The vote for the German SPD in the recent European elections revealed a
disastrous collapse. It is the price the party pays for pushing a Blairite
agenda of cuts and attacks on the welfare state. The German workers do not want
this. Large numbers abstained, rather than vote for the Christian Democrats, who
also lost votes. On the left, the PDS recovered from its bad showing in 1999.
This summer Germany was hit by a wave of “Monday” demonstrations
against the severe austerity measures of the Schröder government. This
reflects the growing polarisation within German society. There are
moves to the left of the SPD, while on the extreme right the NPD is
picking up votes. These are the first rumblings of the class struggle
that is to come.
The wildcat strike at the Opel plant in Bochum, Germany lasted for six
days. It reflected the growing militant mood of the German workers. The
situation at Opel also highlights the serious difficulties German
capitalism is facing. And yet suddenly after six days the workers voted
to go back to work. What was behind this decision? Hans-Gerd Öfinger
explains how the trade union officialdom did everything in their power
to bring the strike to an end.
The German comrades of Der Funke
issued a leaflet that was given out at the Opel factory in Bochum
explaining the need for common ownership of the factories. Read the
leaflet in English.