history. More than 150,000 people marched tions.
the austerity cutting followed weeks of strikes in Belgium.
Demonstrations against the austerity plan started even betore it was officially announced. At the beginning of 18,000 miners Limbourg, Flanders, went on strike agalst une Inreal l0 3,000 jobs. On they started all public workers' federation (CGSP) the traditional Day with actions which.
successful with no ning: telecommunications, radio paralysed.
the of between the CGSP Christian federations historical weakness of the Belgian the (SCCC), includes railway cludes emstate sector.
the decide whether result was that only teachers in the Antwerp region joined the 6 May Among the rank and file workers there was real determination in Brussels — equivalent to 1.2 million in a country with a population the size of Britain. The march was The demonstration was called to protest against policy of the right wing. Martens government. This has put forward an austerity plan involving government 'savings' of $4.4 billion and 28,000 jobs — mainly in education, the civil service, and social services. The demonstration fight. Railworkers Charleroi organised cross-sectoral meeting the Socialist-led Belgian -general workers icaeranon (FGTB) which declared: 'we won't wait for the end of the month to act.' A national against the austerity measures was-planned for Under pressure FGTB leadership decided to call a 48 hour strike in the week leading to 31 May On 7 May a demonstration of private sector teaces 15,000 people in Brussels. This was a maior blow to the politics of austerity, traditionally private sector teachers support the government. Teachers On 12 May, after the bank holiday weekend, 24 hour strike was called for 16 May. This time the CSGP teachers built the across the whole movement. Even though the Christian CCSP were still build united actions with the socialists, the was On 23 May and 24 May there was a total strike in LeononC sector mine On 27 May the government officially announced its austerity package. Tne government had been careful not adopt measures likely to rub the caustan lions. up the wrong way and push them towards united action with the Socialist unions:
The attacks on benefits also affect workers in the private sector, but inese are less evident Following the publication of the austerity plan the Christian unions, as forseen by Martens, back. ed down. On the railways. the SCCC strike call and announced
FGTB
parties took place. Even though the national leaderships lett it up to the regions and federations over 150,000 people turned out to show their opposition to the austerity plans.
Watch wave had undoubted weaknesses -mainly the failure workers in the private sector to participate in strikes. But in a situation where mass fightbacks against capitalist the srity drive are stil rare struggle in Belgium an important one to watch. From International Viewpoint EI Salvador hours before dispersing of Napoleon Duarte.
Peru missiles, demolition squads. Senator Armandon defend the principles of democracy' Mexico claimed — a difference of 5.9 million.
chief of staff.
to US imperialism begun within the PRI for de la Madrid's favour the international banks in debt negotiations.
of USA the On 19 June the FMLN seized the main barracks in the east of El Salvador at San Miguel. They inflicted 253 casualties on the armed forces and held the barracks for four The FMLN show of force indicates the position of strength they wish to negotiate from in the new round of talks with the government As the Socialist International opened its conference in Lima, the Peruvian army crushed a prison revolt led by the Sendero Luminoso guerilla organisation at the cost of at least 160 lives. The prison uprising began last Monday when inmates at Lurigancho, the country's largest jail, overpowered guards and seized two hostages. At El Fronton they took four hostages and in Santa Barbara, a women's prison, the warden and two guards were seized.
Security forces attacked with anti-tank explosives, rocket-firing helicopters and Villanueva, a government spokesperson, said the government had acted "to re-establish order and A US Senator claims that Mexican president Miguel de la Madrid was fraudently elected in 1982 and that his Institutional Revolutionary Party stole the legislative elections last year Senator Jesse Helms says de la Madrid got 39.8 per cent of the vote rather than the 71.3 per cent he claimed, a difference of 7.4 million votes, and that it got 48 per cent of the vote for the 1985 Chamber of Deputies instead of the 71.1 per cent Helms based his claim on secret documents alleged to have been drawn up by the military Mexico's intensifying debt crisis makes the coming 1988 elections a matter of grave concern and jockeying has already successor. But the favourite until recently, Finance Minister Jesus Herzog, has just been dismissed because, it is alleged, he tended to Hard on the heels of his defeat on the abortion issue at the hands of the Supreme Court, Reagan has appointed two further ultrahardline conservatives to key positions in the Supreme Court. William Hubbs Rehnquist, who was first nominated to the Supreme Court by Richard Nixon, is proposed by Reagan as Chief Justice - the head of the court - following the resignation of Warren E Burger. Judge Antonin Scalia has been nominated as a new member of
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called by the Belgian labour movement and sup- ported by women's, ecological and other organisa-
OOR ALL by ne FTB and the