About
Not logged in

What is the ASF?

The ASF (Anarcho-Syndicalist Federation)is a syndicate organised according to anarcho-syndicalist principles. We aim to create a society based on liberty, mutual aid, federalism and self-management through collective direct action, direct democracy and solidarity.

We are opposed to all institution representations, political parties and social and economical monopolies. We believe in self-government so that all of us are taken into account in the process of decision making. We do not seek the conquest of political power, but rather the total abolition of all forms of power imposed over us.

We believe in the coordinated and solidary action, in the combined effort and in the collective intelligence, without for that reason pretending to dissolve the individual and place it under the group and submitted to it. On the contrary, the maintenance of individuality is what gives strength and meaning to the group.

We choose syndicalism as the main field of our actions, because we believe work relations are the main sources of inequality in our society. From our union action we try to create awareness in the workers, not only of the individual situation of each one, but of all of us who sell their work force as a way of subsistence, without having to deal with the walls that capitalism and the state offer us.

In the present we take an active part in the struggle for worker solidarity, shorter hours, immediate wage increases and improved working conditions. And we actively oppose all attacks on workers such as conscription of labour, strike breaking, drives for increased production and longer working hours, wage cuts or unemployment.

We want worker/community self-education for complete self-management of production, distribution, social organisation and preservation of a healthy ecological environment. This will come about by worker/community expropriation of wealth and the creation of alternative economic systems.

Our means of struggle include education and direct action. To ensure the full participation of all in both current struggle and the future self-management of society, we oppose centralism in our organisations. We organise on the basis of Libertarian Federalism that is from the bottom up without any hierarchy and with full freedom of initiative by both local and regional groups. All co-ordinating bodies of the Federation consist of recallable delegates with specific tasks determined by local assemblies.

We see the world as our country, humanity as our family. We reject all political and national frontiers and aim to unmask the arbitrary violence of all governments.

We oppose all attitudes and assumptions that are harmful and injurious to working class solidarity. We oppose all ideologies and institutions that stand in the way of equality and the right of people everywhere to control their own lives and their environment.

Who can join?

The ASF is open to every worker, irrespectively of their religious and political opinion. Membership is $60 per year, payed retrospectively. Dues are exempt to those who cannot afford to pay.

No member of an ASF syndicate shall be 1) a paid official of a trade union, or an office-bearer of a political party or religious organisation and 2) someone who has power of hiring and firing their occupation.

The ASF member does not to be an anarchist or agree with all anarchist principles, it just needs to agree and respect the Aims, Principles and Statutes.

How do we make decisions?

Through assemblies.

The only function of the committees is coordination and work.

The affiliates take their own decisions at the local level. No one impose us orders.

The local syndicates are autonomous to decide what affects them.

Decisions affecting the region and confederation are taken through regional or national assemblies, with the direct assistance of syndicates’ representatives.

How is the ASF structured?

The ASF is formed of federated syndicates, mantaining their freedom of action inside the agreements we have given to ourself.

The regional syndicates form a regional federation, and the different regions form a confederation.

Who form part of the committees?

Inside a syndicate all the affiliates have the same capacity of decision making.

A syndicate committee is chosen for the regional and national federations, composed by a secretary and a treasurer.

Their positions are chosed for a term of two years and can be recalled at any time.

Committees have no vote, cannot make proposal and do not have any representation upon decision making.

How do we function economically?

We believe syndical and social work does to come voluntarly from the affiliate, therefore there are no payed members in the ASF.

This syndicate lives from the affiliates’ quotes; we do not receive subsidies, neither from companies or from the state. We believe this to be the only means to keep our independence from governments, political parties and companies.

How are regional decisions taken?

The syndicates take their decisions and one or more affiliates are elected to assist at the regional meeting.

The elected delegates have to transmit exactly the decisions taken at the local syndicate.

The same process is done at the regional meetings for the national level.

History of the ASF

History of the ASF.