A Wobble [pronounced Wob‑bul] is a 100+ year old North American working class term, still common in the Building Trades, for a militant workplace or class conscious action. We share these stories to give encouragement that the class is militant and active.

Szczecin, Poland: An Omani loaded with a cargo of zinc has been refused work for several weeks by Dockworkers who refused to offload the bulk carrier fearing an explosion (Dec 18, 2019).

Louisville, Kentucky, USA: Gov. Andy Beshear’s Labor Cabinet has reversed a determination by the previous administration that more than 1,000 teachers broke State law by participating in “sick outs” this year (Dec 2019).

Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada: Unifor brought their strike at the Co‑op Refinery in Regina to Weyburn on Monday morning, as they blockaded off the Crossroads location at the intersection of Highways 39 and 13. The picket was taken down in the afternoon and Prairie Sky Co‑op and Main Track Cafe were able to resume their business.
     The strikers put up a fence around the entire perimeter of the property with large rented trucks blocking every entrance. This cut off the Main Track restaurant, C‑store and gas bar, and access to the cardlock for truckers. (Jan 2020)  
Iran: "They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here", protesters chanted during the demonstrations, Al Jazeera reported. On Saturday, Iranians had staged similar protests, chanting "death to the dictator", referring to Khamenei (Jan 2020).

Binola, Haryana, India: In a move that can be seen as taking inspiration from the ongoing industrial conflict at Honda, workers of Shivam Auto Tech Limited (SATL) occupied their factory. The permanent staff conducted a sit‑in on January 7 inside the plant in the Binola Industrial Area.

Freemantle, WA, Australia: "Two hundred wharfies at the Dubai Ports container terminal in Fremantle, Australia, have stopped work for 24 hours, accusing the company of failing to bargain in good faith as negotiations for a new workplace agreement have been underway for over 15 months. The Maritime Union of Australia said workers at DP World Australia, the country’s largest stevedore, had been left with no choice but to take industrial action in a bid to finalize a new workplace agreement that addresses important issues around job security and locks in workplace conditions such as parental leave and domestic violence leave" (Jan 13, 2020).

Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada: Sixteen nurses conducted a sit‑in against mandatory overtime imposed on them by holding a sit‑in late Saturday afternoon at the Centre hospitalier affiliéré universitaire régional de Trois-Rivières (CHAUR). According to a participant in the sit‑in, nurses and nursing assistants from two different floors took part in the demonstration. The sit‑in took place from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
     Similar actions were carried out several times during 2018 by nurses who realized, upon arriving at work, that they would have to work at reduced staffing levels due to a lack of personnel. In May 2018, ICSUSS MCQ responded by issuing a disciplinary notice to some twenty nurses who had taken a sit‑in about ten days earlier (Jan 18, 2020).

Carseland, Alberta, Canada: The labour action was the latest in a series of escalations that took place this week in a dispute between workers at the Regina refinery and their employer FCL, the wholesaler that provides fuel and food to member co‑ops across Western Canada. (Calgary Co‑op is one of those members, though the retailer has announced plans to source its groceries – but not its fuel – from another supplier as of April of this year).
     On Monday in Regina, where Unifor members have erected a barricade around the refinery and have been preventing fuel and chemical trucks from accessing the facility for two weeks, 13 picketers were arrested and charged with mischief. A judge had previously fined the union $100,000 for violating a court injunction limiting how long the picketers can hold up traffic in and out of the facility.
     FCL locked out more than 700 refinery workers in early December after they voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike. The main issue is pension plan changes the company wants to make.
     The company has said it will not return to the bargaining table as long as Unifor maintains a blockade at the refinery or any other Co‑op location. Vic Huard, executive vice‑president of FCL, said the Carseland demonstration marks the first time the union has extended its direct job action to a location outside of Saskatchewan (Jan 25, 2020).

Ontario, Canada: English public elementary schools across the province are closed today as the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) holds a province-wide strike, and many teachers have been marching outside the Ministry of Education offices on Front Street.
     Over 1,000 striking teachers picketed the Ministry of Education in downtown Toronto today, holding signs with sayings such as "Elementary education needs funding not cuts", "Education cuts hurt kids", and "Standing up for quality education".
     A total of 83,000 ETFO members are on strike today across the province, and close to one million kids are out of school (Feb 6, 2020).

London, UK: RMT union bosses today ordered two 24‑hour walkouts on the Bakerloo line in an escalating dispute over timetable changes. The line, used by more than 300,000 passengers a day, is an RMT stronghold and major disruption is forecast.
     Two 24‑hour walkouts by RMT train drivers will take place starting from 11.59 on Friday 21 February lasting until the same time on Saturday 22 February; then again from 11.59 on Sunday 23 February until the same time on Monday, 24 February. The timing has been deliberately chosen to hit service on the line which runs between Elephant & Castle via Oxford Circus to Stanmore over four days at the expense of only two days lost pay.
     Drivers from the rival union Aslef could also refuse to cross picket lines adding to the disruption.
     The union say the new timetable changes are “unworkable” and putting drivers under “intolerable levels of personal stress". It has refused to rule over further strikes if the dispute is not settled. In a ballot driver members voted 95 per cent for action (Feb 8, 2020).

Prince George, BC, Canada - After targeting Carseland, Winnipeg, and Moose Jaw, Unifor’s fight to defend pensions under attack from Federated Co‑operatives Limited (FCL) has extended to secondary pickets at a Northern B.C. oil refinery. "As long as Unifor members are under attack, it will not be business as usual for FCL. A business that profits $3 million per day can easily afford to end this dispute with a fair contract for workers", said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "We are bringing this fight to every part of Canada where Co‑op operates".
     The Prince George Refinery has been supplying Co‑op properties in British Columbia with increased amounts of gasoline and diesel fuel during the lockout of Unifor members at the Co‑op Refinery in Regina. (Feb 13, 2020)