Workers Struggles
Eyewitness report of metal factory occupation in Turkey
7 January 2009
We are posting a news report sent to the World Socialist Web Site by a reader from Istanbul.
Recent Workers Struggles
SAG leadership postpones strike authorization vote
By Ramon Valle and David Walsh, 30 December 2008
On December 22, leaders of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced a postponement of a scheduled strike authorization vote until the guild’s national board meets in Los Angeles to discuss the matter January 12 and 13.
India: Honda workers wage tenacious struggle to defend their jobs
By an Indian correspondent, 24 December 2008
For several months, workers at the Honda-Siel plant in Rudrapur, India have surrounded the plant to prevent Honda from shifting machinery to a new facility in a special economic zone.
For more WSWS reporting and videos on auto workers issues, go to The Struggle in the Auto Industry.
US: The crisis in the Screen Actors Guild and the need for a new political perspective
By Ramón Valle and David Walsh, 23 December 2008
The ongoing crisis in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) underscores the need for a new political perspective that takes as its starting-point a struggle against the conglomerates that operate the television networks and major film studios.
WSWS speaks to Chrysler workers on plant closures
By Tom Eley, 19 December 2008
Chrysler has announced it will suspend all production for at least one month in the midst of discussion about a possible bankruptcy. On Thursday, WSWS reporters spoke with Chrysler workers about plant closures and the crisis in the auto industry.
Video: Michigan Chrysler workers denounce pay cuts
18 December 2008
The World Socialist Web Site spoke to workers at a Chrysler assembly plant
about the pay cuts and plant closings that are being discussed in Washington
and by the Big Three auto companies.
No concessions! No job cuts!
Canadian auto workers must join with US and Mexican workers to advance a socialist alternative
Statement of the Socialist Equality Party (Canada), 19 December 2008
Auto workers in Canada, like their class brothers and sisters in the US, Mexico and around the world, today confront an unprecedented assault on their jobs, wages and rights.
Ontario auto sector report warns of catastrophic job losses
By Carl Bronski, 19 December 2008
An Ontario government report has warned that if the three Detroit-based auto companies ceased production more than half a million jobs would be lost in Canada.
UK: Trade unions at Corus offer yet another pay cut
By Simon Whelan, 19 December 2008
The December 10 revelation by James Pickard of the Financial Times that the trade unions GMB, Community and Unison had offered Corus Steel a ten percent pay cut prompted heated denials.
Australian building workers demand abolition of hated policing agency
By Terry Cook, 19 December 2008
Several thousand building workers and supporters rallied in Australia’s major cities early this month, demanding that the Rudd government immediately abolish the Australian Building and Construction Commission, but the government has refused point-blank to do so.
Concessions imposed on Pittsburgh, Penn. bus drivers
By Samuel Davidson, 17 December 2008
The ATU international office and leaders from the AFL-CIO have intervened in negotiations between the Allegheny County Port Authority and its 2,500 public transportation workers to impose a concessions contract demanded by local Democratic Party officials.
Los Angeles teachers protest budget cuts
By Dan Conway and Kim Saito, 15 December 2008
Hundreds of teachers protested last Wednesday against cuts being made to schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the United States.
Workers occupy auto parts plant in northern Germany
By Lucas Adler, 12 December 2008
Workers at the bankrupt auto parts supplier HWU have occupied their factory in northern Germany to prevent the planned closure of the plant.
Lessons of the Chicago factory occupation
12 December 2008
The occupation of Republic Windows and Doors, which ended on Wednesday, was a major step forward, the first independent action of a section of the working class in the US in response to the economic crisis.
Download as a PDF leaflet in English and Español
General strike, spreading protests rock Greek government
By Chris Marsden, 11 December 2008
Yesterday’s general strike paralysed much of Greece. Some 10,000 marched against the Karamanlis government in Athens.
Rally for Republic Windows and Glass workers in Chicago
By Tom Eley, 11 December 2008
A rally was held in downtown Chicago on Wednesday to support workers occupying Republic Windows and Doors.
Workers occupy Chicago factory for fifth day
By Tom Eley, 10 December 2008
The occupation of the Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago by some 250 workers entered its fifth day on Tuesday. Workers at the occupied factory expressed anger toward both Republic and Bank of America. They are painfully aware of and angry over the stark contradiction between the bailout of Wall Street and the mounting layoffs and deepening impoverishment facing working people.
Republic Windows and Doors workers speak on their struggle
By Tom Eley, 10 December 2008
A team of World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke with workers at Republic Windows and Doors.
Video: WSWS report on Chicago factory occupation
10 December 2008
Workers and some of their supporters at the occupied Republic Windows and Doors factory spoke with a team of reporters from the World Socialist Web Site.
White House, Congress close to bailout deal
“Car Czar” to slash wages, jobs of US autoworkers
By Jerry White, 10 December 2008
The White House and Congress are reportedly close to a deal to provide a $15 billion bridge loan to General Motors and Chrysler that would establish the framework for shrinking the US auto industry and sharply cutting the wages, health benefits and pensions of autoworkers.
Protests and riots in Greece precipitate political crisis
By Stefan Steinberg, 10 December 2008
Demonstrations and protests continued in a series of Greek cities for a fourth day on Tuesday, in the wake of the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy by police in Athens last weekend.
A great step forward
9 December 2008
The occupation of Republic Windows and Doors by 250 workers in Chicago, Illinois is an important step forward and one that deserves the full support of the working class throughout the country and internationally.
Download as a PDF leaflet in English and Español
Chicago workers occupy plant set to close
By Clement Daly, Kristina Betinis and Alexander Fangmann, 8 December 2008
In a sign of the mounting social tensions building up in the United States, about 200 recently laid-off workers at Republic Windows and Doors, a Chicago window manufacturer, have occupied their factory.
Michigan GM worker answers attack by New York Times columnist
By Jerry White, 27 November 2008
On Tuesday, November 18, the New York Times published an article by one of its leading business columnists, Andrew Ross Sorkin, which places the blame for the downfall of General Motors on the supposedly “gold-plated” and “off-the-charts” wages and benefits of auto workers.
The WSWS spoke to GM worker Kandy O’Neill, inviting her to respond to the column, which criticized her for insisting that auto workers should not be forced to pay for the crisis in the industry.
Video: Kandy O’Neill speaks to the WSWS
Germany: Jobs and wages cut at Opel
By Dietmar Henning, 5 December 2008
General Motors’ crisis in the US and the collapse of car sales in Europe are threatening Opel workers in Bochum with the closure of their factory.
Opel workers in Germany: “Nobody knows what will happen next”
By our correspondents, 5 December 2008
A WSWS reporting team spoke with a number of Opel workers who aired their dissatisfaction with developments in the plant.
Boeing: Professional workers vote to accept contract
By Hector Cordon, 3 December 2008
Professional workers at Boeing ratified two new contracts Monday night. The new contract is a betrayal of the engineers’ and technicians’ legitimate demands.
Czech trade unions support mass redundancies in the auto industry
By Markus Salzmann, November 29, 2008
A wave of redundancies is sweeping the Czech auto industry and the biggest Czech trade unions are working hand in hand with company managements to implement dismissals.
