The Marxist Tendency "Der Funke" has started the New Year with a newly designed website. This will be an important tool for intervening in the coming class struggles.
Visit www.derfunke.at
In the last few years Austria has been presented, together with Germany, as one of those countries in Europe which was able to overcome the capitalist crisis. It had the lowest rate of unemployment in the EU, and in comparison with many other countries there were no severe cuts and attacks on the trade unions. The Social Democracy and the conservative People’s Party in government produced a real standstill where no party could get its plans through because the two coalition "partners" blocked everything.
The elections last autumn saw a severe defeat for both parties, but in spite of everything they cling together. But now the crisis has started to bite more severely also in Austria. Unemployment is rising to new record levels. In many important factories in the metal and chemical industries, but also in the service sector, we are seeing mass redundancies.
After the elections the government announced that the budget deficit was much bigger than expected, so there will have to be severe cuts in the next period. The Social Democracy now fully supports the policy of the Conservatives and is prepared for a "partnership of reform” to lead the country out of the crisis. These declarations have to be seen as a warning for the workers and youth.
The formation of the new government (which is identical to the previous coalition) was answered with a series of protests by school students, university students, teachers and public sector workers fighting for higher wages. These have been the biggest demonstrations for years. This is only the beginning of the new period of intensifying class struggle in Austria.
In all these movements, and especially in the trade union struggles, we can see the lack of a leadership with a clear programme and perspective on how to lead these struggles to victory. Also in the struggles on the shop floor against redundancies this problem is evident.
In the next period we have to build a strong Marxist Tendency in the labour and youth movement which can challenge the bureaucratic, reformist leaders in the trade unions and in the youth movement. The new website will be an important tool in helping to spread the ideas of Marxism within the movement.