The working class in the North East has changed since WWII, and in the past 20 years change at work (or not) has been rapid, but working class cultures continue. The old working class traditions and strategy have outlived their usefulness, and now something new is required to meet 21st century challenges.
Saturday 17th June, Midday, 2006 - Class War have organised a meeting at the Projectile Festival on the working class in the north east, now and then... Participants in the roundtable discussion include; Dave Hopper (General Secretary of North East NUM) and Dave Douglass (T & G, NUM, IWW and Class War). See www.projectile.org.uk for venue in Newcastle...
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Press release
12.06.2006 21:49
07931 301 901
www.londonclasswar.org/northeast
12.6.06 No embargo
Political Apathy! - Not here!!
A new broad based Alliance of workers and community groups is forming. Popular politics is both the means and ends of this new movement, self-creative and self-sustaining.
National Union of Mineworkers General Secretary Davy Hopper is speaking with David Douglass (T & G, NUM, IWW) and Class War members at the Projectile Anarchist festival 16-18th June. The Class War event, a discussion about “Changing Working Class Life in the North East” is at Midday on Saturday 17th June, part of a long-term strategy to help reform the working class by encouraging a move from representative politics to self-organising.
Davy Hopper today said; “We might as well all be anarchists, cos there is no democracy in the Labour party, Iraq proved that” adding that “we have a lot of work to do”.
Dave Douglass said; “Contrary to myths anarchism is, and always has been, based upon Federalism, autonomy lies with local groups who decide their own priorities. The working class can no longer be represented, it wants to speak for itself. Working class political action today must be constituent rather than representative.”
FFI contact: Richard Brandon on 07931301901
NOTES FOR EDITORS;
Everything that has a beginning – has an end
As the 21st century dawns the very nature of the Labour party relationship with the unions, based as it was upon a false and contradictory premise, became clear. That there can never be a long term negotiated peace with capital. Now with several unions and many individual members refusing allegiance with the modern corporate ‘New’ Labour party, there are other signs of the British ‘2 party constitution’ experiencing crises as well.
Goodbye to the Labour Party
The future of revolutionary and radical working class politics has opened up once more, towards working class self-determination.
Forward to the July 8th Durham Miners Gala
Meet Class War at the `Big Meeting` celebrating Mining history and the politics that evolved around it.
Brigate Rosse