Snippets of organised workers’ opposition to the war on Iraq, roundly ignored by the mainstream media.

Italy: A one-day general strike one 2nd April, 2003 was organised entirely by the rank-and-file ‘base’ unions and anarchosyndicalist USI. Despite the fact the traditional unions did not back the action, one million workers struck and 250,000 demonstrated across the country. Trains carrying military materials were also stopped.

USA: A San Francisco anti-war direct action group picketed the Port of Oakland on the 7th April to stop the transport of war materials. Longshoremen from the militant union the ILWU were discussing what they should do with protesters and their union reps, when police opened fire with ‘non-lethal’ bullets. Dozens were injured, and 35 port workers and protesters were arrested. Anti-war feeling and disgust at police violence amongst the dockers saw most of the Port shut down for the day.

Spain: The anarchosyndicalist-led call for a general strike was belatedly taken up by the mainstream unions who called a one-day stoppage on April 10th which saw millions of workers walk out and hundreds of thousands take to the streets.

Britain: A small number of train drivers refused to transport materials to be used in the war effort, and an estimated several thousand people took up the call to skip work on the day war began. This was mostly atomised, with people pulling sickies instead of organising mass walk-outs.

Germany: A largely token ten-minute general strike was called by the reformist trade unions who were keen to deflect public anger into symbolic acts of resistance.