The latest news and analysis from SF locals

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.

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.

SolFed at 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.

Solidarity with Queen Mary's Staff and Students

The North and South London Locals of the Solidarity Federation extend our solidarity to the workers at Queen Mary University. With the threat of redundancies across campus, workers have become energised, linked up with students, and exhibited a growing degree of organisation. In response, university management have suspended the Queen Mary UNISON branch secretary on trumped up disciplinary charges.

While the Solidarity Federation recognises the power of the union rests not in its officials, but in an active and self-organised membership, management clearly believe they can defeat their workforce by 'beheading' the union. Such attacks must be resisted.

Time To Occupy Our Own Lives

As we speak, hundreds of thousands of people are gathering in city centres across the world in order to stand against the status quo. We’re all here to voice our discontent with the way that our society and economy are organised, and the suffering and damage this causes to our lives, but what do we want to put in its place? And how will we get there?

International Day of Action against Ford-Visteon on October 14

IWA statement regarding the struggle of our Spanish sister section against the closure of a factory owned by Ford-Visteon. (please find aposter attached to this post)

With reference to initiatives taken by the CNT union section at Cadiz Electrónica S.A. Ford-Visteon and the CNT of Jerez, there will be a new International Day of Struggle against Ford-Visteon on October 14.

Electricians block Oxford Street

In the sixth week of the conflict, following last Wednesday's site occupation, electricians gathered on Oxford Street outside two building sites, as part of demonstrations against the attempts to change working conditions in the largest construction companies. Changes include pay cuts of 35% and de-skilling which would affect thousands of workers. The construction companies are trying to push the changes through by December and are threatening workers with the sack if they don't sign new contracts.