"Direct action" ( Ukrainian. "Direct child" ) - a network of independent student unions of Ukraine . The union was founded in 2008 on the initiative of students of the Kiev National University. Shevchenko . Legalization completed on April 15, 2009 . The union has cells in a number of Kiev universities, as well as in several regional centers.
Independent student union "Direct Action" | |
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Independent student trade union "Direct child" | |
Founding date | 2008 |
Type of | student union |
Leader | missing |
Site | direct-action.org.ua |
Content
History
In the mid-1990s, a student union called Direct Action, founded by local anarchists , Maoists and Trotskyists, already existed in Kiev . During its existence, the union has held several successful actions [1] aimed at protecting the rights of students. These were the first attempts to lift the student movement in Ukraine. The union existed until 1998 .
In 2008, when students decided to create a new independent trade union, it was decided to take the name “Direct Action” as a sign of the continuation of the traditions of youth resistance. Thus, the “Direct Action” of the sample of the 1990s was called the “first generation”. Some activists from the first generation are now helping union activities.
In 2014, there was a restart of "Direct Action". The union continues to use the same registration data as before, but now it is often said about the third generation of “Direct Action”.
Organizational objectives
According to the “Direct Action” Manifesto , the goal of the trade union is to create a grassroots student organization based on horizontal coordination principles. Such an organization should gradually replace the bureaucratic apparatus of the administration and form relations in the field of education on the basis of equality, direct democracy and cooperation.
The union is fighting against the commercialization of education, that is, for a complete free education. At the same time, she defends the social rights of students - decent living conditions in student dormitories, raising scholarships, opposes unreasonable fees, student exploitation, etc.
"Direct action" stands for the principles of free (libertarian) pedagogy in the educational process. The union is fighting for the equality of students and teachers, for the democratic formation of educational programs, free attendance of classes and free choice of subjects. She also advocates the final secularization of education and science.
One of the main tasks of the trade union is the creation of a powerful student movement, joint support of the emancipative movements of Ukraine and the world.
Union Principles
“Direct action” is based on syndicalist principles of self-government . It is a non-leader structure. Administrative positions in the organization exist only formally - all decisions are made by the general assembly without a vote, through the consensus process.
The trade union is called independent, since it declares complete dissociation from any political parties, commercial structures, and is not financed by the administration of higher educational institutions.
The statute of the union states that members of a union cannot be people who adhere to racist , nazi , sexist views or profess any chauvinist doctrine.
Activity
2008–2009
Since its inception, the union has become a participant and initiator of several campaigns in defense of the rights of students and workers.
- July 2008 . The first action "Direct Action". In a sign of support for Rovno students who are against raising the tuition fees, the union organizes a picket of the Ministry of Education. The result - the administration of Rovno universities agree to negotiate with students on new prices.
- September 2008. The trade union is holding a series of measures against the anti-student provisions of the new edition of the Law “On Higher Education”. In particular, "Direct Action" opposes the introduction of forced labor for graduates. Activists enter into negotiations with officials of the Ministry of Education, as well as picketing the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada. The result - members of the committee sharply criticize the bill, and the Ministry of Education withdraws the points at issue from the document.
- September-October 2008. Among other organizations, “Direct Action” becomes the initiator of a campaign against the adoption of a new Labor Code, which significantly narrows the rights of employees. The campaign starts from an extension of a large banner “НІ to a new labor code” in the stands during the football match “ Arsenal ” - “ Shakhtar ”. The trade union takes part in press conferences, pickets of the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada, information campaign. The end of the campaign was the holding of a large-scale concert on Khreshchatyk “Rock against the legalization of slavery”. Result - deputies postponed consideration of the bill.
- November 8, 2008. Union activists take part in the Social March.
- February 2009. Members of the “Direct Action” carry out raids by metropolitan hospitals, where physicians are agitating to create cells of independent trade unions and fight against the introduction of paid medicine.
- April 12, 2009. The union takes part in a social march under the slogan "Time to take one's own." About 250 activists are on the march. During the action "Direct Action" encourages students to fight for free education, increase scholarships, and for direct self-government in universities.
- May 1, 2009. Alternative May Day demonstration. “Direct Action” together with a number of other left-radical organizations ( Revolutionary Confederation of Anarcho-Syndicalists , Marxist Organization , “New Left”, “Social Alternative”, Anti-Fascist Action) and independent trade unions bring over 400 activists under social slogans to the streets of Kiev.
- May-June 2009. Campaign against the introduction of paid services for students. Trade union activists are trying to persuade officials to negotiate. When this does not come out, "Direct Action" holds meetings with students of Kiev universities, campaigning to go out on the streets with protests.
- June 4, 2009. Protest action under the walls of the Cabinet. “Direct Action” manages to take over 150 students to the picket. During the action, a fire was defiantly burned and several test books. Result - students achieve that at an emergency meeting the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine cancels the decree on the introduction of paid services [2] [3] .
- October 2009. Participation of "Direct Action" in the strike of students and teachers of the Institute. Boychuk [4] . Protests under the Ministry of Education. The strike ended at the end of October with the loud action of the blockade of the institute [5] , which led to the retirement of the rector.
- November 17, 2009. Campaign "Student's Day. Break the Wall ”- a protest against the repressive education system, an action of solidarity with German and Austrian striking students [6] .
2010
- February 2010. A wave of discontent in the Kiev-Mohyla Academy . At a mass gathering on February 5, union activists initiate a referendum on the latest decisions of the administration. The result - the rector of the university is forced to make concessions, a new compromise decision is made.
- March 11, 2010. After an action of solidarity with the workers of “Nestle”, a group of neo-Nazis carried out an attack on the “Direct Action” activists. As a result of the incident, part of the ultra-right factions condemn the attack [7] .
- From March 2010, “Direct Action” begins a campaign against repression aimed at trade union activists and their relatives. Various trade union, youth, human rights organizations send letters of protest to the Ukrainian state institutions and the administration of the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University . April 20-22, the days of solidarity with the trade union, during which students, teachers and trade unions from different cities of Ukraine and Europe picket official institutions of the state of Ukraine.
- April 2010. International campaign against anti-union repression and the presence of special services in universities. "Direct Action" gives a press conference where it will publicize the facts of pressure by the SBU on activists. Actions of solidarity with the trade union are held in Germany, Greece , Portugal , Switzerland , Poland and Russia [8] .
- April 21, 2010. Picket under the main control of the SBU. The result of the campaign is a temporary cessation of pressure on activists, a promise by the leadership of the SBU to conduct an internal investigation [9] .
- May 1, 2010. "March of collective action." Union activists, along with other left - wing organizations, are taking to the streets a half-thousand demonstration [10] .
- June 2010. The public responds to the murder of student Igor Indilo at the police station with a campaign against police brutality and a police state. Active participation in the campaign takes "direct action". The consequences - massive cleansing in the ranks of the police [11] [12] .
- June 2010. The fight against sealing the settlement in the dormitory of the Physics Department of the KNU. Shevchenko [13] .
- September 1, 2010. Protection KNU them. Shevchenko and the Security Service of Ukraine prevent the 30th trade union activists from holding a meeting with the rector of the university. As a result, a few hours later, the meeting of the “Direct Action” is proposed by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Lytvyn. A week later, it is possible to begin negotiations with the leadership of the university [14] .
- October 5, 2010. Simferopol students of Tavrichesky National University , supported by “Direct Action”, were the first to go on a protest march against Cabinet Resolution No. 796, again, as in 2009, aimed at introducing additional “paid services” in universities [15] .
- October 12, 2010. “Direct Action” and the Fund of Regional Initiatives are organizing the All-Ukrainian protest against the commercialization of education (in particular, raising the demand to repeal the governmental decree No. 796 on “paid services”), which takes place in 14 cities: Kiev , Lviv , Uzhgorod and Simferopol , Kharkov , Exactly , Lugansk , Zhytomyr , Khmelnytsky , Kamenetz-Podolsky , Kirovograd , Ivano-Frankivsk , Sumy , Lutsk . The poet and writer Sergey Zhadan [16] expresses his solidarity with the students. A mass march to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Presidential Administration is taking place in the capital [17] . Despite intimidation from university administrations, a total of up to 20,000 students [18] take part in protests, in three cities - Lviv, Kiev and Uzhgorod - the number of participants exceeds 1,000, and in Lvov it reaches 7,000 [19] . Ukrainian student protests, synchronized with the international initiative “Global Wave for Free Education” [20] , have international resonance [21] . On the eve of the protest, the authorities are disseminating information about the cancellation of the scandalous ruling, but in reality it turns out that only a few of its more odious points have been canceled [22] .
- October 22, 2010. “Direct action” supports the action of the Polish left outside the walls of the Sejm for the legalization of labor migrants in Poland [23] .
- November 11, 2010. The union is holding a campaign "Student Offensive". A number of cities in Ukraine declared and supported their support (a total of 14). In Kiev, a march was held under the Ministry of Education under which the requirements of students and teachers about the further development of education in Ukraine were announced [24] .
- November 17, 2010. Khmelnitsky students create a branch of the trade union "Direct Action" in their city [25] .
- December 11, 2010. “Direct Action” together with the “Insight” public organization, the Center for Visual Culture, Hudrada, Prostoms, the independent trade union “Labor Protection”, the Marxist Organization, the Anti-Fascist action and the anarchists organization “Free Union” is dedicated to the International Day of Rights person About a hundred people marched to the central Christmas tree on Independence Square, where they held a theatrical performance, returning the authorities the “gifts” they had prepared for the people for the New Year. After the rally, the organizers and participants of the march were completely attacked by neo-Nazis from the activists of the “autonomous right” and the Svoboda party [26] .
2011
- January 31, 2011. “Direct Action”, together with the Foundation of Regional Initiatives and the public movement “ Vidsich ”, are launching an all-Ukrainian campaign “Against the Degradation of Education”. The campaign is directed against the new draft law “On Higher Education”, reduction of the state order by 42%, and commercialization of education. On this day, the actions took place in Khmelnitsky [27] , Donetsk [28] , Odessa [29] , Zhytomyr, Zaporozhye, Kharkov, Kiev [30] . The result of the shares was canceled two bills.
- February 14, 2011. Union activists with the Street University and la REF (Revolution Fractale) hold in Paris an action of solidarity with the “War” group [31] .
- February 28, 2011. The second all-Ukrainian action in the framework of the campaign "Against the degradation of education." Students, teachers, schoolchildren and their parents took to the streets in Donetsk [32] , Khmelnitsky [33] , Simferopol [34] . In Kiev, more than 300 students took to the streets. Despite the fact that the action was announced as non-partisan, activists of the Svoboda Party, the Social-Nationalist Assembly and other ultra-right organizations appeared in the rally and chanted and launched anti-Semitic slogans and posters. Having pushed the students aside and taking a seat under the parliamentary committees, the ultra-right provocateurs provoked a scuffle. After the rally on Kontraktova Square, about a dozen participants in the “alternative” rally attacked several trade union activists, including girls. A stranger also suffered [35] .
- March 15, 2011. “Direct Action” together with “Children of the Crisis” on the International Day Against Police Lawlessness is conducting Operation Opachik. The participants of the operation distributed among passers-by a brochure explaining how to behave when meeting with the police [36] .
- March 22, 2011. Union activists participate in protests of educators [37] .
- March 26, 2011. "Direct Action" is conducting a campaign in the framework of the international campaign "Spring of resistance". Activists hung up their demands on three large metropolitan universities [38] . In addition, after the action, the First All-Ukrainian Congress of the Direct Action trade union was held. The congress was attended by activists from all regions of Ukraine, as well as foreign guests from Russia, Germany, Hungary, England. Representatives of the “First Generation” made presentations, presented the activities of the union over two and a half years of existence, gave presentations on the situation in their cities and countries, and gave a lecture on the technical aspects of the union and the student struggle [39] .
- March 29, 2011. "Direct action" holds a campaign against the rise in price of hostels in the KNU. T. Shevchenko. About 150 university students come to the action with the support of students from other metropolitan universities [40] . Also, the action was supported by students of the Paris Sorbonne [41] .
- May 1, 2011. "Direct Action" takes part in the May Day demonstration "March of Collective Action" [42] .
- May 9, 2011. In Kiev, trade union activists distributed leaflets on the topic of modern manifestations of fascism and countering it [43] .
- May 25, 2011. The third all-Ukrainian action "Against the degradation of education" in which students and teachers from Kiev [44] , Simferopol [45] , Ivano-Frankivsk [46] , Odessa [47] , Zhytomyr [48] , Khmelnitsky [49] , Donetsk took part . The poet and writer Sergey Zhadan [50] again expresses his solidarity with the students.
- September 22-23, 2011. In contrast to the Forum of Ministers of Education of Europe and the former Soviet Union, held in Kiev, "Direct Action" is holding a student counter forum with the participation of activists from various regions of Ukraine, as well as from the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Belarus, Russia, Georgia, to voice the requirements of universal free education , countering the commercialization and combating the real causes of xenophobia. The program of the counter forum includes speeches, discussions, art project [51] . The activists are Michael Bourava , President of the International Sociological Association . However, the police are trying to disrupt the event: on the first day four students were detained (photos of the detention are posted by international media [52] [53] ), on the second day the Berkut keeps the counterforum participants in a cordon for about two hours before allowing them to march [54] .
Union Projects
On the basis of the trade union there is a permanent self-education project “Free School” ( “Vilna School” ) [55] . Within the framework of the project, seminars and trainings on natural and humanitarian disciplines , practical skills acquisition are held. Self-educational project operates in line with libertarian pedagogy - without the authoritarianism of teachers and methods of coercion.
"Direct Action" publishes a newspaper of the same name. The press organ covers the activities of the trade union, foreign experience, the history of the student movement, the theory of the liberation movement, and counter-cultural resistance. The newspaper is distributed in a number of metropolitan and regional universities for free.
Cinema Club “26 Frame” is also active, where socially critical films are shown, and after watching a discussion.
The direct wave radio station operates on the trade union website.
Notes
- ↑ “Direct Action” - this sounds cautionary. The student union of the far left is extremely aggressive (inaccessible link) “Mirror of the week” No. 8 (8) November 26 - December 2, 1994 (rus.)
- ↑ Lutsk students gave Yulia Tymoshenko Wazelinov cute. PHOTO Archived June 6, 2009. - Volynsk news 4.06.2009 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ Students prepared a toy for Tymoshenko (inaccessible link) - Observer 06/02/2009 (ukr.)
- ↑ Studentsi University of Kyiv were struck by a strike against kerivnitstva - TSN 10.22.2009 (in Ukrainian)
- Є Kiev has students, schoystuchuyut, zablokuvali institute Archived July 26, 2011. - Novinar 10/29/2009 (Ukr.)
- ↑ The student's day was celebrated with a protest with pyrotechnics. PHOTO - Browser 11/17/2009 (Russian)
- ↑ Nazis against professional relations - Chronica to the self -advocate 03/12/2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Repressions of the Security Service of Ukraine against students (Video) - INTV 04/08/2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ In Kiev, a protest was held against the presence of the Security Service of Ukraine in universities - UNIAN 04/21/2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ At the center of Kiev to pass actions against capitalism - Correspondent 01.05.2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Ni - policea States. + PHOTO, VIDEO Archived December 2, 2010. - Infoporn 11.06.2010 (in Ukrainian)
- K 'kym_mentam_postavyly_ul'tymatum_z_pryvodu_smert_studenta The Kyiv cops were given an ultimatum to drive a student’s death (inaccessible link) - Infoporn 01.06.2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Studenti obureni “to the ground" in turtle -shoes - Liva Right 06/23/2010 (ukr.)
- Пря "Direct Childhood" rallied by Parliament - Chronika to the self-advocate 01.09.2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Simferopol v. 796: provincial protest of national importance - Commons / Spіlne 10/14/2010 (rus.)
- ↑ Sergiy Zhadan piddrimav student protest Archived June 19, 2013. - Direct action 11/10/2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ U Kiyvі has passed a campaign against a commercial environment (Pіdbіrka photo and pose at ZMI) - Chronika to the self-advocate 12.10.2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Birthday of the extra-parliamentary opposition - right on the right 14.10.2010 (rus.)
- ↑ Lviv: on student protest viyshlo 7 tysyach osib - Chronicle of the self-advocate 12.10.2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Report: Day of Action in the Ukraine (October 12th) - International Student Movement 10/14/2010 (Eng.)
- : Ukraine: Students march on 10/19/2010 (Eng.)
- ↑ Are you a student ordering 796? - Fundation of regional initiatives 15.10.2010 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ Zhodna Lyudina is not є illegal - Indymedia Calling 10/19/2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Kiev: students advancing, Discussing in provinces (PHOTO and VIDEO) - Chronika to the self-advocate 12.11.2010 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ In Khmelnitsky there is a student’s professional unrest square (inaccessible link) - Direct action 11/22/2010 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ “AntiYol”: solidarity against capitalism, fascism against solidarity (PHOTO and VIDEO) - Chronika to the self-advocate 12/12/2010 (ukr.)
- ↑ Khmelnytsky was “buried” by Budynok osvit - All 31.01.2011 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ In Donetsk, students protested against the reforms of Tabachnik, staging a theatrical action - All news 01/31/2011 (Russian)
- ↑ Action “Education is not a privilege” in Odessa Archived June 19, 2013. - Direct action 01.02.2011 (Rus.)
- ↑ Studenti retowed the draft law “I ask Osvita” Archived February 12, 2011. - Direct action 01.02.2011 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ make love and war - Street University 02/14/2011 (rus.)
- ↑ Donetsk against the degradation of education (inaccessible link) - Donbass News 01.03.2011 (rus.)
- ↑ Khmelnytsky against degradation of osvi (inaccessible link) - Direct action 03/01/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ Crimean students threaten with serial protests (inaccessible link) - Bagnet 01.03.2011 (rus.)
- ↑ Studenti vistupili against degradation of an archive Archival copy from March 3, 2011 on the Wayback Machine - Direct action 02/28/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ GO "Children Crises": against the Militia Swanilia - Є 03.16.2011 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ Vlada Obіtsya є on the actions of protesting the people of St. Petersburg (PHOTO and VIDEO) - Chronicle of the self-advocate 03/22/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ Rally for Free Education in Kiev Archived October 15, 2011. - International Student Movement 04/04/2011 (English)
- The First All-Ukrainian Direct Post Office Archived July 14, 2014. - Direct action 03/30/2011 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ Kiiviv students realized against the price to pay for jackets (PHOTO І VІDEO) - Chronika samozakhistu 03/30/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ Studente Sorbonni has become a hero of the “Shevchenko”! (inaccessible link) - Direct action 03/28/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ The May Day march of the “left” trade unions was thrown with smoke - Left Bank 05/01/2011 (Russian)
- ↑ "Anti-fascism sogodnі." Activist PD distributed leaflets on grass 9 (inaccessible link) - Direct action 05/10/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ Student's house: two actions - two ways of life - UNIAN-Osvita 05/26/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ Students of Simferopol held a rally against the bill “On Higher Education” (VIDEO) - Independent trade union “Student Action” 05/28/2011 (rus.)
- ↑ Іvano-frankіvskі students dealt with the All-Ukrainian rebellion against degradation of the osvi (PHOTO) (VIDEO) (inaccessible link) - Vezha 25.05.2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ Adventures of activists in MSU - TOMATO 27.05.2011 (rus.)
- Ж In Zhytomyr Znovu protest against Tabachnik reforms; - Zhytomyr.info 25.05.2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ For the flashmob Khmelnytsky students were flooded by my mіlіtsієyu - Vsem 05.05.2011 (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ A sheet of our protest of the protest of Zhadan! Archival copy of June 5, 2011 on Wayback Machine - Direct action 05/25/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ Oleksandr Kiselov. Student Counter-Forum on Mikhaylivsky: lіbertarnі ініцітии міліцейські кийки (not available link) - Korrespondent.net 26.09.2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ News of the Day - National Post 09/22/2011
- ↑ Day in Photos - New York Post 09/22/2011
- ↑ Mіlіtsіya protіd students. «Інший бік ос́ти» - saga in 2 parts. Archived September 27, 2011. - Direct action 09/24/2011 (ukr.)
- ↑ V. Atanasov. Admission is free. Ukrainian students organize alternative courses and lectures - Focus, 11/27/2012 (Russian)