This Is The Week That Is!!

    

  

         Great week leading up to May Day, some events in Glasgow that are worth a visit. The first is the Glasgow Anarchist Collective (GAC) event Thursday 28th April.

      GAC invite you to a screening of 'Culture Jam: Hijacking Commercial Culture'
        "Culturejam: Hijacking Commercial Culture delivers a fascinating rap on the 20th Century movement called Culture Jamming. Pranksters and subversive artists are causing a bit of brand damage to corporate mindshare. Jammers, cultural commentators, a billboard advertiser and a constitutional lawyer take us on a wild roller coaster ride through the back streets of our mental environment. Stopping over in San Francisco, New York's Times Square, and Toronto, we catch the jamming in action with Batman-inspired Jack Napier of the Billboard Liberation Front, Disney arch-enemy Reverend Billy from the Church of Stop Shopping and Media Tigress Carly Stasko. Culturejam asks: Is Culture Jamming civil disobedience? Senseless vandalism? The only form of self defence left?"
        Please feel free to come down from 7.00pm as we look to start about 7.30pm. Tea and coffee will be provided!
        If you've any questions about the event or how to get there, feel free to get in touch. We're showing the film at the Fred Paton Centre, a short 5 minute walk from George's X underground.
Hopefully see you there! GAC

      Then the following night, Friday 29th. April, there is the story of one of Glasgow's larger than life woman anarchists, Ethel MacDonald.

     GMB Glasgow General Apex Branch have organised a free screening of ‘An Anarchist's Story: The Life of Ethel MacDonald’ based on local writer Chris Dolan’s biography of the same title.
       In 1936, with civil war sweeping through Spain, Ethel Macdonald – a working-class girl from Motherwell – was to become, for a year, one of the world's most famous voices as she sent dispatches and broadcasts back from the Spanish Anarchist camp in Barcelona to the UK. ‘An Anarchist's Story: The Life of Ethel MacDonald’ uses contemporary accounts, Ethel’s own words and those of her close associates to unravel the mystery of this activist and examines the unique impact that she had during this fascinating period of European history.
      The film will be introduced by a local trade unionist and Chris Dolan. The screening will be followed by an opportunity to discuss some of the issues raised in the film with Chris Dolan, David Archibald and others.

       Then, let's not forget that there will be a May Day picnic on The Green, Sunday May 1st.

          An other appeal for those interested in getting May Day back on the Green, get in touch, bring what you expect to find, come and do your thing, just let us know what you hope to do.
MAY DAY IN THE GREEN
        Sunday 1st May from 1.30pm (to around 4pm) informal picnic with poets, singers, musicians. The location will be at the other side of the Peoples Palace in Glasgow Green, near the "washing lines" and canopy. Part of a project to return Mayday to the people from the Bureaucrats of the STUC & Politicians. This will be after the May Day march from George Square at 11.30 and complementary to street stalls at Buchanan St.

 Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

 

We Don't Want Their Charity, We Can Look After Ourselves.

       Is that sleeping beast, the great British public stirring? I hope so, for it has been on the receiving end of a savage attack in this long running class war. July 10th. in the UK we expect to see 2 million take strike action. Several unions will be involved including the GMB and NUT, on strike will be Transport of London staff, teachers, driving examiners, council and school staff and others. Each may have its specific issue as to why they are striking, but this should not be about a series of single issue. Joining those ranks of strikers should be all those unemployed existing on deprivation level allowances or had their benefits sanctioned, those thousands workfare victims, forced to work for no salary, all those disabled affected by the draconian work assessment, and the attempt to get rid of the Independent Living Fund, all those on zero hours contracts, all those suffering benefit cuts. In fact is there any ordinary person who should not be out on the streets on Thursday July 10th? Over the last four years we have seen our living standards ravaged, the social structure of our society trashed, our NHS being sold off, along with any other public asset that can turn a profit for the financial Mafia friends of the Cameron Oxbridge millionaire cabal.

      We should not be organising to attempt to make our corporate master a little more compassionate, begging them to make our lives a wee bit more tolerable. No, we should be organising to dismantle this whole corporate dominated greed driven ponzi scheme. There is no such thing as compassionate capitalism, it's a greed driven, winner take all, and to hell with the rest of you con-scheme. We don't want their charity, we can look after ourselves.

 This from The people's Assembly:

      This Thursday, on 10 July, up to 2 million people will be out on strike in a co-ordinated strike action across the trade unions. There will be huge demonstrations and protests up and down the country. These actions will be the next step in the summer of resistance, working towards a monster TUC demonstration on 18 October in London.

      Lets do all we can to make sure the strikers are supported in our communities, and help to make the demonstrations huge - join the rallies and demonstrations, join your local picket lines and bring along tea and biscuits - anything you can do to support those on strike will make a huge difference.

     Here are a few videos in support of the strikes. Please share these far and wide! Why not make your own video of why you are supporting the strikes? Tweet using hashtag #J10

Click here to see Owen Jones' video
Click here to see the NUT's video
Click here to see Caroline Lucas MP's video
Click here to see Francesca Martinez's video
Click here to see Kate Smurthwaite's video
In solidarity, 
Sam Fairbairn and Jacqui Howard
The People's Assembly Against Austerity
http://www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk/

 

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

CLOSURE OF REMPLOY FACTORIES.

A late appeal from the STUC.

Thur 22 March - Protest against the closure of Remploy factories.

From 9.00am, Apex International Hotel, 31-35 Grassmarket, Edinburgh.

Letter from STUC:

           The STUC has received correspondence from the GMB regarding Liz Sayce’s attendance at the Scottish Union for Supported Employment Conference this coming Thursday, the 22 March. They are requesting support from the trade union movement to mount a demonstration outside the Conference at the Apex International Hotel, 31-35 Grassmarket, Edinburgh from 9.00am onwards. Liz Sayce who is Chief Executive of Radar was the author an independent review into supported employment as a result of which the coalition Government made the recent unacceptable announcement to close Remploy factories placing the livelihoods of hundreds of disabled workers at risk.

          This is perhaps one of the most callous acts by the current Government and the STUC and its Disabled Workers’ Committee would urge affiliates to join the demonstration if possible.

           The STUC has supported all the trade unions in Remploy throughout their campaign to protect the jobs of vulnerable workers, including a substantial and visible presence at the front of the March at the People First March and Rally on October 1st. .

         We realise this is late notice but any assistance that your organisation could provide in publicising this demonstration would be gratefully received.

Yours sincerely

Ian Tasker
Assistant Secretary STUC

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