Organise!

Starbucks Global Day of Action - Belfast picket

2008-07-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

At the start of the picket 3 people had gone inside to leaflet customers and staff. There was a very positive response to the picket however one person was falsely accused of assaulting a Starbuck's member of staff after leafleting staff and customers inside.

As part of the Global Day of Action against Starbucks called by the AIT/IWA and IWW Organise! and the WSM picketed Starbucks in Belfast today (5th July) to demand the reinstatement of Monica, a member of the anarcho-syndicalist member working in their central Seville outlet, and Cole Dorsey, an IWW member who was fired by Starbucks for organising in their Grand Rapids, Michican, shop.

Organise! and the WSM picketed Starbucks in Belfast city centre today from 12 to 1 pm. Despite the miserable weather around 12 people joined the picket and leafleted passers by and potential customers outside the coffee shop. At the start of the picket 3 people had gone inside to leaflet customers and staff. There was a very positive response to the picket however one person was falsely accused of assaulting a Starbuck's member of staff after leafleting staff and customers inside.

While Starbucks present themselves as a trendy, ethical corporation when it comes to their own workers they are ruthless union-busters determined to stop their employees organising. Monica was fired on the 24th of April without notice. She had worked in the central Seville branch of Starbucks for a year and a half when her manager suddenly claimed she "created problems with her workmates". She had resistged management when they made people work public holidays without extra pay. She refused to attend work meetings outside working hours where no pay or time in lieu was offered. Her sacking came after she asked about another worker who had ben fired. The store manager had told her on several occassions that she must have nothing to do with unions.

Barely a month later, in Grand Rapids, Michican, USA, Starbucks fired Cole Dorsey on June 6th. Cole had over two years of service and was active in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union.

Airport Workers Suspend Hunger Strike

2008-07-27T04:02:00.000-07:00

Airport workers suspend hunger strike after union gives guarantees that their demands will be met.

The five day hunger strike by three sacked airport shop stewards, Gordon McNeill, Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer was suspended at 5.30 this afternoon after the workers received a letter from the union solicitors guaranteeing that their demands would be met.

The workers were forced to resort to the drastic step of a hunger strike because their union, Unite, had reneged on commitments given to them last September. These were that the union would pay the legal costs of their long running Industrial Tribunal case against their employer, ICTS, and would also meet the costs of defending the Industrial Tribunal ruling should ICTS appeal the decision. The union also promised to offer them compensation for its role in co-operating with ICTS to have them sacked.

The hunger strike has now been suspended because the union has guaranteed to meet the full legal costs and have opened up negotiations on compensation with a guarantee that this will be settled by the end of April.

Sacked shop steward Gordon McNeill commented at the end of the hunger strike: “We are suspending our action because we now have a firm commitment from the union that they will implement the promises they made last September. We also have a date by which all the issues of dispute should be resolved. We see this as a total vindication of the stand that we have made. Our only regret is that we had to resort to the drastic step of a hunger strike and put our health at risk. If the union had kept their word and implemented what they had agreed last September none of this would have been necessary. We also regret that no union official was prepared to meet and discuss with us face to face during our hunger strike. Had they met us the whole thing could have been resolved very quickly and we would not have had to suffer five days of cold, hunger and thirst. We have made a stand on behalf of all low paid workers by showing that we were not prepared to be pushed around either by our employer or our union. I would like to pay tribute to those people in Ireland, Britain and across the world who inundated Unite union with protests on our behalf."

After coming off the hunger-strike, the workers have had to go to hospital for medical treatment. All are expected to make a recovery.

Issued on behalf of Gordon McNeill, Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer

Two Hunger Strikers Now in Hospital

2008-07-27T04:01:00.000-07:00

wo of the three sacked airport workers on hunger-strike outside their union offices in Belfast are now in hospital. Earlier today Gordon McNeill was rushed to hospital only to be released, Gordon and 72 year old diabetic Madan Gupta are now both in hospital.

Just hours after addressing a solidarity rally outside Transport House in Belfast hunger striker Gordon McNeill was rushed to City Hospital for treatment. An ambulance was called to the scene at Transport House due to a deterioration in his condition. Gordon is on his fourth day without food and his second day without water. Also on hunger strike are Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer. The former airport shop stewards have taken the action to demand talks with the leadership of Unite/TGWU, who have refused to meet with the workers.

Both Gordon McNeill and Madan Gupta have been rushed to Belfast City Hospital in a critical condition.

Gordon has been hospitalised for a second time. Quickly after returning to Transport House, he and 72 year-old diabetic Madan Gupta were both rushed to Belfast City Hospital. Doctors earlier today warned that both McNeill and Gupta are likely to have suffered irreversible kidney damage as a result of their refusal to eat and drink. UNITE still refuse to meet with the workers who have been fighting for over 6 years for justice.

This dispute began seven years ago when the shop stewards approached the then ATGWU (now part of UNITE) to ballot airport security workers for industrial action to secure a pay increase from a paltry £5.50 an hour to £6.00 an hour. The shop stewards were unlawfully dismissed by multi-national security firm ICTS as a result. The current hunger strike outside Transport House is in protest at UNITE/ATGWU's reneging on a promise to pay the legal costs of an appeal lodged by ICTS.

Last year the shop stewards won a tribunal (without ATGWU backing) that ruled that they had been unlawfully dismissed because of their socialist and trade union beliefs. The leadership of UNITE/ATGWU, who Madan Gupta referred to as "Scum" at a solidarity rally on Wednesday 9th, have refused to pay the legal costs of defending the appeal despite agreeing to meet those costs last September.

ICTS was able to sack the workers because the leadership of the ATGWU repudiated the strike six years ago behind the airport security workers backs. The strike was since found to have been fully legal. UNITE General Secretary Tony Woodley and Irish Regional Secretary and SWP member Jimmy Kelly have continuously reneged on commitments to back the sacked workers. Instead Jimmy Kelly used the police against the hunger strikers and their supporters on two occasions.

Support the hunger strikers. Visit the url listed in the comments below and let UNITE/ATGWU officials know what you think of their treatment of these workers. Visit the protest on the steps of Transport House. Attend the rally today at lunchtime outside Transport House and show your support.

for more into go to indymedia ireland or contact Chris Bowyer on 07764850945, Madan Gupta on 07810290938 or Gary Mulcahy on 07743282321.

Pickets win re-instatement of migrant worker

2008-07-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

Following three successful pickets of Delaney’s restaurant in Belfast Dasa Kacova has won all her demands and been offered her job back.

A young Slovakian worker was sacked on the spot from Delaney’s restaurant for asking why she had to remove her jumper at work on a cold January day. Delaney’s owners refused to meet with the worker or with her trade union representative. As a result pickets were organised by ICTU and the Belfast & District Trades Council and were supported by a wide range of trade union and political activists including members of Organise!

ICTU state that they will expose and challenge the mistreatment of workers and in particular migrant workers who are among the most vulnerable in our society. “It is unacceptable in this day and age that employers can still mistreat workers in this way”.

The pickets met with a very positive response from the public. Even the random sample of the public who have passed the picket have produced several first hand testimonies of Delaneys’ management’s mistreatment of workers going back for years. Two former Communication Workers’ Union members who now work at Delaney’s walked off the job to join the picket. One passing schoolgirl when told of the jumper incident remarked, “God, its just like being at school!”

On Saturday 8th of March someone turns up at the picket calling us “Commie bastards” and starts pushing his way through. At first everyone thought he knew someone on the picket and was having a laugh. It turned out to be Mr. Delaney himself. He then called the police. It turned out to be all hot air. After about an hour of negotiations he agreed to all of the workers demands to reinstate Dasa immediately, reimburse her for loss of earnings, pay her outstanding holiday entitlement and to treat all workers fairly.

Understandably she did not wish to return to work under him again and agreed to a full financial settlement.

Belfast anti-water charges picket forces recruitment cancellation

2008-07-27T03:57:00.000-07:00

Campaigners claimed their protest today a victory after it was announced that Echo Managed Services, the company responsible for recovering unpaid water charges had cancelled its much publicised open recruitment day.

Echo would collect on behalf of the new water company Northern Ireland Water Ltd.

Secretary of the We Won't Pay Campaign Gary Mulcahy speaking at the protest today warned Echo that today's protest was the first of many to target it's headquarters on Upper Queen St in Belfast.

Mr Mulcahy said " This company is a consortium of multi-national companies who specialise in debt recovery for water companies in Britain. It is a scandal that the Government is paying Echo £70million of taxpayers money to harass and intimidate people into paying water charges, which we already pay for through the rates. We would also like to remind people that this is the same company that labelled working class communities in northern Ireland as being 'Rock Bottom'.

We want to send a clear message to Echo today that they will not get away with threatening people into paying the water double-tax. People are not rock bottom, but on the contrary are rock solid behind the We Won't Pay Campaign's call for mass non-payment of these charges."

We Won't Pay Campaign
PO Box 994 Belfast BT1 1RB
Tel: 90311778 e-mail: wewontpay@btconnect.com
www.wewontpaycampaign.com

1,000 March in Solidarity with Striking Posties

2008-07-27T03:55:00.000-07:00

The Belfast and District Trades Union Council along with postal workers on a two-week wildcat strike marched and rallied yesterday demanding Dignity and Fair Treatment at work.

Assembling at the Tomb Street sorting depot picket line at 12.00 over 1,000 workers marched to a rally at Belfast City Hall in support of striking posties and workers everywhere who are facing harassment and bullying at work.

While the media and Royal Mail management continue to spread lies and misinformation about this dispute Tuesdays march and rally has strengthened the resolve, unity and solidairty of striking posties while providing a platform to put to rest some of these conspicious lies. Organise! attended this march alongside workers from Royal Mail and other workplaces. The SWP, with placards for almost every striking postie present, SP, SF, PUP, SDLP and other parties were also present. As were many trade unionists from Belfast and across the water. Among those speaking from the platform was Kevin Doherty, Secretary of the B&DTUC (who is also a former Shorts shop steward sacked with other shop stewards by the union busting Gary Crawford who was head-hunted by Royal Mail in Belfast to repeat the job with postal workers), and Eamon McCann of Derry Trades Council and the SWP. McCann was perhaps the best speaker on the day - his scathing attack on scabs certainly went down well with postal workers.

On a practical level donations were made to the hardship fund.

The march piles further pressure on the management, and through more such solidarity and direct action we shall overcome.

More information

Belfast postal strike feature

Support our posties - Belfast march and rally 14th February

2008-07-27T03:53:00.000-07:00

A march and rally is being built for Tuesday 14th of February in support of the striking posties and to demand 'Dignity And Fair Treatment In the Workplace'.

As Wildcat action by Belfast Posties entered its 12th day, on Saturday 11th February, street collections took place in Belfast city centre. Posties, fire fighters and other trade unionists, Belfast and District Trades Union Council delegates, members of Organise!, the Socialist Party and SWP collected money and handed out leaflets explaining the dispute.

The collection was initiated following the establishment of a support group for striking workers by the Belfast and District Trades Union Council and a march and rally is being built for Tuesday 14th of February in support of the striking posties and to demand 'Dignity And Fair Treatment In the Workplace'. The march will assemble at the picket line in Tomb Street at 12.00 noon and make its way to a rally at Belfast City Hall for 12.30.

Condemning the 'macho management' at Royal Mail that led to this dispute the B&DTUC issued a statement giving "their whole-hearted support for the striking Postal Workers in their current dispute with Royal Mail. We condemn the harassment and bullying employed by Belfast Royal Mail management against their staff which has lead to this strike. Every employee has the right to dignity at work and to be treated with basic human decency".

More information

libcom.org news coverage of the Belfast postal workers wildcat strike

Police Called to Belfast Posties Picketline

2008-07-27T03:52:00.001-07:00

On the eighth day of the Belfast postal workers' wildcat strike police have been called to picket lines which were blocking the entries to the Mallusk sorting office.

Meanwhile, the Londonderry Communication Workers Union refused to join the strike, repudiating the "illegal" action.

The strike has now begun to affect deliveries to outside Northern Ireland, and Royal Mail has drafted in managers from mainland Britain to act as scabs.

POLICE
The BBC reported that police were called into Mallusk by the Royal Mail and the company's commercial manager David Peden said there was no other option.

"A number of people on the picket line chose to block the road into and out of the Northern Ireland Mail Centre.

"They were repeatedly asked to step aside and unfortunately didn't do so. So at that stage we had no option but to call in the PSNI," Mr Peden said.

THE UNION
Earlier, Londonderry Royal Mail workers refused to join their Belfast colleagues in the unofficial action.

Charlie Kelly of the Communication Workers Union in the city said "under no circumstances" would they strike as long as the action remained unofficial.

On Wednesday, striking postal staff in Belfast insisted to union representatives that they were not going back to work.

Communications Workers Union spokesman Owen Davey said after an early morning meeting that the staff's position had not changed over the illegal action.

On Wednesday, Mr Davey said: "Again we repudiated the action and asked them to go back to work, pointing out that the action was illegal.

"They were adamant that their resolve was strong and they were staying out until the Royal Mail concedes to what is a reasonable request for an independent employee and industrial relations review."

ROYAL MAIL
The Royal Mail reported the extent of the disruption in this notice to customers:
* No mail in north, south and west Belfast - deliveries in east of the city unaffected
* No more special delivery items accepted across NI
* No mail posted in Belfast being processed
* Items posted in NI for delivery to Britain, Irish Republic and internationally not being dispatched
* Most incoming British and international mail should be delivered
* People expecting urgent mail should contact that organisation and explore alternatives such as telephone or email

* Belfast posties' wildcat feature:
http://libcom.org/news/article.php/belfast-postal-workers-strike-2006

Postal Workers Rally Crosses Belfast Peaceline

2008-07-27T03:50:00.000-07:00

Postal workers and supporters held a march and rally at lunch time today. Over 400 posties and supporters marched from the Shankill Road across the peace line at Lanark Way on to the Falls Road.

Members of the Belfast Local of Organise! are proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with postal workers on this historic occassion. While it is not, as one speaker claimed, the first time the Shankill and Falls have marched together in an act of working class solidarity since the outdoor relief strike of 1932* (the firefighters held a similar march to the Springfield Road fire station during their 2002-03 dispute) it is significant none-the-less. A mass rally was held at Lanark Way and speech after speech heard the bullying tactics of Post Office management condemned. The longest speech was delivered by Eamonn McCann, of the SWP and Derry Trades Council, who addressed the wider class struggle and the general attack on working conditions and workers rights taking place across workplaces.

At 2.00pm the speeches ended and workers marched from Lanark Way onto the Springfield Road, on down onto the Falls Road and into the city centre. Along the route whole families came out of their houses in support and workers downed tools to get a glimpse of the march, while people in cars beeped their horns in support. Chants of solidarity and whistles rang out along the route - the mood throughout was one of defiance and strength in solidarity.

This march, organised by the postal workers themselves, gave a morale boost to their strike. The strikers got a loud and clear message of support from working class people in Belfast today, one that counters media claims of ‘chaos’ and unwelcome disruption caused by the wildcat action. It also emphasised the importance of this struggle reaching beyond the workplace and involving working-class communities. In solidarity lies victory.

A victory for one is a victory for all!

Belfast Posties Wildcat Escalates

2008-07-27T03:47:00.001-07:00

As we go to press Postal workers wildcat action that started at the Tomb Street depot in Belfast is escalating. Initially deliveries in the north, south and west of the city had all been affected by unofficial action taken by workers as a result of management heavy–handedness and disciplinary action against two posties working in the Shankill area of Belfast. One of whom is believed to have been futher victimised as a result of keeping a diary of harasssment.

The strike has now spread to the Mallusk sorting office, on Friday 3rd of February the vast majority of the night shift joined the wildcat action. This will effect deliveries all over Northern Ireland and is a great boost to the strike.

Management rejected an offer from the striking posties to deliver 11 plus exam results on Saturday 4th of February and immediately reinstate the strike - instead Royal Mail brought in 50 managers to do the deliveries.

So far management have been refusing to enter into negotiations about the dispute as the strike action is illegal. Fra Martin from the Communication Workers' Union said his union did not support what was happening, and that the union have asked the men to go back to work, but Royal Mail needed to talk to the striking workers. Management have promised that any problems will be dealt with through “proper due procedures” on a return to work, as this dispute has kicked off as a result of a lack of faith in those due procedures it is unlikely that that promise sway many of the strikers.

Put simply staff are not prepared to work in an environment "where Royal Mail have been applying a conduct system in which they have no faith". This is not the first time in recent months that management heavy–handedness has resulted in wildcat action at the Tomb Street sorting depot, in fact the depot has a history of militant action going back several years.

Victory to the posties!

Building the Campaign to Reinstate Joanne Delaney

2008-07-27T03:44:00.000-07:00

Joanne Delaney was sacked by Dunnes stores in November 2005 for wearing her union badge on her uniform.

With more than four years service in the Ashleaf store in Crumlin on the south side of Dublin, the 22 year–old MANDATE recently elected shop steward received a letter on the 29th of November 2005 informing her that she had been dismissed by the company.

Dunnes Stores has accused her of not complying with company policy in relation to the wearing of her union badge on her uniform, despite the fact that there is nothing in the policy about wearing a union badge.

Joanne had been suspended by a manager at the store since 18th October for refusing to remove the Mandate Trade Union badge from her uniform. Joanne was advised to attend a disciplinary meeting at 6.00 p.m. on Friday, 21st October . However, the meeting was cancelled due to the fact that she was accompanied by her Union Representative. The Company has continually denied Joanne the right to Union representation at meetings with management.

Responding to the dismissal, Mandy Kane, Divisional Organiser of Mandate said “This sacking is petty, vindictive and does the image of Dunnes Stores no favours whatsoever”. Its also pretty much in keeping with the anti–union record of a company that sacked workers who refused to handle goods from South Africa during the Anti–Apartheid Boycott of the mid–eighties.

Organise! organised two pickets of Dunnes stores branches, one at the Springtown outlet in Derry (on 4th February) and the other at the city centre outlet in Belfast, on Friday 3rd, that was attended by around 60 people, in order to raise awareness of Joanne’s case with Dunnes customers. Rnank and file trade unionists and NIC - ICTU officials, along with members of Organise!, the CPI, IRSP, Socialist Party, SWP, Workers Party, all joined the call for Joanne’s re-instatement. The Belfast and District Trades Union Council supported the call for action and a number of its delegates attended the Belfast picket. In Dublin Labour Youth called for action at Dunnes Stores Georges Street outlet in Dublin on Thursday February 2nd at 6pm that was attended by 30 people who stood shoulder to shoulder with Joanne.

The campaign for Joanne’s reinstatement is growing with the Community & Workers Action Group meeting with her and setting up a meeting on the 7th of February in Crumlin, Dublin to build a broad based support group.

Joanne told CWAG that she needs support locally to highlight her fight for justice, her case for reinstatement and the restoration of her right to work without intimidation as shop steward and to wear her union badge.

CWAG “see in Joanne a brave and courageous 22 year old young woman fighting a huge corporate company. She cannot and must not be left isolated at local level”.

There is a clear need to highlight Joanne’s case, build public support and put pressure on Dunnes Stores to have her reinstated. The support group envisaged by CWAG “will comprise of local community, political and trade union activists. It would be non party political in structure and be inclusive for all to participate in”.

This case must be fought and won, get involved in the campaign.

Things we can do to support the re–instatement of Joanne:

Get your union branch to pass a motion in support of Joanne Delaney

Send a message to Dunnes Stores management

Or alternatively pay a visit to the current management in Dunnes in your local Dunnes store to express your disgust at the action taken by the company and in support of Joanne Delaney.

You can also send a message to Dunnes management at:

frank.dunne@dunnesstores.com

or info@dunnesstores.com

To send a standard protest letter to Dunnes management join the online campaign at Labourstart (where more
information can also be obtained about the dispute) at:

http://www.labourstart.org

From the pages of Working Class Resistance, Issue 11 first quarter 2006.

Belfast postal workers on wildcat strike

2008-07-27T03:17:00.000-07:00

Two hundred postal workers in Belfast walked out earlier today apparently over the sacking of some of their colleagues. The unofficial action shut down deliveries for most of the city.

BBC news reported:
Postal workers have gone on unofficial strike
Postal deliveries in Belfast have been disrupted after workers at Royal Mail's main delivery office in the city staged a walk-out.

More than 200 employees who work at Royal Mail's Tomb Street depot went on unofficial strike on Tuesday morning.

The strike meant deliveries in north, west and south Belfast were cancelled. The east of the city was unaffected.

Unions representing staff say they will not go back to work until the company deals with outstanding issues.

Postal workers in the north of the city were the first to go on strike, but they were quickly joined by their colleagues in the south and west of the city who held a picket outside the depot.

The unofficial action is being blamed on difficulties between staff and management over disciplinary procedures and other issues in the north Belfast section.

The strike action is illegal and Royal Mail have said they will not enter into negotiations about the dispute until the workers return.

Talks between management and the Communications Workers' Union aimed at settling the dispute broke down on Tuesday afternoon.

Union representatives said they felt they had been threatened with disciplinary action by management if staff did not return to work.

It now looks likely that postal deliveries to north, south and west Belfast will be disrupted again on Wednesday.

NI: Water privatisation delayed until 2007

2008-07-27T03:16:00.001-07:00

Government plans to implement water charges and privatise the Water Service in Northern Ireland has been put back again, this time to April 2007.

Ineptitude, opposition and a desire to dissipate growing resistance may all play their part in the further delay.

The most damaging aspect of this announcement is that it becomes harder to focus attention on the issue and build effective resistance.

We have however been handed the time to build the infrastructure needed for an effective non-payment campaign when the legislation is finalised, the billing systems put in place and the first bills printed. Significantly members of the north’s largest union NIPSA, voted to endorse non-payment at their recent annual conference in Newcastle County Down. While the trades union led coalition are collecting signatures for a petition against water reform and charges we believe that a more pro-active and imaginative approach is also needed in order to help build opposition.

Many are placing faith in persuading our local politicians to oppose the charge, something that is pretty easy for them to do while they aren’t actually sitting at Stormont but we can’t forget that all the Assembly parties were involved in putting water reform and charges on the political agenda the last time round.

From the pages of Working Class Resistance, magazine of Organise!

Successful Belfast Anarchist Bookfair

2007-09-08T02:31:00.000-07:00

The first Belfast Anarchist Bookfair took place last weekend, Friday 31st of August and Saturday 1st of September, this report will be followed by more indepth reports from individual meetings and from people who attended the bookfair.Many thanks from the Just Books Collective and Organise! to all involved in making this the success that it was.
The first Belfast Anarchist Bookfair last weekend was a great success. Its estimated that over 150 people attended the bookfair and film showing over the evening of the Friday 31st of August and throughout the day on Saturday 1st of September.The Friday evening kicked events off with a showing of Libertarias, a film that tels the story of a group of women fighting as part of the Mujeres Libres in the milita's during the Spanish Revolution. Militarisation of the militia's, sexism and the removal of women from the frontline in the fight against fascism are all dealt with in this 1996 film directed by Vicente Aranda. A few anarchist 'icons' are toppled along the way with the focus of the story being on the bravery and idealism of the women and men who make up the 'rank and file' of the anarchist militia.
There was an early start on Saturday morning (perhaps a wee bit too early for some) with the first meeting, giving the low down on developments within Just Books, kicking off at 11.30 am to a rather small, but interested, gathering of around half a dozen. Attendance at the rest of the days meetings was much higher, reports on each meting should follow this article.The meetings throughout the rest of the day were on:Belfast Anarchism Ireland, still fighting for the right to choose,Northern Ireland - New Era? Anothert future is possible Justice for DockersWorkplace Organising, Workplace Resistance International Anarcho-SyndicalismResisting Water Charges.There were stalls from AIT-IWA, Back2front magazine, Barracka Books (Cork), Belfast Anarchist Black Cross, Just Books, Organise!, Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group, Solidarity Federation, We Won't Pay Campaign, Workers Esperanto Association, Workers Solidarity Movement.
Thanks also to the organisers and bands that made the Saturday night benefit for Just Books such a success, ta very much to Jonny, Runnin' Riot, 1000 Drunken Nights, the Lobotomies the Troubles and Stillbirth. Thanks to everyone who did stalls, gave talks, made food, helped publicise the event, housed waifs and strays over the weekend, cleaned up, contributed to discussion, got a drink in... Particular thanks to the Unemployed Resource Centre in Belfast, Albert from Justice for Dockers, Heather from the fpa, RAG and Choice Ireland,It was great to see so many people over the weekend, new and old, from all over. Reports on specific meetings will follow, hopefully with some photos.
The organisers, Just Books Collective and Organise!, would like to thank everyone who helped ensure this was such a successful event, and to take this opportunity to let everyone know that we plan to make this an annual event.

Please view the reports from the bookfair here:
http://belfastanarchistbookfair.blogspot.com/

Belfast Anarchist bookfair

2007-06-11T02:42:00.000-07:00

The Just Books Collective and Organise! will host the first Belfast anarchist bookfair from the 31st to 1st September in Belfast Unemployment Resource Centre 45/47 Donegall Street. The bookfair has something for everyone interested in working class struggles and finding out about anarchism. From books on labour and Irish history, struggles across the globe, radical thinkers, anarchist, socialist and feminist books and pamphlets, t-shirts, badges and much more. There will also be meetings on the history of anarchism in Belfast, workplace organising, international workers struggles, resisting the water charges, Justice for Dockers, and the struggle for women's right to choose both north and south.Sean Matthews states: "Despite the public spin of a 'new era' in the north our communities are being torn apart by property developers and ongoing sectarianism, meanwhile we are expected to bend over backwards for the bosses who are getting rich off everyone else's backs. The bookfair seeks to highlight that working class people can and are fighting back against capitalist exploitation independent of politicians. The bookfair also seeks to promote a vision of a new society based on working class people running their own communities and workplaces for our benefit."
STATEMENT ENDS

Friday 31st August
7.00 pm Welcome and Introduction followed by a film showing’Saturday 1st September

11.00 am About Just Books. A speaker from the Just Books Collective will give a brief history of the collective, what its been up to in recent years and months and where it would like to go in the future.

12.00 pm Belfast Anarchism. A talk by Mairtin O'Caithain, Organise! member and author of the Wee Black Booke of Belfast Anarchism.

1.00 pm Ireland - Still Fighting for the Right to Choose. A speaker from the Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group talks about recent campaigning for the right to choose in the Irish Republic. Speaker tbc on right to chose campaigning and the legal situation facing women with unwanted pregnancies in Northern Ireland.

2.00 pm Northern Ireland—New Era? Another Future is Possible. Al from the Armagh Local of Organise! explores recent political changes in the north and sets out the case for a future based on working class peoples control of their own lives, communities and workplaces.

3.00 pm Justice for Dockers. A group of Belfast dockers was set up in July 2006 to fight for justice for Dockers suffering from asbestosis or asbestos related diseases they got while working unloading asbestos at Belfast Docks from 1960 to 1980. Up against the government, their employers and their union SIPTU a member of the group will be speaking about the Dockers struggle for justice and compensation.

4.00 pm Workplace Organising, Workplace Resistance. Speakers from the Independent Workers Union, Solidarity Federation (the British section of the Anarcho-Syndicalist international the International Workers Association), Organise! will lead off discussion on successful workplace organising. Drawing on a range of perspectives and experience we hope we can all learn from this debate, come along and contribute in the vein of ‘bad luck t’ the boss!’.

5.00 pm International Anarcho-Syndicalism. An overview of struggles that sections of the anarcho-syndicalist international - the International Workers Association - are involved in. A talk by the AIT-IWA secretariat.

6.00 pm Resisting Water Charges. A speaker who was active in defeating water charges in the Republic will draw lessons from that struggle—many of which can be applied to the struggle against water charges in the north in the here and now. The second speaker, active in the We Won’t Pay Campaign, will address the issues facing working class people in relation to fighting water charges in the north. Speakers from Organise! and the Workers Solidarity Movement.

Social: Saturday 1st September, The Pool Room, Lavery’s Bar.
Bands to be confirmed

More info: http://belfastanarchistbookfair.blogspot.com/
Phone 07928479308

Submission to James Connolly Debating Society

2007-06-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

A submission by a member of Organise! to the James Connolly Debating society on the topic of 'What is socialism?'
Link: http://connollysociety.blogspot.com/

“Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice
Socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality”
Mikhail Bakunin

Socialism can be many, very different, things. For anarchists it must be libertarian, indeed class struggle anarchists often interchangeably describe themselves as libertarian socialists or libertarian communists.

Anarchists are socialists who believe that socialism must be built out of the struggles of working class people, acting in their own class interests. ‘Socialism’ cannot be imposed from above.

Some on the left have tried to attack anarchism on the basis that such and such a person in the past said something that was obviously dodgy. This may be a fun game, but it also misses the anti-authoritarian and collective nature of class struggle anarchism. Anarchists do not refer to themselves as Bakuninites, Proudhonists, Kropotkinites, and this is quite deliberate. While two of those mentioned have actually contributed to anarchist thought and to the struggles of working people (indeed a prophetic warning for all socialists from Bakunin is quoted at the start of this submission) while Proudhon was far from class struggle anarchism. Anarchists do not hang on the every word of any one dead revolutionary refusing to get tied to a pseudo-religious dogma that tries to pass itself off as socialism.

Class struggle anarchists also largely accept Marx’s analysis of the workings of the capitalist system, we feel no need to call ourselves after deity Marx as a result. Yet there are significant differences between large sections of the socialist movement and anarchism. The most fundamental of them being in relation to ‘consciousness’ or the ability of working class people to act in our own interests and in the, quite reasonable, assertion that socialism cannot be achieved via or implemented by the state.

Anarchists don’t get involved with parliamentary democracy, at best this is a distraction and a sham, at worst, well… It has led to all sorts of oppositional parties getting into power only to accommodate themselves to ‘economic realities’ and implement the very things they were meant to be opposed to before they got in. The economic realities are of course the realities enforced by a global capitalist elite, not the economic realities of the day to day lives of the rest of us. There are other reasons for opposing the use of the state to deliver socialism. One is the point that any body that sets itself up as a governing class, over and above the rest of us, actually becomes a new ruling class with its own interests to defend. Simply, even with the best intentions in the world, socialists who utilise the state to bring about socialism on ‘our behalf’ become the ‘new boss’.

So anarchists aren’t about building a political party, if they aren’t about running in elections or seizing the state by other means, what are they about? Anarchists want to improve everyday conditions for ourselves and other working class people, while struggling towards the revolutionary transformation that can, together as working class people, create a free and equal society, one based on mutual aid and co-operation. They believe in workers control, in workers running their own communities and workplaces because, simply put, they are the people best placed to do it.

Is that utopian and far-fetched? Perhaps, but lets consider the alternative, the continuation of the current system.

It’s not working, or rather it is, for the rich and powerful. But not for working class people across the globe, nor is it working in terms of the environmental legacy we will be leaving our grandchildren.

Stress and overwork affect more and more people while others are flung on the dole; we live in a world of plentiful resources yet millions starve; some people make vast fortunes just because they own companies, land, property or natural resources, but those of us who create the wealth, work the land and build the properties are left struggling to pay for the natural resources and commodities we create. Politicians tell us there’s no money - not for wages, pensioners, benefits or local amenities. But there’s always plenty for war (and politicians’ pay rises).

Locally and globally the gap between the richest and the poorest sections of society has never been so great. For all humanities technological advances we spend more time working than people did 40 years ago. Yet instead of a war on poverty they’ve got a war on ‘benefit fraud’, a war on drugs and a ‘war on terror’ while the institutions that create war, poverty and environmental destruction stigmatise, imprison and deport the resultant refugees.

None of this is inevitable or coincidental, it all comes back down to capitalism - an economic system defined by wage slavery and the accumulation of profit out of other people’s work.

Anarchists believe that, “the emancipation of the working class shall be the task of the workers ourselves!”

In practical terms this has meant groups like Organise! support workers against their bosses against victimisation, in demanding higher wages and better conditions. Anarchists intervene practically to support workers engaged in disputes and are also active in their own workplaces and communities.

The focus on the workplace comes from the recognition of the power of our class as producers. Anarchists seek to get involved in and relate to struggles as they develop out of the needs and experiences of working class people. Some have called approaches to ‘socialism’ that are based on the day to day struggles of working class people, that seek to build class unity around actual instances of class struggle, ‘abstract’. I have to ask then what exactly is more abstract? Is it the reality of life under capitalism experienced by the vast majority of people in the north, across these islands and globally? Or is it some more ‘concrete’ reality such as the desire to see a mythic ‘nation once again’ Ireland created before we can have ‘socialism’? It seems obvious to me which is the more abstract.

Anarchists, libertarian socialists, are opposed to capitalism and the state. As such they are opposed to the mythologies of nationalisms and nation states. In Ireland that means opposition to rule from Westminster, the Dáil and our widely celebrated ‘new’ local assembly at Stormont. Both British and Irish nationalism have often been as detrimental to the life experiences and interests of working class in the north as have policies emanating from Westminster.

We are indeed in a new era. Not one were we hand over control to those involved in power-sharing. A control that is in reality only a small hand in administering a system suited to the needs of the wealthy and powerful. Not one in which we have to believe the hype around Gerry and Paisley sharing ‘power’. But one where we can begin to re-examine our real interests while dropping the mystification and worn out symbols. Our interests do not lie with ‘our’ nation, British or Irish, whatever that may mean, they lie with our fellow workers who together with us create the wealth of the world but who are not allowed a full share of it.

Class struggle anarchists or libertarian socialists want to secure, together with other working class people, a full and equal share of the wealth and social benefits created by the combined labour of our class. This means abolishing the capitalist system. Anarchists also want to build a world based on direct democracy and workers control of production. This means abolishing the state and not replacing it with any other centralised or hierarchical political body, but with a system of federation and delegation where delegates are directly elected and immediately recallable.

Anarchists reject all systems of oppression and all attempts to divide people through discrimination and prejudice. Recognising capitalism’s catastrophic effect on the natural environment they seek to develop a future based on sustainable communities. Anarchists are internationalist and reject all artificial borders and boundaries as we reject all the politicians and governments that require them. They do not regard themselves as a ‘vanguard’, we do not want to be the new leaders of a hierarchically organised labour movement, let alone seize the state in the name of the workers.

We as working class people have agency, we can act, we can start with small attainable victories. The working class still has the means to replace capitalism with a free and socialist society. The road to revolution may be long and hard. If it was easy they would not call it struggle. We believe that if the confidence and ability of working class people is to be built to the extent that this future becomes possible that all our struggles must be under the direct control of those involved in them and be based on direct action - that is directly controlled by those involved and not mediated through politicians or trade union bureaucrats. We believe, and history supports our belief, that ‘socialism’ will be achieved by the working class itself or it will not be achieved at all.

Belfast Anarchist Black Cross

2007-05-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

Belfast Anarchist Black Cross aims to highlight ongoing prison abuses, inhumane treatment and neglect in the North, by providing a platform for prisoners and their families to raise their grievances.
See:
http://www.myspace.com/belfastabc

Anti-War Benefit

2007-05-16T10:17:00.001-07:00

A benefit gig for anti war protesters is being held in the Roddy McCorley Club, West Belfast on Saturday 16th June.
Appearing will be Political Folk Singers Barry Kerr, Colm Bryce and Ciaran Murphy. Funds will go towards defending those arrested and charged during protests around Tony Blair's last Stormont visit. An Organise! member was also arrested and charged during his visit.

Trade Unions and the Iraq War

2007-05-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Trade Unions and the Iraq War - Belfast meeting

Anti War Ireland, Belfast will be hosting a public meeting entitled "Trade Unions and the Iraq War"It will be held at 7.30pm on Thursday, 17th May at Transport House, Belfast.
The meeting will include speakers affiliated to the trade unions movement speaking on the subject "Trade Unions and the Iraq War"

"The Meaning of May Day and Anarchism."

2007-04-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

"The meaning of May Day and Anarchism"
As part of the Mayday celebrations in Belfast this year Organise! will be hosting a number of public talks on the meaning of May Day and anarchism. Organise! member, Sean: "If we look around today, we see many of the gains that workers like the Chicago Martyrs fought for being swept away, from privatisation of our 'public' services, victimisation and bullying at work or in the moves to introduce water privatisation and charges by 'our' local assembly. Our history is a history of struggle and resistance, a history that demonstrates that as working class people we can organise ourselves and run society on the basis of workers' control and direct democracy. Ultimately, our real strength and power to transform society lies in our workplaces and communities not in the corridors of power - whether at Westminister, Stormont or Dublin." As August Spies, one of the Chicago Martyrs, said: "The time will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today."

Where:
Monday 7th May, 7.30: An Cultúrlann at 216 Falls Road, W.Belfast
Tuesday 8th May, 7.00: Ballynafeigh Community Centre, S.Belfast (Just Books, Organise!) Saturday 12th May, 1pm: Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, 45/47 Donegall Street

Organise! will be assembling for the annual mayday march at 11.30 this Saturday the 5th May at Custom House Square in Belfast city centre.

2007-04-17T04:24:00.000-07:00

2007-04-17T04:17:00.000-07:00