Back on May 1, the IWW-SITT

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On the occasion of the May 1 2015, the SITT-Montreal IWW organized and participated in many actions of disturbance. Planned for months, This day of action was part of a context of struggle against the austerity measures imposed by the government. A call for a general strike was relayed almost a year on the workplace, in universities and schools, hospitals, post services, and among community organizations. On the eve of May 1, there are hundreds of organizations and workplaces that had passed in general meeting a strike mandate for the May 1, as well as many institutions of higher education.

On the evening of 30 april, the SITT-Montreal IWW organized a locking action of the tower CBC, where significant cuts and job cuts are expected. Several hundred people present responded to our call, allowing this action to be a great success, despite some arrests and the use of pepper spray. While a very large police force blocked the event and we twirled in circles, we were able to disperse without arousing suspicion and end up almost as many-its on the site of action.

At 7 am Friday, May 1, tens of Wobblies blocked the four exits of the parking of the Enforcement Section of the SPVM parking regulations. For almost two hours, no vehicle could leave the parking, to the quiet intervention by riot police.

After a popular underground operation, we converged with several community groups to participate on strike en masse in the demonstration organized by the Coalition Red Hand, we happily extended wild event around Victoria Square. Several hundred people were then followed us spontaneously. We also provided support to the manifestation of the FTQ.

Between 14h and 17h, the SITT-Montreal IWW organized a barbecue in the park near our local. Once more, our mobilization capacity has surpassed all expectations, turning this moment of well-deserved rest in a blocking action of the adjacent street.

We then joined the northern districts of event to go down to the center, which was to take place a blocking action of the HSBC tower, organized by CLAC. A few minutes before our arrival, the main demonstration was violently attacked by riot police, splitting into several small demonstrations have spread throughout the city center. This was followed several hours of clashes with police, whose violence was proportional to the uselessness throughout the day. That day, the police have protected and served person, apart capitalism.

It is important to note that our actions have all benefited from a free support on the part of workers, and the passing-e-s. It is quite rare to receive so many expressions of support from motorists, even as our contingent proudly showed our colors red and black. Workers blocked institutions sometimes meant we desire to put also on strike, although the legal conditions did not permit yet. We have driven to take their own legitimacy.

Of course, the SPVM was also strongly mobilized for this day. The courage of police officers has been matched by their inability to control the crowds, As the number of organized actions was important. We can say that the police were clearly overwhelmed throughout the day, and wanted to catch up during the evening event. It is certainly easier to suppress a localized one big event that hundreds of small actions scattered. Information on movements of the SPVM have allowed us to understand that we were a prime target (see "Priority number 1 ») Following our blocking action of their parking officers, and escaping an attempted mousetrap noon (with the support of the QFL). So, we could avoid criminalization of our members and sympathizers-e-s, and we came out with only 5 contraventions.

Ultimately, we take great pride / proud to have participated in the organization of this day. The benefits in terms of image of the union, broadcast our speech, and new members are already being felt. We managed to introduce ourselves as a unifying factor, especially vis-à-vis other trade unions of workers in struggle, without denying or concealing our revolutionary convictions. Efforts to organize these actions probably will the next day from May 1 to be as interesting and challenging as this, to make a real day of revolutionary struggle. But we do not we rely, and we are already in the conquest of new struggles.