If you're having trouble with the boss or landlord, or just want to find out more about the Solidarity Federation, we're holding a drop-in session this Sunday morning at 10am at the Cowley Club, 12 London Rd, Brighton. Drop in for a coffee and a chat. We are a revolutionary union initiative - we're not legal experts but we can help you find out your rights and suggest direct action tactics to get what you deserve.
We have just published the first issue of a new newsletter focussed on direct action solidarity: tackling the little gripes and grievances from workplace bullying to wage theft to stolen deposits. Since mid-2011 the Brighton Local of the Solidarity Federation has been running a stall in locations around the city and more recently in Bognor.
Rather than the usual political stall about the big issues of government cuts and policy decisions we decided to use it to talk directly to people about their issues at work, with their landlords or at the Jobcentre. The aim has been to encourage the idea that these problems we face aren’t just something we are having difficulty with as individuals, but rather that they are part of a whole range of wider issues faced by the working class (those who rely on wages and/or benefits to make a living).
In this issue:
With friends like these, who needs enemies? To beat the cuts, workers need to act independently of the trade union laws... and it's already happening.
Dispatches from the frontlines: Three London education workers speak about cuts, organising and casualisation in the sector.
Victory for the cleaners: unofficial action by Senate House and Guildhall cleaners gets results in London.
Sparks fly: electricians direct action over pay cuts.
Plus: your basic rights at work, pensions, NHS privatisation, letters, international round up and much more.
Public Meeting: Saturday July 16th, 1:00pm at Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester
The aim of this meeting is bring together activists fighting the government’s cuts to discuss views of ‘direct action’ and how to apply it to the current struggle. There will be a number of speakers, including one from SF who will present an anarcho-syndicalist viewpoint:
There has been a lot of talk in the anti-cuts movement about the importance of ‘winning the argument’. This strategy holds that the best way to go about fighting attacks on wages, living conditions and services is to point out the flaws in the pro-cuts arguments and suggest alternative policies which would avoid the need for cuts.
Some even seem to think that if the argument is won, the government will see the error of its ways, stop the planned cuts and everyone can go home happy.
After having our profile pulled off Facebook along with around 50 other political and anti-cuts groups on the social networking site around the time of the Royal Wedding (suspicious timing we're sure you'll agree), NLSF is back on Facebook, this time as a 'Page'. So if you're on Facebook, just search North London Solidarity Federation, go to our Page, click the 'Like' button, and help spread the word!
A list of all the groups that had their accounts disabled can be seen here.
This series is published to both document interesting accounts from workers in struggle, as well as attempts to draw the theoretical lessons from them. Both original and republished texts are included. Most, but not all, are from the anarcho-syndicalist tradition. All are selected for their relevance for workers looking to organise today. The first two titles cover the Workmates collective on the London Underground, and an expanded reprint of the (now out of print) 1995 SolFed pamphlet on the shipyard struggles in Puerto Real.
Justice for Mark Barnsley
Mark Barnsley is an activist, fitted up prisoner and victim of the state. He has refused to bow to the prison regime. As a result, he has had his radio smashed, been confined to his cell, and recently had the 4th in a series of punishment transfers this year. Contact the Justice for Mark Barnsley Campaign for details on how you can help with actions and solidarity.
Justice for Mark Barnsley - c/o 145-9 Cardigan Road, Leeds LS6 1LJ.
Mark's case on the web: www.openlyclassist.org.uk/
Write to Mark; Mark Barnsley - WA2897, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 5NX
Shopping Asda
March 2001: Global Women's Strike
On 8 March 2000, women in 64 countries went on strike! Prepare for 8th March 2001 - strike for a world which values all women's work & all women's lives, an end to no pay, low pay & too much work.
Called & co-ordinated by the International Wages for Housework Campaign, Crossroads Women's Centre, 230a Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2AB. Tel: 020 7482 2496 Fax: 020 7209 4761 E-mail: womenstrike8m@server101.com Website: http://womenstrike8m.server101.com
Justice for Mark Barnsley