Re: Buschauffeurs blokkeren Haagse binnenstad
Translation to English:
Today (May 15th 2012) bus drivers of the HTM in The Hague held a wildcat strike in protest against transit privatization. An hour long they blocked the Kalvermarkt-Spui intersection in the centre of The Hague with 70 busses, blocking trams and other traffic as well. The drivers also blocked the Prins Bernhardviaduct and the Amsterdamse Veerkade. After the wildcat strike, activists of Autonomen Den Haag went to a HTM bus depot to show solidarity with the strikers. The 'crisis-krant' by Klasse! and the Vrije Bond was handed out and there where some interesting talks with the bus drivers.
Next week, the city council of The Hague will disclose which company will provide bus transportation in the future. De bus drivers of HTM want to prevent this because they are not confident that the quality of public transportation will maintain it's current level, and they are afraid their jobs will be on the line. “People will not only lose the certainty of their jobs, but also the certainty of being able to pay their mortgage. I's not easy to find a new job”, said one of the drivers.
After the drivers blocked off Spui, the action was taken over bij the FNV, after which the FNV members and the drivers went to the City Hall together to have a talk with the alderman, but he was not present.
We are glad that the drivers take matters into their own hands and proceed to do wildcat actions and are not letting themselves being held back by the unions. We are glad that the drivers are organizing among themselves and we hope that more of these kind of actions will follow in other sectors that are being threatened by austerity measures and privatization.
Solidarity with the bus drivers!
Autonomists The Hague