Public

Four! It's the Magic Number!

16/8/13 

Newcastle SolFed found the magic picket attendence today as they continue putting the pressure on Poundland. Poundland are becoming notorious for using and abusing unemployed workers. Using the unemployed as free labour is not only a disgrace in itself, it threatens those in full time or part work jobs in the shop.

We can honestly say that today we were able to really approach people and explain the problem with the government workfare scheme. Previously we have held reasonably large pickets that may have been daunting for shoppers, some times a dozen or more. So what do you know? Small is the new big!

Look out for the next Newcastle SolFed, picket at a piss-taking shop near you!

 

Introduction to Solidarity Federation

start: 
Tue, 27/08/2013 - 19:30

Location

Blackcurrent Centre
24 St. Michaels'Av
NN1 4JQ Northampton
United Kingdom
52° 14' 42.3024" N, 0° 52' 56.3844" W
See map: Google Maps
iconimage: 

Ideas for organising today for Social Revolution:

An overview of SolFed's tactics, and principles

An introduction to the methods and theory of Anarcho-Syndicalism, its organisations and history.

Aimed at people who are interested in our politics, and to get involved.

local, network, collective:

Access Layer:

Contact DA

If you would like to help out or contribute articles or photos, work is entirely voluntary. We welcome articles of between 250 and 1,500 words on industrial, social / community and international issues; on working class history; and on anarchist / anarcho-syndicalist theory and history. Articles may be sent as hard copy, on a disk or by email, and can only be returned if accompanied by a request (and SAE if appropriate).

Topic:

About DA

Direct Action is the magazine of the Solidarity Federation, edited & laid out by the DA Collective. If you would like to help out or contribute articles or photos, work is entirely voluntary - see the end of this page if you want to know more.

Topic:

Support the workers at Curzon Cinema

North London Solidarity Federation sends out fullest solidarity and support to the workers at Curzon cinemas.  Struggling against precarity, zero-hours contracts, management disrespect, and low wages, the workers at Curzon have been fighting to establish a union in their workplace.

Workers at over 8 cinemas across London have demanded a union.  They submitted a petition with over 1500 supporter signatures and have framed their demands not only in terms of their own material interests, but in protecting the integrity of the independent film industry. In response, management has ignored workers' demands for collective meetings and set up a faux-employee representation program.

Hull SolFed - Walk of Shame

Hull SolFed held another anti-workfare ‘demo’ on Saturday the 20th, this time a mobile one. Based on suggestions on the Boycott Workfare website, we held a walk a shame through hull town center, stopping at nine different workfare providers, forming a picket outside each store, handing out leaflets and talking to shoppers. We also had some musical accompaniment, which helped to draw attention to the picket and kept the day more interesting.

Fightback on Mare Street

Members of North London SolFed were out in Hackney today with the ever-excellent Feminist Fightback to keep up the pressure on M&S over their non-payment of people doing jobs for the company as part of the Boycott Workfare week of action.

Given the boiling heat, an incredible effort was made by a samba band who turned up to lend a bit of noise and colour to the scene for most of an hour and we ran out of leaflets to hand out almost instantly. The public response was, as is usually the case when it comes to workfarer pickets, very supportive, with a number of people expressing their disgust at M&S's participation in it.

Newcastle SolFed hold anti-workfare picket outside Marks and Spencer's

As part of the week of action against the government workfare and affiliated schemes, Newcastle targeted upmarket retail chain, Marks and Spencer. M&S seek to profit to the tune of 1 million pounds using its own workfare scheme. While M&S attempt to put a worthy spin on its free labour, only a small percentage of people find work because of workfare. Not only is workfare an attack on unemployed workers but threaten the positions of those in work, potentially pitting worker against worker. Marks and Spencer's were no different to all the pickets Newcastle SolFed has taken part in, 15 minutes in sending out their security guard to try and harass us - to no avail. What made it different was people really stopped and took time to listen to what the picket was about.

NIR Conductors On Strike

On Monday 24th June Conductors and Station Staff from Northern Ireland Railways who are members of the GMB union staged a 24 hour stoppage over managements proposed pay deal, sick pay, new working arrangements and a history of steadily worsening industrial relations. The management proposals would see only one Conductor working longer trains where there are presently two, which is a threat to future job retention and creation. The proposed changes to sick pay would mean than staff with 'unacceptable' absence levels go on to Statutory Sick Pay.