Solidarity with YHA workers from Bristol!

Recently, workers at YHA hostels around the country launched a campaign for the living wage (£7.85 an hour, up from their current average of £6.50). Bristol Solidarity Federation would like to extend our Solidarity to YHA workers, who are also campaigning around irregular shifts and unfair payment for sleepover shifts. We meet regularly at the YHA in Bristol, which has also hosted our workplace organiser training, conference, new members days and other events. However, we will be boycotting the venue and encouraging other groups to do so until the demands of the YHA workers campaign are met. As a further show of solidarity, members of Bristol SolFed visited the YHA to make sure the workers there were aware of the campaign. Good conversations were had with staff and leaflets distributed in English and Spanish.

Solidarity with Abahlali baseMjondolo against killing of their members

Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) is a grassroots, democratic and member-led organisation based in Durban, a city in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. AbM have an impressive record of exposing corruption and asserting the constitutional rights of thousands of the marginalised shack-dwelling people. We, the undersigned, are in support of the resolve of AbM members to strive for more participatory forms of development and to advance the struggle for access to urban land.

We condemn all assassinations, political murders and other acts of violence and intimidation against AbM members and housing rights activists. In the past 18 months, four housing rights activists have been killed. This includes two prominent AbM members:

Who we are

Newcastle SolFed is a diverse group of workers, students and unemployed. We believe in self-organisation, direct action and making our own decisions -  this is why we formed our Local branch of SolFed.

Being a Local in Solidarity Federation means we are part of the International Workers Association, and as you can see by the news items we post, we are active in supporting international struggles as well as local. Some of our solidarity actions in and around Newcastle have seen people from other countries join in our pickets.

Topic: 
Newcastle

Newcastle Campaigns

Newcastle Local have launched a new campaign to both highlight workers rights at work and to fight alongside those who seek our help. We make no bones, our aim is to create small fighting workplace unions attached to our Local - but in order to find our feet and gain membership and experience, we feel this campaign is our best way forward.

If you want to be part of our campaign or if your boss owes you money - then why not contact us at newcastlesolfed@riseup.net

Topic: 
Newcastle

"London – a migrant's guide" - a new pamphlet by Solidarity Federation

En Español | Po polsku

Since the beginning of the crisis more and more migrants are arriving in London and the UK. When people come here, they often find their first steps difficult. We want everyone to feel welcome and help them as much as possible. That’s why we have published  a new pamphlet, “London – a migrant's guide”. It is a practical introduction to life in London and the UK.

The following areas are covered in the guide:

St Mungo's workers on strike

Workers at St Mungo's hostels and homeless services started a week long strike on Friday 16th October. The workers are striking over the imposition of worse pay and conditions after a merger with Broadway. NLSF visited the picket line at one East London hostel. It was nice to see a lot of homeless people on the line in support of the workers. The workers talked about how cuts in provision make their jobs impossible, with staff numbers cut and homeless people given less and less support. The strikes will continue all week, there are St Mungo's pickets all over London and strikers would appreciate visits. You can also make a donation to the strike fund here http://www.housingworkers.org.uk/readnews.html?con_id=108

Stop MIPIM protest report

A few Solfed members went along to the StopMipim protest this Wednesday. Mipim is an event for local authorities to sell of public property, including social housing, to developers. Boris Johnson was kicking off the event with a speech, encouraging investors and developers to displace communities and gentrify our cities.