Yesterday a powerful demonstration under the slogan: “Defend the right to unionize!“ took place in Berlin. In December 2009 the local FAU-group (Free Workers Union) in Berlin has been disallowed on the effort of the Babylon Mitte GmbH and by preliminary injunction the right to call itself union.
Several hundred people followed the call for a demonstration by FAU which was among others supported by: NEA (North-East Antifascists Berlin), Jano-Berlin (Youth-Antifa-North-East), ASJ (Anarcho-syndicalistic Youth Berlin) and the Solidarity Committee for the Freedom to Unionize. After an initial slightly confusion where the gathering point is and a prelude speech by criminalized secretary from FAU-Berlin the demonstration started to move from Potsdamer Platz. While the demonstration’s top almost continuously drawn attention by loud slogans, unfortunately the back of the demonstration was again drown out through loud music from the truck (the past free spaces demonstration have shown, how loud a demonstration can be without continuous drown out through loud music). For sure positive was that the protestors were from their ages and political contexts pretty mixed plus that passengers were provided continuously with flyers. Most of the passengers reacted surprised but not negative, lot of them stopped (especially in Friedrichstraße), took flyers and listened to the several contributions e. g. by the lawyer from FAU-Berlin, Solidarity Committee for Emmely, NEA and ASJ and the Solidarity Committee for the Freedom to Unionize. The contributions stigmatized the prohibition against FAU-Berlin to label itself as union or basic union as violation against the ILO-principles, demanded the urgently withdrawal and pointed out the importance for future basic union organising by workers outside of FAU. Furthermore the contribution by NEA and ASJ built a bridge to the current state repression against leftists but also didn't saved on critics regarding the image and against the disinterest/erosion of solidarity by Germany's radical left in case of FAU.
Background information:
Pictures and a video from the demonstration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlPSuA6j4AA
Subjective conclusion:
This demonstration can be seen as a success but in no way people may make the mistake yet to retire again. That can and must be only the beginning the public pressure on the courts must grow further until this scandalous sentence is cancelled! Beside that also the surprised passenger’s faces in Friedrichstraße, their back-pedalling in the dizziness of consumption have shown that they are interested in labour conflicts. It’s time to show continuous presence at the streets, to convey them that they aren’t alone with their problems and that they have support and that they must struggle together! for their interests. We ultimately need a social movement against the daily impertinences and worsening which hit not only workers but also unemployed, pupils, students etc.
All together and that yet!!!