DEM VOLKE DIENEN

Starting on 26 October 2022, around 6500 workers in 23 ports in Chile went on strike for 48 hours. Thus, the port workers were mainly demanding higher wages, sufficient pension for retirement, new labour laws specifically for port work and better safety conditions in the ports. Already during the election campaign, the government of the opportunist Boric had promised better conditions in the ports. None of these promises were kept. The ports of San Antonio, Iquique, San Vicente and Antofagasta saw the largest mobilisations.

Today, 1 November, the early parliamentary elections will take place in Denmark. Because of its handling during the Corona pandemic, the Social Democratic-led government around head of government Mette Frederiksen came under increasing criticism. The opposition used this opportunity to attack the government and to profit from the government crisis in Denmark. For this reason, the parliamentary elections have now been brought forward. Actually, they should have taken place in June 2023.

Last week, two left-wing activists were sentenced in Stuttgart for their alleged involvement in the so-called Stuttgart riot night. The first of the two defendants was sentenced on October 24 to three years and nine months in prison, the second on October 26 to three years and two months in prison.

The latest figures published reveal a bitter truth: a third of a century after the annexation of the GDR by the FRG, the illusions of flourishing landscapes have long since vanished and it is becoming increasingly clear that what belongs together is not growing together. Average wages in the not so "new" federal states today are about ¾ of the average wages in the West. More precisely, it is 78.5% or exactly 55,797 euros in West Germany, whereas in East Germany it was only 43,624 euros per year. Even though both increased in absolute terms compared to the previous year, both decreased when adjusted for inflation. What is important here is that the difference between East and West German wages has not only not decreased or remained the same, but has increased.

On October 24, there was a large-scale police presence in Rellinghauser Straße in Essen, right next to the main train station. The reason is said to have been an alleged spontaneous rally by angry workers after nine workers were fired.

We share an unofficial translation of an article by the Popular Women’s Movement – Brazil (MFP-Brasil) on the occasion of the still ongoing elections in Brazil.

We publish a video we have found on YouTube:

We publish a declaration of comrades in Greece on the death of Comrade Andreas Vogiatzoglou and also an unofficial translation of a declaration by the Central Committee of the TKP/ML. We send to the Greek comrades and the family of the deceased our condolences. - Editorial Staff of "Dem Volke Dienen"