Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Hamburg: Airbus union leaders turn rally over to right-wing politicians
Some 20,000 turned out Friday March 16 for the demonstration against job cuts at Airbus in Hamburg. They packed the Spielbudenplatz in the centre of the city, with many having travelled from other Airbus factories in the cities of Bremen, Buxtehude, Laupheim, Stade and Varel. In addition, delegations came from subsidiary industries, and a large number of young people were also in attendance. Entire school classes had been given the day off, and some held signs reading, “My dad should keep his job” and “Who is thinking of our future?”
A majority of those demonstrating had taken part in spontaneous strikes and protest actions two weeks ago, as workers reacted to the news of plans by the Airbus company to cut 10,000 jobs. With all the company’s factories located in France, Germany, England and Spain, the proposal for a joint European protest demonstration and rally in Brussels of all those affected received widespread support.
However, just a few days before this joint action was due to take place, it was called off by the trade unions. Instead, under the heading “European day of action,” national rallies and meetings were organised at which chauvinist sentiments were encouraged.
In Hamburg, the trade union had invited three prominent politicians from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to serve as the main speakers at the demonstration: Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Christian Wulff, Prime Minister Günther Öttinger of Baden-Württemberg, and Ole von Beust, the mayor of Hamburg. In the end, von Beust was unable to attend and was replaced by his finance senator, Ulrich Nussbaum.
Until now, it has been quite rare for leading CDU politicians to appear at large trade union rallies, and certainly not as the main speakers. When they sought to address rallies in the past, they were often met with a hostile reception. The constant attacks carried out by the CDU on social gains and democratic rights are well known and despised. This time, the chairman of the Airbus works council, Rüdiger Lütjen, introduced the CDU politicians with effusive friendliness, thanked them for coming, and called for “big applause” from the audience—which in reality turned out to be somewhat restrained.
The most avid nationalist speech was made by state Prime Minister Öttinger. He began with the words, “We are fighting for Airbus in Germany.” All of the German plants had to remain and defended in the framework of the company, he said. Nobody had convinced him so far that “the problems can be solved by selling off the factories.” It was impermissible “that problems, which were made by the management, should be shifted onto workers.”
More
http://wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/airb-m19.shtml
However, just a few days before this joint action was due to take place, it was called off by the trade unions. Instead, under the heading “European day of action,” national rallies and meetings were organised at which chauvinist sentiments were encouraged.
In Hamburg, the trade union had invited three prominent politicians from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to serve as the main speakers at the demonstration: Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Christian Wulff, Prime Minister Günther Öttinger of Baden-Württemberg, and Ole von Beust, the mayor of Hamburg. In the end, von Beust was unable to attend and was replaced by his finance senator, Ulrich Nussbaum.
Until now, it has been quite rare for leading CDU politicians to appear at large trade union rallies, and certainly not as the main speakers. When they sought to address rallies in the past, they were often met with a hostile reception. The constant attacks carried out by the CDU on social gains and democratic rights are well known and despised. This time, the chairman of the Airbus works council, Rüdiger Lütjen, introduced the CDU politicians with effusive friendliness, thanked them for coming, and called for “big applause” from the audience—which in reality turned out to be somewhat restrained.
The most avid nationalist speech was made by state Prime Minister Öttinger. He began with the words, “We are fighting for Airbus in Germany.” All of the German plants had to remain and defended in the framework of the company, he said. Nobody had convinced him so far that “the problems can be solved by selling off the factories.” It was impermissible “that problems, which were made by the management, should be shifted onto workers.”
More
http://wsws.org/articles/2007/mar2007/airb-m19.shtml
Add Your Comments
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$210.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network