NEW YORK - PARIS - MILAN - WALTHAMSTOW ?!

In Waltham Forest we need to be prepared for ridiculous hikes in the costs of housing and living, as the council sells off its houses, shuts down welfare services and welcomes in the parasitic property agents and corporate pub chains and eateries.

Home Loss

In the last decade, council owned housing in Waltham Forest has dropped from 17,000 odd to around 11,000. The vast majority of it has gone into private hands. True, council houses aren't ideal homes by any stretch, but they at least provide roofs over the heads of people on the basis of need, not buying power. Contrast this with the letting agents that are muscling into the area: you have to meet certain wage threshold before they'll shake your hand, and if you're on benefits, don't even step through the door!

The council themselves say that, if you're not in priority need (i.e. homeless), you'll have to wait an average of 70 years to get housed. What this amounts to is "get rich or get out". The council's Unitary Development Plan (UDP) illustrates further that the borough will be developed for high spending yuppies the area is now attracting.

Consumers First

The UDP prioritises retail and retail related (i.e. banks, cafes) use of buildings in town and district centres, over and above that of social and service uses such as libraries, creches, surgeries, entertainment halls, advice centres. Obviously, we all use shops but this emphasis shows how the authorities place a higher value on consumers than citizens and social beings. Stripped of all the 'social planning' jargon, again, the yuppie bar wine bar message is "If you haven't got plenty of hard cash to spend, then stay out of the borough's town centres!"

So, they propose to shrink Walthamstow market, a victory for the snobs who have long regarded it as "scruffy" and "dirty". Those of us who actually use the market might say it's a vibrant place - it's certainly the best source of cheap and reasonable value goods in the borough. In harsh economic terms though, market stall-holders can and will only pay low rents, in comparison to what a major coffee shop franchise can afford to cough up.

Free Houses

At the same time, we see all manner of empty buildings - bingo halls, houses, garages, axed council services. These are a clear demonstration of what a wasteful and exploitative system capitalism is. And it's these that have become the venues for the growing social centres movement all over London - local demonstrations of how we can survive, and thrive, and resist being priced out of our neighbourhoods.

The basic idea is this: unused buildings are occupied and opened up as a non-profit social space for all sorts of cultural, welfare and recreational activities - from cafes and creches to evening classes and club nights...and it's coming to a venue near you! How else do we keep Walthamstow real and prevent it from becoming a yuppie playground? We reckon its time to go on the offensive. If the council can get in cowboy outfits like ICL to administer housing benefits, only for them not to give people money for months on end, then how can they complain if we all withhold our rent?

What's good for the goose is good for the gander! Rent strikes have happened before, and if we want the quality of our housing to improve, they are going to have to happen again. The Underdog is keen to hear any news of resistance, however small, plus any ideas, schemes and dreams...


Cleaners cross at Whipps

International Workers Day was chosen by cleaners at Whipps Cross Hospital to protest about the poverty wages they are paid for doing a job that is vital to the running of the hospital. Despite the fact that a hospital with no cleaners is about as much use as one with no doctors, the minimum wage (£4.10 an hour) is paid to them by private contractor ISS Mediclean. Mediclean claim they can only pay the cleaners what the NHS pays them.

The NHS managers see themselves as duty bound to accept "the best value deal". Excuses, excuses, excuses. For how long, I wonder, would these hypocrites keep passing the buck and justifying poverty pay if it was THEM who was on £4.10 an hour?

If anyone in the same boat wants good free advice on how to organise a fightback at work we suggest getting in contact with the following union:

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
Phone: 07092 016 650
Email:  info@iww.org.uk
Website: www.iww.org.uk


Readers' Lives

This piece was sent in by an Underdog reader. We're keen to make Readers Lives a regular column, in which readers can send in their own stories of everyday repression and resistance. So please keep 'em coming!

It's 1966. My neighbour has a wife, kids and a housing problem. The council's points system works so that black people don't get rehoused. So he takes out a backbreaking mortgage on the cheapest terrace house. Thirty five years on, and the gyrations of the stock market make the cheapo backstreet home sell for silly money. Enough money to retire on and build a house back home (St. Lucia).

So I'm here visiting, rum in my hand, surrounded by kind and friendly people, palm trees swaying, soca playing: a garden of Eden. But there's a serpent: globalisation. The many small peasants here are under serious pressure. The price of bananas has fallen through the floor thanks to the union-busting, Washington-lobbying banana companies of South America. No problem, says the government and the World Trade Organisation, tourism will cure St. Lucia's poverty.

But then globalisation promotes the "all inclusive hotel". These hotels encourage the tourists to stay within their perimeters where drinks and entertainment are "free", so not a cent gets spent outside the hotel walls and there's no interaction with the locals except the underpaid hotel staff who know that careless talk costs jobs. So all the tourist dollars fly back to North America as do the tourists, as ignorant as when they jetted in.

As for the postcard-blue Caribbean, shame about those ships crossing it with their cargoes of plutonium en route from Europe to Japan. And water is being privatised. In a land of abundant springs and rainfall water meters are mandatory. The price of water has doubled and they are closing standpipes which supply free water to the village poor.

As I return to Gatwick with its cordon of immigration officers I think of some history that I heard: Around two hundred years ago St. Lucia saw one of many slave revolts, against a regime rather more oppressive than Blair's Britain. The escaped slaves called the Maroons got help from the French who had just had a revolution proclaiming liberty, equality, i.e. no more slavery. The guerilla Maroons took on the British overlords whose arms, by the standard of the day, equalled the military might and weapons arsenal of the USA today.

They held out for fifteen months, eventually surrendering but from such a position of strength that they negotiated their freedom and a passage back to Africa. Shows what can be done...


May Day...An Eyewitness Account

Many people are only aware of anarchists from media scaremongering and police mobilisations around the annual Mayday events. A few years ago some anarchists felt it was time to reclaim May 1st from the scrapheap. Since then, much has been achieved in raising the profile of International Workers' Day, and hopefully the general ideas that underpin it (see "Wot Anarchists Fink" this issue).

This year, Mayday protesters gathered in central London, and most managed to avoid being imprisoned as in last year's Oxford Street shenanigans, by "keeping fluid". The event was a chaotic parade, sometimes carnivalesque, sometimes shambolic. WAG members present had a good old knees up, outwitting the cops and pedestrianising the streets. But many of the thousands of gawping bystanders will have gone home puzzled: there's no doubt we could do more to communicate our ideas to such an audience, and perhaps increase participation.

Of course, ultimately the real work is to take these ideas - ideas about creating a society based on co-operation rather than exploitation - into our communities and workplaces. Indeed, there were some efforts to this end made during the two-week "Festival of Alternatives" either side of Mayday. Across London, different groups put on local events, such as films, talks, radical history walks, direct actions, stalls, gigs, football games etc. Watch this space for forthcoming anarchist events in Waltham Forest, next Mayday and before!


Local Elections

What local elections? Maybe you, like us, didn't bother voting for a new bunch of monkeys to sit around in the town hall wasting our money and resources. If so you'd be in the majority - 66% of people eligible to vote felt so uninspired by the abysmal shower presented to them at the ballot box that they stayed at home.

For what its worth, Labour have lost overall control. The Liberal Democrats, who were totally opposed to the "behind closed doors" cabinet system have taken 3 places on it. Despite promising before the election not to enter any deals with Labour, this is the first thing they did on taking office - ahh the sweet scent of power, just too much to resist eh?

Those of you who took the time to drag yourself off the sofa or rush home from work to vote for either the Socialist Alliance (the Socialist Workers Party in disguise), the Socialist Alternative (the Socialist Party in disguise) or the Communist Party of Britain (the Monster Raving Looney Party in disguise) really should have found something better to do with your time. Their candidates all finished rock bottom in all but one ward, where some Tory beat them in to last place.

All that time spent canvassing by their activists for nothing. When will they ever learn that people realise that no matter which name you put your cross by, its still the name of a politician of some description. And we don't need to tell you what you already know about politicians of any colour. The only alternative to the status quo that will change anything is not one built in the Town Hall, but one built in our communities and workplaces. If things are going to change we are going to have to make them change ourselves.


Anarchy Aunt

The answer to all your personal and political problems (probably)

Dear AA,

Although I still love my girlfriend very much, I have started to think about other women recently. I feel very bad, because I think I should do the decent thing and tell her we shouldn't see each other any more. I'm not having an affair, or plan to, and I really want us to stay together, but I just thought that after 4 years, I owe her the truth and should allow her the chance to find someone who will love her as much as she deserves,

Jim

Dear Jim,

I don't think there is anything wrong with feeling attracted to other people sexually. We live in a society where monogamy is viewed largely as the norm, the only natural form of intimate relationship. This nuclear package actually can alienate people from even close friends and family. We all know what happens, you get in a serious relationship, and you stop seeing a lot of your friends or loved ones. You partner often becomes the sole source of support and love in your life. Sometimes, this sort of intense dependency can burn out a relationship. Because the world is so mad now, we forget that if we lived in a community of people who supported each other, there would be a much wider network of people to talk to about problems, and people wouldn't have to have an "us against the world" attitude so much. If your girlfriend doesn't believe you are being up front, at least you can blame her cynicism on the divisive forces of global capital...

AA


Keep 'em peeled

Speed cameras are being used more and more as an extra tax on motorists, and to rub salt in, the filth are keeping more and more of the massive revenues gained to themselves. Don't end up funding the bastards. Keep a look out for the following:

A406 Walthamstow - Camera on A406 approaching exit to Walthamstow dog track from direction of Tottenham. The Gatso (type of camera) is hidden behind road sign on road side.
A406 Walthamstow - Gatso covering traffic going towards Tottenham. 50mph.
A406 Walthamstow - Gatso on the A406 as you travel from Tottenham towards the M11. This is adjacent to the last slip road entry on to the North Circular before the slip road exit onto the M11.
A406 - Camera on the clock wise side after the A10/A406 junction just as you enter the Fore Street tunnel partly hidden by a road sign.

And slightly further afield:

A10 Tottenham - Gatso Northbound in Tottenham on A10 between junction of A107 with A10 and the Seven Sisters Junction 2.
A102(M) - After Blackwall Tunnel, speed limit is 40. Out the tunnel, round the bend and approaching the bridge. Camera at start of bridge. 40mph.
A102(M - North bound a couple of hundred yards before the Blackwall Tunnel entrance. 30mph.
A102(M) - For Blackwall Tunnel. Reduced to 50mph. Several locations.
A12 - Several well-hidden cameras along the new link road between the Blackwell Tunnel and the North Circular. Limit varries between 40 and 50mph.
A13 Becton - East Side of A406 junction. 50mph.
A13 Barking - Just west of Movers Lane Flyover, just before overhead footbridge.

The above is in no way a complete list of speed cameras in the area - they are appearing to quickly for that. The idea that they contribute to road safety in any way is just eyewash used by the old bill as an excuse for their moneygrabbing. Since when have the police, who use public roads as a private racecourse ever been interested in reducing deaths by dangerous driving?


Diss artists

491 Grove Green Road, next to Leytonstone tube station, is a Transport for London property that was squatted as part of the M11 protests in 1994. Now it's been liberated again. The Art Organisation, who exist to promote art as a relevant, accessible and beneficial community resources, walked through its open doors in October 2001, and after much cleaning and restoration have opened it to the public this year "for almost everything imaginable". Greg from TAO says they're all about "anarchy and organisation". Whether or not 491 events are your cup of tea, the very act of reclaiming space for free and autonomous social activity is anarchy in action. More info: 07980 4026853 / www.theartorganisation.net


Teachers strike

Recently, teachers in Waltham Forest were out on a one-day strike over the issue of "London weighting". This isn't about supermarket queues or traffic jams, it's about the cash added to the standard pay packet of state sector workers, in recognition of the higher living costs in the capital. And loads of kids got a day off school. Can't be bad!


Ex-Black Panthers speak in Walthamstow

A packed public meeting at the Quaker meeting house, hosted by the Walthamstow Anarchist Group, saw Althea Francois and Robert King Wilkerson talk about their experiences in the Black Panther Party and of the case of the Angola 3.

The Angola 3 were all members of the Black Panthers who fought for prison reform in the early 1970s. As a result, they were targeted by prison officials who eventually framed them for crimes they did not commit.

King was one of the 3, released after spending 31 years in prison (the majority in solitary confinement). Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox are still inside, and 'King' spoke of the need to support their campaign to get them out of their prison hell.

He pulled no punches, saying that the prison system in the USA - which is being used as a model for the ever growing British system - amounts to "neo-slavery". He made no apology for his political beliefs and for dedicating his life to the fight for a society free of racism and other forms of oppression.

For more info on the case visit www.prisonactivist.org/angola3 or write to us at the address on the back page.


Laugh? I nearly spilt me pint!

After their car crash, Michelle and Yasmeen went to heaven. St. Peter showed them to their cloud, complete with its in-house harp-playing cherub, and wished them a happy ever-after.

After a week or so, Michelle turned to Yasmeen and said, "You know, it's very nice here, but I'm getting a bit bored". Yasmeen replied, "Yeah, it's nice and peaceful but that cherub only knows one tune and there's nothing going on. I could do with a bit of excitement".

Right on cue, a scruffy-looking angel flew by and handed them a flyer. Day Trip To Hell, it read, Coach leaves tomorrow noon from Pearly Gates. "Well, I vote we go", said Michelle. "You bet" replied Yasmeen. When the coach arrived at Hell's door the Devil himself was there to greet them "Welcome to hell, the non-stop fire festival!" he cried, and led them around the town, plying them with drink, smoke and wickedly good food. Yasmeen and Michelle had the time of their life - they went to the sauna, the massage parlour, they danced all night, and still the complementary drink and drugs didn't dry up. "I know I'm dead but I had the time of my life there" sighed Yasmeen on the coach home.

A few days later, the pair were sitting in God's Office. "I just hope you know what you're doing" he muttered in resignation, filling out the Transfer Approval form. "It's lovely in heaven" reassured Michelle, "but we're both young and hell is so much more lively". On arrival at hell, they were grabbed, kicked and punched, tied to stakes, burnt and subjected to days of horrific blood-curdling torture. One day The Devil came round inspecting the torture rooms, and Yasmeen summoned up the strength to call out to him "Old Nick, you remember us! you treated us like royalty when we came to visit, and now we're being burnt, maimed and abused. Why?" "Simple," said the Devil, "last time, you were tourists. Now you're refugees"


One morning a local road maintainance crew reaches their job-site and realises they have forgotten all their shovels. The crew's foreman radios the office and tells his supervisor the situation. The supervisor radios back and says, "Don't worry, we'll send some shovels...just lean on each other until they arrive."


Lawless Britain

The government hasn't got nearly as much control over us as they'd like us to believe. Welcome to a new regular Underdog feature - 'Lawless Britain'.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is asking bike owners to help in the drive to combat motorcycle road tax evasion (some chance!). A staggering 24.8% of motorcycles currently on the road are unlicensed, despite being the cheapest vehicles to tax. This represents 265,000 vehicles! If a vehicle is unlicensed it is also likely to be without a current MOT certificate and insurance cover.


Middle Finger

Middle Finger is an informal London-based group mostly made up of members of the Walthamstow Anarchist Group (WAG) which produces radio programs for distribution to broadcast and Internet radio stations. We aim to bring the world cutting edge reports and opinion from the UK. In addition to this we have a very large archive of radical spoken word from around the world which we distribute on CD.

Broadcast: If you are from a radio station and want to use our material, go right ahead and take the MP3s from the website. Please let us know where we're being heard. Alternatively we can send you tapes or CDs - contact us for details.

Contribute: We welcome anything which is in the spirit of anarchism, that is revolutionary, internationalist, anti-hierarchy and anti-capitalist. Please send us your stuff whether it's in the form of rants, interviews, speeches or entire programs. Anything will be considered. We have no FTP server (yet!) so if you want to send us MP3s you'll have to either upload them somewhere else and tell us (don't e-mail them to us!), or send them to us on CD-ROM. Or you could send us tapes. Whatever you send, send it to:

Middle Finger
PO Box 35832
London E11 3WT

You'll find the Middle Finger site as a link from the WAG website.


Gig guide

At the time of going to press we are finalising details of an anarchist gig in Walthamstow (eh? anarchist gig in Walthamstow?) featuring, amongst others, local band Thatcher's Children. To find out the final arrangements give us a bell...


For those of you who use the net, this website has some good advice on how to travel for free on London's buses and tubes: www.freefare.da.ru


Wot anarchists fink

Not a lot, according to some people like the media and politicians, who constantly portray us as mindless drunken hooligans constantly looking for the next riot. No such luck I'm afraid. We actually have some ideas that get in the way of what sounds like an enviable lifestyle. Anyway, this regular column has the aim of letting you know what some of these ideas are.

Wot is Mayday?

This year on May 1st, anarchists and other labour activists all over the world will celebrate international workers day. If you've been reading the mainstream newspapers recently you may have even been aware of a demonstration that took place in central London. But beyond all the hype and rhetoric, what is Mayday exactly?

Traditionally on this island, and in many other parts of Europe, Mayday - or Beltane as it was known - was a pagan festival in celebration of fertility and the coming of Spring. Unsurprisingly this clashed with the strict Christian morality as laid down by the church, and over the centuries Mayday, along with most other pagan traditions and beliefs, was all but stamped out. In modern times, Mayday has become a day of resistance to capitalism and wage slavery.

The origins of this Mayday began in 1886, and the struggle of American workers for an 8 hour working day. When these demands of unions were not met by bosses, mass strikes were called. One rally in Haymarket Square, Chicago turned particularly nasty, resulting in the deaths of 7 cops and an unknown number of demonstrators.

The authorities then clamped down on "agitators" (sound familiar?) and rounded up known anarchists as scapegoats. After a rigged trial 4 of them were executed. In the years that followed, May 1st became adopted all over the world to commemorate these martyrs and the struggle they were a part of.

For information about this year's Mayday actions see www.ourmayday.org.uk and see a review inside this paper.


Are you watching Slobodan?!

Many of us here in Britain were pretty inspired by the popular uprising that overthrew Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic a year or so ago. The mass strikes and demonstrations that led to his demise are a stark contrast to the farcical war criminal trial currently grinding its way through the European courts. What we didn't know until recently was the decisive role played by forces closer to home. Check out the picture below of the storming of the presidential palace for proof of the influence of North London's finest!

Editor's note: In the interests of justice, fairness and working class unity, we will gladly print any pictures sent in of Tottenham, West Ham, or Leyton Orient supporters engaging in equaly spectacular displays of political militancy.


What's it all about?

The Underdog has been produced by the Walthamstow Anarchist Group, a collective of local anarchists, revolutionaries and all round troublemakers. Its aim is to help build up an opposition to the system in our area and one day, with a bit of luck, overthrow it in its entirity. If you like what you read in the The Underdog and would like to help out by writing the odd article, telling us how we can improve it, or by distributing it then give us a shout.

The Walthamstow Anarchist Group meets regularly in the area. If you want more information on what else we do, get in touch. Telephone 07810 288 889 or e-mail:  info@walthamstowanarchy.org.uk. Visit our website: www.walthamstowanarchy.org.uk.


If you want to receive each issue of The Underdog on your doormat send 6 stamps to the following address and we'll send it to you - free!

Walthamstow Anarchist Group
PO Box 35832
London E11 3WT