Subscribe to Dollars & Sense magazine. Recent articles related to the financial crisis. Peruvian Workers Protest for Higher PayFrom the Latin American Herald Tribune:LIMA – Thousands of workers demonstrated in different Peruvian cities to demand improvements in their economic situation and support the demands of Amazon Indians, who have been conducting protests for 48 hours against land and resource laws they say threaten their way of life. In Lima, the march organized by the CGTP labor federation attracted about 5,000 participants and transpired peacefully. Demonstrators marched to Congress chanting slogans such as "Let the rich pay for the crisis, not the people." CGTP general secretary Mario Huaman said that the main objective of the mobilization is to demand that the government provide “the solution to the Amazon strike and the repeal of the decrees” that the Indians feel hurt their rights to the land. "If the government does not solve the different conflicts that exist on the national level, we’re going to radicalize the measures of struggle," he warned. Other aims of the protesters included asking for salary and pension hikes to compensate them for the rise in the cost of living, as well as the nullification of several measures that criminalize protests, the union leader said. With regard to the timing of the general strike announced in March by the CGTP to protest the government's policy, Huaman said that the federation will announce the date in two weeks, but it will most probably be held in July. In the southern city of Cuzco, Canal N television said that the city was practically paralyzed by Wednesday’s demonstrations, which affected schools, public transport and the transportation of tourists to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, Peru's premier tourist attraction. The most serious demonstrations occurred in the northeastern Amazon city of Iquitos, where 11 people were injured on Thursday and 20 were arrested in confrontations with police. Labels: financial crisis, general strike, Peru, protest Please consider donating to Dollars & Sense and/or subscribing to the magazine (both print and e-subscriptions now available!). Two Items on Guadeloupe General StrikeTwo items on the recent massive general strike in Guadeloupe. First, from Friday's Democracy Now!:Labor Victory in Guadeloupe After Six-Week Strike Reverberates Across French Caribbean and France Hear it or read it here. Second, an article on the general strike by Immanuel Wallerstein: Guadeloupe: Obscure Key to World Crisis Read the rest of the article. Labels: activism, Democracy Now, financial crisis, general strike, global downturn, Guadeloupe, Immanuel Wallerstein Please consider donating to Dollars & Sense and/or subscribing to the magazine (both print and e-subscriptions now available!). French Strike over Economic CrisisFrom Reuters, via TV New Zealand. Hat-tip to Bob F. No mention of Sarkozy getting bitten by his dog (did anyone else hear about that, or did I make it up?).Hundreds of thousands of French workers staged a nationwide strike to try to force President Nicolas Sarkozy and business leaders to do more to protect jobs and wages during the economic crisis. Public transport was snarled in many cities, scores of flights were cancelled, and schools, banks, hospitals, the post office, law courts and state broadcasters were also expected to be hit by the protest. The strike aims to highlight fears of growing unemployment, discontent over Sarkozy's reluctance to help consumers and resentment towards bankers blamed for the economic slump. "We need to sound a cry of anger," said Francois Chereque, head of the moderate CFDT union. In a rare show of unity, France's eight national unions have backed the strike call and drawn up a joint list of demands for the government and companies, which they accuse of trying to use the crisis as a pretext to lay off workers and cut costs. It is the first such protest linked to the economic crisis to hit a major industrialised nation and was backed by the majority of French voters, according to opinion polls. However, it was not expected to snowball or threaten government stability. Read the rest of the article. Labels: financial crisis, France, general strike, Nicholas Sarkozy, unemployment, unions Please consider donating to Dollars & Sense and/or subscribing to the magazine (both print and e-subscriptions now available!). Protests in Greece Have an Economic BasisWho would know, from much of the media coverage, that the protests that have been happening in Greece have to do with economics? Luckily Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! is on the story, to let us know that there has been a general strike over pension reform and privatization. Here's the introduction to the segment aired on Thursday:Listen to the segment. Labels: Amy Goodman, Democracy Now, general strike, Greece, pensions, privatization, protest Please consider donating to Dollars & Sense and/or subscribing to the magazine (both print and e-subscriptions now available!). |
