‘Gypsy and traveller families ‘hounded out’ of areas in act of ‘social cleansing’ as councils impose sweeping bans’ was the ominous heading of a story printed in the Independent last month. It may sound like a news article from 1940s Italy, but this demonstrates the alarming fact that antigyspsyism is perceived by many to be the last socially “acceptable” form of racism in the UK today.
via LET’S MAKE 2019 THE YEAR WE STAND WITH THE TRAVELLER COMMUNITY
“Predictably, as you can see from the image at the top of this post, The People’s Assembly have decided to mobilise to be in Parliament Square from 5pm onwards next Tuesday and in their promotion for this, they’ve hi-jacked the potent symbol of the yellow vest for their own cynical ends. Namely, hoping to play a part in forcing a general election and paving the way for the triumphal entry of a Corbyn led Labour government.
The People’s Assembly must have the intellectual capacity to see that the revolt of the ‘gilet jaunes’ in France is a grassroots, apolitical one. So, the only thing we can conclude from The People’s Assembly hi-jacking the potent symbol of the yellow jacket for their cynical Labour vote begging exercise in Parliament Square is that they want astroturf any spontaneous protest and turn it into yet another tedious Corbyn love fest.
That’s if people let them get away with it. The political climate is unpredictable and volatile, full of risks but also full of opportunities as well. Let’s not allow the likes of The People’s Assembly to try and smother any attempt for the real voice of the pissed of millions to have their say and to act if they see fit. See you in Parliament Square on Tuesday:) ”
via No respect – the hi-jacking of the symbol of the ‘gilet jaunes’
Late October round-up of UK work and social struggles and international repression news.
In UK workplace-related news, the 30th of October saw simultaneous precarious workers’ demos in London and Glasgow, while security guards at the Ministry of Justice, organising through the grassroots UVW union, have just voted to strike for a living wage.
People seeking safety in our country are effectively banned from working. As a result, many are left to live in poverty, struggling to support themselves and their families, whilst the Government wastes the talents of thousands of people.
This needs to change. Sign the petition and tell the Home Secretary to #LiftTheBan!
Give people the right to work. Right now!
https://act.refugee-action.org.uk/page/29178/petition/
Gay History: A Contradiction in Terms; Nicky Crane, and Kevin Wilshaw- Gay Neo-Nazi’s. Part 1.
“As part of my writing degree from the University of Technology in Sydney (2001) I studied a subject called Contemporary Cultures. Subsequently, I find the study of sub-cultures and “aberrations” within the Gay and Lesbian community a fascinating subject. However, occasionally a subject comes along that I find particularly disconcerting, and gay neo-nazi’s is one that confounds me! How a gay man could attach himself to the insidious writings and philosophies of one of the twentieth centuries greatest tyrants – especially one who condemned thousands of gay men and women to the ovens of the concentration camps – leaves me confused, and wondering…have they really studied what this movement was all about, and if they did, how could they be so dispassionate about it! Perhaps we can be reconciled to them by the fact that even they realised the contradiction, and gave up this somewhat insidious belief. However, the question remains – why? To be honest, and to be contradictory myself, I find the photo below a bit of a turn-on! Not the singlet…that is just wrong…but the man himself – oh yeah! There is an ultra-masculinity about him that is very sexy…and perhaps we should just leave it at that! The photo, and the man himself, are two different things!”
via Gay History: A Contradiction in Terms; Nicky Crane, and Kevin Wilshaw- Gay Neo-Nazi’s. Part 1.
Five cleaners and porters employed by Kier were recently dismissed from their jobs at the Royal Opera house for minor alleged timekeeping and attendance issues. A sixth has been given a final written warning. One dismissed cleaner signed for just forty-five minutes of missed work. Another was one day late returning from the leave she’d spent caring for her sick and elderly mother, and had informed her boss that she wouldn’t be able make it back on time.
These workers all had long, exemplary records of good service at the Opera House, and none had been in any kind of trouble at work before. Aside from being excellent employees with multiple commendations for their work, they have one thing in common: they are all members of CAIWU, the Cleaners and Allied Independent Workers Union. With the support of their union, they were all active in a recent successful campaign to secure the London Living Wage for Opera House ancillary workers.
Now it looks as though Kier is getting its own back.
Kier’s anti-union views are a matter of record. As recently as 2016 they were one of a group of eight companies involved in a £10 million payout to almost 800 trade unionists systematically denied the opportunity to work because of their union activism. Recent events suggest Kier hasn’t learned anything from that debacle. They’re now punishing their workers for wanting a living wage.
Kier reported a pre-tax profit of £25.8 million in 2017, but they still resent paying a proper wage the workers who earned them that profit.
Please sign the petition to let Kier know that this isn’t good enough.
The solution is simple. Reinstate the dismissed workers and retract the final written warning. If any sanctions are necessary for the alleged misconduct, they should be proportionate. Punishing workers for trade union activism is illegal, and we will not stand for it.
https://www.change.org/p/haydn-mursell-support-the-opera-house-six