Today's Topics:
1. France, Union Communiste Libertaire AL #301 - Extinction
Rebellion: between social ecology and non-violence (fr, it,
pt)[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. Czech, AFED: Remembering Honza Kucera -- An overview of
several commissions for Honza Kucera, killed in 2008 [machine
translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. anarkismo.net: Reflections on the minimum wage for 2020 by
grupo libertario via libre (ca, it, pt) [machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
4. bruxelles, communistes libertaires UCL: National event:
let's not be fooled (fr, it, pt)[machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
5. yeryuzu postasi: Firefighters march in Paris despite police
efforts to block, 1 day ago News Write a comment 45 Appearance
[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
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Message: 1
The arrival of Extinction Rébellion (XR) in France and the actions carried out in recent months have sparked heated debate in militant
spheres. If the demand for strict non-violence has been repeatedly criticized, XR's support for the December strikes has been welcomed. What
view should we take of the movement, and what possible alliances ? ---- In the context of a climate movement in search of politicization, XR
legitimately arouses interest and displays a certain capacity for mobilization. XR seeks to stand out by openly criticizing the "hummingbird
strategy" and "small gestures" and by calling to engage in collective action, clearly pointing out the responsibility of governments in
climate and environmental danger. The movement claims to practice horizontality, indicating in its founding principles " deliberately limit
the power relations by dismantling hierarchies for a more equitable participation " [1] . XR has also managed to avoid the emergence of
leading figures and favors collective expression. Any group can claim it on condition, however, of embracing its fundamental principles, in
particular: non-violence, decentralization, refusal of individual guilt.
Until recently, the French branch was still looking for itself and it was with curiosity tinged with distrust that revolutionary activists
watched for the manifesto of the XR manifesto. Since its very first actions which were more of a symbolic happening, Extinction Rebellion
has asserted itself with larger collective actions, claiming a " climbing strategy ". The launch of their " RIO operation " in October 2019
gave rise to the occupation of the Italy 2 shopping center alongside other collectives and then to that of the Place du Châtelet in Paris
for a few days. Actions organized with precision upstream, with a certain talent for communication, but which also generated criticism and
annoyance.
Alliances: under what conditions ?
During the October occupations, the vagueness maintained around the very general principles claimed by XR as well as the contradictory
speeches heard on the political dimension of their action were able to question, certain people within XR assuring their anti-capitalist
engagement, but of others hasten to invoke apoliticalism and the need to " not divide ".
If on the right we readily describe them as extremists, it is on the contrary their strategy of non-violent disobedience, going as far as
monitoring the slightest tag, which has aroused many criticisms from anti-racist activists, feminists, but also other ecological collectives
defending a more radical and politicized ecology. XR was able to converge with other collectives, as we saw during the occupation of the
Italie 2 shopping center, which took place alongside some collectives of yellow vests, the Adama Committee, but also the CLAQ ( Queer
Liberation and Autonomy Committee) and other environmental groups including Désobéissance écolo Paris.
Several of these collectives, while remaining invested in joint actions, have thus signed an open letter to Extinction Rebellion [2]. Among
the problems pointed out by the text: the minimization of police violence, the latent violence contained in the non-violent positioning, the
"apolitical" framing . Other critics have also pointed out the dead end of actions thought according to their future media treatment and the
image returned.
Common struggles will only be possible if Extinction Rebellion listens to these criticisms and takes them into account in practice. It
should be noted that the French branch has already shown critical retreat, seeking to raise questions about the report to the police, and
expressed itself on the question of decolonial ecology [3]. However, this remains for the moment at the stage of sharing of reflections,
without any real change in orientation. And nonviolence remains a fundamental principle little questioned.
XR and the December strike
On its social networks - without much evidence being found on the website - Extinction Rebellion France claimed clear support not only for
the December 5 strike but for a general and unlimited strike, declaring in its press release: " Extinction Rébellion France supports the
unlimited strike, an effective means of action to block our economy and give us the opportunity to get out of this productive imperative, to
take the time to reflect in order to collectively decide what activities are to stop immediately and those that must be preserved for social
and ecological justice " [4] . XR recalls the deeply social dimension of the ecological struggle and the need to actively defend another
political order, and explicitly calls on its supporters to strike.
After the October mobilizations and the sometimes heated debates on XR's strategy, the treatment of activists who disagree with this line,
the relationship with the police, and a non-violence considered sometimes dogmatic, this position is particularly welcome. Especially since
XR thus breaks with a search for consensus that has often been criticized, and thus takes the risk of disappointing its supporters and
members holding an "apolitical " position ", Even hostile to any rapprochement with the left and anti-capitalist (and even more
revolutionary) movements. Reactions have also been mixed to say the least. It is to be hoped that such a position opens the way to
rapprochements with social movements and to fruitful discussions on these strategic questions.
The Ecology Commission
[1] The organization puts forward 10 "principles and values" founding their movement. See on their site .
[2] " Open letter to activists of Extinction Rébellion ", October 11, 2019, on grozeille.co
[3] " On the social and climatic struggle: decolonizing XR ", translation of a tribune by XR Scotland, October 23, 2019, on the blog of XR
France and " For a decolonial ecology ", by Seumboy, July 17, 2019, on the same site.
[4] "Why we are involved in the December 5 strike," XR France message of December 4, 2019 on Facebook.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Extinction-Rebellion-entre-ecologie-sociale-et-non-violence
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Message: 2
It has been twelve years since Jan Kucera, a 19-year-old anti-fascist skinhead, was stabbed in a pub in Príbram on the night of January
18-19. It happened during a conflict of local punkers and skinheads with a group of young neo-Nazi supporters, which was tragically ended by
the battle of Honza Kucera with Jirí Fous, who did not hesitate to continue provocations and use a knife. Honza succumbed to the
consequences of the injury on January 20, 2008. Since then, commemorative events of different character have been held every year in various
places in the Czech Republic and sometimes abroad. The same was true this year. ---- In Hranice na Morave, anti-fascists from the Kolektiv
161 group displayed a banner with a portrait of Honza Kucera and the inscription "We will not forget! We will not forgive! ". Photographs
and a short statement then appeared on the OAF website .
In PilsenThere were several times commemorations in the form of a party where music played by Honza liked. Last year, the event was dropped
because it was not discussed at the last minute. This year, however, the local anti-fascists corrected the event and agreed in advance. So
there was another Don't Forget Party on Saturday, January 18th, this time at the Belfast Club. Shortly after eight in the evening, the space
was decorated with an anti-fascist flag, and two candles near John's portrait burned on the table beside the DJ's counter. The turntables
were replaced by three local DJs and Prague came to play Ctibor Pribor. Records were played across genres - rock'n'roll, reggae, ska, punk
and there was also Oi! classics such as Los Fastidios, Klasse Kriminale or Stages Bottles. There was no shortage of dancers on the
improvised floor. Voluntary entry covered not only costs, but managed to pick less than a thousand, which was a beneficial contribution to
legal aid to activists persecuted for participating in direct events in connection with the climate camps organized annually by the Limits
We Are Initiative! It had just that day in Pilsen its plenum, so the word gave the word and the event to mutual satisfaction also became a
kind of afterparty plenum.
Another event, which took place on Saturday 18 January, was the 11th part of the traditional Olomouc concert Punx Night, which was dedicated
to the memory of Jan Kucera. The event featured hc / punk bands from the Czech Republic and Poland, namely Non President from Wojcieszów,
Skorup / A from Jelenia Gora, Urbura from Francova Lhota, Human Fault from Vyskov, Prisoners of War from Olomouc and Continua Recto from
Prostejov. In the set of the organizing band there was a speech explaining how the tragedy occurred twelve years ago and paid tribute to the
memory of both Jan Kucera and other victims of neo-Nazism. Over a hundred people gathered at the concert. On the day of the event, a
commemorative banner was placed in the vicinity of Olomouc, which was taken care of by local anti-fascists.
Another commemoration of Honza Kucera, this time called Our Music Our Scene! (it was already the fifth event under this name), was organized
on Saturday January 25 by a fan group Barflies crew. At seven in the evening the door of the club Underdogs in Prague openedin Smíchov and
visitors gradually began to fill its cellar space. On the spot it was possible to buy True Rebel clothing, which contributed to each sale of
the Lazec dog shelter in Príbram as part of this event. At about eight o'clock the Pawnshop crew in Príbram started pushing their portion of
metalcore into the audience. Censorship in Bratislava was the second on the podium. This agile oi! Punk left few spectators calm. The
Slovaks were followed by the trio of High Voltage from Vsetín, so the dancing audience had just enough time to go to the bar for a new drink
and dance. Then they came to the word vinyl records performed by Prague DJ, who entertained the audience around 2 am. Then the last of about
fifty visitors went to the hajan. Unfortunately, L'anima libera from Otrokovice did not come out due to illness.
Related links:
https://www.afed.cz/text/6933/nezapomeneme-neodpustime
https://www.afed.cz/text/6603/vzpominka-na-honzu-kuceru
https://www.afed.cz / text / 6579 / we will not forget-don't forgive
https://www.afed.cz/text/5946/vzpominky-na-honzu-kuceru
https://www.afed.cz/text/5488/vzpominka-na-honzu-kuceru
https://www.afed.cz/text/5370/vzpominka-na-honzu-kuceru
https://www.afed.cz/text/3512/nezapomeneme-neodpustime
https://www.afed.cz/text/ 3201 / memorial-to-honzu
https://www.afed.cz/text/2961/vzpominkove-akce-na-honzu-kuceru-ve-vychodnich-cechach
https://www.afed.cz/text/2850/ remembering-action-on-jane-curl
https://www.afed.cz/text/7105/vzpominka-na-honzu-kuceru
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Message: 3
In a country where collective labor conventions are so few and wage bargaining by company or industry is so weak, the negotiation of the
national minimum wage is an opportunity to reach the precarious and disorganized majority of the working class and project an identity
common worker and popular beyond local and sectoral frameworks. ---- The minimum wage in Colombia decreed by the government of Iván Duque
for 2020 was $ 877,803 pesos per month, an amount that added the aid of $ 102,854 pesos of transportation, reaches a total of $ 980,657
pesos per month and a growth of 6%. The general increase compared to 2019 was $ 49,687 pesos and in the transportation assistance item of $
5,822 pesos, for a total of $ 55,508 pesos of gross increase. According to this scheme, the ordinary work hour will then be paid at $ 3,657
pesos and the daily salary will be set at $ 29,260 pesos. This salary without transport, item that many companies regularly mock, implies $
266.97 dollars or 240.19 euros for the exchange rate of mid-January 2020,
The government of the former commercial bank adviser Duque and his labor minister Alicia Arango, former private secretary of the Uribe
government and administrator of public entity personnel with precarious contracts such as Coldeportes, ICBF and IDRD, issued the wage fixing
decree, after no No agreement was reached in the Permanent Commission for the Coordination of Wage and Labor Policies, setting an increase
equal to that of 2019. In the negotiations the government had proposed the "conciliatory" formula of 5.2%, which then rose slightly. The
supposedly serious increase of twice the inflation estimated by the Bank of the Republic by 2020, that is 3.4%. However, only last year the
real inflation figure in the country was 3.84%, 30% higher than the one estimated by the Bank,
To explain its restrictive salary policy, the Duke government explained that in the package of reforms that I install to combat the national
strike of November 21, including the bill for the precarious labor reform of Senator Álvaro Uribe Vélez, an additional premium is
established to compensate for this situation, for workers who earn less than 1.5 minimum wages, a project that supposedly would have talked
with employers and related politicians. In economic matters, it is clear that the government subordinates its salary policy to its hitherto
partially failed objective of inflationary control and the general economic adjustment strategy implemented through tax reform. The
negotiation failed
The 2019 salary negotiation instance lasted the entire month of December. Around it, the Uribista government developed informal scenarios of
bilateral meetings with businessmen and union sectors, to raise the need to reach a national agreement at a political moment of government
weakness and popular effervescence caused by the great national protest days of November-December .
However, the wage arrangement scheme failed again this year, deflating government expectations. Although article 56 of the 1991 Constitution
established the annual salary consultation mechanism, later regulated in 1996, this instance suffers from strong limitations of legitimacy
and participation. Since 1997 and in the last 23 years of negotiation, employers 'and workers' representatives have not agreed on 16
occasions and have only concluded on 7 occasions, including partial agreements of 2018-2019, made only with the least demanding sectors of
the unions.
The 3 third-level union centrals at the national level, that is: the majority Unitary Central of Workers (CUT), the Governor General
Confederation of Labor (CGT) and the Confederation of Workers of Colombia (CTC) centrist, as well as the 2 organizations of pensioners, the
Confederation of Pensioners of Colombia (CPC) and the minority Democratic Confederation of Pensioners (CDP) who returned to the negotiation
in 2012, arrived at the table with a unified agreement and remained within that framework, something quite unusual for organizations as CGT
and CDP used to negotiate down and seek bad agreements with the employer. The trade union organizations requested 8.1% increase and later
8.0%, a proposal that implied $ 600 pesos a day more than what was finally granted,
That the scenario of partial agreement had not been repeated the last two years between CGT-CTC without the concurrence of the most
representative CUT, nor would the inflated results of the 2017 union census have been used to change the operation of the table, and finally
The goodwill shown by the Cegetist organization led by bureaucrat Julio Roberto Gómez with the Duke government would not have been
translated into the table, due to the significant change in the political scenario created by the situation of unemployment and national
protest and the massive demand of the population of a greater salary increase, which forced a framework of greater intransigence and unity
to workers' organizations.
The businessmen grouped in the National Guild Council (CGN), which are as usual the clear winners of the day, began raising 4.5% and came to
offer 5.88%. In a key way, the employers' representatives also remained united, something unusual, especially by sectors such as the Banking
and Financial Entity Association (Asobancaria), the Colombian Farmers Society (SAC) and the Association of Small and Medium Companies
(Acopi), defenders of the lowest possible wages. As usual, businessmen argued the traditional neo-liberal dogma that any salary increase
would supposedly lead to increased unemployment and informality, a thesis strongly contradicted by the evidence seen in the recent history
of the country and the world.
It is important to point out that their centers of thought and the business press in block, again stirred the regressive idea of the
differential minimum wage by regions, which would mean a general decrease in wages in the poorest areas and a return to the regressive
policy in force until 1983 , while closing ranks around the general economic policy of the government and key adjustment projects such as
labor reform and especially pension reform. The need for mobilization
The defeat of the trade union proposal is another struggle that is abandoned if it even begins. The centrals are structurally weak at the
negotiating table where they play against the economic and political coordination of the government and the employers' unions, and they are
also in the field of the large business press that defends neo-liberal economic policies. Its strength should then be in the street, so the
small concentration of December 10 in Bogotá in the middle of the negotiations, linked to the November-December national protest days, is a
positive demonstration of the mobilization route through that common demand that the slow and corporatist union organizations, whether
concerted or classist, who faced this scenario 3 decades ago, have refused to develop,
The negotiation period of the minimum wage should be key for trade union organizations, as it represents a moment of public discussion about
salary policy and working conditions where workers outline class reflections and a critical perspective on their living conditions, it is
also a period where the positions of the power plants have their greatest media projection and can arouse an important mass sympathy and is
also a scenario where governments show more clearly their economic policies and their very restrictive concrete projections on the salary
and social conditions of the population. In general, it is a wasted opportunity that generates a sense of frustration among women workers
and, in contrast, forges a sense of unity and strength among the bourgeoisie.
In a country where collective labor conventions are so few and wage bargaining by company or industry is so weak, the negotiation of the
national minimum wage is an opportunity to reach the precarious and disorganized majority of the working class and project an identity
common worker and popular beyond local and sectoral frameworks. The negotiation calls lively to the 2.5 million people and 11% of the
salaried population that earns the minimum wage especially concentrated in commerce and services, but it is also important for a working
population that by an absolute majority and 80 % earn less than two of these salaries, and urgently for 12 million people and 50% of the
total working population that receives income even less than the minimum wage,
In that sense, we believe that the task of rebuilding the union organization of the working class in a democratic, unitary and federalist
key and promoting a libertarian trade union tendency for that purpose remains fundamental.
Up those who fight!
Vía Libre Libertarian Group
Related Link: https://grupovialibre.org/2020/01/28/reflexiones-sobre-el-salario-minimo-para-2020/
https://www.anarkismo.net/article/31741
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Message: 4
The UCL was at the demonstration, on Tuesday 28 January, for social security alongside workers in the most combative sectors in Brussels.
Between 10,000 and 20,000 people marched between north and noon, a success which the union management is delighted with. But let's not be
fooled by this speech. On the eve of the social elections, this demonstration was above all an opportunity to bring competition between
trade union organizations and to try to influence the negotiations of the future federal government. Once again, the collective strength of
the workers serves the objectives of the union leaderships through a day of "one shot" action with no future and no real action plan.
Social security is not suddenly in danger, it is in reality voluntarily and knowingly unraveled for decades by neoliberal policies (from
left and right). Attack on unemployment, against pensions, against health care, flexible labor market,... The list is long and all these
measures have contributed for 40 years to destroy social security. Union managers today pretend to rebel against the threat hanging over the
social security system, while it has been as many years as the majority of union leaders have remained passive or even supported neoliberal
policies.
We no longer expect anything from the union aristocracy, the real force for change and resistance is the basis of the workers!
This is why, in order to fight capitalism more effectively, we believe that it is fundamental to meet our efforts on the development of
self-managed unionism. It is by contributing to the development of a culture of union democracy at the base, a culture based on an
interprofessional approach, advancing the need for collective decision-making, imperative mandates, rotation, control and revocation of
mandates, how we think it possible, whatever the trade union organization in which we are present, to fight bureaucratic and reformist logics!
#UnionActionAutogestion
#Revolutionary Unionism
https://bxl.communisteslibertaires.org/2020/01/29/manifestation-nationale-ne-nous-laissons-pas-berner/
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Message: 5
CGT and UNSA member firefighters took action yesterday in Paris. Thousands of workers, who came with union flags and firefighter uniforms,
protested the attack on pension rights. ---- Firefighters set fire to two people dressed in fireproof clothes to draw attention to the
difficulty of their work. Clashes took place when police did not allow the march of thousands of firefighters gathered in Republique Square.
Firefighters demonstrated through their actions that they were part of the struggle while they could not go on strike because they provided
original public service against the pension law. ---- The police therefore demonstrated their stance with pressure and harassment from the
very beginning of the action. The head of the march was held by a police cordon and an attempt was made to prevent it. The firefighters'
response was to load on the police barricades. While the attacks of the police were sprayed in many places, the action stability was
maintained. While the police attacked with tear gas bombs, pressurized water and plastic bullets at many points, the fighters were fought in
places where the firefighters were loaded into the barricades.
There were workers injured with plastic bullets during the police attacks. Anger increased when a firefighter who climbed over TOMA and got
injured by aiming directly at his head. Firefighters were loaded on the steel barriers of the police and clashed with the police unit that
carried out the attack. Although the police tried to evacuate the area by attacking them with sound and gas bombs, the workers did not step
back for a long time.
From time to time, the police were contacted through the barriers. It was observed that the police were helpless in the face of the
militant attitude. The police retreated throughout the action and tried to maintain balance. Police officers did not dare to take into
custody while the people around them immediately claimed the grounds of the police attacks. While the police were dispersing in front of the
masses together and determinedly, the police units left in small groups had to escape from the firefighters. The resistance of the workers
and the courage to be barricaded undermined the police attacks.
Journalists shooting during police terrorism were also targeted. Voluntary street paramedics interfered with a journalist who was injured.
The action ended after the police withdrew in the evening, with a call for participation in other actions and the fight against the pension
law. (Source: Red Flag)
http://www.yeryuzupostasi.org/2020/01/29/pariste-itfaiyeciler-polisin-engelleme-cabalarina-ragmen-yuruyus-gerceklestirdi/
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