February 2009

"British Jobs for British Workers"?

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As the recession continues to bite strikes and mass demonstrations break out from the streets of Paris to oil and power plants across the UK.

Support workers occupying Waterford Glass

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Workers have been occupying the Waterford Glass factory in Kilbarry for five days now after the receiver was unable to borrow further funds to keep the plant operating. Yesterday as 150 workers continued the occupation members of the Cork WSM visited the plant and interviewed Joe Kelly, the chairman of the Crystal Unite branch. The Cork branch later issued a statement in support of the occupation.

DONT UNHIDE: Education struggles; yesterday, today and elsewhere

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This is a collection of articles on Education struggles in Ireland and elsewhere over the last decade. Most have been written by anarchists and are first hand accounts of struggles the authors were involved in. We are making them available so new generations of activists could learn what worked and did not work in these earlier struggles.

Dublin student activism at the end of the 1980's

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I was a student at Trinity College Dublin in the last four years of the 1980's. The following account is based entirely on my recollections of student activism in those years, unfortunately I don't seem to have archived any of the actual leaflets or papers produced back then. At the time we were always disappointed with the level of struggle, it’s only in hindsight that I realize that period was one of relative militancy in terms of student struggles in Ireland.

Student activism in 2002/3 - the CFE

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The CFE was the Campaign for Free Education. It existed the summer of 2002 and the summer of 2003 and was predominantly based in UCD. Mary (MOF) spoke to two activists from the CFE campaign to find out what student activists today can learn from their experiences.

Resisting the 2009 education cuts - fighting to win

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The Education Cuts announced in the Budget have unleashed a wave of protest across the country. 12,000 parents and teachers protested outside the Dail on Wednesday 29th October. Regional protests have since been held in Galway (attended by over 8,000), Tullamore (4,000), Cork (30,000) and Donegal (8,000). The national demonstration in Dublin on 6th December brought a massive 60,000 people onto the streets. All in all, over 120,000 people have joined the protests to say loudly and clearly that our children should not have to pay for the financial crisis. In addition there have been local demonstrations and pickets outside the clinics of Fianna Fail and Green Party TDs across the country.

Support Industrial Action by the Bus Workers!

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Dublin Bus is slated to see huge cuts in both staff and services. As many as 290 workers and 100 buses will be cut. This means fewer routes and less frequent service. If the Dublin Bus workers go on strike, it will mean an inconvenience for a few days. However, if they take action and force the company to back down, it will in the long run save us all time and money and will help the environment. It will also serve as a message to the politicians. If they want cuts, they can start by tightening the belts at the top, not the bottom. The politicians are giving bailouts to bankers while they hand out cuts to workers and commuters. It's clear where the money to support public services should come from. It should come from the people who created the crisis!

Bray: Capitalism Is Failing ... Anarchism Is Fighting Back

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Cutbacks? Fight For a Real Alternative
An introduction to Anarchism by the Workers Solidarity Movement

Tuesday 24th February 2008 at 8pm.
Venue: Villa Pacis (next to Queen of Peace), Putland Road, Bray.

Dublin meeting of grassroots education workers - F28

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At all levels, the education system is under attack from the present government.

The savage cuts already announced at primary and second level appear to be just the first steps in what will be a sustained attack on the public sector in general and education in particular – both from the point of view of the provision of the service and the wages and working conditions of those employed in it.

An Israeli refusenik on Israel and Israeli activists work against the Occupation of Palestine

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Media coverage of events in Israel and Palestine often depends on well-worn clichés that depict a bitter struggle between two homogenous and mutually exclusive cultures. The truth of course is far more complex and there is a small, but very vocal, opposition within Israel to the military Occupation of Palestine. One of the most visible and courageous forms of this opposition has been the refusal to serve in the Israeli army.

Cork: Public Meeting - Waterford Crystal Workers Speak Out!

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Public meeting in support and solidarity with the Waterford Crystal workers in occupation of their place of work in defiance of the receivers' plans.

Meeting happening at 8 p.m., Monday 9th February, Victoria Hotel, Cork.

Dublin: National meeting of Public Sector Trade Unionists

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NATIONAL PUBLIC MEETING OF TRADE UNIONISTS IN PUBLIC SECTOR

SATURDAY, FEB 14, 11.30 to 2.30, Davenport Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin

RESIST THE PENSION LEVY !
ICTU must call a One Day National Stoppage to begin a real campaign!

Waterford Crystal Workers Speak Out against plant closure

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Noel Atkins and Pat Phelan, Waterford Crystal workers and Unite Shop Stewards, travelled to Cork last night to speak out against the attempted closure of the plant. They spoke from the heart as workers tossed on the scrap heap after decades of service.

Thoughts on the crash and the alternatives

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Our government has become more and more open about their plans for us. Cowen wants to drive down our living standards 12% and has already cut all our wages through the tax levy and slashed the wages of workers in the public sector further through the so called ‘pensions levy’. He openly talks of “four more years of even steeper cuts”. He is so confident of us taking this lying down that he had the cheek to announce his intention to drive down our living standards at what even RTE referred to as the “Dublin Chamber of Commerce's lavish AGM dinner which cost €160” a head.

Cork - Quiz Fundraiser For Anarchist Bookfair 09

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Cork WSM are hosting a pub quiz ....for the Anarchist Book Fair

Seomra Spraoi Launch Weekend

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This weekend see's the launch of Seomra Spraoi's new autonomous social center. Already in full swing, this is the 'official' opening of the center. Come along, see what ya like and wonder at the joys of non hierarchical anti-capitalism in practice. You know it makes sense. Below is the timetable of events and further down some more info on about this collective of anarchists, libertarians and folks just like you

Free Education for Everyone (FEE) calls for student block on ICTU march.

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Free Education for Everyone (FEE), a student group fighting the reintroduction of fees and cutbacks in third level education, is calling on all secondary and third level students to join the ICTU National Demonstration this saturday to show solidarity with all workers facing pension levys, job losses and pay cuts.

Cork: Public Meeting - Anarchist Panther

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Venue: Bowen Room, Metropole Hotel, MacCurtain Street, Cork.
Date: Thursday, 26th February
Time: 8pm

Was ICTU behind the pensions levy?

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Did the idea of the so called 'Pensions Levy' come from some of the very Irish Congress of Trade Unions leadership who are supposed to negotiate on behalf of workers. This is one revelation that emerged on Saturday morning at a meeting of over 100 public sector trade unionists and two delegates from the Waterford Glass occupation. We were meeting in the Davenport hotel, Dublin to discuss a collective response to government attacks on workers and in particular the public sector pay cut. Most of those present were on branch committees or even national executives with a couple of branches delegating representatives to the meeting. The gathering could in that context be said to reflect the views of a large number of branches across the unions that organise public sector workers.

Pay cuts, job losses - Organise the Fightback

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As soon as possible we need a unified day of strike action across the entire public sector to demand withdrawal of this pay cut. One day of strike action is unlikely to be enough to force a change of government policy. So this needs to be followed up with an ongoing campaign of strike action. Join us for the march on Saturday at the Parnell monument from 1.30.