Spanish union of the International Confederation of Labour Launches 17 new Lawsuits

Just a few words about the court case which took place on September 19 against our Section in Spain, the CNT-AIT as we wait for their official report.

On September 18, the day before the court case, the lawyers of the Spanish union of ICL (the CNT-CIT) submitted 17 more lawsuits against unions of the CNT-AIT Spain, bringing the total to 35 lawsuits. These cases are scheduled to be heard on October 30, however, the first decision will be issued before that, so it is most likely that this decision will decide the fate of the October 30 cases.

As always, we wonder if the membership of the CNT-CIT actually made a decision to expand the lawsuits. The only ones present at the trial from that organization were the lawyers and the General Secretary of the organization, so obviously are the ones who know about this situation. In any case, it is only a small difference if the membership approved it or not: if they didn't, it is proof that it does not work on anarcho-syndicalist principles. It is did, it is also proof that they have abandoned any sense of class solidarity and only fight for copyrights and repression of other unionists.

Even the public prosecutor's office decided that the lawsuits were greatly exaggerated and ordered that the amounts of the suits be changed from 50,000 euros to 5,000. However, that is no victory as this is still outrageous to demand that an organization pay damages just for continuing to follow in its historic tradition.

There is no other major news on the development of the case and the situation is now up in the air until the court's decision. As always, we condemn these processes and well as the organization who has started this outrage as a vindictive action to inflict damage to the CNT-AIT, the organization that we in the IWA recognize to me the legitimate continuation of the CNT-AIT in Spain, not the „renovados” who have turned their organization into a vertical and legalistic farce of our ideals, using the state to repress our comrades,

As always we send our solidarity from all corners of the earth and await more news.

We never expect justice from the state, but whatever happens, nothing can break our determination to continue the struggle in the real traditions of anarcho-syndicalism, despite every effort of the state of their lackies to stop us!

General Secretary
IWA