En Passant

I have one word to say to the namby pambies from the Australian Council of Trade Unions: France.

On Thursday millions of French workers went on strike against President Sarkozy’s pro-capitalist and anti-worker economic crisis policies.

The strikes affected transport, education and health services. The Confédération Générale des Travailleurs, one of the main trade union groups, said that over two and a half million workers had joined demonstrations around the country. In Paris there were over 300,000 demonstrators.

Three-quarters of the population support the protests.  A look at some of the banners shows that French workers have a clear class understanding of the economic crisis.  According to Agence France Presse:

“It’s not up to workers to pay for the bankers,” read one banner. “The bosses caused the crisis, let them pay for it!” said another, while a third declared: “Hands off our public services!”

French workers are demanding state action against lay-offs, a boost to low wages and an end to public sector cutbacks.

And here in Australia?  The ACTU disgracefully accepts the need to cut wages and hours.  Let’s hope the French disease begins to infect Australian workers and sees them take industrial action to defend jobs, living standards and public services despite what the Council of Traitors wants.

The ACTU is not irrelevant; it is a conservatising influence captured by the trickle down theory that says what’s good for the boss and profit is good for workers.  The ACTU is the lap dog of Australian capital and the HowRudd Government and will do absolutely nothing (other than mouth off at useless job summits) about defending jobs, wages and services. It is a barrier to workers organising.

Let’s follow the French and, in our own unions and independently of the ACTU, organise a  Black Thursday across the country in defence of jobs, wages and services.