Public | Solidarity Federation

Ford-Visteon workers face redundancy, pension theft

450 workers at the Visteon Cadiz Electronica factory are facing the scrapheap. The local section of the CNT union is fighting against the closure of the plant. Other reformist unions inside the plant are engaged in a pantomime struggle, focusing not on saving jobs but simply negotiating over redundancy plans with the bosses. The closure of the plant comes as no surprise: already in 2009, there was a temporary forced adjustment plan which affected almost the entire workforce for six months, and skilled workers were moved to other facilities of the multinational, preparing the ground to continue producing the same car components elsewhere. This follows a pattern which is now well known.

With friends like these who needs enemies?

The trade unions have worked hard over the last twenty years to shed their cloth cap image. Notions of class struggle, with the unions as the means of organising that struggle, have been dropped as unbefitting the modern era. The focal point of today’s movement is no longer the workplace but the union head or regional offices. Housed in modern buildings and staffed by professionals, able to offer the best possible service to managers and workers alike, these offices stand as the physical embodiment of all that is ‘best’ about 21st century trade unions.

Glasgow Solidarity Federation Workplace Organiser Training

start:

Sat, 29/10/2011 - 09:30 to 17:30

Location

STUC Building

Woodlands Road

G3 6NG Glasgow

United Kingdom

55° 52' 11.8704" N, 4° 16' 31.6848" W

See map: Google Maps

Event organiser:

Glasgow Solidarity Federation

iconimage:

Solidarity Federation Workplace Organiser Training Glasgow
Saturday 29th October
9.30am - 5.30pm
Room 6
STUC Building
333 Woodland Road
Glasgow G3 6NG

glasgowsolfed@gmail.com

local, network, collective:

Glasgow

Access Layer:

Public

Hardest Hit Demo in Leeds (22/10/11)

WYSF took part in the "Hardest hit" demo in Leeds against benefit cuts today. Overall a good turn out, and we were well received. We gave out "poverty pimps" leaflets against ATOS and the other companies as well as a leaflet about Scope and their attack on smaller disability organisations. Speeches were the usual with 2 exceptions, PCS union rep asked people to join the Nov 30th strike and pickets, and a young man who spoke passionately about the affects of the cuts, criticising all politicians including Miliband, this got a loud cheer. All in all a good day

Demonstration against Andrew Lansley

Today saw the start of the Royal College of GPs conference in Liverpool. Keep Our NHS Public held a protest outside the venue, the BT Convention Centre, as health minister Andrew Lansley was set to be the day's keynote speaker. Members of Liverpool Solidarity Federation joined the action.

As the land was private property, the security had taken the trouble to set up a protest pen using steel barricades, in which the demonstrators were to be contained. Liverpool Solfed members and others were resistant to this, but too many of those who turned up complied willingly either by going inside or by keeping their distance from the centre whilst giving out leaflets. The minority who chose not to be caged - especially as there were no police present! - simply kept moving about so that they were never static enough to be herded back to the pen.

Tom Mann & The Liverpool Transport Strikes

start:

Fri, 11/11/2011 - 17:00 to 19:00

Location

Kirkby Unemployed Centre

Westhead Avenue

L33 0XN Kirkby

United Kingdom

53° 28' 53.1372" N, 2° 52' 40.4076" W

See map: Google Maps

Event organiser:

Kirkby Unemployed Centre

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John Fay's comedy tells the story of Tom Mann, the 1911 strikes of the seaman, dockers and railwaymen, and the tragedies on Bloody Sunday and Bloody Tuesday.

100th Meridian Theatre Company are kindly presenting this play at KUC, as part of the centre's 30th birthday celebrations on Friday 11th November. There is no charge to attend but seats MUST be booked and donations will be welcome.

John Fay will host a question & answer session / discussion after the performance.

local, network, collective:

Liverpool

Access Layer:

Public

URL:

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=209233689143119

Our Education, Not Their Business: Defending education, welfare not warfare

start:

Tue, 25/10/2011 - 19:30 to 21:00

Location

Liverpool Guild of Students, McAusland Lounge, 1st Floor

160 Mount Pleasant

L3 5TR Liverpool

United Kingdom

53° 24' 12.9636" N, 2° 58' 12.3924" W

See map: Google Maps

Event organiser:

Merseyside Network Against Fees and Cuts

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Last year saw the largest wave of student protest in over 20 years as the government pushed-through fees of £9,000, scrapped EMA and announced savage cuts. Students responded with walkouts, protests, occupations and solidarity with striking staff, in a wave of anger and creativity that refused to let a generation be thrown on the scrapheap.

local, network, collective:

Liverpool

Access Layer:

Public

Protest at the Council's Budget Question Time

start:

Thu, 27/10/2011 - 17:00

Location

Liverpool Town Hall

High Street

L2 3SW Liverpool

United Kingdom

53° 24' 26.3016" N, 2° 59' 28.7952" W

See map: Google Maps

Event organiser:

Liverpool Against The Cuts

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On Thursday 27th October, Liverpool City Council are holding a "Budget Question Time." They are "facing some tough decisions as we put together our budget for 2012-13" and so want "residents and business owners" to "quiz leaders about how the council can save £50 million next year."

local, network, collective:

Liverpool

Access Layer:

Public

New pamphlets and posters for the London Anarchist Bookfair

Solfed has been busy for the London Anarchist Bookfair, which is on at Queen Mary University this Saturday. Alongside launching a new range of posters and pamphlets, we will be running a large stall with books, mugs and even shopping bags (oh yes, we went to a great deal of trouble in the irony stakes), alongside hosting two key talks for the day.

The first talk, starting at noon (Room 3.23), will play off our popular workplace organiser training sessions, looking at the nuts and bolts of how to turn your workplace from a soul-crushing bore into a hive of lively rebellious activity.