1. Sat, 26/09/15

    Jugoslavias's crossroads

    The worship of prices in Jugoslavia has lead to distortions associated with the "fetishism" of commodities

    Socialists all over the world have shown increasing interest in the workings of the Jugoslav economy in recent years. The discrediting of Stalinism and a growing appreciation of the economic and political problems of the bureaucratic State have focused attention on the techniques of decentralization that the Jugoslavs have been practising since the break with the Soviet Union in 1948. Today the Jugoslav "model" arouses envy in many parts of Eastern Europe as well as alarm in China. read more »

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  2. Sat, 02/05/15

    Workers' control at Fralib: the brand with the Elephant

    When the big multinational Unilever shut down a tea processing plant in the south of France, the workers reacted immediately by occupying their factory.

    In France there are two cases of recuperated factories occupied by workers during the current crisis. One is the Pilpa Ice Cream Factory, which just started producing organic ice cream and yoghurt as a worker-owned and administered company after a long-lasting struggle. The other is the Fralib Tea Factory. Both were closed by their huge multinational owners to relocate production. read more »

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  3. Sat, 02/05/15

    May Day: workers of the world unite and take over - their factories

    Guardian 1st May 2015

    The liberal UK newspaper, the Guardian - in a special article for May Day 2015 - has recognised "the fast-developing phenomenon" of fabricas recuperadas  that around 15,000 workers in more than 300 workplaces have taken over following attempted closure by capital.  Examples in France,Spain, Greece, Argentina and Turkey many detailed on this site are discussed.  This site, along with autogestion.coop and the Marseille meeting, get a mention on the online version although not in the print.    read more »

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  4. Wed, 29/04/15

    Workers' "Caravan of Struggle and Solidarity" to Athens

    Autonomous and horizontal workers’ movements in Greece embarked on a caravan to Athens to remind the SYRIZA government of the base from which it arose.

    Workers’ movements and their supporters from throughout Greece have embarked on a caravan to speak with, and demand from, the new SYRIZA government. They are asking for concrete support for their struggles, each of which is based on self-organization and horizontality. Saturday April 4th marked the first day of a caravan, which will travel to various towns throughout Greece, meeting with and gathering other workers in struggle in each location, who will then all make their way to Athens. read more »

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  5. Thu, 12/03/15

    Vth International Gathering “The Workers’ Economy”

    Punta Cardón, State of Falcón, Península de Paraguaná, Venezuela July 22-26, 2015

    Call for Participation

    I. Background

    Since 2007, the International Gathering of “The Workers’ Economy” (Encuentro Internacional de “La Economía de los Trabajadores-Trabajadoras”) has taken place every two years. The gatherings have opened up a space for debate and dialogue between workers, social and political activists, academics, and intellectuals concerning the problems and potential of what we have termed “the workers’ economy”—based on self-management and the defence of the rights and interests of the population that lives by their work, within the rubric of today’s conjuncture of global neoliberal capitalism. read more »

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  6. Mon, 29/12/14

    The Take

    Canada, 2004 - 87'

    Click on the CC button (bottom right) to enable the English subtitles.

    The Take is a Canadian documentary film released in 2004 by Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis. It tells the story of workers in Buenos Aires, Argentina who reclaim control of a closed Forja auto plant where they once worked and turn it into a worker cooperative.

    Summary

    The plant closed as a result of the economic policies of the Carlos Menem government under the watchful eye of the International Monetary Fund. read more »

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  7. Fri, 26/12/14

    Occupy, Resist, Produce - RiMaflow

    The first in a series of short documentaries on the recuperated factories of Europe.

    In February 2013 former Maflow workers occupied the plant, together with precarious workers and workers from a nearby factory, which had been shut down after fraudulent bankruptcy. The 20 workers participating full time in the project completely reinvented themselves and the factory. They started recycling computers and electronic household devices, opened a bar and cafeteria, organize a flea market and cultural activities with the community, and have built alliances with local organic agricultural producers and together they have created a group for solidarity shopping. They plan to transform the factory into a plant for industrial recycling. read more »

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  8. Mon, 01/12/14

    Marx’s Critique of Socialist Labor-Money Schemes and the Myth of Council Communism’s Proudhonism

    Dismantling the myth that the council communist tradition actually advocated a self-managed capitalist economy, rather than a truly communist one.

    Some left theorists have claimed that the council communist tradition actually advocated a self-managed capitalist economy, rather than a truly communist one. This essay aims to expose and dismantle that myth by examining some writings of council communists, particularly those of the Dutch Group of International Communists and Anton Pannekoek, and comparing them with Karl Marx’s own writings on post-capitalist labor-time accounting. Through this process, I hope to show that the myth about council communism is fundamentally based on a misrepresentation of Marx’s stance on these issues. read more »

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  9. Mon, 24/11/14

    Worker Management of the Barcelona Public Transit System, 1936-1939

    The history of worker management of Barcelona's transit system during the revolution and civil war is an illustration of the ability of workers to directly manage the industries where they work.

    In the years leading up to the revolution in Spain in 1936 there had been bitter struggles of the workers...such as the long but defeated streetcar strike in 1935. A number of leading activists in that strike were sent to prison. With the victory of the liberals and social-democrats in Spain's national elections in February 1936, imprisoned unionists were freed, and the workers on the Barcelona transit system began rebuilding their union, which was to play an important role in the city during the revolutionary events of 1936. read more »

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  10. Mon, 24/11/14

    Industrial collectivisation during the Spanish revolution

    Within hours of the fascist assault, workers had seized control of 3000 enterprises. Οnce the initial period of fighting was over, it was clear that they had to ensure the continuation of production.

    Although it was in the countryside where the most far-reaching anarchist socialisation took place, the revolution took place in the cities and the towns too. At that time in Spain almost 2 million out of a total population of 24 million worked in industry, 70% of which was concentrated in one area - Catalonia. There, within hours of the fascist assault, workers had seized control of 3000 enterprises. This included all public transportation services, shipping, electric and power companies, gas and water works, engineering and automobile assembly plants, mines, cement works, textile mills and paper factories, electrical and chemical concerns, glass bottle factories and perfumeries, food processing plants and breweries.  read more »

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