Let’s mobilise for 2 October mass demonstration!
The regional strike called in Amsterdam on 28 September, to resist the cuts package of the Dutch right wing coalition government, was answered by many thousands of workers, including public transport workers, fire fighters, dockers etc. In the morning around 10,000 strikers and other worker-activists assembled at Dam Square, in central Amsterdam. They listened to the different trade union officials and to songs, including those of the recently deceased famous Dutch singer André Hazes.
School protest
There were other protests outside of Amsterdam. The cwi in the Netherlands, Offensief, took the imitative in calling a student strike at the Alkwin College in Uithoorn. Around 40 students attended a one and a half hour protest. They listened to speeches by Offensief member Bobby Siecker and decided to make a banner that they will carry with their student block at the upcoming demonstration on 2 October, in Amsterdam, at which more than 100,000 people are expected.
Assisted by Belgian cwi members, 113 copies of the latest Offensief paper were sold. We also distributed 1,000 leaflets, sold pamphlets and met protesters interested in the ideas of Offensief.
Following the excellent Rotterdam strike on 20 September and now the Amsterdam strike, we belief that the demonstration on 2 October will be a big success. But the anti-cuts movement needs to continue to organise. This government is aiming for a confrontation with the Dutch workers’ movement. The trade union movement needs to develop a wider struggle, starting with naming a date for a one day general strike, and to fight for the fall of the right wing government.
See also:
Netherlands: Strike shuts down world’s biggest port, 21 September 2004
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