Wildcat strike action

As a wildcat strike a collective work stoppage is called a workforce that leads independent of trade unions industrial action. As a means of labor struggles Wildcat strikes are part of many social-revolutionary movements.

Examples

The largest wildcat strike in recent European history was May 1968 in France. Especially many wildcat strikes also occurred in Italy at the end of the 1960s and in the 1970s. In Italy at that time was the theory of Operaism and the concept of workers' autonomy, it was coined. In the Anglo-American world, a wildcat strike is called a wildcat strike. This term was sometimes used also in Germany. From the supporters of this form of struggle wildcat strikes are seen as a means of self-organization and expression of the strikers. Also in the early 1920s, during the Weimar Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany, in September 1969, there was a wave of wild strikes. On September 2, 1969 originally started as operational conflict in the Dortmund Westphalia hut with 5,000 workers, the number of participating workers rose to 9 September 1969, 140,000 strikers in 69 farms at.

On 3 December 2010, over 90 % of all Spanish air traffic controllers reported ill or appeared unannounced not to work. All air traffic over Spain Thereupon collapsed.

The role of trade unions

Wildcat strikes are often perceived not only by the companies but also by the unions as a threat, because they are beyond ( at least tend to be ) the control of the trade union bureaucracies. They are therefore also referred to as a separate strikes.

Legal Aspects

A strike that is carried out without a prior call by the trade union is unlawful under the applicable German legal opinion because it is not performed by any collective capable party. It is in such a case, a mere refusal to work, the employer may proceed against the individual law ( warning, dismissal ). However, assume such a strike later and thus justify According to the Federal Labour Court, the union.

Quote

" Today the wildcat strikes are the only real class struggle of the workers against capitalism. " Anton Pannekoek - 5 theses about the struggle of the working class against capitalism