(pt) (LIBERTARIAN MEMORY) AC-INTERPRO: THE ATTEMPT TO BUILD AN ANARCHO-SYNDICALIST ASSOCIATION BASED IN PORTUGAL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY

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Photo of the founding Assembly of the AC-Interpro (here) 
https://colectivolibertarioevora.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/foto.jpg?w=507&h=380 ---- 10 
years ago, in 2006, was in Portugal an attempt to create a basic union, according to the 
anarcho-syndicalist and revolutionary syndicalist principles. Several partners were 
involved in the creation of Interprofessional Class Association, whose legalization 
process was sabotaged by the state itself: hardly the association was legalized, the 
prosecutor appealed, forcing its dissolution, presumably by that union violate the law in 
their own statutes, which had been recorded months before without any problems. ---- With 
special participation of the education sector partners - grouped in the Portuguese section 
of the European Federation of Alternative Syndicalism Education ( FESA L), - this trade 
union came to participate in international meetings of the European alternative trade 
union movement.

However, the February 10, 2007, "the Partners' Meeting of AC-Interpro, met, having 
resolved the following in relation to the revocation proceedings brought by the public 
prosecutor before the Cascais County Court:

1- We assume no appeal in the case against us brought because of the inherent costs that 
we can not (a feature if constituirmos lawyer and paying their fees is only possible) or 
are willing to take.

2- Our activities will continue to be exercised on the basis of established principles and 
according to the previously outlined strategies.

3- We await the outcome of the case and in the case of the court decree our extinction as 
a union, we do not put aside the resume of the legalization process when conditions are 
deemed favorable. "

Months before the need for creation of the Interprofessional Association had been placed 
in the following terms by Manuel Batista, one of the activists involved in this project:

"Class Association Interprofessional

A contribution to the debate that is taking place among the founding members of the 
Interprofessional Class Association (tentative name, the first basic union and 
alternative, since they were extinct by Salazar in 1932, the last free trade unions in 
Portugal, inspired by syndicalism revolutionary).

The reasons we can adduce for the project to build a base of union are many. Only here we 
will expose some.

In essence, we believe that an effective defense of workers without an organization is 
impossible. Only an organization of the type of a union is able to truly help fight the 
immediate defense of the interests and rights of the working class without deviating 
concepts and revolutionary practices, that is, that the liberation of the workers will be 
the work themselves, and that you can not face a substantial improvement, even in the long 
term if the company continues to perpetuate the classes.

The two reasons to organize a union are therefore: defending the daily lives of our 
contracts, their improvement, protection of labor and social rights and, in the long run, 
the general struggle for the emancipation of our class and all classes , the abolition of 
the wage system and capitalist exploitation.

However, after April 25, "civil society", ie, trade unions, associations, etc. They were 
taken by storm by many party activists, with particular regard to the PCP and their 
dissidence.

The trade union movement was largely purchased in many ways. This explains why, during the 
rounds of "social dialogue" between representatives of the employers, the unions and the 
government, the results of the agreements have always been towards "flexible" (weaken) the 
employment relationship.

There is no independence of bureaucrats who are representing the workers.

If they had the lust for independence, they would see soon cut their "union tacho" that 
allows them to be full-time in the unions, winning ordained as if they were to exercise 
their profession, often until they reach retirement age. They are more interested in 
safeguarding their own status than the status of workers they claim to represent.

The government has said unions as partners, to provide for all and in particular to sign 
all the setbacks it takes, with a minimum of "contestation" symbolic, that minimum to give 
the illusion the workers (even the most enlightened) that there a real trade union 
movement, although it is too weak against the power of capital. But not! The power of 
capital and government politicians is precisely maintained by the union leaders, who have 
precisely this irreplaceable role (and strategic for the bourgeoisie) to keep under 
control the working class.

The many millions of workers would have enough strength to command respect for their 
fundamental rights, even without having reached a new revolutionary phase. Your inability 
to get this minimum, stems from the continued betrayal of their "representatives."

The need for an independent movement, anti-capitalist, not under the control of 
authoritarian structures, including political parties, enters through the eyes inside.

That union want?

We want a union that is always in our hands, we do not run away never to the control of 
its members, a union where the direction is responsible for the assembly to achieve 
certain decisions which will have to answer in the assembly for the proper implementation 
thereof. A union where membership of certain professional category does not imply a 
difference in treatment where there is only comrades, where reigns a spirit of equality. A 
union able to organize workers in the workplace and elsewhere.

Note that fits perfectly in the trade union field, in our view, everything that concerns 
the general and social living conditions. So are the union scope the issues concerning, 
for example, pensions, housing, consumer, environmental protection, gender equality, 
anti-racism, anti-xenophobia, combating sexism, all forms of authoritarianism , the 
defense of freedom and the fight against the employer will and the state.

The union should not interfere, "politics", but it must have a political vision and to 
evaluate the policy that is made at national and international level. It must be a fully 
independent player in the social movement, which does not mean autistic or sectarian. It 
means that we will only agreements we seem appropriate, with anyone else, due to the 
higher interests of the working class.

Manuel Baptista "

The constitution of the Association was based on the Anti-authoritarian Collective Classes 
Fight made some time before and published the newsletter "Luta Social", which left more 
than twenty numbers and became the said Association spokesman .

You can see here the Newsletter "Luta Social" (1 to 15):

alutasocialn1 alutasocialn2 alutasocialn3 alutasocialn4 alutasocialn5-6 alutasocialn7 
alutasocialn8 alutasocialn9-10 alutasocialn11 alutasocialn12 alutasocialn13 alutasocialn14 
alutasocialn15

Statutes of the AC-Interpro: http://www.luta-social.org/2006_07_01_archive.html