4,500 Catalan workers in the Barcelona region know only too well the repressive reality behind the facade of democracy promised by the recent referendum. Strikers at the Roca Radiadores factory have been sacked, beaten, shot at and jailed in their two months out.
The cause of the dispute was the arbitrary sacking of a worker by the management - a deliberate provocation to destroy the organisation of the workers, which 1s based on delegates elected ane immediately recallable by a mass assembly.
What is at stake for the employers is wno controis tne Tactory.
For the workers what is at stake tion. From the experience sunkes in ine last year uncy learnt that this is the most effective unica acuon. and ther see it as the embryo of the new trade union structure in the span ish state.
The bosses have to destroy this at all costs, and they are strongly backed up in this attempt by the "democratic Government.
BULLETS The Roca workers' news sheet describes what has happened:
ine same day mar me posse sacked one of our leaders, the chure work orce came our on an indefinite strike. The following we were locked out of the factory.
•We were attacked by the Civil Guard and defended ourselves with barricades and stones. Later that day some of our houses were hit by machine gun bullets, and the local school was attacked smoke bombs. They were determined to destroy the Assemblies, the forge of our unity, with blows, bullets and deaths if necessary.
*We have continued Assemblies in the neighbourhood, in the countryside, protected by barricades and Call, self-defence squads. hese guard our delegates, who self- been attacked six umes Dy rascis thugs.' What has been the role of the Workers Commissions, dominated as mey InCr Party? Roca WOrKCES "As for the majority tendency in Workers Commissions. of have to -say to them • have make of us typical. They call groups" "out of control" make not one savage violence of the Civil Guard.
*They have to realise that, when attacked, workers must defend themselves. It would be useful if these comrades devoted themselves to extending the strike and fighting for a decent contract of employment for all the workers of the region.
*We know wei that these com rades deny that there exist the condinons tor a general strike How is it then that on 12 Novemper when tO WOE On strike. backed by the CP| such conditions did exist and now. in spite of sackings, arrests and victimisations, they don't? And when the current repression is the consequence of that day of strike action?"
DEFIANCE The Roca workers have put out a call for the maximum solidarity acuon from omer workers around une ronowing acuanas: • free and reinstate all thos holding workers arrested * lift all sanctions wherever we * amnesty for all workers * no police in the factories * no wage freeze: immediate £16 have per week rise for all * an end to the bosses' right of dismissal * 40 hour week with no loss of pay * ban on overtime; create jobs COmmUnIS for all the unemployed •COL recognition of delegates.
Koca
that called for a campaign for a general is ver stake *violent mass assemblies in all work-places and and localities to win these dem reference to the anas ROLE LEONE A leading role in the strike is being played by militants of the LCR (Spanish sympathising sec tion of the Fourth International), who are calling for days of solidarity action in the throughout the particular on 22 January. when the sacked workers face the bosses LCR says in its broadsheet on The struggle decisive test next period of struggles. Victory will be seen by all workers as a victory for class. Defeat would open the door to sanctions and sackings aimed at decapitating the vanguard of the working class and demoralising the workers.
• More proof. if proof is stil needed that Francos dictatorsnit lives on. As we go to press, there name on the death roll of the mur derous police. Juan Manuel while running from the police as Sestao, in is hikely that here wor stration be industrial acron in ine basout country against the murder.
assembly and workers have also OFS PLATE FORME DE CONVERGENCE TONI Dento en
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