Finnish Workers Fight Back.

      An update on the Finnish workers fight back against the vicious attack on their pay and conditions by the right-wing coalition government. This government has tried to do in one fell swoop, what the Cameron Bullingdon Boys have been doing over the last few years. However, the Finnish workers are not taking it lying down, they are organising across the country, isn't it time we followed their example.

This from IUF

      Last week we appealed to you to send messages to the government of Finland condemning proposed new anti-union laws. Over 7,000 of you sent messages, which were shared with the Finnish labour movement. The Finnish Food Workers, on behalf of our affiliates and the wider labour movement have conveyed their warm appreciation for this show of solidarity.
     Workers in Finland's 3 national trade union centers held strikes and demonstrations on September 18 to show their opposition to the new coalition government's proposed legislative attack on collective bargaining rights. Some 300,000 workers engaged in work stoppages, including 10,000 members of the Food Workers Union SEL who held strikes ranging from 15 minutes to 4 days, depending on the company.
    30,000 workers demonstrated in torrential rain in the capital Helsinki and unions held local demonstrations across the country.

The fight has only started.

       If you were not able to respond to our earlier appeal, please take a moment now - CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE

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

The Disappearing Common Good Fund.

       The Common Good Fund, money that could improve the quality of life of the citizens of this country, lost, disappeared, misused, mismanaged, shrouded in mystery. It is ours and those deemed to be responsible for looking after it, can't even tell us what it is worth. Pop along and ask about it, find out what you can do about it, find out exactly what it is and how it is supposed to be used.

Thursday, 24th. September, 19:00

The Fred Paton Centre

Carrington Street 

St. George's Cross 

Glasgow G4 9AJ

Five minutes walk from St. George's Cross underground.

 

The Common Good: What is it and how do we take it back?

        Scotland was formerly divided into 196 Burghs, each containing between the people of each Burgh, what is known as a Common Good Fund. The Common Good Fund of each Burgh consisted of properties, land and money which was available to the common benefit of all the people of each Burgh. Since the demarcations of localities across Scotland has changed over time, Burgh councils have been folded and all responsibility of the Common Good Fund has been transferred to each District Council in Scotland. It has become apparent, however, that the responsibilities of District Councils to keep a proper account of Common Good assets has not been properly fulfilled, even so far as property of the Common Good being illegally sold to private bodies. As a result, the public at large have been so removed from this knowledge of the Common Good that as a people we have been alienated from what is commonly belonging between us. The discussion GAC would like to invite you to is to pursue the questions as to what the Common Good is and how we go about taking back what has been purposefully allowed to fade into the past by our so-called local authorities.

The venue is the Fred Paton Centre a 5 minute walk from St George's X underground on Carrington Street.

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

The Long History Of Glasgow's Anarchists.

       We in the city of Glasgow can trace the roots of its anarchist groups, individuals and activities, back into the distant past. We have always been there, standing with the people of the city in their many and varied and sometimes brutal struggles for that better world, for justice and for freedom. The history of the Glasgow anarchists is one of which we can be proud.

         It was in 1894 that Tom Anderson founded the first Scottish Socialist Sunday School, and three years later founded the South Side Socialist Sunday School, which lasted well into the 1930's. In 1910, George (Ballard) Barrett settled in Glasgow and set about holding street meetings with some assistance from John McAra from Edinburgh. Around about the same time George along with John Paton, set up the Glasgow Anarchist Group. 1919 saw the well know anarchist Guy Aldred settle in Glasgow, stating it was, "its citizen's truculent attitude, rebellious spirit and disrespect for leaders" that made him think of settling in Glasgow. Let's hope we can enhance that particular trait in the citizens of our great city. When we mention Guy Aldred, we have to mention Ethel MacDonald. Running along with and over lapping the time of Guy Aldred, we had such gallant working class fighters as, Frank Leech, Charlie and Mollie Baird, Willie McDougal, who helped keep the Workers Open form running until the 1950's, Jimmy and Babs Raeside,  Bobby Lynn, The list goes on and on, some known, some forgotten, some lost in the fog of history, much to our regret. Some others are, Farquar McLay, John Taylor Caldwell, Rita Milton, Allan Burnett, with more on Allan HERE, and Dave Carruthers.

        A little hint of what was happening in the anarchist movement in Glasgow during the 1960's can be read HERE,  and a little later, 1974-1986, HERE.

        These are just a few of the anarchist that have helped shape our city, like I said, there are so many names that have been lost, that this is just a fragment of the picture. What is encouraging is that the anarchist tradition is still alive and well in our city today. There is a crop of enthusiastic individuals and groups, who are still at the forefront of the struggles of the people of our city, and it is uplifting to see that it is not all grey haired and slow walking individuals, but a wonderful gathering of young, intelligent and dedicated individuals, that are forming groups and pushing forward with the anarchist dream of that better world for all.

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

There Is No Freedom While Prisons Stand.

       We all know that prisons are one of the state's tools for keeping control of the population, and the development of super high security prisons, is just a tightening of that control. Prisons have never been institutions of reform, except to reform the rebellious to the submissive. They are also symbols of state cruelty, when you consider that a very high proportion of those incarcerated have mental health problems, and/or suffer from substance addiction, they are therefore more in need of medical help rather than locked up in a super high security cage. There is also a very high rate of illiteracy among those incarcerated, the humane answer would be training in literacy, rather than being caged. There is no place in a free society for those repressive symbols of power and repression.

 This from Contra Info:

Five days of gatherings and debates September 29th – October 3rd 2015 in Brussels The program of events can be found here.

      If the state counted on silently building in Brussels the largest prison complex in Belgian history, it was mistaken. Against this maxi-prison project, a struggle was born and has intensified. An uncompromising struggle that has taken the initiative, which creates paths without political parties or formal organisations, that embodies itself in self-organisation and direct action against what makes the maxi-prison possible.

      The project to build a maxi-prison is inscribed into a wider economic and political context. In this time of new economic and political instability, the Belgian State, like other States, level up with strengthening the repression. Whether this translates into tougher laws, more control at all levels, cameras everywhere, militarisation of borders, soldiers in the street, urban regeneration to “restore order”, there are also all types of extensive prison building programs. Because prison will always be one of the threats used to try to make us fall into rank as well as a powerful state tool to keep in order its world divided into rich and poor, powerful and excluded, oppressors and oppressed.

If ideas and actions have to join hands, if thought and experience can sharpen the fight we lead, if the construction of the maxi-prison is not just a question of four walls, but perhaps above all a social issue that affects the whole of this society, these five days of gatherings around the struggle against the maxi-prison could be a valuable opportunity.

      At these meetings, comrades from different corners of the world will chat about their experiences of struggle, bringing along their reflections around insurrectionary struggle and explore ways to deepen the fight against the maxi-prison, but not solely.

      Text in French | Program of events in French and Dutch (pdf)
      Further reading: “The struggle against the maxi-prison” (pdf)

Tuesday 29th September, 7:30pm
Le Passage – Rue Rossini 11, Anderlecht
The hour of the revolt (comrade from London)

Wednesday 30th September, 3pm
Lion D’or – Avenue Jamar 5, Anderlecht
The struggle against the maxi-prison

Wednesday 30th September, 7:30pm
Pianofabriek – Rue du Fort 35, Saint-Giles
The struggle against the new Type C prisons in Greece

Thursday 1st October, 7:30pm
Acrata – Rue de la Grande Ile 32, Brussels
Towards the insurrection (comrade from Italy)

Friday 2nd Octoer, 5pm
Acrata – Rue de la Grande Ile 32, Brussels
Undermine the prisons of the democracy in Chile

Friday 2nd Octoer, 7:30pm
Le Passage – Rue Rossini 11, Anderlecht
Rebellion in Spanish prisons (comrade from Spain)

Saturday 3rd October, 2pm
L’eau Chaude – Rue des Renards 25, Marolles
Feedback and perspectives of struggle

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

Radical Politics Is Mainstream.

         We often hear people being labelled as being involved "radical politics" but this label is pinned on them by the elitist minority to give the impression that somehow if your view differs from them, you are the minority and therefore your view is radical, or even extremist. However, the truth is "radical politics" is the politics of the working class, which anyone knows is the majority. The vast majority of people believe in an equal society, sharing fairly, helping each other, and caring for the needy and vulnerable, and that is what is labelled "radical politics". The view that we all believe in the existing system where the few get all the wealth while the majority do all the work, is peddled by the establishment and broadcast by the babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media, as the majority view.

        Not everybody can articulate in words, the way to structure society for that equality, fairness, caring and sharing, but they carry that desire with them. Theirs is the mainstream view, the majority view, not the "radical" view. The problem to date has been our inability to come together to realise that desire, but we are getting there.

From The Circled A Radio, Lisa McKenzie.

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

Glasgow Voice From Berlin.

A Glasgow voice from Anarchist Radio Berlin:

       As Anarchist Radio Berlin (aradio.blogsport.de) we had the opportunity of talking to an activist of the Anarchist Federation in Glasgow. The interview was about their local activities as well as the Scottish independence referendum and the rise of nationalism in the region.

A-Radio Berlin.

Please send feedback and comments at: aradio-berlin/at/riseup(.)net

Run time18:34 min

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

 

The Festering Marriage Of State And Big Business.

       After four years of solidarity and struggle, a group of workers in Mexico see their comrades being imprisoned  with illegal extortionate bail being set. This is how the state apparatus and the corporate world work hand in hand to repress workers demands. This festering cancerous marriage of state and big business will always work to produce a submissive and cheap labour force, useing the full force of the state to intimidate and repress any call for justice. 

       Here in the West we can see large corporations fill our shopping malls and main streets with a glittering array of commodities, but what they conceal from us is the smell of sweat from over worked, under paid cheap labour which produces this array. The opulence of their premises conceals the miserable conditions of the workers who create all that opulence, and who fill the greedy shareholders fat bank accounts. Our shopping malls are built on a foundation of miserable,  and often dangerous conditions, low pay, and at times slave labour. These are the conditions that capitalism fosters and can't live without.

This from IndustriALL:

 Sign the petition page set up by the Calzado Sandak workers here

      Calzado Sandak, a Bata subsidiary, closed its doors illegally four years ago claiming that the plant was unviable. It has now brought criminal charges against the workers who have been picketing outside the plant ever since, accusing them of ‘extortion’. The General Secretary of the union, Gustavo Labastida Adriano is currently in jail and seven of his colleagues, most of whom have worked at the plant for many years, could be arrested at any time.
      “There is a cruel irony here”, says Mr. Raina. “Bata has been able to ignore labour law that protects workers’ rights, and use criminal law to coerce them into giving up their legitimate struggle”.
“In truth, this is a case not of extortion on the part of workers, but of coercion on the part of the company in collusion with the authorities”, explains Mr. Raina. “Although the law says bail for a worker cannot exceed a day’s wages, in this case it has been set at over 2 million dollars. It would take Gustavo 600 years to earn that amount – assuming he still had a job”.

Read the full article HERE:

  Sign the petition page set up by the Calzado Sandak workers here

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

Europe's Race To The Right.

      Europe's governments are moving rapidly to the right, and it becomes more obvious and more brutal by the day. Here in the UK the Cameron Bullingdon Club boys are introducing legislation that will make it practically impossible to take strike action, and when you do, the employer will be able to ignore that strike by legally hiring agency workers, (scabs, blacklegs). Spain's gagging laws, among other things, makes demonstrations almost impossible. Finland's new right-wing coalition government is cutting wages and slashing at working conditions. This is the direction of Europe today under the dictate of the financial Mafia and their corporate buddies.

This from IUF:

Stop the government of Finland's massive attack on trade union rights!

      Finland's new right-wing coalition government has announced plans to unilaterally cut pay and benefits negotiated through collective bargaining through legislation which violates basic trade union rights, Conventions of the ILO and international and European human rights instruments. They are asking for solidarity and support.
      On September 9, after unions refused to agree to the proposals, the government announced a series of measures to be legislated and imposed as collective agreements begin to expire next year. These include substantial reductions in compensation for overtime, weekend and night work and sick pay, the elimination of two paid national holidays and a substantial reduction in annual leave. Unions estimate that the impact would be a 4-6% reduction in pay, with the impact falling hardest on the most vulnerable, including part-time and women workers.
     The national trade union centers SAK, STTK and Akava have called for a mass demonstration on September 18 as the first stage in a fight to defeat these laws. The IUF's Finnish affiliates, on behalf of the country's labour movement, have called for messages to be sent to the country's Prime Minister and Minister of labour in the run-up to the demonstration.

You can support them - CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE!

        Add to this Hungary's border fence to protect the purity of their Christian values. Christian values that obviously have no respect for the suffering of other human beings.

        This trend will continue and accelerate as capitalism tries in desperation to salvage itself from another one of its perpetual crisis. Plunder the working class, divide and rule, backed up by ever more brutal state repression. That is tomorrow's world, unless we, the people of Europe, take the only step that will bring an end to capitalist crisis and the misery and mayhem that it spews, bring down the capitalist system. We must consign it to the dustbin of history, with the label, "man's darkest hour".

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

Two Lochs, Two Beauty Spots.

        What a wonderful climate we have in this country, I know, I have an excellent short term memory, it's the other half isn't so good. A beautiful day for the bike, not much wind, lots of sunshine, and no rain, Yee-ha. It was up the Loch again, and on round to Arrochar on Loch Long. Let's hope there are many more days like this still to come.

 You can never grow weary of a view of Loch Lomond, and there are millions.

 

Looking down Loch Long just across from the Arrochar Hotel

Same spot, looking up the Loch.

 

Same spot, looking across at the jaggy peaks of the Cobbler.

 

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

 

 

24 Years In Prison, Without Sentence?

      An appeal on behalf of Sean Swain.

About Sean Swain: Sean Swain is a hostage held by a lawless rogue-state calling itself “The State of Ohio.”1    He has been held without legal conviction or sentence since 1991 for the self-defense killing of a court official’s relative who broke into Sean’s home and threatened his life. In fall of 2012, prisoners calling themselves the Army of the 12 Monkeys (A12M) got rowdy at Mansfield Correctional, and the prison authorities assumed “that anarchist” Sean Swain must have been behind it and threw him in supermax isolation. Sean denies any involvement or affiliation with the A12M and is in the process of suing the ODRC for targetting him based exclusively on his ideology and political speech.

This from Contra Info:

Received on September 15th:

        We’re not sure what’s going on, but Sean Swain has been blocked from receiving (and presumably sending) JPay emails. He also has not called his primary supporters, or The Final Straw for a new radio segment. We’ll probably hear from him via snail mail sooner or later, but until then, we’ve got to assume he’s cut off.

        When we called the prison, they told us he was not in the hole, and did not have any restrictions on his communication. We suspect they may have transferred him back to a 3B spot, undoing the success of our recent call-in effort. They refused to tell us what security level the block he is held in is on and they got surly and authoritarian when we asked.  It seems that the officers at Sean’s newest prison, Warren CI need to learn that their jobs are a whole lot easier when they don’t provoke anarchists from across the country to call and check in on the welfare of our friend who they hold captive.

WARREN CI: 513-932-3388state repression,politi

        You can call Warren CI and ask the same questions we asked- why does Sean not have access to communication, what security level is he currently housed in, and does the JPay kiosk in his (or any Warren Unit) actually work right now? You can also leave Sean’s Case Manager a voicemail by punching extension 2281, or try and talk to deputy warden Robert Welch, who maybe got Sean moved from 3B to 3A a few weeks ago, he’s at ext 2005. Whatever lucky anarchist happens to be on the call when when of these officers breaks and spills the beans, please drop a line to AnarchistSwain [at] gmail [dot] com.

       Sean doesn’t like when they fuck with his communication access. Being a writer, getting his voice out is one of the things that help Sean feel connected to the outside world. So he’s probably feeling alone and frustrated. Also, his birthday was Sept 12th, so if you haven’t written for a while, or missed sending him birthday wishes, please consider dropping a line and letting him (and the mailroom monkeys who have to read all his incoming communication) know that he is loved and missed.

Sean Swain
243-205
Warren CI
P.O. Box 120
5787 State Route 63
Lebanon, Ohio 45036

Current address, as of Aug 14, 2015

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

The Riot.

The Riot.

 

Surrounded by unaffordable commodities,

offered illusion as reality,

 pushed to pursue the latest

worthless fashion fetish

the individual walks in anger;

trapped by perfect symbols

of a corrupt capitalist system,

everything for sale,

anything can be bought,

including human dignity.

 

Haunted by the spectre of counter attack

by the many, by the dispossessed,

the power brokers of the system, push

for social controls that leave us 

powerless to express our desire

to be alive,

they struggle with stealth and raw power

to silence the cries of the excluded;

their success will last

as long as the many fear

the power, freedom has to offer. 

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

 

People Have The Power.

 "The power to dream, to rule
To wrestle the earth from fools
But it's decreed the people rule
But it's decreed the people rule

Listen, I believe everythin' we dream
Can come to pass through our union
We can turn the world around
We can turn the earth's revolution

We have the power
People have the power
People have the power
People have the power."

From: People Have The Power by Patti Smith

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

A Society Of Hypocritical Customs.

       There are those among us who will never yield to authority, not to its faintest  odour, nor to its harshest lash of the whip, they will never bend their knee to the subtle seduction, nor the merciless brutality of authority. To them, we weaker mortals must pay homage, and lend our solidarity when and where ever we can. They are the ones who forge that unknown arduous path to the world in our hearts, who lay the foundation stones of that better world. We owe them.

Greece: “From the land of the forgotten against oblivion…” by Olga Ekonomidou

     “I do not need, nor do I want your discipline. With regards to my experiences, I want to have them for myself. It is from them, and not from you, that I will draw my rules of conduct. I want to live my own life. Slaves and lackeys terrify me. I hate those who dominate, and those who let themselves be dominated sicken me. He who bends before the whip is worth no more than he who wields it. I love danger, and the unknown, the uncertain, seduces me. I’m filled with a desire for adventure, and I don’t give a damn for success. I hate your society of bureaucrats and administrators, millionaires and beggars. I don’t want to adapt to your hypocritical customs nor to your false courtesies. I want to live out my enthusiasms in the pure, fresh air of freedom. Your streets, drafted according to plan, torture my gaze, and your uniform buildings make the blood in my veins boil with impatience. And that’s enough for me. I’m going to follow my own path, according to my passions, changing myself ceaselessly, and I don’t want to be the same tomorrow as I am today. I stroll along and I don’t let my wings be clipped by the scissors of any one person. I share none of your moralism. I am going forth, eternally passionate and burning with the desire to give myself to the world, to the first real person that approaches me, to the ragged trousered traveler, but never to the grave and conceited wise-men who would regulate the length of my stride. Nor to the doctrinaire who would like to clutter my mind with formulas and rules. I am no intellectual; I am a human being — a woman who feels a great vibration within herself before the impulses of nature and amorous words. I hate every chain, every hindrance; I love to walk along, nude, letting my flesh be caressed by the rays of the voluptuous sun. And, oh, old man! I will care so very little when your society breaks into a thousand pieces and I can finally live my life.”

-“Who are you, little girl, fascinating like a mystery and savage like instinct?”

-“I am Anarchy.”

- Emile Armand, French individualist anarchist

Olga Ekonomidou

member of CCF-FAI

Women’s prison of Korydallos

 Read the full article HERE:

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

No Government, The State Still Kills Freedom.

      At the moment Greece has no government, as the Prime Minister resigned and called for another election. So, on the 20th. September, Greece will hold another general election, in an attempt to cobble together a bunch of careerist politicians who will willing back the financial Mafia's austerity plundering of the people of Greece, and selling off of the people's assets. While this farce goes through it usual theatre of tomfoolery, the state apparatus continues its repression and its continuing battle to wipe out any resistance to its power. Government or no government, the state apparatus proceeds with its anti freedom agenda.

This from Insurrection News World Wide:

      Evi Statiri, held hostage by the Greek state at Korydallos Prison for no other reason than being the life companion of imprisoned Conspiracy of Cells of Fire (CCF) member Gerasimos Tsakalos, has announced that she will commence a hunger strike on September 14th.      The announcement came not long after Evi's latest appeal to be released was rejected by the judicial council.       Here are some roughly translated excerpts from a text by Evi announcing her hunger strike that was posted on Athens Indymedia website...       "The latest refusal from the judicial council in consideration of my release has only confirmed what I already knew from the first day that I found myself in the cells of counter-terrorism. My imprisonment is not just a personal matter. My imprisonment is the reflection of an overall repressive strategy aiming to dominate via fear and to satisfy the vengeful fury of law enforcement against political prisoners and all those whose values are not consistent with the culture of power."       "I still find myself in prison for the unique 'incriminating' element that I am the wife of political prisoner and member of the CCF, Gerasimos Tsakalos. I am still in prison because I refused to sign their 'certificate of social conscience' and refuse to disown my partner and our relationship."       "Anybody standing beside political prisoners may find themselves in the adjacent cell...Anybody who refuses to bow their head, silence their voice or lower their gaze towards the idols of power can be dragged in handcuffs and detained by the courts and their investigation offices. But the solidarity actions carried out last week showed that fear can rule, but it cannot reign in the hearts and minds of free men and women. I send a big thank you to all those who by their actions expose the dictatorship of lies and hypocrisy of justice that keeps me locked in it's cells. Now a new battle begins...The dismissive ultimatum of the judges leaves me only one answer - the last resort of the captive human - a hunger strike for my release."
"Monday September 14 I begin a HUNGER STRIKE against fear and injustice."
SOLIDARITY AND STRENGTH TO COMRADE EVI STATIRI!

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The Bleeding City Behind The Mirage.

     Some of the older readers of this blog may remember Glasgow's Culture City.

Culture City.

In this gaudy painted bomb site

where passions crawl in chains,

dreams in tatters lie,

truth, a curfew, as victim claims;

justice fallen, in the rubble lies.

Still they play, those butterfly people

megalomaniacs, weavers of mirage.

The hungry to themselves cry out,

poverty in the shadows weeps,

garnished with pride, greed grows stout;

everywhere,selfishness like ivy creeps.

Still they play, those butterfly people

avaricious weavers of mirage.

Let men of words crash uselessly

against your mutual wall of rage,

don't let gifts of tinsel tame your anger,

let justice set the stage.

Bring down those butterfly people,

expose the bleeding city behind the mirage.

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

And Then The Rain Came.

        As an old wrinkly fair weather cyclist, I dread the winter, but try to grasp each day that shows a glimmer of sun and take to the road with my dream machine. Today was such a day, early on it looked promising, but by the time I got myself organised and out the door, the dark ominous clouds were gathering. Had to stop at Auchenreoch and don the faithful old nylon waterproof. That was it for the rest of the run and back home with it turning dry again as I head home through Kirkintilloch. Still a great run and an added pleasure to my day.

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