Industrial Workers of the World

Public building occupations in solidarity with the Nikaia 3 spread across the country Wednesday, October 21, 2009

On October 17, an anarchist demonstration against the police assassination of Mohammad Atif Kamran in the Athens suburb of Nikaia was attacked by the cops. As it was reported at the time, eight demonstrators were arrested and charged – five were facing charges under the “anti-hoodie law” introduced after December’s revolt. The response of the solidarity movement was instant. On the very same night of the demonstration, the local Town Hall of Nikaia was occupied, with the occupiers demanding all the demonstrators’ immediate release.

In the days that followed the occupiers left the Town Hall to take over the Propylea building of Athens University instead (that being more centrally located and easier for them to spread their message). Yesterday, the administration building of the Chania Prefecture was occupied in Crete.

Today (21.10) the Theater School in Thessaloniki and the Administration building of the Athens School of Economics (ASOEE) were added to the occupations’ list. Meanwhile, out of the 8 arrested demonstrators 5 have appeared before the attorney general and secured their release until trial – all but one on bail. The remaining three demonstrators are appearing before the attorney general tomorrow, 22.10. The occupations of the public buildings across the country are set to continue until all are free.

http://athens.indymedia.org/?lang=en

http://www.occupiedlondon.org/blog

http://libcom.org/news/workers-support-city-hall-occupation-nikea-19102009

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Ssangyong Motors factory occupation documentary An 18-minute documentary on Ssangyong Motors factory occupation (with English subtitles), produced by militant railroad workers from Doro Chiba in Japan.

The Ssangyong strike and factory occupation in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, ended on August 5, 2009, having lasted 77 days.

It began when 1700 workers seized the small auto plant on on May 22. Yet 976 workers were able to successfully defend it to the end - against repeated military assaults by riot cops, company-hired goons, and scabs. The settlement, signed by Ssangyong court receivership management and the Korean Metal Workers' Union local president, was a negotiated defeat for the workers; the surrender of the factory was followed by felony charges and heavy sentences against occupiers, as well a massive lawsuit against the KMWU.

Despite this, the workers fought valiantly and uncompromisingly for over 2 months, demonstrating a militancy and class consciousness sorely lacking in the world today.

Like the 6-day occupation of the Republic Windows and Doors factory in Chicago last December, or the 3 Visteon factory occupations in the British Isles, the Ssangyong struggle is an inspiration to workers everywhere -- especially as the current crisis has been used as a pretext to further attack the working class. It's about time we turned the class war back on its feet; the Ssangyong struggle offers many lessons for fighting back.

http://www.mininova.org/tor/3067976

Video clips from the documentary can be seen here:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLXCRzxIDqc

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzIOmK2WvHI