Protest against New McLabour in Brighton
Paul | 31.08.2001 12:03
Dozens of activists from the Green Party, Socialist Alliance and Globalise Resistance will be protesting outside McDonalds in Western Road tomorrow (Saturday) after plans were announced that the fast food giant would be sponsoring events at this autumn's Labour Party conference in Brighton.
Green Party councillor Keith Taylor will be one of those present at the protest.
University of Brighton lecturer and NATFHE union chair Tom Hickey commented,
"This is an insult to all in the labour movement. McDonald's is an icon of corporate greed, foul working conditions and environmental destruction.
"If Tony Blair wants McDonalds at the conference, then I want to see a McDonalds worker address delegates about experiences of low pay, long hours and bullying management."
A McDonalds franchise in Surrey was fined £12,400 last month after admitting 20 offences of illegally employing children aged 15 and 16. The court heard that one school pupil had worked a 16-hour Saturday shift and another until 2am on a schoolday.
Brighton & Hove Globalise Resistance activist Christine Bird said
"This announcement makes it clear what New Labour are about. Their conference is becoming known as 'McLabour Conference'.
"There's increasing enthusiasm for the protest and carnival planned for Sunday 30 September in Brighton where thousands of people will tell Tony Blair to put people before profit."
Press reports suggest that over 10,000 people will be decending on Brighton on Sunday 30 September to protest at Labour's conference.
Tomorrow's protest at McDonalds will take place outside the Western Road branch in Brighton, starting at 2pm.
Protesters will have placards and banners condemning the link between the Labour Party & McDonalds.
Contacts on the day: Christine Bird 07930 959839 / Keith Taylor: 07966 528944
Green Party councillor Keith Taylor will be one of those present at the protest.
University of Brighton lecturer and NATFHE union chair Tom Hickey commented,
"This is an insult to all in the labour movement. McDonald's is an icon of corporate greed, foul working conditions and environmental destruction.
"If Tony Blair wants McDonalds at the conference, then I want to see a McDonalds worker address delegates about experiences of low pay, long hours and bullying management."
A McDonalds franchise in Surrey was fined £12,400 last month after admitting 20 offences of illegally employing children aged 15 and 16. The court heard that one school pupil had worked a 16-hour Saturday shift and another until 2am on a schoolday.
Brighton & Hove Globalise Resistance activist Christine Bird said
"This announcement makes it clear what New Labour are about. Their conference is becoming known as 'McLabour Conference'.
"There's increasing enthusiasm for the protest and carnival planned for Sunday 30 September in Brighton where thousands of people will tell Tony Blair to put people before profit."
Press reports suggest that over 10,000 people will be decending on Brighton on Sunday 30 September to protest at Labour's conference.
Tomorrow's protest at McDonalds will take place outside the Western Road branch in Brighton, starting at 2pm.
Protesters will have placards and banners condemning the link between the Labour Party & McDonalds.
Contacts on the day: Christine Bird 07930 959839 / Keith Taylor: 07966 528944
Paul
Comments
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Lobby or Blockade?
31.08.2001 16:24
was laughably called an 'organising meeting' for people
to 'demonstrate' in Brighton against 'new' Labour's conference. It turned out to be a rally with speakers from
Green Party (pro-capitalists), Socialist alliance (pro-capitalists) and Globalise resistance(SWP-front). After an
hour of boring people senseless and recylcing cliches the
'organising meeting' was 'opened' to the floor. Initially
ignoring one of the anarchists (with a Class war T-shirt),
he was allowed to speak after being the first person with
his hand up at the end of the meeting. During that meeting no one actually said what they will do, is GR, Socialist
alliance or Green Party calling for a blocade? Something mostanarchists and people pissed of the government would want.Actually it wasn't until this guy with the class war t-shirt asked that the audience responded with a 'NO'. At this point the group of anarchists left not surprised at the outcome but pissed of with how the meeting was publicised and thatGR/SWP and all other reformists were using the anti-capitalist movement to win over a few Labour MP's and union parasites into the Socialist alliance. So instead of reacting like anarchists and autonomists have often reacted to trot-called demos (i.e. by ignoring them completely) we, a collective of anarchists have organised
a meeting at the following venue and date for people who want to be part of a more radical block in brighton which will join in with anarchists/autonomists and people wanting to shut down the labour party conference. Here goes:-
Gatecrash Labour's Party REAL organising meeting
2.00pm September 15th, 2001
Club room
Conway Hall
RedLion Square
London W1
(nearest tube HOLBORN)
All welcomed*
*this is a non-party political event and is for
anyone who wants to be part of a radical bloc on
the day.
Watch out for the leaflet at the arms fair action Sept. 11th
p.s GLOBALISE RESISTANCE IS NOT GOING DOWN TO BRIGHTON TO
SHUT DOWN THE LABOUR PARTY. THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE
ANTI-CAPITALIST MOVEMENT. THERE GROUP IS JUST A VEIL FOR THE
SWP.
Gatecrasher
e-mail:
.
Homepage:
.
Bristol Wombles burrow into Brighton 2!
31.08.2001 17:16
Ya Basta New Labour Hypocrits
Ya Basta Schools 4 Prisons Blair
Ya Basta Hospitals 4 Fat Cats Blair
Ya Basta Anti-Union Blair
Ya Basta G8-Blair
Ya Basta Refugee-Hater Blair
Ya Basta Pensioner-Poverty Blair
Ya Basta Youth Curfew Blair
Burrow into the Anti-Democracy Invited Marketeer Zone!
Burrowing Time 10pm - 2pm Saturday 30 September
Teamster-Turtle Unity March @2pm
Wellington Womble
e-mail:
bristolwombles@hushmail.com
No Compromise
31.08.2001 17:19
Well fuck their intentions because this movement is not based on compromise - it is based on action. What I will intend to be doing in Brighton is not 'Lobbying' (leave that to the Greens, Trots, etc), not blockading (because the fences erected will already be blocakding us) but ENTERING THE RED ZONE. We need to get into the area that has been designated for the conference and disrupt the fuck out of it. Don't hold any hope out for Labour Party members 'changing policy' - this would be a gross capitulation seeing what they are capable of, and seeing that almost any reasonable member would have left by now. We need to pull down the fences, climb over under of through the fences and get inside the conference itself.
SHUT DOWN THE LABOUR PARTY! FOR ANARCHISM!
No Compromise Anarchist