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And if the union does not move?

Although a union is theoretically a tool in the fight to improve working conditions for workers, it is not uncommon to see them turn into demobilization devices. Whether to preserve the "device" union avoiding taking risks involved in a great struggle, collaborate openly with the boss who grants favors to the central (ex : automatic unionization of new branches in exchange for a peaceful unionism) or want to maintain a policy of a bad image caused by a strike during elections, any union may disconnect interest on its base to preserve as an institution. Yet it is in these moments that matter most to be a trade unionist.

It is then necessary to remember that the union is all about us and our colleagues and leave on this basis. Since then, a wide range of tactics opens us : it is possible to form grassroots committees, who will work and will fight outside the union sets (ex : see COBAS in Italy), attempting to organize to take over and reform our union to refocus towards the base (see the CORE, the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators à Chicago) or to change union affiliation. As many see the arrival of an employers' association (also known as "yellow" union) as an opportunity to talk about working conditions and thus return the offensive of the bosses against them. Do not hesitate then to contact the branch of the nearest IWW for support and training for (re) start the battle to improve your working conditions and life.

X374163

comic credit: Val-blue

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The absurdity of the world: The use of technology

In the context of this chronicle of’Live Action I decided to talk to you about technological progress. It’s a bit related to everything we hear about the benefits of the famous participatory economy. In any case, benefits for employers and the elite who governs us. I decided to go there with a philosophical question today and ask you the following question : "Is our society progressing ? Is humanity progressing ? ». At first glance, we all want to answer "Well yes, we are now able to go to the moon, to cure cancer, we have hybrid vehicles ”. But if you scratch a little and decide to go a little further, is technological progress necessarily progress for humanity as a whole ? Because we born will not lie, who, in our society, has the technology ? Before it hits Wal-Mart shelves as a consumer product, who benefits from this technology ? The answer is very simple, she belongs to the wealthy class, the one who sends us memos at our workplaces to say that there will be less services for employees, the one who prefers to have a machine to replace cashiers in your grocery store or at McDonalds around the corner. Obviously for them, technological progress is useful : Ways to Cut Production Costs Are Found. Short, technology will always benefit first and foremost the wealthy and thex bourgeois of our society. You could call it class progress.

Offer a useful service or get rich?

If we start from the base, according to you, what is the purpose of a good capitalist ? Offer a quality service or product useful to humanity ? Offer quality jobs to its employees ? Non… The first goal of a capitalist is to get rich, to get rich, to fill your pockets. Based on this principle, obviously, his primary goal will be to cut his business expenses. By a strange coincidence, one of the main expenses of any business is workforce or if you prefer Newspeak : Human resources. If we can cut employees and replace them with robots, cheaper computers or other machines, what do you think the capitalist is going to want to do ? Ask the question, it's a bit respond… So, who benefits from technology in our wonderful system ? To the boss who saves production costs or to the employee who will be put in unemployment, because replaced by a robot ? It's the same principle as when a boss pays you for a cell phone, especially don't think he does it for your well-being : he knows very well that like that, you will be reachable 24 hours a day 24 and that, it suits him a lot more. It's the same with the so-called participatory economy like Uber and AirBnB. If we can get around the laws in force and save money by saying it's participatory, any capitalist will jump at the chance. Who will benefit ? To the drivers of taxi who pay their licence to do the same job as an Uber ? To the neighbors of AirBnB who will see their rent increase because its block has almost become a hotel ? Sure, non, only to the people who are going to get rich with these new technologies. Sure, if all these technologies belonged to the working class, you could say that humanity is progressing, that it’s progress for everyone to replace an ultra repetitive task with robots and thus, everyone has less work to do. But unfortunately, this is not how our society works.

Consumption and environment

A good capitalist, to get even richer, must always produce more and expand its market. How good, elite-funded studies and research are constantly trying to try to produce more and at a lower cost. This is where we come the phenomenon of overproduction. Since I am young, we are taught virtuously that we must not overconsume for the good of the planet. But what is the cause of this overconsumption ? Sure, it is the overproduction of the capitalists. They produce all kinds of kids who are worthless and who have no use in order to always get rich. Do you think the ownerstole of Dollarama has in mind the well-being of the planet when it fill his cheap junk shelves which he knows very well that the lifespan does not exceed 6 month ? Of course not, he only thinks ofx juicy profits that he will be able to put in the pockets and those of the other shareholders and that's it. Meanwhile, we blame the consumer, but we never don't blame the producer, the capitalist behind useless objects like fidget spinners. It’s always the buyer (so generally the working class) the problem and not the one who sells and markets shit products. Technology allows us to produce more at the expense of resources, produce more poor quality products, for one purpose : the one to enrich the employers. So I ask the question again, who benefits from technology ?

A question of Marketing

To sell all these useless kids, the capitalist invented a new science : Marketing. Today, universities are overflowing with research chairs whose aim is to deepen this pseudoscience that we could define by this expression : "The art of creating an artificial need in the mind of the consumer in order to make him buy something". Therefore, it makes our company overflowing with advertising everywhere to sell us something : on TV, in the newspapers, on the radio, in the streets, in the toilet, on our phones, on the Internet, at school, the job, etc. We create images of Mark to say that such a company is ethical because it gives money to the cause of sick children or to that of mental health. Bell cause for cause, what does that tell you ? The company that crunched at the door full of operators in Montreal to relocate its services at a lower cost. What a beautiful ethical company. All thanks to marketing. All that energy spent trying to sell junk like a vulgar peddler. Imagine if this research was more about creating better behavior in humans. We could in particular align research on issues like eliminating the culture of rape or racism. But no, we prefer to sell you auto insurance or an RRSP, it pays more for the capitalist. That brings me to a question : Who Benefits from Advances in Marketing ?

Sure, overproducing and inventing false needs, it is not yet enough to sufficiently enrich our good capitalist leaders. So they used technology to invent another concept : the one planned obsolescence. Does that remind you of something ? Planned obsolescence, is when a capitalist designs a consumer product to make sure it breaks after a certain time. Like that, well, no choice to buy another. If not, how is it explained that my parents have a fridge that dates from 40 years and that I never could in keep a nine over five ? This must be technological progress, right ? Seriously, technology has never been so advanced and we are led to believe that our fridges, our cars, our bulbs and most of the products we have now last less ? Yet this is what the capitalists do. Let's put ourselves in the shoes of the owner of the company Frigidaire and think for a moment. Yeah, I know, it’s not the most enjoyable is it… So, you are shareholders of the company Frigidaire, what is best for you : 1- Produce good quality refrigerators that will last a minimum 20 years or 2- Producing a lower quality refrigerator, which will therefore cost you less to produce, and that this one has a lifespan of 8 years ? You think, which will bring you more money ? The first one you will sell only once in 20 years or the one that you will be able to sell once and that after eight years, you will be able to resell a second ? Is it a conspiracy theory to think that the capitalists can see things as the number choice 2 ? This brings me to ask the question again : Whose profite technological progress ?

Big Brother and safe drift

Which brings me to safety technologies. Because by creating social inequalities like the capitalists do, it forces them to develop all kinds of technologies to monitor their employees or the plebs in general or even control the movements of revolt of those they crush. This is why we are witnessing a technological boom in the security technology world.. Surveillance cameras to avoid being robbed, or better yet, to be able to monitor its employees remotely. Anti-theft systems in stores. Alarm systems everywhere. Nuclear weapons to protect its privileges against the interests of other countries. Paramilitary police to intimidate any movement of revolt. Technology computer science in order to track people's consumption habits. Fleas that can be embedded under the skin of employees. The list is extremely long, but the conclusion remains the same. Who benefits from all these technological developments, if it’s only capitalists, to the rich and the bourgeois of our society. Our society will progress the day when these technologies will belong to the people and will serve the interests of all and not only the interests of a privileged few. Technology Will Be Useful Once In The Hands Of The Working Class, but for now, she only to contribute to increase the balance of power of the dominant class at the bottom of the pyramid.

Eric Sedition

 

Photo credit: http://scifiaddicts.com
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A union to reframe the conflict

I'm sitting in the dust at the door of the warehouse loading dock in which I work, feet dangling outside, steep sick of my week, watching backyard full of cigarette butts and plastic pieces flying in the wind and that will end up in water, somewhere, to reduce our life expectancy to support a self-destructive system. I took me a while only break this afternoon. To be honest, I did not often takes; I prefer to take an hour rather than half an hour for dinner or go 10 minutes before the end of the story day to arrive early at home, but I'm in there ... tabarnaque, and there I had a little breakdown.

What happened ? What pisses me off ? Hmm ... it would be complicated to simply explain, but if I wanted to try to summarize the, I would say that I can see over the lack of culture of solidarity and democracy of our society is that my job (and almost all other, even those that are unionized by "traditional" unions), it's a pain in the ass constant ! It is an endless series of problems that never manages to settle for the simple reason that we can not think outside the box ! I look forward to the one returned in the head once and for all, everyone together : it absolutely useless to try to improve our working conditions if not take control of the company to complete, and that, almost nobody, even traditional unions, seems to understand !

However, for someone who, like me, constantly working in direct democracy outside his job and who knows how that changes the whole way to settle (or rather avoid) all conflicts that cause hierarchy, it is a simple fact : As long we're going to struggle to increase our power against the boss (or in the form, but let's focus on the boss today) rather than to abolish, we will continually trying to divide us !

What I mean by that ? I give you two reasons why I went outside ventilate, you've probably seen you so your job, and you will understand everything :

 

The conflict overtime


In my work that works very seasonally, my boss used until recently the operation of the labor code called "the spread of hours" of paying all their employees 40 hours per week, they have worked 15 or 50, in order to, they said, "They ensure a steady income", then, to accumulate their extra time and pay them single hourly rate (rather than rate 1.5) six months or paid vacation. Without wishing to dwell on the details, this maneuver I found unlawful because the company I work for meet any of the criteria necessary to do, meant that, on the 100 at 200 hours of overtime they accumulated individually by six months, we had the equivalent of flying 50 at 100 working hours, either 750 at 2500 $ each !

When I started this fight alone, not having had the time to organize my colleagues because of a time constraint, their lack of awareness of the need to take control of the company is that they have quickly leveled in two positions that clash and there are still : The first, adopted primarily by young people - and strongly influenced by the intervention of Boss while on holiday - is that if we go ahead with the idea of ​​forcing the company to meet labor standards, it will hire additional staff to avoid having to pay us extra time to rate 1.5 and short, we can do more overtime, some need to get to the end. It is better, according to these colleagues-there anyway, work overtime single rate than not do at all (What a wage increase could very well do the job too but ... one thing at a time).

The other position, adopted mainly by fathers better paid and busier than they, is applauding the idea that despite the loss of potential earnings that decreased our hours may incur, we will finally be able to live a little and take care of our families, and that's exactly what everyone is almost needed.

But there, is shit ! Everyone is divided ! And while the two side clash and, if not think outside the context in which "was boss" and where "employees do not control the company from A to Z", absolutely right, I know very well (and I try to make them understand) that if we, the workers, all decisions were taken together, sans boss, we would not even have this debate here insolvent !

Think about it : Already, we would have much more income to the base because we would have no astronomical salaries bosses pay, Moreover, one could also ourselves reach an agreement that ensures that those who want to work more could do so and those who want to work less could do it too. It is even us who would control how many employees we engage or not ! It would fully, control on overtime, and fathers can see their children and spouse-es while young could work like crazy and buy a house, pay for their education or making the rounds of all the festivals in Quebec if it enchants. It sounds like you are not a solution for everyone that ?!?

But no ... as not take power, neither option is currently good for everyone, and during that time, everyone pisses, divides itself, and my boss continue to roll with the chariots 100 000 $ we pay them.

The "Yes-mans» against the "Slackers»


Because there is only one person (myself) in the warehouse of a company in which he could easily have three, the company's warehouse for which I work is continuously the position neck, that is to say one in which he clearly lacks staff, forcing everyone to regularly interrupt his work to come give me a hand even if they themselves are also kept busy. Is repeated every day, nonstop, and for months : you have to hire one more person in the warehouse because I always have to run and cut corners to reach the end of the day and it generates lots of errors and problems that make life miserable for everyone, except my boss, of course.

Here again, only because we are trying to solve the problem other than taking control of the company from A to Z, two opposing views, divide us, and make the unbearable work environment : The first is that, while actively asking our employers to hire an additional person until they find (but they do not because they have a salary of more pay), one must "work as a team and help each other", and so, when a position is overwhelmed, we must not abandon our or our colleague(s) only(s) and leave our work at the end of the day without giving him a hand. Let's, it's a great mentality, solidarity ! But as part of a job in a workplace where there is no 100 % power, it is rather a mentality yes-man or larbin. This is nothing more than to kiss his slavery to want to be exploited more for the same salary in exchange for "pride in being hard-working guy", and it is a hosts of shit mentality in that context !

In the reverse, the second (very individualistic, many corporatist unions adopt, and that costs a fortune grievances) is that we should not play the game bosses by helping each other or by working harder if the problem is, originally, that lack of staff, because no matter how much work we will do, we will earn the same salary, and short, the more we will work, the more you will actually use, So we stick to our job and it ends there. I would call this mentality then that of slacker. But the problem with it, This is what must be realistic and realize that, as it is still capitalism that I know, the job must be done a day or another if we want the company continues to roll and generate income, and that if we simply make the minimum all the time, all the money, beautiful condition, holiday weeks, etc, we could go looking through our unionism, where he lost the !

Put another way, while being slackers, we diminish our hourly output, so, even if we fight fiercely for our excellent wages by unions, we will need to work more hours to get to finally consecrate our camp with us at the end of the day, or more years before they can finally take our retraire, and more, allowed our single-es overworked colleagues while you listen to YouTube videos rather than going to help or go home, because we want to do our 40h, but by doing as little as possible.

It, when it is YOU poor overloaded moron for six months, I can tell ... it makes you want to freak as I am trying to do then dret ! Short, in a hierarchical framework, this shit is as much a mindset as that of yes-mans, at the end.

So if we look at it from afar, without considering the option to take full control of the company and dismiss boss, we realize that on the one hand, work hard is not good, and secondly, do not work hard either, this is not good, and short, no matter what we do, c'est-à-dire qu'on soit of a extreme to the other, or even in the center, was ALWAYS a mentality of shit. This is ridiculous eh ?

Well that's why he must stop fooling around and divide between yes-mans and the slackers, and only take total control of the site to appropriate 100% revenues (or rather 100% the power to appropriate the). It should blow up in our faces it seems : The day the money that wins or loses our workplace will be ours, nobody will be exploited, but especially, nobody will have the incentives to do as little as possible and will put his colleagues in trouble by doing. And if you look even further, the day when all the whole economy will be finally controlled by workers, and collectivized, we will not even have to give trouble to compete and to self-operate to prevent competitors make us close.

 

Conclusion


As my two examples show, how we see the problems at work (and society, as well), it is often in "framing" things within a necessarily hierarchical world, and it limits our ability to see the problem itself well ... it is often PRECISELY hierarchy. It is important to take it back there! You really think that a horizontal dynamic, direct democracy, would be, and what would change in our close relations, our block, our neighborhood, our workplace, our region, and the relationship between all the different parts of the world, if not, we always turn around in circles, repeating endlessly the same mistakes and trying the same loop "solutions".

We need to get into the habit, the reflex, think about it every day, in every conflict, in each issue that involves somewhere people experiencing hierarchy, and I swear that we will soon collectively understand this analogy a bit simplistic here, I use all the time, but that sums up the stuff anyway, which is that "while the reformists are wondering whether to use a large low-flow pipe or a small broadband pipe to fill the pool leaking, the anticapitalist, we, proposed to plug the leak !»

it plugs, this leak out !

 

X377131

 

*The absence of constant feminine endings is not an error or failure; rather it reflects the sad reality that there is no woman in my workplace now, and it is not a coincidence, but it will be the subject of another text.

 

Photo credit: led-lighting-product
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The absurdity of the world: Housing

Today, I decided to tell you a little housing, the need for basic shelter, gentrification and real estate speculation. Quickly same, I must admit that it looks extremely interesting LITTLE air, but we will try to make everything a little more dynamic. Let's see what it will give.

To begin, I would like to mention the principle of private property. Indeed, there is a moment in history in which people began to put fences around their lot of land and started saying that it was their property. It's a bit that time, that began to be born the wonderful capitalist system as we know it today with its rules that define something like this ; "At the height of pocket" and "The invisible hand of the market control the law of supply and demand".

previously, we lived in a feudal system, ie a system in which there were lords who offered protection and a lot of land to peasants vulgar in exchange for what might be called different types of taxes : "Taxes on production of the earth that we owe to the Lord", chore days on earth the Lord, Defense lordship in attacks, etc… And the system went on like that hierarchy, with the lords who also had obligations to noble, nobles who had obligations towards the kings, etc ... Then one day, this system is found completely meaningless, since all the charges weighing on farmers and their side, Lords began to accumulate more and more lordships and neglected their obligations to peasants. various revolts (French Revolution, Patriots Rebellion) ended up killing this system and have established a capitalist system in Western societies.

Now I would like to picture it all here thinking its owner making his rounds the pre mier the months to come pick up the rents tenants. First, we will tell, y a-t- it something less pleasant than this time '' awkward '' where the owner comes to pick strutting his due ? And I would like here we mark the ress emblance between the lord who picks his sacks of grain from the peasants and that the owner just collect rents. Do not you think that the resemblance is striking ? And just as in the manorial system, it is quite rare Reus Sir finding a landlord who is fulfilling its obligations to its tenants. I believe that almost everyone who has already had an owner knows what it is when it comes to renovations made by the brother peddler because we will save money or good old "I'll fix that soon, not worry yourself. »

At what point in history, we thought we'd let human basic needs (to dress yourself, to eat, housing) in the hands of capitalists have the sole purpose of making a profit ? When we said we were going to let people speculate about our basic needs ? That's what I find scandalous : People who get rich on the backs of people with stuff that everyone beso in au final. Why do we accept that people make money by selling food to the wasting preferring to raise its value to give to people in need ? When we thought we would parker people in owned buildings capitalist X and would make a profit ?

Short, all that angry at a high level because it brings out the conflict of interest on which base the system in place and I probably reparlerais you in a future column. But let us ask the question about the interests of the parties in the presence. What is the interest of the tenant ? Paying the cheapest possible to have quality housing. Now what is the owner of the interest of building ? Make the most money and how we made the most money ? By having the highest rents and the lowest possible costs. Short, what interest the owner to make repairs quickly, to have clean public areas, to provide quality service to its tenants ? No, unless it allows him to raise more money, but it means that apart luxury buildings where rents allows proprios offer good while enriching Service, this is not the case of buildings in most neighborhoods.

Now, if we continue in this logic, could approach the subject of real estate speculation that has created the phenomenon of gentrification. Real estate speculation is when people buy land or buildings in order to make an investment and thus to enrich. This is something peculiar to capitalism. That meant that the capitalists buy empty buildings hoping only sell them at a better price. It also ensures that while thousands of homeless people sleeping on the streets, hundreds of buildings are empty and have no use other than to be sold for a better price than buying. You think it's normal you ? And especially, do not try to go install a squat in these buildings because you'll quickly get to know the watchdogs of private property in our society, and I named : the police. Fuck that you're not even able to accommodate you, we, we do respect the law of the strongest and we will protect this building empty and useless against your dangerous human interference. Point bar.

Then the sole interest of property speculators is obviously profit. And what better way to raise property values ​​in a neighborhood to maximize profit ? here, where we also comes the phenomenon of gentrification of neighborhoods. Gentrification is when the original population of a neighborhood is driven by the arrival of a new richer class, which increases rents for everyone and pushes the poor and marginalized outside. Let's see this phenomenon from a perspective of a real estate speculator.

Thus for example, the owner of land in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve whose goal is to sell to maximize profit. His land appreciates in value if that surrounds also attacks. So how to appreciate in value to the land ? condos being built in areas where there were rental properties : it drives the poor, who do not have the means to buy a condo and it creates lots of small properties instead of a big, it's therefore increase municipal taxes and the more taxes, more we can pass on to tenants. Then the less poor, marginal and low-end shops, plus the value of the property on the market increases. Mister speculator has every interest in that there is more police and more regulations to drive the marginalized and the homeless neighborhood, because it increased the value of his property more. So that's how our watchdogs of private property, the police, is still involved in this process.

La gentrification, so, it benefits exactly ? In person other than real estate speculators. Point bar. Now, I would like to end this, Is it not time to think of a society where no one can get rich on the backs of the population with basic needs ? Is not it completely immoral to get rich that way ? well, the wonderful world of capitalism, the moral, it does not exist, it is the rich profits that count. Capitalism is the world crosser and crosser be. This is really what we want ? I leave you on that.

In my next column, because everything is in everything, I'll just tell you about a who had not paid his rent and that it had fallen on him in 2012. I speak of Gabriel Nadeau -Dubois, or more precisely these supposed unionists eventually run for office and try to change the system of intérieur.

 

Éric

 

original content: Live Action
Credit Photo: AtlasMedia
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17 month lockout at GMC Bérubé at Rivière-du-Loup

It's already been 17 month that employé.e.s home GMC Berube in Riviere-du-loup are locked out and picketed the garage at the rate of twenty hours per week. They were 13 in the beginning, but since, 3 filed their resignation against the arrogance of the bosses, calling it proud old man who must always be right. These are all mécanicien.nes, Workers in the body and préposé.e.s to parts that are now unemployed. These employé.e.s, many have 30 at 35 years of service to the garage and certain.e.s are agé.es more 60 years. Kick out people almost retired and have offered their work throughout these years, never enjoy the appreciation course, is doing in the dirty and greedy. It remains now that gérant.e.s and vendeur.se.s in establishing. For guarantees, the company sends client.e.s Montmagny or in Rimouski.

The collective agreement expired in February 2016. In July, the boss has left five days to decide whether to employé.e.s il.elle.s wanted to '' negotiate ''; or, it was the lockout. To begin negotiations, the boss said: «going to have to lower myself to consent 5,5 % in pension funds and two years of wage freeze, if not, we not lose time discussing. "With the premise that way, there is agreement that the negotiating word comes to take a slap. Basically, he asks them to drop their gains. The reason for this request: it must remain competitive. Sure, The option to lower his own salary was not a but more, the company is already competitive. For exemple, Volkswagon charging $ 99 / hr while GMC Bérubé request $ 94 / hr currently. At the competition aspect, we will return.

Last July, the employé.e.s finally agreed to a wage freeze but not the pension decrease. Thing the boss refused. Result: negotiations have not been included. It is important to remember that the pension fund has already been cut 5% in 2009. after negotiations, il.elle.s had finally accepted to cut their pay 1% per year over five years to keep the retirement fund.

Another return to the negotiating table was scheduled for 28 September 2017. The boss offered two scenarios (always BEFORE starting negotiations):

1- Acceptance of decline 5% the pension fund.

2- We keep the 5% pension funds, but cutting 4% on the indexed salary in year 2016.

 

We could quickly believe it's four 25 for a dollar. Well no, It's worse! because in 2016, la CSN (representing tou.te.s other syndiqué.e.s dealers in the region) obtained a gain 2,5% salary. This means that employé.e.s GMC Bérubé should lose 4% their salary + the 2,5% qu'il.elle.s did not get compared to other travailleur.se.s the region. We are talking over a pay cut of around 6,5%. Another osti pernicious and dishonest boss. Of course, the union and its members refused and negotiations have stalled.

As il.elle.s are locked out since 15 month, the employé.e.s therefore no longer entitled to unemployment. In September, il.elle.s asked the boss to do back at least to their unemployment stamps. The boss has offered to resume 3 for urgent needs. This offer was refused : It's everybody or nobody. A fine example of solidarity. In terms of other travailleur.se.s car dealers in the region, CSN union at, il.elle.s supported the GMC Bérubé employé.e.s home by a hot dog dinner and a picket of a day to offer more visibility during the summer.

The problem of this conflict is that with the loss of the banner in his GMC another garage in Trois-Pistole, the boss has received a large amount of compensatory money and it has deep pockets for cash a long labor dispute. It is therefore in no hurry to return to the negotiating table.

Because the world of "crossers" is small, imagine that the owner is very thug "chummy chummy" with the car dealers owners Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (Jean Dumas Multiconcessionnaires and Sewing Group). These same bastards who have been locked out more 450 for employees 35 month. Apparently a customary practice

in the middle. Not to mention the use of Scabs. Jean Dumas Multiconcessionnaires at the time had acquired an independent garage to make to its work during lockout. As this is a new facility, it was legal before the law. For GMC Bérubé, poor boss did not afford another garage (in Rivière-du-loup, because of course, he has another in Trois-Pistole). He therefore urged his son to be the Manager garage parts and so be able to continue its operations. He happily lost in court because of strike-breakers use. A beautiful family history stuff : The grandfather used capital, father used an iron hand and the son who serves scab… like what the rotten apples never fall far from the tree.

To finish, it will be interesting to monitor the sewing group has just bought the company ClicheAuto Beauce and leaves to predict the same scenario lockout shortly…

X277272

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Solidarity explosion for the former employee of Antidote

After two years to get involved in volunteer IWW Communication Committee, I had never seen it. Little Sarah history, dismissed the counter vegan Antidote to days of Christmas, and that after experiencing bullying and abuse of power, went viral.

In less than 24 hours, words of hope and gestures of solidarity poured in from all sides. Ten of thousands of views on our blog, I almost feel like work for Your Small or vice Look, with the difference that in the comment section, it was a love breathtaking Sarah received instead of the traditional look forward mails.

There is a modern version of Christmas Carol. In 2017, just days before the Eve, a young dynamic entrepreneur that imbued itself, owner of a trendy restaurant in a neighborhood undergoing gentrification process, dismisses his employee.

Mention it before going further : dismiss an employee e-restoration in the middle of December, Also as to wish him a Christmas without gifts or to offer small dishes to be made to Eve, is wish him a happy three or four months of unemployment, no unemployment, the time the basins of the industry to reopen the arrival of spring.

Through a friend, Sarah came into contact with the ghost of Combat Unionism who agreed to share her story. You know the rest, the story became viral and social media were inflamed. If we were in a Christmas story, at the end of the third act, the owner would have repented, but the reality of the bosses-employee-s relationships being what it is, she published earlier tearful text to explain that from the depths of his success, it's a little she actually suffered.

Everything was, she is young and has so much to learn, she did not know that you could not fire someone morally-e by text. She was forced to fire her now, cheap shot par on text, because the warning two weeks in advance and allow time for the employee to prepare (as bosses ask us), fitait it not in its priorities. It looked like a caricature all output module right on employer responses in the Organization of Training 101 IWW.

In parallel crocodile tears of the patron who, to believe what we see on Facebook, have not touched anyone other than two or three owners in similar situations or close friends, Those are former-born employees who have contacted us to tell us of similar experiences, the story of a small producer in the Gaspé had trouble getting paid rebounded, and many and many other workers restoring explaining recognize themselves in this situation so too frequent. But perhaps more importantly, People from all over Montreal have written to express their sympathy and offer their solidarity to Sarah.

Between the words of encouragement, such a free room, this one has a sofa available if needed, this one is food for the dog, another heard about a job and those on temporary contracts, see offer permanent jobs to offer. Class consciousness, ras-le-bol hellish working conditions of the restaurant industry or simply the spirit of Christmas? No matter for now, solidarity beyond all our expectations and for that, by Sarah, but all and all members of the IWW, we offer our sincere thanks and wish you a great holiday season.

X374166

 

 

Photo credit: Katerine-Lune Rollet, February 2015.
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Support for a general strike : not political repression in Catalonia

The IWW is in Montreal today solidarity with the population of Catalonia, our comrades of the CNT, but also with the Catalan unionists who mobilize and call for a general strike to assert the right to self-determination of the Catalan population and denounce the violence of the Spanish State.

Since the announcement of a referendum for the independence of Catalonia, the Spanish State has used the courts as much as force to prevent the vote. Whether the threats of imprisonment, Ad blocking polls, mobilizing thousands of police, arresting posters setters, searches, an army presence on the streets, the Spanish State has used force to deny a fundamental right : the right to self-determination.

We are in front of the Spanish consulate today to denounce violence and contempt of the Spanish State with regard to Catalonia. We are also here to give our support and solidarity with the Catalan people and witness to the courage of our comrades of the CNT unions and allies, who are mobilizing, call for a general strike and make actions to enforce the law in Catalonia and denounce the repression of the state.

We therefore ask the Spanish government to stop this violent campaign, This failure of collective rights, political repression and the use of force against the Catalan population.

Our solidarity with the working people, Catalan union and the population of Catalonia, Your voice will be heard!

The IWW Montreal

The section of the IWW Montreal (Industrial Workers of the World, Industrial Workers of the World) expresses solidarity with the people of Catalonia today, our comrades of the CNT, as well as the Catalan and union mobilized to enforce the right to self-determination of the people to denounce violence and Catalan in Spain.

Since the announcement of a referendum on independence in Catalonia, Spain has used the courts and force to prevent the holding of voting. The threats of imprisonment, the announcement of the closure of the electoral colleges, mobilizing thousands of police, the arrest of people who have hung posters relating to referendum, the confiscation of material, the army presence on the streets, are some of the ways in which Spain has used force to deny a fundamental right: the right to self-determination.

Today we concentrated in front of the Spanish consulate in Montreal to denounce violence and contempt toward Catalonia in Spain. We are here concentrated and focused to express our support and our solidarity to the people of Catalan and witness the courage of our comrades of the CNT and its allied union, and actions are mobilized to enforce the right to self-determination and denounce the repression Catalonia State.

We call on Spain to stop the violent campaign, the violation of collective rights, political repression and the use of force against the Catalan people.

All our solidarity with immigrant workers, the union and Catalan, so the people of Catalonia. Your voice heard!

Support for General Strike : Enough political repression in Catalonia

The IWW-SITT Montreal is, today, in solidarity with the people of Catalonia, nuestro'as compañero'as of the National Confederation of Labor and also with lo'as cataluño'as syndicalisto'as mobilisado'as and calling a general strike to defend the right of self-determination of the Catalan people and to denounce the violence of the Spanish State.

The Spanish government uses its justice system and violence to block the Catalan people since we know the date of the referendum for independence. Threatening to imprison, block polling, mobilize more than a thousand police, lo'as stop militants, perseguirlo'as and more, Spanish state uses force to deny a basic right - the right to self-determination!

So, We are today at the Spanish consulate to denounce violence and contempt of the Spanish State Catalonia. As well, We are here to support the Catalan people and testimonar the value and strength of nuestro'as compañero'as of the CNT and trade union allies, they are mobilizing, They call a general strike and carry out actions to defend the right of self-determination of Catalonia and denounce the repression of the Spanish government.

State tell the Spanish - Tu violence, your contempt for democracy and your political repression of the Catalan people "ENOUGH! »

Solidarity with trabajadore'as lo'as, catalane'as unionists and the people of Catalonia!

Your voice bring freedom!

 

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We do not s'laissera! Near & rsquo; a hundred demonstrators marched in South Central.

Faced with cuts in funding, various Montreal community organizations met
yesterday in order to express their dissatisfaction. A demonstration was organized in collaboration with
l’Quebec Association for promoting the health of people who use drugs (AQPSUD), the Group & rsquo; Intervention Peer (armor) and several comrades SITT-IWW Montreal to show their support and join their voices to those of workers in the sector who have more than enough of
Paulette duty undress to dress stone! in song, the group Union Thugs became megaphone
the cause defended by the day, and the group SOS Roaming was responsible for feeding the hungry-es
who crisscrossed the streets of South Central.

This year, it is the expression of the Street Festival [DO] who paid the price of sharp scissors
Trudeau government, Yet these are not sub missing (500 millions of dollars) for
celebrate, Within a day, the 150 years of the Canadian federation: sad colonial legacy
John A Racist. Macdonald. In keeping constant reductions in the budgets allocated by
various levels of government, workers of GIAP, like other, had
make difficult choices: « in a context where we struggle to maintain our regular services, we
lacked resources to organize the festival. "At the municipal, l & rsquo added; insult to & rsquo; injury by
investing tens of millions of dollars in frivolities such as e formula and & rsquo; d & rsquo illumination; a
bridge rusty bones. We feel that despite its fine words, Mayor does not care much Coderre impacts
the population of its financial choices worthy & rsquo; a king child in a Toys-R-Us for billionaire… It is
Therefore, the 21st edition of FER will not take place in 2017.

The ERF is a tradition, a place of joy but also exchange: one of the few public spaces
where gens.es street can feel included and not hunted by looking security guards
strong emotions. Moreover, this situation is increasingly felt in the lower city with
various projects of '' revitalization '' of public spaces such as the mega project of '' Jardins Gamelins '' which was used to set up a system of social apartheid by forcibly removing access to Place Émilie-Gamelin from homeless people who have always stayed there.

So that's why we took the street, for those who live there, work there and it was heart.
This is also why we believe that as members of the IWW-SITT we must build bridges
strong with all those who struggle daily to ensure the health and safety of
population stigmatized by capitalist governments, bankers, the bosses and the rich
owners. Together we cry: We do not s'laissera!

kacim

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The origins of the Solidarity Unionism. First part: a Bibliography

 

The Solidarity trade union movement is a term that was mainly led by Alice Lynd Staughon, inspired by the organizational model of the first campaigns of the IWW happened to get gains without legal bargaining unit or even without being recognized by the employer (collective agreements are not legally binding in the United States since the signing of the National Labor Relations Act in 1935, the Canadian equivalent could be the application of the Rand formula dating 1946). If the principle was also inspired by the work of Martin Glaberman, C.L.R. James et Stan Weird, the use of the Solidarity Unionism as understood today SITT-IWW appears for the first time in June 2002 in an article in The Nation magazine called Open Source Unionism: A proposal to American Labor, Joel Rogers and Richard B. Freeman.

The idea was then developed largely by the efforts of Alexis Buss, who served as General Secretary-Treasurer of the Industrial Union of Workers (SITT-IWW) from 2000 at 2005. It is in giving him the name of minority unionism, he explained the concept in a column published by the industrial worker called Minority Report.

Francophone literature is still thin on the subject, but for those of you with the chance to understand English, various books published, inter alia, by Charles H. Kerr Company and Labor Notes are still considered key works. The Headquarters of the ISTC-IWW listed in 9 among the most important:

  1. Punching Out & Other Writings – Martin Glaberman; edited by Staughton Lynd; Charles Kerr, 2002. 250 pages. 
  2. The New Rank & File -Édité par Staughton Lynd and Alice Lynd, ilr Press, © 2000. 288 pages.
  3. Solidarity Unionism: Rebuilding the Labor Movement from Below – Staughton Lynd; Charles Kerr, 1993. 128 pages.
  4. Democracy is Power: Rebuilding Unions from the Bottom Up – Mike Parker et Martha Gruelle, Labor Notes, © 1999. 262 pages.
  5. Class War Lessons; From Direct Action on the Job to the ’46 Oakland General Strike (Unions With Leaders Who Stay on the Job) – Stan Weir; Insane Dialectical Editions, 2006. 48 pages. 
  6. Singlejack Solidarity – Stan Weir; University of Minnesota, © 2004. 408 pages. 
  7. A Troublemaker’s Handbook, How to Fight Back Where You Work–And Win! – Edited by Dan LaBotz, Labor Notes, 1991. 262 pages. 
  8. A Troublemaker’s Handbook 2, How To Fight Back Where You Work and Win! — Edited by Jane Slaughter, Labor Notes, 2004. 372 pages. 
  9. The Politics of Nonviolent Action – Gene Sharp, by Gene Sharp, Porter Sarg. © 1973. 913 pages.
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Wobbly in Dublin – Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

Introduction et mise en contexte

Lorsque j’ai décidé de partir vivre en Irlande pendant deux ans, I had just joined the IWW-SITT and was eager to learn more and take part in the fight. So, the first thing I thought is : "Is there a branch in Ireland ?»

Eh bien non, me confirme le GHQ (General Headquarters), qui me met quand même en contact avec ERA (European Regional Administration), qui elle, me met en contact avec des Wobblies d’Écosse qui, finally, me mettent en contact avec de potentiels membres, dont un en particulier semble plus motivé encore, un certain dénommé Jules. Read more →

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