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Workers Solidarity 116
Date: Fri, 2010-07-09 12:50
July - August 2010 Edition of the Workers Solidarity freesheet.
PDF of Workers Solidarity 116 Web Edition 2.92 Mb
Click on one of the links below for a PDF version of Workers Solidarity 116.
PDF of Workers Solidarity 116 Web Edition 2.92 Mb
Anarchism and the WSM
The past couple of months have been active ones for the WSM. We attended a number of protests around the country following the Israeli attack on the Gaza aid flotilla, which resulted in the murders of nine aid workers. We also organised two anti-capitalist marches that fed into the Right to Work campaign series of Tuesday night protests outside Leinster House. We supported a picket of Anglo Irish bank that took place following a police attack on supporters of a number of Eirigi members arrested following an occupation of the Anglo premises. We attended other Right to Work campaign protests and endorsed and participated in a demonstration in Dublin as part of a Europe-wide week of protest and solidarity against austerity measures being imposed across the continent. We also had our usual presence at the Cork and Dublin celebrations of May day. Finally, our street activity culminated with our participation in the annual Pride celebrations in both Cork and Dublin.
Our six-monthly national conference was held in May, where we passed a number of motions aimed at increasing our output of alternative news and opinions, with an increased focus on developing our internet presence. A week later, we successfully hosted the fifth annual Dublin Anarchist Bookfair in Liberty Hall (see article for more details). Following two weekends of meetings, many of our members took the opportunity for a well-earned break by attending the Rossport Solidarity Camp annual gathering on the June bank holiday weekend. A combination of workshops, swimming, socialising and beautiful weather ensured that a good weekend was had by all. Our Cork branch capped off this busy period with a public meeting outlining the problems intrinsic to capitalism and advocating the revolutionary alternative. If this goal is to be achieved we will need your help so if you have enjoyed what you have read here please feel free to get in touch with us to find out more!
In This Issue
Does the system we live under, capitalism, offer enough scope for achieving lasting solutions to all the problems it causes? Of course, some improvements are made and some problems are alleviated. Yet new kinds of problem also arise in a society which is changing rapidly, constantly seeking new ways to make a profit.
The World Cup is over, the TV crews have departed, and the South African government must be happy. The world’s media portrayed it as the crowning achievement of sixteen years of post-apartheid development. With the African continent’s largest economy and one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, South Africa is considered by most to be a model middle-income developing country. Many in Ireland will look on with pride, happy that they helped play a part in the anti-apartheid boycott movement which helped to bring that terrible racist system to an end.
Saturday the 29th of May saw the return of the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair to Liberty Hall. It is the 5th Bookfair to be held in the city and what started out as a small event in a community hall in the Liberties is now one of the landmark events in the calendar of the Irish left, organised by the Workers Solidarity Movement.
Dear Sir,
In the … brazenly condescending column ‘That’s Capitalism’ (WS114) I read a very short but very puzzling piece on Aidan Heavey (Founder and CEO of Tullow Oil). You feel it newsworthy to mention that his total remuneration for the year amounted to €25,962,983. By the general theme of your paper and this column in particular I can derive a clear negative slant on any business issues you report on.
The WSM now has its own monthly radio show on Dublin’s Near FM. Radio Solidarity is broadcast on the first Tuesday of every month on at 15.30hrs and is also available online. We caught up with one of the show’s producers, Dermot Sreenan.
Any public protest of more than 49 people will have to apply for permission at least 37 days in advance. Otherwise it will be illegal. While emergency protests are allowed, the Bill says it has to be an “extreme emergency” and permission must be applied for three days in advance.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary received a cheque for nearly €30,000 from the European Union last year to “help” him maintain his Mullingar farm. In 2008 the ‘Squire of Gigginstown’, who has a prize herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle on his 200-acre farm, received €55,821 under the Cap scheme, but he only received €28,746 last year. Other well-known beneficiaries of the Common Agricultural Policy last year were Fianna Fáil senator Francie O’Brien, who was given €80,849, the cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Pat Moylan from Banagher, Co Offaly, who was awarded €11,069, while Clare TD Pat Breen pocketed €23,834.
If you’ve been following the news or listening to Liveline over the last few weeks, you’ll have seen a few references to protesters trying to “storm” the Dáil or to the Guards’ attempt to prevent an anti-capitalist march from, well, marching.
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