Solidarity Communiqué from the Alicante Health and Social Services Workers Assembly

In what follows, we publish Alicante Health and Social Services Workers Assembly's solidarity communiqué with two workers collectives in struggle: Vigo metal workers (see "Vigo: Los Métodos Sindicales Conducen a la Derrota") and Vesuvius de Langreo workers (who published this communiqué on their blog: https://vesuviussomostodos.blogspot.com).

The themes of solidarity and the extension of the struggle are a key preoccupation for many workers, especially younger ones. These themes express a still embryonic form of consciousness regarding the crisis of capitalism and the impossibility of fighting in isolation, with each sector of the working class fighting by itself, each company's workers struggling by themselves. These themes of solidarity and the extension of the struggle express a break from union tactics that focus only on the enterprise, the individual sector, the corporation, the particular.

From this perspective, it's a positive sign when workers' collectives take the initiative to write solidarity communiqués to express their thoughts and make proposals, contributing in this manner to the expansion of discussion and activity regarding class solidarity and the extension and unification of the struggle.

ICC

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To Vigo steelworkers; To Vesuvius (Langreo) workers; To all workers currently engaged in  struggle; and to all who have not yet begun their fight

We, the AFEMA (Alicante Workers' Assembly) - who have spent several months in a struggle to obtain due payment of wages, and against the precarious conditions in which we service the disabled - want to express our most profound support for and solidarity with the workers from the Vesusius factory in Langreo, and the metal workers in Vigo.

Both of these collectives, in much the same way as our own, are facing an attack on their living conditions. Using the current economic crisis as an excuse, we are threatened by closures, lay-offs, the EREs, and a standard of living in free fall. All of us, the working class as a whole, are being attacked by a system that does not take into consideration the needs of people.

We believe that, despite appearances, our struggles have a common origin and share the same interests: the fulfillment of our needs; the fight for decent living conditions for ourselves, our comrades, our families, etc.; the defense of our class interests. These are the reasons that have lead us to express fraternity to all workers engaged in class struggles, attempting in this manner to create a forum in which workers can express solidarity with one another, a solidarity which is our main class weapon.

As our struggle (modestly) evolved, we came to two conclusions that we consider to be essential:

• That the struggle must be managed by ourselves, through our assemblies, our committees, our mobilizations, and we must always be suspicious of intermediaries and professionals far removed from the realities experienced by the working class.
• That the only way our struggle will have a fighting chance is through the spread of the struggle and our unity with other workers. Going beyond the confines of our companies or our sectors, and becoming acquainted with the struggles of our other comrades is the only path to success. For, if the power of the state, the owners, the bosses, and the trade unions divide us, isolate us, and alienate us; the power of the working class becomes our unity, our solidarity, our means of communication.

We, once again, salute our comrades' struggles at Vigo and Langreo, as well as the struggles of all workers regardless of location, as it is our understanding that their struggle is our own, and hoping that one day we will be able to contribute to their fight more than just words.

ONE CLASS, ONE FIGHT!

--Platform of the AFEMA (Alicante) Health and Social Services Workers Assembly