On 23rd November 2016, the Treasury announced in the Autumn Statement that they “will ban fees to tenants as soon as possible”. So, right now fees are still legal in England & Wales, and it is not very clear when they will be outlawed.
As most people will be aware, February is Serbia month in Great Britain. The British-Serbian chamber of commerce contributed by hosting an evening reception with guest speaker Dejan Popovic, the Serbian ambassador. With Serbian Anarcho-Syndicalists, the Belgrade 6, back on trial for “international terrorism”, South London and Brighton Solfed members felt it appropriate to attend.
Teachers at Shorefields College in the Dingle have once again taken strike action against the possibility of the school becoming an academy. The latest day of action has seen the fight grow, with support staff in the GMB walking out alongside teachers from the NUT and NASUWT.
The picket line was well supported. Parents, teachers and support staff were joined by several pupils from the school - whilst members of the Merseyside Network Against Fees and Cuts, Liverpool Trades Council and Liverpool Solidarity Federation were amongst those who turned up in support. The Liverpool Socialist Choir also added a bit of noise to the event, providing lively renditions of workers and trade union songs, old and new.
US
Direct actionists calling themselves the ‘Dusty Desperadoes' destroyed five acres of genetically engineered canola at Monsanto facilities. Since November 1998, there have been at least 37 reported anti-genetic direct actions in North America.
Canada
The CCLC (‘Concerned Citizens Labelling Collective') have been helpfully going into supermarkets and labelling up their GM foods. DIY: Their Website (http://www.voluntarylabelling.com) is full of labelling tips and PDF files with ready made labels to download.
Korea
Floplast bosses show their true colours
Management at Floplast in Bobbing, Kent responded to moves by the workforce to get recognition under the 50% rule by promptly sacking 6 people. Since the new legislation came into force, employers in Britain have been employing law firms to get advice on union busting and intimidating workers. If Floplast get away with it, other bosses will follow suit.
So, send support/solidarity and get action details;
Floplast Workers C/O GPMU Kent Branch, 155 London Rd, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 1PA
Telephone: 01795 423 993 Fax: 01795 471 791
Email: dannym@gpmukent.demon.co.uk
Also, let Floplast Operations manager Derek Bartrip know what you think - Fax him on 01795 431 188
Casualisation Kills
The GMB has a new deal with the Bank of Scotland to create a new improved credit card. The union blurb to members boast that the GMB used its power to “negotiate a great deal”. This at a time when debt in Britain is at an all time high and debt counsellors report that the number of people contacting them with debt problems has trebled since last year. Not so long ago, unions sought to improve workers lives - some even sought to overthrow capitalism. Now it seems, they have been reduced to pimping business on behalf of capitalism.
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A German Tory politician has upset the elderly, saying that they should not be a burden on the German health service by getting hip replacements. Philipp Missfelder of the CDU said: “In the past, people used to walk on crutches, so why can't they do the same now? Obviously, the Germans have learned something from the British NHS, where thousands of elderly people are forced to wait in queues on their crutches for years, waiting for hips.