The various grassroots union organizations have declared a general
strike on November 29th mainly against the budget decided by the Melonigovernment that does not solve any of the social problems, but worsens
them - such as investments in private healthcare and private schools -
demonstrating what their orientation is. But the strike is also against
the ongoing wars in which the current government is always at the
forefront and which, in addition to causing innocent deaths and
destruction, determine the war economy and, as a consequence, the
continuous increase in the cost of living that swallows up the already
low salaries and pensions. This also results in the unstoppable increase
in military spending (the war minister Crosetto is already proposing an
increase in the number of soldiers in the army to face the new
challenges, as he stated) to the detriment of the real problems of the
population such as that of public healthcare which is falling apart.
While the current situation of ongoing conflicts is gradually
approaching the point of no return, that is, the third world war. But
the strike is also against the infamous "Insecurity" Decree for workers,
both male and female, and those of the social opposition who, by
mobilizing for their rights and necessities of life, risk years of prison.
The resumption of the united path
After a recent period of crisis in the relations of the conflicting
unions and between the components of the social opposition, the common
thread of united action is being rediscovered. We have also seen this in
the situation in Milan with the assembly meetings in preparation for the
demonstration on November 29 by the conflicting unions, together with
social areas and students who also promoted an assembly at the
Polytechnic inviting the acronyms promoting the strike to participate.
It was a path, clarified from the beginning, in absolute autonomy and
alternative to that of Cgil and Uil, for the responsibilities that the
latter have in the situation of regression and defeats of the working
class, and that they continue to have. In contrast to Landini's
statements on the "social revolt" they continue to sign contracts such
as those that establish wage increases of 5 euros per hour. During the
preparatory meetings for the strike demonstration, it was also shared
that the demands of the current strike are also against Confindustria,
which does not renew the contracts of 7 million workers, and when it
does renew them, also with the complicity of the confederate unions, it
grants increases of a few cents in the face of galloping inflation. The
employers continue to increase profits, increasing social inequalities,
through ever more intensified exploitation, with low wages, making work
precarious through outsourcing that delivers parts of production and
services into the hands of contractors and subcontractors, with
fixed-term contracts, temporary work, false VAT numbers, and undeclared
work. All this causes the loss of rights and the ability to make claims
and, unfortunately, also causes conditions of less protection in safety
at work where accidents, even fatal ones, are continually increasing.
Companies are using new technologies, produced by workers, to expel
workers from the workplace. Another dispute within the strike is the one
against the municipal administration that is transforming the city of
Milan into the city of luxury and the rich, where there is less and less
space for workers and the poorest part of the population. The policy of
Mayor Sala's council is privatizing public spaces and activities, from
swimming pools to the Ice Palace, from the hippodrome to the sale of the
San Siro stadium. While the consumption of public land continues to be
allowed to real estate speculation with all the consequences that come
with it. A speculative mechanism that inevitably leads to an increase in
rents and consequently to the evictions of those who can no longer pay,
which are added to the evictions of those who occupy empty houses out of
necessity. At the same time, to facilitate this policy of expulsions,
thousands of empty council houses are kept and the policy of degradation
is promoted in the suburbs where there is an intention to replace
council houses with buildings for the rich, as is happening in the San
Siro neighborhood.
Therefore, the dispute over the general strike and its demonstration is
very broad and articulated, so it is necessary to continue the united
path even afterwards.
The objectives of the procession route
Based on the disputes highlighted, the route of the procession was
agreed upon, establishing that the starting point of the demonstration
is Piazza Fontana, a symbolic place of repression where the state
massacre was carried out. In that place there is a plaque in memory of
the killing of Giuseppe Pinelli; in the morning a wreath was placed in
memory of Pino and Licia with the initials of all the trade union
components promoting the demonstration. For the occasion, the anarchist
comrades of the Fai and the Unione Sindacale Italiana lined up with
their flags behind the plaque. The same thing happened under the large
banner, positioned high up in the square, which bears the words: "Chi ha
compagni non muore mai" and underneath "Licia e Giuseppe Pinelli".
In the same square, we stopped in front of the building of the Milanese
Curia, which controls several sectors of private healthcare, including
the Institute of the Holy Family, and where behind the propaganda of
charity, mechanisms of exploitation, low wages and poor safety at work
are hidden. In the USI CIT segment, there was a large component,
especially female workers, of that Institute. The procession from Piazza
Fontana passed in front of the State University where several
interventions related to the situation took place. The next stop was
under the Assolombarda, headquarters of Confindustria, where other
themed interventions took place. We then passed in front of the Milan
Cathedral and then arrived at Piazza della Scala, in front of the
Municipality. In the procession, with thousands of participants, there
are different categories of workers, each behind their own banner: from
commerce, to metalworkers, health workers, logistics, schools, municipal
libraries, etc..
A very communicative procession where the conflictual unions adhering to
the strike are present with their own flags: CUB, AdL Cobas, SI Cobas,
Conf. Cobas, Sial Cobas, Sgb, Slai Cobas, USI CIT behind the Banda degli
Ottoni, the comrades of the FAI and libertarians.
There are different opposition social areas, the Tenants Union,
Neighborhood Committees, students. The single banner opening the
procession bore the words: "Wages, Rights, Dignity, no to war". The
procession was opened by the truck with the amplifiers and all the flags
of the trade union organizations promoting the demonstration.
The conclusion of the demonstration
In Piazza della Scala, in front of the Town Hall, the demonstration ends
with speeches by representatives of the various participating
organizations, reiterating the importance of unity in the success of the
strike and the demonstration, with the commitment to continue on the
path. There were specific speeches on situations of claims and
solidarity with the Palestinian people with the invitation to
participate in the demonstrations that take place every Saturday in this
sense. The revolt in the Corvetto neighborhood was highlighted for the
death of Ramy, a 19-year-old, son of Egyptian immigrants, caused by the
police chase. There was also a speech by a comrade from USI CIT on the
need to continue unitedly on the contents of the disputes against the
government, Confindustria and the Municipal Administration. The
importance of having remembered the killing of Giuseppe Pinelli, an
anarchist propagandist, but also a worker committed to the Italian Union
of Trade Unions and a point of reference for the Base Unitary Committees
who with their struggles bypassed the union bureaucracies was
underlined; and the determination and courage of his partner Licia who
challenged the strong powers of the institutions implicated in the
massacre were also remembered. "Today in government there are close
relatives of those massacre logics that are characterized by the same
orientation with the Repression Decree. All this must be countered by
widening the conflict" ending with the phrase reported by that poster
that portrays the arrest of an anarcho-syndicalist: "It will be a laugh
that will bury you".
Speaking of repressive acts, it is worth highlighting the requisition of
public transport, once again, by Minister Salvini who reduced the strike
to just 4 hours. From 9 to 13 in Milan there was a general blockade of
city transport. There was also a high participation in the air-airport
sector with many flights cancelled.
Enrico Moroni
https://umanitanova.org/milano-sciopero-generale-in-risposta-alle-politiche-di-guerra-e-di-repressione/
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