In mid-October an international campaign was initiated against VegaNana and its business partners (see article from 16 October here: https://www.priamaakcia.sk/kategoria/english). Since then, there have been some interesting developments. The hotel that provided the premises for baking in Bratislava informed us that they have terminated the lease agreement. On the other hand, GlutenFreeX has been very supportive towards VegaNana and its baker Katarína Podhorová, especially after we visited the shop in Vienna during the International Week Against Unpaid wages. In this article, we sum up the latest news and actions, and provide a quick and easy guide on how to get involved in the campaign in support of the former VegaNana employees Jana, Laura and Veronika.
Priama Akcia union (PA) is initiating an international campaign against VegaNana, a vegan bakery in Bratislava (Slovakia), and its remaining business partners, including a vegan shop in Vienna. The union was contacted by three women who used to work at VegaNana with a request for help. In total, the bakery owes Jana, Laura, and Veronika 17 252,30 € in unpaid wages and social security contributions. Continue reading to learn how you or your organisation can support the workers (templates that can be used are included).
The IWA's annual International Week Against Unpaid Wages is coming up.
Around the world, unpaid wages is a serious issue that workers face. These unpaid wages can sometimes add up to months of arrears or they can be partially unpaid wages. This might include failure to pay overtime, the minimum wage, benefits and making illegal deductions in pay. In the worse case scenario, failure to pay wages turns into outright slavery. Many times it takes a serious financial toll of the workers who, often having little-to-no savings, are left with no means to support themselves.
We can fight against this problem by standing up and taking action. Making Sections of the IWA have taken direct action against the businesses that cheat their workers and often they are successful in getting the money that is owed.
If you are angry about this problem, you can also do something about it! It doesn't matter whether your organization is big or small or whether there is a fighting workers' union in your country. We invite everybody to join in anyway they can.
Spanish union of the International Confederation of Labour Launches 17 new Lawsuits
Just a few words about the court case which took place on September 19 against our Section in Spain, the CNT-AIT as we wait for their official report.
On September 18, the day before the court case, the lawyers of the Spanish union of ICL (the CNT-CIT) submitted 17 more lawsuits against unions of the CNT-AIT Spain, bringing the total to 35 lawsuits. These cases are scheduled to be heard on October 30, however, the first decision will be issued before that, so it is most likely that this decision will decide the fate of the October 30 cases.
The shameful attacks on the CNT-AIT Spain continue while syndicalists sit on the fence.
Once again we are writing about the vindictive attacks on our Section in Spain, the CNT-AIT, as 16 unions of our organization must go to court to face the attempts to destroy the anarcho-syndicalist union. These attacks are made by the shameless union of the International Confederation of Labor, (ICL-CIT) which also shares the name CNT. It has deferred to the state to force their former comrades of the CNT-AIT to stop using the name but not only that. It demands unreasonable financial compensation for so-called „moral damage”. It also demands imprisonment of some comrades and wants a state-imposed gag order on members of the CNT-AIT. This would force them to keep silent about the serious problems that their members face and faced when once together in one organization with the „renovado” CNT – in other words, the „reformed” CNT, which began divesting itself of many of its libertarian ideals some time ago.
The IWA stands in solidarity with the CNT-AIT and the values it represents: horizontality, mutual aid, a rejection of the statist methods which have infected various formerly libertarian unions, in both the past and in the present. These statist methods are epitomised by the use of the state in attempt to punish and destroy the CNT-AIT for daring to remain true to its principles.
Our second major event planned in relation to the IWA-AIT centenary took place on 1st April in Collosseum Club in Košice. Thanks to the feedback we got after the first event in Bratislava we were able to improve the IWA history presentation, and the discussion with delegations from SolFed (UK), WAS (Austria), General Secretary of the IWA from Poland and PA was more brisky and content-wise also more compact.
It was not easy to organise an event with international participation and completely new stuff that had to be prepared (presentation on the history of the IWA, PA history exhibition), but our impressions are mainly positive. To a large extent, this is because other people have been involved in the preparations thanks to discussions and planning that took place at our open meetings.
The past year has been quite varied and challenging at the same time. In addition to a number of workplace issues, we have been preparing quite intensively for the 28th Congress of the International Workers` Association (IWA/AIT) in Spain. We supported a number of activities in Slovakia and abroad, took part in fundraising events and took care of the preparation of the International Week Against Unpaid Wages. And there was more. Find out more in this annual report.
Between 9th and 11th December the 28th regular IWA Congress took place in Alcoi, Spain. For delegations, it was undoubtedly exhausting since the agenda was long and demanding. Nevertheless, the Congress was exceptional. This was mainly because of the number of delegations and the program prepared by the Congress Committee of the CNT-AIT in Alcoi. It was really a dignified commemoration of 100 years since the founding of IWA in December 1922.
Fed up with oppression. This is how one could briefly describe yesterday‘s protest, which commemorated the two people from the queer community who were murdered on 12th October in Bratislava, as well as the systemic context of oppression. Powerful speeches and the overall energy of the protest, full of anger, rage, grief and humour, created an atmosphere that we have never seen before in Slovakia.
