International Newsletter
Number 13
February 10th 2003
Weekly information dossier published by the
International Liaison Committee -ILC,
Please contact :
International Liaison Committee -ILC, c/o Parti des travailleurs
- 87, rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis,
7510 Paris France
phone : (33 1) 48 01 88 28 fax : (33 1) 48 01 88 36
e-mai l - eit.ilc@wanadoo.fr
****************
Contents:
Introduction
Letter from Daniel Gluckstein, co-ordinator of the International
Liaison Committee to the organisations which participated in the
International Emergency Conference against war.
Updated List of Unions Opposing the War (February 10th, 2003) (USLAW)
After the ILC's Emergency Conference, a host of initiatives are
springing upŠ
Preparation of a Rail Workers World Conference
Germany: What is going on in Berlin?
******************
Introduction
This issue of our ILC Newsletter is being released a few days
before the demonstrations due to take place on February 15th in
the United States by all those who oppose Bush and his
administration's war threatening Iraq.
The wing of the American labour movement that opposes the war,
US Labor Against War, which today regroups 4 million unionists,
is supporting those demonstrations. On that day, massive
demonstrations will take place all over the world. The Emergency
Conference convened in Paris -- initiated by the International
Liaison Committee and which helped to establish the
International Committee, Labour Movement Against War" --
appeals to demonstrate to say "NO to war, NO to
exploitation."
In this issue, we inform about the applications to this
committee and the various initiatives that have been taken. We
ask all our correspondents to forward all the stands taken, the
applications, the reports on all the initiatives taken in order
"to do everything to prevent the war".
We will publish them.
**************
Letter from Daniel Gluckstein, co-ordinator of the International
Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples
To all the organisations, all the workers and activists who
participated in the international emergency conference against
war,
To all the organisations, to the groups and activists who gave
it their support.
Should Bush, with or without UN support, decide to launch the
war he has been preparing, shouldn't we be saying the following:
"Mr Bush, you must be forewarned that on the very day you
launch war against Iraq, we shall call for demonstrations across
the globe towards all the United States embassies to say: Don't
intervene, withdraw your forces, end the war".
Paris February 5th 2003
Dear friends, dear brothers and sisters,
Today February 5th, the Security Council of the UN will hear the
so-called "proofs" which the Bush administration claim
wills justify the launching of a murderous war whose
consequences cannot be assessed against the Iraqi people, and
beyond, against the peoples and nations across the globe.
On January 26th, Andrew Cord general Secretary of the White
House even announced, "Washington may even resort to
nuclear weapons' use".
Throughout the world, the massive demonstrations are preparing
for the 15th and 16th of February, spearheaded by the anti-war
movement in the United States.
Already, it is expected that demonstrators will outnumber the
most massive previous demonstrations. Within the United States,
the coalition US Labor Against War, has recently announced that
unions representing 4.5 million unionists are opposed to the war.
Last January 24th, we set up the committee "International
Labour Movement Against War", we took the oath to fight
relentlessly to stem the warmongering tidal wave announced by
the Bush administration.
That is what we are doing, and to that we shall hold.
But, should the Bush administration with or without the support
of the UN decide to launch the war, wouldn't it be the
responsibility of those who are already mobilising against this
war, especially of labour organisations, to state:
"Mr Bush, you have to know that, on the very day you launch
war against Iraq, we shall call for demonstrations across the
globe towards all the United States embassies to say: don't
intervene, withdraw your forces, end the war".
Dear friends, brothers and sisters, can we anticipate on the
likely course of events and discuss such a proposal without
further delay within our respective organisations, and wider
still, within the labour and democratic organisations that have
already committed themselves to fighting the war?
Fraternal greetings
On behalf of the International Liaison Committee of Workers and
peoples
Daniel Gluckstein
******************
Updated List of Unions Opposing the War (February 10th, 2003)
(USLAW)
On January 11th, in Chicago, US Labor Against the War was formed.
In less than a month, dozens of unions representing 4 million
workers have answered to the call.
Census of Labor Organizations That Have Taken a Stand Against
War in Iraq
National Organizations
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
American Postal Workers Union
Canadian Auto Workers
Coalition of Labor Union Women
Communication Workers of America
National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981
Pride at Work
Service Employees International Union
United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers
United Farmworkers of America
State Federations
Hawaii State Federation
Washington State Labor Council
Central Labor Bodies
Albany, New York, Central Labor Counci
Cleveland Federation of Labor
Duluth Central Labor Body
Hartford Labor Council
King County Labor Council
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor
Monterey Bay CLC
Philadelphia Central Labor Council
Rochester CLC
Sacramento Labor Council
San Francisco Labor Counci
San Mateo County Central Labor Council
Saratoga Labor Council
South Bay Labor Council
Troy CLC
Vancouver District Labor Council
Washington, DC CLC
District/Regional Organizations
1199/Service Empolyees International Union (SEIU)
,AFSCME District 1707 Council
AFSCME District 37 Council
Association of Flight Attendants - Alaska Airlines
Association of Flight Attendants - United Airlines
CA Pipe Trades Council
California Federation of Teachers
California Faculty Association/SEIU Local 1983
California Nurses' Association
International Association of Machinists (IAM) District Lodge 77
Retirees
New Mexico Carpenters
New York State Nurses' Association
SEIU Local 1199
SEIU 1199FL
SEIU 1199 NE
SEIU 1199 PASEIU 1199 NJ
SEIU 1199 NY
SEIU 1199 WI
SEIU Wisconsin District
Wisconsin Federation of Teachers
Working Families Party of NY
Local Organizations
AFSCME Local 215
AFSCME Local 304
AFSCME Local 324
AFSCME Local 371, DC 37
AFSCME Local 1549
AFSCME Local 1930, DC 37
AFSCME Local 3800
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1, Chicago,Teachers
Union
AFT Local 6, Washington Teachers Union
AFT Local 1078, Berkeley Federation of Teachers
AFT Local 1474, UC-Berkeley
AFT Local 1493
AFT Local 1521
AFT Local 1789
AFT Local 2026
AFT Local 2190/UUP, SUNY
AFT Local 2334, Professional Staff Congress, CUNY
AFT Local 4345, Mendocino Co. Fed. of School Employees
AFT/West Haven Federation of Teachers
American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 10
Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 1180
CWA Local 9423
CWA Local 9415
Hotel and Restuarant Employees (HERE) Local 2
HERE Local 5
HERE Local 483
HERE Local 2850
IAM Local Lodge 459
International Longshore and Warehoues Union (ILWU) Local 10
ILWU Local 5
ILWU Local 6
Iron Workers Local 86
Millwrights' Local 2158
NALC Branch 214
Newspaper Guild Local 32035
NWU Local3/UAW Local 1981
Oakland Education Association
Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU)
Local 2
Painters and Tapers Local 913
Plumbers & Fitters Local 393
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73
SEIU Local 250
SEIU Local 254
SEIU Local 535
SEIU Local 660
SEIU Local 715
SEIU Local 790
SEIU Local 1000/CSEA
Teamsters Local 705
United Auto Workers Union (UAW) Local 600
UAW/AFGSE Local (UAW/AFGSE) Local 2865
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 1776
UFCW 1105
United Brotherhood of Carpenters/New Mexico
Carpenters Local 713
United Healthcare Workers of Greater St. Louis
United Union Representatives of Los Angeles
United Teachers of Los Angeles
UPAT (Painters) Local 510 Sign & Display
Other Labor Organizations and Ad Hoc Committees
1199ers for Peace & Justice
Albany Labor for Peace
Boston Labor for Justice With Peace
Chicago Jobs with Justice Cmte. for New Priorities
Chicago Coalition on Contingent Academic Labor
DC37 Labor Against the War, NYC Muni
Detroit Labor Committee for Peace & Justice
Filipino Workers Association
Ground Zero for Peace
Jobs With Justice/Vermont Workers Center
Jobs With Justice, Atlanta, GA
Jobs With Justice, Washington State
Labor Committee for Peace & Justice, Bay Area
New York City Teachers Against War (NYCLAW)
NY City Labor Against War
Ohio Fair Trade Campaign
Organized Labor Against the War
Portland Labor for Peace & Justice
Sacramento Labor for Peace & Justice
Santa Cruz Labor Committee for Peace & Justice
South Bay Labor for Peace & Justice
Toronto Committee Against Sanctions and War
Trade Unionists Against the War
Washington DC Labor for Peace & Justice
Washington State Jobs With Justice
Workers for Peace
**********
After the ILC's Emergency Conference, a host of initiatives are
springing upŠ
MEXICO
A National committee against war and against FTAA is set up (January
25th 2003)
In the framework of the campaign launched by the international
Emergency Conference Against War (Paris January 23rd and 24th
2003), a meeting was convened in Mexico on January 25th. You can
read the resolution that was adopted below.
On February 15th, before the demonstration that will take place
in front of the American embassy, a new meeting will be held to
set up the National Labor Committee "No to FTAA, No to war".
Among others, unions from Chiapas and Oaxaca will participate.
Resolution
We are convened in the Auditorium of SITUAM, in Mexico, on
January 25th 2003. we workers of the education sectors, workers
from exRuta 100 (transports) of the social security, of the
ISSSTE and other sectors, together with members from section 22
of the SNTE of the union of the Colegio de Bachilleres and young
people from various colleges.
1. We heard the speakers among whom one of the labor organisers
of the January 18th demonstration in San Francisco (USA), member
of the United States Labour Against War movement; we have
decided to set up the National Committee Against War and Against
FTAA. We assembled heard that an International Emergency
Conference Against War was held in Paris France, where 25
countries had sent delegates, we appeal to promote the
international committee "Labour Against War" and we
have decided to join this international committee
2. We decide to join the appeal of peasant organisations for
January 31st and to participate with the slogans "No to
FTAA, No to NAFTA, our homeland is not for sale, No to war!"
3. We shall participate in all the actions that will take be
taken to uphold the slogan "No to War!"
4. We decide to appeal to the international labour movement
asking them to demonstrate in favour of freedom for the
political prisoners of Oaxaca and for the repeal of all the
on-going indictments.
5. We shall call upon the committee "US Labor Against War"
to establish fraternal relations, and develop our common action
to stop war.
6. Unions from Chiapas (section 7 of the SNTE, unions of
universities, section of the Ssa and SNTS) that held a public
meeting on the day before our own meeting are joining this fight
as well as organisations from Baja California who, in Mexicali
city met on the borderline on that Saturday January 25th.
7. Organisers are mandated to write out a manifesto on the
guidelines: "No to war! No to NAFTA, FTAA!"
8. We have decided to prepare and participate in the continental
conference against FTAA and against war, in defence of rights
called by 50 Brazilian and 50 American political and union
leaders which will be convened in Sao Paulo, Brazil in July.
******************
Asia: they join the International Committee
China: Michael SIU, Trade union confederation of Hong Kong, Apo
LEONG, Asian Monitor Resource Centre
Indonesia: SP SIAGIAN, BAKUMSU (Office for the Legal Defence of
Wage-Earners) Ivan VALENTINAGEUNG, RACA Institute; R. HERLAMBANG
PERDANA, Indonesian Movement for Legal Help: Bayu WICAKSONO, AJI
(Alliance of Independent Journalists)
Nepal: Bishnu Rimal, general secretary of the GEFONT; Umesh
UPDHYAYA, in charge with international relationships GEFONT,
Jitendra JONCHHE, Secretary of the central committee of the
independent union of chemical and steel workers; Hari DATTA
JOSHI Chairman of the independent union of textile and garment
workers of Nepal.
Philippines: Edgar P. BILAYON, Chairman of the National Union of
Rail workers of the Philippines; Ethel ROBIS FORTALEZ, leader of
the angry women secretaries; Israel ALVARAN, director of the
centre of defence of wage-earners; DON PANGAN, Side For Peace,
Virgilio RIVAS PUP, union of employees and of universities.
**********
India
Demonstration in Mumbai January 28th
Over 1000 demonstrators attended the speech delivered by
Vasudevan, Secretary of the Blue Star Union
India was hit by the 1991 war against Iraq. As the prices of oil
imported from the gulf countries soared, our country was
compelled to beg a 5 billion dollar loan from the IMF. The Gulf
war enabled the IMF to force us into the globalisation process.
The structural adjustment plan that has been activated these 12
last years has sunk the poor deeper into poverty. Over 350 000
factories have been closed down, millions of jobs have been
lost, unemployment is rocketing. Agricultural workers are denied
subsidies with the excuse of letting free market have its way.
Peasant families are committing mass suicides. (.)
But, thanks to the gulf war, American and European
multinationals and their agents in our country have lined their
pockets. They are most vocal in their support of Bush's and
Blair's warlike declarations (.) It is evident that they wish to
lay their hands not only on Iraq's oil resources but also on the
bulk of the Middle East oil resources and also of Asia's. The
first list of the countries of the "Axis of Evil"
regroups Iran, Iraq, North Korea. It now includes Syria,
Lebanon, Libya and Sudan. Others are earmarked for a future
extension of the list (.)
The USA wishes to hold the whole of Asia in its sway. It already
has three military bases in Pakistan (.) Now the USA is
targeting India. India would like the USA to help her settle
things with Pakistan. Blackwill, the diplomat appointed by Bush
declared: "As they co-operate more closely than before,
India and the USA, two figureheads of democracy can (.) bring a
more free, more peaceful, more prosperous world into being"
(.)
That policy is supported by the right-wing government that, in
its turn supports the USA (.) India's progressive forces are
aware of the danger. Indian working class is in the forefront of
the fight against imperialism, against communalism-bred rifts,
against India turning into a theocracy, in favour of defending
minorities' rights, in defence of workers' rights. (.) Similar
demonstrations are being staged in New Delhi and other Indian
cities.
We want peace. We refuse U.S. imperialist dictates. We oppose
the occupation of Afghanistan and the pending war against Iraq
or any other country. We unite our voices with those of French,
Latin American, African and other Asian people. We want those
who call themselves republicans in the United States to respect
the right of other republics to be sovereign and democratic; we
want those who call themselves Democrats in the USA to respect
the right of other countries to keep their own democracy and
their own republic.
**********
Spain
Public meeting in Barcelona on January 31st in defence of
liberties, against war
Aver two hundred responded to a double appeal to political
action and cultural action in defence of liberties, for the
repeal of the law on political parties and in favour of the
right to demonstrate, speak freely and organise. The venue was
the Centre of contemporary culture in Barcelona while the
oncoming war poses a deadly threat to liberties all over the
world.
The meeting had been organised by the independent labour
newspaper "Informacion Obrera". On the dais were
gathered a representative of the committee of defence of
liberties of the Defence Counsellor's organisation, a university
professor, the Editor of "El Triangle" and a union
leader who chaired.
The speakers recalled that it was the labour movement that put
an end to Franco's dictatorship by, among others, imposing the
freedom to associate, to join unions and parties.
Today, the neo-Francoist government is bent on imposing total
regression: after having had the law on parties adopted, which
only purposes to stamp down parties, it is trying to have the
law code altered to revert to François criteria: the only
answer to political and social problems is repression.
But, to quote the resolution adopted by acclamation:
"We observe how M. Aznar who is using the Law on Parties to
target fundamental liberties, is becoming Bush's mouthpiece to
launch a war in order to ruin the Iraqi nation".
Indeed, in response to the June 20th general strike, the
government gave new impetus to "the war of the North"
against the Basque people through the law on parties and the
banning of the Batasuna organisation. Now that the oil spill has
ruined Galicia, this government is assailed by angry workers and
people who can no longer put up with the burden of the euro and
economic collapse. That is why Aznar is desperate to aid Bush
trigger the war.
No to the war on North, No to war in Iraq; Yes to liberty,
sovereignty, fraternity between peoples. That was the common
point of view defended by the speakers.
The resolution that was adopted demands that the Spanish
government repeal the law on political parties, demands that the
government stop supporting the onslaught against Iraq. That he
withdraws the availability of the military bases which are and
essential piece in the US military plan of action.
Not a single man, not a single euro for war. "You have to
know that we shall not permit it. If Mr Bush launches his
attack, we shall take to the streets together with the
freedom-loving citizens of the USA and everywhere in the
world".
The chairman of the meeting had endorsed the appeal of the
committee "International Labour against War"; the
appeal was circulated to be endorsed, as a framework to unite
workers and their organisations as widely as possible against
war.
*******************
Preparation of a Rail Workers World Conference
On April 26th and 27th a Rail Workers World Conference will be
held in Paris against privatisation of railroads.
This Conference is already being prepared in 12 countries of
Europe, Russia, Asia, the USA and Latin América.
Unity of workers and peoples is developping so as to stop this
policy of dismantling working class conquests.
Excerpts from rail workers bulletin preparing the Conference:
Brazil
In Brazil, the policy carried on these last eight years by the
FHC government has increasingly wreaked havoc and deregulation
upsetting the organisation of cities; it has deepened the
current rift in the pattern of social exclusion through
geographic segregation and the lack of invested money in
infrastructures and mass means of transportation. (Š)
The privatised railways have failed to abide by the grant
contracts and have fallen short of the objectives, despite the
financial concession handed out by the current government (Š)
Today, the direct aftermath of privatisation is increased
dismantlement, fragmentation of the system and the complete
deregulation of the sector, which gives birth to a serious
economic crisis, increasing costs in Brazil. It should be known
that for a long time, all the technical and legal pre-requisites
have existed permitting that grant-contracts be declared
obsolete, as was recommended by the Federal Audit Office in
1998. (Š)
An array of political measures went with the privatising
process, in connection with the logistics of activities and with
staff management. Among others we wish to highlight the
following:
… Some railway trunk-lines were de-activated in every state
under the excuse they were non profitable;
… 95% of the railway stations were closed down, leaving whole
chunks of federal estate to rot away,
… New procedures concerning driving and hauling railways were
introduced that were incompatible with the existing tracks and
carriages so that the material was increasingly misused.
Concerning staff management we observe that
… Rail workers have been massively laid-off, dropping to the
number of 11 000 compared with 47 000 in 1996. Dismissals caused
the "level" of productivity per employee to soar,
… The average work day has lengthened especially for engine
drivers who today may total up to 16 hours a day; it is to be
remarked that some private operators such as Ferroban, ALL, FCA,
MR-S logistics and Vale du Rio Doce have imposed single driver
operating, that is a driver who operates alone, which makes
working conditions unsafe, causes a higher number of accidents,
meanwhile work days can extend to 16 hours a day;
… Subcontracting maintenance of the railway tracks.
… Generalised flouting of the Norms of Protections and of the
Collective Bargaining Agreements
… Deliberate attacks against the more active union leaders
such as lay-offs, contract suspension and transfers to other
working positions. (Š)
Obsolete contracts: to follow up on this new national policy of
transports that the new national plan for transports will have
to devise, the CNTT considers it is imperative that
grant-contracts have to be declared obsolete. Railways have to
be placed under the sole management of the state that will have
to be responsible for control, planning, financing, managing and
operating.
Rail workers Union of Bauru, South Mato Grosso and Mato
Grosso-CUT
**********
Algeria
SNTF (1) Rail workers under threat
December 17th 2002 national dailies such as
"Expression", "Le Soir d'Algérie",
"Jeune Indépendant", "Le Quotidien D'Oran"
and so on are commenting g at length in their leaders on the
foreseeable end of the SNTF that is under a cloud. (Š)
Unionists were blaming the minister with not caring much about
the serious quandary in which the SNTF was and still less about
the workers.
They claim they are determined to struggle to save that national
heirloom, even though they should resort to drastic measures and
that it is always possible to rise up to the challenge. (Š)
Putting an end to SNTF apprenticeship
Those apprentice schools were founded during the time of French
Railways in Algeria; the SNTF technical structures could
rightfully boast of them. Indeed after a 3 to 4 year training
for the best pupils in each age group, the students, after
specific training session for the national network become
permanent staff members in structures that correspond to their
skills (Depot workshops, power distribution, Inspection,
Maintenance, Repair workshops, Engine drivers and so on.)
At the end of their career, many of those young people become
teachers or executives with recognised skills. Unfortunately,
privatisation and outsourcing have brought about the closure of
these schools that used to provide the potential for the
structures mentioned before.
Thus the HAMMA "AMF-H" maintenance workshop that was
to be transferred to Rouiba with the administrative offices and
the school, are to be outsourced. That will also include staff
lodgings for increased efficiency through next-to-workplace
lodgings that made up for poor transportation systems and scant
schools for agents' children.
The sub-contractor goes under the name: General Maintenance
Railway Section; it would ultimately fall into the hands of
"General Motors" GM that would be both partner and
boss.
The workers of sub-contracted workshops cannot ignore the
problems and liabilities of those who work with other
sub-contractors who do not enjoy the same advantages as rail
workers (no free travel-card, no free health-care at the CMS, no
training at the SNTF, an end to the promotions enjoyed by rail
workers and so on .)
The closure of other structures
1. Closure of the Workshops Hussein Dey that used to meet the
many requirements and repair work of engines and carriages all
over the network. Carpentry work for stations and offices and so
on.
2. Closure of the building department that had at its disposal
all the maintenance crews that could meet all the building work
over the network.
3. Closure of all the car sections; the vehicles of every type
are handed out to the "friends" on token terms.
4. Closure of the Hygiene and Safety services to implement law N°
88 07 of Jan. 26th 1988 that obliges the employer to have those
important structures. (What happened in England is quite
telling; after railways were privatised, a series of murderous
accidents took place, which drove workers to mobilise for the
re-nationalisation of that sector)
5. Closure of all the warehouses for workshop and unit spares.
Railway catering subsidiary
Closure of the passenger-carriage washing system operating on
the "East-West-Centre" network, giving hundreds of
workers the sack.
Those workshops were sub-contracted to corporations that use the
SNTF facilities to do the tasks that fall far wide of the mark
of the same quality of service.
Selling off commercial facilities "bars and other
equipments" located in stations, car-parks sold off to
private operators terminating the contracts of those
sub-contractors' agents that were working there.
The situation entailed enormous money loss for the subsidiary's
budget (article in "Liberté" Sept. 12th 99)
Redundancies amounting to a hundred and over would be on the
agenda starting from the first quarter of 2003-02-11
(1) SNTF National Society of Railway Transports
**********
Bangladesh
No corporation. We want responsible railway board
At the beginning of 21st century, the working class of
Bangladesh fell into a deep crisis of survival. Last June the
biggest Jute mill of Bangladesh, the Adamjee Jute Mill have been
closed. 37,000 workers lost their jobs directly, 150,000
dependent were thrown into uncertainty. With this closer about
20 million people have been affected. Now the next target of the
government is Bangladesh Railway which is the second highest
employer in the country.
To write something about the railway in Bangladesh, we have to
go to the history of railway in this region. "Bengal
Railway" was registered in England in 1857 and they built a
rail line of 53 kilometres in Kustia in 1862. Another company
was formed in 1874 in the name of "North Bengal
Railway" and they built railway line in north part of
Bengal. In 1892 "Assam Bengal Railway" was formed with
its headquarter in Chittagong. During partition in 19947 the
name became "Eastern Bengal Railway". In 1961 the name
again changed to "Pakistan Eastern Railway". After
liberation in 1971 the name became "Bangladesh
Railway", with headquarter in Chittagong, and is running as
a state enterprise.
Under state control the railway was giving good service to the
people. From 1982 the process of dismantling the rail service
started by the vested interest. Railway was run by a railway
board under a separate railway ministry. Instead of good
management rail administration was divided into two zones, which
created many post of unnecessary administrative staffs. The East
Zone H.Q. remained in Chittagong and the West Zone H.Q.
established in Rajshahi with one General Manager for each zone.
The number of work force in the railway was 60,000 and number of
officers was 200, whereas after the bifurcation of zones the
number of officer rose to 1200. That is not all, from 1982 due
to no new recruitment, retrenchment, death, and so-called
"golden handshake" the number of work force is now
only 32,000 but the number of officers remained at 1200. In near
future the work force is planned to be reduced to 28,000 whereas
the number of officer will remain same.
Railway was always an essential service to the people, it was
used for subsidised transportation to government merchandise
including defence services. Railway is still the cheapest and
safest mode of transport for the general people. At present a
big conspiracy started to privatise the railway on the plea of
loss and on the advice of the foreign loan giving agencies.
First phase of the conspiracy is to transform railway into a
private corporation with floating share certificate among the
business community. (Š)
For a country like ours railway is essential. The amount of
goods and merchandise one train can carry requires hundreds of
trucks. One rail engine can carry 60 wagons with one
gallons of fuel whereas 248 trucks is needed for the same
quality of goods and requires 21 gallons of fuel. That is why
rail is environment friendly and less expensive. Number of rail
accidents is far more less than that of road accidents.
Development of railway is going on everywhere in the world.
Whereas in our country rail service is being squished for the
benefit of the international speculators & bus truck
manufacturers. The plan of making railway a corporation is to
plunder the huge property of the railway. Railway will be
doomed. The corruption of the bureaucrats is unlimited, and if
railway is made a corporation the corrupt officials will get
more opportunity.
So instead of privatising or making railway a corporation, a
modern sustainable development scheme can be taken. There must
be railway ministry and a railway board as before. Minimise
white collar bureaucratic staffs instead of required workforce,
minimise unnecessary and false expenditure and railway will get
back its past glory.
Md. Harunar Rashid,
Secretary Railway workers Union & International Affairs
Secretary BJSF
**********
Russia
Here is the result of our joint actions against the
privatisation of railways in Russia. It can be said that all
that is going now is pure coincidence. Nevertheless the result
is here for everyone to see; it is impossible to deny that today
our joint action has produced a result.
The savage privatisation of railways has been set back till its
fundamental orientation is defined. Thus the paper "News
Time" publishes the following data:
- The experts consider that the Ministry of Transports is not
yet ready for the reform. Therefore privatisation has to be
rescheduled as well as the end of the state-monopoly over
railways. We have already provided a few details of the reform.
- That is how the experts view it: 2001-2002, the ministry
should be split into two authorities: a regulating authority and
a managing authority; 2003-2004: setting up various companies
according to the various sectors of activities (integrating
transport activities: freight transport, commuting passenger
transports and so on. Independent and competitive corporations
would finally be set up between 2005 and 2010.
One of the main laws of privatisation has just been stalled (it
was not voted by the Duma). It is the law setting rules over
land private ownership. Without this law the reform of
transports has no jurisdictional basis. In that particular case,
the interests of the would-be owners and those of the Transport
Ministry undoubtedly clashed. Shady deals, conflicts, and
account settling have already started between future owners.
The situation should certainly not lure us into shedding caution
and feeling triumphant. We have to continue acting to stall the
privatisation process not only in Russia but also across the
world. We still have some time left if not to prevent
privatisation, at least to render it less harmful, make it less
privatised. Anyway, the people will some time come back into
their own. Naturally, the labour movement is still wobbly, but
we have to bolster our actions, set up international meetings. I
feel that such meeting can be more easily held in Russia,
especially in Saint Petersburg since we have every opportunity
to organise them.
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Germany
What is going on in Berlin?
The January 9th "Fankfurter Rundshau" gives the
following information:
"Together with Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Saarland (1),
the capital requests the Bundesrat (2) to give them permission
to cut public service workers' pay by 10% (.) What is ironical
is that this measure will not be examined in the Bundesrat
before March at the earliest, but, as a compensation, the
Minister of the Interior of the Berlin Land, Körting, has
increased the Berlin public service workers' workweek to 42
hours - more than anywhere else in FRG.
That will not bail the budget out of the red but it is a means
to pressure unions. Not to leave its determination in doubt, the
Senate (3) went still further last Wednesday by dropping out of
the municipal employers associations practically overnight (.)
Therefore, whatever agreement is countersigned nationally,
Berlin has no obligation to abide by it! (.)
Many länder consider following after the example of Berlin (Sax
Anhalt, Meklemburg-Pomerania, Thuringe, Brandenburg) (.)All the
Eastern Länder keep this option in store for further use. Some
think they will create their own community for East region low
wages (.) In the West too some look favourably on the Berlin
method, for example in Saarland (.) For the rest of the
republic, Berlin can be used as a tool to tear apart national
regulations".
Two days later, the same newspaper read: "Bade-Wurtemberg,
Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland consider walking out
of the association of employers, as many Eastern länder
threatened to do last Thursday".
Everywhere, words go on about Europe enlarging towards the East
and the necessary "adjustments" and "structural
reforms" that can contribute to the enlargement. What it
means is to bury all the collective bargaining agreements and to
make all the workers in the East as well as in the West work for
a pittance.
The entire German working class is concerned by what is
happening now in Berlin. Isn't Bernard Rissman, Berlin DGB (4)
vice-chairman right when he says: "It is a political
dictate" and when he calls on Berlin's 80 000 public sector
workers to rebel? The "Frankfurter Rundschau" (January
9th 2003) may be quite right when it forecasts "a troubled
Spring in Berlin".
The situation in Berlin is a mess. Certainly the city is
bankrupt, but who is to blame? Isn't it the sad heirloom of
Diepge'policy with the Treu-hand? Isn't it the result of
Berliner Bankgesellschaft's corrupt and thieving policy with the
CDU (5) Workers are not to blame. And end to threats over them!
Let the city's debts to banks be repealed to save the city, the
jobs, and the wages that have been duly negotiated by unions!
Ver.di's national negotiating committee is right to
"condemn the fact that the Berlin Land leave the employers'
association". Nobody can accept this anti-labour policy
that is jointly led by the SPD and the PDS in Berlin. No
unionist, no union, can accept it either in Berlin or elsewhere
without risking to fall into oblivion. Workers cannot comprehend
why the SPD takes such action.
As for the PDS, it simply follows in the footsteps of the
bureaucracy that usurped power, ruined the country and doomed
workers to earn meagre wages. It must be remembered that
East-Berlin workers already stood up against that bureaucracy in
June 1953.
Even within the Berlin SPD voices are rising to demand that the
Berlin government repeal the decision of Berlin Land to leave
the employers' association and that the government unreservedly
abide by the national collective bargaining agreement. That is
no demand confined to Berlin only; it is a vital demand for the
whole German working class, from Hamburg to Munich, from Cologne
to Leipzig!
The chairman of IG-Metall union for the Berlin Brandenburg
region and Saxony rightly denounces the wage agreement of the
East on behalf of his union and threatens to call for industrial
action: "Workers in the East are through with working a
whole month more than their Western colleagues for the same
wages".
That is the true issue: each breach into the national collective
bargaining agreement is immediately put to use to undermine the
bulk of all the agreements and gains of the entire working
class.
(1) Germany is a federal republic composed of states (länder or
Land), Berlin, capital of the re-unified Germany has the status
of a land.
(2) House of the federal state, seat of the representatives of Länder
(3) It is the legislature of the Berlin Land where the SPD-PDS
hold the majority.
(4) DGB German trade union
(5) The democrat-christians who formerly governed Berlin
(6) Regrouping of five federations, among whom public service
workers, harbours, mediaŠ
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