Sunday 31 January 2010

TUC Concert for Haiti - 7.00 pm Wednesday February 3

The TUC is organising a Concert For Haiti on Wednesday February 3 at
Congress House in London as part of its fundraising effort through the
TUC-Aid Haiti Earthquake Appeal. It will feature Billy Bragg, Cuban
band Son Mas with Omar Puente, and a number of special guests. Details
at www.concertforhaiti.co.uk or telephone 020 8800 0155. To donate to the
TUC Haiti Aid Appeal: www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-17424-f0.cfm
(acknowledgements to Joseph Healy)

Wednesday 27 January 2010

Greens oppose Kraft takeover of Cadbury (Caroline Lucas statement)

20/1/10

Reflecting on the news that Cadbury is to be taken over by the US food company Kraft, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas said: "Today marks a day of anxiety for almost 7,000 workers employed by Cadbury. Greens share the concerns raised by Unite, the union representing Cadbury workers, about the amount of debt that Kraft currently has.[1]

"Kraft's debt almost tripled to $18.54 billion in the two years between 2006 and 2008. We are worried that Kraft will service that debt as it has previously -- Kraft has sacked 60,000 workers to pay for its profits in the last 10 years. The Green Party is deeply concerned that a successful, independent UK company, whose products are loved all over the world, has become the latest victim to the ever-growing Kraft brand."

Caroline Lucas added that: "The jobs at Cadbury's are being lost in Birmingham, a city that is still recovering from the Rover shutdown, as well as Ford and Land Rover job cuts. Investment in a Green New Deal would cushion the effect of these job losses in a time of deep recession."

Phelim Mac Cafferty, joint International coordinator for the Green Party, stated: "Of the approx £12 billion offer, Kraft is borrowing £7 billion.[2] Again, the myopia of the City has taken precedence, and the lives of thousands of workers have been sidelined in this process. Kraft is a giant company - with giant debt and a record of under-performance, while Cadbury's makes world-beating confectionery, and it is independent."

Notes to Editors

[1] http://www.unitetheunion.com/pdf/017-Kraft

[2] http://www.unitetheunion.com/campaigns/

Sunday 24 January 2010

FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO WORK, Saturday 30 January, Central Hall, Oldham Street , Manchester

FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO WORK
Come to the conference of resistance and solidarity
Saturday 30 January,

Central Hall, Oldham Street , Manchester

11.30am-5pm


- Fight for every job
- Organise to stop the cuts
- Defend services and pensions
- Unite the public and private sectors
- Demand a million green jobs
- Jobs not bombs
- Defend migrant workers – jobs for all

Visit www.righttowork.org.uk


There’s a deep economic crisis – and the bosses and the politicians want us to pay for it. It’s bad now, and an avalanche of cuts is coming after the election. But there’s also a fightback, and we need more of that.
Whenever there’s resistance, then we need solidarity. Many working people rallied round the postal workers’ national fight. And many have also backed the Leeds bins workers, the BA workers, the Superdrug workers and other groups who have taken action.
This conference is designed to bring together those networks of resistance and to make them stronger. This is a brilliant chance to learn from one another and spread the lessons of the fightback.
It’s not just for trade unionists, and it won’t just be about workplace struggle. We are having speakers and workshops on issues like the war in Afghanistan, anti-racist battles, decent housing, and so on. We want students, unemployed workers, anti-war activists, pensioners, campaigners for green jobs, housing activists and anti-racist activists to come.
It won’t be a talking shop. We want to organise initiatives from the conference. For example, some people have suggested a day of action around welfare ‘reform’ or a coordinated push to unionise in specific areas, or action to defend and organise migrant workers.
We want to people to bring their own ideas to the conference and to go away with stronger organisation.
Speakers include:

Mark Serwotka (PCS),
Sally Hunt (UCU),
Mark Smith (former Vestas worker),
Tony Kearns (CWU),
Jeremy Dear (NUJ),
Jerry Hicks (Unite),
Paul Brandon (Unite bus worker),
Nahella Ashraf (chair, Greater Manchester Stop the War),
Dave Chapple (Chair National Shop Stewards Network),
Clara Osagiede (RMT cleaners’ secretary),
Kevin Courtney (NUT national executive, personal capacity),
Dot Gibson (General Secretary, National Pensioners Convention)
and speakers from the Fujitsu strike, Royal Mail dispute, Brighton bins dispute, BA cabin crew, Superdrug… and many more.
Structured around various workshops ranging from how to stop the great pension robbery, to the fight for a million green jobs.

Please visit: www.righttowork.org.uk

Friday 22 January 2010

RadioLabour.net

I thought that all of you might be interested to know about the
upcoming launch of I thought that all of you might be interested to know about the
upcoming launch of RadioLabour.net
next week -- and that you might want to be talking about this in the
Labour Podcasting group

on UnionBook.

International Labour News Audiocast Starting Up February 1st, 2010
A weekly presentation of international labour news is being organized
on the Internet.

The audiocast - called Solidarity News - will be available on
RadioLabour.net every Monday morning.

Solidarity News will focus on union and workers' activities and
issues from around the world with special emphasis on emerging market
and developing countries.

RadioLabour reporters will provide regular weekly presentations, but
a special feature of the audiocast will be reports from unionists who
want to report on particular events or publicize an activity of their
organization.

Scripts of the audiocasts will be available as aids for unionists who
want to learn the use of English as an additional language in the
international labour movement.

For more information about RadioLabour, listen to the audiocasts, or
provide reports, visit the RadioLabour site

.

Join the Labour Podcasting group on UnionBook
If you're interested in internet radio and podcasting, you should
join this group

on UnionBook. But don't forget -- you have to login first.
next week -- and that you might want to be talking about this in the
Labour Podcasting group

on UnionBook.

International Labour News Audiocast Starting Up February 1st, 2010
A weekly presentation of international labour news is being organized
on the Internet.

The audiocast - called Solidarity News - will be available on
RadioLabour.net every Monday morning.

Solidarity News will focus on union and workers' activities and
issues from around the world with special emphasis on emerging market
and developing countries.

RadioLabour reporters will provide regular weekly presentations, but
a special feature of the audiocast will be reports from unionists who
want to report on particular events or publicize an activity of their
organization.

Scripts of the audiocasts will be available as aids for unionists who
want to learn the use of English as an additional language in the
international labour movement.

For more information about RadioLabour, listen to the audiocasts, or
provide reports, visit the RadioLabour site

.

Join the Labour Podcasting group on UnionBook
If you're interested in internet radio and podcasting, you should
join this group

on UnionBook. But don't forget -- you have to login first.

Monday 18 January 2010

Joel Kovel: Lucas Arms, Grays Inn Road, at 7pm on Monday 25 January

Joel Kovel will be speaking at a London Federation/Green Left meeting at the Lucas Arms, Grays Inn Road, at 7pm on Monday 25 January. Joel talking about his book, “The Enemy of Nature, Overcoming Capitalism or the End of the World?” the situation post Copenhagen, and anything else people want to discuss, on Monday the 25th.

ACT NOW to save the life of Farzad Kamangar, Iranian teacher trade unionist

Solidarity with Iranian trade unionists
Farzad Kamangar, teacher

16 January 2010 (from TUC website)

ACT NOW to save the life of Farzad Kamangar, Iranian teacher trade unionist
Iranian teacher trade unionist and Kurdish activist Farzad Kamangar is facing the threat of imminent execution, and the TUC has joined the campaign led by international teacher union organisation Education International (EI), and teacher trade unions in Britain and around the world, to call on the Iranian authorities to lift that threat and commute his death sentence. Please add your name to the email protest.

In the wake of the intensification of repression against unionists and all Iranians who do not share the views of the government, and also in connection with the recent execution of Kurdish political activist Fasih Yasamani, we are gravely concerned about Farzad's future.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has sent a letter to the Iranian Supreme leader requesting that Kamangar not be executed, and the TUC has asked the British Foreign Secretary to intervene - trade unionists around the world are making the same request of their Governments.

Since June 2008, EI has been questioning the fairness of Kamangar's trial and appealing to the Iranian authorities to commute the death sentence against him. His lawyer alleges that Kamangar has suffered repeated torture and ill treatment during his incarceration in Evin and other Iranian prisons.

Security and intelligence officials of Kurdistan province have repeatedly threatened Kamangar that he would be executed.

Kamangar's case has been mentioned by EI and by the ITUC in submissions to the Universal Periodical Review undertaken by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The UN's official review of Iran's human rights record will take place on 15 February 2010.

Further information about the campaign

Briefing document (300 words) issued 16 Jan 2010

Wednesday 13 January 2010

TWO chances to see Joel Kovel in London in January.

ONE
Green Left and Socialist Resistance are co-organising a seminar studying the causes of the Palestine conflict, with an emphasis on frequently ignored issues. Speakers include Gilbert Achcar (Eastern Cauldon, The Clash of Barbarisms) and Joel Kovel (Overcoming Zionism, The Enemy of Nature). Leaflets are online at http://bit.ly/27Dcwa.

The event will be held on Saturday 16 January at Friends House, opposite London Euston station, from 10.30am to 5pm. Registration will open at 10am.

Workshops planned will include:

Zionism and the ecological catastrophe in Palestine;
Gender in Palestine;
Palestinian Refugees and the Right to Return;
Palestinian trade unions;
Land and water in Palestine;
Revolutionary struggle and national liberation;
Building direct solidarity;
Does the Zionist lobby control US polcy?

Tickets are steeply discounted for early bookings:
Advance £12/£6
On the door £15/£8

Buy advance tickets from:http://socialistresistance.org/

TWO
Joel Kovel will be speaking at a London Federation/Green Left meeting at the Lucas Arms, Grays Inn Road, at 7pm on Monday 25 January. Joel talking about his book, “The Enemy of Nature, Overcoming Capitalism or the End of the World?” the situation post Copenhagen, and anything else people want to discuss, on Monday the 25th.

Monday 11 January 2010

Saturday 16 January :Green Left and Socialist Resistance are co-organising a seminar studying the causes of the Palestine conflict,

Save 25% on Green Left/SR Palestine seminar

Green Left and Socialist Resistance are co-organising a seminar studying the causes of the Palestine conflict, with an emphasis on frequently ignored issues. Speakers include Gilbert Achcar (Eastern Cauldon, The Clash of Barbarisms) and Joel Kovel (Overcoming Zionism, The Enemy of Nature). You can save 25% using the paypal button below.

Leaflets are online at http://bit.ly/27Dcwa.

The event will be held on Saturday 16 January at Friends House, opposite London Euston station, from 10.30am to 5pm. Registration will open at 10am.

Workshops planned will include:

Zionism and the ecological catastrophe in Palestine;
Gender in Palestine;
Palestinian Refugees and the Right to Return;
Palestinian trade unions;
Land and water in Palestine;
Revolutionary struggle and national liberation;
Building direct solidarity;
Does the Zionist lobby control US polcy?

Tickets are steeply discounted for early bookings:
Advance £12/£6
On the door £15/£8

Buy advance tickets from:http://socialistresistance.org/

Thursday 7 January 2010

Women and the crisis: London Socialist Resistance MEETING:Wednesday 20 January, 7.30pm

London Socialist Resistance MEETING:Wednesday 20 January, 7.30pm
Indian YMCA, Fitzroy Sq. W1 (Warren St. tube)

Women and the crisis
Speaker: Terry Conway (Socialist Resistance)

Today we face an economic, ecological, social and political crisis of unparalleled proportions. This meeting will examine the crisis from women’s point of view.

Women were already at the bottom of the pile - so feel the effects of new disasters most acutely.

Women’s subordinate place within the labour market and within society, even after the gains made by the women’s liberation movement, reflect the sexual division of labour within the family. The family continues to reproduce notions that women are inherently inferior to men - or have destinies only as care givers - a particularly important notion as all the main parties push for public spending cuts.

Women are often at the forefront on resistance - as climate change activists, as trade union activists, as anti-imperialists - but the left has to make the fight for women's liberation more central to what it says and does.

VIVA PALESTINA CONVOY ENTERS GAZA

(from STW newsletter)
One month, thousands of miles, ten countries, one ship and a
four flights later, the Viva Palestina convoy has begun to
enter the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Viva Palestina aid convoy, which planned to enter Gaza on
27 December but has been blocked by the Egyptian government
and was viciously attacked by Egyptian riot police.

For lots of video coverage and reports and how you can send
messages of protest to the Egyptian embassy, go to:
http://bit.ly/pPrky

Wednesday 6 January 2010

CAROLINE LUCAS' Statement on Viva palestina convoy

CAROLINE LUCAS' Statement
06 January 2010

Caroline Lucas said ‘I am deeply concerned by the news that the Viva Palestina humanitarian aid convoy has come under attack from the Egyptian security forces while being held up in the port of Al-Arish. Reports have been coming through from the convoy of numerous injuries and some arrests.

‘The convoy of aid vehicles set off in December to break to current blockade of Gaza and deliver much needed humanitarian aid to its imprisoned population. Since reaching Egypt the convoy has had numerous obstacles and diversions put in its way by the Egyptian authorities.'

The Viva Palestina/ Palestine Solidarity Convoy of 210 aid vehicles is carrying medical supplies, food and educational materials. The Egyptian government has now made it impossible for all the vehicles to enter Gaza through the Rafah Crossing. They are instead requiring that some of the vehicles pass from Egypt to Israel, and then from Israel into Gaza via an Israeli-controlled checkpoint. There is no guarantee that Israel will let them through to the Gaza strip (1).

Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur stated last month that 'two urgent priorities must be stressed on this dismal anniversary: first, Israel 's allies must demand, with a commitment reinforced by a credible threat of economic sanctions, that Israel immediately end its illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip. Second, the Goldstone Report's recommendations, having confirmed the commission of war crimes possibly amounting to Crimes Against Humanity, by Israel and Hamas, must be fully and swiftly implemented.' (2).

Read more about the convoy at http://vivapalestina.org

1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/06/george-galloway-gaza-aid-convoy
2. http://www.vivapalestina.org/alerts/concern_050109.htm

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/green-party-leader-responds-to-developments-in-gaza-as-aid-convoy-attacked.html

Green Left agrees to support the “Hands off my Workmate” campaign

MOTION passed by Green Left Steering Committee 5/1/2010

“Green Left agrees to support the “Hands off my Workmate” campaign, which aims to prevent the use of Immigration law and the Borders Agency by employers to intimidate migrant workers, especially those who seek to exercise their rights to join and organise Trades Unions.”

Aims of HOMW

We believe:

1. That the introduction of immigration checks and immigration raids in the workplace is divisive and damaging to union organisation and is designed to create pressure on migrant workers not to organise or to take part in action.
2. That companies who operate outsourced services such as cleaning, wish to operate in a non union, low wage, environment and are using immigration checks as a weapon to drive down pay and conditions. If they succeed in lowering conditions for one part of the workforce—then all are damaged.
3. An injury to one is an injury to all. Workers of all countries of origin require unity to fight for secure jobs, decent wages and safe working conditions and immigration checks at work simply divide and weaken us.
4. Fascist groups like the BNP have grown on the back of a climate of fear about migration generated by politicians seeking to lay the blame for economic crisis at the door of working people from other countries.
5. That the students and staff of SOAS who launched immediate protests, including a student occupation, to win protection for their migrant workmates/students are to be congratulated for forcing their management to request the immediate issue of papers to the cleaners held in detention, the return of those detained and to acknowledge the lecturers UCU policy of non co-operation with immigration controls as well as agreeing to reconsider the outsourcing of cleaning contracts.
6. That immigration raids in the workplace risk the health and safety of our members by bringing the potential for violence into our workplace through the entry of riot style squads hunting down workers and also create stress for all staff who witness such raids or who have colleagues & friends detained in them.
7. Employers do not need to, and should not, facilitate such raids.

Call for Protests from Viva Palestina convoy

Acknowledgements to Martin Francis & Andy Collingwood

Subject: [information@vivapalestina.org] Viva Palestina are faced with 2,000 riot police in the port of Al-Arish !

To all friends of Palestine

Our situation is now at a crisis point! Riot has broken out in the port of Al- Arish .

This late afternoon we were negotiating with a senior official from Cairo who left negotiations some two hours ago and did not return. Our negotiations with the official was regarding taking our aid vehicles into Gaza .

He left two hours ago and did not come back. Egyptian authorities called over 2,000 riot police who then moved towards our camp at the port.

We have now blocked the entrance to the port and we are now faced with riot police and water cannons and are determined to defend our vehicles and aid.

The Egyptian authorities have by their stubbornness and hostility towards the convoy, brought us to a crisis point.

We are now calling upon all friends of palestine to mount protests in person where possible, but by any means available to Egyptian representatives, consulates and Embassy's and demand that the convoy are allowed a safe passage into Gaza tomorrow!

Kevin Ovenden, Viva Palestina Convoy Leader
From: "Alice Howard"

Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 20:04:54 -0000

To:

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Statement of Climate Justice Now! on the outcomes of COP15

Green Left Steering Comittee agreed to sign this staement at its meeting on 5/1/2010See GL Blog for full text.

Friday 1 January 2010

Documentary Screening: Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela: (Wednesday 20th January/Brighton)

Wednesday 20th January, 6.30pm-9pm

Film starts 7pm

Entry: £4/£3 concessions

The screening will be introduced by Derek Wall (Former Principal Male Speaker for the Green Party of England and Wales), who will also take part in a Q&A with the director after the screening.

VENUE DETAILS:
Friends’ Meeting House (meeting room)
Ship Street
Brighton
BN1 1AF

Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=225747228498&index=1

Map:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=BN1+1AF&countryCode=GB#map=50.82247,-0.14145|16|4&bd=useful_information&loc=GB:50.82248:-0.14143:16|BN1%201AF|BN1%201AF

For further details on the documentary and to watch the trailer, please visit:
http://www.alborada.net/alboradafilms