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Philippines: May 1, 2020 KMU slams Labor Day mass arrests, calls it ‘Duterte pandemic’

News release Reference: Ed Cubelo, Kilusang Mayo Uno-Metro Manila Spokesperson --- Militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno-Metro Manila slammed the spate of mass arrests instigated by the Duterte administration on Labor Day. “We condemn the series of arrests conducted by the Duterte administration on Labor Day. Almost 80 activists, volunteers and citizens were arrested on May 1 by elements of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines across the country who have been conducting relief operations to hunger-stricken communities and protests bearing legitimate calls even inside their homes,” said KMU-Metro Manila Spokesperson Ed Cubelo.

Militant actions on Mayday in Germany

Organizations and supporters of the International Automobile Workers Movement were active worldwide for a militant May Day, for health protection and against shifting the burden of the crisis onto the workers and masses. In Germany, too, there were rallies, demonstrations and other actions on the streets in at least 100 places, organized by the militant opposition against the reactionary crisis management of corporations and governments with the working class at the top.

Indonesia: May Day 2020 Celebrations Amidst Corona Virus Pandemic

Report of SEDAR (participant of 2nd International Automotive Workers Conference in Vereeniging in South Africa February 2020): Hundreds FSEDAR members in small groups took part in May Day 2020 celebrations by raising posters and banners in front of factories, including PT. HRS Indonesia, PT. Ichikoh Indonesia, PT. Nanbu Plastics Indonesia, PT. Yamaha, PT. Hitachi Construction Machine, PT. Kawasaki and AICE plant of PT. Alpen Food Industry. The importance of this action is preparing ourselves fighting and going strike for defending our lives.

Report from Roberto of SI Cobas Italy on May Day 2020 Worldwide

WORKERS FIGHTING DEFYING COVID-19 AND REPRESSION The double, health and socio-economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has subjected workers, both male and female, all over the world to the same problems: protecting themselves and their families from contagion and risk of life while they are forced to work, and defending themselves from impoverishment and hunger for people who are jobless due to the closure of businesses. On May 1, the workers' international day of struggle, in most countries workers and trade unions were unable to hold their traditional demonstrations; in most countries, governments, on the pretext of preventing contagion, did not allow holding even small demonstrations in compliance with social distancing and with masks on. Also the Italian Government sent in the police to stop and heavily fine even smDownload PDFall groups of demonstrators.

Militant Mayday Greetings from colleagues of Opel Bochum and Ruesselsheim in Germany

On May 1st, Darmstadt hosted a combative rally, which was carried out in a very disciplined manner by the approximately 100 participants due to the circumstances of the Corona virus.  Due to the cancellation of all activities on May 1st by the DGB, the rally was organized by an alliance of different organizations and individuals.  "We will not miss May 1st" carried out independently.  A delegation of colleagues from Opel Ruesselsheim also took part in the rally, made a combative contribution by, among other things, rejecting the current collective bargaining agreement between IGM and metal associations as a zero round for us workers and contributed to the rally with music.  It has been shown that, despite the corona pandemic, May 1st should be heard and carried out on the street.

SI Cobas: APRIL 30 AND MAY 1: STRIKE AND MOBILIZATIONS THROUGHOUT ITALY!

While we are going to continue our updating, later and tomorrow, but a great participation in the April 30- May 1 st strike is already a fact: either in the form of active strikes, with workers lining up inside or outside warehouses, abstaining from work, or actions outside factories and companies, blocking the main logistics supply chains. In the meantime, we are also recording many initiatives in several cities, outside prefectures and institutions, which are going to continue in the afternoon and tomorrow. Many initiatives of the "Vogliamo Tutto [We Want Everything]" campaign, from the House of Representatives in Rome with the Movements of struggle for the Right to Housing, up to Naples with the organized unemployed. The signal given by thousands of workers today is clear: Whereas "Phase 2" of government and the bosses means: MAKING US DIE FROM COVID-19 OR STARVATION! Our "Phase 2" means: LET’S TAKE BACK TO THE STREETS AND OUR UNION FREEDOMS! LET’S STRIKE TO DEFEND OUR HEALTH AN D WAGES!

Keep Fight with Physical Distancing amid the Pandemic

Report of trade union F-SEDAR Indonesia: The government used the corona pandemic as a reason to limit freedom of expression, including ban on demonstrations and strikes. At the same time, the House of Representatives keep continued deliberating RKUHP (criminal law bill) and Omnibus Bill on Job Creation. Legalisation of both bills, if it happens, will impact to narrow the field of democracy, lowering wages, erasing job security and worsening workers’ working conditions.

Report from Brazil on the current situation in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

From comrades of CSP Conlutas Brazil: As the economic crisis deepens, governments, employers and super-rich businessmen fear that they will not be able to guarantee profit above life. We, as representatives of organizations and entities in defence of the working class, must stop the attempt to make the price of this crisis fall on the backs of the workers. Here in Brazil, we remain firm in the denunciation against the Bolsonaro government, which openly maintains the criminal policy of allowing the population to die, going in the opposite direction to that advocated by health institutions and their recommendations.

Facing the coronavirus-capitalist epidemic in Italy

A report of SI Cobas Italy on the coronavirus pandemic in Italy (updated version), proposal for a common initiative worldwide, and the final motion of a teleconference with several Italian working-class and left opposition organisations held on April 2.

Reinstate UAW member Travis Watkins at once

Travis Watkins was unjustly fired at the GM-Components Holdings LLC plant in Grand Rapids Michigan on March 18 for informing his fellow workers on a private facebook page that management was escorting workers out of the plant because they were suspected of being infected with COVID-19.

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