New protests against pension reform held in Russia
On January 3, 2019, in many cities of the country pickets were held, at which people demanded that the recently approved law be lifted, which increased the age of access to well-deserved rest. The actions were attended by workers, students, intellectuals, the unemployed, retirees.
Protesters in Moscow drew attention to the fact that the authorities have money for the luxurious festive decoration of the capital, but they do not have it for retirement.
Pickets were also held in Leningrad, Novosibirsk, Gorky (Nizhny Novgorod), Tomsk, Sverdlovsk, Rostov, Irkutsk, Ulyanovsk, Barnaul, Stalingrad (Volgograd), Ufa, Omsk, Kirov, Kemerovo, Kazan, Astrakhan, Saratov, Izhevsk, Yaroslavl, Zhelefor, Zhelekorov, Zaporozhye , Krasnodar, Tolyatti, Kaluga, Novorossiysk, Vologda, Bryansk, Sevastopol and other major cities.
Agricultural workers also joined the actions. In particular, representatives of the village of Malaya Shilna (Tataria) expressed their dissatisfaction with the pension reform.
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Residents of Komi protest against the head of the region
On January 6, protests were organized in the Komi republic. During the pickets, the participants spoke in favor of the resignation of the head of the Komi Republic. One of the main slogans of these events: “Putin, take Gaplikov back!” Neither frost at minus 25 degrees, nor pressure from the policemen prevented the picketers from going even to the Syktyvkar-Kortkeros-Ust-Kul highway. The protests gathered signatures for the resignation of the official.
The purpose of the events was to draw attention to the situation when Putin, by force and cunning, imposes his henchmen on the regions, who have nothing to do with the land where they sit on the kingdom. Gaplikov is an official born in Kyrgyzstan. He had nothing to do with Komi before the appointment.
A similar situation exists in neighboring Udmurtia, when a certain Brechalov, a native of Adygea, an absolute stranger who had never been to the republic before, was imposed by Putin.
Ordinary people end up suffering from such incompetent and in many ways senseless appointments, as visiting "governors" do not care about the territories entrusted to them.
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Protest in Vladimir region
On January 8, a rally was held in Strunino, which gathered more than a hundred people, among whom were workers, as well as pensioners and the unemployed. People went outside with posters, where it was written: “Save the hospital for the people”, “No medical assistance is provided in the renovated departments”,
The protesters recalled that before Aleksandrovskaya CRH had joined the Struninsky hospital in early 2012, everything was relatively normal in the city. Now, in Strunino, the dermatological, neuropsychiatric, therapeutic, and ophthalmology departments are under the threat of closure, which people oppose. Protesters insist that a new clinic be built in the city.
At a rally, the government was reproached for not meeting with the people.
There was no one from the health department of the Vladimir region, or from the city or district administration.
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In Barnaul, activists opposed the greed of churchmen
On January 8, a picket was organized in the capital of the Altai Territory. Its participants protested against transferring the premises of the Barnaul Planetarium to the property of the church.
The picket was held near the building of the local diocesan administration. The organizers of the rally noticed that it was also received in due time by the priests from the city administration.
The speakers stated that it was not only the fact of the transfer of the premises, but the costs associated with it. Presumably, about 50 million rubles will be required for the construction of a new building.
“Can these funds, nevertheless, be spent on children and children to leave the planetarium?”, The picketers wondered.
Activists also handed out leaflets explaining the situation around the Barnaul Planetarium and condemning the greed of clergy and government officials to citizens.
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Abroad
Nationwide strike in India
On January 8, at the call of the trade unions in this densely populated country, a large-scale two-day workers' strike began. It was attended by about 200 million people who disagree with the socio-economic policy of the authorities.
The strikers put forward slogans demanding higher minimum wages and pensions in various industries, improving social conditions, creating vacancies for unemployed youth. Protesters accused the government of refusing to protect the interests of the proletarians.
According to the strikers, the government has lost the confidence of the people and continues its aggressive policy towards the workers, not noticing that people lack livelihoods. The protesters also opposed the proposed amendments to the law on trade unions, since the changes would cause great damage to their functioning. Peasant communities through their associations, as well as associations of teachers and students supported the strike.
In a number of regions of the country, protesters blocked the railways and highways. In the states of West Bengal and Kerala clashes with police occurred.
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France hosted the first in 2019 "yellow vests" protest action
On January 5, rallies and marches against the policies of the president and the government were again organized in the country.
Mass actions in which workers participated, representatives of the petty bourgeoisie, were held in Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lille and other cities of France. In Rene, Nantes and Rouen, demonstrations ended in clashes with the police. Tear gas was used against activists in Beauvais to keep about 600 demonstrators in "yellow vests" out of the city.
In Paris, an action took place on the Champs Elysées, where all the demonstrations had taken place before. In addition, protesters marched from the city hall to the National Assembly. Participants in the rally on the Champs Elysées turned to the France-Press agency building located on Birzhevaya Square to express disagreement with how the protest is covered in the media. Demonstrators shouted, “Collaboration journalists!”
In total, at least 70 thousand people took part in the demonstrations of the "yellow vests" on January 5.
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In Hungary, a series of protests against the “law on slavery” continue
Trade unions, together with opposition parties, continue a series of rallies against plans to increase the number of overtime hours allowed per year from 250 to 400. On January 5, more than 10,000 workers, intellectuals, and other sections of the population went to protest in Budapest, demanding the repeal of the “slavery law” .
The chairman of the trade union of metallurgists, Z. Muksu, stated that if the government did not reconsider these plans, a slogan calling for a general strike would be put forward.
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Strike in Germany
On January 10, the three major airports in the country, located in the Bonn, Düsseldorf and Stuttgart areas, began a strike by employees responsible for the safety of passenger and freight transport.
The strikers insisted on the introduction of a unified federal tariff scale, implying a payment of 20 euros per hour. Before the strike, this figure varied depending on the region of the country and the nature of the activity.
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