Public

Campaign for Workers' Rights in OTTO Begins with Actions in Holland, Poland and Slovakia

Some workers cheated by the OTTO temp agency are fighting back!

They don't get the conditions promised to them in their contracts and job interviews and the company makes money off a system of fines used at the workers' "hotels". The end result - people work and don't get paid, or they wind up paying too much money for substandard housing which does not meet the standards of the collective labour agreement OTTO is supposed to be following.

After some Polish colleagues working in Holland were cheated by the agency, they decided to take action. The Vrije Bond in Holland, ZSP in Poland and Priama Akcia in Slovakia have all started taking action to both inform workers of their rights and encourage them to organize and take action.

Self-Education in North London

In the spirit of revolutionary self-education, members of the North London Local of the Solidarity Federation spent a couple hours this past Saturday learning the basics of computer design and layout.  In a relaxed atmosphere, we put to good use the skills of one of our members as he set up a projector and walked us through the steps of designing a newsletter before installing the design programme on each of our personal computers (open source, of course).

All attendees agreed it was an enjoyable and educational experience and are looking forward to the second section of the workshop which will build on our basic knowledge and move from the "how" to the theory and good practice of successful layout and design. 

Revolution for Egypt

Below is the text of a speech given by a member of our Polish sister organisation, the ZSP-IWA, outside the Eyptian embassy in Warsaw.

The human urge for freedom and dignity burns intensely in Egypt. We support this urge for change, for greater freedom and a chance to shape ones own life. Only we ask the question: what next?

Working Class Paradox - one person's discussion

I had a discussion with a work colleague last week. It began with a newspaper headline about the situation in Egypt. Apparently, many years ago he had served in Egypt in the forces. He had been shocked at the level of poverty he observed there, and realised that things had probably not moved on much for many people. And so he could understand why there was an uprising there.

Then the discussion moved to the UK, and although I did not suggest a parity of conditions to him we did talk about areas of poverty in the UK, people loving in poor quality run down housing on low incomes etc.

Waltham Forest demonstration against cuts

start: 
Sat, 19/02/2011 - 12:00
Event organiser: 
Waltham-Forest Anti-Cuts Union

DEMONSTRATE!!!


Waltham Forest Anti-Cuts Union has called a demo against all cuts in jobs and services
Saturday 19 February
Assemble 12 noon at Abbots Park, Leyton
March to the town square
...Bring placards, banners,
Email anticutsunionwf@gmail.com for leaflets, posters etc
See the Waltham Forest Anti-Cuts Union Facebook page

local, network, collective:

Access Layer:

URL: 
http://www.facebook.com/home#!/profile.php?id=100001455883347

New Cross Library Occupation

At 5 pm on Sat 5th feb, a group of about 30-50 local people, including members of SolFed and other local anarchists, occupied New Cross library. Initially this had been part of a national ‘read in’, supporting threatened libraries across the country, but developed into an occupation as participants decided to stay.

As the only occupation out of 450 read-ins, New Cross got a good amount of press. This was more or less the aim; getting publicity for the libraries campaign and keeping up the momentum of the anti-cuts movement in general.  As one optimistic campaigner, James Holland, put it; “I think with this occupation we are going to take the libraries campaign – and the anti-cuts campaign in general – to a whole new level.”

Saving St James' Library

Northampton SolFed was represented at today's 'read in' at St James' library, which is threatened with closure in the current round of cuts.

Roughly 100 people turned up to hear Alan Moore (V for Vendetta) read one of his short stories, and others to read selections from their own selected books.

Feeling is strong: this library is a very important service to an area with many families on low incomes.  As one man pointed out, it's used, it's needed, he was going to read some Dr Zeuss as a reminder of his own early library days, but all the Dr Zeuss books were out on loan...

It's a typical aspect of current political ideology that such a service should be cut, a service which the local population depend upon but would be hard pressed to replace, whilst money is loaded into banker's bonuses, wars etc.

Blacklisted

Blacklisted is a must-see short film about the victimisation of trade unionists in the UK construction industry and the workers fight for justice. Watch it (below) and spread the word.

View the Blacklist blog here.