Online petition to support Alexei Gaskarov and the Prisoners of May 6

As you may know, association gaskarov.info launched an appeal to anInternational Solidarity Action Week, June 17–23. Meanwhile you can help signing a petition in solidarity with Alexei Gaskarov and political prisoners of May 6 in Russia.

You will find the petition here. 

Please sign it! It may have an important impact on Russian authorities.

Why your solidarity is needed?

Alexei Gaskarov, a Russian social activist and economist, was arrested in Moscow on April 27, 2013. Having gained fame as an anti-fascist, he has over the past two years become a visible young public politician thanks to his energy, intelligence, passion, and commitment.

Gaskarov has invested a great deal of time and energy in seeing that his hometown of Zhukovsky, in the Moscow Region, develops in a way that is responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens. To this end, he has continued the work he began during the campaigns to defend the Khimki and Tsagovsky forests by fostering grassroots civic groups. In March 2013, Gaskarov was elected to the alternative People’s Council of Zhukovsky, thus receiving recognition from other residents of the town for his efforts.

Since December 2011, he has been actively engaged in the anti-Putin protest movement, appearing regularly in the media and at rallies and public discussions. In October 2012, he was elected to the Coordinating Council of the Russian opposition, where he has consistently pursued a grassroots social movement agenda.

Russian police cannot forgive Gaskarov for his pivotal role in social movements. They have charged Gaskarov with involvement in “riots” on May 6, 2012, at a permitted opposition march and rally on Bolotnaya Square in Moscow the day before Putin’s inauguration. Apparently, the police are hoping this high-profile case will end in a long prison sentence for Gaskarov. Here you may read more about this case.

Please, sign this petition and claim to free Alexei Gaskarov and the other May 6 prisoners.

If you feel you can afford to send some amount of money for legal expertise and defense, as well as for the needs of the public campaign, please note the PayPal account: dmitry.cw@gmail.com

Watch for campaign news and updates (in Russian and several other languages) on our webs site, gaskarov.info.

Updates from UCU retired members' branch

1 "Confronting the Climate Crisis" - a conference organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group - Saturday, June 8, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM at London Metropolitan University.

2 Fire Brigades Union - MARCH TO SAVE BELSIZE FIRE STATION 25 May 11.30am more details - http://camdentradescouncil.com/2013/04/30/march-to-save-belsize-fire-station-25-may-11-30am/

3 CAMPAIGN TO DEFEND UNIVERSAL PENSIONER BENEFITS SUCH AS THE BUS PASS AND WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE Sign the National Pensioners Convention petition "Hands off universal pensioner benefits" : http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49599 London region

4 NUT "March for Education" - June 25th


5 March to save Kingsland Fire Station
6 A Ralph Steadman Retrospective at London's Cartoon Museum

Assemble Kingsland Fire Station, corner of Kingsland Road and Downham Rd N1
12 noon Saturday 8 June,
marching to Clerkenwell Fire Station and rally at Spa Field.
Supported by London Region FBU, Islington FBU, Hackney FBU, Islington Trades Council and Hackney Trades Council
https://www.facebook.com/SaveKingslandFireStation

1st May - 21st July 2013
http://www.cartoonmuseum.org/

J-L MELENCHON speaks at Paris rally on May 5th

On 13/05/2013 16:36, Sylvain Savier wrote:

​ Some English-subtitled Melencon - last weekend at a large Paris​ demo (150,000 people)

J-L MELENCHON Pt 1 THE 6TH REPUBLIC MARCH 5 MAY 2013 13.30 English subtitles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fUHpNJyQz8&feature=youtu.be

J-L MELENCHON Pt 2 THE 6TH REPUBLIC MARCH 5 MAY 2013 13.30 English subtitles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgdVfg5DR0w&feature=youtu.be

Reminder register for the People's Assembly Against Austerity June 22nd

GL members are urged to register for  the People's Assembly Against Austerity in London on June 22nd either as individuals or as part of a delegation from your local or regional party. You can register at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5373440104?ref=ebtnebregn.

more details at the Coalition of Resistance site http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/

eg

Registrations for the People’s Assembly have more than quadrupled since our last update!

There are now over 1,500 delegates who have signed up. Here is some of the support that has been coming in:

The CWU, PCS, NUT, FBU and TSSA national executives have all passed formal support in the last couple of weeks, including making a financial contribution.

Articles about the assembly have gone out to hundreds of thousands of trade unionists in the Unite, PCS and TSSA magazines. Labour briefing have also published an article on the People’s Assembly.

Unite has reserved 120 places in the main hall for a central delegation and PCS has reserved 50. The other unions involved will do the same to ensure that the trade union movement is at the heart of the event. This is in addition to the local delegates from these unions who are being sent by their branches and regions.

A big thank you should go out to Nick McCarthy from the PCS, and the PCS as a whole, who has agreed to take on the role of treasurer for the People’s Assembly. A People’s Assembly account will be set up within the main PCS account.

We will be sending out a new round of invitations to unions and organisations inviting them to support the assembly in the next few days.

We’ve still got more than 2 months to go and with the 1,500 registrations for the event we are now looking into additional capacity. Most likely we’ll apply for the road outside the hall to be closed and put up a marquee for breakout sessions and overspill.

We now have an impressive list of local trade union and organisation support for the assembly. The full list can be found on our website here.

The new website was launched a few days ago which has had thousands of visitors. Please keep checking it for updates and news about the assembly: www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk

Organising meetings are taking place across the country and rally’s are being set up in the run up to the People’s Assembly. We will update our website here as and when meetings are confirmed. If you want a speaker or can set up a meeting where you are, please contact office@thepeoplesassembly.org.uk

Uni of York Green Party committee statement on Brighton and Hove Council

Hi all,

The Uni of York Green Party committee just passed the statement below unanimously. Please share widely and use it as a model motion to pass in your local parties. When passed, please send it toinfo@brightonhovegreens.org, info@brighton-hove.gov.uk andjason@jasonkitcat.com (and whoever else appears relevant!):

The University of York Green Party joins Brighton Green Party members and Caroline Lucas MP in calling for Brighton and Hove Council to rethink plans to cuts refuse workers’ pay by up to £4000 per year, which could have a disastrous effect on some of the lowest-paid council staff.

While we recognise the difficult situation the minority Green administration is in, faced with huge central government cuts and a harsh Labour/Conservative opposition, cutting the pay of the low-paid is contrary to Green principles and should be avoided by any means possible.

The University of York Green Party fully supports the workers taking action against the proposed pay cuts, and we call on the Green administration to work with the trade unions in Brighton to avoid any regressive measures, and to come up with a progressive pay proposal in line with the party’s principles of social justice, building on the council’s introduction of the Living Wage.

All the best - and get motion-passing/sharing! Feel free to amend the text

Josiah

Caroline Lucas: "I plan to join striking City Clean workers and continue to stand up for workplace rights"

Update on Council pay

08 May 2013

Yesterday around 10% of Brighton and Hove council staff received a settlement offer as part of a process designed to ‘modernise’ pay and allowances.

Since the negotiations began, I have made my opposition to any cuts in take home pay very clear.

I am therefore disappointed that, whilst some will gain from this process, a number will face a reduction in the money they have to live off each week.

This is unacceptable. I know from the many constituents who have written to me about this issue that they agree.

So too does the Brighton and Hove Green Party, whose members voted at a meeting last night to  condemn the offer and also expressed dismay that responsibility for the pay negotiations was handed to council officers.

With the support of the local Green Party, I have pledged to campaign against the offer made to workers, in accordance with the local and national party's democratically agreed anti-cuts and anti- austerity policies.

I plan to join striking City Clean workers and continue to stand up for workplace rights – as I promised to do when I was elected and have consistently prioritised in Parliament.

From: http://www.carolinelucas.com/blog.html/2013/05/08/update-on-council-pay/

CoR statement on “Councillors Against the Cuts”.

The Coalition of Resistance congratulates all the councillors who have launched “Councillors Against the Cuts”. This new front in the resistance against austerity is to be welcomed by all those committed to defending public services and jobs and the welfare state.


The Coalition of Resistance supports you in your pledge to “vote against all cuts to services and jobs, increases in rents and charges, and increases in council tax”. This determined stand will encourage trade unions and their members, community organisations and anti-cuts groups to campaign and take the actions necessary to roll back the attacks from the ConDem Coalition Government.


We hope that many more councillors will join you in your stand in the run-up to the formalities of setting a budget. Local authority finance is now so tightly controlled by central government, there is little credibility in the idea that it is possible to set a budget which protects local people from the worst effects of the cuts.


Your declaration to vote against all cuts is therefore important to demonstrate that there is an alternative to administering austerity. The Coalition of Resistance pledges its support to all of you, and to work together to defend the welfare state and fight for an alternative based on meeting the needs of ordinary people, not those of the banks and big business. We invite you to join us in making the People’s Assembly against Austerity in June the springboard for a broad movement that will inflict defeats on this government.


In solidarity, 
Romayne Phoenix, Chair CoR
Sam Fairbairn, Secretary CoR
Fred Leplat