FROM SOME of the furthest reaches of Europe: Morocco, spaia, Prance, Dosala and sia® land, the marches are on the road.
Over recent months workers in demonstrated and taken strike acgence criteria is posing to their jobs, ditions. Miners and steel workers in Germany, Renault workers in Belgium and France and many others have joined battle against the effects of Maastricht.
The struggle of black people deprived of their rights by Schengen tress Europe is strengthened by campaigns like that of the 'sans papiers' France and the hunger strike al Rochesict pason in cas land. social exclusion are in progress: against homelessness in France, against the Job Seckers Allowance in Britain for example.
The marches off over the weekend of 12 and 13 April and will arrive in Amsterdam for the Intergovernmental Conference on June 14, after two whole months on the road.
Marchers from other countrice will join them on the way. Tens of housands will have toinco this pro test at the social effects of the bosses' Europe. Finland The marchers started out in great enthusiasm despite polar condiThe 'sans papiers' movement in France is challenging EU racist laws tions. The northernmost leg of the march set off from Ivalo a tiny vilthe Arctic circle, over 1,000 miles from Amsterdam. marchers will visit over 80 towns and villages in their journey south.
The four legs of the march from Finland and will converge in Helsinki and Turtu on May 10 - the first anniversary of the reduction in unemployed benefit in Finland. Finland has an 15 per cent unemployment and Lapland is almost double that. The only work there is forestry, reindeer herding or servicing tourists visiting the midnight sun or looking for Father Christmas! Morocco The march started on April 11 from the offices of one of the two major Morrocan unions. Morrocan, Spanish and French marchers were Most Moroccan marchers were prevented from entering Spain under the Schengen provisions when the march crossed the Straits of Gibraitar. 100 marchers arrived in Algesiras and a campaign' was aunched to get the Moroccans When this leg reached Madrid they linked up with a group of workers made redundant at a fac tory in Palencia. Spain he main Spanish march left Murcia on April 16 with 200 marchers on route for Alicante. A delegation of 6 French marchers is included.
A debate has been organised in Barcelona on the rights of immigrant workers. Bosnia On Monday April 14 there were symbolic starts of a march in Sara jevo and Tuzia in Bosnia. A series of debates was organised with miners, postmen and hospital workers in Tuzia. Two students, two miners, two postmen and two nurses will soin the march to Amsterdam. Italy There is not an actual march from Italy, but a series of events throughout the country including a rally at the ENI chemical factory in Crotone in the south with hundreds of workers present organised by the unions to mark the start of marches from other places. Greece Although a full march is not possible from Greece the project has bir support and large delegations will be joining the march to Amsterdam. The campaign was started with a meeting of 300 pcople addressed by the Vice President of the CGT (the Greek trade union federabeen booked to get the largest The Irish march is due to set off in June. An official launch rally for the march took place in front of the European Commission Offices Dublin on April 14. The rally was well covered by the media with interviews with INOU officials and with Christophe Aguiton for Paris On Sunday April 13, 400 unemproyca actvisis occupica toe F'alce of Versailles to mark the start of the marches, Incy took over e Aink rooms, and symbolically spoke from the King's balcony, protesting abour new measures being caken against the unemployed in France. This was the balcony where on August 4 1789 the abolition of privileges was declared. Frankfurt-on-theOder May 1 Departure of the ist German March The official departure was from the Polish side, where 30 Solidarnosc militants gave the marchers a good send off across the Oder Bridge. The day was organised by the DB (the large confederation of German unions), Later on some Polish people will join the march . Barcelona March from Almeria When the march arrived in Barmarches took place - 500 people came to wave goodbye.
hursday May 1. Havonne: a joint trade union march with over 1000 mople. The European March banner led the cortege. in the three regional languages, basque, spanish and ricaca. I the afternoon, there was a debate on the problems of unemployment which was held on the local union's premises. Pyrenées April 29 at the Somport Pass in the Pyrenées, 12 Spanish marchers decided to stay on the march into France with the French marchers. The marchers met local small farmers who were fighting against the construction of a motorway.
S0 marchers on the BedousOloron part of the march rode the Later in the afternoon, the marchers occunied the local ion centre in Oloron and mounted a the jobless by using public transport, in a large group, without paying.
In Hendave. the march converged with the other leg of the Spanish march. Perpignan March from Almeria, Spain Wednesday April 30, Immigration day, the marchers held a ceremony to erect a memorial plaque in hommage to the 11 Moroccans without official papers, who all died in a car accident just before the Perthus frontier.
200 people made up a cortege in the direction of Perpignan. Alencon deMay 1 - March from Brest hind the banner of the European March.
Local members of the CFDT which rully supports tac marches walked. behind the This display of Labour Day sondanty, turaca out to oca very big demonstration for Alençon and a real pleasure for the marchers...
March from Tangiers