Anarchoblogs in English

Today the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) held a rally to protest the cuts to the 'Special Diet' in Ontario. When the delegation from the protest entered the Provincial Liberal headquarters to deliver their petition all 11 delegates were arrested. OCAP is calling for a solidarity rally tomorrow. Here is the story from OCAP.

WHERE: College Park Courthouse (south-west corner of Yonge & College)

WHEN: 10:30 am (Thursday, July 22nd, 2010)

Today, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) demonstrated against the devastating cut to the Special Diet benefit and to demand that the Liberal Government raise welfare rates by at least 55% - the minimum amount required to restore rates to where they were before the cut by Harris in 1995. During today's rally, over 300 people took to the streets, while a smaller group of people went in to the Liberal Party headquarters, to deliver an ‘invoice’ to the Liberal Party – demanding full re-payment of benefits taken from people living on social assistance.

The delegation of people who entered the Provincial Liberals HQ went to deliver a message about the impact of the cuts on poor people. Rather than receive this message, the powers that be chose to enforce their austerity measures with police action. Shortly after the group entered, Toronto Police arrested all 11 people, OCAP members, allies, and labour activists.

Two people were released, while the other 9 remain in custody tonight.

"I went to the demonstration to demand the the special diet not be cut and that welfare and ODSP rates be raised 55% for those of us on social assistance. Instead, I was arrested and the police called me "a pawn"because I am disabled. I am not a pawn. Disabled people fight against governments that make and keeps us poor every day, and we will fight until we win enough money to eat healthy food and pay our rents," said Anne Abbot, an OCAP member who was released with a trespass summons rather than being charged, because she uses a wheelchair.

This latest arrest and detention of activists comes only a few weeks after the mass arrest of over 1000 anti-G20 protesters.

“The G20 leaders met in Toronto to call for austerity measures just like the cuts to welfare in Ontario,” said OCAP organizer Liisa Schofield. “Nobody should be surprised when the police are once again called in to crush public outcry against these kinds of policies.”

Come out on Thursday morning to support those facing charges.

We demand the immediate release of all people being held and the dropping of all charges.

We demand that the Liberal government raise welfare rates by at least 55%.

Media Contact: 416-826-4796

COME OUT TOMORROW IN SUPPORT!

WHERE: College Park Courthouse (south-west corner of Yonge & College)

WHEN: 10:30 am (Thursday, July 22nd, 2010)

**

Ontario Coalition Against Poverty

10 Britain St.

Toronto, ON

M5A 1R6

416-925-6939

**

For years now the Spanish CNT has been waging a campaign against the anti-worker policies of the Spanish supermarket chain Mercadona. the following is the latest action in the Spanish city of Valencia. To my knowledge the first English language account of this action appeared at the British site LibCom. Molly first became aware of this demonstration via the A-Infos website.

SLSLSLSLSL
CNT Demonstration in Valencia against the harassment of workers at Mercadona

Last Saturday, the 10th of July, a large group of people demonstrated against Mercadona in Valencia to publicly denounce the harassment which workers at this cruel business are subject to. ---- People started to gather in front of the Mercadona situated on the post road in Valencia. The idea was to demonstrate for an hour in front of the entrance of the supermarket to denounce the consecutive dismissals of various comrades and the harassment that continues inside the store. Comrades from Alicante, Elda, Alcoi, Sagunto, Pilar de la Horadada, Radio Malva and other sympathizers who wanted to find out about CNT's positions towards the abuses of Mercadona came. ---- People started to hand our leaflets and and we found out that the company had already learned about the call for a protest and had hired security guards especially for the occasion.

The business policies of this firm was loudly denounced over megaphones. A girl was discovered making videos and photographs of the demonstrators and had flee, to the astonishment of the passersby who saw the anti-union and espionage tactics typically used by Mercadona against all who criticize their abuse. In a moment of tension, a security guard hired by the company came out of the shop and tried to assault a comrade. He had to quickly flee and hid like a coward.

At 12:30 we left and marched in a block to another Mercadona located nearby. Hundreds of leaflets were distributed around the neighbourhood and the demonstrations of solidarity by the people there was overwhelming. A few people who knew the ex-workers affected joined the demonstration during its short but intense path.

At 13:00 we arrived at the shop on the 1 de Mayo Avenue, where a comrade who had been working there was a direct victim of the harassment and abuse of the coordinator of the facility. This shop had also hired security services for the occasion and two guards were observing us from inside the store. Many neighbours who knew the comrade joined in and refused to shop at such establishments. What surprised us most was the attitude of the two security guards who did not allow people who had a leaflet in their hands to enter and were grabbing them out of people's hands and throwing them in the trash. We also discovered various vehicles who were circling around the area and videotaping the protest; they were invited to leave the area immediately.

The event ended at 14:00 with shouts and applause for the protest and the combative nature sustained during its 2.5 hours. Thousands of leaflets were distributed and we managed to empty two shops almost completely. The whole neighbourhood was informed of the bullying practices of Mercadona. The comrades from Radio Malva did live interviews with some of the workers affected who told about their conflicts. You can listen to this here: http://radioslliures.org/audios/

More than five years have passed since the CNT started to take a stand against this cruel company: protests, demonstrations, informational pickets and a long, indefinite strike. The fight has just begun and until Mercadona stops its harassment, mobbing and anti-union repression, we will not abandon our struggle, even though the other unions remain silent and actively collaborate with the management to get rid of workers who are fighting for their dignity.

For more information on Mercadona and to access the forum, go to: http://www.cnt.es/mercacoso

MERCADONA HARRASSES AND DISMISSES THE CNT CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR SOLD

ORGANÍZE AND FIGHT!

Source and photos: http://www.cnt.es/noticias/cronica-y-fotos-manifestacion-en-valencia-contra-el-acoso-laboral-de-mercadona

http://libcom.org/news/demonstration-valencia-against-harrassment-workers-mercadona-14072010

At the end of last month workers employed by Siemens Canada in Hamilton Ontario rallied at the Canadian corporate headquarters to protest the closing of a plant that has 100 years of history in that city and its relocation to North Carolina. NC essentially "bought" the plant with the promise of $22.75 million in grants and tax breaks and an additional $120 million in low cost loans. In return Siemens said that they would invest $135 million in their new facilities. Note that the government largess exceeds the promised investment by $7.75 million. Pretty sweet deal if you can get it. Oh, and don't forget that North Carolina is a so-called "right to work" state where it is much harder for workers to unionize.

The Siemens company has a long and not very glorious history. Leaving aside its "ancient history" as a supporter of the Nazi party in Germany in recent years it has been embroiled in multiple bribery scandals across the world. It has also, of course, as a "paragon of free enterprise" been the recipient of untold millions in government giveaways in many countries. Sometimes, however, they don't get away with the silverware. In 1999 they were ordered to repay 18 million pounds in grants in Britain after they closed one of their state sponsored "enterprises".

The Hamilton plant is probably doomed as Canadian governments are unlikely to offer up the amount of corporate welfare available stateside. Nor should they. The present dispute is more about severance conditions than anything else. In "response" to the demonstration reported below the company retaliated by moving up the date of closure from July 2011 to April 2011 when their present collective agreement runs out. There is, of course, little to be done from now to then except continue the argument between the union and the company. As the closure date draws nearer, however, workers at Siemens might look to how workers at GM in Windsor in 2009 , also represented by the CAW, managed to extract better conditions by occupying the plant that was due to close. This tactic has also been quite successful in many other workplaces in recent years.

The workers at Siemens are represented by Local 504 of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW). Here's the story of the demonstration from their website.

As part of part of the countrywide mobilization to protest the police riot in Toronto and support those arrested there will be a support demonstration tomorrow here in Winnipeg. Here's the notice.

WWWWWWW
Demonstration in solidarity with G20 political prisoners and arrestees
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010
Time: 11:30am - 2:00pm
Location: Meet at the park behind the River-Osborne Community Centre
Winnipeg, MB

Description.

In the face of police violence, attacks against protesters and the unprecedented arrests of the G20 resistance, we are calling out to all social movements to mobilize and act in solidarity with the victims of the repressive systems, who have fallen in the hands of militarized police.

More than 900 have been arrested over the course of the weekend in Toronto, either by kidnapping, political profiling, raids in private residences and places of accommodation, violence, brutality, intimidation, as well as other forms of police violence. To date, this is the largest number of mass arrests in the history of Canada, criminalizing protesters who have dared to express their disagreements towards the capitalist, security enforced, sexist, colonialist and anti-social politics of the G20.

We must publicly demonstrate our solidarity with all those arrested so that they are released as quickly as possible and charges are dropped against all those caught up in the net of the police state. We also demonstrate to recognize and denounce the excessive force used by police daily in many people's lives in our community and others.

WINNIPEG DEMONSTRATION THURSDAY JULY 1ST

FemRev, Copwatch, the Anarchist Black Cross, the Winnipeg New Socialist Group, Canadian Federation of Students and local community activists are calling on you to show your solidarity with those who have been imprisoned, are still imprisoned and who have endured violence and human rights violations.

Meet at the park behind the River Osborne Community Centre at 11:30 AM on Thursday July 1st.

Bring your bicycles, your experiences and your friends and comrades as we carve out space in the public sphere to share our voices and denounce police repression and brutality.