UK Newswire Archive
Report of the Fuel Poverty Action Warm-Ups Weekend across the UK
05-02-2012 20:03
Friday 27th – Monday 30th January saw hundreds of people in cities across the country come out of their cold homes to Warm-up together at the buildings and offices that house those responsible for fuel poverty. People warmed-up at the offices of the energy companies raking in record profits from the thousands of people in the UK that die from fuel poverty, and the hundreds of thousands worldwide that die from climate change. The weekend also saw Warm-ups at local council offices and town halls, which house the local governments that are failing to take action to rectify the shameful state of the UK’s housing and insulation, and are implementing welfare cuts that are making the bills bite even harder this Winter, leaving millions with a choice between heating and eating.The Warm-ups are just the beginning. Fuel Poverty Action will be continuing to challenge the Big Six’s monopoly and the government’s complicity, and keeping up the push for an energy system that works for people’s needs, not corporate greed. Plans are already afoot for a day of mass action against the Big Six in May. If you'd like to be involved in planning for this, then come to the planning meeting in Oxford on Saturday February 18th. (Turl St Kitchen (upstairs), 16-17 Turl Street, Oxford, OX1 3DH, 10am – 4pm).
For more information and updates about Fuel Poverty Action, check our website ( fuelpovertyaction.wordpress.com), follow us on Twitter @FuelPovAction and find us on Facebook (
http://on.fb.me/v8pXT0).
Pizza Hut solidarity in Brighton
05-02-2012 19:08
Members of the Brighton IWW and Solfed formed a solidarity picket outside Pizza Hut in Brighton on Saturday evening. Close to 300 leaflets were distributed to the public and also to Pizza Hut staff.SchNEWS: Kiddie Porn Cop Busted
05-02-2012 19:00
Yeah we know - all coppers are bastards, but obviously some are more misbegotten than others. Step up Nicholas White, press officer for some of our fave cops - the National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit a.k.a NETCU. He was found guilty in Cambridge Crown Court last Friday (27th) of possession of more than 110,000 photographs and videos of child porn.
Pizza Hut Solidarity in Bradford
05-02-2012 18:55
Several West Yorkshire IWW members and friends braved the snow today to picket the Cineworld Pizza Hut in Bradford in solidarity with Sheffield Pizza Hut Workers.
Leaflets were distributed in the store to workers explaining why we were there and urging them to join the Pizza Hut Workers Union before we began leafleting members of the public outside. The leaflets were very well received, with people promising to write in protest at the treatment of workers and to tell their friends, and some people who were related to Pizza Hut staff took Union leaflets to pass on. Even a manager at a nearby business, who was initially unsympathetic, was shocked at the conditions for Pizza hut workers. She took a leaflet, promising to send her complaints to Pizza Huts management.
SchNEWS: Leicester Pigged Out
05-02-2012 18:52
SchNEWS: Gimme A Slice OF The Action
05-02-2012 18:15
Pizza Huts across the U.K and the world were hit yesterday (Saturday 4th February) with pickets by the militant fightin' union the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World). The pickets in solidarity with workers at a Sheffield branch who've been in dispute with their management since last April. The dispute centers around the fact the the minimum wage staff at the Hut weren't getting paid extra for bank holidays and were expected to use their own cars for delivery runs for a mere 60p a trip.
Why do some GOP party politicians envision a China-like America?
05-02-2012 17:57
A few weeks ago, Huffington Post published a very interesting article titled "Emerging GOP View: Communist China Is Model for American Capitalism" ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-salzman/emerging-gop-view-communi_b_1197976.html). The article discusses a growing trend amongst US capitalists, especially those who favor the Republican party, to view China as an example that the USA needs to follow.
Demo: Peace for Iran and Syria - No to War
05-02-2012 16:48
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street (off Whitehall)
Westminster, SW1A 2AH
United Kingdom
Peace Strike
# DEMO "PEACE FOR IRAN AND SYRIA" #
Bring banners, whistles, enthusiasm and energy!
This is the start of the BIG PEACE OFFENSIVE to prevent a war with Iran or Syria.
Armed Groups Inside Syria: Prelude to a US-NATO Intervention?
05-02-2012 15:47
Russia and China have vetoed the UN Security Council draft resolution on Syria pointing to the existence of armed groups involved in terrorist acts including the killing of civilians.
9 Feb, High Court, London: Support John Catt. Protest 'Big Brother' Police State
05-02-2012 15:22
87 year old anti-war activist John Catt is bringing a Judicial Review challenging the legality of the publicly funded, secret 'domestic extremist' intelligence database run by the discredited National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) under the command of ACPO and/or the Metropolitan Police.Protest in solidarity with John and against the surveillance police state outside the Royal Courts of Justice, the Strand, London WC2A 2LL on Thursday 9 Feb from 9am. The Hearing starts at 10am. The domestic extremists among you might like to bring along dusters and other cleaning materials.
London Wobs' Solidarity Picket with IWW Pizza Hut
05-02-2012 14:55
Over twenty London Wobblies and sympathisers braved the cold on Saturday 4th February at a very successful picket targeting one of Pizza Hut's larger London restaurants at the Strand.
The picket was organised by the London IWW General Membership Branch in solidarity with the Sheffield IWW Pizza Hut Union call out for a national day of action against the Pizza chain. The London picket was one of a string of solidarity actions held worldwide in addition to the main Sheffield Pizza Hut picket. Solidarity demonstrations took place in Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Glasgow, Calais, Portland, Vancouver, and Berlin.
Keeping up a vibrant and spirited atmosphere despite the frosty temperatures, the picketers distributed hundreds of flyers over the course of the afternoon to customers, staff and passers-by.
Wobblies from the London IWW GMB branch were joined by a significant number of sympathisers, including members of the North and South London Solidarity Federation locals and the London Anarchist Federation. London IWW would like to formally extend its thanks to all of those who joined, with particular thanks to the sympathetic organisations who made the effort to mobilise their members in this great show of solidarity.
Meanwhile, at the main protest in Sheffield, twenty Pizza Hut workers braved the billowing snow in protest against what they say are "insulting" conditions and pay.
The Sheffield Pizza Hut Workers, who've proudly organised an Industrial Union Branch under the banner of the Industrial Workers of the World, have had enough of Pizza Hut management's dogged refusal to give them their fair dues, and we, their fellow workers at the London IWW GMB stand 100% behind them in solidarity.
This call for a nationwide protest comes at the tail end of a year-long dispute with management over bank holiday pay, delivery drivers' commissions, and poor working conditions.
Contrary to standard practice in the UK, Pizza Hut staff do not receive the usual time-and-a-half pay rate for working Bank Holidays, and are instead paid standard wage. The IWW demands that Pizza Hut pay all workers time and a half for working Bank Hollidays.
The pay rate for delivery staff, who use their own cars, has remained frozen for several years, despite the increase of delivery radius and the rising price of petrol. This amounts to dismal pay for delivery staff.
Other concerns include delivery staff safety gear, a decreasing pay packet that falls behind inflation and a demand for a real living wage for all Pizza Hut workers.
To find out how, as a concerned member of the public, you can help support the IWW's Pizza Hut Workers' campaign, please click here.
Shut Guantánamo - candlelight vigil
05-02-2012 14:55
Braving sub-zero temperatures on Friday evening in the capital, around two dozen human rights activists joined the London Guantánamo Campaign (LGC) outside the US Embassy in Mayfair, London, for a candlelight vigil to mark the fifth anniversary of the campaign's regular "Shut Down Guantánamo!" demonstrations outside the Embassy. Performances were also given by Actors for Human Rights and poet Sergio Amigo
Braving sub-zero temperatures on Friday evening in the capital, around two dozen human rights activists joined the London Guantánamo Campaign (LGC) outside the US Embassy in Mayfair, London, for a candlelight vigil to mark the fifth anniversary of the campaign's regular "Shut Down Guantánamo!" demonstrations outside the Embassy.
The LGC has held a regular protest outside the US Embassy in London, first on a weekly basis, until August 2008 and on a monthly basis since then, ever since February 2007 (report of the first ever demo: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362319.html). The purpose of the protest is simple enough: shut down Guantánamo Bay and other similar prisons, return the British residents to the UK and ensure justice for the remaining prisoners, of whom there are currently 171. During that time, 6 of the 8 remaining British residents held prisoner there have been released. Only Shaker Aamer, a Saudi national with a British family in south London http://www.reprieve.org.uk/cases/shakeraamer/ and Ahmed Belbacha, an Algerian national who once resided in Bournemouth http://www.reprieve.org.uk/cases/ahmedbelbacha/ remain, both without charge or trial for over a decade.
In that period, activists have been joined by other groups, including local Amnesty International and Stop The War groups as well as visitors to the capital. The regular demonstration has included special actions held in solidarity with accused Wikileaks whistleblower Private Bradley Manning and other US prisoners, with Canadian child soldier Omar Khadr during his military tribunal, and to mark the tenth anniversary of the war in Afghanistan.
To mark the fifth anniversary, activists were joined by performances by actor and poet Sergio Amigo reading poems by Guantánamo prisoners http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCDC81P5i58&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL and actor Naoufal Ousellam from Actors for Human Rights (www.iceandfire.co.uk) provided a reading of the Binyam Mohamed verbatim passage from The Rendition Monologues http://iceandfire.co.uk/outreach/scripts/rendition-monologues
Binyam Mohamed, a British resident from Ethiopia, returned to the UK in February 2009 after a seven year nightmare. Prior to his release, the London Guantánamo Campaign held a large campaign calling for his return, including a six day continuous vigil outside the US Embassy in London and a 30th "birthday party" for Binyam opposite Downing Street: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404536.html?c=on#c200488
171 prisoners remain at Guantánamo Bay after 10 years, many without charge or trial. The campaign to close Guantánamo Bay and end its regime of torture and arbitrary detention without trial will continue. Please join the LGC at the next monthly demonstration on Thursday 1st March 2012 at 12-1pm outside the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, W1A 1AE and then 1.15-2.15pm outside Speaker's Corner, Hyde Park, opposite Marble Arch.
Other actions coming up:
11th February: Guantánamo Chain Gang: Free Shaker Aamer (to mark Shaker's 10th year in Guantánamo): ASSEMBLE 12 NOON outside NORTHCOTE RD BAPTIST CHURCH, NORTHCOTE RD, LONDON SW11 6DB - organised by the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign
Walking slowly in chains through the streets of Battersea and Clapham Junction to a rally at the Battersea Islamic Culture and Education Centre, Falcon Road, SW11 2PF
14th February: Guantánamo Chain Gang at the US Embassy, Grosvenor Square, W1A, 2pm - organised by the Save Shaker Aamer Campaign
On Tuesday 14 February, Shaker will have been in Guantanamo for 10 years. Please join us at the US Embassy, London, to hand in cards and petitions for President Obama.
Banners, drums and noise welcome.
More details: ssac.contact[at]gmail.com www.saveshaker.org
More media on the 3 February vigil:
http://www.demotix.com/news/1033393/london-guant-namo-campaign-candlelit-vigil
http://lenebarbephotography.blogspot.com/2012/02/london-guantanamo-campaigners-outside.html
http://www.demotix.com/news/1032593/shut-down-guantanamo-candlelight-vigil-london
http://www.demotix.com/news/1032594/london-guant-namo-campaigners-outside-american-embassy
London Guantánamo Campaign
http://londonguantanamocampaign.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-Guant%C3%A1namo-Campaign/114010671973111
http://twitter.com/shutguantanamo
Occupy Oil
05-02-2012 14:11
South Eastern and Network Rail Failure
05-02-2012 13:40
04 Febuary 2012 Nightmare journey and just how bad South Eastern and Network where. Incredible failures and shocking customer service.Fascist metropolitan police attack Syrian pro democracy protesters
05-02-2012 12:58
Yesterday hundreds of fascist metropolitan police violently attacked Syrian pro democracy demonstrators outside the Syrian embassy in Belgrave Square in central London.Communities fight back on National Library Day
05-02-2012 12:55
Across the capital local communities have been fighting back against the cuts, demanding that their libraries stay, stating that they are a vital part of the local infrastructure. Brent is the latest council to act, where the 'SOS Libraries' campaigners have been refused permission to take the council to the Supreme Court this week. This was after a strong community action of 24-hour vigils and celbrity support, but still six libraries will close. Other campaigns around Kensal Rise and Preston are also struggling to win, but will continue to fight.
The Kensal Rise campaign has been supported by Alan Bennett, Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman, Zadie Smith, Nick cave and more recently Jamie Reid of Sex Pistols fame. This is despite a consultation into the proposals showing that 82 per cent of respondents were against the closures, the council announced in April last year that Barham Park, Cricklewood, Kensal Rise, Neasden, Preston and Tokyngton libraries would shut. Brent Council announced plans to close six out of Brent’s 12 libraries to save £1 million in 2010.
Residents united by their anger formed Brent SOS Libraries to stop the closures and took their fight to the High Court and Appeal Court but lost.
The council began stripping bare the libraries before Christmas but undeterred the campaigners formed pop-up libraries outside the closed reading rooms including Victorian built Kensal Rise Library, in Bathurst Gardens which was opened 111 years ago by American author Mark Twain.
Over the coming year it is estimated that as many as 600 libraries could close although so far, due to the public anger, only 32 have actually been shut down. Some are being handed over to local communities to control and others are being privatised. Even where the fight back is successful the staff are being cut back to a minimum.
Solidarity Picket Glasgow With IWW Pizza Hut Workers Report
05-02-2012 00:29
Remembering Auschwitz
05-02-2012 00:08
