Update from Martin Francis
I leafleted at the Wembley Mosque today. It is clear that some are opposed to a counter-demonstration because it might turn violent but others are clear that we have to make a stand. It is not particularly an age-split. We are monitoring the situation but at present plans are as on the leaflet.
Contact uafbrentandharrow@googlemail.com
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR NAZIS IN HARROW
DEFEND THE UNITY OF OUR COMMUNITY
Join us to show that fascists are not welcome in Harrow.
Friday September 11th from 1.30 pm
Outside Harrow Civic Centre, opposite the Mosque
Rally with local and national speakers at 6.00 pm
The "English Defence League", a group of racist football hooligans linked to the fascist British National Party, is threatening to invade Harrow on 11th September to "demonstrate" against the Harrow Central Mosque.
Islamophobia - bigotry against Muslims - is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s.
Today they threaten the mosque - tomorrow it could be a synagogue, temple or church. Today they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, blacks, gays, travellers or Eastern Europeans. .
We have beaten fascists and racists before by standing up in unity against them: at Cable Street in the East End in the 1930s, at Lewisham in the 1970s, and recently in Derbyshire where black and white, young and old, Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Jew, gay and straight, all came together to oppose the BNP’s fascist rally.
Let’s protest against the racists and fascists and let's oppose their politics of hatred. Let's defend Harrow’s diverse and united community.
We are black, white, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Jew
And there are many, many more of us than you!
Called by UAF Brent & Harrow (uafbrentandharrow@googlemail.com)
and national Unite Against Fascism (unite@ucu.org.uk / www.uaf.org.uk or call 020 7801 2782. UAF, PO Box 36871, London WC1X 9XT)
with support from (among others) Harrow NUT, Harrow College UCU, Unite the Union at Harrow Weald, Harrow & Edgware bus garages and Brent Green Party
BRENT & HARROW
UNITE AGAINST FASCISM
●No to Racism
●No to the BNP
Defend Harrow’s multi-cultural community
Fascist thugs not welcome here
Friday September 11th assemble from 1.30 pm
outside Harrow Civic Centre
opposite Harrow Central Mosque
6 pm: Rally with local and national speakers
The "English Defence League" - a group of racist football hooligans with links to the fascist BNP - is threatening to hold a protest against the Harrow Central Mosque. We cannot stand by and let these racists attack any section of our community.
In May the "English Defence League" rampaged through Luton, attacking Asians and Asian owned businesses. In July they marched through Birmingham shouting "Muslims out" at people going shopping.
We don't want these racist thugs in Harrow.
Join our protest when you can, maybe during your lunch break, but especially after work.
Sign the statement defending Harrow Central Mosque against racist attacks.
Solidarity Vigil at Harrow Central Mosque September 11th
The 'English Defence League' and a motley selection of other rightwing groups have said they are going to protest at Harrow Central Mosque on the anniversary of 9/11. This is deliberately provocative, seeking to link the mosque with terrorism and held during the holy month of Ramadan and coinciding with Friday prayers. A similar demonstration in Luton resulted in a mob attacking Asians and Asian-owned businesses.
Brent Green Party is supporting the call by Brent and Harrow Unite Against Fascism for a 'Solidarity Vigil' outside Harrow Civic Centre, opposite the mosque, from 1.30pm on Friday September 11th with a rally at 6pm. Timings may change as these have not been announced yet by the EDL et al. A similar protest, this time against sharia courts, due to be held on Saturday 29th August was recently cancelled and it may well be that evidence of substantial opposition will lead to similar action for September 11th.
Friday, 28 August 2009
Support the posties
NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION AND RALLY
MAKE THIS STRIKE A DAY OF ACTION
THURSDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 2009
Let’s tell unite how it is!
Get them to STOP their CMA Strike Busting MEMBERS from Doing Our Work
11.30hrs
unite HEADQUARTERS
128 Theobalds Road
Holborn
London WC1X 8TN
13.30hrs
FRIENDS HOUSE
173 Euston Road
London NW1 2BJ
CAMPAIGN FOR A MASSIVE YES VOTE IN THE FORTHCOMING INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT ALL CWU MEMBERS WELCOME
MAKE THIS STRIKE A DAY OF ACTION
THURSDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 2009
Let’s tell unite how it is!
Get them to STOP their CMA Strike Busting MEMBERS from Doing Our Work
11.30hrs
unite HEADQUARTERS
128 Theobalds Road
Holborn
London WC1X 8TN
13.30hrs
FRIENDS HOUSE
173 Euston Road
London NW1 2BJ
CAMPAIGN FOR A MASSIVE YES VOTE IN THE FORTHCOMING INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT ALL CWU MEMBERS WELCOME
Climate and Capital: A seminar organised by Socialist Resistance and Green Left
Climate and Capital
Saturday 12
September
10.30 - 5.30, Friends Meeting House, Euston,
London
A seminar organised by Socialist
Resistance and Green Left
SPECIAL OFFER
Green Left and Socialist Resistance are offering a one-third discount on their Climate and Capitalism seminar on September 12. The discount is available with the new leaflet, now online at http://tinyurl.com/ClimateSeminar, with advance bookings, and reduced price offer on Ian Angus' new book go to http://socialistresistance.org/?p=635
Sessions on:
* Global Fight for Climate Justice
* The economic crisis and the ecosocialist response
* Gender, ecology and ecosocialism
* Alternatives to the market
* Alternative production
* The impact in the global south
* Direct action prefiguring a sustainable society
* Sustainable cities
* The campaign for green jobs
* Building the fightback and organising for Copenhagen
Speakers: Ian Angus, Grace Livingstone,
Raphie de Santos, Romayne Phoenix, Liam MacUaid, Helen Ward, Sean Thompson,
Sheila Malone, Derek Wall, Terry Conway, Roy Wilkes
and others...
Book now on-line for 1/3 off entry and £2 off new
book by Ian Angus on "The Global Fight for Climate Justice"
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
An answer to Populationist Nonsense
"How can we possibly decrease carbon emissions and land use while the number of emitters and the space they occupy remorselessly increases?" asks James Lovelock.
"By reducing the amount the emitters emit, perhaps." might be one answer.
Brian Orr
"By reducing the amount the emitters emit, perhaps." might be one answer.
Brian Orr
Green Left summer camp august 2009: video clips of "Working with the left" discussion
Introduction from Kate Phillips (Respect)
Introduction from John Nicholson (Convention of the Left)
Discussion Part one
Discussion Part two
Discussion Part three
Discussion Part four
Discussion Part five
John Nicholson and Kate Phillips sum up
Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Greenwich and Woolwich, Andy Hewett, welcomes the arrival of Climate Camp to Blackheath.
Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Greenwich and Woolwich, Andy Hewett, welcomes the arrival of Climate Camp to Blackheath. Speaking today after the site was revealed, Andy said
"I am delighted that Blackheath has been chosen as the site of this year's Climate Camp. I hope that the people of Greenwich will show their support for this event and go along to experience the atmosphere. The aims of Climate Camp are to educate, inform and peacefully demonstrate that there are alternatives to the current way of life which are leading us to potentially catastrophic climate change."
With views of Canary Wharf, the site at Blackheath will provide Climate Campers with a constant reminder of the financial system which was the focus of the Camp in Bishopsgate and the events of the G20 protests in April. Andy was unable to get into the camp itself that day, due to Police blockades, but he recounted some of his experiences of the events at the G20 protests.
"I was amongst the many who were 'kettled' for hours by the Police on April 1st, and also the following day at a peaceful vigil outside the Bank of England in memory of Ian Tomlinson who died after being beaten by Police at the demonstration on the previous day. Friends of mine suffered injury at the hands of the police over those two days, many more were detained in police cordons. I hope that the police see sense and desist from using the violent tactics evident at the London Camp in April, that they desist from hassling protestors with unnecessary searches, that they desist from invasive and intimidatory photographing of protestors, and let the Climate Camp flourish with the intended family-friendly atmosphere and communal spirit."
"Some have questioned the choice of Blackheath as a venue for Climate Camp, but it has a rich history of being a centre of protest movements over the centuries. As far back as 1381, Wat Tyler's Peasant Revolt rallied at Blackheath in protests at the third poll tax, and in 1450 it was the rallying point for Jack Cade's Kentish Rebellion. Those events and others resonate through the years to the present day, with the right to protest remaining an essential democratic right. Defending that right is essential as part of protecting our civil liberties and sustaining a healthy democracy, and is another example of why Climate Camp is so important."
"I am delighted that Blackheath has been chosen as the site of this year's Climate Camp. I hope that the people of Greenwich will show their support for this event and go along to experience the atmosphere. The aims of Climate Camp are to educate, inform and peacefully demonstrate that there are alternatives to the current way of life which are leading us to potentially catastrophic climate change."
With views of Canary Wharf, the site at Blackheath will provide Climate Campers with a constant reminder of the financial system which was the focus of the Camp in Bishopsgate and the events of the G20 protests in April. Andy was unable to get into the camp itself that day, due to Police blockades, but he recounted some of his experiences of the events at the G20 protests.
"I was amongst the many who were 'kettled' for hours by the Police on April 1st, and also the following day at a peaceful vigil outside the Bank of England in memory of Ian Tomlinson who died after being beaten by Police at the demonstration on the previous day. Friends of mine suffered injury at the hands of the police over those two days, many more were detained in police cordons. I hope that the police see sense and desist from using the violent tactics evident at the London Camp in April, that they desist from hassling protestors with unnecessary searches, that they desist from invasive and intimidatory photographing of protestors, and let the Climate Camp flourish with the intended family-friendly atmosphere and communal spirit."
"Some have questioned the choice of Blackheath as a venue for Climate Camp, but it has a rich history of being a centre of protest movements over the centuries. As far back as 1381, Wat Tyler's Peasant Revolt rallied at Blackheath in protests at the third poll tax, and in 1450 it was the rallying point for Jack Cade's Kentish Rebellion. Those events and others resonate through the years to the present day, with the right to protest remaining an essential democratic right. Defending that right is essential as part of protecting our civil liberties and sustaining a healthy democracy, and is another example of why Climate Camp is so important."
Monday, 17 August 2009
Peterloo; A Poem by Joseph Healy 16/8/2009 and clips from GL summer event and Peterloo demo august 2009
At Peterloo they fell and died
Those for whom Liberty's price was paid
Now Tomlinson and SOCPA are the theme
Where Freedom's corpse lies in the grave
Lord Liverpool and Captain Burleigh
Who called the Yeomanry to arms
Your heirs - Brown and Ainsworth call for youthful blood in Afghanistan
And Orator Hunt would blanch with shame
Where blood stained the stones of Peter's Fields
There lie the bones of Socialism's hopes
Trod beneath the hooves of New Labour's cavalry
Read out the names of Peterloo and New Labour's dead
- Freedom, Liberty, Suffrage and the Price of Oil!
Talk and discussion part one
Talk and discussion part two
Talk and discussion part three
Talk and discussion part four
Peterloo in 2009
Marchers arrive from Oldham
The Mob assembled
Green Lefties modelling Liberty Caps
A photo op (mishandled?)
Wreath laid at the Peace Memorial
How to organise a spontaneous outcry
Wreath at the Peace Memorial
Those for whom Liberty's price was paid
Now Tomlinson and SOCPA are the theme
Where Freedom's corpse lies in the grave
Lord Liverpool and Captain Burleigh
Who called the Yeomanry to arms
Your heirs - Brown and Ainsworth call for youthful blood in Afghanistan
And Orator Hunt would blanch with shame
Where blood stained the stones of Peter's Fields
There lie the bones of Socialism's hopes
Trod beneath the hooves of New Labour's cavalry
Read out the names of Peterloo and New Labour's dead
- Freedom, Liberty, Suffrage and the Price of Oil!
Talk and discussion part one
Talk and discussion part two
Talk and discussion part three
Talk and discussion part four
Peterloo in 2009
Marchers arrive from Oldham
The Mob assembled
Green Lefties modelling Liberty Caps
A photo op (mishandled?)
Wreath laid at the Peace Memorial
How to organise a spontaneous outcry
Wreath at the Peace Memorial
Thursday, 13 August 2009
vestas demos 12/8/2009
Photo from Support Vestas workers' lunchtime rally organized by
Oxford & District Trades Union Council in Bonn Square, Oxford City
Centre, Weds 12 August.
Whitehall vestas demo 12/8/2009
The Gptu banner prooves that it is waterproof
Phil Thornhill speaks
Ian Terry, a Vestas worker speaking
Andy Hewett speaks
Comrades
First of all I’d like to pay tribute to everyone who has come here today, and all those who have been participating in actions across the country, in their communities and their workplaces, to show their support for the Vestas workers, for the fight for jobs, for just transition and the urgent need to build sustainable industries based upon social and ecological need and not for private profit. I’ve been to the Isle Of Wight twice in the last few weeks and what the workers and activists have been doing down there is an inspiration to us all.
There has been a demonstration here outside the DECC in each of the last four weeks, but let’s just take a moment to stop and think what those letters D E C C represent… and it seems to me that it is the Department for DIRTY Energy and for Climate Change.
Whilst they say they are committed to securing green jobs and seriously tackling climate change, their true colours have certainly been revealed during the course of the Vestas dispute – and they are certainly not green, not red except maybe for the blood on their hands from their war for oil resources and gas pipelines – No, they are more of a dirty brown, with a very severe shade of blue.
These last few weeks have also shown the weakness of this govt, their lack of political will and capability in making the decisions necessary to tackle climate change and create green jobs – rather they have once again shown that they are unable to put the demands of people and planet before business and the capitalist drive for profit. They dangled £6m of OUR money in front of Vestas for a R+D plant, yet we have over 600 skilled workers and a facility capable of turning production over to the production of blades to use in this country already in place. £6m is nothing compared to the billions being spent on fighting resource wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. £6m is nothing compared to the cost of building WMDs as they seek to replace Trident. £6m is nothing compared to the trillions which have been thrown into the black hole created by the fat cats in the financial system – and as we know, whilst the debts have been nationalised they have privatised their profits and are still riding the gravy train of bonuses and massive salaries whilst across the country working class people are losing their jobs and their homes as a result of their crisis.
And £6m may not be much to Vestas who seem to be doing very well thank you – only yesterday it was reported that they have received a massive increase in wind turbine orders: 41x 2MW wind turbines and a 5 year service agreement for the Orites project in Cyprus, which will alone increase Cypriot dependency on renewables to 13% by 2020; and 37x 3MW turbines and a 10 year service agreement for the Waterloo Wind Farm project in Australia. We must not be held to ransom, instead of the govt fiddling whilst the planet burns the factory on the IOW should be nationalised, give control to the skilled workforce and let that be the first building block in building the renewables industry and the millions of green jobs that can be generated by transforming our economy to one based upon need and not profit.
And in case you haven’t seen the figures today, unemployment rose by 220k in the last 3 months with 2.435m now out of work, the highest level since 1995 under the Tories. 271k less people are in work, the biggest fall since records began in 1971. 4.9% of the workforce are now claiming unemployment benefit, whilst many more are prevented from doing so as the govt “clamps down”. And if the failure to tackle climate change was not a big enough betrayal of our young people and their future, their employment prospects also look bleak – 928K of the under 25s are now out of work. With apparently half of these unable to claim unemployment benefit. Army recruitment centres are springing up across the country – fighting wars and a wrecked planet must not be the only options left open to them. We must not pay for the crisis, not in jobs, not in blood and not in destruction of our planet.
There is an election around the corner, now is the chance to show them what we think. Now it is their jobs on the line. Vote for candidates who are serious about social and environmental justice, of restoring the rights workers and of trades unions, are serious about jobs and serious about stopping catastrophic climate change. And if there isn’t currently a candidate that you can vote for then make sure that one stands! Of course we may not be able to get everyone we want to elected, we may not form any majority soon enough under an electoral system designed to maintain the status quo and parties committed to pursuing business as usual at the expense of people, planet and peace. But we can have a voice, use it as a platform to put the message across and say enough is enough. This is our planet, this our future and we wont let you destroy it!
But elections arent our only pressure points. The positive of this campaign and all of the other direct actions and occupations across the country and the world is that it shows us that we don’t have to wait for the politicians in power to catch up and get with the program. We can start taking action ourselves right now. The positive action that arises when workers take a stand and say enough – this is our workplace, these are our skills and our jobs and we will take a stand and fight for them. The positive action that emerges when comrades in various organisations come together, any differences aside and work together on a common goal. The positive influence of the organisation of workers and the key role of Trades Unions – Vestas don’t like em, the govt has failed to repeal the ant-trade union laws, and we see why: because they do not want to see us taking action and organising – if we are divided we are no threat. We have heard a lot about red and green alliances over the last few weeks. As an eco-socialist I have never had a problem with the red/green synthesis – what has emerged is that we are finding our common ground and working together, w find strength in our solidarity and we become a greater force, we cannot afford to be divided on climate change as the stakes are too high. Unity is our strength. Now we must build momentum, the campaign must move on from here. We must drink deep from the well of inspiration that the Vestas workers have supplied us. Keep the struggle alive, we can and must make the difference! Viva the Vestas workers!
The first public appearance of the new Green Left banner, Whitehall, london 12/8/2009
Unjum Mirza of the RMT
PHOTOS BY ARTHUR HAYLES
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Green Left Summer Camp in Manchester
When: Saturday 15th August and Sunday 16th August
Where: Friends Meeting House 6 Mounts Street, City Centre, Manchester M2
How to get there:
http://www.quakertrading.co.uk/central-manchester/getting-here
Accommodation: Will be arranged with local Manchester members – contact Andy as Secretary off list.
Cost: Free but a collection will be taken to cover the costs of the room booking.
Programme for Saturday
12pm – Introductions and welcome
12.15 to 1.15 Campaigns – with Adie Mormech (one of the recent detainees on the boat bringing relief supplies to Gaza)
1.15 to 2 Lunch
2 to 3 Working with the Left – with Kay Philips (Chair of Respect Party North West Region)
3 to 3.15 Break
3.15 to 4.15 Increasing our profile in the Green Party
4.15 to 4.30 Break
4.30 to 5 Arrangements for Peterloo event and general discussion.
Followed by a meal and socialising in a central Manchester venue.
On Sunday we will be taking part in a commemoration of the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 at the original site with other local organisations – details to follow. Especially relevant in view of recent police violence and suppression of events ranging from G20 demos to Climate Camp and the Big Green Gathering.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterloo_Massacre
DISCUSSIONS ON PALESTINE
part one
part two
part three
part four
part five
part six
part seven
part eight
part nine
part ten
Where: Friends Meeting House 6 Mounts Street, City Centre, Manchester M2
How to get there:
http://www.quakertrading.co.uk/central-manchester/getting-here
Accommodation: Will be arranged with local Manchester members – contact Andy as Secretary off list.
Cost: Free but a collection will be taken to cover the costs of the room booking.
Programme for Saturday
12pm – Introductions and welcome
12.15 to 1.15 Campaigns – with Adie Mormech (one of the recent detainees on the boat bringing relief supplies to Gaza)
1.15 to 2 Lunch
2 to 3 Working with the Left – with Kay Philips (Chair of Respect Party North West Region)
3 to 3.15 Break
3.15 to 4.15 Increasing our profile in the Green Party
4.15 to 4.30 Break
4.30 to 5 Arrangements for Peterloo event and general discussion.
Followed by a meal and socialising in a central Manchester venue.
On Sunday we will be taking part in a commemoration of the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 at the original site with other local organisations – details to follow. Especially relevant in view of recent police violence and suppression of events ranging from G20 demos to Climate Camp and the Big Green Gathering.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterloo_Massacre
DISCUSSIONS ON PALESTINE
part one
part two
part three
part four
part five
part six
part seven
part eight
part nine
part ten
Monday, 10 August 2009
MORE & MORE SUPPORT FOR VESTAS
Tues 11 August• GILLINGHAM, KENT Sunlight Centre, Richmond Road, 7.30pm, Vestas support meeting organised by Kingsnorth Climate Action Medway and Medway trades union council•
LEEDS 7-8.30pm, meeting, Swarthmore Centre, next to Park Lane College• MANCHESTER 7pm solidarity meeting with Vestas worker speaking, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, tel: 07724 139278Wed
12 August – NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH VESTAS WORKERS• BANGOR petitioning from 11am onwards by the clock tower; 6.30pm, public meeting in the Harp Inn, High Street, Bangor; tel: Iain, 07809 839793•
BIRMINGHAM 12.30pm rally outside the Government offices for the West Midlands (off Colmore Row, round corner from Halifax), St Philips Place, St Philips Cathedral park, Birmingham B3. Called by Birmingham CACC and supported by Birmingham TUC, tel: 07846 490 408•
BRIGHTON 12-2pm, leafleting/collecting in Churchill Square; 6pm, street meeting in Churchill Square, email: brightonvestassupporters@googlemail.com, tel: 07845 183407•
CARDIFF 7.30pm, public meeting with Vestas worker; Marianne Owens, Vice-Chair PCS Wales; Wayne Thomas, President of NUM Wales (tbc); Climate Camp Cymru speaker (tbc); and Adam Johannes, Cardiff Campaign against Climate Change, Riverside Community Centre, Brunel St (off Ninian Park Road)•
CENTRAL LONDON 12.30pm, meeting organised by PCS and RMT, The Dining Room, Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard• COWDENBEATH picket Gordon Brown’s constituency office, 1-3pm, 318-324 High Street, tel: 07826 517648, email: akmailie@yahoo.ie, katherine.a.mcmahon@gmail.com•
LIVERPOOL Casa (the dockers’ pub), 29 Hope St, 7pm, RMT, dockers and Merseyside TUC meeting to set up solidarity campaign, tel: 0151 709 1786/07940 244718/07930 870934, email: j.tilley@rmt.org.uk• OXFORD 12 noon, rally, Bonn Square, called by Oxford and District TUC•
PORTSMOUTH 5.30pm, rally at The Hard•
PLYMOUTH 12.30, the Sundial, leafleting the City Centre at lunchtime, tel: Tony Staunton 07803 620390•
SHEFFIELD 1pm, rally and leafleting outside Sheffield Town Hall•
WARRINGTON 7.30-9.30am, demonstration, Vestas HQ, 302 Bridgewater Place, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6XG, tel: 07724 139278•
WREXHAM public meeting, 7.30pm Barracuda Bar, Town Hill, Wrexham LL13 8NA
Thurs 13 August•
COVENTRY 7.30pm, the Squirrel, central Coventry, public meeting with Vestas worker Seb and Socialist Party councillors, Rob Windsor and Dave Nellist
LEEDS 7-8.30pm, meeting, Swarthmore Centre, next to Park Lane College• MANCHESTER 7pm solidarity meeting with Vestas worker speaking, Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, tel: 07724 139278Wed
12 August – NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH VESTAS WORKERS• BANGOR petitioning from 11am onwards by the clock tower; 6.30pm, public meeting in the Harp Inn, High Street, Bangor; tel: Iain, 07809 839793•
BIRMINGHAM 12.30pm rally outside the Government offices for the West Midlands (off Colmore Row, round corner from Halifax), St Philips Place, St Philips Cathedral park, Birmingham B3. Called by Birmingham CACC and supported by Birmingham TUC, tel: 07846 490 408•
BRIGHTON 12-2pm, leafleting/collecting in Churchill Square; 6pm, street meeting in Churchill Square, email: brightonvestassupporters@googlemail.com, tel: 07845 183407•
CARDIFF 7.30pm, public meeting with Vestas worker; Marianne Owens, Vice-Chair PCS Wales; Wayne Thomas, President of NUM Wales (tbc); Climate Camp Cymru speaker (tbc); and Adam Johannes, Cardiff Campaign against Climate Change, Riverside Community Centre, Brunel St (off Ninian Park Road)•
CENTRAL LONDON 12.30pm, meeting organised by PCS and RMT, The Dining Room, Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard• COWDENBEATH picket Gordon Brown’s constituency office, 1-3pm, 318-324 High Street, tel: 07826 517648, email: akmailie@yahoo.ie, katherine.a.mcmahon@gmail.com•
LIVERPOOL Casa (the dockers’ pub), 29 Hope St, 7pm, RMT, dockers and Merseyside TUC meeting to set up solidarity campaign, tel: 0151 709 1786/07940 244718/07930 870934, email: j.tilley@rmt.org.uk• OXFORD 12 noon, rally, Bonn Square, called by Oxford and District TUC•
PORTSMOUTH 5.30pm, rally at The Hard•
PLYMOUTH 12.30, the Sundial, leafleting the City Centre at lunchtime, tel: Tony Staunton 07803 620390•
SHEFFIELD 1pm, rally and leafleting outside Sheffield Town Hall•
WARRINGTON 7.30-9.30am, demonstration, Vestas HQ, 302 Bridgewater Place, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6XG, tel: 07724 139278•
WREXHAM public meeting, 7.30pm Barracuda Bar, Town Hill, Wrexham LL13 8NA
Thurs 13 August•
COVENTRY 7.30pm, the Squirrel, central Coventry, public meeting with Vestas worker Seb and Socialist Party councillors, Rob Windsor and Dave Nellist
Diageo planning to shut plants in Glasgow and Kilmarnock and outsource jobs
andy hewett writes
Hi,
I've signed a letter to the Chief Executive, Paul Walsh. Diageo are the owners of Johnnie Walker whisky and are planning to shut plants in Glasgow and Kilmarnock and outsource jobs at Shieldhall, Hurlford and Elgin with the loss of hundreds of jobs across Scotland. This company made a profit of over £2 billion last year but is still looking to slash jobs and destroy a tradition in the communities who make Johnnie Walker - incredibly it has been made in Kilmarnock since it was first created in 1820!
Please sign the letter too and add your name to the thousands of voices telling the Diageo that the people and communities will be decimated by their plans are the very same people and communities that have built the company over the past 185 years.
You can read the letter to Diageo's Chief Executive here:
http://action.unitetheunion.com/dontwalkoutonus
Thanks
Hi,
I've signed a letter to the Chief Executive, Paul Walsh. Diageo are the owners of Johnnie Walker whisky and are planning to shut plants in Glasgow and Kilmarnock and outsource jobs at Shieldhall, Hurlford and Elgin with the loss of hundreds of jobs across Scotland. This company made a profit of over £2 billion last year but is still looking to slash jobs and destroy a tradition in the communities who make Johnnie Walker - incredibly it has been made in Kilmarnock since it was first created in 1820!
Please sign the letter too and add your name to the thousands of voices telling the Diageo that the people and communities will be decimated by their plans are the very same people and communities that have built the company over the past 185 years.
You can read the letter to Diageo's Chief Executive here:
http://action.unitetheunion.com/dontwalkoutonus
Thanks
OUR HEALTH IS NOT THEIR WEALTH
OUR HEALTH
The government is rolling out 250 new "GP-led health centres" (or polyclinics) across the UK. The super-surgeries are part of Lord Darzi's plan for the National Health Service.
They will use a new contract model, called the Alternative Provider of Medical Services, or APMS, which encourages the private sector to take over GP services.
Camden and Hackney Keep Our NHS Public groups are waging vigorous campaigns against the GP-led health centres/ polyclinics planned by their local Primary Care Trusts, and have enlisted support from GPs, other health workers and the local community.
Some 50 GP-led health centres are already in existence - another 200 are in the pipeline across the UK.
No research has been done on whether the centres/polyclinics are needed, and it seems likely they will compete with traditional GP surgeries for patients.
Contact KONP national office for resources and advice on campaigning against the new GP-led centres/ polyclinics.
BMA shows the way
The British Medical Association (BMA) is running a campaign against the sell-off of GP surgeries
URGENT CALL TO ALL NHS CAMPAIGNERS
Join our national campaign to say:
PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS MUST
SIGN NO MORE CONTRACTS
WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES
We have reached a very dangerous turning point with privatisation of NHS services. The government is forcing Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to split their commissioning (purchasing of services) from their provider (service provision) functions to further the government's aim to develop the National Health Service as a commercial healthcare market.
This process has been speeded up with the
Transforming Community Services (TCS)
programme and the Department of Health document
"Enabling New Patterns of Provision".
What must PCTs do and by when?
The government gave PCTs a deadline of April 2009 to split commissioning from service provision functions. By October 2009 PCTs must have drawn up detailed business plans for "transforming" local services, setting out how they will promote "contestability and competition"; "increase patient choice" (another name for introducing privatisation); improve service provision and agree on an "organisational form" for their future operation.
The PCTs commissioner/provider split is an open invitation to the private sector to bid for PCT services.
PCTs must end private sector contracts
OUR HEALTH IS NOT THEIR WEALTH
Keep Our NHS Public is urging all local KONP groups and health campaigners to demand that their local PCT stop signing contracts with private companies.
Lobby your local Health Scrutiny Committee (find out where and when it meets on your local council's website)
Lobby your local Primary Care Trust Board (find out where and when they meet on their website)
Lobby your local MPs (remember, there is an election coming up next year - find your local MPs at www.writetothem.com).
Organise public meetings and tell public and patients what is happening - sign up the people who come to Keep Our NHS Public and start spreading the word. More information from UNISON on the PCT commissioner/provider split
SPECIAL APPEAL FOR FUNDS
Keep Our NHS Public is in constant need of funds to carry on its work Organising against NHS privatisation.
Please help by filling in our standing order form, and campaigning locally for trade unions, pensioners' groups, community groups and others to join or affiliate to us.
Keep Our NHS Public |
19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 |
www.keepournhspublic.com
Remove me from this list |
=
-----------------
Forwarded Message:
Subj: Keep Our NHS Public August e-news - PATIENTS NOT PROFITS
Date: 05/08/2009 13:26:19 GMT Standard Time
From: konpadmin@keepournhspublic.com
To: Patrickjdainley@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)
If you don't want to be on our mailing list, you can unsubscribe here>>
Stop the sell-off of GP surgeries to big private healthcare companies
OUR HEALTH
IS NOT THEIR WEALTH
The government is rolling out 250 new "GP-led health centres" (or polyclinics) across the UK. The super-surgeries are part of Lord Darzi's plan for the National Health Service.
They will use a new contract model, called the Alternative Provider of Medical Services, or APMS, which encourages the private sector to take over GP services.
Camden and Hackney Keep Our NHS Public groups are waging vigorous campaigns against the GP-led health centres/ polyclinics planned by their local Primary Care Trusts, and have enlisted support from GPs, other health workers and the local community.
Some 50 GP-led health centres are already in existence - another 200 are in the pipeline across the UK.
No research has been done on whether the centres/polyclinics are needed, and it seems likely they will compete with traditional GP surgeries for patients.
Contact KONP national office for resources and advice on campaigning against the new GP-led centres/ polyclinics.
BMA shows the way
The British Medical Association (BMA) is running a campaign against the sell-off of GP surgeries
URGENT CALL TO ALL NHS CAMPAIGNERS
Join our national campaign to say:
PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS MUST
SIGN NO MORE CONTRACTS
WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES
We have reached a very dangerous turning point with privatisation of NHS services. The government is forcing Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to split their commissioning (purchasing of services) from their provider (service provision) functions to further the government's aim to develop the National Health Service as a commercial healthcare market.
This process has been speeded up with the
Transforming Community Services (TCS)
programme and the Department of Health document
"Enabling New Patterns of Provision".
What must PCTs do and by when?
The government gave PCTs a deadline of April 2009 to split commissioning from service provision functions. By October 2009 PCTs must have drawn up detailed business plans for "transforming" local services, setting out how they will promote "contestability and competition"; "increase patient choice" (another name for introducing privatisation); improve service provision and agree on an "organisational form" for their future operation.
The PCTs commissioner/provider split is an open invitation to the private sector to bid for PCT services.
PCTs must end private sector contracts
OUR HEALTH IS NOT THEIR WEALTH
Keep Our NHS Public is urging all local KONP groups and health campaigners to demand that their local PCT stop signing contracts with private companies.
Lobby your local Health Scrutiny Committee (find out where and when it meets on your local council's website)
Lobby your local Primary Care Trust Board (find out where and when they meet on their website)
Lobby your local MPs (remember, there is an election coming up next year - find your local MPs at www.writetothem.com).
Organise public meetings and tell public and patients what is happening - sign up the people who come to Keep Our NHS Public and start spreading the word. More information from UNISON on the PCT commissioner/provider split
SPECIAL APPEAL FOR FUNDS
Keep Our NHS Public is in constant need of funds to carry on its work Organising against NHS privatisation.
Please help by filling in our standing order form, and campaigning locally for trade unions, pensioners' groups, community groups and others to join or affiliate to us.
Keep Our NHS Public |
19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 |
www.keepournhspublic.com
Remove me from this list |
=
The government is rolling out 250 new "GP-led health centres" (or polyclinics) across the UK. The super-surgeries are part of Lord Darzi's plan for the National Health Service.
They will use a new contract model, called the Alternative Provider of Medical Services, or APMS, which encourages the private sector to take over GP services.
Camden and Hackney Keep Our NHS Public groups are waging vigorous campaigns against the GP-led health centres/ polyclinics planned by their local Primary Care Trusts, and have enlisted support from GPs, other health workers and the local community.
Some 50 GP-led health centres are already in existence - another 200 are in the pipeline across the UK.
No research has been done on whether the centres/polyclinics are needed, and it seems likely they will compete with traditional GP surgeries for patients.
Contact KONP national office for resources and advice on campaigning against the new GP-led centres/ polyclinics.
BMA shows the way
The British Medical Association (BMA) is running a campaign against the sell-off of GP surgeries
URGENT CALL TO ALL NHS CAMPAIGNERS
Join our national campaign to say:
PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS MUST
SIGN NO MORE CONTRACTS
WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES
We have reached a very dangerous turning point with privatisation of NHS services. The government is forcing Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to split their commissioning (purchasing of services) from their provider (service provision) functions to further the government's aim to develop the National Health Service as a commercial healthcare market.
This process has been speeded up with the
Transforming Community Services (TCS)
programme and the Department of Health document
"Enabling New Patterns of Provision".
What must PCTs do and by when?
The government gave PCTs a deadline of April 2009 to split commissioning from service provision functions. By October 2009 PCTs must have drawn up detailed business plans for "transforming" local services, setting out how they will promote "contestability and competition"; "increase patient choice" (another name for introducing privatisation); improve service provision and agree on an "organisational form" for their future operation.
The PCTs commissioner/provider split is an open invitation to the private sector to bid for PCT services.
PCTs must end private sector contracts
OUR HEALTH IS NOT THEIR WEALTH
Keep Our NHS Public is urging all local KONP groups and health campaigners to demand that their local PCT stop signing contracts with private companies.
Lobby your local Health Scrutiny Committee (find out where and when it meets on your local council's website)
Lobby your local Primary Care Trust Board (find out where and when they meet on their website)
Lobby your local MPs (remember, there is an election coming up next year - find your local MPs at www.writetothem.com).
Organise public meetings and tell public and patients what is happening - sign up the people who come to Keep Our NHS Public and start spreading the word. More information from UNISON on the PCT commissioner/provider split
SPECIAL APPEAL FOR FUNDS
Keep Our NHS Public is in constant need of funds to carry on its work Organising against NHS privatisation.
Please help by filling in our standing order form, and campaigning locally for trade unions, pensioners' groups, community groups and others to join or affiliate to us.
Keep Our NHS Public |
19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 |
www.keepournhspublic.com
Remove me from this list |
=
-----------------
Forwarded Message:
Subj: Keep Our NHS Public August e-news - PATIENTS NOT PROFITS
Date: 05/08/2009 13:26:19 GMT Standard Time
From: konpadmin@keepournhspublic.com
To: Patrickjdainley@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)
If you don't want to be on our mailing list, you can unsubscribe here>>
Stop the sell-off of GP surgeries to big private healthcare companies
OUR HEALTH
IS NOT THEIR WEALTH
The government is rolling out 250 new "GP-led health centres" (or polyclinics) across the UK. The super-surgeries are part of Lord Darzi's plan for the National Health Service.
They will use a new contract model, called the Alternative Provider of Medical Services, or APMS, which encourages the private sector to take over GP services.
Camden and Hackney Keep Our NHS Public groups are waging vigorous campaigns against the GP-led health centres/ polyclinics planned by their local Primary Care Trusts, and have enlisted support from GPs, other health workers and the local community.
Some 50 GP-led health centres are already in existence - another 200 are in the pipeline across the UK.
No research has been done on whether the centres/polyclinics are needed, and it seems likely they will compete with traditional GP surgeries for patients.
Contact KONP national office for resources and advice on campaigning against the new GP-led centres/ polyclinics.
BMA shows the way
The British Medical Association (BMA) is running a campaign against the sell-off of GP surgeries
URGENT CALL TO ALL NHS CAMPAIGNERS
Join our national campaign to say:
PRIMARY CARE TRUSTS MUST
SIGN NO MORE CONTRACTS
WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES
We have reached a very dangerous turning point with privatisation of NHS services. The government is forcing Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to split their commissioning (purchasing of services) from their provider (service provision) functions to further the government's aim to develop the National Health Service as a commercial healthcare market.
This process has been speeded up with the
Transforming Community Services (TCS)
programme and the Department of Health document
"Enabling New Patterns of Provision".
What must PCTs do and by when?
The government gave PCTs a deadline of April 2009 to split commissioning from service provision functions. By October 2009 PCTs must have drawn up detailed business plans for "transforming" local services, setting out how they will promote "contestability and competition"; "increase patient choice" (another name for introducing privatisation); improve service provision and agree on an "organisational form" for their future operation.
The PCTs commissioner/provider split is an open invitation to the private sector to bid for PCT services.
PCTs must end private sector contracts
OUR HEALTH IS NOT THEIR WEALTH
Keep Our NHS Public is urging all local KONP groups and health campaigners to demand that their local PCT stop signing contracts with private companies.
Lobby your local Health Scrutiny Committee (find out where and when it meets on your local council's website)
Lobby your local Primary Care Trust Board (find out where and when they meet on their website)
Lobby your local MPs (remember, there is an election coming up next year - find your local MPs at www.writetothem.com).
Organise public meetings and tell public and patients what is happening - sign up the people who come to Keep Our NHS Public and start spreading the word. More information from UNISON on the PCT commissioner/provider split
SPECIAL APPEAL FOR FUNDS
Keep Our NHS Public is in constant need of funds to carry on its work Organising against NHS privatisation.
Please help by filling in our standing order form, and campaigning locally for trade unions, pensioners' groups, community groups and others to join or affiliate to us.
Keep Our NHS Public |
19 Vincent Terrace, London, N1 |
www.keepournhspublic.com
Remove me from this list |
=
Vestas Demos 12 August and reports from Vestas
VESTAS: National Day of Action
Start: 12 Aug 2009, 6:30 pm
Where:
Nationwide/London - Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) , 3 Whitehall Place
VESTAS : National Day of Action, Wednesday 12th August
London Vestas Rally, 6.30 pm
Outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC ) 6.30 pm
On Friday the 7th August the bailiffs went in and the occupation of the Vestas wind turbine plant on the Isle of Wight ended.
In response to this a National Day of Action in support of the Vestas workers and to keep the factory open, for Green Jobs and a Green Energy Revolution, was declared. There will be actions all around the country organised by a diverse range of groups. See here or here (right hand column, scroll down to "Upcoming Solidarity Actions and Meetings") Or contact your local CCC group, or Union –
ANDY HEWETT writes
A national day of action has been called this Wednesday in support of the Vestas workers and the demand for green jobs. Events are being planned in communities, towns and workplaces up and down the couuntry, I forward details (below) of one I have heard about in Haringey, please circulate and also pass on details of any others you may know about - it is important that we build this campaign.
I was down on the island again on Saturday; Derek Wall, Kate Tansley and Arthur Hayles travelled down with me from the Greens, also accompanying us was Phil Thornhill from CACC.
A few hundred rallied in the centre of Newport, where amongst the many speakers were a number of the Vestas workers, RMT reps, the local Labour PPC, people form the local community (vital to build on the support they have given), Phil T and representatives from the SWP and Workers Climate Action. Kate said a few words on behalf of the London Greens. We met up with some of the IOW Green Party as we joined the march up to the factory carry the London Green Party banner and placards. We also met up with a Green who had travelled down from Worthing - a Unison member who was interested in our Trades Union Group.
In glorious sunshine (in contrast to the soaking we got outside DECC on Thursday) the march proceeded to enter the factory grounds despite the best efforts of the hired security. To our great surprise the police were very cooperative in letting us through, advising the security to stand down.
We gathered outside the main doors of the factory and chanted noisily, demanding that the director come out and speak to us, but of course there was no sight of him. The demo was in high spirits, and eventually the police allowed us to leave peacefully when the Vestas workers decided that we had made our point clear (they have been given the final say in decisions taken throughout the occupation and protest, contrary to some adverse propaganda put about by those who wish to undermine what they were fighting for).
I handed over a cheque to their campaign on behalf of GPTU from a collection we had made. I have also made contact with workers with a view to bringing them to speak at events in the near future.
But as the workers themselves have said, the fight is not yet over. Please do everything you can to keep up the pressure and support on Wednesday and over the coming weeks and months
Workers FOR the world unite!
Andy
Start: 12 Aug 2009, 6:30 pm
Where:
Nationwide/London - Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) , 3 Whitehall Place
VESTAS : National Day of Action, Wednesday 12th August
London Vestas Rally, 6.30 pm
Outside the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC ) 6.30 pm
On Friday the 7th August the bailiffs went in and the occupation of the Vestas wind turbine plant on the Isle of Wight ended.
In response to this a National Day of Action in support of the Vestas workers and to keep the factory open, for Green Jobs and a Green Energy Revolution, was declared. There will be actions all around the country organised by a diverse range of groups. See here or here (right hand column, scroll down to "Upcoming Solidarity Actions and Meetings") Or contact your local CCC group, or Union –
ANDY HEWETT writes
A national day of action has been called this Wednesday in support of the Vestas workers and the demand for green jobs. Events are being planned in communities, towns and workplaces up and down the couuntry, I forward details (below) of one I have heard about in Haringey, please circulate and also pass on details of any others you may know about - it is important that we build this campaign.
I was down on the island again on Saturday; Derek Wall, Kate Tansley and Arthur Hayles travelled down with me from the Greens, also accompanying us was Phil Thornhill from CACC.
A few hundred rallied in the centre of Newport, where amongst the many speakers were a number of the Vestas workers, RMT reps, the local Labour PPC, people form the local community (vital to build on the support they have given), Phil T and representatives from the SWP and Workers Climate Action. Kate said a few words on behalf of the London Greens. We met up with some of the IOW Green Party as we joined the march up to the factory carry the London Green Party banner and placards. We also met up with a Green who had travelled down from Worthing - a Unison member who was interested in our Trades Union Group.
In glorious sunshine (in contrast to the soaking we got outside DECC on Thursday) the march proceeded to enter the factory grounds despite the best efforts of the hired security. To our great surprise the police were very cooperative in letting us through, advising the security to stand down.
We gathered outside the main doors of the factory and chanted noisily, demanding that the director come out and speak to us, but of course there was no sight of him. The demo was in high spirits, and eventually the police allowed us to leave peacefully when the Vestas workers decided that we had made our point clear (they have been given the final say in decisions taken throughout the occupation and protest, contrary to some adverse propaganda put about by those who wish to undermine what they were fighting for).
I handed over a cheque to their campaign on behalf of GPTU from a collection we had made. I have also made contact with workers with a view to bringing them to speak at events in the near future.
But as the workers themselves have said, the fight is not yet over. Please do everything you can to keep up the pressure and support on Wednesday and over the coming weeks and months
Workers FOR the world unite!
Andy
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