| A new stage in the world class struggle: November-December 1995
In December 1995, David Walsh travelled to Europe as part of an international team of reporters to provide on-the-spot coverage of the massive strike wave in France. They studied the strike movement and the political crisis it produced and interviewed strikers, union officials and representatives of various "left" organisations, as well as non-strikers from various layers of the population. This pamphlet was first published as a series or articles. It presents a detailed analysis of the strike movement and the role played by the various unions, political parties and tendencies. It addresses a number of questions: Why did this movement erupt in France? Why has there been no comparable movement to this point in the US, although the attacks on social programmes carried out there go far beyond those proposed by the French government? What do these events portend for the future development of the class struggle in France, Europe and internationally? What have these events revealed about the revolutionary capacity of the working class, as well as the critical political problems which must be overcome? French workers in revolt: Contents What sparked the strike movement? A mass movement of social solidarity Political problems of the strike movement How the labour bureaucracy stifled the strike movement The culture of opportunism The spectre of a European-wide movement The significance of the strike movement Apendix: Two footnotes on the radicals Chronology Political parties and trade unions in France What sparked the strike movement? For three and a half weeks in November and December, masses of French workers did battle with the right wing government of President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Alain Juppé.
Maytag Brand Builds on its Legacy in the Laundry Room With ...
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With more than 100 years of building dependable washing machines, Maytag brand now adds the power of steam and new compact appliances to its laundry lineup. Maytag(R) Bravos(TM) introduces steam to the top-loading laundry category. Maytag(R) brand brings the power of steam to the much-loved top-loading laundry category for the first time. The new Maytag(R) Bravos(TM) top-loading, high-efficiency laundry pair introduces steam in the dryer to relax wrinkles, remove odors and refresh clothing and household fabrics. The Bravos steam dryer offers a variety of steam cycles, including the 15- minute "Rapid Refresh" setting, to quickly rejuvenate a single item or outfit. The Bravos dryer conveniently connects to the laundry-room waterline, so there's no reservoir to fill, just on-demand steam cycles with the push of a button.
Canada fuelling production of ‘extreme ecstasy'
First there was methamphetamine, a stimulant that in assorted forms has been around for decades. Then came the designer drug ecstasy, otherwise known as MDMA and popularized by the rave culture that mushroomed in the 1990s. Now there's "extreme ecstasy," a blend of both drugs that U.S. authorities say is being manufactured in bulk in Canada and shipped wholesale across the border. .
Police in Armenia Forcibly Disperse Opposition Protesters
Daily rallies following the February 19 vote had attracted tens of thousands of protesters to Armenia's Liberty Square. A tent camp was set up and participants vowed to remain on the square until their demands for a new election were met. But after the official winner of the election, Serzh Sarkisian, secured key support for the formation of a coalition government on February 29, the authorities made good on their earlier threats to break up the rallies. Hundreds of police and Interior Ministry troops surrounded the square at 7:00 a.m. local time on the morning of March 1, using truncheons, tear gas, and electric stun guns to break up the crowd. Police reportedly forced scores of protesters onto buses, taking them to local police stations. Witnesses say there were injuries among the demonstrators, and RFE/RL's Armenian Service reported that opposition figure and member of parliament Armen Martirosian has been hospitalized for injuries received during the crackdown.
Casey Campbell/Gazette-Times
Recycling at First Alternative Co-op's south store never really stopped in the past two months, but that didn't stop the co-op from having a grand re-opening on Tuesday.In October, the store moved its recycle bins closer to Southeast Third Street and got to work building a new enclosure for the bins and bags meant to hold packaging refuse."We're able to keep the overwhelmingness of the recycling under control now," said Scott Boyajian, First Alternative custodial manager and recycling coordinator.On Tuesday, the Corvallis co-op unveiled a new space for collecting all manner of recyclable items, including the only place for expanded polystyrene collection in the mid-valley.Michelle Adams, First Alternative general manager, said many of the co-op's recyclers come from cities outside Benton County that don't offer easy curbside recycling, especially for commingled items including foil, paper, plastics and cans."It's continual now that we get people from Brownsville, Sweet Home and Lebanon," she said.
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