June 10, 1996
PARIS — “Massively reduce work time to create jobs,” read the lead banner of the May 23 union demonstration here. The demonstration drew more than 10,000 people. Workers in a number of shops took part in work stoppages so that they could demonstrate.
The march was the first of a series of national actions. On May 29 several unions, including one of the teachers’ unions, called a national day of action and a demonstration in Paris. On May 22, 1,500 Alcatel workers from Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and France participated in a demonstration in Paris to protest planned cutbacks.
The same day 1,500 marchers demonstrated to defend 300 undocumented workers who have been demanding regular immigration papers. The CFDT railroad workers’ union invited the 300 immigrants to move into an unoccupied rail freight warehouse in Paris.
June 11, 1971
GREELY, Alaska — After an overwhelmingly favorable reaction among troops to the first issue of the pro-GI-rights and antiwar Arctic Arsenal, GIs at Ft. Greely are pushing ahead with determination to continue publishing their paper and broaden the movement throughout military posts in Alaska.
In response to this expression of GI solidarity, company commanders at Ft. Greely have initiated an intensified campaign of harassment toward individual GIs and openly slandered and red-baited the Arctic Arsenal.
Far from letting the initiative swing to the brass in this case, the offensive has been taken in defense of constitutional rights. On May 30, a quickly called discussion was held at the post service club. It was generally agreed to reach GIs at other posts, setting the example and providing help for the establishment of their own papers.
June 8, 1946
Every worker must be troubled by a paradox which stares him in the face today. One after another, the biggest monopolies in the country were paralyzed by great strikes and then forced to concede substantial wage increases. Neither propaganda nor threats could weaken the strike front.
Yet this unprecedented power appears practically impotent today before the offensive of the capitalist government. Spearheaded by President Truman, Congress is driving through the most reactionary, labor-crippling laws seen in this country since the open shop days that followed the first World War.
During this critical phase of its war against the profit-greedy billionaires, organized labor finds itself without political weapons. The clear, unavoidable answer is that labor must have its own party, a labor party based upon and controlled by the trade unions.