Sweden:

Strong solidarity action against Connex union-busting

ON 6 OCTOBER, a five hour unofficial strike almost completely stopped the underground system in Stockholm. Nine-out-of-ten drivers took part in the strike, in spite of it being formally 'illegal'.

It showed the massive backing for the union leader of the train drivers, Per Johansson, who was recently sacked by the trans-national company, Connex. [infamous, in Britain, for losing its rail contracts for mismanagement].

A union meeting with 120-130 drivers on 11 October, decided to organise a demonstration for 20 October in Stockholm, marching to the office of the regional council (which is in charge overall for local transport). At the meeting there were also strong demands for a political strike.

Calculated attack

CONNEX'S DECISION to sack Per Johansson is a calculated attack on all democratic and trade union rights. The main accusation is that he had "exceeded the right to criticise". This was when the union sent out a press release that the emergency telephones in the underground were out of order!

This, and other examples, proves that there are no "personal" reasons for the sacking, which the company has claimed. It is a blatant attempt to silence a critical and fighting trade union.

The drivers' union, nationally and regionally, supports Per Johansson. The union pointed out that Connex got support from the local transport organisation of the regional council, SL.

A week before the sacking, the boss of SL accused Per's union branch of being "fundamentalists". This has been backed up by the leading Social Democrats in the regional council.

Trade union support resolutions have arrived, for example, from mineworkers in the north of Sweden, underground train drivers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF). Resolutions from CWI comrades in the Czech Republic, Israel, Pakistan, Britain, the US and other parts of the world were read out at union meetings.

Rattvisepartiet Socialisterna (CWI Sweden) urges all members and supporters to take solidarity action in their workplaces and trade unions, and puts forward the demand for a one-day, political strike.

The union activists are extremely grateful for all statements of support which are all carried on the union's website:- www.klubb119.org.

Messages should be sent to:

SEKO Branch 119. liljeholmen@klubb119.org
Boss of Connex: pelle.svensson@Connex.se
Leader of regional council's local transport board: anna.berger.kettner@politik.sll.se
Leader of Stockholm regional council: ingela.nylund-watz@politik.sll.se

Please also send copies to: offensiv@socialisterna.org

This article was made up of extracts from Offensiv, paper of Rattivsepartiet Socialisterna.

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