Austerity, Austerity, Austerity

france / belgium / luxemburg | economy | opinion / analysis Tuesday February 14, 2012 00:28 by Alternative Libertaire - AL

The triple-A, totem of the bourgeoisie, nothing less than the symbol of the war that Capital is carrying our on us. And it is in the name of its reconquest that we are being promised new austerity plans! [Français]

It is done. Standard & Poor's has downgraded France.

No more triple A! Yet it was for the sake of protecting us from this "note" that the government had stepped up its attacks on the workers by imposing two separate austerity plans. A triple A which has in fact only one meaning for workers: Austerity, Austerity and more Austerity.

What can one say about the "Social Summit" on 18 January which brought together the State, the bosses and the CGT, CFDT, FO, CFTC and CGC trade unions? It was only a masquerade of alleged dialogue between "partners". We have no interest in common with those who profit from our work!

At a time when there are 5 million unemployed and 3 and a half million precarious workers, for trade unions to prefer the gilding of the Élysée Palace to labour mobilizations says it all with regard to the moribund state of the "big" confederations. The "radical" camp - made up of Solidaires, certain combative sectors of the CGT and the FSU - are trying to rebuild a real social re-mobilization.

There can be no doubt that we do indeed need to trace out the path of struggle. Step by step, even.

Alternative Libertaire

Translation by FdCA-International Relations Office.