Capitole occupé à Madison, bruits de grève générale

Capitole occupé à Madison, bruits de grève générale

Confusion à Madison, Wisconsin, dans la soirée d’hier, alors que des rumeurs annonçaient que le gouverneur Walker allait forcer un vote en faveur de sa loi limitant, entre autres choses, les droits des syndicats des services publics. La chose semble avoir été faite dans la nuit et l’atmosphère générale, dans une très grande tension, semble orientée vers une épreuve de force majeure.

Des protestataires ont envahi mercredi soir le Capitole de Madison, qui avait été évacué quelques jours auparavant après plusieurs semaines d’occupation. Les syndicats eux-mêmes, qu’on disait prêts au compromis, parlent désormais d’une grève générale. Le comportement de la police a été très ambigu, puisqu’elle semble ne pas s’être opposée à l’entrée des protestataires dans le Capitole.

Dans CommonDreams.org du 10 mars 2011, reprenant un article de cette date du Wisconsin State Journal.

«Thousands of protesters rushed to the state Capitol on Wednesday night as word spread of the hastily called votes that sent Gov. Scott Walker's controversial bill limiting collective bargaining rights for public workers speeding through the Legislature.

»Shortly after 8 p.m., hundreds of protesters gathered outside the locked King Street entrance to the Capitol, chanting “Break down the door!” and “General strike!” Moments later, police ceded control of the State Street doors and allowed the crowd to surge inside. The area outside the Assembly, which is scheduled to take the bill up at 11 a.m. Thursday, was jammed with protesters who chanted, “We're not leaving. Not this time.”

»Some said they planned to spend the night in the Capitol. Last week, a Dane County Circuit Court judge ordered dozens of protesters who had been occupying the Capitol for more than two weeks to leave. It's not clear why police abandoned efforts to limit access to the Capitol Wednesday night, but Department of Administration spokesman Tim Donovan said “windows have been broken” to get in. He said he could not immediately provide specifics. […]

»Some union leaders interviewed Wednesday night at the Madison Labor Temple indicated that strikes — which are illegal in Wisconsin for public-employee unions — are possible. “Senate Republicans have exercised the nuclear option to ram through their bill attacking Wisconsin's working families in the dark of night,” said Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. “Tonight's events have demonstrated they will do or say anything to pass their extreme agenda that attacks Wisconsin's working families.” […]

»Representatives of the union that represents blue-collar, technical and safety officers at UW-Madison said the possibility of a general strike has been discussed. “Anything is possible,” said Local 171 steward Carl Aniel.

»Aniel said only locals can call a strike, and it would be up to each one to do so individually. “It's clear that Walker is not interested in any sort of negotiations. He's leaving the working class no other options,” Aniel said.»

dedefensa.org