International Info Letter GM-Stellantis No. 24 - August 2024
From the Stellantis/GM Group Coordination in the IAC: Dear colleagues, Fascist and fascistoid parties made alarming gains in the 2024 European elections. Marine Le Pen's "Rassemblement National" won in France, Giorgia Meloni's "Fratelli d'Italia" in Italy and the fascist "Freedom Party of Austria" (FPÖ) in Austria. In Germany, the fascist AfD received 15.9 per cent of the vote. In the Netherlands, a fascist party leads the government. In India, the fascist Modi government can continue to govern despite losing votes. In the USA, the fascist Donald Trump could win the elections in the autumn. The workers must come to terms with fascist demagogy if they want to fight for a better future.
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The right-wing trend is being driven by the ruling class, which is stepping up its attacks on the situation of workers, destroying jobs or replacing them with temporary workers without rights. For example, GM is closing its plant in Bogota, Colombia, and Fiat is cutting jobs in Turin. But the struggles of the workforce are also reviving. Following the successful major strike against the "Big Three" in the USA in the autumn, 12,000 workers in Brazil also went on strike against job losses at three GM plants. What was significant here was that various trade union organisations had jointly called the strike, which lasted 17 days. In Mexico, a wage increase of 10 per cent was won at Audi. The vote in favour of the UAW union at Volkswagen in the USA was successful with 73 per cent in favour.
At Fiat in Italy, workers in Mirafiori (Turin) went on strike for their jobs in February and in Pomigliano for occupational safety in April.
At the end of April, workers at automotive supplier MA France went on strike against the relocation of their jobs to Poland.
The ASOTRECOL trade union in Colombia received the official support of the UAW leadership in the USA for the first time. The fight for trade union rights at Tesla in Sweden, the USA and Germany is also developing successfully. Congratulations on all these successful struggles! At the same time, we need to strengthen our international co-operation in the fight for jobs, wages and working conditions. At the end of April, GM announced the closure of its plants in Colombia and Ecuador. Stellantis is currently experiencing a slump in sales and turnover, which could serve as a pretext for new attacks on jobs and wages.
Fascism is the mortal enemy of the labour movement. It attacks our social rights, increases exploitation in the factories and aims at the openly terrorist suppression of progressive endeavours. In Germany, Hitler's fascism banned the trade unions in 1933. Communists and trade unionists were the first to be persecuted, imprisoned in concentration camps, tortured and murdered. Fascism divides the labour movement through "my country first" politics and racism and is the spearhead of anti-communism. In the face of the global environmental catastrophe that has begun, we need a society-changing environmental struggle. In the interests of the oil, car and energy companies, the fascists are trying to destroy awareness of the need to save the environment. Fascism and imperialist war are twins - fascists incite workers into wars against their class brothers.
It is very significant that protests and blockades by dock and transport workers against arms shipments to Ukraine or Israel are taking place in many countries, such as Italy, Greece, the USA or the UK.
At a time when fascist ideologies are once again gaining influence in many parts of the world, the anti-fascist struggle is becoming a crucial task for the international working class. We therefore call for the strengthening of persuasion among colleagues in workplaces and trade unions against the influence of fascist demagogy.
A strong international working class unity must counteract the division by placing our common class interests at the centre. Our strength is international solidarity and common struggle! Fascism can and must be prevented!
We want a rich, dignified and healthy life for all people in harmony with nature - a society without exploitation and oppression, because another world is possible. This is our vision, for which we will fight across borders and overcome all obstacles with perseverance and determination
To this end, the "International Automotive Workers' Coordination" (IAC) is becoming increasingly important and urgently needs to be strengthened.
The 3rd International Automotive Workers' Conference will take place from 20 - 24 November 2025 in Pune, India. All militant automotive workers worldwide, their friends and families, trade unionists and trade union representatives as well as organisations and parties are cordially invited!
Let us tighten our bonds in preparation for the conference and form strong delegations everywhere. In April, an IAC delegation from Germany, Brazil and the USA attended the Labour Notes conference in Chicago and made many new connections. In Germany, the annual IAC delegates' meeting was recently held successfully.
On 5 October 2024, an event and cultural festival will be held in Bochum/Germany to mark the 20th anniversary of the independent strike by Opel employees in Bochum in 2004, to which international delegations are also cordially invited.
Tell us about your struggles in the factories to fight against the fascist danger and to prepare for the 3rd International Automotive Workers' Conference!
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