4 Novembre, movimento e lavoro finalmente uniti
4 Novembre, movimento e lavoro finalmente uniti.
In tanti, e tante volte, abbiamo provato a far vivere nel movimento dei movimenti il tema della precarietà, affermando che il progressivo attacco ai diritti sociali e del lavoro rappresentasse la frontiera più avanzata delle politiche neoliberiste che volevamo combattere. Non a caso, dicevamo, le giornate del luglio genovese erano state precedute dallo sciopero «separato» della Fiom che metteva al centro della battaglia sul contratto proprio il tema della precarietà. Eppure questo ragionamento ha faticato ad entrare nel dna del popolo «altermondialista», spesso (e non sempre a torto) sospettoso nei confronti della «pesantezza» delle dinamiche «sindacali». Ma i suoi germi hanno portato molti di noi ad essere davanti ai cancelli della Fiat, da Termini Imerese a Cassino, insieme ai lavoratori che si battevano contro la cassaintegrazione, o con gli autoferrotranvieri che bloccavano i depositi chiedendo il rispetto del contratto, o ancora nella campagna referendaria per l'estensione dell'articolo 18, convinti che solo estendendo un diritto lo si difenda, ma che solo difendendo quelli acquisiti si possa crearne di nuovi. Anche da tutto questo nasce, oggi, il percorso che ci ha portato all'assemblea di luglio al Brancaccio, e che ci porterà, speriamo in tanti, il 4 novembre in piazza dietro lo slogan «Stop precarietà ora!» La forza del 4 risiede nella capacità di mettere in rete esperienze diverse, sindacati e associazioni, collettivi studenteschi e reti migranti... cogliendo la necessità di sferrare un attacco «coordinato e continuativo» alla precarietà, offrendo una sponda nazionale alle miriadi di lotte e vertenze che si sviluppano nei luoghi di lavoro e nei territori, ma anche nella «esigibilità» delle rivendicazioni contenute nella piattaforma, a partire dalla richiesta chiara e non aggirabile di abrogazione delle tre «leggi vergogna» del governo Berlusconi (la 30 e Bossi-Fini, la riforma Moratti). E' evidente, quindi - pena il nascondere la testa sotto la sabbia, come gli struzzi - che la manifestazione del 4 è tutta dentro la fase politica attuale e lo scontro sulla prima finanziaria Prodi. Chi sarà in piazza per l'abrogazione della legge 30 non potrà certo condividere le affermazioni del ministro Damiano che continua a prospettarne solo parziali «correttivi», non potrà gioire del «salvataggio» che l'articolo 178 offre ad aziende come Atesia nell'emersione del lavoro falsamente autonomo, né dell'aumento dei contributi previdenziali per i lavoratori autonomi che rischia di essere scaricato per intero sui salari; chi sarà in piazza per l'abrogazione delle leggi Moratti e l'assunzione dei precari della scuola e del pubblico impiego non sarà certo contento degli ennesimi tagli annunciati all'istruzione pubblica, del tetto del 40 % per la stabilizzazione dei precari del pubblico impiego, e del saldo negativo tra le assunzioni annunciate e i pensionamenti previsti, né potrà sostenere l'ennesimo aumento di finanziamenti alle scuole private; chi, infine, sarà in piazza per l'abrogazione della legge Bossi-Fini non potrà che condannare la volontà del ministro Amato di mantenere in vita i Cpt, né la timidezza con cui il governo affronta il tema dei diritti dei migranti. Per tutti questi motivi, quindi, il 4 sarà il primo passaggio di una battaglia lunga, che potrà vivere solo se saprà sviluppare l'autonomia e la radicalità necessarie alla costruzione del conflitto. Il successo del 4 misurerà anche la possibilità di mantenere aperto lo spazio dei movimenti nella nuova fase, fuggendo la tentazione della delega alla politica istituzionale e dell'illusione del governo amico.
ELEZIONI RSU ALLA FICOMIRRORS DI BENEVENTO (EX. MAGNETI MARELLI)
FLMUniti CUB BENEVENTO (Federazione Lavoratori Metalmeccanici Uniti) Via Annunziata 127 Comunicato stampa “Grande successo della FLMUniti CUB” Si sono svolte preso la Società FICOMIRRORS SpA di Morcone (BN) (ex. Magneti Marelli) le votazioni per le elezioni della RSU. Un gran successo da parte della FLMUniti CUB che si presentava per la prima volta in questa società metalmeccanica che è la più grande di Benevento e Provincia. Nonostante tutte le difficoltà iniziali, la nostra sigla sindacale è risultata la prima eletta. I lavoratori, con la loro scelta hanno votato per le nostre proposte, che sono semplice ma tutte dalla parte degli operai e sopratutto nel rispetto dei diritti sindacali, cosa che per anni qui non si è mai verificata. Alla FLMUniti CUB il 62% dei voti con 1 RSU eletta. Alla FIOM Cgil il 23%dei voti con 1 RSU eletta. Alla FIM Cisl il 12% dei voti con 1 RSU eletta. Alla UILM Uil il 03% dei voti con 0 RSU eletta. Dalla grafica si evince come il sistema per l’elezione della RSU, voluta da Cgil-Cisl-Uil e Confindustria non sia per niente democratico, grazie al “pizzo” di 1/3 della RSU, aspettante alla sigle sindacali confederali firmatarie di Ccnl, la quale consegna sempre una maggioranza che non è espressione della volontà dei lavoratori. Benevento 21/10/06 Il Coordinatore Provinciale Marcelo Amendola
Shell Oil is trying to steal local peoples land. Shell dumping Toxic Waste into ocean. Other unsafe and dangerous practices. Stop the Butchers from stealing our land and our resources.
Shell Oil and Statoil are planning to: Take land from local residents and build a high pressure gas pipeline that will go past their houses: The pressure inside the pipeline will be up to four times greater than that of the biggest Bord Gais pipelines. The pipeline will be going through boggy land with a history of landslides. CONSTRUCT A GAS REFINERY ON UNSTABLE BOG: This construction will be using previously untried methods to stabilise the bog surface and involve a massive amount of traffic. Emissions from the refinery will affect the nearby Carrowmore Lake, source of the regional water supply. PUMP TOXIC WASTE INTO BROADHAVEN BAY: A U.C.C. research team found that Broadhaven Bay was an important breading and rearing area for dolphins and whales. They recorded over 220 sightings of seven whale and dolphin species, plus sightings of two seal species, in Broadhaven Bay and north-west Mayo waters. The government is giving them our gas for practically nothing and then we will have to buy it back: From 1975 for oil and gas companies there was a tax rate of 50%, an automatic 50% state stake in any commercial well, and royalties of 6 %– 7%. In 1987, after lobbying by the companies, Ray Burke got rid of the 50% state stake and removed royalties. In 1992 after further lobbying Bobby Molloy reduced the tax rate to 25% and 100% tax write offs were introduced, meaning that the companies can subtract their costs from their tax bill. In other places in Europe the state take can be 55% or even 79% of a field. Shell have been given permission by the High Court to start work on the on land parts of the pipeline in about a months time, construction is due to start on the landfall, where the off-shore pipeline hits the beach, on May 31st. Help the local people to stop Shell! Who Pays the Piper? On a side note this issue totally demonstrates the importance of the independence of Indymedia. Tony O’Reilly, owner of the Belfast Telegraph, the London and Dublin Independents, the Sunday Independent (Ireland), the Independent on Sunday (England), the Sunday World, The Star, The Evening Herald, some of the Sunday Tribune, various local weeklies including The Kerryman and the Drogheda Independent, as well as other media internationally, also owns Providence Resources. Providence Resources are an oil and gas exploration company with interests in potential fields off the south and west coasts of Ireland. There is the possibility that what is happening in Erris, Mayo, will only be the first instance of corporations cutting corners at the expense of the environment and local communities as they exploit the potential oil and gas reserves off the coast, particularly the west coast, of Ireland. More background THE PIPELINE: This is an unprecedented development, normally up stream pipelines of untreated gas do not go over land. The gas pipeline also has adjoining pipelines carrying hydraulic fluid, cleansing acids, and a waste pipe. There will also be electric cables. This is a high pressure pipeline, 345 bar pressure for the gas, 610 bar pressure for the acids and hydraulic fluid. It is untreated, that is, odourless, without the added smell for detecting leaks. This is not the normal run of the mill gas pipeline. In Kinsale the gas is refined at sea, piped ashore at a much lower pressure and odorised. The biggest Bord Gais pipelines, in the so-called Transmission network, bringing the gas cross-country or overseas, run at 16 – 70 bar pressure. This development is so unprecedented the relevant legislation and regulations assumes its non-existence, that is, it applies to off shore upstream pipelines and to on land ones of around the levels of pressure used by Bord Gais. The large pressure is necessary as the pipeline is actually pumping the gas straight out of the field, normally this process takes place completely at sea. This pipeline will pass by peoples’ houses and by villages. It is being built through a bog where there have been landslides. CARROWMORE LAKE: This is the source of the regional water supply, and is protected as a Natura 2000 site under the E.U. habitats directive; it is also on the United Nations list of protected conservation areas. It has already been degraded due to Shell related civil engineering, with a marked decline in fishing and the arrival of algae bloom. It will be on the receiving end of emissions from the proposed refinery at Ballinaboy. BROADHAVEN BAY: Into Broadhaven Bay will be pumped the waste from the refinery, including lead, nickel, magnesium, phosphorus, chromium, arsenic, mercury and the radioactive gas radon, due to the bay’s circular tidal pattern and semi-enclosed nature a large portion of this toxic waste is likely to stay within the bay rather than be washed out to sea. Broadhaven Bay is a Special Area of Conservation under E.U. regulations; it also provides livelihoods to local communities through fishing. According to state heritage agency An Duchas “Broadhaven Bay supports an internationally important number of Brent Geese” as well as regionally important populations of other birds. The Environmental Impact Statement made to the Department of the Marine by Shell as part of the process to gain a licence for off-shore work claimed there was 'no evidence that Broadhaven Bay is of particular importance to cetaceans (whales and dolphins)'. Against this the Irish Whale and Dolphin group pointed out the historic and anecdotal evidence to the contrary, which is sightings by fishermen and the former presence in the area of major whaling stations. However it now turns out that Shell commissioned a study by University College Cork's Coastal and Marine Resources Centre which found the exact opposite from the claim Shell made in its environmental impact statement. Shell neglected to mention the study, though the lack of concrete data on whales and dolphins in their statement was criticised by the departmentof Marine. The U.C.C. research team recorded over 220 sightings of seven whale and dolphin species, plus sightings of two seal species and marine mammals such as basking sharks and a sea turtle in Broadhaven Bay and north-west Mayo waters. This including sightings of the relatively rare Risso’s Dolphin. It found that Broadhaven Bay was an important breading and rearing area for dolphins and whales. The pipeline is to go straight through the machair sand dunes/coastal grasslands at one end of Broadhaven Bay. These are habitat unique to the north west of Ireland and the north west of Scotland. THE REFINERY: The cleaning terminal, a large combustion plant, is a huge project. It will require in excess of 120 MW power to operate. The power will come from burning off the uncleaned gas condensate, full of chemical nasties, such as oxides of carbon and nitrogen, sulphur dioxide, methane and ozone. There are nine chimneys, four of them approximately 140 feet high. They will release carbon dioxide and methane equivalent to the global warming potential of 27,000 dairy cows. The Environmental Impact Study (EIS) from Enterprise Energy Ireland (EEI) notes two houses within a 2 km radius of the station. In fact, there are 16 houses. The waste water problem is twofold. There is a pipe to take waste impurities to sea and a perforated perimeter ditch which will surround the drainage from the site. The waste water storage sump is designed to withstand one hour continuous rainfall, though Crossmolina had 106 days consecutive rainfall last autumn. The overflow will flow into Carrowmore Lake, which feeds the water supply of Erris. This untreated waste water will contain many lethal substances, including lead, nickel, magnesium, phosphorus, chromium, arsenic, mercury and the radioactive gas radon. Both the refinery and the pipeline are to be constructed on unstable bog land, Shell’s plan to stabilise this involves mixing in cement to form a hard surface. This process has only ever had small field trials and lab tests and creates a reaction which produces the very toxic hexavalent chromium. THE DEAL: From 1975 for oil and gas companies there was a tax rate of 50%, an automatic 50% state stake in any commercial well, and royalties of 6 %– 7%. In 1987, after lobbying by the companies, Ray Burke got rid of the 50% state stake and removed royalties. In 1992 after further lobbying Bobby Molloy reduced the tax rate to 25% and 100% tax write offs were introduced, meaning that the companies can subtract their costs from their tax bill. In 1996 the licence for the Corrib Gas field was granted to Enterprise Energy Ireland a subsidiary of Enterprise Oil, which has since been bought out, in 2002, by Shell, and the consortium also includes Statoil and Marathon Oil. Enterprise Oil held major fundraising events for Fianna Fail at the Galway Races in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. Other companies involved are also major Fianna Fail donators. Then Minister Frank Fahey granted them innumerable licenses before the planning procedures were over, and gave them 400 plus acres of Coilte land. Bertie Ahern has had meetings with Shell on this issue. The deal is the pipelines after the refinery, running to Dublin and Scotland, will be constructed by the state, that is, Bord Gais, while a good deal of infrastructure, new roads and bridges is already being built by the state, i.e. Mayo County Council. Some of the gas, that which is not exported, will then be purchased back by the state. These companies have a track record of not employing Irish rig workers. According to Mike Cunningham, a former director of Statoil Exploration (Ireland): “No other country in the world has given such favourable terms as Ireland.” In other places in Europe the state take can be 55% or even 79% of a field. Window of Opportunity: In the High Court , in Shell’s case against some of the small farmers upon whose land Shell’s development is to go, Hanratty, barrister for Shell, made the case that they needed injunction proceedings to be dealt with as quickly as possible. Claiming that they have a “window of opportunity” for construction between April and October of this year, and that if the project was delayed until late June there was a “real possibility that it would not be completed in that construction season” and hence would be delayed until next year. He argued that was a real “urgency” to this, that it is “imperative” that this does not happen, lest there be “enormous additional costs.” Construction Dates: Landfall construction of the Pipeline, that is, building at the beach in Broadhaven bay where the pipe comes on shore, is due to commence on the 31st of May 05 and run to the 8 of November 2005. The installation of the pipeline across country was to begin on the 25th of February, of course it hasn’t. Construction of pipeline estuary and river crossings is due to start on the 15th of August and finish on the 30th of September. Construction of the Refinery is due to commence on the 29th of August 2005 and finish on the 14 December 2006. The important thing to remember is Shell had initially planned to have the whole project up and running, finished, completed, built and pumping gas, last year, but have faced considerable delays in the planning appeals process. They claim they will lose 25,000 euro a day, every day, that the construction is delayed for after the 1st of June. Should they be delayed into next year this will cost them a remobilisation fee of 2.5 million euro. There are big bucks involved in this too, in July 2002 Shell had to cancel their hiring of the Solitare, a pipe laying ship, due to a delay provoked by an An Bord Plenala request for further information, and this cancellation resulted in Shell getting hit with a 31 million sterling breach of contract claim. GLOBAL WARMING DESTROYS WINE INDUSTRY http://hamilton.indymedia.org/newswire/display/753/index.php Per the Sustainable Industries Journal, the Pentagon has blocked the construction of 16 Wind Energy sites in the USA. The military claims the Wind Farms are a threat to national security. Maybe the Wind Farms are a threat to Big Oil and Big Coal? WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com FLIM: ExxonMobil Expose and OIL SPILLS http://www.worldoutofbalance.org http://www.betterworldlinks.org/book56w.htm http://www.commondreams.org/headlines01/1105-04.htm http://www.greenpointvexxon.com http://whyfiles.org/168oil_spill/index.html http://www.loe.org/series/exxon/lessons.htm http://environment.about.com/b/a/256786.htm http://www.jomiller.com/exxonvaldez/ book: Extreme Conditions, Big Oil and the Transformation of Alaska; author: John Strohmeyer Protect your business from the Oil Pirates and Robber Barons. Stop the Bush Oil Barbarians from Ravishing your Family and community's financial budgets. Do not allow your congressman to be George Bush's Lap Dog. Halt the incestuous relationship of sleazy politicians in bed with Big Oil. Do not bend over. Stop Big Oil and Big Coal from Molesting you and your children. Tell Big Oil and King Bush - We want our democracy back. Bush@Enron~Bankruptcy.com http://www.seia.org http://www.awea.org http://istanbul.indymedia.org/news/2006/09/145767.php http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25381 http://english-cyprus.indymedia.org/newswire/display/251/index.php http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=en&article_id=570479 Solar Home Tours and Links http://milwaukee.indymedia.org/en/2006/07/205706.shtml http://www.phillyimc.org/en/2006/07/25901.shtml http://rogueimc.org/en/2006/07/6867.shtml ------------------- With the introduction of the Strategic Infrastructure Bill and the reverses in democratic participation that it embodies, the legislative framework for such a state is already partially in place. In this context, where Shell to Sea will go, other peaceful and democratic objections will follow: heavy-handed policing backed up by complicit media coverage whose aim is to invert the truth of what is happening. If this goes unchallenged, all we will be left with is the danger and the pollution, the despoliation of some of the most beautiful parts of the country and a handful of smug, newly made millionaires. A prominent member of the Shell to Sea campaign has said he believes intelligence files are being gathered on behalf of Shell in respect of anyone who challenges the current Corrib Gas project. It is also believed that many phones are being tapped. A number of people have been told directly by the Gardai that they are being watched and one man has been told that his ‘number is up’. Garda cars have been parked outside the homes of some of the protestors for hours at a time. One protestor has been told by his employer that if he does not give it up, his job is on the line. Journalists – in both national and local papers - who have been prepared to write accurate accounts of what is happening have been leaned on to stop. Again’ it is not news but worth remembering that the smearing of Frank Connolly by Minister McDowell under cover of Dail privilege followed directly from the publication of his Centre for Public Inquiry’s publication of a damning report on the safety of this same project. It was alleged that Connolly had travelled on a false passport to Columbia in support of illegal IRA activity although no charges have ever been brought against him. Nevertheless, the philanthropist who was funding the CPI withdrew his support following a private audience with Bertie Ahern. These undemocratic methods of suppressing information and silencing objection are becoming increasingly blatant in Ireland and it is time, surely, for the Irish people to signal that they are no longer willing to submit to this treatment. The issue is not just about the Corrib gas field, it is about all of the oil and gas finds off the west coast and the manner in which these finds will be got ashore. It is imperative that the foreign corporates involved are made to conduct their drilling and extraction in a way that will not damage significant parts of the west coast. Bear in mind that none of these companies would be allowed to do to the coast of the USA what they are being encouraged to do by our present government in Ireland. The Dunquin field alone, the licence for which was recently sold at a huge profit by Sir Anthony O’ Reilly to Exxon Mobil, is estimated to be worth Euro 500billion, of which he retains a 16% share – an accrual of personal wealth which dwarfs his entire business empire to date. The northern tip of the Slyne field – well number 27/5-1, is thought to be the most lucrative find of all – a massive oil field lies there said to be worth trillions. How is all this to be got ashore? The Shell to Sea campaign is not about preventing the mining of gas in the Corrib field, it is about ensuring that it is done safely at sea so as neither to put the local community in danger nor to damage the countryside. This will cost Shell more, but only a fraction of the profit which would be made and the same principle needs to be applied to all of the other projects off our coastline. It has also been alleged that the reason exploration licences were issued on such disadvantageous terms is that the fields off the west coast are difficult and dangerous to drill. Not so. In comparison to drilling taking place in the Shenzi field off the Louisiana coast, to give just one example, where the ocean goes to a depth of 7K feet and the well itself to a depth of 27K feet - drilling in the Corrib field, where the sea is just 200 meters deep, is the industry equivalent of ‘taking sand off a beach with a spade’. One Statoil representative has admitted, at an EPA oral hearing, that there is no technical difficulty or obstacle involved in mining the fields – the geological environment poses no problem beyond what is entirely normal. And yet extreme technical difficulty is the reason cited for the undoing of established state policy which would have secured a 40/60 split between the Irish state and the drilling companies, respectively. The scale of the mismanagement involved might be partly explained by the fact that the Irish government appointed as its adviser a Mr David Fox, a man whose day job was advising exploration companies on how to secure the best possible terms from governments. As conflicts of interest go, this one is a real stinker. To this very day, no cost-benefit analysis for the state has been done by the Irish government for any of these multi-billion dollar projects. In planning to push the commencement of building of the refinery through, it’s clear that a strategy had been devised in advance to intimidate the objectors and to ensure that media coverage was sympathetic to the commercial interests involved. Shell had lost the argument and were looking nasty having sent five people to jail. The hostile and inaccurate reporting from most of the media which accompanied the Garda action is hardly a coincidence. RTE coverage has been strikingly biased at times. For example, coverage of the press conference at Bellanaboy last Monday, at which five elected TDs were intimidated at close quarters by Garda filming – even while being filmed themselves by our national broadcaster – was atrociously unrepresentative of the actual event. The shocking revelation by a local business man that he had been offered 15K Euro to support the Shell project and told that nobody would have to know anything about it, should have been at the top of the RTE news coverage and front page headline news in every national newspaper the following day. Instead it has passed by with barely a murmur. Ciaran Murphy, a former army officer and member of the Air Corp, stressed that this was the means by which Shell were attempting to divide the local community – with secret bribes. What additional pressures will have been brought to bear on the media? It is highly unlikely that Shell have been idle in that direction - or are the likes of Paul Williams only too pleased to prostitute themselves to foreign corporates at the expense of his fellow Irish citizens? Kevin Myers has long since descended into a complete parody of the ranting buffoon that he is, but he excelled even himself in recommending a baton charge in Bellanaboy. And what, as ever, about the newspapers owned by Sir Anthony? ‘Independent’? Hardly, as we are all so weary from pointing out. Aware perhaps of the damage that Ciaran Murphy’s testimony could do to their scheme, Minister Noel Dempsey went about some negative spinning later that day to the effect that the Shell to Sea campaign had proved more difficult to bring to mediation than Gerry Adams and Ian Paisely – a distortion of the truth and a comparison that seems calculated to resonate with the past violence of the Northern Irish situation. In fact, this appears to be the favoured smearing theme of the Shell/government agenda. Shell to Sea have also been accused of being hijacked by Provo sympathisers – a completely unfounded accusation. Shell to Sea have met seven times with the government appointed mediator, Mr Cassells, despite their misgivings about the severely limited terms of that mediation. The central safety concerns have not been adequately addressed – despite the claims of government and Shell to the contrary and the relatively minor concessions that they were forced to make previously. This tactic of offering essentially false mediation in these situations is a well-worn one, whose only objective is to paint the objectors into a corner where they appear unreasonable. Now we have also heard from Minister Dempsey that he and others have received death threats. Frankly, that claim is simply not credible if it is being suggested that Shell to Sea are responsible. The only violence in this situation has been the violence dealt to the protestors – not the other way around. At one of the regular Shell to Sea meetings held last Sunday night it was a striking experience to witness how composed and constructive local people were in the face of the physical and media violence that is now being done to them and their community. They are adamant that they will do nothing to discredit themselves and are understandably offended at what Shell and the government are now doing and also at how they are being portrayed in the media. Will Shell to Sea in Mayo re-invigorate the democratic process or will it be the death knell of all future civil involvement in the management of our natural resources and amenities? The exploration and other companies have only one simple point to take on board: that they must conduct their business without endangering or destroying local communities. They have simply to invest what would be a tiny fraction of their profit (even at a couple of billion dollars) to secure the harmonious outcome that Shell to Sea and the people of County Mayo are anxious to see. If our government have conducted themselves foolishly in this matter, let the people of Ireland show these circling corporate sharks that we will be treated with the respect we deserve, after all. ------------------- POLITICS OF OIL AND MONEY Another sub-title for this article could well be "a study in state monopoly capitalism." A book of the author, Dan Briody, focused on the Carlyle Group, the spectacularly well-heeled firm that includes former President George H.W. Bush, his crony James Baker and a veritable rogues’ gallery of washed-up politicians and businessmen of questionable integrity who blatantly trade upon their inside knowledge of government for private gain in yet another textbook example of state monopoly capitalism. Yet, their money-grubbing pales in comparison – and chutzpah – to Halliburton, a firm formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, a firm that is frequently in the headlines in light of the lucrative contracts they have been awarded by Cheney’s government in the theater of war that is Iraq. The story begins in Texas where a predecessor firm of Halliburton, Brown & Root, was catapulted into prominence – and obscene profitability - because of a tight relationship with former Senator, then Vice President and President, Lyndon B. Johnson. Large scale construction and oil services were the two pillars on which this giant company was built. Routinely the government handed out handsome "cost plus" contracts, e.g. building the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, to this corporation. "Cost plus" means that the contractor could recoup all expenses plus a guaranteed profit based on a pre-negotiated percentage. This eliminates risk for the contractor and erodes the necessity to eliminate wasteful billing which, says the author, is "great for the contractor, not so great for the taxpayer." "Basically, it’s a blank check from the government….when your profit is a percentage of the cost, the more you spend, the more you make." Brown & Root reaped a bonanza of wasteful contracts during the war in Vietnam, which – coincidentally – Johnson prosecuted as vigorously as Cheney has done in Iraq. By 1967 this firm was the largest employer in South Vietnam. Yet even then there was an obvious downside to relying so heavily upon the private sector to perform the clear government function of waging war: motivated by the lust for profit their employees were "manipulating currency and selling goods on the black market," among other transgressions. Johnson was so helpful to this company that the author argues that actually he was "working for Brown & Root, not the people of his district or the state." Something similar used to be said about another leading Democratic Party politician, the late Henry "Scoop" Jackson of Washington, who was referred to as the "Senator from Boeing." Obviously today we are in dire need of deeper examinations of the ramified ties between various sectors of state monopoly capitalism and leading political figures and parties, along the lines of the work at hand. Brown & Root was also viciously anti-union. At one time, for example, progressive formations e.g. the National Maritime Union, played a pivotal role in Texas politics but after Brown & Root and their confederates pushed through anti-union legislation in the 1940s, the political complexion of what is now the second largest state began to change to the point where it has now become a reliable Republican redoubt and, not coincidentally, the home of both the current President and Vice-President. But as profitable as it had been, when Dick Cheney left the Pentagon in the 1990s to become head of Halliburton, this company was catapulted to a new level of profitability. A staunch conservative, while a member of Congress Cheney avidly opposed imposing sanctions against apartheid South Africa while pushing aggressively for sanctions against socialist Cuba. Before leaving the Pentagon, which he headed during the administration of George H.W. Bush, he accelerated the privatization of core military functions in a way that – coincidentally – aided the company he was about to lead. "They made $109.7 million in Somalia…$6.3 million from Operation Support Hope in Rwanda…..Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti netted the company $150." Halliburton was "becoming another unit in the US Army" and reaping millions from war and misery, providing a perverse incentive for an increase in such pestilences. "From 1995 to 2000, Brown & Root" – now part of Halliburton—"billed the government for more than $2 billion in services. The company did everything from build the [military] camps to deliver the mail, with 24-hour food service and laundering. It provided firefighting services, fuel delivery, sewage construction, hazardous material disposal, and the maintenance and delivery of equipment." War in the Balkans was the "driving force" for Halliburton’s increased profitability and heightened profile. "Halliburton’s government business doubled while Cheney was CEO." Yet Cheney also left this firm with a basket of problems after he was elected Vice-President and this may have given him incentive to steer contracts in Halliburton’s direction in order to lessen the pain inflicted on his firm. He pushed through a merger with Dresser Industries, a profoundly disastrous maneuver, given the backbreaking liability for asbestos related lawsuits that this company carried. Coincidentally – that word again – Dresser was "the company that gave George H.W. Bush his first job." After Cheney left Halliburton a "grand jury investigation into over-billing and a Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC] investigation into Halliburton’s accounting practices while Cheney was CEO" ensued. That is not all. The company was accused of bribing a "Nigerian tax authority in exchange for contracts to build a liquefied natural gas plant." A French magistrate "was looking into the possibility of bringing charges against Dick Cheney for complicity in the bribery case and allegations that $243 million in secret commissions were paid from the late 1990s to 2002….the United States Justice Department and the SEC are looking into accusations that Halliburton made $180 million in illegal payments to win other contracts in Nigeria." This points up another festering problem with Halliburton. The French investigation of Cheney’s alleged malfeasance has complicated Washington’s already deteriorating relations with Paris, while Halliburton’s chicanery has contributed mightily to a culture of corruption in West Africa. After Cheney left, Halliburton stock plummeted precipitously and given the millions of stock options that he still holds, this jeopardized his own personal fortune, not to mention the fortunes of his fellow executives with whom he had become quite close. Though the author does not stress this, his study reveals a critical fault line within state monopoly capitalism. For when Halliburton began to feed ravenously at the government trough, other firms in the same business became angrily resentful, which helped to fuel congressional investigations and adverse publicity. For example, during the Reagan years, Bechtel was the government contractor of choice, as suggested by the prominent role in his administration played by two of their former executives – former Secretary of State George Schulz and former Pentagon chief, Caspar Weinberger. "The rapid rise" of Brown & Root, for example, "brought on a fit of jealousy" from their "biggest rival, Bechtel of San Francisco." Reference book: The Halliburton Agenda, The Politics of Oil and Money author: Dan Briody 2ND BOOK: OIL, THE BUSHES, AND THE RISE OF TEXAS Halliburton is of Brown & Root, a company that obtained government contracts via Lyndon B. Johnson during the New Deal. They also took most of the government contracts during the Second World War, Korean War and Vietnam War. It was all done by controlling the chairman of key Senate Committees and having their people holding key posts in the government such as Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Treasury. Not that this is common knowledge. This group of Texans (sometimes known as the Suite 8F Group) bought into Operation Mockingbird (a CIA project to control the US domestic media). However, the web has undermined this project. The key point made by Bryce and Briody is that this is really an economic issue. The politics of all this is about making money out of their ideology. It does not matter who the US is fighting, it is the spending this goes on it that is important. Global military spending is $956bn and rising. US spends 40% of this. Most is spent with companies based in Texas. In 1963 John F. Kennedy tried to deal with the Texas stranglehold over government policy. However, he underestimated the power of the Suite 8F Group. References book: Cronies: Oil, the Bushes, and the Rise of Texas; author: Dan Briody book: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man; author: John Perkins book: Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War; author: Michael Isikoff book: State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III; author: Bob Woodward book: The One Percent Doctrine; author: Ron Suskind book: The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina; author: Frank Rich --------------- stop ELECTION FRAUD, support Honest elections. http://www.verifiedvoting.org http://www.votevets.org http://mediamatters.org http://www.blackboxvoting.org http://www.investigatethevote.org http://www.votersunite.org http://www.citizensact.org http://www.solarbus.org/election/cd/test/videos.html http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Texas_redistricting_scandal state info: http://manila.indymedia.org/index.php?action=newswire&parentview=31260 http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/09/121775.php How much political campaign contributions (bribes) is your congressman receiving http://www.campaignfinance.org/states http://www.publicintegrity.org How much money (bribes) are the Republicans and their friends receiving from big companies? http://www.campaignfinance.org/states http://www.publicintegrity.org book: Heist, Superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, His Republican Allies, and the Buying of Washington author: Peter H. Stone DVD: Capitol Crimes by Bill Moyers The fall of super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff has exposed what may be one of the biggest political scandals in America's history. What does the dizzying scope of corruption say about how laws are made and who really owns the U.S. government? Bill Moyers and his team of investigative journalists untangle the web of relationships, secret deals, and political manipulation to open a disturbing window on the dark side of American politics. http://www.shopthirteen.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=47610&storeId=10552&catalogId=10101&langId=-1 OIL PRICE SURGE. Bush- not my fault. http://arkansas.indymedia.org/newswire/display/20177/index.php http://www.binghamtonpmc.org/newswire/display/46/index.php http://maineindymedia.org/newswire/display/4406/index.php Waste Not, Want Not http://pr.indymedia.org/news/2006/08/17530.php http://victoria.indymedia.org/news/2006/07/50509.php Food Banks need your help. http://hawaii.indymedia.org/news/2006/06/5894.php ARE AMERICANS IGNORANT? Intelligent Policies http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/38087/index.php http://pr.indymedia.org/news/2006/09/18295.php http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/news/2006/09/24833.php DVD: Is God Green? Millions of evangelical Christians in America have taken on care of the environment as a moral and biblical obligation. They believe that as Christians it is their duty to oppose global warming, the loss of species, and toxic chemicals in the air, food, and the water. But many of their brothers and sisters in the faith disagree with their stance - some because the perceived imminence of the End Times and the Rapture makes stewardship unnecessary. http://www.shopthirteen.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=47612&storeId=10552&catalogId=10101&langId=-1 ------------------- STOP THE BABY KILLERS Agent Orange is killing children The enduring presence of Agent Orange is just one terrible legacy of Vietnam's ill-fated war. The USA used the toxic defoliant to unmask guerrilla fighters by stripping forest cover. But children are still being born with terrible deformities. Families are denied compensation from the USA. The USA denies responsibility. Stop the baby killers ---- http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/agentorange032102.cfm http://www.studentsforbhopal.org http://www.bhopal.net/campaigns.html http://www.usvetdsp.com/agentorange.htm http://vvof.org/vvofaopg.htm http://www.agent-orange-lawsuit.com http://www.njaoc.org COMPANIES SUPPLYING AGENT ORANGE TO THE GOVERNMENT: Monsanto Company Dow Chemical Hercules Inc Diamond Shamrock Chemicals Uniroyal Thompson Chemical T-H Agriculture and Nutrition Company Note, some of the above companies (or their subsidiaries) produce drugs, toxic chemical, herbicides, insecticides and fertilizer. First, they poisons you with their Chemicals. Then, they will help you with their drugs for an exorbitant price. MONSANTO MEN in USA Government The Bush administration's could be called the Monsanto Cabinet, per Robert Cohen, author of “Milk, The Deadly Poison” which details the horrid politics behind the contamination of our nation's milk and beef supply with bovine growth hormone. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was president of Searle Pharmaceuticals, a company owned by Monsanto. Rumsfeld was also the Secretary of Defense under President Ford. Rumsfeld is believed to have earned around US$12 million from the sale of Searle to Monsanto. Attorney General John Ashcroft reportedly received $10,000 for his senatorial campaign from Monsanto in the mid 90s. Ashcroft's contribution from Monsanto was five times that of any other congressional hopeful. Ashcroft, and Sr. Bush Supreme Court appointee Clarence Thomas were instrumental in gaining Food and Drug Administation (FDA) approval for Monsanto's controversial artificial sweetener aspartame, which has been linked to over 200 ailments that include Alzheimer's disease, juvenile diabetes, depression, epileptic seizures, blindness, memory loss, excitability, weight gain, multiple sclerosis and lupus (The Idaho Observer, November, 2000). Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman was on the board of directors of Calgene Pharmaceutical, another company currently owned by Monsanto. Secretary of Health Tommy Thompson is the fourth member of the Bush cabinet to have direct ties to Monsanto. The former governor of Wisconsin designated his state as a “biotech zone” for the use of Monsanto's bovine growth hormone even though dairy farmers in his state opposed the designation by a 9-1 ratio. Thompson reportedly received $50,000 from biotech companies during his election campaign. Bovine growth hormone, which does increase the productivity of dairy cows, has also been linked to many health problems in children and adults (The Idaho Observer, November, 2000) and makes cows sick. Bovine growth hormone has been outlawed in most countries, but not the U.S. And as Cohen points out, another player in the Monsanto-studded Cabinet is Rep. Richard Pombo, who will head the Agriculture Subcommittee on Dairy, Livestock and Poultry. Pombo is also a Monsanto boy, having taken campaign money from it while stalling a 1994 bill to make labeling mandatory for milk or milk products containing Bovine Growth Hormones. Pombo helped kill the bill in committee. Monsanto also holds the patent on the “terminator gene” which prevents plants from producing viable seed so that farmers, and therefore people, will be dependent upon the multinational corporation for their food supply. Monsanto has proven to be one of the most greedy, ruthless and environmentally irreverent corporations in world history. One cannot serve the interests of Monsanto and serve the interests of people at the same time. --------------- Racketeering charges have been filed against Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, Monsanto, NutraSweet Co., the American Diabetes Association and Dr Robert Moser for distributing toxic aspartame, in a class action representing many plaintiffs, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California seeking $350 million in damages. The suit charges the defendants with manufacturing and marketing a deadly neurotoxin unfit for human consumption, while they assured the pubic that aspartame (also known as NutraSweet/Equal) contaminated products are safe and healthful, even for children and pregnant women. Present US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, is mentioned throughout the lawsuit. As evidence, an explosive affidavit from a former translator for the GD Searle company - the developer of aspartame - was made recently public and revealed the following. For 16 years, the Food and Drug Administration denied approval of aspartame because of compelling evidence of its contributing to brain tumours and other serious disabilities. Donald Rumsfeld left President Ford's administration as Chief of Staff to become the CEO of aspartame-producer GD Searle Co. in 1981. Shortly after, Rumsfeld became the CEO, and the day after President Reagan took office, aspartame was quickly approved by FDA Commissioner Arthur Hayes over the objections of the FDA's Public Board of Inquiry. Hayes had been recently appointed by the Reagan Administration. Shortly after aspartame's approval by the FDA, Hayes joined NutraSweet's public relations firm under a 10-year contract at $1,000 a day. In January 1977, the FDA wrote a 33-page letter to US Justice Department Attorney Sam Skinner: "We request that your office convene a Grand Jury investigation into apparent violations of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act." Skinner allowed the Statute of Limitations to run. Three FDA Commissioners and eight other officers and Skinner took jobs in the aspartame industry shortly after it was approved. The FDA once listed 92 adverse reactions from 10,000 consumer complaints and would send the list to all inquirers. In 1996 the FDA stopped taking complaints and now denies the existence of the report. Seizures, blindness, sexual dysfunction, obesity, testicular, mammary and brain tumours and death, plus dozens of other dread diseases named in the suit, arise from the consumption of this neurotoxin. Defendant Moser, past CEO of NutraSweet, is cited for misrepresenting facts to public and commercial users with full knowledge of the deceptions. Aspartame/Nutrasweet is sold to Bayer, Con Agra Foods, Dannon, Smucker, Kellogg, Wrigley, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods (Crystal Light), Conopco (Slim-Fast), Coke, Pfizer, Wal-Mart and Wyeth (to name a few), who use it in some of their products, including children's vitamins. These entities are named in other suits now in Californian courts. Defendant American Diabetes Association is meant to care for diabetics. A 35-year ADA member, diabetic specialist HJ Roberts, MD, FACP, discovered aspartame can precipitate or aggravate diabetes and its complications, or simulate the complications (especially neuropathy and retinopathy). His report, intended for the Annual Scientific Meeting of the ADA, was rejected for presentation - and even publication of the abstract - but was later published in another medical journal. DIET SOFT DRINK POISING http://www.bibleplus.org/health/ms_lupus.htm http://www.organicconsumers.org/BTC/cocacola082405.cfm http://www.killercoke.org MONSANTO ATTACKS FARMERS http://www.percyschmeiser.com http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/seedsaving031405.cfm http://manila.indymedia.org/?action=newswire&parentview=3763 http://www.seedsofdeception.com JUST SAY NO TO THE EVIL DRUG EMPIRE http://ritalindeath.com http://www.organicconsumer.org/epa6.cfm Health Crusader Journal; http://www.healthliesexposed.com Well Being Journal; http://wellbeingjournal.com book: Undue Risk, Secret State Experiments on Humans; author: Jonathan Moreno http://www.frankolsonproject.org/Articles/Moreno.html book: The Truth About the Drug Companies, How They Deceive Us; author: Marcia Angell http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/SearchablePages/2005Newsletters/Newsletter086E.html Please email this web page to a friend. Thank you.
Mani Sporche nasce all'indomani della pubblicazione del reportage di Fabrizio Gatti. E' un comitato spontaneo e permanente che intende documentare lo sfruttamento dei lavoratori migranti ed italiani nelle campagne della Capitanata, far pressione sulle istituzioni e gli operatori economici, smascherare l'ipocrisia degli ipocriti, raccogliere l' indignazione degli indignati e non dar pace agli indifferenti.
Nella campagne del Tavoliere la gente lavora, viene sfruttata, umiliata, spesso muore, per meno di 20 euro al giorno. Senza garanzie, senza poter guardare il faccia il proprio aguzzino. Senza poter protestare. Nell'assoluto silenzio delle istituzioni. Nell'assoluta impotenza dei sindacati. Accade da anni: immigrati ridotti in schiavitù, un mercato di esseri umani gestito da caporali, sevizie, percosse, stupri. Di questo ha scritto a settembre Fabrizio Gatti per L'Espresso. E giornalisti, politici, poliziotti, magistrati hanno replicato: "lo sapevamo". Anche gli ispettorati del lavoro e le commissioni parlamentari hanno annuito. Per tutti è sembrato più importante, nella terra dei furbi, non passare per ingenui. I nuovi schiavi sono vittime della Bossi-Fini (degna erede della Turco-Napolitano) che marchia come illegali gli immigrati, esponendoli al ricatto. Vittime di un sistema, quello agricolo, che da tempo è diventato extra-territoriale rispetto alle regole, dove prevalgono violenza e sopraffazione. Prebende pubbliche, truffe all'Unione europea, all'Inps, produzioni contraffatte. I braccianti, di qualunque provenienza e colore della pelle, sono gli anelli deboli di un sistema che per competere si regge sull'abbattimento dei costi del lavoro (già contrattualmente miserabili) e su un sistema malavitoso di controllo del mercato. Quello del pomodoro, ad esempio, è dominio incontrastato della camorra. Il pomodoro è rosso del sangue dei suoi raccoglitori. L'ha candidamente ammesso anche la stessa Coop, che garantisce e si vanta di commercializzare prodotti non ottenuti con lo sfruttamento del lavoro (salvo poi sperimentare le più vessatorie forme di flessibilità e precariato al proprio interno). Chi avesse a cuore l'eticità dei prodotti che consuma, può tranquillamente dire addio a pomodori e pizza. Ma anche all'uva e all'olio. Insomma: le schiene piegate dei braccianti subiscono scientificamente il peso del lavoro nero o grigio, dello sfruttamento, nelle sue differenti sfumature. E l'indignazione è falsa, anche agli alti livelli: mentre il governo –in controtendenza, dicono, con l'esecutivo Berlusconi- annuncia misure dure contro lo sfruttamento, le aziende agricole che per decenni hanno evaso i contributi previdenziali per le giornata lavorative dichiarate (la metà di quelle realmente fatte svolgere nel nero più totale) si sono viste regalare dal ministro De Castro un condono: sconto del 70 per cento e possibilità di rientrare del debito in 20 anni. Tra aguzzini ci si scambia regali. Anche questo lo sapevamo. Comitato permanente "Mani sporche" – Foggia Email: manisporche.info@gmail.com Sito: http://manisporche.wordpress.com Presso il Laboratorio politico "Jacob" (via Mario Pagano, 38) è disponibile il dossier.
Contro il governo Prodi, Contro la Finanziaria
ASSEMBLEA PUBBLICA NAZIONALE Sabato 28 ottobre h. 9.00 Contro il governo Prodi, Contro la Finanziaria per preparare lo sciopero generale nazionale del 17 novembre, indetto da tutti i sindacati di base contro la Finanziaria
ASSEMBLEA PUBBLICA NAZIONALE Sabato 28 ottobre h. 9.00, sede dello Slai Cobas Viale Liguria 49, Milano (MM2 Romolo) Contro il governo Prodi Contro la Finanziaria per preparare lo sciopero generale nazionale del 17 novembre, indetto da tutti i sindacati di base contro la Finanziaria, che - in continuità con quelle del governo Berlusconi continua a far pagare i costi del capitalismo ai lavoratori. Costruiamo, dal basso, un’unità di tutti i lavoratori su obiettivi che siano contro la concertazione governo – padronato – sindacati confederali, per dare vita ad un movimento di massa che rivendichi: • Forti aumenti salariali per por fine a paghe sempre più basse • La reintroduzione della rivalutazione automatica di salari e pensioni • La riduzione generalizzata della giornata lavorativa • La fine della precarizzazione con la stabilizzazione a tempo indeterminato di tutti i precari e l'abolizione del "Pacchetto Treu" e della "Legge 30" • Il ripristino della pensione pubblica (con il vecchio sistema di calcolo retributivo e diminuendo l'età per la pensione), perché non sia trasferito il TFR né ai Fondi Pensione, né all'Inps. • La democrazia nei posti di lavoro, ponendo fine al monopolio della rappresentanza ai sindacati firmatari di contratto e conferendo direttamente ai lavoratori i diritti sindacali PARTECIPATE ALL’ASSEMBLEA DEL 28 OTTOBRE SCIOPERATE IL 17 NOVEMBRE Slai Cobas Sindacato dei Lavoratori Autorganizzati Intercategoriale Sede nazionale: Viale Liguria 49, 20143 Milano, tel.fax 02/8392117, @mail: slaimilano@slaicobasmilano.org http://www.slaicobasmilano.org Sede legale: Via Masseria Crispi 4, 80038 Pomigliano d’Arco (Na), tel.fax: 081/8037023, @mail: cobasslai@fastwebnet.it http://www.slai-cobas.org
IL PRANZO di NONNO BASSOTTO VEN 27 OTT h 13.00 Pranzo sociale Libreria Sociale “Mangiacarte” Via Verginelle 13 (vicino Piazza Dante) *Raccolta fondi per la prossima apertura di una piccola biblioteca aperta a tutti *StopPrecarietàOra: Testi, Libri, Video e Parole *occasione di incontro per discutere di “Obiettivo Precario”- esposizione fotografica da realizzare nei prossimi mesi sul tema della precarietà nei suoi vari aspetti Associazione di promozione sociale “Mangiacarte” www.mangiacarte.splinder.com / librosso@yahoo.it
Martedì 24 ottobre alle 6:45 la volante antisfratto sarà di nuovo attiva in via Libia, ai civici 47 e 51 presenti nel cortile interno tra il ponte Libia ed il passaggio a livello di via Massarenti, per impedire altri sgomberi di case occupate a Bologna. Sappiamo infatti che la questura ha in programma l'ennesimo vergognoso atto militare che potrebbe lasciare senza casa famiglie, precari, migranti, studenti...insomma tutti coloro che hanno risposto al proprio disagio abitativo con la pratica dell'occupazione, riappropriandosi di ciò che spetterebbe a tutti e tutte ma viene reso inaccessibile dal mercato privato e dalla mala gestione del patrimonio immobiliare pubblico bolognese. Molte volte in questi anni come collettivi di lotta per la casa abbiamo cercato delle soluzioni a quello che è un disagio sempre più diffuso, non solo tramite la pratica dell'occupazione ma anche attraverso l'elaborazione di proposte concrete e la costruzione di percorsi collettivi per dare una risposta al bisogno di casa. Molte volte in questi anni ci siamo scontrati con la sordità della giunta capace solo di criminalizzare la figura dell'occupante, murare appartamenti vuoti spesso già ristrutturati e cercare di innescare una guerra tra poveri, occupanti e assegnatari. Troppe volte abbiamo visto questa giunta ricorrere all'intervento di camionette e manganelli contro chi abita alloggi comunali abbandonati da anni, aumentando così il numero delle case vuote e delle persone senza casa. Riteniamo che la giunta Cofferati sia la prima responsabile della disastrosa situazione abitativa di questa città e saremo sotto queste case per ribadirlo e per rifiutare il tentativo di criminalizzare chi invece da anni lotta per il diritto alla casa per tutti e tutte. Gli alloggi sono situati nel cortile interno che venendo da via Massarenti si trova sulla destra dopo l'incrocio con via Sante Vincenzi. M.ovimento A.utorganizzato O.ccupanti Passepartout Rete Universitaria
Stop precarietà, studenti insieme al corteo
Stop precarietà, studenti insieme al corteo Collettivi universitari romani* La data del 4 novembre, nata dal Social Forum di Atene e concretizzata nell'assemblea dell'8 luglio al teatro Brancaccio, è frutto di un percorso largo nato dall'esigenza di rilanciare un'opposizione alla precarietà dilagante a causa delle politiche degli ultimi governi e incarnata nelle leggi Treu/legge 30, Berlinguer-Zecchino/Moratti, Turco-Napolitano/Bossi-Fini, ma anche in una finanziaria di tagli alle spese sociali, come quella che si prospetta per quest'anno. La precarietà caratterizza la società in ogni suo aspetto e quindi anche l'università e la scuola. La precarietà per gli studenti e le studentesse non è un problema astratto, una parola d'ordine politica. Parlare di precarietà per noi significa toccare il nocciolo della nostra condizione materiale di vita in quanto studenti. Ma pensiamo che discutere di una sola precarietà sia sbagliato: per costruire davvero autorganizzazione e conflitto si deve parlare di diverse precarietà e, nel nostro caso, di precarietà studentesca. Per noi la precarietà è al tempo stesso il nostro presente e il nostro futuro. E' il nostro presente perché la dissoluzione del diritto allo studio ha portato il lavoro precario dentro la nostra vita di tutti i giorni. Le privatizzazioni e i tagli degli ultimi anni hanno portato all'insufficienza di borse di studio e case dello studente, mentre le tasse universitarie sono in continuo aumento, affitti, trasporti e libri di testo sono alle stelle e le forme di agevolazione sono assolutamente carenti. Così i lavori precari diventano per noi una condizione di sopravvivenza. In questo quadro già disastroso si prospetta una finanziaria che aumenta i finanziamenti di guerra (2 miliardi e 100 milioni di euro in più) mentre taglia ulteriormente la spesa sociale, l'università e l'istruzione. La precarietà è il nostro presente anche nei ritmi che tutti i giorni dobbiamo sostenere all'università con la frequenza obbligatoria e una didattica frammentata che ci porta a fare anche 15 esami l'anno, come per abituarci ai nuovi ritmi del lavoro; in tutto ciò siamo costrett* a lavorare gratuitamente all'università attraverso stage e tirocini e nelle scuole con l'alternanza scuola-lavoro. E' il nostro futuro perché già dalla scuola dobbiamo scegliere a 13 anni cosa fare da grandi, e perché l'università in cui viviamo è stata disegnata dalla riforma Zecchino col consapevole progetto di costruire una fabbrica di precari che, grazie ai tempi serrati e alla didattica dequalificata e specializzante, sforna futuri lavoratori e lavoratrici ricattabili. Per questo pensiamo sia importante scendere in piazza il 4 novembre come studenti e studentesse. Vogliamo fare come in Francia e partire dalla nostra condizione studentesca per rilanciare la lotta alla precarietà dalle nostre facoltà e scuole. Proponiamo quindi di costruire uno spezzone studentesco nazionale alla manifestazione «Stop precarietà ora» il 4 novembre a Roma, che metta a confronto i vari percorsi che gli studenti portano avanti nelle proprie facoltà e nelle proprie scuole. Un primo passo di avvicinamento verso la manifestazione studentesca europea del 17 novembre contro il «processo di Bologna» lanciata al social forum europeo di Atene. *La Sapienza, Tor Vergata, Roma Tre
sosteniamo la lotta dei lavoratori del teatro politeama
SOSTENIAMO LA LOTTA DEI LAVORATORI DEL TEATRO “POLITEAMA” DI CASCINA I lavoratori e le lavoratrici dipendenti dalla Fondazione che dirige il Teatro “Politeama” di Cascina hanno proclamato ormai da settimane lo stato di agitazione, con un primo sciopero (lunedì 23 ottobre). Da mesi attendono risposte rispetto alla grave crisi che da tempo investe la Fondazione. Ma gli enti fondatori (i Comuni di Cascina e S. Giuliano Terme e la Provincia di Pisa) e il Consiglio di Amministrazione (richiamato in carica dopo un lungo letargo, non si sa con quale mandato a fronteggiare i problemi nell’interesse del Teatro e di chi ci lavora) da mesi se la prendono comoda e fanno orecchi da mercante, quasi a far credere che i lavoratori siano una sorta di visionari e si divertano a inventarsi le pesanti difficoltà in cui ci si dibatte. Del resto, è questa l’immagine che in questi ultimi giorni hanno cercato di dare di loro a livello di opinione pubblica (libertà di informazione o volontà di deformazione dei fatti?). La crisi si materializza nella costante riduzione del personale, nella mancata conferma di alcuni contratti precari, nella mancata assunzione a tempo indeterminato di colleghi e colleghe che da anni lavorano al Teatro e il cui apporto è indispendabile per la gestione dell’attività, compresa quella relativa agli spettacoli. Dunque, si sta parlando di un presente problematico (tra l’altro, ormai da mesi, gli stipendi sono erogati con grossi ritardi) e di un futuro che non può non essere definito incerto. Occorre, inoltre, riflettere al fatto che la crisi del settore cultura è molto diffusa e generalizzata e riguarda non solo i lavoratori del “Politeama”, ma anche quelli di tutti gli altri Teatri presenti nella nostra provincia. Anche quelli del Teatro “Verdi” di Pisa. Mentre è importante che i cittadini di Pisa, di San Giuliano e diCascina (i quali negli anni hanno apprezzato e valorizzato la professionalità dei lavoratori del “Politeama”) riescano a farsi sentire vicini e solidali con il loro sciopero, altrettanto facciano i lavoratori degli altri Teatri, in primo luogo quelli del “Verdi” (magari, inviando messaggi di solidarietà). Sarebbe un primo momento di condivisione di una lotta che probabilmente dovrà estendersi nella provincia, non solo per la difesa, giustissima, del posto di lavoro, ma anche per impedire che si continui a sottrarre alla popolazione (come avviene da anni, in particolare col governo di destra) un’opportunità di cultura, qual è quella promossa dai Teatri. COBAS LAVORO PRIVATO CONFEDERAZIONE COBAS r.i.p., Pisa, 21.10.06 - v. S. Lorenzo 38 - tel.: 050/8312172; e-mail: confcobaspisa@alice.it
SI PROFILA LA VENDITA DELLE CASE ATER AI PRIVATI?
C'E' QUALCUNO NELLA MAGGIORANZA DI GOVERNO CHE PENSA DI VENDERE LE PROPRIETA' PUBBLICHE GESTITE DALL'ATER (EX IACP)?
PER IL MOMENTO SONO SOLO VOCI CHE PROVENGONO DA UOMINI DI UN PARTITO DI GOVERNO: MOTIVANDO CON I NUMEROSI MILIONI DI EURO DI DEBITI ACCUMULATI, ALCUNI ESPONENTI DELLA MAGGIORANZA DI GOVERNO AVANZANO L'IPOTESI DELLA VENDITA AI PRIVATI DELLE CASE POPOLARI GESTITE DALL'ATER. RICHIESTE DI PAGAMENTO AGLI INQUILINI: ECCO UN AIUTO UTILE A COLORO CHE ABITANO CASE POPOLARI O HANNO AMICI E PARENTI NELLE CASE POPOLARI. PER ANNI LO IACP HA LASCIATO GLI IMMOBILI IN CONDIZIONI DI DEGRADO E ABBANDONO. ADESSO L'ATER (EX IACP) PRETENDE I PAGAMENTI ANCHE DI REMOTE SPESE CONDOMINIALI E CANONI. LA LETTERA RACCOMANDATA DA INVIARE ALL'ATER, I VARI RIFERIMENTI E SENTENZE PUBBLICATE SUL SITO http://www.ciardullidomenico.it
[S.Giuliano]Corteo & Pranzo in sostegno ai lavoratori Genia
Prossimi appuntamenti e iniziative in sostegno della riassunzione dei 5 lavoratori di Genia ingiustamente licenziati
-- DOMENICA 22 OTTOBRE -- ore 12.30 PRANZO SOCIALE in p.zza Italia -- GIOVEDI 26 OTTOBRE -- ore 18.30 CONCENTRAMENTO in p.zza Italia per andare in CORTEO al Consiglio Comunale in cui si parlerà della vicenda di Genia =========================================================== Nemici della Precarietà Amici della Città Vogliamo parlarvi di una storia che riguarda tutta la città: il futuro del servizio di raccolta della spazzatura. Perchè oggi la qualità del servizio è garantita dagli intensi ritmi di lavoro a cui sono sottoposti i lavoratori, grazie a una progressiva riduzione del personale da parte dell'azienda. Un altro infortunio sul lavoro. Un altro licenziamento. Un'altra delle tante e diverse storie di precarietà. Nel mese di settembre 5 lavoratori di Genia Ambiente sono stati licenziati; uno di loro ha subito un grave incidente sul lavoro e ha perso un dito della mano. Genia Ambiente è una delle tante società che sono state create con la progressiva privatizzazione dei servizi comunali quali acqua, gas, verde e, nel caso dei lavoratori licenziati, del servizio di nettezza urbana. Erano lavoratori presi in affitto dall'agenzia Manpower di Melegnano, con contratti rinnovati periodicamente (ben 4 in 9 mesi!) a totale discrezione dell'azienda. Pochi giorni prima della scadenza del loro ultimo contratto, come succede a molti, hanno ricevuto la comunicazione di licenziamento. La privatizzazione di Genia e la precarietà sono due facce della stessa medaglia! Privatizzare significa gestire secondo logiche di mercato beni comuni quali acqua, scuola, casa, trasporti, sanità ... Privatizzare significa che è il mercato a decidere le condizioni di lavoro e quindi la qualità del servizio offerto. Privatizzare significa che per gli utenti cambia la modalità di accesso ai servizi sociali, quindi che si usufruisce del servizio in base ai i soldi. Privatizzare significa che mancano i soldi per i lavoratori e gli utenti, ma ci sono per pagare stipendi d’oro ai dirigenti dell’azienda (si parla di circa 500.000€ all'anno). Privatizzazione e precarietà però non riguardano solamente Genia e i suoi lavoratori, ma sono per tutti noi una condizione comune di vita. Ecco perchè invitiamo la città a partecipare alla vertenza per l'immediata assunzione dei 5 lavoratori di Genia ambiente, consapevoli, però, che l'assunzione a tempo indeterminato, pur migliorando le condizioni economiche, non elimina la precarietà. A tutti è negato un reddito che garantisca una vita dignitosa, che non ci costringa a competere e/o ad accettare qualsiasi condizione di lavoro pur di avere di che vivere. Per tutti è sempre più difficile accedere ai servizi sociali, la cui qualità va oltre tutto peggiorando. La partecipazione e la cooperazione possono invertire questa tendenza affinchè le risorse vengano gestite per una migliore qualità della vita del territorio e dei suoi abitanti. C'è chi guadagna bene, ma lavora sempre, chi lavora a tempo indeterminato e ha un reddito misero, chi lavora in nero per pagare una retta scolastica meno cara, chi non può studiare perché deve lavorare....ma tutti siamo costretti ad arrangiarci da soli; perché allora non rivendicare la garanzia, per tutti, ad avere di che vivere? Le risorse ci sono e chi sostiene il contrario vuole utilizzarle solo per sé. Perché non rivendicare, per tutti, un reddito che ci restituisca tempo per occuparci della città e non solo dei soldi?
[Palermo] foto 2 dalla Cattedrale occupata
foto 2 dalla Cattedrale occupata ed iniziative di lotta a Palermo x il diritto alla casa!
[Palermo] foto dalla Cattedrale occupata e iniziative
foto delle iniziative di lotta degli occupanti della Cattedrale di Palermo x il diritto alla casa!
[Palermo] cronaca delle iniziative di lotta di ieri!
CONTINUA LA LOTTA DEI SENZA CASA DI PALERMO ALL'INTERNO DELLA CATTEDRALE OCCUPATA ED IN CITTA'.
GIOVEDI' 19 OTTOBRE 2006 ORE 16 Circa 200 persone hanno partecipato al pomeriggio di lotta convocato dal comitato di lotta x la casa "12 luglio" per il diritto alla casa a Palermo. Le iniziative che si sono succedute sono state : - L'interruzione e la lettura di un comunicato degli occupanti della cattedrale alla presentazione del libro della scrittrice Dacia Maraini presso la biblioteca comunale di Casa Professa, un incontro molto partecipato dalla Palermo bene(circa 300 persone) che doveva essere introdotto dal sindaco Cammarata (Forza Italia) ,che comunque come spesso accade non e' intervenuto per timore di contestazioni. - Un presidio di contestazione a piazza Pretoria sotto il Palazzo delle Aquile Comune di Palermo durante una seduta della giunta comunale. - Il blocco dei quattro canti di citta' che ha mandato in tilt il traffico cittadino. - Un corteo spontaneo che ha precorso il Corso Vittorio Emanuele in senso contrario di marcia e ha raggiunto la Cattedrale Occupata. SOLO LA LOTTA PAGA! Comitato di Lotta x la Casa "12 Luglio" PALERMO www.ecn.org/excarcere
Verso 4 novembre: contro la precarietà ci vuole un'altra finanziaria
Appello ai militanti e alle strutture locali e nazionali del Prc per un 4 novembre contro la precarietà e contro questa finanziaria!
Per fermare la precarietà ci vuole un’altra finanziaria Come Giovani comunisti di Roma siamo pienamente impegnati nella costruzione della manifestazione del 4 novembre lanciata dal tavolo Stop Precarietà Ora!. La piattaforma della mobilitazione decisa a luglio ci trova perfettamente d’accordo, con la rivendicazione dell’abrogazione delle peggiori leggi di Berlusconi (Legge 30, Bossi-Fini e Moratti) che il Governo non sembra per nulla interessato a toccare. Pensiamo però che la manifestazione del 4 novembre, l’unica che in questo autunno mette insieme tutte le soggettività politiche e sociali che in questi anni hanno dato vita al percorso dei social forum, sia anche la nostra grande occasione per mobilitarsi da sinistra ai peggiori provvedimenti previsti nella finanziaria di Padoa Schioppa: i tagli sociali a sanità, scuola e università, e i tagli agli enti locali che si tradurranno in ulteriori tagli ai servizi sociali. Il tutto mentre aumentano a dismisura le spese militari, aumentano i finanziamenti alle scuole private e il taglio al cuneo fiscale viene distribuito solo alle imprese “dimenticando” i lavoratori. Per ora la finanziaria sembra contestata solo da destra, e il nostro stesso partito sembra accettarne gli assi di fondo. Noi pensiamo invece che per battere la precarietà ci vuole un’altra finanziaria: bisogna aumentare le spese sociali tagliate negli ultimi vent’anni, non ridurle ancora pesantemente! Con questi contenuti stiamo costruendo la nostra partecipazione al 4 novembre e facciamo appello ai militanti e a tutte le strutture locali e nazionali del partito d’accordo con noi a rendere visibili questi contenuti sia nella campagna verso la manifestazione sia in piazza il giorno stesso. Per essere più forti poi dal giorno successivo a continuare a dire: Stop Precarietà Ora! Giovani Comunisti Roma (per adesioni giovanicomunisti_roma@yahoo.it)