start organising ourselves in our own workplaces. We don’t need to rely on others to do stuff for us. We can do it ourselves together with our workmates. By looking out for, and supporting each other — we call it solidarity — together we can win. This grassroots action is the key to melting the wage freeze.

Ministry of Justice court workers at Manukau and Waitakere have shown the way recently. During the MOJ strikes, they have gone out of their own accord, in addition to the strikes organised by the Public Services’ Association. Their wildcat strikes have shut down many courts. It is when us — the rank and file — get together and control the strikes ourselves that we are more likely to win (and be harder to break).

Action controlled from above, by union bureaucrats, leads to hollow strikes that are not well-supported. Sure, let’s use them to negotiate more pay for less work (stuff their productivity deals!) for us, but in the process you get the feeling you are being kicked around like a football for their own ends.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

That will needed to be worked out by us ourselves. But here are a few rough ideas, based on past successful struggles:

First of all, vote for industrial action where possible and encourage others to do the same. Build a culture of supporting each other at your workplace.

Make links between workers. Invite all staff at your workplace to your pay dispute meetings whether temps, permanent, members of your union or not.

Often you don’t need to strike. You can stay on-the-job and take action like go-slows and work-to-rules, which can be quite effective. Also it is a good idea to take regular common breaks.

Take control of the strikes and actions. Make decisions in open workplace meetings with as many people involved as possible rather than leaving it to union full-timers. Call for mass assemblies of workers to control action. Make sure these meetings are run from the floor and not by union officials.

Visit other workers’ picket lines and discuss how you can help each other. Form support groups if you are not on strike.

Form strike committees or informal groups at your workplace. Think creatively on how you can collectively stuff up your job, as you know your work better than your boss. Take local action against layoffs, bullying and overwork.

Call for all union officials to be elected by and constantly accountable to the membership. Officials to subject to immediate recall, and to be paid the average wage.

Above all, don’t trust bosses, union bureaucrats or politicians. Trust yourselves!
Related Link: http://www.awsm.org.nz

HUMOUR/INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-NEW ZEALAND:

RONNIE COLLECTS CORPORATE WELFARE:

There's one thing about getting older that seems strange to me, and that is the bizarre assumption of many people that each year of sucking oxygen leads one to the conclusion that "there is nothing new under the sun". Personally I think this is due to a gradual sclerosis of the mind that goes along with increasingly poor eyesight and hearing, but is nowhere near as inevitable. For myself, as I approach the Geritol Generation, I continue to be amazed on an almost daily basis by the weirdness of the world. I don't know who said it, but the quote runs something like this, "the world is not only stranger than we imagine; it is actually stranger than we can possibly imagine".

Thus comes the following item from New Zealand via the Anarkismo website. The author is a "Barrie" who is a member of the New Zealand platformist group the Aotearoa Workers' solidarity Movement. The subject, you guessed it, McDonald's has managed to cash in on the present economic crisis by leeching "stimulus funding" from the New Zealand government in terms of subsidizing its hiring of workers at minimum wage. The whole idea is breathtaking in its stupidity from the point of view of everyone but McDonalds. One would be really hard put to try and imagine a greater waste of government money in terms of "value added". It actually goes beyond the image of digging holes and filling them in again because the expenditure is not "new money" but rather shifting disbursements from individual welfare or EI to the McDonald's corporation. It makes no sense from a Keynesian perspective, and it makes no sense from the perspective promotion of industry that has any multiplier effect or potential for innovation. Quite frankly the only thing I could compare it to in terms of sheer silliness would be the ranting that we anarchists all too often hear out of the USA by some down there who think that "civilization should be abolished". No doubt there is a certain amount of financial profit to be made out of that as well, but it pales beside the spectacle of Ronnie collecting welfare.

Here's the item from Anarkismo which approaches the matter in the only way that it could possibly be approached- by humour.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Burgers & Circuses:
The New Zealand Government has announced that it will subsidise the Mc Donalds fast food chain for taking on young unemployed workers. In effect therefore the company is receiving corporate welfare, with the government acting as its Human Resources Dept. Below is a satirical response.

BURGERS & CIRCUSES

(Note: This is the script of a movie due to be played in your town in the near future.)

Scene: Clown in a loud suit stands outside a windswept and much repaired tent. The tent has a broken sign on it labeled ‘Job Circus’.

Promoter: “Roll up folks, roll up! Are you young and unemployed?”

Unemployed Youth: “Um yeah, I guess that would be me”

Promoter: “Looking for an exciting career with a stable and dynamic employer? Need some help getting started?”

Unemployed Youth:” Stable and dynamic eh? That sounds good. The help thing would be great too.”

Promoter: “Step this way. Enter the tent and wonders await you”

Scene: The unemployed youth enters the tent. The promoter smiles as a government car pulls up.

Promoter: [laughing]: “Pulled in another sucker”

Government Minister: “Great! Here’s your $16,000. You’re doing a great job there Ronald…keep it up mate”

Scene: Inside the tent. The youth is given a uniform, name badge and mop.

Promoter: “Ok kid, get pushing on the mop, it’s your new friend so use it well. Anybody out front sees you, don’t forget to smile, this is show business remember! If you do well, we’ll have you out on the counter selling cheap nutritious circus food in colourful packages in no time.”

Scene: Next day at a Parliamentary media conference.

Government Minister: “In these difficult times the government appreciates the need to maintain productivity and has a commitment to investing in the future. We want a well trained and highly skilled workforce that can compete with the rest of the world. We have therefore entered into a partnership with a great circus promoter. We will give them money, they will employ new staff and the economy will get a boost. Everybody wins!”

Skeptical Voice: “But do we really need more circuses? Wouldn’t we be better off with new schools, hospitals, roads and stuff? Why does the circus need our money to do it anyway? They aren’t exactly poor!”

Minister: “We’re all in this together and you can’t get circus monkeys without paying for peanuts you know! Anyway, moving on…”

Scene: 89 days later inside the tent.

Promoter: “What do you mean you want a living wage, the work is repetitive and unrewarding, you are rostered to work at odd times and the food is crap anyway? You’re not a team player are you? How can we keep this place stable and dynamic with your negative attitude?!”

Youth: “Well, um, this circus stuff isn’t exactly what you made out it would be”

Promoter: “Yeah, unhappy eh? Hit the road. You’re outta here! And don’t steal the mop or touch the cycling monkeys on the way out!”

Scene: Outside the tent it’s cold and windy. A governmental car speeds by with its occupants in good spirits.

Government Minister: ”Nice one Ronald. Would you like to upsize your champagne? Need more money? Need more suckers?”

Promoter: “Don’t mind if I do. Anything to help the economy you know!”

Window winds down as the car speeds past newly unemployed youth. Minister pulls out megaphone.

Minister: “Hi! Don’t forget, we’re working for you, so remember to vote next election!”

Mud splashes upwards into youths face.

Screen fades to black.

END

ANARCHIST PUBLICATIONS-NEW ZEALAND:

ISSUE #4 OF 'SOLIDARITY':

'Solidarity' is the news sheet of the New Zealand Aotearoa Workers' Solidarity Movement. They've now come out with issue number 4, and the following is their announcement as per the A-Infos website. The paper is readable at their website, and is available in a downloadable pdf version there as well.

@@@@@@@@@@

New Zealand, The fourth issue of Solidarity, free news sheet of the Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement (AWSM):

Download the .pdf (1.79MB) or read the contents online at the AWSM http://www.awsm.org.nz/?p=156#more-156 site.

-- Contents: --

-- * Women workers push for pay equity

-- * Workers on the flu front line: Fight for respect!

-- * Meet the greedy: Rob Fyfe, Air NZ CEO

-- * Super city hikoi in Auckland

----

If you want to make sure you don’t miss an issue of Solidarity, you can subscribe to either the print or electronic version.

----

To subscribe to the AWSM announcements list, put your email address in the form on the top right of the page on our website, http://www.awsm.org.nz.

----

Subscribers will be sent pdf copies of Solidarity each month, along with other publications produced by AWSM and occasional information - we promise we won’t spam you with a ton of useless stuff though!

The electronic copy is identical to the print version.

Or, you can subscribe to the print edition to receive a copy of Solidarity in the post. $8 for 12 issues. Mail a cheque to

AWSM, PO Box 6387,

Wellington 6141,

New Zealand,

or contact us to organise an alternative method of payment.

Related Link: http://awsm.org.nz/?p=156

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-NEW ZEALAND:

AOTEAROA WORKERS' SOLIDARITY NEWSSHEET:

In Molly's humble, but not so ignorant, opinion the ideas of anarchism are spreading faster today than in many decades. In addition to this "broad spread" there is an equally rapid spread of the more organization and coherent forms of anarchism, whether they be syndicalist, platformist or otherwise. Once the initial "thrill" of discovering anarchism is over the best amongst its adherents see the need for a more organized long term way to promote the ideal. Here's another recent example, via the A-Infos website from the Aotearoa Workers' Solidarity Movement.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement Newssheet SOLIDARITY #1 - February 2009:

IN THIS ISSUE:

Water Meters, What is AWSM?, 90 Day Act

---- Not our crisis! Resist attacks on workers ----

The current economic crisis has been and will continue to be used as a chance for the bosses and the government to launch attacks on wages and working conditions. ---- Already, the National Government has introduced legislation (such as the 90 Day Hire & Fire Act, see inside for more) that attacks our workplace conditions, and as the recession digs in further we can expect them to bring in more new laws that try to stop us from working together to improve our wages, conditions and everyday lives. Meanwhile, across the country redundancies (both "voluntary" and forced) are being used, both to get rid of staff and as a way of bullying workers into accepting below inflation pay rises (or worse!) Farmers department store workers were recently offered a minuscule 20 cent rise, and this sort of offer is becoming more and more common.Some unionised work sites have stood up to this and refused to accept sub-par offers: in recent times bus drivers in Hamilton and Wellington have both experienced lock-outs (where employers refuse to let staff back to work until they give up their demands) but they both stood staunch and received improved offers. Meanwhile, unemployment is predicted to double to 7% this year, and remain at 7 - 7.5% until 2011. Higher unemployment always means lower wages, as bosses find it easier to replace staff that demand "too much". Unemployment benefits are still set at the same low levels they were reduced to in the early 1990s, meaning that especially in the larger cities (and even more so for people with families) a firing makes it near-impossible to survive without additional assistance from charities such as food banks.Of course, all this puts pressure on workers with mortgages, and as the housing market collapses, people are finding themselves with mortgages they can't afford to pay on houses they can't sell. While the problem hasn't here yet reached the levels seen in the USA, there is no telling how bad it might get. But its not all bad news - collective action can win and has won. Recently,workers at Republic Windows and Doors in the USA occupied their workplace when it shut down, and won payouts and more! In Northern Ireland,a factory was occupied by workers who won improved redundancy packages. If we talk to our workmates and support each other in hard times, together we can ensure that we aren't made to pay for the bosses' crisis

.-------------------

For more info:A brief history of the crisis

http://libcom.org/library/brief-history-

crisis Analysis and news

http://libcom.org/tags/credit-crisis

-----------------

Special Feature - Water Water meters for Wellington?

Recent weeks have seen an increase in discussion about water metering in Wellington, fuelled by Mayor Kerry Prendergast and Chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council Fran Wilde. They, and others, are attempting to use environmental and conservation concerns as away to push through compulsory metering without opposition, but several groups have seen through their charade and are campaigning against the introduction of water meters. The Wellington Residents' Coalitionis currently having monthly meetings, stalls and planning sessions to organise against this attack on Wellington's poorest. AWSM is working within the Coalition on this. Currently, residential water in Wellington is paid for by a portion of rates - in other words, the more expensive your house, the more you pay towards the city's water bill. Water meters would see the cost of providing water fall disproportionately on those who can least afford it. While there are measures that can be taken to lower household water usage (such as rainwater tanks and greywater systems), their cost is often out of reach for many families, and of course renters and council tenants have no real ability to install them. The Council is quite happy to let Wellington's single largest water user, Taylor Preston Limited in Ngaraunga Gorge, receive a hefty subsidy for their water bill, showing well and truly where their priorities lie - with business and the rich, not ordinary Wellingtonians. If you are interested in finding out more or getting involved in the campaign, visit http://www.righttowater.org.nz / or contact AWSM.

Profile: Auckland Water Pressure Group

The battle against commercialised water services and user charges has been going for over a decade in Auckland City, and there is a lot we can learn from that campaign. In 1997 the Auckland City Council commercialised water services and Metrowater Ltd was established. Metrowater removed the water pipe to a house belonging to a person who refused to pay them for water, which was until then a council run public service. This triggered the formation of the Water Pressure Group, made up of people also boycotting their wastewater bills and later both water and wastewater bills and determined to abolish Metrowater Ltd and return water services to democratic Council control. On 25 November 1998, the Water Pressure Group's Turn On Squad dug up the street and reinstalled the water pipe to a disconnected house for the first time. Over the next few years hundreds of homes had their water cut off and many needed their pipes reconnected. For three years the WPG was a very effective fully democratic group made up of people from very diverse backgrounds with many different practical skills and political views. At its height up to sixty people attended weekly organising meetings where ideas and plans were discussed and voted on by the meetings. Up to 2000 supporters refused to pay their water bills and took part in protest marches, openly digging up streets and installing water pipes, and distributing leaflets across Auckland and holding many public meetings. Despite enormous pressure at times, a succession of city councils ­ both right-wing and "centre-left" ­ have betrayed the people's demands and the despised Metrowater still exists despite an on-going bills boycott campaign.The WPG didn't stop user charges in Auckland but the campaign has played a big part in slowing down the spread of commercialised water services around New Zealand. Also in preparing local citizens for worse to come. Right now, there are imminent plans to entirely restructure Auckland, and an extreme danger exists of water services being commercialised across the region, or even prepared for privatisation, by franchise. We can learn from the experience of the Water Pressure Group as the Wellington and Christchurch City Councils are trying to commercialise and eventually privatise water services. The most effective way to fight this is with non-hierarchical community groups using mass based direct action.

See http://www.water-pressure-group.org.nz/

for more details.

He wai Mori -

Drinking water in Parihaka Local and the national government are currently on a propaganda mission trying to convince us that water is owned by `all of us' (and not Mori). However, this is simply a charade to firstly bring water under state ownership and at a later stage privatise water distribution and commodify water. The Wellington City Council wants to introduce water meters and soon we could find ourselves in a similar situation as the people of Cochabamba (Mexico) where in 2003 even the rain was privatised. In Parihaka, the community has already put a water system in place that is operated and owned by the the community. Parihaka is a small village in Taranaki with a huge history. Invaded by 1,500 colonial troops in 1881 after a direct action campaign to stop the confiscation of land, thousands of Mori were arrested and thrown in jail - some for years - without trial. A 2000 acre block, collectively owned by several thousand people, is all that remains under indigenous control and around 25 people, half of them kids, live in the papakainga. No one pays rates to the council and the maintenance of the road into the pa and the electricity supply as well as rubbish removal and recycling are all organised by the community. In recent years, pipes were laid to a spring a few kilometres up the road. This spring provides the whole village with safe drinking water. A large 2,000,000 litre tank was built into a hill. This water reservoir does not only cater for the village, it stores enough water for drinking, showers and toilets during the Parihaka International Peace Festival in January. The festival lasts three days and around 10,000 people come to listen to music, speakers and participate in discussions on topics such as environmental sustainability, tino rangatiratanga and Parihaka history.

-------------------

Glossaryhe wai Mori - fresh water commodify - to turn something into a commodity, something that can be bought and sold on the capitalist market papakainga - village tino rangatiratanga - can be translated as sovereignty / absolute chieftainship

------------------

Say NO to the 90 Day Hire & Fire Act!

Workers in small businesses across the country are soon to be subject to new attacks on their rights at work. The National Party's 90 Day Hire And Fire Act which comes into effect in late March 2009 means that any worker at a business that employs under 20 workers (over 90% of work sites, over 30% of employed workers) can be fired without reason during the first 90 days of employment. The Council of Trade Unions estimates that approximately 100,000 people fall into this category at any one time. While workers at larger work sites are currently not affected, the National Party has shown that it will likely seek to extend this law to all workers at some point and there is no doubt that the powerful business lobbies will be heavily pushing for this over the coming years.Recent years have seen an increase in casualised labour, temp agencies and the like. The 90 Day Act simply takes these moves one step further in reducing job security. The message from the Government and employers is clear - we should be grateful for the jobs we have, and accept attacks without question or we will be fired .In reality however,the capitalist system- the very system that organises the economy at the moment - is based on us workers selling our labour to the employers who make huge profits from our time and effort. And now, in times of economic crisis with diminishing profits, it is supposed to be the workers who pay for the bosses' stuff-up! We can resist attacks by taking collective action with our fellow workers.By linking together (in unions and in other groups) we can better focus our power and fight for better wages and conditions. The only way to stop the 90 Day Act (and any future extensions of it) is by taking direct action, standing up with our workmates and supporting any and all victims of this new law. Employers that attempt to use this legislation must be targeted with pickets, slowdowns, work-to-rule and other forms of collective action in order to teach them a lesson- that it is workers who hold the power and when we act together we can and will win!AWSM will stand alongside unions and other groups fighting against the 90 Day Act- get involved today! Left - An EPMU member at a protest at Parliament against a previous attempt to pass 90 day legislation in 2006

----------------------

AWSM Aims & Principles

1: The Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement is an organisation working towards a classless, stateless society: anarchist-communism. We are made up of revolutionary class-struggle anarchists from across Aotearoa / New Zealand.

2: Capitalism is based on the exploitation of the working class by the ruling class. But inequality and exploitation are also expressed in terms of race, gender, sexuality, health, ability, age etc,and in these ways one section of the working class oppresses another. This divides us, causing a lack of class unity in struggle that benefits the ruling class. Oppressed groups are strengthened by autonomous action which challenges social and economic power relationships. To achieve our goal we must relinquish power over each other on a personal as well as a political level.

3: We believe that fighting all forms of oppression and exploitation is necessary. Anarchist-Communism cannot be achieved while sexism and racism still exist. In order to be effective in their struggle against their oppression both within society and within the working class, oppressed groups may at times need to organise independently. However, this should be as working class people only,as cross-class movements hide real class differences and achieve little for those in the oppressed groups. Full emancipation cannot be achieved without the abolition of capitalism

.4: We support Tino Rangatiratanga and stand in solidarity with grassroots indigenous struggle and direct action, while not supporting Mori capitalism and corporatisation (we acknowledge the lack of anarchist theory on the indigenous struggle in Aotearoa / New Zealand and are in the process of researching, debating and discussing a more detailed position on this point).

5: While trade unions can never be revolutionary, we recognise that the majority of collective workplace struggle today occurs within unions and therefore our members should join unions where they exist in their workplace, while being wary of any attempts by union bureaucrats to stifle rank and file struggle. Where unions do not exist we encourage our members to engage with their fellow workers to initiate collective action.

6: We recognise that the general strike is one of the working class' most powerful weapons and oppose all restrictions on worker's rights to take collective action, including strikes.

7: As well as exploiting and oppressing the majority of people worldwide, Capitalism threatens the planet through war and the destruction of the environment.

8: It is not possible to abolish Capitalism without a revolution, which will arise out of class conflict.The ruling class must be completely overthrown to achieve anarchist communism. Because the ruling class will not relinquish power without their use of armed force, this revolution will be a time of violence as well as liberation.

9: We acknowledge that by implementing the organisation section of the The Organizational Platform of the Libertarian Communists- theoretical unity, tactical unity, collective responsibility and federalism - we will be be stable to move forward in promoting the aims and principles of the Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement

.=============

CONTACT

info@awsm.org.nz

www.awsm.org.nz

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-NEW ZEALAND:

NEW ANARCHIST ORGANIZATION IN AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND:

Here's one that has been all over the internet today. Anarchists down New Zealand way have formed a new platformist organization, the Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement (AWSM). Yes, the acronym is indeed one of the best. As I said this is all over the place, but Molly has taken the following announcement from the Anarchist Black Cat discussion board. All the best to the new group, as they demonstrate, once more, the increasing move of international anarchism towards serious organization and involvement in the struggles of ordinary people.

..............................
New Anarchist-Communist Organisation Launched in Aotearoa:
New Anarchist-Communist Organisation Launched in Aotearoa / New Zealand

A new organisation has been formed with the aim of building a serious revolutionary anarchist-communist movement in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

The Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement (AWSM) is an organisation working towards a classless, stateless society: anarchist-communism. We are made up of revolutionary class-struggle anarchists from across Aotearoa / New Zealand. For now, we are a small organisation with members in Wellington, Christchurch and a few smaller towns across the country.

AWSM came together when a few anarchists saw the need for a coherent and organised group of anarchist communists, inspired by the platformist strand of anarchist thought (amongst other things). Informal chats over the last few years turned into serious planning a few months ago and a little conference at Labour weekend (late October) in Wellington.

As class struggle anarchists our priority is active involvement in workplace struggles and industrial action as well as community based campaigns in our neighbourhoods. We aim to publish a monthly newspaper starting in 2009, and a less frequent but more in-depth theoretical magazine as well.

Being located in the bottom of the South Pacific makes us very isolated, however we hope to maintain a good level of contact with like minded groups overseas, which is why you are receiving this announcement. Our international secretary is mandated to keep up this contact, which we hope will be a two-way street - if we are able to cooperate on common projects, this is obviously worthwhile, as any genuine social revolution must be international.

Our website, http://www.awsm.org.nz, will be kept up to date with our activity.

In solidarity,

Asher

International Secretary

Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement

international [at] awsm.org.nz

Aims & Principles

1: The Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement is an organisation working towards a classless, stateless society: anarchist-communism. We are made up of revolutionary class-struggle anarchists from across Aotearoa / New Zealand.

2: Capitalism is based on the exploitation of the working class by the ruling class. But inequality and exploitation are also expressed in terms of race, gender, sexuality, health, ability, age etc, and in these ways one section of the working class oppresses another. This divides us, causing a lack of class unity in struggle that benefits the ruling class. Oppressed groups are strengthened by autonomous action which challenges social and economic power relationships. To achieve our goal we must relinquish power over each other on a personal as well as a political level.

3: We believe that fighting all forms of oppression and exploitation is necessary. Anarchist-Communism cannot be achieved while sexism and racism still exist. In order to be effective in their struggle against their oppression both within society and within the working class, oppressed groups may at times need to organise independently. However, this should be as working class people only, as cross-class movements hide real class differences and achieve little for those in the oppressed groups. Full emancipation cannot be achieved without the abolition of capitalism.

4: We support Tino Rangatiratanga and stand in solidarity with grassroots indigenous struggle and direct action, while not supporting Maori capitalism and corporatisation (we acknowledge the lack of anarchist theory on the indigenous struggle in Aotearoa / New Zealand and are in the process of researching, debating and discussing a more detailed position on this point).

5: While trade unions can never be revolutionary, we recognise that the majority of collective workplace struggle today occurs within unions and therefore our members should join unions where they exist in their workplace, while being wary of any attempts by union bureaucrats to stifle rank and file struggle. Where unions do not exist we encourage our members to engage with their fellow workers to initiate collective action.

6: We recognise that the general strike is one of the working class’ most powerful weapons and oppose all restrictions on worker’s rights to take collective action, including strikes.

7: As well as exploiting and oppressing the majority of people worldwide, Capitalism threatens the planet through war and the destruction of the environment.

8: It is not possible to abolish Capitalism without a revolution, which will arise out of class conflict. The ruling class must be completely overthrown to achieve anarchist communism. Because the ruling class will not relinquish power without their use of armed force, this revolution will be a time of violence as well as liberation.

9: We acknowledge that by implementing the organisation section of the The Organizational Platform of the Libertarian Communists - theoretical unity, tactical unity, collective responsibility and federalism - we will be best able to move forward in promoting the aims and principles of the Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement.