| Written by M. Fontana |
| Friday, 16 November 2012 17:02 |
 The demonstration called by the Alternative classist unionism and alternative social movements, was a huge success and a historic step in the reorganization process. By the evaluation of COBAS and Corriente Roja, the event brought more than 60,000 people (other unions organizers, uplifting presence to 100 thousand people). The fact is that tens of thousands took part on a demonstration of workers and popular character, alternative to the bureaucracy, to demand: No payment of the debt, repeal of all decrees of cuts, repeal of the labor reform and shout “Rajoy, resignation.” Alternative to the demonstration called by the CCOO and UGT, whose leaders argued that all this mobilization should end demanding a referendum, or even worse, in the words of Colin Campbell of UGT to the daily El País: “I hope it is a great act of democratic affirmation. And it would be interesting that the Government consider the impact as an endorsement to face Brussels and to oppose cuts (…)  As Luis Angel Parras, from Cobas and Corriente Roja, one of the four speakers on behalf of the trade unions organizers, spoke at the end of the rally: “We have not done a strike to endorse Rajoy in anything. After a general strike as of today, the message that workers can and must send to the government is that, or put off your plans or the workers will put off the Government. The only hand to Rajoy is that of a clenched fist and an unequivocal shout: Leave.” He closed by saying that there were two tasks ahead, one more immediate, to go on the streets, not letting up, supporting the demonstrations called to November, 18, occupy the streets of Madrid to defend our hospitals. The other task is more strategic, maintain and strengthen this unity of class and alternative unionism and social movements, to build from the bottom, in a democratic way a classist alternative to this government and to unions and parties that are complicit and hostages of this system. |