Workers Solidarity Movement

 Belfast WSM held its first successful public meeting on ‘Building the Anarchist Alternative’ was attended by about 10-15 people who listened intensely to WSM speaker Alan MacSimoin, who gave a short introduction to anarchist ideas and the politics of the WSM. This was followed by a long period of debate and topics briefly discussed included recent workplace struggles, anarchist-syndicalism, partition in Ireland, the struggle for women’s right to choose as well as combating racism in the North and lots more.......

March 15th saw Dublin’s third annual Anarchist Bookfair. Despite a day-long downpour, over 800 people passed through. Thirteen different meetings were held on topics as varied as the health service, the Lisbon treaty, climate change, feminism and class, and trade union organisation. Interest in finding out more was reflected in the €3,000+ worth of books and pamphlets purchased from stalls operated by Workers Solidarity Movement, CAZ Books, Just Books, Anarchist Federation of Britain, Irish Socialist Network, Oxfam Bookstore and others.

About 20-30 people today turned out for the lunchtime rally in support of the 3 sacked airport workers who have renewed their hunger and thirst strike. Gordon McNeill is on his 5 day of hunger and thirst strike and breaking news is that he has just been rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Message of support and solidarity were read out on behalf of the Northern Ireland Fire Brigades Union and teachers union INTO including prominant playright Jimmy McGovern who stated,

"Remember the way the TGWU betrayed the Liverpool dockers? I bet you thought no union could ever sink so low again. I did too. We were wrong. The way in Unite has treated the Belfast Airport workers is a disgrace. Unite's leaders should hang their heads in shame."

In mid April, Cork dock workers took action in support of the crew of The Defender, a cargo ship owned by Forestry Shipping from Riga, Latvia but registered in Cambodia. The Defender had nine crew on board and was carrying cargo for delivery in the Cork area.

It seems that trigger happy Regional Development minister Conor Murphy is at it again with proposals for residents in 5 pilot areas in and around the city centre to pay a flat rate tax of £40 annually regardless of household income for the privilege of parking outside their own home despite firm opposition.

For those of us involved in the fight for workers' power, the 1st of May gave us much to be cheerful about. Traditionally a day to celebrate working class solidarity and militancy, workers in America and Iraq, marked May 1st with a wonderful demonstration of both of these fine qualities.

All welcome

Members of the public service union, NIPSA, were protesting outside the Housing Executive on March 26th. The Union has accused management of sacking over 60 temporary staff in the past few weeks without any consultation, and without any arrangements being made to cover the work. Bosses had previously agreed to take no action until the union had seen new staffing plans, but then went ahead and broke the agreement.

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

While the rest of us are slaving away to make end’s meat and facing the brunt of the ‘credit crunch’. We are continually told by our political rulers to be ‘competitive’ for the bosses waiting for the promised ‘trickle-down effect’ that never arrives. Staggering rises in energy prices above the rate of inflation, imposition of un-wanted water charges while hundreds of people die every year due to ‘fuel poverty’ it seems the North elite rich club have never had it so good according to the latest Sunday Times rich list. There is now a record of 61 people from the north among Ireland’s richest 250 and they are getting richer! Last year their wealth increased to a combined £10.7 billion! On top of the list like every year is Fermanagh’s Sean Quinn worth about £3.7 billion, who does allot of dealing in insurance and property market. Alright for some eh?