When we face a problem at work and think about how to solve it, more often than not we face difficulties. Sometimes we manage to work them out quickly, other times it can be really demanding or even more than we can handle. Still, it’s almost always true, that it is easier when there’s more of us and we act together. Therefore we reach out to you – to everyone who wants to actively solve problems in the workplace and share their experience. Let’s help each other. Hereby we also introduce the first point of our campaign „COVID-19 Crisis: We are not on the same boat!“ dedicated to the consequences of the pandemic for workers.

The English broadcast of RTVS (national radio service) called Slovakia Today prepared a very good, more than 20 minutes long special dedicated to the First of May. It included an interview with a member of our union, who spoke about workers’ struggles during the COVID-19 crisis. She also mentioned activities of some of the Sections of the International Workers’ Association and our campaign We Are Not On The Same Boat! (minutes 10:15 to 12:45). You can listen to the 1M special (in English) here: https://www.rtvs.sk/radio/archiv/1487/1327603.

Last year we commemorated First May by organizing an arts exhibition Shortly before that, we won in another workplace conflict and we thought it could be interesting to point out that workers’ struggles are not only about workplaces. They are primarily about our creativity. And we need it even more at the time of layoffs, unpaid and lowered wages, and suppression of our rights and freedoms. Therefore, this year on First May we are launching a campaign „COVID-19 Crisis: We are not on the same boat!“ .

Quite a busy period is behind us. Again, we organized workplace conflicts, were present at public actions and showed solidarity to IWA sections as well as social movements in France and Chile. We restarted public “open meetings” with our union and informed about workers’ struggles on our website and Facebook page. See the full report in English and Spanish below.

As a union we wrote a statement related to today’s protest and also participated in person as part of the “dark green” block that marched behind the big banner of Bod obratu collective “Let’s change the system, not the climate”.

In the last few months the global climate change movement has made a significant step and approached the workers. One of the first results is the Climate Strike taking place on 20th September. In the struggle against the climate catastrophe, the workers’ movement faces a challenge it has to deal with. Although the challenge is not new, it requires greater attention than before.

Several sections of the International Workers‘ Association responded to the call for solidarity from French CNT-AIT. So far we have heard about ZSP in Poland, KRAS in Russia, SolFed in UK and NSF in Norway. In Slovakia, Priama akcia organized a visit to the French embassy in Bratislava.

Recently, an unpleasant thing happened to our comrades from WAS union: their organizational finances were stolen. So, together with another collective which faced the same problem, they decided to organize a benefit party on Saturday 29th July, to which they also invited us. Last time we met in Bratislava in 2014, when we organized an international conference entitled Problems at Work?, so we were curious how our comrades have been doing since then.

We would like to ask you to show solidarity with Mia, who is together with Priama akcia in conflict with Space Mania café. You can send a protest e-mail directly to the boss Viera Pierce, who refuses to pay owed money to her former worker Mia. The total owed sum is 222.44 €. Since October 2017, Mia has been trying to get her unpaid wage, but her boss ignored her written requests as well as protest actions she organized together with her friend in front of the café. In December 2017 Priama akcia entered into the conflict concerning Mia's unpaid wage. The article contains all the background details a a template of a protest e-mail.

Last year in June, Priama akcia won a conflict related to owed wages. We informed about the conflict the same month. This year we created a short video from the footage we made during the conflict, which you can watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0xSaAGVAXg (includes English subtitles). Feel free to share and spread.

On Saturday 18th of March, the Presentation of Anarcho-Syndicalist Groups took place in the Prague autonomous center Klinika. The event was organized by the Prague solidarity network Solis with speakers from Solis, Lithuanian solidarity network Gyvenimas per brangus (Life Is Too Expensive), Solidarity network Chceme bydlet! (We Want Housing!) and two sections of the International Workers’ Association (ZSP and PA). We hereby thank Solis for the invitation and organization of the event. Here are a few of our observations.

In the first half of May 2016 Priama akcia entered a wage theft conflict against CATO Agency after we had been contacted by Martin asking for help with his unpaid wages. It took less than a month of activities and here is the good news – the company paid up. Our protest and direct action tactics proved effective once again. We would like to thank to everyone who spread information about the conflict and showed support to Martin.

Priama akcia entered a wage theft conflict against CATO Agency which has not paid one of its workers. We would like to ask your organization, as well as your members and supporters, to send protest e-mails to CATO Agency. The more people send an e-mail, the better. The international e-mail campaign starts on June 1st and lasts until June 7th.

Priama akcia decided to take a stand towards the restriction of the freedom of speech of puppeteers during the World Puppetry Day (21st March). In solidarity with the puppeteers from Títeres Desde Abajo, who face up to seven years in prison for the absurd charges of terrorism for their play Witch and Don Cristóbal, we organized a protest visit to the Spanish embassy in Bratislava, and activists in Košice visited the Spanish consulate. On the same day, we also published an extensive article on the recent attacks against artists in Slovakia and Spain, and also prepared an interview with a Priama akcia member, who is an amateur puppeteer.

In the first half of November 2015, we started a conflict with the NGO Divé maky concerning unpaid remuneration for their former worker Michal, who approached us and asked for help. After more than two months we have good news – Michal received the whole amount of 950 € to his account on the 22nd January 2016. Despite the fact that Divé maky used threats, defamation and intimidation against us and Michal during the whole conflict, it did not help them. The tactics of protests and direct actions proved to be effective. We want to thank everyone who spread the information about the conflict and expressed their support for Michal.

Teachers in Slovakia have begun an indefinite strike today. They demand higher wages, more money to be invested into education and changes in the system of teachers’ further education. The strike is organized by the Initiative of Slovak Teacher (ISU; www.isu.sk) which is an independent network of teachers regardless of union affiliation. You will find more information about events that led to the strike in the next External bulletin of the International Workers’ Association.

At the end of last week representatives of the IWA Secretariat visited Slovakia and met with members of Priama akcia union (IWA Slovakia). The major topics of their discussions were issues related to illegal employment, onerous contracts and unpaid wages in both neighbouring countries. Representatives of the IWA Secretariat were particularly interested in the development of the conflict of Priama akcia with NGO Divé maky, shared experiences from conflicts and gave impulses for next steps. They wanted to personally meet with Mgr. Barbora Kohútiková from Divé maky who is responsible for the situation. However, no one was in Divé maky office on Monday forenoon, so a message was left in the mail box and on the doors. The situation was discussed also in form of an interview.