April 2011 - Centre for Civil Society - University of KwaZulu-Natal

the Wisconsin capital, Madison, 70,000 people marched against the
Republican governor’s attempt to end collective bargaining, in what is
probably the most important US class struggle since the 1930s.
Revolution is still in the air and throughout the most visionary television
network has been Al Jazeera. Its director general Wadah Khanfar had an
easy explanation for the network’s repeated scoops: “When opinions crowd
and confusion prevails, set your sight on the route taken by the masses, for
that is where the future lies.”
links.org.au/node/2190
(Patrick Bond is co-editor of the new Africa World Press book Zuma’s Own
Goal.)
Greece 8th general strike against austerity cuts
Economic, social and political situation becoming explosive
Edited translations of articles from the website of Xekinima (CWI Greece) 1
March 2011
This Wednesday’s twenty-four hour general strike in Greece, the eighth
general strike since January 2010 protesting against the Pasok
government’s austerity measures, was also one of the biggest. Small shop
owners overwhelmingly joined the protests on 23 February, which saw
Greek society paralysed. Public transport, docks, telecommunications and
the electricity industry were amongst those sectors at a complete
standstill.
A workers’ demonstration in Athens on the same day, attracted at least
100,000 people (according to Reuters) one of the largest since last May’s
general strike. It was a lively and angry event. Rioting at the end, involving
police and some anarchistic youth, was often the only aspect of the day’s
magnificent display of workers’ power that the international media
decided to report.
The Pasok government has carried out four waves of austerity attacks
against the working class as the price of getting a huge financial bail-out
agreed with the IMF and EU, last May. But the economic crisis continues
and deepens. Gross Domestic Product fell by 6% in the last quarter of 2010.
Industrial upheaval and mass non-pay movement
Industrial action by public transport workers has continued for the last
three months, since the Pasok government cut their wages and went
through with a privatisation bill in parliament. The Pasok-dominated
leadership of the public sector unions are coming under huge pressure
from public sector rank and file workers who are furious at the attacks
launched against them by the government.
This is taking place at the same time as a developing mass non-payment
campaign, involving not only youth but also older workers, in opposition to
a big rise in road tolls and public transport ticket costs. In response, the
government passed a law introducing big fines and even imprisonment for
non-payers. But the scale of the non payment movement means that, so
far, the authorities have not been able to impose these sanctions.
Supporters of Xekinima (CWI in Greece) participated from the start in the