South Wales miners strike xmas cards
Submitted by hellfrozeover on Mar 14 2013 21:41
Set of 4 Xmas cards produced by Rhymney Valley Miners Support Group in South Wales during the strike of 1984-85. Images on the outside and writing by miners on the inside. Black & white scans.
SWP crisis: some analysis, some thoughts
Submitted by rooieravotr on Mar 13 2013 15:33
The UK Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party (SWP) is in deep crisis after rape accusations and faction fights have ended in the leadership reimposing some 'order' , and oppositionists leaving the party in droves. Some analysis, and some ideas on what attitude anti-authoritarians might fruitfully take.
The SWP crisis and ongoing implosion is a horrible, yet fascinating, development. It is horrible, for – again – hundreds of serious people will drift out of the party, and many of them will be too demoralized and exhausted to pick up class struggle activity. Those among them that will remain active will not necessarily turn to anti-authoritarian revolutionary theory and practice.
Rank and file or broad left? A short history of the Building Worker Group
Pamphlet about the UK rank-and-file Building Worker Group within the UCATT union, published as issue 8 of the series Revolutions Per Minute.
Issue 8 is dedicated to the 3,000 building workers who have lost their lives in so-called ‘site accidents’ since the advent of the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1974. In the year 2000/1 there were 120 deaths on site.
Murder, in fact, would be a better word.
An injury to one – fighting the victimisation of workplace organisers
Submitted by Phil on Mar 11 2013 20:45
Victimisation, by bosses and the state, of those who try to organise in the workplace is nothing new. But recently a spate of high profile cases have focused wider attention on the issue.
Last year, William Hill bookmakers announced plans to extend their Sunday opening hours. As they already have over long shifts, forced overtime and the generally shitty end of the stick when it comes to working conditions1
- 1. Not the least of which seems to be a callous attitude to the mental health of those whose shops get robbed.
Domestic violence, International Women's Day, and the RMT
Submitted by libcom on Mar 11 2013 13:49
We reproduce below the statement made by RMT member Caroline Leneghan on her personal blog, in solidarity with her and other women speaking out about gender violence. [trigger warning: descriptions of domestic violence, pictures of injuries sustained]
Today I would like to show my solidarity with women all over the world on International Women’s day and to raise the issue of domestic violence against women. The RMT have released a model domestic violence policy for the transport industry which I hope gets rolled out to every employer.
Alfie Meadows and Zak King found not guilty - two years, three months, and three trials later
Submitted by Ramona on Mar 8 2013 17:13
After years of uncertainty and two mistrials, Alfie Meadows and Zak King have been found unanimously not guilty of violent disorder on a demonstration against tuition fees and cuts to education of December 9, 2010. Alfie was beaten so badly by police on that day he needed three hours of emergency surgery after he developed bleeding on the brain.
The following is a press statement from Defend the Right to Protest, who have tirelessly supported Zak, Alfie and other victims of police violence and harassment.
“The struggle for justice for my son has finally begun” (Susan Matthews, mother of Alfie Meadows).
No Dash For Gas: We climbed those chimneys to kick-start protest and debate
Submitted by Gabriel Levy on Mar 7 2013 08:58
EDF, the power company, has been denounced for attacking the right to protest, after it launched a damages claim for £5 million against 21 activists. Here one of them explains what No Dash For Gas is aiming at
EDF, the power company, was denounced last week for attacking the right to protest, after it launched a damages claim for £5 million against 21 activists. The claim followed a sit-in at its West Burton power station, organised by No Dash For Gas, that forced it to shut down for a week in October-November last year.
‘Silent grinding, bit by bit’: in the occupation at the University of Sussex
An interview with Maia Pal, a tutor and member of the 2012-13 anti-privatisation campaign at the University of Sussex.
Jeffery R. Webber interviews Maia Pal. March 3, 2013.
JRW: I’m here at the University of Sussex on February 28, 2013 with Maia Pal. To start off, do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do at Sussex?
Review of "The Couriers are revolting"
A review of The Couriers are revolting! The Despatch Industry Workers Union, 1989-92 (Kate Sharpley Library, £1.50) from the Australian publication Rebel Worker Vol.19 No.5 (167) Oct.-Nov. 2000.
This pamphlet under review focuses upon an organising drive by anarcho-syndicalists associated with the British Solidarity Federation among courier workers in London. This was a genuine attempt at facilitating workers self activity rather than a vanguardist exploit to recruit for a sect or establish a Potemkin union" to provide fake credibility for overseas observers of such a sect.
Housing Associations scabbing off tenants hit by bedroom tax
Submitted by Combat Bedroom Tax on Mar 1 2013 16:24
Housing associations are no better than scabs. In fact, they are scabs
As tenants are catapulted towards the chaos of the bedroom tax, one question must be asked again and again of housing associations: Whose side are you on?
Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH), despite their ‘don’t blame us’ campaign, have made their position very clear: They don’t give a shit about tenants.
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