Wednesday 22 May 2002
Trade union support continues to grow

We already have a number of national unions affiliated or supporting the coalition. Last week the TSSA (a rail union) voted to affiliate. The PCS (civil servants union) passed a resolution against the war and in support of campaigns against it. A STWC fringe meeting at the PCS conference in Brighton attracted over 60 people despite it being the last night of the conference.

We have fringe meetings planned at Natfhe, Amicus (MSF), Unison and CWU. At all of them we can help build support for the coalition. If you are attending any of these conferences make sure you attend the meetings and help build support for them. If you are a member of TSSA, Aslef, Natfhe, RMT, NUJ, PCS you can already use the national support to raise affiliation in your local branch and to send us an urgently needed donation.

Activists conference

We are holding a Stop the War activists' conference on Sunday 16th June in London. We urge you to please send representatives from your local group. The agenda will include discussion on where next for our campaign against the war on terror, building local groups, practical workshops on media and publicity, generating local activity, fund-raising and the next few months in our 'Don't Attack Iraq' campaign, including the mass petition. We will also discuss how we can improve communication and what activists want from the STWC at national level.

This is a valuable chance for us to get together to discuss the questions facing us and try to map out the future campaign. There will be an entrance fee to cover costs and a pooled fare will operate.

National demo

We want to build a massive demonstration on the theme of 'Don't Attack Iraq' for early autumn. Provisional date is 21 September, although we are still discussing this with CND. We want this to be before the Labour party conference at the end of September to put the maximum pressure on Blair. It is possible to build the biggest anti-war demo yet, since support for a war against Iraq is already very narrow. Anti-war opinion needs to make itself heard. Watch this space for more details.

Activity

STWC activists have been building support around the country. There have been meetings in Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Harlow, Birmingham, Liverpool, Waltham Forest, Brixton, and Bristol, to name only a few. STWC had a number of banners on the Palestine demo in London on May 18th and has helped organise protests on Palestine around the country. We also helped ensure that the May Day protests around the country had an anti-war theme. These were highly successful with the London May Day march alone attracting 10-15000 people in a carnival like celebration against privatisation and war.

ESF

Asad Rehman from the steering committee represented the STWC at a meeting in Vienna earlier this month to discuss the European Social Forum, which will take place in Florence, Italy from 7th to 10th November this year. We were instrumental in ensuring that the war and related questions were accepted as a major theme of the conference. We want a good STWC turnout at this conference so if you are interested in going start making plans now.


Bulletin

By now local groups should have received the first of a regular bulletin. It has been very well received. If you need copies phone the office. The bulletin is designed to be used on street stalls, in workplaces and colleges, etc. The next issue will be out in early July.

Petition

Please organise mass petitioning in your area. Send in completed petitions ASAP. Copies of the petition available to download on our website (www.stopwar.org.uk)

George Galloway MP, Yvonne Ridley (Journalist), Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui (Muslim Parliament of Britain) joined Jenny Maxwell (vice chair CND) and Lindsey German (convenor - STWC) for the official press launch last week. TARGET: 100,000 signatures…do all you can…


Week of action

We hope to organise a nation-wide week of action against 'the war on terror' and especially the planned attack on Iraq. The idea is to hold a variety of events of different types in cities and towns across the country, possibly over the third week in July. Further details soon.

Funds needed

Please fill out a standing order form or send a cheque today. And please consider organising a Stop the War Coalition fund-raising event in your area.


 http://www.stopwar.org.uk