Further to John Graversgaard's post, here is a message I received from the Shorter Work Time list: --------------------------------------- Danish workers are calling for an extra two weeks vacation, plus a shorter work week with no cut in pay... Happy May Day! April 30 Yesterday a national meeting of shop stewards took place in Odense with the participation of 1200 people. The meeting agreed the formation of national and local coordinating committees to organise the running of strike. This decission was also in response to the trade union leaders who are these days talking about opening negotiations with the employers federation where the demands of the strike could be watered down. The mood of the meeting was very enthusiastic and messages of solidarity from trade unionists all over the world were read. A message from German metal workers said that they were looking at what was happening in Denmark as an example and as an inspiration. The meeting also decided to call for a national day of action on Tuesday, May 5th. The bosses have threatened with a lock out affecting the retail service to add to their propaganda about food shortages, lack of medicines, people dying, etc. The reply of the strikers has been that they will provide for any one in need, they will make sure that food and medicines are delivered where and when needed. The unions for example have contacted the national blind people organisation to offer them any assistance they might need. As one shop steward put it at the national meeting: "you see, it is the employers who want to shut down Denmark, not us. They cannot run the country without the workers, but we can run the countru without the employers". And this is not just words. For instance in order to get petrol you need an authorisation signed by the transport and general workers union. And they only sign in case of genuine emergencies (ambulances, etc), without that, not even the police can get petrol. The strike is hitting the employers hard. Accoring to some estimates they lose kr4bn a day, plus kr3bn in lost exports. Already the car company SAAB in Sweden has been forced to close its factories for lack of parts and BMW in Germany is having to look for parts somewhere else. As one shop steward said when interviewed in the TV this morning "it is not so much a question of for how long can we maintain the strike, but rather for how long can they afford it". The employers are putting a lot of pressure on the government to stop the strike and it is thought that the government will intervene if the strike lasts for more than 10 days. But if the government intervenes that could spark a strike in the public sector, starting thus a general strike. Some sections of the public sector are already out and others are closing down on health and safety ground, as cleansing services in the private sector had been privatised. This morning all kindergardens and after school clubs decided to close down for lack of cleaning services. The bank workers union has instructed its members not to do any of the jobs which are normally done by subcontractors which are now on strike. The idea of the need for a general strike is becoming increasingly popular. The May Day demonstrations tomorrow will also mark an important point in the development of the strike. Hundreds of thousands of workers (even as much as 500,000) are expected to rally in Copenhagen. (Note: this report has been written on the basis of phone conversations with activists in the Danish trade unions and apprentices movement. It might contain some inaccuracies due to language problems, but its main aim is to give a general picture of the mood and the development of the strike). [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~socappeal/IDOM.html PO Box 2626 London N1 7SQ Britain ----- End of forwarded message ----- Regards, Tom Walker ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Vancouver, B.C. [EMAIL PROTECTED] (604) 669-3286 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
