>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 10:03:04 EST >Subject: A Year of Campaigning on behalf of Russian Workers >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >ISWoR: A YEAR OF CAMPAIGNING ON BEHALF OF RUSSIAN WORKERS > >RUSSIA INFO-LIST >from International Solidarity with Workers in Russia - ISWoR >*********************************************************** >If you appreciate receiving this mail please distribute it to your friends and >post it to internet forums; if not, send a "no more" message to: >International Solidarity with Workers in Russia - email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >*********************************************************** >ISWoR web-site - http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/index.html >****************************************************** > >A YEAR OF CAMPAIGNING ON BEHALF OF RUSSIAN WORKERS > >from ISWoR bulletin Jan 2000 > > >International Solidarity with Workers in Russia > >In January 1999 International Solidarity with Workers in Russia (ISWoR) was >launched by a few activists from the trade union and antiracist movements in >Britain. As we receive no funding we have relied mainly on the internet as a >means of growth. Today we have supporters in 33 countries. > >ISWoR activists are from a wide variety of political traditions, brought >together by a common recognition of the severity of the crisis in Russia >today, its implications for Russian workers, minorities and the whole world. >We are united around a few basic principles - opposition to the >IMF/Yeltsinite privatisation that has devastated the country; a wish to build >workers internationalism based on practical solidarity; opposition to racism >and to fascism. We are committed to an anti-sectarian approach. > >WORKERS STRUGGLES >ISWoR, through its publications, its website, its Russia Info-List (free >email news service) and interviews with progressive radio stations provides >information about the most important militant struggles going on. In all of >the examples below we have launched or publicised appeals for political >and/or financial support. Here are extracts from our reports on those bitter >and often courageous struggles: > >Yasnogorsk (Tula region) >"Unpaid machine-building workers have turfed out their managers, electing >their own instead. A blockade in which nearly half Tula���s population >participated almost paralysed one of Russia���s main rail links.." ISWoR >bulletin Feb 1999 >" One of the biggest and most important occupational strikes in Russia has >ended in success�Ķ.the bosses were forced to �Ķadmit ALL the terms that the >workers insisted on�Ķ..The workers committee has got the right to control the >plant administration and cancel any decision taken by the bosses considered >unacceptable to the workers�Ķ.It���s an unprecedented case hardly imaginable >not only in Russia but in any developed country of the world�Ķ" Report by >Moscow Union of Marxists re-published in ISWoR bulletin July 1999 > >Samara Strike Committee >"The Strike Committee of Samara arose when workers took control of Zim plant >in 1998. They enlarged their struggle, conducting solidarity actions with the >miners, and participated in the mass blockades of last summer���s <rail war>. >..They accuse the Communists of betrayal and tell how, at the miners��� >solidarity picket, CPRF men tried to tear down their banners which proclaimed ><All Bosses are Scoundrels!>�Ķ.Recently they have been involved in the >building of an All-Russia Congress of Strike Committees, an important step >forward in uniting the struggles�Ķ" ISWoR bulletin July 1999 > >Astrakhan >"On May 5, 1999 about 130 worker-members of the union "Defense" from the >Plant of Concrete Constructions (PCC) blocked the central avenue. They had >not had their wages since Feb 1998 ... ��� The police tried to arrest Dmitry >Simakin, a PCC worker, who is also a member of the All-Russian Strike >Committee and the Co-Chairman of the Regional Federation of Workers Labor >Unions. The workers shielded Simakin from the cops and threatened to stay on >the street permanently... >��� As the result of [this and other recent Defense] union actions, two plant >directors were fired, part of back wages were paid and a criminal >investigation of the previous admin was started. The investigating commission >... includes reps. from Defense�Ķ." Extract from report sent by Oleg Shein, >co-chairman of Defense union (Zaschita). > >Vyborg > " [The Vyborg Paper and Pulp Mill] was bankrupted in 1996, in a process >which has become very typical of Russian capitalism today, where firms are >allowed to run to the ground, then asset-stripped and auctioned at low >prices. �Ķ Meanwhile the local workforce�Ķ, are left to starve�Ķ. What made >the >Vyborg situation different was that the workers.. refused to accept their >impoverishment and they seized complete control of their plant. They ran >production themselves, electing their own (unpaid) plant director�Ķ >"On 9 July 1999, 80 masked, uniformed gunmen accompanied by the local �Ķ >tried >to storm the Mill, under occupation by workers for the past 18 months�Ķ�Ķ >the >fighting was fierce, and two workers are seriously injured�Ķ (ISWoR website >and leaflets) >Oct 99 "�Ķ.armed police �Ķ stormed into the.. Mill�Ķshooting at the >workers >who were in occupation. Latest reports indicate that 11 workers were injured, >two by gunfire. The police had barricaded themselves into a section of the >building and taken several workers hostage, including one of the injured, >refusing to admit any medical personnel or journalists. However, during the >afternoon, the workers responded by seizing Sabodazh, boss of Alcem , the >British-based company which owns the mill�Ķ" Russia Info List The workers >determination not to surrender forced the armed police to retreat; the mill >remains under workers occupation. > > >Kusbass Miners - Chernigovets open-pit mine >Dec 1999: "At 4am Kusbass time, ISWoR received news of a siege by armed riot >police now taking place at the large Chernigovets mine�Ķ. They have been sent >in by the regional Governor, Tuleyev. He is known to be in league with >infamous Russian tycoon Berezovsky �Ķ.The mineworkers' representatives are >right now being held prisoner inside the administration building�Ķ >"<Urgent action is needed �Ķ!!!! Phone calls, telegrams, faxes of protest�Ķ >"Only hours after giving a telephone interview to ISWoR, Vladimir Belin, >vice-chairman of the union committee at the Chernigovets mine, has been >arrested�Ķ." Sadly, the police succeeded by sheer force in seizing the mine; >many arrests were made. Compiled from ISWoR Russia Info-List reports > >Kazakhstan >We reported on the massive state repression against the Kazakhstan Labor >Movement "Solidarity" and other militants and that faced by chemical workers >in Jambula and Chimkent . We publicised appeals on behalf of the workers of >the Uralsk military plant "Metallist" who have been on an indefinite strike >and are suffering severe hardship. > >International campaign against globalised capitalist exploitation and >destruction of the environment June 18, 1999 >ISWoR participation in this campaign targetted the GAP clothing company. Our >supporters in London USA carried out protest actions against this ruthless >firm which uses outsourcing factories in Russia paying an average wage of 56 >US cents/hour (11 cents for Chinese immigrant workers). > >Fighting Racism and Fascism >Apart from numerous articles published on this subject, we also participated >in the following campaigns: > >Krasnodar Anti-fascists >The Krasnodar Anti-fascists are anarchists who were framed on serious charges >by the ultra-racist Communist Party Governor Kondratenko, who rules the >region in alliance with open fascist parties, and has granted legal powers to >tens of thousands of racist Cossack militiamen to terrorise local black >people (mainly from Caucasus) on their patrols. > ISWoR are proud to have been involved in the campaign which, according >to the Moscow-based Group for Counter-action against Political Repression, >eventually led to their release. However, Larisa Schiptsova, who was >imprisoned while pregnant, suffered severe illness and damage to her baby as >a result of her prison treatment. She now faces a four year suspended >sentence�Ķ" ISWoR bulletin July 1999 > >Borovici Jewish Community >ISWoR publicised the appeal for protests and solidarity that came from this >Jewish community in north-western Russia where uniformed fascist thugs were >threatening them, local TV gave air-time to nazis inciting antisemitic murder >and an arson attack was made on their community centre. The regional governor >refused to take action, denying that there was any problem in Novgorod >region, a flagship of "market democracy" > >Zero Tolerance of Racism >ISWoR has consistently attacked the hypocrisy of those western left >organisations who have given political or material support to racist or >antisemitic organisations in Russia. We have raised the subject at socialist >meetings, within the antiracist movement in Britain, and on internet forums. > >Chechnya >In December 1999 we became involved in the newly launched Committee for >Workers Solidarity with Chechnya (CWSC). Unlike other Chechnya campaigns >which have emerged in the west, the CWSC was founded on the principle of >supporting antiwar and anti-chauvinist sections of the Russian workers >movement, rather than calling on the western capitalist powers or the IMF to >intervene against Russia. One of the Campaign���s first acts was a vote to >support ISWoR���s antiracist contacts in Russia. > >ISWoR in 2000 >In the new millennium we look forward to expanding our ability to mobilise >support for Russian workers in struggle, as well as to continue our >determined campaign to support the most progressive and antiracist sections >of that movement. We are trying to be a catalyst in a number of important >initiatives including attempts to unite those anti-capitalist forces who >oppose the bombing of Chechen civilians, and the setting up of a trade union >resource centre staffed by a collective representing a wide array of militant >progressive organisations of the workers movement in Russia. We also hope to >be able to offer practical support to workers in Kazakhstan and other areas >of the former Soviet Union. > >How Can I get Involved? >Early in 2000 we will be launching an internet discussion and practical >organising list. Those joining will be able to participate in Work Teams >dealing with every aspect of ISWoR activity. In addition we will hold >elections to ISWoR���s Committee based on the democratic participation of all >those who agree with our aims and support us in practice. > > Where can I get More Information? >Internet: Information is available on our website at >http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/index.html A multi-language version of >the site will soon be opened. Also dont forget our free Russia Info-List to >which you can subscribe by emailing us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] >By Post - Please write to us at: >International Solidarity with Workers in Russia, Box R, 46 Denmark Hill, >London SE5 8RZ, England > > >*********************************************************** >The RUSSIA INFO-LIST > >If you have something you would like to distribute on Russia Info-List, or >want to help in our practical solidarity work, contact: >[EMAIL PROTECTED]< >Box R, 46 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8RZ, England >*********************************************************** > > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
