UK UK Newswire Archive
Balfour withdraws sign or be sacked contracts
17-02-2012 13:44
In a major breakthrough, Unite has announced that Balfour Beatty has withdrawn the self-declared BESNA contracts at the centre of a 7-month dispute which has brought chaos to industrial relations across the contruction industry.Balfour Beatty Engineering Services was regarded by Unite as the ring-leader of a group of seven firms seeking to impose new contracts on thousands of sparks, plumbers and other engineers which they said would have substantially eroded skills of new workers and enforced cuts in pay and allowances of up to 35%.
David Cameron - The man who pushed the button.
17-02-2012 09:23
It is with disgust and despair that I shareWhat is Facebook doing to us?
16-02-2012 22:47
4 Months ago, after years of resisting, I finally joined Facebook for the first time. Half social experiment, half wanting to know what I was missing I concluded that in fact I was right and Facebook is bad news.IWW Cleaners' Living Wage Victory
16-02-2012 20:55
the Fighting Industrial Workers of the World Cleaners and Allied Trades Union today obtained a victory over contractor Dynamiq, who will now reinstate unfairly sacked IWW Cleaners in their jobs and pay them the living wage. The demonstration planned for Friday 17 February has thus been CANCELLED for cause of VICTORY!!
London, 16/02/2012 -IWW Cleaners and Allied Trades | Once again vindicating the IWW mottos - "An Injury to One is an Injury to All" and "Don't Mourn - Organise!" - the Fighting Industrial Workers of the World Cleaners and Allied Trades Union today gained yet another victory notch on their belt against unscrupulous bosses! Not ones to passively accept injustice, after their unfair sacking for organising a union, the Cleaners of NTT Communications stood up and confronted the management of cleaning services contractor Dynamiq for this unacceptable act of union-busting. Through the IWW Cleaners' Union's negotiations with Dynamiq management, the NTT Cleaners today obtained their reinstatement as a workforce onto a single worksite, and payment of the London Living Wage. The demonstration planned for Friday 17 February has thus been CANCELLED for cause of VICTORY!!
Dynamiq Cleaning and Program Management Ltd kicked out an entire workforce who had been at NTT for years - why? Because they joined a union and stood up for their rights in the face of bullying and intimidation.
Following today's negotiations with the cleaning contractor Dynamiq, who cover the contract for NTT, the Workers, with the IWW Cleaners Union's representation, secured an agreement which put all the workforce in one site and provides full-payment of the London Living Wage.
As result the IWW Cleaners Branch and London Delegates Committee has cancelled the demonstration called for Tomorrow at Devon house. We thank all trade unionists and fellow workers for their solidarity and support.
Democracy or Plutocracy?
16-02-2012 19:22
Palestine Today 02 16 2012
16-02-2012 17:43
Unlawful detention, false imprisonment & assault of London anti-fur protesters
16-02-2012 17:28
After arriving for an anti-fur protest yesterday, activists from London Animal Rights were confronted by the MET at their finest. The activists were subjected to unlawful detention, false imprisonment and assault, simply for turning up for a legal, peaceful demonstration against the cruel fur trade.Tesco’s Secret Workfare Slaves
16-02-2012 17:05
Furious shoppers are threatening to boycott Tesco after their use of forced labour schemes came to light yesterday.Harmondsworth detainees free on bail -court 8/3/12
16-02-2012 16:55
The Harmondswoth detainees have all been freed on bail. The court has been postponed in two weeks time. March 8th.
The Harmondswoth detainees have all been freed on bail. The court has been postponed in two weeks time. Trial will take place on March 8th.
Hinkley Point Barnstormers - Occupiers aim to stop EDF land trash
16-02-2012 15:10
"This film gives an account of the first few days of the occupation of Langborough Farm on the site of one of the proposed 'new wave' of Nuclear Reactors, at Hinkley point in Somerset. The activists took occupancy in the early hours of Sunday the 12th of February and are settling in to their new home and community."
Check out this great vid of the opening days of the occupation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfW-Kv6IWEI
guardian journo claims 'reclaim love'
16-02-2012 14:55
in a piece in monday's guardian about the commercialisation of valentine's day, jeannette winterson had a plagiarisation-fest. without crediting sources, or even linking to or publicising this weekend's event, she alluded to the 'occupy your heart' logo, and lifted the whole concept of a nine-year long succession of 'reclaim love' events which are going ever-more global. if you want to be involved in this year's event, come along to piccadilly on saturday (18th) at 2pm and change the world a little and take part in history. ms winterson is invited too if she promises to stop stealing.
covering the 'reclaim love' events each year, i've noticed one major thing - each year it gets bigger and bigger. both in terms of the numbers of people attending the london party, and also in terms of more and more parallel events taking place around the country and around the world.
so, with mild weather forecast, and a world in desperate need of more love, hundreds of people will be congregating around eros from 2pm on saturday and taking part in a celebration, a party, and a meditation. early birds will get hold of the fabulous free t-shirts given away each year. the samba band will play a few tunes. there'll be arts for kids, food for all, entertainment all afternoon with special and surprise guests, and at exactly 3.30pm, in sync with thousands across europe, and in a global time-wave of love with perhaps tens of thousands of people around the world, an eerie calm will descend on the commercial and tourist heart of london, and hundreds of people will clear a space around the fountain, holding hands together in a large circle, to begin chanting 'may all the beings in all the worlds be happy and at peace' over and over for several minutes.
i'm actually a bit of a cynic when it comes to this stuff, but i have to admit the power and spectacle of this event is quite remarkable, and it's always followed by just the best street party on into the evening.
the whole concept has obviously captured the imagination of jeanette winterson too. just a shame she didn't use her perfectly adequate imagination and instead lifted the whole thing without credit for her own means. but such is the spirit of 'reclaim love' that if she puts in an appearance on saturday i'm sure she'll still be welcomed.
the organiser, "venus", proposes the theory that if enough people do this worldwide at the same time (i think her figure is two million), then they can effect a shift in global consciousness. she's aiming to reach that figure by 2014, when valentine's day falls on a saturday.
there's certainly some scientific backing for the idea that the more you focus on something the more likely it is to manifest, and with the issues facing the world right now, there doesn't seem any harm in trying, especially in such a fun and celebratory way, so come and see for yourself on saturday in piccadilly circus.
reports from previous years: http://london.indymedia.org/articles/7350 and http://london.indymedia.org/articles/7351
reclaim love website: www.reclaimlove.org
repression outside court-Harmondsword detainees
16-02-2012 14:55
At 10am this morning supporters gathered outside Uxbridge court, where the 12 detainees, still not free, where to have their first hearing. Currently in court, the protesters where met by high numbers of police and one of them was arrested for refusing to extingish a cigarette. The repression is harsh. More news asa we get them.
At 10am this morning supporters gathered outside Uxbridge court, where the 12 detainees, still not free, where to have their first hearing. Currently in court, the protesters where met by high numbers of police and one of them was arrested for refusing to extingish a cigarette. The repression is harsh. More news asa we get them.
UN 'Travesty': Resolutions Of Mass Destruction - Part 2
16-02-2012 12:28
Part one can be found here, part two follows.
Calais: demonstrators storm public housing office
16-02-2012 11:26
Call out - Protest at French embassy Friday
16-02-2012 10:30
We are calling for a protest this Friday after prayers for a protest outside the French embassy in LondonFrench Embassy
58 Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7JT
This protest is to call attention to the ruling in France where Israeli physician, Dr. David Yehuda was acquitted of libel against Mohammed al-Dura's father
The court overturned the libel conviction of Dr. David Yehuda, who was sued by the father of Mohammed al-Dura, the boy who became a powerful symbol of the second intifada.
Ethical human rights, development, globalization needed to replace Neoliberalism
16-02-2012 09:43
It is argued that top-down, bureaucratic neoliberalism threatens to seriously slow the rebuilding of Christchurch, New Zealand's second largest city, after devastating earthquakes. An ethical approach to human rights, development and globalization should replace neoliberalismARCTIC EMERGENCY Global Threat
16-02-2012 04:52
Harmondsworth blockaders held by police for second night
16-02-2012 02:55
Eleven No Borders activists arrested on Tuesday during a detention centre blockade are being held by police for a second night. They are due to appear at Uxbridge magistrates court at 10am this morning, charged with causing 'serious disruption to the life of the community' under Section 14 of the Public Order Act.* Supporters have called for a solidarity demonstration at the court.
Earth First! Winter Moot 2012 - 24-26th February 2012
16-02-2012 02:51
A weekend of discussion and networking for those taking direct action against ecological destruction.Please note date & location change (due to date clash & venue problems):
24-26th February 2012, near Glasgow
Nearest train station: Lanark.
See
http://earthfirstgathering.org.uk/ for further information about location, programme and contact details