On Thursday 25th April, members of Priama akcia and other activists supported the struggle of the Spanish workers against the plan of ALSTOM to close three factories and lay off nearly 400 people. Although we were not lucky to meet with the management in the Bratislava Alstom branch (allegedly they were too busy...), we handed over a protest letter and said to the receptionist that we demand that the company informs the headquarters in France about our visit. We also added that we would further monitor the conflict and if it didn’t get resolved, we would continue with protest and information activities.

This is a very rough and hardly exhaustive summary of recent two weeks of strike in education sector in Slovakia. The strike is still on despite being put on hold by its initiator, the mainstream union OZ PŠaV. The relations between key players are mentioned very briefly and thus can not be interpreted as exhaustive. We hope this helps to explain what is going on in Slovakia but for an accurate analysis more time will be needed. Protest actions in front of Slovak institutions abroad are more than welcome – preferably this week!

Workers in education sector in Slovakia have started an indefinite strike on Monday 26th, 2012. However, the education workers' union put the strike on hold on Wednesday, because they entered negotiations with the government. There are no results yet and the demands have not been met. Putting the strike on hold is nonsense as it discourages and demoralizes the striking workers. We would very much appreciate an international solidarity by sending an e-mail to the teachers’ union officials via the following online form as soon as possible. The text in the online form can be changed, so you can write it in a way you consider best. Spread this info as widely as possible. Some info on the strike in English can be found on the The Slovak Spectator. At the moment only one school with an independent union remains in strike (a secondary school in Bratislava).

On 10th October a court hearing in the case of the ZSP member illegally fired from the pharmaceutical concern Roche took place. We already paid visit to the Slovak branch of Roche on 29th March 2012 and promised that if there wasn't any progress in the case of our comrade, we would return. This protest action took place on 10th October. We also sent protest fax messages to the company headquarters in Switzerland and to the branch in Poland. The court was adjourned due to the illness of the judge and the date of the next hearing has not been set yet, but we are prepared to pay a visit to the Slovak branch of Roche again.

In October 2012 Priama akcia (PA) will publish a pamphlet called “How to Create a Group Dealing with Workplace and Community Related Problems” in Slovak language. This Afterword is the final part of the pamphlet and was written by PA members. It is basically an attempt to take a look at the SeaSol concept from the Slovak perspective. At the same time it is an attempt to compare the approach taken by solidarity networks with the approach of anarchosyndicalist organizations. An English version is provided on PA website and on libcom.org with the aim to stir debate.

On Thursday 13th September, a one day warning strike was organized in the education sector in Slovakia. Priama akcia interviewed its member working in the education sector about last year’s education workers’ protest, the functioning of a trade union on the school level, the situation in the workplace as well as the self-perception of a teacher as such. It was not our goal to analyze the whole issue based on a single case, therefore we would welcome comments. Our goal was to inform about the situation and also to provoke workers in the education sector to have more discussions – not only about the one day during which the schools were supposed to be closed. This interview was published in Slovak language on 11th September. After the strike our member was interviewed by members of the ZSP Education union. Both interviews in English are part of this article.

Today, Priama akcia-Bratislava organized a protest visit to two branches of Roche in Bratislava, Slovakia. It was the third day of March solidarity activities called by ZSP in support of their sacked member Jakub. During all three days we informed about the development of the struggle and provided people with an easy way to send protest e-mails via web. We also sent faxes to Roche branches in Poland, Switzerland and Slovakia.

Priama akcia – IWA Slovakia joined the International week against Ryanair practices in several ways. We published an article about the company scam on our website together with an appeal to send complaints and other possibilities how to express discontent with Ryanair practices – sending faxes, calling Ryanair and spreading the information as much as possible. We have also found several negative experiences of Slovak Ryanair workers on the Internet.

On Monday, 19th December, members of Priama akcia–Bratislava visited the ABB headquarters in Bratislava. We did not succeed in handing over the protest letter expressing solidarity with the striking workers in Córdoba directly to the management, because no one was there at the moment, but we left it at the reception. However, we were promised that the letter would be given to the management when they came.

After protests in Prešov and Banská Bystrica in Slovakia Priama akcia focused on the recruitment office in Olomouc, Czech Republic. We visited the premises with a local journalist from the paper Olomoucký deník (article in Czech here). We handed over a red card to the employee, who accepted it without objections and promised to fax it to the management in Holland and inform the CEO Frank van Gool about the protest. She indirectly indicated that she has her own opinion regarding the problematic practices.

On Wednesday, 20th April, Priama akcia organized a protest against the practices of OTTO Workforce. The office in Banská Bystrica was visited by almost a dozen activists. We wanted to express solidarity with the workers who have been cheated by the agency. With this action, Priama akcia also joined the IWA Days of Struggle against Borders and in Solidarity with Immigrant Workers.

On Friday April 8, Priama akcia organized its second visit to the OTTO Workforce office in Prešov. We gave the staff a symbolic red card addressed to the management of the agency. We reminded one of the employees (see photo) in the branch that since our first visit some of the workers did receive some money which the company refused to pay before, but not all the demands were fulfilled, therefore we will continue to inform people about the practices of the company at home and abroad. We do not think this was the last red card for OTTO.

After two meetings with the management of OTTO Workforce in Holland this week first concessions have been made. Thanks to the international campaign of the Dutch organization Vrije Bond, ZSP (IWA Poland), and Priama akcia (IWA Slovakia) OTTO paid out some (but not all) money it owed.

On 14th January, Friday morning, Priama akcia – Bratislava (IWA/AIT Slovakia) organized an action in support of the workers from SWLK. Together with other individuals we visited the embassy of Korean republic in Bratislava and protested against prosecution of SWLK members. We were received not by the ambassador Seo Seok-soong himself, but by the embassy’s councellor Kim Gyuyoung. The meeting lasted for over an hour and after we explained the reasons and aim of the protest the representative promised to inform the ministry of foreign affairs in Seoul. We continue appealing to people in Slovakia and Czech to send e-mails until Sunday 16th January 22:00 CET to the judge handling the case. More information and a model letter (including English version) can be found in the following article.

Priama akcia handed out this leaflet at the demonstration against government austerity measures organized by the biggest union confederation on 12th October 2010 in Bratislava. It was the third union action in the autumn preceded by around 1500 strong demos in Košice (1st October) and Žilina (8th October). Over 5000 unionists met in the capital. You can download Slovak version in PDF here.

The following article was published in Slovak at the end of February, and thus does not contain information about current developments. It explains the anti-worker practices in Slovak branches of South Korean company Yura Corp. The article also contains a leaflet of Priama akcia in solidarity with the workers which was distributed in the region.

Today, on January 28th, Priama akcia - Bratislava organized a solidarity action with FAU Berlin (IWA/AIT Germany). Ten people (members of PA and other FAU supporters) met in front of the German embassy in Bratislava, Slovakia, to protest against the ban imposed on FAU-Berlin which de facto forbids FAU-B to work as a union. The action is part of the International protest days called by FAU between 29th-30th January.