energy

News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in the energy sector around the world.

Long lost wildcat strikes in the UK, 1960s - 1990s

Rubbish piles up during the winter of discontent

Interesting article with snippets of analysis and often personal anecdotes about a number of unofficial strikes in the UK since the 1960s.

An introduction…

The Ecological Challenge: Three Revolutions are Necessary

With a planetary ecological crisis on hand, it can no longer be denied that socialism will be incompatible with mass production and mass consumption. Indeed, even without returning to Malthusian catastrophe theories, we are forced to admit that the planet’s resources are not inexhaustible. These resources could provide for humanity’s needs, but only if they are used in a reasonable and rational way, i.e., in a manner directly opposed to capitalist logic, which in itself is a source of imbalance.

The Ecological Challenge: Three Revolutions are Necessary
by Alternative Libertaire

France: Areva strikers issued with summonses

31 striking workers have been issued with summonses for 'restricting the freedom to work'

80 of the 89 workers at the Montrouge site have been on strike since January 10th over plans to close the factory down. Workers have also occupied and blockaded the buildings in protest. There has been no explanation of why the 31 employees targetted were chosen.

France: More workers join strikes

Hundreds of thousands of health workers, civil servants, printers postal workers and air traffic controllers yesterday joined transport and energy strikes over pensions and pay.

Thousands joined street protests in Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg, Marseille, Grenoble, Lyon and other cities.

The 24 hour strike left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers.

The BBC reported that the French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffered delays and cancellations.

France: Transport and energy strikes begin

Workers fighting to defend their pension rights have launched a second strike.

This time the strike is reconductible, meaning that although it is not an unlimited strike it is renewable on a daily basis. The strike warning given by the unions was for a strike beginning from 8pm on Tuesday.

France: Rail, gas and electricity workers prepare to strike

Workers have decided to build on last month's one-day strike and have called for strike action on Wednesday.

Although EDF (Électricité de France) and GDF (Gaz de France) workers have only given official notice of a one-day strike, during the last strikes wildcats and general assemblies meant that the strike largely held the following day.

Peru: National mining strike to start on Monday

Peru's biggest federation of mining unions said workers will go on strike nationwide starting on Monday despite efforts by the government to avert the walkout, officials said on Sunday.

It would be the second nationwide strike this year in Peru, the world's third-largest producer of copper and zinc, and fifth-largest producer of gold. A strike in May, which was halted after five days, pushed up global metals prices.

"Mine workers will go on strike tomorrow (Monday)," said Julio Ortiz, a director of the federation.

1934: The Asturias Revolt

An account of the 1934 uprising by Asturian miners in Spain. Beginning as part of a nationwide general strike, the revolt grew into one of the most widespread rebellions of the pre-revolution era.

The 1933 elections in Spain had seen a massive victory delivered to the right, represented by the Confederación Española de Derechas Autónomas (CEDA), a coalition of largely Catholic conservative groups and Monarchists. Led by José María Gil-Robles, the CEDA soon allied itself with the close runner up of the elections, the Radical Republican Party, led by Alejandro Lerroux.

300-strong wildcat in Milford Haven ends

300 workers walked out in support of Omar Mohamed (pictured)

Workers at South Hook LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) have gone back to work following a 26-hour stoppage in support of a colleague who claims to have suffered from racial abuse on site.

The Western Telegraph reports:

Three hundred men working for Shaw stopped working at 10 am on Thursday, and marched on the offices of main contractors Chicago Bridge and Iron. The men came out in support of fellow worker, Omar Mohamed, who alleges that he has suffered racial harassment from workers from another company sub contracting to CB&I.

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