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UK Workers' Movements Newswire Archive

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Ruling Class On The Attack Ahead Of 30th June Strikes

17-06-2011 16:14

s the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union released the result of its 30th June strike ballot on Wednesday, the vulpine Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude was all over the TV schedules, in what was clearly a pre-planned counter-offensive. Maude - whose personal wealth is estimated at £3 million - told teatime news presenters that he was concerned about "vulnerable" service users, who would be affected by the strike action. He also argued that the low turnout meant the PCS had no mandate for strike action. Though his hypocrisy is easy to see, the figures do appear to show a general dissatisfaction with the PCS leadership. And PCS is not the only union with a thin strike mandate for the 30th. The turnout was well below half in both the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) ballots. What does this mean, and how does the ruling class intend to make political capital out of these circumstances?

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Crippling anti-austerity strike action in the Czech Republic today

16-06-2011 18:46

Today in the Czech Republic a national transport strike has shut down almost all public transport in Prague and most across the rest of the country. For the first time in history the Prague Metro was shut down. The strike was called to mount pressure on an unpopular coalition government forcing through an austerity programme that, for the transport workers, would have meant a rise in the retirement age, taxation and welfare limitations.

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Birmingham: Welcome party for Nick Clegg – 29th June

16-06-2011 10:36

The Local Government Association is holding a conference[1] in Birmingham on the 28th-30th June.

The local government conference is at the ICC in Birmingham from the 28th-30th June, coinciding with the strike actions.

Delegates from local councils around the country will attend to hear keynote speakers such as Nick Clegg, Andrew Lansley, Eric Pickles and Ed Miliband.

Final details are to be arranged, particularly in co-ordinating with workers striking on the 29th and 30th.

We are going to be leafletting delegates to the event on the 29th, probably from around 8:30am before welcoming Nick Clegg to the venue where he will speak.

We may leaflet other days, but that is not yet decided.

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June 30 Strike Assembly in Oxford!

15-06-2011 14:47

Come to this meeting to plan how we can support and escalate the strikes in Oxford.

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'Greek Revolution' at the Crossroads

15-06-2011 13:36

A young protester tries to reason with cops as Greeks strike yet again
As I type this, Greek workers are taking part in the tenth one day general strike since the onset of the global financial crisis, and demonstrators are confronting vicious police in an attempt to block the politicians' way to parliament. Though this turn to organised direct action is a positive step forward, the government believe they just have to ride out today, and tomorrow will be calm again, as those Greeks fortunate enough to have work return to it. However, the rise of the young 'aganaktismeni' - the Greek answer to Spain's 'indignados' - shows that many working class Greeks are looking for an independent, autonomous way forward.

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Atos Origin Recruitment Event Disrupted by Angry Protests

15-06-2011 08:01

Around 60 disabled people, supporters and benefit claimants held an angry protest outside the Atos Origin recruitment event in London yesterday.

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Anarchist Federation statement on June 30th

13-06-2011 15:09

Anarchist Federation on the upcoming strikes and actions on June 30th

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Beautiful South Korea

13-06-2011 11:58

Int'l Petition urging that the 10 Vietnamese Migrant Workers be found Not Guilty and Released (effective 2011.6.07)

P.s.... this is highlighting the situation in South Korea, not North Korea, as there is lots on North Korea , most people think they know..via amnesty etc. Lots of people think the south is paradise...but its not....

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Fight The Cuts: Public Meeting with John McDonnell MP

13-06-2011 11:45

A public meeting on fighting the cuts, defending our pensions, benefits, services and communities. Speaker John McDonnell MP plus speakers from NUT, PCS and UCU. Organised by Sheffield Anti-Cuts Alliance and South Yorkshire LRC (Labour Representation Committee)

Thu 16 Jun 2011, 7pm Pennine Lecture Theatre, Sheffield Hallam University, Howard St. S1 1WB

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Independent trade unionists in Iran's islamic regime are imprisoned and turtured

10-06-2011 11:47

Law of God !
Independent trade unionists in Iran's islamic regime are imprisoned for speaking out about labour rights.

Islamic law means hell for Workers and heaven for Bourgeois and Ruling class .
Worker activist under islamic regime are imprisoned, tortured and even executed just to defend basic workers right.

 http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=19508

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PCS Industrial action in Brierley Hill

09-06-2011 23:49

PCS members in Brierley Hill have staged walkouts in protest over concerns their health and wellbeing is been put at risk by new polices introduced by HMRC.

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Sri Lankan Garment Workers Defy Unions And Killer Cops Over Pensions

09-06-2011 14:16

Katunayake is under military lockdown, but workers are still defiant
Garment workers in the Sri Lankan 'Free Trade Zone' of Katunayake have defied the government and their own union bosses over the implementation of a new private pension scheme, forcing the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance back to the drawing board. However, Katunayake is under virtual military occupation following the rebellion, which saw police murder protesting worker Roshen Chanaka Ratnasekera.

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Workfare Unravels

09-06-2011 14:12

Workfare, the government’s forced labour scheme, could be the latest policy to unravel as encouraging momentum builds against the proposed reform of the welfare system.

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Giz A Job – Atos Origin Recruitment Day - 14/6

08-06-2011 11:28

Benefit claimants, disabled people and supporters will be attending Atos Healthcare’s Recruitment Day on June 14th at 5pm and have called on people to join them.

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Success! Workfare conference cancelled due to protest

07-06-2011 17:19

Campaigners celebrate success outside the Royal Society
Today, 7 June, the “Making Work Pay” conference was cancelled due to pressure from campaigners. Campaign coalition Boycott Workfare had called the action to launch the Welfare Uncut campaign that will take action against those organisations involved in rolling out the Work Programme.

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Anarchist demo in Bern - photos

07-06-2011 13:57

Anarchist demo in Bern - photos

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Tax Workers Walk Out Over Sickness Discipline Measures

07-06-2011 11:36

At 4pm today, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) workers will walk out, in protest at the imposition of draconian sick day restrictions, which could result in disciplinary measures being taken against the ill. However, if the workers are to hold back these attacks, this afternoon needs to be just the start of a broad-based, democratically-controlled fightback.

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More South Korean repressions

06-06-2011 11:47

Police disperse striking Yoosung workers

Week-long strike disrupts production of major automakers


Thousands of riot police raided a regional auto parts manufacturing plant, Tuesday, to put an end to a week-long “illegal” strike that disrupted the production of Hyundai Motor and other major automakers.

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200th Anniversary of the Luddite Uprisings: Technology Politics Then and Now

03-06-2011 23:12

Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the Luddite Uprisings: Technology Politics Then and Now

Date: Wednesday June 8th, 7pm

Venue: Feminist Library meeting room, 5a Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7XW, Nearest tube Lambeth North,

 http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=154817494584557

Organised by:
Luddites200 Organising Forum
 luddites200@yahoo.co.uk
 http://www.luddites200.org.uk/

No admission charge, donations welcome. Please contact organisers about disabled access.

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The Tasks Facing the Spanish 'Angry Ones'

03-06-2011 15:39

Night falls on the Madrid occupation
Nearly three weeks after thousands of mostly youthful protesters first occupied Madrid's Puerta del Sol square, the M-15 Movement of 'indignados' is starting to show signs that it is running out of steam. Unless it draws in wider layers of the working class, this is precisely what will happen.