Zaragoza: The ‘workers’ committee’ visits striking bus workers

In Zaragoza the 15M held a massive mobilization of 5,000 people. The comrades from CcC, along with the Left Students’ Union, various parts of the CGT unions (which included Telepizza) and other young workers, were calling for and organising for mobilisations in institutions, universities, and companies. That was one of the resolutions from the Youth Workers and Students Conference, which we were a driving force in organizing on 7M (May 7th), and which served as a means to form class relations, such as strengthen the youth organization, surround the struggles with solidarity, and join the fight against government cuts and the bureaucracy looking to negotiate deals.

During the last week the mobilization grew to more than 10,000 people in the Pilar Plaza, where there was a big demonstration of people banging pots and pans to challenge the new ban on the encampments. Since the first day they have been trying to unite the ‘indignados’ with the sector of workers in struggle. In the first assembly on Tuesday the 17th 200 people attended and Javier Anadon, TUZSA (Urban Busses) Business Committee President, spoke. They voted unanimously that the demonstration in support of TUZSA on Wednesday the 18th would end in an assembly, which duplicated the attendance with the presence of many workers.

The comrades from CcC participated in the students’ committee and the workers’ committee, both of which participated in the striking bus workers’ picket to show their solidarity. In the students’ committee high school and university students have a strong presence, and they want to hold assemblies in institutes and faculties. In the workers’ committee there are young precarious workers, like those in Telepizza and the contracted workers at City Hall, teachers and industrial workers from various unions and those who aren’t unionized. This week they’re going on ‘expeditions’ to GM (the main business in Aragon, with 8,000 workers) and the major unions’ head offices to demand a general strike and to speak with the workers, encouraging them to join the strike and surpass their betraying leaders.

Terrassa: workers and students together in a rally

Terrassa city is one of the many cities in Catalonia that have joined the protestors who are camping in the city plazas to demonstrate against the economic, social and political system. Through the use of social media a rally was called on the 18th to show solidarity with the other camping protestors. The rally was very successful with over 500 people attending. Those who attended included workers who are in struggles, such as the health workers and students who have been fighting against the budget cuts for a long time as well as immigrants and the unemployed. Everyone participated in a general assembly, where a consensus was reached to continue camping in the plaza for another day

In the following days the protestors have been organizing in committees and subcommittees (communication, activities, infrastructure, organization, coordination…). There are also debates organized around different issues, such as the environment, foreclosures, health, education, and immigration.

The encampment is taking place in a symbolic place: (Raval de Montserrant), which is a plaza in front of the city hall and is now called the People’s Plaza. Over 2,000 people participated this weekend. But possible the most important event was the high school students’ manifestation on the 25th, when over 1,000 students came out to the plaza and headed towards the Mutua hospital to show their support for the health workers’ rally.