The state know that unemployment is increasing as the economic crisis deepens. Youth unemployment is particularly high, with many people leaving education unable to find work. The state is attacking the unemployed with a new bill called the National Welfare Reform Bill which will make life harder for the jobless and those who are either unable to work such as the disabled or need assistance like single parents. While bankers and corporate fat cats are getting bailed out by the government and walking away with big bonuses, working-class people are being attacked on all fronts. The only way we can fight back is by organising together and building solidarity within the working-class between those of us with jobs and those of us on benefits.
If you are interested and would like to become involved in setting up an Unemployed Workers Union in Cambridge please contact us on details below.
Phone/Text: 07532456799
E-mail:
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Address: Cambridge Unemployed, Box A, 12 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AD
Comments
Hide the following 19 comments
The point of this is?
13.09.2009 16:41
If anything the economic crisis is lessening, inter-bank lending is on the increase, the stock markets are once again slowly rising, economic growth is once again increasing after months of decline, mortgage approval rates and house prices are again rising. The whole doom and gloom predictions from a few months ago were nothing but scaremongering nonsense.
Making money
Industrial Workers of the World
13.09.2009 17:02
Here's the contact details from the main IWW website:
'We can be contacted via
or you can mail us,
IWW Cambridge C/O Arjuna
12 Mill Road
Cambridge
CB1 2AD
or you can phone us on 07532 456799'
IWW home page:
MB Nottm
Stop being so parochial
13.09.2009 17:13
Passing Shopper
Good idea but
13.09.2009 17:44
Absolutely right.
Dave
Surely an Unemployed Union needs to be *International*?
13.09.2009 20:04
Like the IWW (I'm not involved with the IWW, by the way).
anon
Start thinking outside the box
13.09.2009 20:27
The workers got hammered every time, but the shop stewards got promotions and other fringe benefits overtime. I watched this process very carefully. That is why I think it is time for the average working person to begin thinking in terms of alternative solutions.
Those who have skills that are in demand can set up their own businesses... others who lack confidence or specialist skills can form affinity groups or co-operatives with people they know and trust. Set everything down in writing so there is no room for arguments later on.
Instead of depending on government or corporate "slave wage" jobs... people can begin to build their own independent work environments and labour teams. I honestly believe, whatever they can do... we can do better. To begin with, independent businesses or work groups would not have the large management salaries to pay. Those can be shared amongst the workers after overheads and expenses have been deducted.
These community based businesses or work groups can also use the same tax avoidance methods that the wealthy and large corporations use. Charge everything you can to expenses. I shall come back to this in posts later on if anybody is interested.
What I'm talking about is total financial independence from the system... this includes only using the banking system when it suits us. Keep in mind that paper fiat currency is always depreciating, so it is best to buy gold or silver with any excess cash and store it in a safe place. Of course, other commodities are worth stocking aswell... anything that is long-lasting and maintains it's value, i.e. always in demand.
Government taxation, corporate exploitation and banking capitalism is the method that they use to maintain their wealth and control over ordinary people... I say, we need to begin shifting our thoughts and efforts away from everything we have been taught at school. Otherwise we are actually contributing to the globalist corporate slavery of the world.
It is not enough for civil cervants to ride a bicycle to work... they must stop working for the government and start working for the people and for independenc and freedom.
Freedom and justice for everyone!
Little John
Stop being so negative!
13.09.2009 20:45
Doley
@Doley
13.09.2009 21:12
You are quite right... any move towards community self-help is better than none.
Yes, it is a good idea to get together and start talking with people who share similar problems... quite often solutions suggest themsleves once things get rolling.
All I'm trying to say is don't leave it there... go the extra few steps and begin to break away from the clutches of the state and the globalist corporations. I'm sure it can be done.
Health, wealth and prosperity for everyone... not just the few!
Little John
a little history of unions for the unemployed
13.09.2009 23:06
wal
Confused?
14.09.2009 02:13
I dont see the point. Just join the IWW.
I like being on the dole, compared to a mind numbing soul destroying job of whatever description and pay it's preferable.
Dole Scum
Of course you can be an unemployed worker!
14.09.2009 06:39
Of course you can be an unemployed worker.
A worker is someone who sells their time to an employer in exchange for wages, rather then someone who lives off their Capital or profits from the work of others.
A definition accepted by Capatalists and Marxists alike.
Despite the crap printed by Fleet Street, most people in this country would prefer to work. In fact thousands of people in this country work when they would be better off on benefits. There has been a massive increase in the unemployed - people who until last year were working.
How dare you insult these people by prentending they are somehow lazy or scoungers. They are victims of the economic system, you may think this is a downside to the best system we have. OK that's up to you but do not blame individuals for their misfortune.
By the way, a local scheme may not change the world, but I personally think it is an excellent first step.
Mark
Stop all benefits now
14.09.2009 12:03
Wot Tyler
How very dare i!
14.09.2009 12:42
Will the unemployed be going on strike if they don't have their demands met?
and
When i do finally get a job and my life is complete will i be allowed to wear my gimp suit?
Dole Scum
Anyway...
14.09.2009 14:34
@ "Make money" The economic crisis is just beginning. The TUC is warning of 4 million unemployed. The Treasury has stopped talking about "green shoots." We need a fighting organisation to ensure working-class people's access to adequate benefits without being fucked about. There is a lot of direct action we can do as a group as the long history of claimants unions and unemployed workers unions show.
@ "Passing Shopper" Well, not necessarily. Altho national (& international) working class organisation can have the most effect, local groups can be effective as well. For instance we'd be better off as a militant, grassroots union that believes in direct action & solidarity and just be in Cambs than being dominated by TUC bureaucrats leeching off us and keeping us in line. But yes, hopefully increased unemployed struggles will take wider & wider dimensions.
@ "Little John" I certainly respect your perspective but "financial independence" from the system is pretty fucking hard. I have very little money. Definately not enough to start up a business. Maybe if my dole came on time I might but not as things stand... We cant all drop out we have to fight for access to resources. But I don't think its mutually exclusive either.
@Doley -- Cheers mate! Thanx for the encouragement.
@ Dole Scum -- Well we are working-class ppl with no jobs. unemployed workers you could say. I fucking hate bollox jobs as well. But the dole could be a fair sight better!
@ Wot Tyler -- Hmmm... Like your attitude but its not realistic to think ppl can just suddenly not get money from a job or the dole. Yes we need to organise our communities, start providing for ourselves & start building independent working-class politics to declare war on the upper classes. This is why I'm involved in Cambridge Anarchists (
sort it out frosty
Dear sort it out frosty
14.09.2009 22:35
It might seem that I disagree with you but I do not.
Unless the Cambridge Unemployed have the courage to aspire to a national - and international - union of unemployed persons then they will be doomed to fail. I am not decrying the fact that Cambridge would be the starting place, just the timidity of seeing the Union as solely a local thing. Yes, act locally but aspire globally. Failure to do so will result in the Union being ignore, criminalised or marginalised by both state and Trade Unions.
The Greeks are ahead on points:
They are addressing specific Greek issues but that does not mean they do not have experience that is of importance to Cambridge.
Australia has also formed an Unemployed Persons Union
And while they are "historical" examples, there is more recent support for the idea:
The point I was making is the Unemployed Union has to start somewhere. The Unemployed Union has to aspire to be everywhere - it can not limit itself to being "in Cambridge". There are Unemployed people in Salford too
And Liverpool:
It is no secret that the Unemployed are treated like criminals and that any organisation will be treated as an affront to "decent" people. Which is why Cambridge should aspire to more than local representation.
Passing Shopper
Info on unwaged struggles and claimants unions
15.09.2009 22:34
In the 90s a network of claimants (and some dole workers) called Groundswell organised against the the introduction of the JSA regime, Restarts & work for dole programmes. (OK, those ones in the 90s seem easy-peasy compared to what we've got now, but they were the beginning...)
For a good rundown and analysis of how these efforts fared, see:
"Dole autonomy versus the re-imposition of work: analysis of the current tendency to workfare in the UK"
There are also a few responses and updates to that article on various sites.
Anyway, good you've got something going in Cambridge.
Lydia
lydia
deeply cynical now....
17.09.2009 20:52
But good luck anyway, this seems to be growing and ghrowing organically and thankfully without the Trots, etc.Sorry to be so cynical, but I have watched NL thru New Deal and welfare reform launch a war on the poor and disabled people, etc the last ten years and there has largely been silence.....
manonfire
UWU meeting, Friday 25th, 3:30pm
21.09.2009 17:01
Cheers
sort it out frosty
unemployed workers
01.12.2009 19:31
Chris