Workers Solidarity Movement

Its already clear (23 May, 10am) that the referendum has been passed, that there has been a Yes vote across the country, its now only a question of how big. We won't know the answer to that for hours.

We are confident with this call because not only are huge Yes tally being reported from Dublin (as high as 3:1) but very large Yes votes are also being reported from some rural boxes. There are others that are 50:50 or even thought to be slightly No but its clear these No's hope to counteract the huge Yes's from the cities, never mind the significant Yes votes that appear to have happened in many rural areas. Areas that voted against divorce are showing significant Yes votes.

In the last 24 hours anti-equality campaigners have been setting up fake Yes to equality Facebook pages and then posting links around to large groups like the 26,000 strong anti water charges group. The intention being to trick people into voting No by trying to give credence to the fevered imaginations of homophobes.

On Friday Ireland goes to the polls for a referendum to introduce Marriage equality, when it is passed Ireland will be the first country to introduce Marriage equality by popular vote. In the final days of campaigning the reactionary anti-equality crowd are becoming increasingly open about their homophobia as they become increasingly desperate in the face of defeat.

Congratulations to workers at McDonalds and their union, Unite in New Zealand/Aotearoa who have won their battle with the employer and ended zero hour contracts at the fast food giant!

The workers were due to strike today 1st of May, but McDonalds backed down at the last minute. From 1 October 2015, all McDonald's employees will be offered 80 per cent security of hours, up to a 32 hour weekly cap, based on the average of the previous fixed quarterly worked hours.

As part of the forth coming series of strike actions next month by public sector workers across the north, trade unionists and community activists held solidarity march and rally in Derry today in an effort to highlight workers concerns. Speaker after speaker condemned continued attacks on working class communities by Stormont politicians united in their efforts to implement Tory Cuts ‘in the name of austerity’.

One final speaker, a Dublin based community activist engaged in the fight back South of the border, gave provoking examples of how working class communities their have rallied together, stood up and fought back on many different occasions over the past number of years, which in turn has inspired thousands to do the same.

We've caught sight (24 March) of the documents for the High Court hearing against the Grangegorman residents tomorrow and we're surprized to see we (ie our new page Solidarity Times) get a prominent mention. It appears the lawyers concerned are so used to a completly compliant media reproducing ruling class ideology that they imagine our stance of solidarity with those they want to evict from their homes must make us the organisers of the resistance!

One of the tricks of the media & politicians is to try and create conflict between protesters. So for instance in coverage of the Grangegorman eviction resistance you'll see the suggestion that squatters don't work while many workers can't afford rent.

The simmering student revolt that started this spring in Amsterdam and spread to the LSE in London has now reached Dublin. Austerity has meant the acceleration of the EU neoliberal plan to turn universities into over packed and pressured factories churning out little human units optimised for industry.

Dublin was one of many cities that saw a protest today (29 March 2015) called by the local Australians and Allies Overseas against Mandatory Detention as part of an international day of action involving 28 cities across 6 continents. The protest also drew attention to the terrible Direct Provision centres Asylum Seekers in Ireland are subjected to.

It took place outside the Australian embassy where those gathered demanded:

Shut down Manus Stenton Centre for asylum seekers!
Shut down Nauru detention centre!