A PROUD HISTORY. NOVEMBER.

       We the working class have a history steeped in presecution, exploitation and struggle, a history of which we can be rightly proud. Every little freedom and little bit of luxury we have we owe to those who fought and in some cases died to force it from the capitalist class, who gave it grudgingly, and now that same capitalist class is in the process of trying to take it all back. We owe it to our grandchildren and to those forefathers who showed such selflessness, to bravely carry on that struggle and create a society that will bring and end to the exploitation of our class.

COTTON SPINNERS STRIKE, 1837


DEPRESSION AND STRIKE.

     1830 saw a sharp depression grip the West of Scotland. By 1837 the weaving industry was attempting to push through wage cuts. The cotton spinners of Glasgow took strike action in an attempt to defend their wages. The strike lasted from July through to the end of August 1837. During the strike a blackleg (knobstick), was shot and the authorities arrested the leadership of the union. Those held in prison were indicted on midnight on the 24th of October, the last possible moment they could be legally held. The trial was to take place on the 10th of November in Edinburgh.

TRIAL.

      The Public Prosecutor had taken three months to put their case together. The defence had fifteen days to prepare an answer to the charges. Three days before the trial and without knowledge of their agents, the prisoners were moved, heavily ironed, from Bridewell Jail in Glasgow to Edinburgh Jail. Just before the trial the Crown stated " ...not convenient for them to proceed with the trial...", and postponed the trial until the 27th of November. The delay increased the expenses for the prisoners' council and the witnesses.
      Andrew Gemmel, the law agent for the prisoners put all other business aside, immediately employed 15 extra clerks and worked day and night to copy down Crown witnesses' evidence. This amounted to 2 large volumes containing evidence from over 150 witnesses from different parts of the country and was completed in fifteen days. The verdict from the trial was;
On charges,

1.Conspiracy to keep wages up.
2.Disturbances at Oakbank Factory.
3.Molestation at Mile End Factory.
Proven by a majority of one vote.

On other charges;

Appointment of “secret committee” to do unlawful acts.
Attempting to set fire to houses and factories.
Invading dwelling houses of, and assaulting “knobs”.
Not proven by unanimous verdict.

       The sentence of the court was that the prisoners should be transported for a period of 7 years. However they spent 3 years in prison hulks at Woolwich on the Thames and then were pardoned. After the trial the Cotton Spinners' Union collapsed due to the lack of funds.

WAGE TRENDS.

Below is a short table showing the trend in wages during the period referred to above.

Wage trends (wkly)                           1836-37    1841-42    1846-47

Cotton spinners (machine)                    35/-           25/-            26/-
Cotton spinners (power)                       11/-            7/-              8/-
Coalminers                                           25/-           15/-            20/-
Bricklayers                                           21/-           21/-            24/-
Joiners                                                 20/-            ?                22/-
Stone masons                                       22/-           18/-            22/6
Handloom weavers                                6/-             6/-              7/-
Railway labourers                                 14/-            ?                15/-
Railway masons                                    21/-           21/-            31/-
 
More on Glasgow's working class history HERE.
 

 
ann arky's home.

29th. SEPTEMBER- COULD BE THE START OF SOMETHING BIG!!

       One week to go until the TUC planned day of action on the 29th. September. There is supposed to be mass demonstrations across Europe. Though the publicity doesn't seem to scream out at you, it seems more like a quiet affair for the loyal few. Well that might be the way they want it but it is up to the members to insist on a real mass action right across Europe not just a few high profile spots. Insist that your local branch organises for a full walk out on that day and where you don't get the support from your union, then there is nothing wrong in having a day off. Have a lie in, take the kids to the park, read that book you have been trying to get your head round. Go as a family to the movies have a day in the garden, but what ever you do don't turn up to be exploited on that day September 29th. You will probly start to like the idea of having a lie and then doing what you fancy and make it a regular habit.  All the workers have to do to stop this exploitive unjust system is don't turn up for "work". When the CEO of all the companies in the world decide to have a day off, nobody notices, we don't need them. However when the workers all take a day of, the world stops, they need us. We can change the world, we have the skills, we have the resources, we have the numbers, all we lack is is the will to take that one step, stop working until we have reorganised the world.

ann arky's home.

PLEASE DON'T HURT US???

      

         The European Trade Union Confederation is staging a European Day of Action on 29 September next. It will be made up of a Euro-demonstration in Brussels and trade union actions in the various European countries. The European trade unions will be demonstrating against the austerity measures adopted recently by many European countries, and to demand recovery plans in favour of quality jobs and growth.

        This is not enough, little pockets of demonstrators dotted around Europe will not have any effect on the powers that be. What is needed is an indefinite pan-European general strike. To call on the workers to politely form marches here and there asking the financial world not to hurt them too much is a retrograde step. We want to change the system, we don't want more of the same. If we want that better world for all, we can't simply ask for more of what we have just had. All the workers of this world have to do to change it for ever is just simply fold their arms. Stay at home, read a book, take the kids for a walk, go for a cycle, then organise your community and work place the way you want it to be, but don't turn up to be employed by the parasites, occupy your work place.

         This action by the European TUC should be expanded, it should be seen as the opportunity to grasp the moment and take control of our lives and free ourselves from the yoke of exploitation by the parasitical financial greed merchants and their state mouthpieces the politicians. We could take that step to start the creation of that better world based on mutual aid that sees to the needs of all our people and consign this system of greed and profit to the dustbin of history. We don't want to beg for work, we don't want to to say “Please don't cut my social services, my health service or my kids education but do keep exploiting me.” We want to change the world and only we the workers will do that for the benefit of the workers.

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PAN-EUROPEAN GENERAL STRIKE!!!

       

       As governments across Europe go into action in the class war struggle, swinging their hatchets, administering “fair austerity cuts”(attacks on workers living standards) the people of Europe are beginning to respond. Across Europe there have been several one day general strikes, in Greece, Spain, France and Italy with Greece planning its 5th general strike for today June 29th. which should shape up to be the largest so far in this recent class struggle. June 29th is also the date for another one day general strike in the Basque countries, Spain's CNT syndicalist union has stated that one day stoppages are not enough and has called for pan-European stoppages on the same day. They also said that governments will only back down from their “austerity” plans if the stoppages are made indefinite. The Confederaction Nacional del Trabajo has called for Spain's 5th general strike on September 29th. to be made indefinite.

      There is still enough time to make the Spanish General strike on September 29th the one pan-European and indefinite general strike. However, we here in the UK seem to have some way to go to catch up with our European friends. Our government seems to have hoodwinked a lot of the general public here into believing that these cuts are inevitable and for our benefit. Ask yourself, how can driving the living standard of the general public back to Victorian era poverty be in the interests of that same general public, while the millionaires' club of privileged parasites that drive these cuts, suffer nothing?

       They know it is a class war to safeguard their wealth, power and privileges, isn't it time we saw it in the same light, a class war to safeguard and enhance the living standards of all our people.

 
 

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