The Autonomous Workers' Confederation (Bulgarian: Автономна Работническа Конфедерация, romanized: Avtonomna Pabotnicheska Konfederatsiya) is an independent autonomist and syndicalisttrade union in Bulgaria. It is chaired by Mergul Hassan, a former female employee of the Piccadilly supermarket chain.[1][2]
The AWC is headquartered in the coastal city of Varna and claims to have large union sections in Bulgaria's major cities, specifically among the medical, arts and IT sectors, though it does not specify how many members its sectors and affiliates have.[3]
The union has no employees of its own, as it rejects "professional syndicalism" and instead entirely relies on contributions of the members of its sectors to fulfil its goals.[3]
Though it has expressed a rejection of what they dub "syndical bureaucracy", it has nevertheless agreed to work with the country's more traditional labour unions in creating a "network of solidarity and cooperation between everyone involved in the struggle".[1][2]
It has defined its key goals and objectives as:[1][2]
An immediate and "unsymbolic" increase in incomes (wages, pensions, state aid and child benefits)
Lowering the retirement age and reforming the pension system
Socialization of all public utilities, such as power, water, heating and transport
Historyedit
Foundationedit
The union was created in May 2019 in Varna through the unification of several small and unregistered autonomist unions from Varna, Sofia, Plovdiv and Vidin.[1][3]
During their founding conference, the AWC signed a cooperation agreement with the Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden (SAC). The agreement allowed for AWC members to receive union support from the SAC without having to take membership in either it, or any other Swedish labour union.[1][2]
June 2020 protestsedit
The AWC made its first publicised debut in June 2020, when it organized a protest of medical professionals. The protest was called against alleged repressions launched against a nurse that was reportedly fired from her position due to her activities in favour of labour unions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bulgaria.[4][5][6]
July 2020 protestsedit
The AWC later joined the more general 2020–2021 Bulgarian protests against the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.[7] In a press release, the union claimed to have joined the protests to "cooperate in the removal of the GERB-United Patriots model from power", but also to create a "broad, independent and most importantly extra-parliamentary front of the working people".[8]
Referencesedit
^ abcdef"Нова синдикална организация ще защитава интересите на работниците" (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^ abcde"Учредиха нова Автономна работническа конфедерация". Барикада (in Bulgarian). from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^ abc"Автономна работническа конфедерация учредиха във Варна". bnr.bg (in Bulgarian). from the original on 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^"Медицински специалисти протестираха за правата си - Болници". Novini.bg (in Bulgarian). from the original on 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^"И във Варна подкрепиха протеста за медицинските сестри". www.24chasa.bg. from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^"Протест срещу уволненията на медицински сестри във Варна - България - dnews.bg". dnews.bg. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^"Защо ЕС не се намесва в кризата в България, пита в. "Известия"". Барикада (in Bulgarian). from the original on 2020-09-13. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
^"Позиция на АРК за антиправителствените протести - Юли 2020". Автономна Работническа Конфедерация. 2020-07-11. from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
autonomous, workers, confederation, bulgarian, Автономна, Работническа, Конфедерация, romanized, avtonomna, pabotnicheska, konfederatsiya, independent, autonomist, syndicalist, trade, union, bulgaria, chaired, mergul, hassan, former, female, employee, piccadil. The Autonomous Workers Confederation Bulgarian Avtonomna Rabotnicheska Konfederaciya romanized Avtonomna Pabotnicheska Konfederatsiya is an independent autonomist and syndicalist trade union in Bulgaria It is chaired by Mergul Hassan a former female employee of the Piccadilly supermarket chain 1 2 AWCAutonomous Workers ConfederationAvtonomna Rabotnicheska KonfederaciyaFoundedMay 20 2019 5 years ago 2019 05 20 HeadquartersVarnaLocationBulgariaKey peopleMergul Hassan presidentWebsiteavtonomna wbr com The AWC is headquartered in the coastal city of Varna and claims to have large union sections in Bulgaria s major cities specifically among the medical arts and IT sectors though it does not specify how many members its sectors and affiliates have 3 Contents 1 Structure and Goals 2 History 2 1 Foundation 2 2 June 2020 protests 2 3 July 2020 protests 3 ReferencesStructure and Goals editThe union has no employees of its own as it rejects professional syndicalism and instead entirely relies on contributions of the members of its sectors to fulfil its goals 3 Unlike other Bulgarian labour unions such as the much larger and well established Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria the AWC rejects representation in the Tripartite commission between the Bulgarian government labour unions and chambers of commerce 1 2 Though it has expressed a rejection of what they dub syndical bureaucracy it has nevertheless agreed to work with the country s more traditional labour unions in creating a network of solidarity and cooperation between everyone involved in the struggle 1 2 It has defined its key goals and objectives as 1 2 An immediate and unsymbolic increase in incomes wages pensions state aid and child benefits Lowering the retirement age and reforming the pension system Universal health care Free Secular and Universal education Opposition to austerity privatization economic liberalization and deregulation Socialization of all public utilities such as power water heating and transportHistory editFoundation edit The union was created in May 2019 in Varna through the unification of several small and unregistered autonomist unions from Varna Sofia Plovdiv and Vidin 1 3 During their founding conference the AWC signed a cooperation agreement with the Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden SAC The agreement allowed for AWC members to receive union support from the SAC without having to take membership in either it or any other Swedish labour union 1 2 June 2020 protests edit The AWC made its first publicised debut in June 2020 when it organized a protest of medical professionals The protest was called against alleged repressions launched against a nurse that was reportedly fired from her position due to her activities in favour of labour unions during the COVID 19 pandemic in Bulgaria 4 5 6 July 2020 protests edit The AWC later joined the more general 2020 2021 Bulgarian protests against the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov 7 In a press release the union claimed to have joined the protests to cooperate in the removal of the GERB United Patriots model from power but also to create a broad independent and most importantly extra parliamentary front of the working people 8 References edit a b c d e f Nova sindikalna organizaciya she zashitava interesite na rabotnicite in Bulgarian Retrieved 2020 08 05 a b c d e Uchrediha nova Avtonomna rabotnicheska konfederaciya Barikada in Bulgarian Archived from the original on 2020 08 10 Retrieved 2020 08 05 a b c Avtonomna rabotnicheska konfederaciya uchrediha vv Varna bnr bg in Bulgarian Archived from the original on 2023 08 05 Retrieved 2020 08 05 Medicinski specialisti protestiraha za pravata si Bolnici Novini bg in Bulgarian Archived from the original on 2023 08 05 Retrieved 2020 08 05 I vv Varna podkrepiha protesta za medicinskite sestri www 24chasa bg Archived from the original on 2020 06 10 Retrieved 2020 08 05 Protest sreshu uvolneniyata na medicinski sestri vv Varna Blgariya dnews bg dnews bg Retrieved 2020 08 05 Zasho ES ne se namesva v krizata v Blgariya pita v Izvestiya Barikada in Bulgarian Archived from the original on 2020 09 13 Retrieved 2020 08 05 Poziciya na ARK za antipravitelstvenite protesti Yuli 2020 Avtonomna Rabotnicheska Konfederaciya 2020 07 11 Archived from the original on 2020 08 06 Retrieved 2020 08 05 nbsp Organized labour portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Autonomous Workers 27 Confederation amp oldid 1201885762, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
