Massive turnout in general strike in Spain

Thursday’s general strike in Spain was more solid and more militant than the last general strike a year and a half ago. As economic conditions get worse, people see their rights taken away and unemployment, eviction rates and prices all rising while wages go down, and they are reacting accordingly. This labour reform is the most aggressive attack on workers’ rights since the transition to democracy.

The general strike started before midnight with pickets of the wholesale fruit and veg markets which receive deliveries all night. There were pickets of up to a thousand people and in many cases all delivery trucks were successfully turned away. There were also midnight pickets at night shifts in factories and at post offices and depots. In many cities groups of pickets went round closing down bars which were open after midnight.

Bristol - Abolish Workfare demo targets Holland and Barrett

Joining with actions across the country against Workfare, members of Bristol Solidarity Federation, Bristol Anarchist Federation, Bristol & District Anti Cuts Alliance, Youth Fight for Jobs, The IWW (union), Right to Work and others took to the streets as part of the fight-back against the Workfare providers.

Escorted by the police throughout, the 40 strong group headed straight for a Holland and Barrett's in the swanky Cabot Circus. Bemused shoppers were treated to punk classics from the wheeley-bin sound-system and gladly accepted a variety of literature outlining the perils of Workfare. Then the march headed-off to picket more of the cities Workfare poverty-peddlers. Primark, McDonalds, Greggs, Wilkinson's and another Holland and Barrett were targeted.

Anti Workfare Poundland Picket (Wakefield)

WYSF and SRSM were joined by members of AFed in the picket at Poundland. Although it started slow we distributed 250 leaflet well within the hour. Reception seemed pretty good and we retired to the pub to discuss future actions. Between the 3 groups it was decided to continue to picket such p[laces as Poundlandand to include A4e and BEST in future pickets. Thanks to everyone who turned out, keep tuned for future actions!

Holland and Barrett Picket in Halifax

Members of West Yorkshire Solidarity Federation were joined by Huddersfield Anarchists to picket Holland and Barrett in Halifax today as part the anti workfare campaign in conjunction with the IWA days of action.
We were met with a good response overall and gave out 250 leaflets. H&B had a member of staff on the door to "welcome shoppers" which shows they were worried we'd have an impact.
One person who we gave a leaflet to took it to the local Job Centre and handed it round. It apparently went down well. Other feedback included an ex member of staff at H&B who stated that they were a rubbish employer and leaving was the best thing she'd ever done.
This isn't the end, we will continue to hold pickets at various H&B branches (as well as other slave labour companies ) until they stop using unpaid slave labour.

Save Leyton Marsh - Update

The Occupy movement have joined Hackney and Waltham Forest residents in their struggle against the Olympic land grab.

Since planning permission was granted in January by Waltham Forest council for a large indoor basketball arena for Olympic and paralympic athletes to practice on, local residents and marsh users have been organising and campaigning to save Leyton Marsh.

Glasgow Picket Against Holland & Barrett Workfare Sat. 31st March 12 noon St Enoch's

Glasgow Picket Against Holland & Barrett Workfare

Saturday 31st March

Meet 12 noon outside the front entrance of St Enoch's Underground Station to move on to the Workfare target - Holland & Barrett 9 Queen Street, Glasgow, G1 3ED.

Holland & Barrett are set to become one of the biggest exploiters of forced labour with plans to take on 1000 unpaid work experience placements from the Job Centre over the next year. With a workforce of only around 3,500 people this could amount to almost a quarter of their current staff on Workfare – work for dole money.

Brighton demo against criminalisation of squatting

start: 
Sat, 31/03/2012 - 14:00

Location

Brighton Victoria Gardens
Victoria Gardens
BN1 1AA Brighton
United Kingdom
50° 49' 38.064" N, 0° 8' 59.2224" W
See map: Google Maps
Event organiser: 
Squatters Network of Brighton (SNOB)

There will be a march in Brighton on Saturday in response to the criminalisation of squatting, to show  defiance of any law they try and impose on us.
Meet at Victoria Gardens, 2pm Saturday 31st

Statement by the Squatters Network of Brighton:

local, network, collective: 
Brighton
Access Layer: 
Public
URL: 
https://network23.org/snob/2012/03/28/we-wont-be-criminalised/

Pensions Strike Report back - March 28th

Wednesday 28th March saw the NUT and UCU out on strike over pensions.  The strike was only for the Greater London area rather than nationally.

Some of us began the day visiting the sparks demo at the Shard, which while it had reduced numbers was still fairly lively. Those of us not striking or having to work that day visited friends to stand in solidarity with them on strike in Hackney, where there was a good militant picket line. A mixture of sun, coffee and lollipops kept everyone going throughout the morning till we could all head off to the café.

Thousands of disabled people and people on "sick" to lose benefits on the 30th April

As part of the Governments Welfare Reform Bill (now an Act), Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will be limited to 12 months.  This comes into affect from the 30th April 2012 and for the first time is to be aplplied retrospectively.  This means that anyone who has been on Contribution based ESA for a year or more by April 30th will lose this benefit on April 30th.  For many this means relying on a partners income for others it means taking a cut in income while having to go on income based ESA.  The biggest losers are couples.

Abolish workfare - the Solidarity Federation's guide to the government's unpaid work schemes

Workfare is a term used to describe a range of schemes in which people are forced to work without wages in order to receive their benefits. After recent controversies the government has sought to obscure the nature of its workfare policies; this pamphlet will set out clearly and concisely the details of all the programmes and why we need to work together to oppose them.

If workfare was about getting people jobs, the government might have paid heed to its own research which states: “There is little evidence that workfare increases the likelihood of finding work. It can even reduce employment chances by limiting the time available for job search and by failing to provide the skills and experience valued by employers.”

Download the pdf below.