Choccy's Education round-up 2 July 2012

A few regional stories wound me up this week. Great Yarmouth academy long days. Waltham Forest strike ballot. Islington academy axes free meals. University pulls unpaid job advertisement.

ACADEMY SUPER-LONG DAYS

"The devil will make work for idle hands to do."

The idle hands in question? PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. Luckily brains-of-britain Gove, has a plan to keep these TERRORS off the streets so they don't grow up to be nasty ASBOs or some thing terrible like that. Keep them in school until 6pm everyday. Every fucking day. 6pm. Every day. Not punishment. Not detention. Just a normal school day proposed at Great Yarmouth's Greenacre Primary School under its academy plans.

Statement on the Importance of Survivor-Led Process

This statement is in response to the publication of details pertaining to the actions of a member of the Solidarity Federation which has disrupted an ongoing internal process. This statement should not be seen as a defence of the person or actions in question but an examination of the impact that acting outside process has on survivors and the community as a whole. This statement comes from discussions within the gender working group of the Brighton local of the Solidarity Federation and is supported by the National Women’s Officer and the survivor involved.

Anarchists and trade unionists rattle Iain Duncan Smith in Bootle

Today (Friday 29 June), Iain Duncan Smith went to Bootle in what was planned as a low-key visit to Department for Work and Pensions offices. Instead it was the scene of a lively picket where local anarchists joined trade unionists from the area to oppose the capinet minister's arrival.

Obviously none of the ministers from the current government are popular with most working class people. Duncan Smith deserves particular attention because of his role in workfare - including lying in parliament about the "success" of the schemes.

A4e Liverpool feel the impact of another picket and communications blockade

On Tuesday 26 June, Liverpool Solidarity Federation called a picket and a communications blockade against A4e in Liverpool. Both were well attended, with up to a dozen people joining in the afternoon picket whilst countless people from around the country jammed up phone and fax lines throughout the day.

From the morning, we were getting reports that the communications blockade was having its desired effect. People were hung up on as soon as they even mentioned the work programme, re-directed to central phone lines and met with exasperated staff on the other end of the line. By the afternoon, there were huge delays in answering calls and the fax machine was switched off - no doubt due to the huge volume of literature, complaints and sheer nonsense clogging it up.

Liverpool maintains the momentum against workfare

Another Saturday, another round of direct action against workfare providers in Liverpool. Members of Liverpool Solidarity Federation were joined by other local anarchists and activists to picket Holland & Barrett and Argos in the City Centre. The lively pickets saw 600 leaflets distributed and a number of shoppers turned away from both stores.

When we arrived at the main Holland & Barrett store in town, the security guard immediately got on the phone to the police. When they arrived, they took no action against us, but a complaint by the manager that our picket had abused staff (a claim which was entirely untrue) suggests that the continued pressure is starting to have an effect. Whilst the response from the public varied from largely ambivalent to positive and supportive, local security were clearly extremely hostile.

Combat workfare - Wavertree

start: 
Sat, 30/06/2012 - 13:00

Location

Asda
126 Smithdown Road
L15 3JR Liverpool
United Kingdom
53° 23' 44.3688" N, 2° 56' 25.8756" W
See map: Google Maps
Event organiser: 
Liverpool Solidarity Federation
iconimage: 

This will be our third action targetted at Asda in Wavertree. Following the last action, there were a number of reports of considerable numbers of people using other shops. We need to keep the pressure up, and remind customers and staff alike that we will not go away until workfare does.

Assemble on Smithdown Road at 1pm. If you are travelling from Town, you can catch the 86, 86 A or 86C at the bus stops on Great Charlotte Street, up the steps from St John's Market and Clayton Square. Map here.

local, network, collective: 
Liverpool
Access Layer: 
Public
URL: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/254691504641040

Communications blockade - A4e Liverpool

start: 
Tue, 26/06/2012 (All day)
Event organiser: 
Liverpool Solidarity Federation
iconimage: 

A4e is the best example of everything that is wrong with workfare, workfare providers, and the culture of greed that drives the workfare industry. Investigations for fraud were launched in February 2012, and not for the first time.

On Tuesday 26 June, we are asking everyone to make their voice heard. Whether you are in Liverpool or not, call A4e and complain about their involvement in the work programme.

local, network, collective: 
Liverpool
Access Layer: 
Public
URL: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/381484845247282/?context=create

Maintaining the pressure on Holland & Barrett in Brighton

Brighton Solidarity Federation and the Brighton Benefits Campaign picketed the London Road branch of Holland & Barrett this morning (23rd June). We had a warm reception from the public, giving out several hundred leaflets during the three hours we were there and turning at least half of their trade away. 

So many potential customers decided to shop elsewhere that a member of staff came out and started a loud argument, accusing us of having physically blocked people from coming in to the shop. It was unfortunate that his rant was based on the fact that customers had been ‘in the doorway’ before turning away – proving that they found Holland & Barrett’s use of workfare far more off-putting than our picket.

Public Meeting (3rd July) - Opposing the EDL in Bristol (14th July)

Brighton has seen off the fascist EDL twice already this year, with successful mobilisations against the March for England and subsequent 'revenge' visit. Now they've decided to target another southern city - Bristol - on the 14th of July. 

Brighton Anti-Fascists are hosting a public meeting on the 3rd of July to discuss mobilising against this threat. It is at 7.30 in the Cowley Club on London Road.