Today's Topics:
1. Czech, AFED: Only those downstairs will pay for the crisis
again --- The third part of the March monitoring of anarchist
websites in connection with the impacts of covid-19 on
society[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
again --- The third part of the March monitoring of anarchist
websites in connection with the impacts of covid-19 on
society[machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
2. derry anarchists: Who Do They Think They're Kidding?
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
3. France, UCL - In the territory, together for the working
time! (ca, de, it, pt)[machine translation]
time! (ca, de, it, pt)[machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
4. Leipzig.fau: Sexism at your workplace is never okay!
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
5. UK, ACG: DVLA Workers strike over COVID fears from the No
Safety No Work website (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
Safety No Work website (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
6. France, UCL AL #314 - Self-defense: protect yourself with
Signal (ca, de, it, fr, pt)[machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
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Message: 1
Thessaloniki group of the Anarchist Federation in its statementfor a
demonstration on March 27 writes about the right-wing Greek government of the New
Democracy party, which ignores society and launched an unprecedented attack on
the social base under the pretext of resolving the pandemic, enforcing a pile of
antisocial and anti-labor laws along with financial aid and tax breaks for large
companies. To shirk responsibility for its criminal approach to pandemic
management, the government shamelessly promotes the story of individual
responsibility as the backbone of its communication strategy and mainstream
propaganda. Most media outlets are controlled by the government or go hand in
hand. The government maintains its power solely through ideological propaganda,
police violence and repression. Recruitment to police and military units and the
strengthening of their equipment are still ongoing. The state is preparing for
the preventive suppression of impending social unrest and uprisings. Dozens of
demonstrations and rallies were brutally suppressed, with protesters beaten
shamefully and tortured by police. And people in their neighborhoods, who are
increasingly being attacked by the police under the pretext of anti-epidemic
measures, are not out of danger either. The police are acting with complete
impunity. "It is clear that we are experiencing a gradual shift of the political
regime towards totalitarianism and the formation of a police state, where public
life is strictly defined and controlled." Furthermore, the health crisis
exacerbates the onset of the capitalist crisis by widening the class gap.
Poverty, unemployment and insecurity, poverty, stress and mental discomfort, the
intensification and deregulation of industrial relations are the reality
experienced by the vast majority of society today. The necessity of our time is
to demand a rapid and organized reorganization of social protests, the creation
of a militant social front, which will clash with the state and capital to defend
the workers and the needs of the population, to defend the social base against
neoliberal capitalist restructuring, authoritarian state despotism, police and
semi-state fascist activity. Only bottom-up self-organization, social and class
struggles, strengthening trade unions and workers' initiatives, student groups
and associations, open neighborhood assemblies, social centers can provide a way out.
The French organization Union Communiste Libertaire reacted immediatelyon
Macron's new steps of March 31. It requires individual effort, especially for
hospital staff who are already exhausted, while claiming that it calls for
solidarity and collectivity. It establishes, without any consultation,
authoritarian measures which serve only one interest: the interests of the
bourgeoisie and the capitalists. Macron continues to favor shareholders and
employers at the expense of workers' health. Rather than massive vaccinations and
testing, the state introduces coercive measures for life - in addition to labor.
Solidarity must be a response to government regulation. "Let us introduce
solidarity into our municipalities and neighborhoods. Let's take care of
ourselves, especially the most vulnerable. Let us organize so that domestic
violence does not recur. Let us prepare for a wave of inspections and raids in
working-class neighborhoods. Let's stand up to the police. "
In a statement on March 19, French anarcho-syndicalists from CNT-F accused the
government of the enormous deaths of covid-19 in France over the past four months
without any major measures being taken to stop the spread of the virus. The
measures taken by the government are insufficient and primarily pursue the
interest of the capital. The government is only interested in how to protect the
economy. The CNT-F calls for solidarity with front-line medical staff and calls
for a halt to the profit-making machine through a general strike by all unions.
An article was published on the Anarchist Studies website on March 16Jim Donaghey
evaluating one year with a covid. He states that the incompetence of the British
government stemmed, among other things, from the intentionally insufficient
financing and privatization of public health services, its callousness
corresponded to the structurally violent principles of conservative "austerity".
"Business interests have been repeatedly and explicitly prioritized over the
lives of the elderly and vulnerable." Under neoliberalism, the state no longer
jealously guards its sovereignty, but voluntarily transfers it and acts as a
"mediator" of capital and intervenes market interests. "The UK government is no
longer able to meet basic social needs, even in times of crisis - the state has
already outsourced itself to a state of incompetence." More than 3,000 contracts
were awarded without a tender. Millions of pounds went to companies that have no
employees or business history, contracts worth £ 1 billion were awarded to
"friends and donors" of the Conservative Party, and more than 40 million pieces
of personal protective equipment supplied by these suppliers were found to be
defective or unusable. The state's inability to meet the immediate needs of
people in a pandemic crisis has been addressed by the flourishing of mutual
assistance initiatives at the local level. Thousands and thousands of people came
together to support vulnerable neighbors, make protective equipment, supply food
and medicine, and much more. A notable characteristic of these mutual aid groups
is their autonomous organization, completely separate from established charities,
political parties, or even the state. The first reaction of the British
government was an attempt to co-opt the increase in mutual assistance within a
state-run volunteer program. The energy and desire of people to help each other
were thus wasted, or in other words, successfully absorbed and diverted from
autonomous initiatives of mutual assistance. There has been a massive expansion
of police powers under the "Coronavirus Act" and has been used repeatedly to
prevent protest rallies that are critical of the government or the police. These
tools have been used to disrupt protests by Black Lives Matter, Extinction
Rebellion, Stop HS2, trade union activists protesting the lousy pay rises, asylum
seekers protesting the indecent conditions at Napier barracks, and even three
squatters in an empty office building in Bristol. Donaghey also considers that
the government's proposal to introduce vaccination cards was not reflected on
anarchist websites, which he likens to an attempt to introduce compulsory
identity cards under the guise of the "war on terror" under Tony Blair. "The
state demands that its subjects and resources be property serving its
imperatives. When people question these imperatives by organizing themselves to
meet their own needs, the state rushes to reassert its sovereignty and repressive
control. This is jealousy in the core of the state - not against geopolitical
competitors and not at all against market interests, but against people's own
ability to organize. We are a threat they are really afraid of. " that its
subjects and resources be the property serving its imperatives. When people
question these imperatives by organizing themselves to meet their own needs, the
state rushes to reassert its sovereignty and repressive control. This is jealousy
in the core of the state - not against geopolitical competitors and not at all
against market interests, but against people's own ability to organize. We are a
threat they are really afraid of. " that its subjects and resources be the
property serving its imperatives. When people question these imperatives by
organizing themselves to meet their own needs, the state rushes to reassert its
sovereignty and repressive control. This is jealousy in the core of the state -
not against geopolitical competitors and not at all against market interests, but
against people's own ability to organize. We are a threat they are really afraid
of. "
FAU anarcho-syndicalists in Berlin and Cologne point to unfair practices by
employers during the pandemic, specifically Learnship, which focuses on online
courses for employees of more than 2,000 companies in 75 countries - including
leading brands such as Amazon, Bertelsmann, Nestlé , Puma, Roche and Volvo.
Learnship has only a few permanent employees, most of the lecturers are
freelance. They have had their fees reduced by 25% with retroactive effect from 1
May 2020, with the proviso that if they do not sign, no courses will be allocated
to them. According to the company, the reason for such robbery of precarious
teachers is the coronavirus pandemic.
The FAU group from Freiburg again opposed the planned savings in the social and
educational fields, which were announced by the city management. Referring to the
costs associated with the pandemic, the increase in salaries in independent
institutions, which depend precisely on the grants provided by the city, was
renounced. "During the first few months of the pandemic, there was a lack of
symbolic recognition of employees in the care sector - but applause costs
nothing, as is well known, wage increases." Thanks to the cuts, social security
and training costs will now be borne by FAU Freiburg rejects the program of
social and cultural cuts and demands that the costs of the coronavirus crisis be
borne by the richest 10% of the population, which owns two thirds of wealth.
The revolutionary propaganda group La Ruptura reports on the Chilean government's
efforts to reduce public transport on weekends, which is supposed to be a tool in
the fight against the pandemic. "From Monday to Friday, people have to travel by
public transport to serve the centers of capitalist exploitation. According to
the government, such mobility does not seem to cause a pandemic to spread. (...)
If the state and entrepreneurs cared a little about our well-being, they would
look for mechanisms to finance and reduce labor mobility during the week. But
they are more interested in profits. "
Coordenação Anarquista Brasileira accuses Brazilian President Bolsonar of causing
a serious situation in which Brazil is one of the countries at the top of the
death toll. From the beginning, Bolsonaro did his best to sabotage control of the
disease and vaccinations of Brazilians, encourage people to meet, criticize the
use of veils, and disrespect the mourning of the bereaved. The virus is spreading
through Brazilian regions, affecting the hungry and unemployed, leaving people
without help and without vaccines, and without the possibility of hospital care.
According to Brazilian anarchists, the only option is rebellion. "The capitalist
class and the government can no longer kill people without resistance."
The anarchist group Libertário Rusga from the federal state of Mato Grosso in the
Brazilian Midwest describesin a statement dated March 24, record mortality for
covid-19, hospital overcrowding, lack of medical equipment and the alleged
inability to stop the economy and limit the profits of large entrepreneurs and
landowners. Politicians prioritize the interests of the Mato Grosso Industrial
Federation and agribusinesses. Lockdown is ineffective because routine mobility
for work has been maintained. It reveals "the genocidal nature of capitalism
(...) We know that Bolsonar's genocidal government opens the door to the politics
of death, but state governments and town halls play the same role in this
regard." for 15 days without closing the industry will be completely ineffective.
The group continues the line of defense of people's lives from below. "As we are
forced to work and take life risks in the midst of an accelerated pandemic,
without the possibility of dignified survival, it is urgent that we take direct
action as the primary tool in the fight against this policy of injustice and
death. If we are required to work normally in the midst of collapse, we must find
the strength to take to the streets and demand a decent life: for the abolition
of vaccine patents, for full quarantine, for a general strike, for emergency aid
for all those suffering from job insecurity and unemployment, for a decent wage,
for reducing high prices of food, medicine, electricity, water, gas, etc., for
mass testing for the whole population, for the end of evictions from occupied
abandoned houses and unused land, for taxation of agricultural business and
wealth, for interruption of work in schools and in the authorities, for mass
vaccinations! "
An interview was published on libcom.org on March 21with the Argentine group
Cuadernos de Negación, in which activists recount how the state and capital use
the epidemic as an excuse and justification for a frontal attack on workers'
incomes. "The economy in the region has been suffering from stagnation for
several years, with serious social consequences. The situation eventually
exploded in connection with the covid and caused a predictable social and
economic crisis. The pandemic served as a justification for brutal repressive and
adaptive measures, when the government did not spare military rhetoric that is
being heard around the world. Real wages fell sharply in 2020, with cuts in many
sectors. The national currency continued to devalue rapidly, which had an impact
on prices. This situation, accelerated in 2020, has been repeating cyclically for
decades. In addition to the attack on wages, the huge mass of the unemployed
increased last year, which is a central problem in the region. Millions of people
live in poverty. Hunger is an inevitable consequence that contributes to
deteriorating food quality and nutritional problems. During 2020, the government
paid out three lousy subsidies. The "emergency family income" reached 9 million
inhabitants (workers in the informal economy, individuals with earnings, paid
domestic workers and the unemployed). Another equally insufficient and much more
limited economic support was provided to the self-employed in specific sectors.
The government has also issued some guidelines on public services and real
estate, such as freezing rents, fees and suspending evictions due to non-payment.
It also tried to freeze the prices of some foodstuffs and basic goods. But apart
from these crumbs, as always, the most subsidized were the capitalists.
Repression cost the lives of dozens of workers who took to the streets because
they needed to work, help family members, or simply because they needed to
reunite with a loved one. "The situation we experienced during the long months of
quarantine reminded us of the profound importance of commodity fetishism, through
which social relations are in fact relations between things through people: only
commodities continued to circulate and people were allowed to circulate only as a
commodity - labor." "Large property tax", defined as a "solidarity" contribution
to be provided only once, in order to mitigate the "effects of coronavirus". This
new measure was announced with great glory by progressive government sectors as a
defense of the workers and a "redistribution of wealth" accompanied by
pro-government demonstrations in the streets. In fact, the scope of this measure
is limited and most of the proceeds go to other sectors of the bourgeoisie
itself, but at a discursive level it has reached its goal of distraction for
several weeks. The government sought to gain further popularity by trying to
monopolize Diego Maradona's funeral and by approving the legalization of
abortion. The streets were reopened to demonstrations if they supported the
government itself and its initiatives. But at the same time, a reduction in
pensions was approved for 2021. The petty bourgeoisie sectors went out to protest
to reopen their stores and maintain their profits. A clear example was the heads
of the gastronomy sector, known for not registering their workers, as well as low
wages and poor working conditions. Various sectors of the unemployed have taken
to the streets demanding jobs and economic instruments to alleviate quarantine,
but without confrontation. As in other countries, the emergence of a local
"alternative right" and more extreme liberalism is evident.
Controversy has arisen on libcom.org ( Anarchy, Lockdown and Crypto Eugenics )
with a long text published on the Canadian Montreal Counter-Info (MCI) website ,
it is unavailable due to a police raid on activist servers in the Netherlands,
but the text can be read on aitrus , for example. .infowith the reaction to
criticism, but without mentioning this criticism), who attacks some anarchists
for allegedly leaning against their convictions to the restrictions imposed by
governments and criticizing those who do not respect these government regulations
just because the most rebellious with right-wing politics. The war of those above
against the rest of society suddenly seems to save lives in the hearts of such
anarchists. According to the text, there is no excuse for adopting regulations
stamped by the state and disseminated by its locals in the media, and wonders how
many anarchists willingly and enthusiastically support the loss of their own
autonomy. He connects science with technocracy and social manipulation and
relativizes its current knowledge about covid. He argues that many industries
have to stay in operation, making a 100% lockdown impossible, and notes that the
aim of the measure is to slow down the spread of the disease so that hospitals
are not overcrowded, which most hospitals are not even facing. Because of the
media, the infection is considered much more deadly than it actually is. Finally,
the text calls for us to realize that "no situation, no matter how horrible it
may seem, requires orders from above that use the threat of force and violence to
achieve their goals."
Libcom.org admits that there are similar reactions among anarchists in Britain,
and it is immediately noted that the covid-19 threat and the disease itself are
not a conspiracy, nor the result of media hype, Bill Gates' chakras, or the
result of 5G networks. "It is a direct consequence of the severe ecological
destruction and toxic living conditions of capitalism." The article states that
the reaction of the state and capital is the paradox of "stay at home, but go to
work." Although every worker is cheap and substitutable, capital needs a number
of workers. He cannot allow everyone to be sick at once or let too much of the
working population be cut off. Moreover, capitalism creates bodies superfluous
for the needs of capitalist production. "It is here that we see the eugenic and
Malthusian tendencies of capitalism. This tendency, which is always present, has
deepened in recent years for people with disabilities, as evidenced by the
numerous loss of life due to dose reductions. (...) Capitalism itself can be
accurately described as an algorithm of cryptoeugenics, which is always directly
exposed to the risk of fascism. Like fascism, covid-19 poses an existential
threat to the lives of certain minorities - especially proletarians with
disabilities and the elderly - and a slower death for others. "Recognizing the
pandemic as an existential threat is the point where our discussion within the
movement should begin. But if it is without the vulnerable, we will exclude old
anarchists and those with disabilities from the beginning. "It is simply true
that your right to drink in a pub (ie the right to reopen a business) restricts
the freedom of those who are seriously endangered, the few are connected by a
chain of transmission. (...) Let us be clear: those who endanger the disabled
cannot be accepted. We don't find freedom on frozen mares. "On the one hand, the
Montreal analysis speaks of scientists as technocrats, but borrows from them
studies that suit it. They cite statistics on average risks and mask deadly risks
for specific minorities. It puts covid risks against cancer treatment (we can
only afford one or the other), although the virus is much more deadly to those
who fight cancer. "Cryptoeugenic logic remains." In the UK, some politicians
initially openly announced a herd immunity course without a vaccine. It can be
safely assumed that this Malthusian wet dream would lead to the collapse of the
health care system and perhaps half a million deaths ("acceptable losses" for the
state and capital). "If[Montreal]criticism calls on anarchists, In order to
question and criticize the covid-19 threat, we call on anarchists to think
critically about eugenics as the logic of capital and the state. "We must not
adopt the rhetoric of the far right meaning and which needs to be boycotted and
opposed. "We must define our goals and identify our enemies. Free enterprise has
nothing to do with our freedom. Merely opposing lockdown as an edict from above
is as empty as supporting all protests. " which regulations make sense and which
need to be boycotted and opposed. "We must define our goals and identify our
enemies. Free enterprise has nothing to do with our freedom. Merely opposing
lockdown as an edict from above is as empty as supporting all protests. " which
regulations make sense and which need to be boycotted and opposed. "We must
define our goals and identify our enemies. Free enterprise has nothing to do with
our freedom. Merely opposing lockdown as an edict from above is as empty as
supporting all protests. "
Reactionshe didn't have to wait long for a reaction to herself. MCI first
emphasizes how her contribution, in addition to the above criticism, has
attracted worldwide attention and positive feedback, then plays with words and
accuses of "cryptoeugenics" as absurd and accuses critics of misinterpreting
original arguments and the absence of a genuine anarchist stance. He continues:
"We are not at all against any public health recommendation, as long as it is
voluntary. (...) We believe that anarchism and any ideology that supports
draconian measures, such as lockdowns and curfews, are mutually exclusive, which
should go without saying. How can one be against the state and for state control
at the same time? "The author takes science (which his friend so condemned in a
previous article) to help and talks about a study proving being at home is
ineffective in reducing mortality. Repeats that, according to other data,
mortality is lower than expected a year ago, and gives many figures without
commenting on whether measures such as wearing veils or social distance could
have had an effect on mortality in that year, especially in older years (ie
things are rather voluntary) or the state of health care at any given place. And
again, it reiterates the media's instinct for fear, where the financial interests
of the pharmaceutical industry and companies such as Amazon are visible.[The
Czech experience is rather the opposite - the trivialization of impacts so that
industry can benefit.]He points out that criticism of the medical-industrial
complex is becoming increasingly rare in anti-capitalist circles.[Again the
opposite of our experience.]whether measures such as wearing veils or social
distance, especially in older years (ie rather voluntary things) or the state of
health care at any place could have had an effect on mortality during that year.
And again, it reiterates the media's instinct for fear, where the financial
interests of the pharmaceutical industry and companies such as Amazon are
visible.[The Czech experience is rather the opposite - the trivialization of
impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points out that criticism of the
medical-industrial complex is becoming increasingly rare in anti-capitalist
circles.[Again the opposite of our experience.]whether measures such as wearing
veils or social distance, especially in older years (ie rather voluntary things)
or the state of health care at any place could have had an effect on mortality
during that year. And again, it reiterates the media's instinct for fear, where
the financial interests of the pharmaceutical industry and companies such as
Amazon are visible.[The Czech experience is rather the opposite - the
trivialization of impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points out that
criticism of the medical-industrial complex is becoming increasingly rare in
anti-capitalist circles.[Again the opposite of our experience.]such as
Amazon.[The Czech experience is rather the opposite - the trivialization of
impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points out that criticism of the
medical-industrial complex is increasingly rare in anti-capitalist circles.[Again
the opposite of our experience.]such as Amazon.[The Czech experience is rather
the opposite - trivialization of impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points
out that criticism of the medical-industrial complex is increasingly rare in
anti-capitalist circles.[Again the opposite of our experience.]
The first article on April 2 - the embarrassment " Declaration in connection with
the introduction of a house arrest regime in a number of regions of Russia "
appears on the website of anarcho-syndicalists from the Russian group KRAS.",
Which responds to the decision of the Moscow (and many other) authorities to ban
abandonment. "It means the real establishment of a totalitarian regime."
Violations would be punishable by fines from imprisonment to imprisonment. The
statement also notes that Russia's public health system, as in many other
countries, has been destroyed or severely weakened during the neoliberal
"optimizations" of recent decades. From the text, it almost seems that it is
actually a punishment for workers for not facing this "optimization". "The
authorities have completely shifted the material burdens of the crisis to the
shoulders of the workers. The ruling oligarchy is still unwilling to force the
rich to pay. Instead, it continues to tax the small savings that people have
accumulated over the years. "KRAS considers the danger of an epidemic to be"
hysterically exaggerated "[KRAS et al. supported the Montreal anarchist in the
debate]and recommended "respecting basic standards of personal hygiene". The
Group calls on authorities and entrepreneurs to take improved measures to ensure
adequate occupational safety; wages for workers who are forced out of work;
acceptable opportunities for shopping and walking to strengthen their
immunity[?]. It calls on workers not to lose their ties, to succumb to social
isolation and to organize.
Previous parts:
Profits or lives? That's what People are running for
again in the last place
Related links:
https://www.afed.cz/text/7342/za-krizi-zaplati-zase-jen-ti-dole
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Message: 2
You would be forgiving it was April Fools Day when witnessing social media going
into free-fall following the recent Derry City and Strabane District Council
meeting of the ?Governance and Strategic Planning Committee' as local councillors
voted NOT to give themselves a pay rise. ---- Was it a well intentioned gesture
of concern by our political leaders and the parties they represent at a time of
increasing economic hardship in working class communities or a mealy mouthed
token to distract attention away from their own failures?Many rightly believe it
is the later. ---- Just Resting In My Account ---- The motion was put forward not
by the self-styled ?radicals' within the Derry City and Strabane District Council
but by the nationalist Sinn Fein councillor who said "It just feels wrong at this
current time in this current climate for us to be sitting awarding ourselves an
increase in allowances".
The understatement of the year coming from a representative of one of the
wealthiest political party?s in the country, who themselves have been buried in
financial controversy since the last series of elections, resulting in reshuffles
and members swapping seats.
Revolution NOT Reform
Local government and council chambers is nothing more than a quagmire of red tape
rubber stamping local planning and bin collections for a few extra columns in the
local rags.
For decades we have been lied to "We fought for the right to vote", "Use your
vote other wise the OTHER will get the seat", "There's non need to protest and
march when we have a local councillor to work on our behalf" yet our class
continues to accept attack after a attack from that very same system which they
are administering to kick us in line.
For the Many Not the Few
This is by no means a cheap crack at would-be politicians and others by
anarchists just because of a cringe-worthy attempt by local politicians to look
as if they are "by and for the people" at a time of crisis and hardship for
workers and working class communities, far from it.
When it comes up in front of the next Governance and Strategic Planning Committee
will they openly accept it then or kick it down the road for another day to once
again legitimise their positions? Or quietly push it through with backdated
increases to bring themselves in line with other councils?
One thing is for sure we'll not hold our breath while the rest of our class
maintain the picket lines and life on Universal Credit.
For anarchists, there is no parliamentary road to the liberation of all our
class, be it in their local, regional or national councils or assemblies
protecting and legitimising that same system which is oppressing our class.
For anarchists, it is that reformist route that disempowers workplace, community
and street politics of our class in which the many has their voice removed in
favour of the voice of the few.
Profit Before People
Our class solidarity comes directly from our anarchist principles to further our
aims of mutual aid, solidarity and direct action. As anarchists we believe that
NO-ONE should get paid into defending the interests of the working class.Those
individuals, groups and organisations who seek paid positions to represent our
class ultimately represent no-one but their own selfish interests and egos. For
those who still believe that there is a possibility or some potential in the
reformist politics of capitalist institutions local or otherwise, think
again.They are kidding no one!
http://derryanarchists.blogspot.com/2021/04/who-do-they-think-theyre-kidding.html
------------------------------
Message: 3
Nantes, Paris, Toulouse, Lorient, Saint-Etienne... In recent weeks, strikes have
clearly accelerated among workers in the regions, and this in the four corners of
the country. In common, the increase in working hours. Now is the time to forge
links, coordinate and strike together, to impose another society. ---- Last fall,
the agents of Saint-Denis (93) opened the ball with a hard conflict. ---- But
since then, anger has been mounting in many communities. Nantes, Paris, Lorient,
Ivry, Toulouse, Pantin, Vitry, Créteil, Saint-Nazaire, Carpentras, Grande-Synthe,
Besançon, Champigny, Allonnes, Athis-Mons, Rouen, Villeneuve-d'Ascq... Tension is
rising among the "first of corvée"and reflects a general fed-up felt in the
public as in the private sector.
A historical retreat
In many cities, the town halls hide behind the legal obligation of the law on the
transformation of the civil service dating from 2019, a law against which few
votes of mayors were raised at the time. But they are not in such a hurry to
apply the law when it comes to respecting the rights of agents, especially the
most precarious!
In reality, the abolition of the 8 days of leave is a godsend to reduce the
workforce. In a time of mass unemployment, this is not what we need!
The increase in working hours would be a historic decline. We refuse to spend our
life at work! There is family, friends, and of course the essential rest in our
difficult jobs. Not to mention that the index point is experiencing a period of
ice age ... so still days less, no, it's the last straw.
Which company?
The question posed by this movement is: what society do we want to build? A
society where some have jobs and work longer and longer hours for lousy wages,
while others have no jobs and are being singled out? With a minority who gorges
themselves? Or do we want a society where we distribute work and wealth among
all, so that we can live in dignity? The choice, it is clear. Even if the mayors
try to smoke us out, the calculations are simple: more working time per agent
means less hiring, therefore more unemployed!
It is only by establishing a firm balance of power with the town halls that the
lines will start to move! But to be stronger, we must also strike together: we
need a coordination of the struggles of the territorial at the national level.
Otherwise, everyone negotiates in their own corner, we are isolated and we risk
being taken in.
Victory is possible. In certain towns such as Châtellerault for example, where
the fight is particularly exemplary, the first victories have been obtained.
Let's exchange, converge, to give ourselves the strength to go further!
Decide together
We must now continue to talk about it in services, in workshops, in garages. We
must discuss, debate, decide together. General Assemblies must proliferate
everywhere, supported by the unions, so that colleagues can take their struggle
in hand. We are the ones who work, we are the ones who decide. Not a minute of
free work more, it is in the fight that we will seek this victory!
Tract to download
For ourselves, for public services, and to change society.
To exchange information, many local people meet on the facebook group "
Territorials from all over the country: in struggle!" "
Libertarian Communist Union on April 8, 2021
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Dans-la-territoriale-ensemble-pour-le-temps-de-travail
------------------------------
Message: 4
Our counseling on sexism and discrimination at work is still available - but now
per email, phone or video conference (whatever works best for you). Don't
hesitate to contact us at agfem.leipzig@fau.org! ---- You will find basic
information about your rights and possible courses of action in our flyer "Sexism
at your workplace is never okay!", the text of which we publish here. ---- ----
---- Sexual discrimination ---- Do people at work treat you unfairly or belittle
you? Do they bully you or exclude you? If this happens because of your gender or
sexual orientation, it?s called sexual discrimination. There are many forms of
sexual discrimination: sometimes open, often subtle, but always firmly rooted in
social life, and thus often tolerated. People who experience workplace sexual
discrimination often remain silent for fear of attracting attention or because
they are ashamed. One in two women has already experienced sexual discrimination
at her workplace, according to a report by the International Labor Organization.
The majority of victims of sexual discrimination are women, and homosexuals,
nonbinary and transgender people also face discrimination at the workplace.
Sexism and sexual discrimination drive a wedge between workers. They prevent a
society based on solidarity.
Gender Pay Gap
In Germany, the average net hourly wage for women is 21 percent below that for
men. The difference in the rest of the EU is only 16 percent. The pay gap is
caused above all by career breaks, higher numbers of women working in low-paying
jobs, lower qualifications on average, more part-time work and fewer promotions
to executive positions.
Sexual harassment
One of the most common types of sexual discrimination in the workplace is sexual
harassment. This includes demeaning and lewd comments (such as "Come sit on my
lap!"), unwelcome touching, sexual propositions, transgression of personal
boundaries and workplace norms, and pornographic images that are meant to upset,
anger or humiliate women.
Nobody should feel like they have no support at the workplace, and we should all
feel responsible for creating an environment where all colleagues can feel
comfortable and where there is no room for harassment. Sexual harassment can
affect migrant workers and refugees disproportionately because of language
barriers, their legal status and racism.
Anti-discrimination law (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, AGG)
Germany?s anti-discrimination law is meant to protect against discrimination
based on sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, disabilities and
age. Harassment is also recognized as a form of discrimination.
Are you experiencing sexual discrimination at your workplace?
* Say "no" loud and clear.
* Use physical force if necessary.
* Note the date, place and time of the incident. (This can be used as evidence in
case legal action is taken.)
* Find witnesses and record their statements.
* Confide in someone you trust at work or a member of your union.
* Complain to your boss and demand that harassment be prevented in future.
* Ask us for advice.
Have you witnessed sexual discrimination at your workplace?
* Pay close attention.
* Help affected colleagues defend themselves.
* Find allies.
* Don't laugh when colleagues make fun of others.
* Talk openly with your colleagues about sexual discrimination.
* Offer to go get advice together with the affected person.
From maternity protection to minijobs
Mothers-to-be have special legal protection in Germany. However, other social
security benefits that follow up on maternity protection tend to tie woman
workers to the home, turning them into housewives rather than protecting their
rights at the workplace. Women are promoted less often because of the possibility
that they might get pregnant. Women also tend to get transferred within companies
after their parental leave is over. And women in general work in low-paying jobs
more often than men. Women today might go back to work sooner than ever after
childbirth, but they are still especially at risk for poverty. The legislators
force many women into jobs where they do not earn a living wage. They then become
financially dependent on social security or their partner.
We demand comprehensive protection for all mothers-to-be and guaranteed child
care after birth, which will make returning to work easier for all parents.
Maternity protection laws (MuSchuG, Mutterschutzgesetz)
A pregnant woman can take leave for the last 6 weeks of pregnancy and does not
have to work until 8 weeks after birth. She is entitled to continued pay during
this period without deductions. She cannot be fired during her entire pregnancy
and for four months after birth.
A fighting union ...
... allows us to collectively take action against sexism and sexual
discrimination at our place of work and beyond.
Laws have changed in recent years, allowing victims to take effective legal
actions against sexual discrimination. Harassment at work can lead directly to
criminal charges, depending on the severity of the discrimination. Bosses are
also obliged to take action against discrimination. If they do not, then you can
sue them for damages.
The FAU is a union that fights for the idea of a society based on solidarity.
Taking action against sexism is not only an important task in the present, but
also an integral part of any emancipation, which we as workers can only achieve
collectively. We must take our responsibilities seriously and demand respect for
ourselves and for our colleagues. You don?t have to fight alone!
FAU Leipzig | AG fem
Mail: agfem.leipzig@fau.org
https://leipzig.fau.org/en/sexism-at-your-workplace-is-never-okay/
------------------------------
Message: 5
Workers at the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Swansea started a
four day strike on April 6th over COVID fears. Support for the strike was solid
at the Morriston HQ of DVLA.Six thousand people work for the DVLA. Fifteen
hundred have been working from home during the pandemic but those who have to
turn up are extremely concerned about working conditions in relation to
coronavirus safety. ---- A member of staff, who did not wish to be named, claimed
ahead of the industrial action that lower grade staff were being made to go into
the office, whilst managers were able to work from home. Workers claim that lower
grade staff are being forced to go into work. One worker said that non-essential
work was still being carried out, and as a result workers were unnecessarily on site.
Whilst managers and non-operational staff are working from home, operational
staff do not have that choice as the system used is not supported by the Windows
programme used on laptops.
There have been 600 cases of COVID at the site, one of the highest rates in the UK.
Workers want to be able to work from home and those who can't but don't feel safe
at the Morriston building should not be forced to do so.
Last week, the PCS union claimed that the DVLA was suppressing a report into home
working carried out by consultancy firm Deloitte. This proposed recommendations
for home working that the DVLA does not want to implement.
The fact that so many are prepared to strike shows the seriousness of the situation.
Meanwhile court workers at Liverpool and Snaresbrook (in east London) Crown
Courts voted in March to go on strike over COVID safety concerns. They want
courts to be closed and only reopened with regular testing of staff and increased
safety measures.
https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2021/04/08/dvla-workers-strike-over-covid-fears/
------------------------------
Message: 6
Signal is recommended as the most advanced confidential messaging application in
terms of security. Presentation. ---- Signal is free software published by Open
Whisper Systems, made famous after being recommended by Edward Snowden in 2014.
Signal received in 2020 the maximum rating from the Mozilla Foundation who
described it as "the most secure communication application". Its popularity has
increased again recently, after WhatsApp's announcements of January 6 regarding
its privacy policy which triggered a massive leak to Signal (7.5 million new
downloads of the application in 5 days). ---- Signal's security advantages ----
In addition to encrypted SMS type text messaging (including group), Signal
supports encrypted voice and video calls for up to 8 people. Although this is
primarily a mobile app, a desktop version is available. The application works on
iOS and Android, and it is synchronizable on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows. On
mobile, it can also be used to send " normal ", unencrypted SMS to contacts who
do not have Signal.
Signal is free and ad-free. The company is financed primarily by donations and
with the support of the Open Technology Fund, an American government agency,
which contributes to many projects of this type (in particular Tor). Because of
this source of funding, one might fear a conflict of interest or police
infiltration, but this is a very common practice in the United States. So far,
Signal has demonstrated its ability to act independently and transparently.
With Signal's strong, decentralized end-to-end encryption[1], there's no need to
trust a third party to keep your messages private. No one can read them or see
your calls except you and your recipients. Stored messages are also encrypted on
the phone via a password. In addition to encryption, the app has keystroke
detection protection and an ephemeral message feature. When the latter is
activated, the sent messages are deleted after reading, without leaving any
trace, after a period defined by you and your contact.
Signal also makes it possible to authenticate the identity of its interlocutor
through a unique security number that you can verify with your contact. The
application has a WebSockets[2]based operation , making the communication
services of Google or Apple optional. The only metadata that Signal says it
retains are " The date and time of a user's registration and the date of their
last connection to the service. ". This statement was proven following the
solicitation of the Grand Jury of the District of Virginia. Finally, it is
possible to download the software directly from the Signal website, without going
through the proprietary Google Play Store or AppStore catalogs. Unfortunately
Signal is not available on the free F-Droid catalog.
These different features, and its nature as free software, make it a much more
secure application than its competitors WhatsApp, Messenger (properties of
Facebook), or Telegram.
Some criticisms remain
The most recurring criticism of Signal concerns the lack of anonymity in the
registration process: to register you must provide your phone number. Note,
however, that the application does not need to run on the phone with which it was
registered, so it is possible to use a prepaid Sim card or a temporary number to
create an account. In addition, Signal engineers are developing an alternative
solution without a phone number.
Open Whisper Systems is a US company, therefore under US law and undoubtedly
under the surveillance of the NSA which must seek a way to penetrate Signal with
its surveillance tools. To some extent, Signal could be compromised either by a
backdoor in its systems or by a government order requiring Open Whisper Systems
to assist the NSA.
Recently, a new feature in Signal has raised several voices. By offering the
saving of usage profiles (profile, phone number and contacts), Signal now hosts
information on its users where no information was previously stored.
Functionality remains optional, but the change in philosophy that it induces may
displease[3].
Other threats exist
There remains a main flaw in this mode of communication: inside each mobile
phone, there is an exclusive closed-source chip, called the baseband processor,
which manages all the communication functions of the phone. This proprietary chip
could allow mobile service providers to bypass any encryption used by every
application running on a phone. In theory, they could access content in clear
text and in real time, as information changes from encrypted to decrypted status.
A weakness that applies to any mobile security application.
There are threats to the possibility of using encryption technologies in general,
with many governments frowning on this. Currently, the app is blocked in Egypt,
UAE, Oman, and Qatar. Without much success, since Open Whisper Systems added a
feature[4]to bypass this limitation. Only Iran has an effective blockade due to
US sanctions which also block access to instances that support this functionality.
Signal is one of the best options to use to protect your mobile exchanges,
another reflex to acquire in an increasingly secure society where surveillance is
gradually becoming the norm.
Ed (UCL Alpes-Provence)
Validate
[1] It combines the Extended Triple Diffie-Hellman (X3DH) protocol, Double
Ratchet algorithm, pre-keys and uses Curve25519, AES-256, and HMAC-SHA256 as
cryptographic primitives.
[2] Web standard designating a network protocol aiming to create full-duplex
communication channels over a TCP connection.
[3] " A new feature attracts criticism against the secure Signal application ",
Lemonde.fr , July 13, 2020.
[4] The domain fronting allows a user to connect securely to a prohibited
service, while appearing to communicate with a different site.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Autodefense-protegez-vous-avec-Signal
------------------------------
Signal (ca, de, it, fr, pt)[machine translation]
(a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Thessaloniki group of the Anarchist Federation in its statementfor a
demonstration on March 27 writes about the right-wing Greek government of the New
Democracy party, which ignores society and launched an unprecedented attack on
the social base under the pretext of resolving the pandemic, enforcing a pile of
antisocial and anti-labor laws along with financial aid and tax breaks for large
companies. To shirk responsibility for its criminal approach to pandemic
management, the government shamelessly promotes the story of individual
responsibility as the backbone of its communication strategy and mainstream
propaganda. Most media outlets are controlled by the government or go hand in
hand. The government maintains its power solely through ideological propaganda,
police violence and repression. Recruitment to police and military units and the
strengthening of their equipment are still ongoing. The state is preparing for
the preventive suppression of impending social unrest and uprisings. Dozens of
demonstrations and rallies were brutally suppressed, with protesters beaten
shamefully and tortured by police. And people in their neighborhoods, who are
increasingly being attacked by the police under the pretext of anti-epidemic
measures, are not out of danger either. The police are acting with complete
impunity. "It is clear that we are experiencing a gradual shift of the political
regime towards totalitarianism and the formation of a police state, where public
life is strictly defined and controlled." Furthermore, the health crisis
exacerbates the onset of the capitalist crisis by widening the class gap.
Poverty, unemployment and insecurity, poverty, stress and mental discomfort, the
intensification and deregulation of industrial relations are the reality
experienced by the vast majority of society today. The necessity of our time is
to demand a rapid and organized reorganization of social protests, the creation
of a militant social front, which will clash with the state and capital to defend
the workers and the needs of the population, to defend the social base against
neoliberal capitalist restructuring, authoritarian state despotism, police and
semi-state fascist activity. Only bottom-up self-organization, social and class
struggles, strengthening trade unions and workers' initiatives, student groups
and associations, open neighborhood assemblies, social centers can provide a way out.
The French organization Union Communiste Libertaire reacted immediatelyon
Macron's new steps of March 31. It requires individual effort, especially for
hospital staff who are already exhausted, while claiming that it calls for
solidarity and collectivity. It establishes, without any consultation,
authoritarian measures which serve only one interest: the interests of the
bourgeoisie and the capitalists. Macron continues to favor shareholders and
employers at the expense of workers' health. Rather than massive vaccinations and
testing, the state introduces coercive measures for life - in addition to labor.
Solidarity must be a response to government regulation. "Let us introduce
solidarity into our municipalities and neighborhoods. Let's take care of
ourselves, especially the most vulnerable. Let us organize so that domestic
violence does not recur. Let us prepare for a wave of inspections and raids in
working-class neighborhoods. Let's stand up to the police. "
In a statement on March 19, French anarcho-syndicalists from CNT-F accused the
government of the enormous deaths of covid-19 in France over the past four months
without any major measures being taken to stop the spread of the virus. The
measures taken by the government are insufficient and primarily pursue the
interest of the capital. The government is only interested in how to protect the
economy. The CNT-F calls for solidarity with front-line medical staff and calls
for a halt to the profit-making machine through a general strike by all unions.
An article was published on the Anarchist Studies website on March 16Jim Donaghey
evaluating one year with a covid. He states that the incompetence of the British
government stemmed, among other things, from the intentionally insufficient
financing and privatization of public health services, its callousness
corresponded to the structurally violent principles of conservative "austerity".
"Business interests have been repeatedly and explicitly prioritized over the
lives of the elderly and vulnerable." Under neoliberalism, the state no longer
jealously guards its sovereignty, but voluntarily transfers it and acts as a
"mediator" of capital and intervenes market interests. "The UK government is no
longer able to meet basic social needs, even in times of crisis - the state has
already outsourced itself to a state of incompetence." More than 3,000 contracts
were awarded without a tender. Millions of pounds went to companies that have no
employees or business history, contracts worth £ 1 billion were awarded to
"friends and donors" of the Conservative Party, and more than 40 million pieces
of personal protective equipment supplied by these suppliers were found to be
defective or unusable. The state's inability to meet the immediate needs of
people in a pandemic crisis has been addressed by the flourishing of mutual
assistance initiatives at the local level. Thousands and thousands of people came
together to support vulnerable neighbors, make protective equipment, supply food
and medicine, and much more. A notable characteristic of these mutual aid groups
is their autonomous organization, completely separate from established charities,
political parties, or even the state. The first reaction of the British
government was an attempt to co-opt the increase in mutual assistance within a
state-run volunteer program. The energy and desire of people to help each other
were thus wasted, or in other words, successfully absorbed and diverted from
autonomous initiatives of mutual assistance. There has been a massive expansion
of police powers under the "Coronavirus Act" and has been used repeatedly to
prevent protest rallies that are critical of the government or the police. These
tools have been used to disrupt protests by Black Lives Matter, Extinction
Rebellion, Stop HS2, trade union activists protesting the lousy pay rises, asylum
seekers protesting the indecent conditions at Napier barracks, and even three
squatters in an empty office building in Bristol. Donaghey also considers that
the government's proposal to introduce vaccination cards was not reflected on
anarchist websites, which he likens to an attempt to introduce compulsory
identity cards under the guise of the "war on terror" under Tony Blair. "The
state demands that its subjects and resources be property serving its
imperatives. When people question these imperatives by organizing themselves to
meet their own needs, the state rushes to reassert its sovereignty and repressive
control. This is jealousy in the core of the state - not against geopolitical
competitors and not at all against market interests, but against people's own
ability to organize. We are a threat they are really afraid of. " that its
subjects and resources be the property serving its imperatives. When people
question these imperatives by organizing themselves to meet their own needs, the
state rushes to reassert its sovereignty and repressive control. This is jealousy
in the core of the state - not against geopolitical competitors and not at all
against market interests, but against people's own ability to organize. We are a
threat they are really afraid of. " that its subjects and resources be the
property serving its imperatives. When people question these imperatives by
organizing themselves to meet their own needs, the state rushes to reassert its
sovereignty and repressive control. This is jealousy in the core of the state -
not against geopolitical competitors and not at all against market interests, but
against people's own ability to organize. We are a threat they are really afraid
of. "
FAU anarcho-syndicalists in Berlin and Cologne point to unfair practices by
employers during the pandemic, specifically Learnship, which focuses on online
courses for employees of more than 2,000 companies in 75 countries - including
leading brands such as Amazon, Bertelsmann, Nestlé , Puma, Roche and Volvo.
Learnship has only a few permanent employees, most of the lecturers are
freelance. They have had their fees reduced by 25% with retroactive effect from 1
May 2020, with the proviso that if they do not sign, no courses will be allocated
to them. According to the company, the reason for such robbery of precarious
teachers is the coronavirus pandemic.
The FAU group from Freiburg again opposed the planned savings in the social and
educational fields, which were announced by the city management. Referring to the
costs associated with the pandemic, the increase in salaries in independent
institutions, which depend precisely on the grants provided by the city, was
renounced. "During the first few months of the pandemic, there was a lack of
symbolic recognition of employees in the care sector - but applause costs
nothing, as is well known, wage increases." Thanks to the cuts, social security
and training costs will now be borne by FAU Freiburg rejects the program of
social and cultural cuts and demands that the costs of the coronavirus crisis be
borne by the richest 10% of the population, which owns two thirds of wealth.
The revolutionary propaganda group La Ruptura reports on the Chilean government's
efforts to reduce public transport on weekends, which is supposed to be a tool in
the fight against the pandemic. "From Monday to Friday, people have to travel by
public transport to serve the centers of capitalist exploitation. According to
the government, such mobility does not seem to cause a pandemic to spread. (...)
If the state and entrepreneurs cared a little about our well-being, they would
look for mechanisms to finance and reduce labor mobility during the week. But
they are more interested in profits. "
Coordenação Anarquista Brasileira accuses Brazilian President Bolsonar of causing
a serious situation in which Brazil is one of the countries at the top of the
death toll. From the beginning, Bolsonaro did his best to sabotage control of the
disease and vaccinations of Brazilians, encourage people to meet, criticize the
use of veils, and disrespect the mourning of the bereaved. The virus is spreading
through Brazilian regions, affecting the hungry and unemployed, leaving people
without help and without vaccines, and without the possibility of hospital care.
According to Brazilian anarchists, the only option is rebellion. "The capitalist
class and the government can no longer kill people without resistance."
The anarchist group Libertário Rusga from the federal state of Mato Grosso in the
Brazilian Midwest describesin a statement dated March 24, record mortality for
covid-19, hospital overcrowding, lack of medical equipment and the alleged
inability to stop the economy and limit the profits of large entrepreneurs and
landowners. Politicians prioritize the interests of the Mato Grosso Industrial
Federation and agribusinesses. Lockdown is ineffective because routine mobility
for work has been maintained. It reveals "the genocidal nature of capitalism
(...) We know that Bolsonar's genocidal government opens the door to the politics
of death, but state governments and town halls play the same role in this
regard." for 15 days without closing the industry will be completely ineffective.
The group continues the line of defense of people's lives from below. "As we are
forced to work and take life risks in the midst of an accelerated pandemic,
without the possibility of dignified survival, it is urgent that we take direct
action as the primary tool in the fight against this policy of injustice and
death. If we are required to work normally in the midst of collapse, we must find
the strength to take to the streets and demand a decent life: for the abolition
of vaccine patents, for full quarantine, for a general strike, for emergency aid
for all those suffering from job insecurity and unemployment, for a decent wage,
for reducing high prices of food, medicine, electricity, water, gas, etc., for
mass testing for the whole population, for the end of evictions from occupied
abandoned houses and unused land, for taxation of agricultural business and
wealth, for interruption of work in schools and in the authorities, for mass
vaccinations! "
An interview was published on libcom.org on March 21with the Argentine group
Cuadernos de Negación, in which activists recount how the state and capital use
the epidemic as an excuse and justification for a frontal attack on workers'
incomes. "The economy in the region has been suffering from stagnation for
several years, with serious social consequences. The situation eventually
exploded in connection with the covid and caused a predictable social and
economic crisis. The pandemic served as a justification for brutal repressive and
adaptive measures, when the government did not spare military rhetoric that is
being heard around the world. Real wages fell sharply in 2020, with cuts in many
sectors. The national currency continued to devalue rapidly, which had an impact
on prices. This situation, accelerated in 2020, has been repeating cyclically for
decades. In addition to the attack on wages, the huge mass of the unemployed
increased last year, which is a central problem in the region. Millions of people
live in poverty. Hunger is an inevitable consequence that contributes to
deteriorating food quality and nutritional problems. During 2020, the government
paid out three lousy subsidies. The "emergency family income" reached 9 million
inhabitants (workers in the informal economy, individuals with earnings, paid
domestic workers and the unemployed). Another equally insufficient and much more
limited economic support was provided to the self-employed in specific sectors.
The government has also issued some guidelines on public services and real
estate, such as freezing rents, fees and suspending evictions due to non-payment.
It also tried to freeze the prices of some foodstuffs and basic goods. But apart
from these crumbs, as always, the most subsidized were the capitalists.
Repression cost the lives of dozens of workers who took to the streets because
they needed to work, help family members, or simply because they needed to
reunite with a loved one. "The situation we experienced during the long months of
quarantine reminded us of the profound importance of commodity fetishism, through
which social relations are in fact relations between things through people: only
commodities continued to circulate and people were allowed to circulate only as a
commodity - labor." "Large property tax", defined as a "solidarity" contribution
to be provided only once, in order to mitigate the "effects of coronavirus". This
new measure was announced with great glory by progressive government sectors as a
defense of the workers and a "redistribution of wealth" accompanied by
pro-government demonstrations in the streets. In fact, the scope of this measure
is limited and most of the proceeds go to other sectors of the bourgeoisie
itself, but at a discursive level it has reached its goal of distraction for
several weeks. The government sought to gain further popularity by trying to
monopolize Diego Maradona's funeral and by approving the legalization of
abortion. The streets were reopened to demonstrations if they supported the
government itself and its initiatives. But at the same time, a reduction in
pensions was approved for 2021. The petty bourgeoisie sectors went out to protest
to reopen their stores and maintain their profits. A clear example was the heads
of the gastronomy sector, known for not registering their workers, as well as low
wages and poor working conditions. Various sectors of the unemployed have taken
to the streets demanding jobs and economic instruments to alleviate quarantine,
but without confrontation. As in other countries, the emergence of a local
"alternative right" and more extreme liberalism is evident.
Controversy has arisen on libcom.org ( Anarchy, Lockdown and Crypto Eugenics )
with a long text published on the Canadian Montreal Counter-Info (MCI) website ,
it is unavailable due to a police raid on activist servers in the Netherlands,
but the text can be read on aitrus , for example. .infowith the reaction to
criticism, but without mentioning this criticism), who attacks some anarchists
for allegedly leaning against their convictions to the restrictions imposed by
governments and criticizing those who do not respect these government regulations
just because the most rebellious with right-wing politics. The war of those above
against the rest of society suddenly seems to save lives in the hearts of such
anarchists. According to the text, there is no excuse for adopting regulations
stamped by the state and disseminated by its locals in the media, and wonders how
many anarchists willingly and enthusiastically support the loss of their own
autonomy. He connects science with technocracy and social manipulation and
relativizes its current knowledge about covid. He argues that many industries
have to stay in operation, making a 100% lockdown impossible, and notes that the
aim of the measure is to slow down the spread of the disease so that hospitals
are not overcrowded, which most hospitals are not even facing. Because of the
media, the infection is considered much more deadly than it actually is. Finally,
the text calls for us to realize that "no situation, no matter how horrible it
may seem, requires orders from above that use the threat of force and violence to
achieve their goals."
Libcom.org admits that there are similar reactions among anarchists in Britain,
and it is immediately noted that the covid-19 threat and the disease itself are
not a conspiracy, nor the result of media hype, Bill Gates' chakras, or the
result of 5G networks. "It is a direct consequence of the severe ecological
destruction and toxic living conditions of capitalism." The article states that
the reaction of the state and capital is the paradox of "stay at home, but go to
work." Although every worker is cheap and substitutable, capital needs a number
of workers. He cannot allow everyone to be sick at once or let too much of the
working population be cut off. Moreover, capitalism creates bodies superfluous
for the needs of capitalist production. "It is here that we see the eugenic and
Malthusian tendencies of capitalism. This tendency, which is always present, has
deepened in recent years for people with disabilities, as evidenced by the
numerous loss of life due to dose reductions. (...) Capitalism itself can be
accurately described as an algorithm of cryptoeugenics, which is always directly
exposed to the risk of fascism. Like fascism, covid-19 poses an existential
threat to the lives of certain minorities - especially proletarians with
disabilities and the elderly - and a slower death for others. "Recognizing the
pandemic as an existential threat is the point where our discussion within the
movement should begin. But if it is without the vulnerable, we will exclude old
anarchists and those with disabilities from the beginning. "It is simply true
that your right to drink in a pub (ie the right to reopen a business) restricts
the freedom of those who are seriously endangered, the few are connected by a
chain of transmission. (...) Let us be clear: those who endanger the disabled
cannot be accepted. We don't find freedom on frozen mares. "On the one hand, the
Montreal analysis speaks of scientists as technocrats, but borrows from them
studies that suit it. They cite statistics on average risks and mask deadly risks
for specific minorities. It puts covid risks against cancer treatment (we can
only afford one or the other), although the virus is much more deadly to those
who fight cancer. "Cryptoeugenic logic remains." In the UK, some politicians
initially openly announced a herd immunity course without a vaccine. It can be
safely assumed that this Malthusian wet dream would lead to the collapse of the
health care system and perhaps half a million deaths ("acceptable losses" for the
state and capital). "If[Montreal]criticism calls on anarchists, In order to
question and criticize the covid-19 threat, we call on anarchists to think
critically about eugenics as the logic of capital and the state. "We must not
adopt the rhetoric of the far right meaning and which needs to be boycotted and
opposed. "We must define our goals and identify our enemies. Free enterprise has
nothing to do with our freedom. Merely opposing lockdown as an edict from above
is as empty as supporting all protests. " which regulations make sense and which
need to be boycotted and opposed. "We must define our goals and identify our
enemies. Free enterprise has nothing to do with our freedom. Merely opposing
lockdown as an edict from above is as empty as supporting all protests. " which
regulations make sense and which need to be boycotted and opposed. "We must
define our goals and identify our enemies. Free enterprise has nothing to do with
our freedom. Merely opposing lockdown as an edict from above is as empty as
supporting all protests. "
Reactionshe didn't have to wait long for a reaction to herself. MCI first
emphasizes how her contribution, in addition to the above criticism, has
attracted worldwide attention and positive feedback, then plays with words and
accuses of "cryptoeugenics" as absurd and accuses critics of misinterpreting
original arguments and the absence of a genuine anarchist stance. He continues:
"We are not at all against any public health recommendation, as long as it is
voluntary. (...) We believe that anarchism and any ideology that supports
draconian measures, such as lockdowns and curfews, are mutually exclusive, which
should go without saying. How can one be against the state and for state control
at the same time? "The author takes science (which his friend so condemned in a
previous article) to help and talks about a study proving being at home is
ineffective in reducing mortality. Repeats that, according to other data,
mortality is lower than expected a year ago, and gives many figures without
commenting on whether measures such as wearing veils or social distance could
have had an effect on mortality in that year, especially in older years (ie
things are rather voluntary) or the state of health care at any given place. And
again, it reiterates the media's instinct for fear, where the financial interests
of the pharmaceutical industry and companies such as Amazon are visible.[The
Czech experience is rather the opposite - the trivialization of impacts so that
industry can benefit.]He points out that criticism of the medical-industrial
complex is becoming increasingly rare in anti-capitalist circles.[Again the
opposite of our experience.]whether measures such as wearing veils or social
distance, especially in older years (ie rather voluntary things) or the state of
health care at any place could have had an effect on mortality during that year.
And again, it reiterates the media's instinct for fear, where the financial
interests of the pharmaceutical industry and companies such as Amazon are
visible.[The Czech experience is rather the opposite - the trivialization of
impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points out that criticism of the
medical-industrial complex is becoming increasingly rare in anti-capitalist
circles.[Again the opposite of our experience.]whether measures such as wearing
veils or social distance, especially in older years (ie rather voluntary things)
or the state of health care at any place could have had an effect on mortality
during that year. And again, it reiterates the media's instinct for fear, where
the financial interests of the pharmaceutical industry and companies such as
Amazon are visible.[The Czech experience is rather the opposite - the
trivialization of impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points out that
criticism of the medical-industrial complex is becoming increasingly rare in
anti-capitalist circles.[Again the opposite of our experience.]such as
Amazon.[The Czech experience is rather the opposite - the trivialization of
impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points out that criticism of the
medical-industrial complex is increasingly rare in anti-capitalist circles.[Again
the opposite of our experience.]such as Amazon.[The Czech experience is rather
the opposite - trivialization of impacts so that industry can benefit.]He points
out that criticism of the medical-industrial complex is increasingly rare in
anti-capitalist circles.[Again the opposite of our experience.]
The first article on April 2 - the embarrassment " Declaration in connection with
the introduction of a house arrest regime in a number of regions of Russia "
appears on the website of anarcho-syndicalists from the Russian group KRAS.",
Which responds to the decision of the Moscow (and many other) authorities to ban
abandonment. "It means the real establishment of a totalitarian regime."
Violations would be punishable by fines from imprisonment to imprisonment. The
statement also notes that Russia's public health system, as in many other
countries, has been destroyed or severely weakened during the neoliberal
"optimizations" of recent decades. From the text, it almost seems that it is
actually a punishment for workers for not facing this "optimization". "The
authorities have completely shifted the material burdens of the crisis to the
shoulders of the workers. The ruling oligarchy is still unwilling to force the
rich to pay. Instead, it continues to tax the small savings that people have
accumulated over the years. "KRAS considers the danger of an epidemic to be"
hysterically exaggerated "[KRAS et al. supported the Montreal anarchist in the
debate]and recommended "respecting basic standards of personal hygiene". The
Group calls on authorities and entrepreneurs to take improved measures to ensure
adequate occupational safety; wages for workers who are forced out of work;
acceptable opportunities for shopping and walking to strengthen their
immunity[?]. It calls on workers not to lose their ties, to succumb to social
isolation and to organize.
Previous parts:
Profits or lives? That's what People are running for
again in the last place
Related links:
https://www.afed.cz/text/7342/za-krizi-zaplati-zase-jen-ti-dole
------------------------------
Message: 2
You would be forgiving it was April Fools Day when witnessing social media going
into free-fall following the recent Derry City and Strabane District Council
meeting of the ?Governance and Strategic Planning Committee' as local councillors
voted NOT to give themselves a pay rise. ---- Was it a well intentioned gesture
of concern by our political leaders and the parties they represent at a time of
increasing economic hardship in working class communities or a mealy mouthed
token to distract attention away from their own failures?Many rightly believe it
is the later. ---- Just Resting In My Account ---- The motion was put forward not
by the self-styled ?radicals' within the Derry City and Strabane District Council
but by the nationalist Sinn Fein councillor who said "It just feels wrong at this
current time in this current climate for us to be sitting awarding ourselves an
increase in allowances".
The understatement of the year coming from a representative of one of the
wealthiest political party?s in the country, who themselves have been buried in
financial controversy since the last series of elections, resulting in reshuffles
and members swapping seats.
Revolution NOT Reform
Local government and council chambers is nothing more than a quagmire of red tape
rubber stamping local planning and bin collections for a few extra columns in the
local rags.
For decades we have been lied to "We fought for the right to vote", "Use your
vote other wise the OTHER will get the seat", "There's non need to protest and
march when we have a local councillor to work on our behalf" yet our class
continues to accept attack after a attack from that very same system which they
are administering to kick us in line.
For the Many Not the Few
This is by no means a cheap crack at would-be politicians and others by
anarchists just because of a cringe-worthy attempt by local politicians to look
as if they are "by and for the people" at a time of crisis and hardship for
workers and working class communities, far from it.
When it comes up in front of the next Governance and Strategic Planning Committee
will they openly accept it then or kick it down the road for another day to once
again legitimise their positions? Or quietly push it through with backdated
increases to bring themselves in line with other councils?
One thing is for sure we'll not hold our breath while the rest of our class
maintain the picket lines and life on Universal Credit.
For anarchists, there is no parliamentary road to the liberation of all our
class, be it in their local, regional or national councils or assemblies
protecting and legitimising that same system which is oppressing our class.
For anarchists, it is that reformist route that disempowers workplace, community
and street politics of our class in which the many has their voice removed in
favour of the voice of the few.
Profit Before People
Our class solidarity comes directly from our anarchist principles to further our
aims of mutual aid, solidarity and direct action. As anarchists we believe that
NO-ONE should get paid into defending the interests of the working class.Those
individuals, groups and organisations who seek paid positions to represent our
class ultimately represent no-one but their own selfish interests and egos. For
those who still believe that there is a possibility or some potential in the
reformist politics of capitalist institutions local or otherwise, think
again.They are kidding no one!
http://derryanarchists.blogspot.com/2021/04/who-do-they-think-theyre-kidding.html
------------------------------
Message: 3
Nantes, Paris, Toulouse, Lorient, Saint-Etienne... In recent weeks, strikes have
clearly accelerated among workers in the regions, and this in the four corners of
the country. In common, the increase in working hours. Now is the time to forge
links, coordinate and strike together, to impose another society. ---- Last fall,
the agents of Saint-Denis (93) opened the ball with a hard conflict. ---- But
since then, anger has been mounting in many communities. Nantes, Paris, Lorient,
Ivry, Toulouse, Pantin, Vitry, Créteil, Saint-Nazaire, Carpentras, Grande-Synthe,
Besançon, Champigny, Allonnes, Athis-Mons, Rouen, Villeneuve-d'Ascq... Tension is
rising among the "first of corvée"and reflects a general fed-up felt in the
public as in the private sector.
A historical retreat
In many cities, the town halls hide behind the legal obligation of the law on the
transformation of the civil service dating from 2019, a law against which few
votes of mayors were raised at the time. But they are not in such a hurry to
apply the law when it comes to respecting the rights of agents, especially the
most precarious!
In reality, the abolition of the 8 days of leave is a godsend to reduce the
workforce. In a time of mass unemployment, this is not what we need!
The increase in working hours would be a historic decline. We refuse to spend our
life at work! There is family, friends, and of course the essential rest in our
difficult jobs. Not to mention that the index point is experiencing a period of
ice age ... so still days less, no, it's the last straw.
Which company?
The question posed by this movement is: what society do we want to build? A
society where some have jobs and work longer and longer hours for lousy wages,
while others have no jobs and are being singled out? With a minority who gorges
themselves? Or do we want a society where we distribute work and wealth among
all, so that we can live in dignity? The choice, it is clear. Even if the mayors
try to smoke us out, the calculations are simple: more working time per agent
means less hiring, therefore more unemployed!
It is only by establishing a firm balance of power with the town halls that the
lines will start to move! But to be stronger, we must also strike together: we
need a coordination of the struggles of the territorial at the national level.
Otherwise, everyone negotiates in their own corner, we are isolated and we risk
being taken in.
Victory is possible. In certain towns such as Châtellerault for example, where
the fight is particularly exemplary, the first victories have been obtained.
Let's exchange, converge, to give ourselves the strength to go further!
Decide together
We must now continue to talk about it in services, in workshops, in garages. We
must discuss, debate, decide together. General Assemblies must proliferate
everywhere, supported by the unions, so that colleagues can take their struggle
in hand. We are the ones who work, we are the ones who decide. Not a minute of
free work more, it is in the fight that we will seek this victory!
Tract to download
For ourselves, for public services, and to change society.
To exchange information, many local people meet on the facebook group "
Territorials from all over the country: in struggle!" "
Libertarian Communist Union on April 8, 2021
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Dans-la-territoriale-ensemble-pour-le-temps-de-travail
------------------------------
Message: 4
Our counseling on sexism and discrimination at work is still available - but now
per email, phone or video conference (whatever works best for you). Don't
hesitate to contact us at agfem.leipzig@fau.org! ---- You will find basic
information about your rights and possible courses of action in our flyer "Sexism
at your workplace is never okay!", the text of which we publish here. ---- ----
---- Sexual discrimination ---- Do people at work treat you unfairly or belittle
you? Do they bully you or exclude you? If this happens because of your gender or
sexual orientation, it?s called sexual discrimination. There are many forms of
sexual discrimination: sometimes open, often subtle, but always firmly rooted in
social life, and thus often tolerated. People who experience workplace sexual
discrimination often remain silent for fear of attracting attention or because
they are ashamed. One in two women has already experienced sexual discrimination
at her workplace, according to a report by the International Labor Organization.
The majority of victims of sexual discrimination are women, and homosexuals,
nonbinary and transgender people also face discrimination at the workplace.
Sexism and sexual discrimination drive a wedge between workers. They prevent a
society based on solidarity.
Gender Pay Gap
In Germany, the average net hourly wage for women is 21 percent below that for
men. The difference in the rest of the EU is only 16 percent. The pay gap is
caused above all by career breaks, higher numbers of women working in low-paying
jobs, lower qualifications on average, more part-time work and fewer promotions
to executive positions.
Sexual harassment
One of the most common types of sexual discrimination in the workplace is sexual
harassment. This includes demeaning and lewd comments (such as "Come sit on my
lap!"), unwelcome touching, sexual propositions, transgression of personal
boundaries and workplace norms, and pornographic images that are meant to upset,
anger or humiliate women.
Nobody should feel like they have no support at the workplace, and we should all
feel responsible for creating an environment where all colleagues can feel
comfortable and where there is no room for harassment. Sexual harassment can
affect migrant workers and refugees disproportionately because of language
barriers, their legal status and racism.
Anti-discrimination law (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, AGG)
Germany?s anti-discrimination law is meant to protect against discrimination
based on sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, disabilities and
age. Harassment is also recognized as a form of discrimination.
Are you experiencing sexual discrimination at your workplace?
* Say "no" loud and clear.
* Use physical force if necessary.
* Note the date, place and time of the incident. (This can be used as evidence in
case legal action is taken.)
* Find witnesses and record their statements.
* Confide in someone you trust at work or a member of your union.
* Complain to your boss and demand that harassment be prevented in future.
* Ask us for advice.
Have you witnessed sexual discrimination at your workplace?
* Pay close attention.
* Help affected colleagues defend themselves.
* Find allies.
* Don't laugh when colleagues make fun of others.
* Talk openly with your colleagues about sexual discrimination.
* Offer to go get advice together with the affected person.
From maternity protection to minijobs
Mothers-to-be have special legal protection in Germany. However, other social
security benefits that follow up on maternity protection tend to tie woman
workers to the home, turning them into housewives rather than protecting their
rights at the workplace. Women are promoted less often because of the possibility
that they might get pregnant. Women also tend to get transferred within companies
after their parental leave is over. And women in general work in low-paying jobs
more often than men. Women today might go back to work sooner than ever after
childbirth, but they are still especially at risk for poverty. The legislators
force many women into jobs where they do not earn a living wage. They then become
financially dependent on social security or their partner.
We demand comprehensive protection for all mothers-to-be and guaranteed child
care after birth, which will make returning to work easier for all parents.
Maternity protection laws (MuSchuG, Mutterschutzgesetz)
A pregnant woman can take leave for the last 6 weeks of pregnancy and does not
have to work until 8 weeks after birth. She is entitled to continued pay during
this period without deductions. She cannot be fired during her entire pregnancy
and for four months after birth.
A fighting union ...
... allows us to collectively take action against sexism and sexual
discrimination at our place of work and beyond.
Laws have changed in recent years, allowing victims to take effective legal
actions against sexual discrimination. Harassment at work can lead directly to
criminal charges, depending on the severity of the discrimination. Bosses are
also obliged to take action against discrimination. If they do not, then you can
sue them for damages.
The FAU is a union that fights for the idea of a society based on solidarity.
Taking action against sexism is not only an important task in the present, but
also an integral part of any emancipation, which we as workers can only achieve
collectively. We must take our responsibilities seriously and demand respect for
ourselves and for our colleagues. You don?t have to fight alone!
FAU Leipzig | AG fem
Mail: agfem.leipzig@fau.org
https://leipzig.fau.org/en/sexism-at-your-workplace-is-never-okay/
------------------------------
Message: 5
Workers at the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Swansea started a
four day strike on April 6th over COVID fears. Support for the strike was solid
at the Morriston HQ of DVLA.Six thousand people work for the DVLA. Fifteen
hundred have been working from home during the pandemic but those who have to
turn up are extremely concerned about working conditions in relation to
coronavirus safety. ---- A member of staff, who did not wish to be named, claimed
ahead of the industrial action that lower grade staff were being made to go into
the office, whilst managers were able to work from home. Workers claim that lower
grade staff are being forced to go into work. One worker said that non-essential
work was still being carried out, and as a result workers were unnecessarily on site.
Whilst managers and non-operational staff are working from home, operational
staff do not have that choice as the system used is not supported by the Windows
programme used on laptops.
There have been 600 cases of COVID at the site, one of the highest rates in the UK.
Workers want to be able to work from home and those who can't but don't feel safe
at the Morriston building should not be forced to do so.
Last week, the PCS union claimed that the DVLA was suppressing a report into home
working carried out by consultancy firm Deloitte. This proposed recommendations
for home working that the DVLA does not want to implement.
The fact that so many are prepared to strike shows the seriousness of the situation.
Meanwhile court workers at Liverpool and Snaresbrook (in east London) Crown
Courts voted in March to go on strike over COVID safety concerns. They want
courts to be closed and only reopened with regular testing of staff and increased
safety measures.
https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2021/04/08/dvla-workers-strike-over-covid-fears/
------------------------------
Message: 6
Signal is recommended as the most advanced confidential messaging application in
terms of security. Presentation. ---- Signal is free software published by Open
Whisper Systems, made famous after being recommended by Edward Snowden in 2014.
Signal received in 2020 the maximum rating from the Mozilla Foundation who
described it as "the most secure communication application". Its popularity has
increased again recently, after WhatsApp's announcements of January 6 regarding
its privacy policy which triggered a massive leak to Signal (7.5 million new
downloads of the application in 5 days). ---- Signal's security advantages ----
In addition to encrypted SMS type text messaging (including group), Signal
supports encrypted voice and video calls for up to 8 people. Although this is
primarily a mobile app, a desktop version is available. The application works on
iOS and Android, and it is synchronizable on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows. On
mobile, it can also be used to send " normal ", unencrypted SMS to contacts who
do not have Signal.
Signal is free and ad-free. The company is financed primarily by donations and
with the support of the Open Technology Fund, an American government agency,
which contributes to many projects of this type (in particular Tor). Because of
this source of funding, one might fear a conflict of interest or police
infiltration, but this is a very common practice in the United States. So far,
Signal has demonstrated its ability to act independently and transparently.
With Signal's strong, decentralized end-to-end encryption[1], there's no need to
trust a third party to keep your messages private. No one can read them or see
your calls except you and your recipients. Stored messages are also encrypted on
the phone via a password. In addition to encryption, the app has keystroke
detection protection and an ephemeral message feature. When the latter is
activated, the sent messages are deleted after reading, without leaving any
trace, after a period defined by you and your contact.
Signal also makes it possible to authenticate the identity of its interlocutor
through a unique security number that you can verify with your contact. The
application has a WebSockets[2]based operation , making the communication
services of Google or Apple optional. The only metadata that Signal says it
retains are " The date and time of a user's registration and the date of their
last connection to the service. ". This statement was proven following the
solicitation of the Grand Jury of the District of Virginia. Finally, it is
possible to download the software directly from the Signal website, without going
through the proprietary Google Play Store or AppStore catalogs. Unfortunately
Signal is not available on the free F-Droid catalog.
These different features, and its nature as free software, make it a much more
secure application than its competitors WhatsApp, Messenger (properties of
Facebook), or Telegram.
Some criticisms remain
The most recurring criticism of Signal concerns the lack of anonymity in the
registration process: to register you must provide your phone number. Note,
however, that the application does not need to run on the phone with which it was
registered, so it is possible to use a prepaid Sim card or a temporary number to
create an account. In addition, Signal engineers are developing an alternative
solution without a phone number.
Open Whisper Systems is a US company, therefore under US law and undoubtedly
under the surveillance of the NSA which must seek a way to penetrate Signal with
its surveillance tools. To some extent, Signal could be compromised either by a
backdoor in its systems or by a government order requiring Open Whisper Systems
to assist the NSA.
Recently, a new feature in Signal has raised several voices. By offering the
saving of usage profiles (profile, phone number and contacts), Signal now hosts
information on its users where no information was previously stored.
Functionality remains optional, but the change in philosophy that it induces may
displease[3].
Other threats exist
There remains a main flaw in this mode of communication: inside each mobile
phone, there is an exclusive closed-source chip, called the baseband processor,
which manages all the communication functions of the phone. This proprietary chip
could allow mobile service providers to bypass any encryption used by every
application running on a phone. In theory, they could access content in clear
text and in real time, as information changes from encrypted to decrypted status.
A weakness that applies to any mobile security application.
There are threats to the possibility of using encryption technologies in general,
with many governments frowning on this. Currently, the app is blocked in Egypt,
UAE, Oman, and Qatar. Without much success, since Open Whisper Systems added a
feature[4]to bypass this limitation. Only Iran has an effective blockade due to
US sanctions which also block access to instances that support this functionality.
Signal is one of the best options to use to protect your mobile exchanges,
another reflex to acquire in an increasingly secure society where surveillance is
gradually becoming the norm.
Ed (UCL Alpes-Provence)
Validate
[1] It combines the Extended Triple Diffie-Hellman (X3DH) protocol, Double
Ratchet algorithm, pre-keys and uses Curve25519, AES-256, and HMAC-SHA256 as
cryptographic primitives.
[2] Web standard designating a network protocol aiming to create full-duplex
communication channels over a TCP connection.
[3] " A new feature attracts criticism against the secure Signal application ",
Lemonde.fr , July 13, 2020.
[4] The domain fronting allows a user to connect securely to a prohibited
service, while appearing to communicate with a different site.
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Autodefense-protegez-vous-avec-Signal
------------------------------
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