NSSN 77 with Teresa Mackay

The silence from some the trade union leaders over further action against the
Government’s plan to make public sector workers work longer, pay more and get
less has been deafening! Support for N30 was phenomenal with all those
participating in the magnificent marches and rallies all over the country were
as one in looking to that day as just the beginning of the campaign – not the
end! April 1st is the Government’s implementation date, which coming
increasingly closer. But yesterday we have seen a light at the end of the
tunnel as the PCS and NUT National Executive Committees have agreed to launch a
consultative survey to build for on-going pensions action. This will open on
24 February for national strike on Wednesday 28 March! They do not see this
as winding down the campaign but giving it a new momentum where they will
re-group ‘a coalition of the willing’ to counter those right wing unions
who have decided to withdraw from the battle. Pressure must be increased the
other unions so that our General Secretaries hear the message loud and clear
– we need more action not less so let’s begin to build for 28 March!

With the FBU Executive Council recommendation that there is a rapid move to
prepare a strike ballot over fire service pensions & Unite balloting NHS
members on the offer, everything moves forward again.
http://www.fbu.org.uk/?p=5218
http://tinyurl.com/6utsxa5

As part of the campaign against pension cuts, Unions will be appealing against
the High Court on Feb 20th over moving from RPI to CPI (word play for working
longer and paying more!). This is affecting both public and private sector
workers such as BA, RSA and the Pensions Trust. Unite is calling for a large
protest in the morning.

Save the NHS! Under the Health and Social Care Bill self-governing Foundation
Trusts will be allowed to raise 49% of funds through non-NHS work so fee-paying
private patients will get priority over NHS patients. There will be increased
competition between hospitals for resources leading to more cuts and closures.
A leaked NHS report showed that private companies will direct the commissioning
of patient services when 80% of the health budget is transferred to GP
consortia!

Support the actions on Wednesday 7 March, but we would take this a step further
& demand that the TUC call a massive Saturday demo as a part of a determined
united campaign to save and rebuild our NHS, calling on trade unions to strike
against this Bill. The alternative will be to see its implementation after
Easter! Also sign ‘Drop the Health Bill’ - e-petition.
epetitions.direct.gov.uk

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NSSN 6th Annual National Conference: Saturday 9th June, London
NEWS: BOB CROW, RMT leader to speak! http://tinyurl.com/7y2vsx7
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DISPUTES & UPDATES…………………………………………………

Stagecoach South Yorkshire – Strike Day 11 – management getting desperate,
is doing everything to try to break this strike. Since November, they have
bussed in management and scabs. http://www.shopstewards.net/news.245.htm

Sparks and the law – As they are dragging it out in the local law court,
wasting £1000’s rank and file members and UNITE will taking part in a
national day of action next Wednesday 15th Feb. (And for all those who didn’t
get to put on their glad rags the night before, the ECA Awards dinner is also
on the 15th) http://jibelectrician.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/241483325933453/ Full details in ‘Diary’

RMT gets £500 Olympics payment for more workers & has secured a pay rise to
£8 for Eurostar cleaners. http://tinyurl.com/7kmlpdx 25,000 London bus workers
who are members of Unite are also being balloted over the £500 Olympic award.

Oil tanker drivers, employed by haulage firm Wincanton on the ConocoPhillips
contract to deliver fuel to Jet forecourts, began their second week of strike
action http://www.shopstewards.net/news.244.htm

Unilever management are now in talks with conciliation service ACAS, the
national officers of the joint trade unions - Unite, Usdaw and GMB - statement:
"We welcome the fact that Unilever has at last recognised its responsibility to
talk to us about a possible resolution to the dispute. However, it is very
early days and the dispute will continue until proposals have been put forward
that are acceptable to our members."

Following today's (9 February) announcement from Bombardier that its Derby
plant is secure for the next three years, Unite has called on the government to
learn lessons from its mistakes and ensure there is not a repeat of the
Thameslink fiasco. UNITE: "The Department for Transport must now construct the
bidding process for new train contracts so that UK based manufacturers can
compete on a level playing field.”

Private companies to profit from public debt - collecting the money owed to
government will mean more private companies profiting from public debt, PCS
warns. Take it this is not big corporate tax dodgers eh?
http://tinyurl.com/86zjn7r

RMT & Railways: A NEW REPORT commissioned by rail union RMT reveals that two
decades of private profiteering, alongside years of underinvestment in
infra-structure while fares have gone through the roof, and UK’s railways at
the bottom of the league compared to other parts of Europe.
http://tinyurl.com/7ctrdum

Bromley Council has announced that they intend moving away from the National
Agreement for Local Authority workers.

Bin Collectors across Stoke-on-Trent are planning to vote on strike action to
defend their pay. The council wants to tear up their contracts and force
workers to 'drop pay bands' which means they will lose up £90 a week!

Birmingham 40 years ago - 30,000 engineers walked out in solidarity with
striking miners over pay cuts. Bill Mullins, NSSN officer, then rep, was part
of this action report will be added to our website.
http://www.saltleygate.co.uk/

VICTIMISATION……………………………………………..

Len Hockey - Good News! Health bosses back off from attack on Unison rep joint
Unison branch secretary at Whipps Cross hospital in London, received a letter
from his employer Initial stating that there is no case to answer. As soon as
the threat to Len was raised, with a unanimous show of hands an emergency
meeting of Unison members agreed to prepare for strike action and to demand the
London region of Unison do everything in their power to defend Len. Emails of
protest flooded in to the employer from all over the country, and to Unison to
demand they defend Len.

Overwhelming votes for action on Heathrow Express over sacking of driver and
victimisation of RMT activist. Nearly 80% have voted to strike in a ballot of
drivers over the sacking of driver member Zahid Majid and over 80% for strike
action in a ballot of all Heathrow Express staff over the continued
victimisation of RMT rep Liaqat Ali.
http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=155156

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INTERNATIONAL…………………………………………………

GREECE
Greek workers have just begun another 48-hour general strike after 24 hours
earlier this week. http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5571

IRELAND
Sat Feb 11 March with the Vita Cortex Workers 2:00pm until 4:00pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/160905400689547/
Campaign against household charges is growing http://nohouseholdtax.org/

BRAZIL
Police took strike action over pay last week & then occupied a key government
building. Over 300 have been surrounded by the army in a stand off.

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DIARY See http://tinyurl.com/79wpk2d for other dates & details
And please send us dates of budget meeting protests that are currently
happening.

Sat 11th Feb
Scottish Rank & File meeting Glasgow @ STUC Woodlands Rd 10am -1pm

Mon 13 February

NSSN Staffordshire "Solidarity with workers in struggle!" 7.30 pm
With workers from Unilever, Remploy, PCS & NUT –
Sacred Hearts Social Centre corner of Downey St & Regent Rd, Hanley ST1 3BY.

Tue 14 February
London Keep Our NHS Public meeting, Camden Town Hall, WC1 7:00pm
Save the DVLA Protest Trafalgar Street Office Brighton 12:30pm

Wed 15th Feb
Sparks National Day of Action
6am - Connoco Phillips in Immingham, Sellafield, Ratcliffe, Grangemouth
5.30pm - protest @ employers' awards - Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London

Southampton Unite & Unison lobby of the Council 1.00 - 2.00 p.m

Thurs 16 Feb
No Cuts! Barking against the Cuts Broadway Theatre 7:30pm

SAT 18th Feb
Health and Safety at Work with London Hazards Centre 13:00 - 17:00 Contact:
info@lawas.org.uk or a text: 07412 396713. (Spanish with English translation)

Mon 20th Feb
Unisons will be appealing against the High Court ruling over pensions moving
from RPI to CPI. 8.30am – 10am Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, WC1

Tue 22 February
Kirklees Save Our Services are organising a lobby of Kirklees Council 4pm

Sat 25 Feb
Protest against Tory Local Government Conference, Leeds

Wed 7 March
Save our NHS National rally and lobby of Parliament. London
http://tinyurl.com/7l6rqrq

Wed 28th March
Proposed STRIKE day of action over pension cuts – NUT & PCS

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Please donate or affiliate to support the NSSN.

Email: info@shopstewards.net

Phone: 07952 283 558

Post: PO Box 54498, London E10 9D


Web: www.shopstewards.net

Twitter: NSSN_AntiCuts

Main FB group http://tinyurl.com/4yckq5j
FB NSSN ‘Stop the cuts’ http://tinyurl.com/7esg2gp

MA Evaluation of the Practical Project Jan 2012

REPRESENTING RESISTANCE: PERFORMING RESISTANCE
REALWORLD CONTEXT & Relevance:

Whilst working on evaluation of the practical research, part of the over arching theme of representing resistance: performing resistance, I have also been updating and developing the documentary production. So this written evaluation is in 3 parts, a written report, an updated work in progress of the documentary and part of the Q & A after a screening.

The subject of political representation, which the 47 projects re-raise, and what are the potential alternatives to capitalism, is very current. Last week the General Sec of Unite, challenged the labour leadership over its over move to the right and acceptance of the need for ‘austerity’. Unite’s national policy is against all cuts and is one of the largest funders of the Labour Party.

Returning to the Liverpool location, with labour council cuts of £141 million over two years, a raging debate on what the council is doing and what impact that is having continues. "If Labour is saying it will continue with the same policies [as the coalition], why would you vote for them?

This weekend sees a newly formed coalition of Trade Unisons and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) meet in London to discuss standing in elections with trades unions such as the RMT and POA seriously considering fielding candidates.

The timely nature of this project does add more pressure on its development and completion. Overall this practical project is behind, in terms of deadlines, behind in terms of gathering and analyzing the research and the necessary academic process that could take the bridge from the practical project to a dissertation, whatever form that is. Question to self: Step up or Step back in the coming weeks?

PROJECT Method & Practice:
This MA has been an important step to develop a layered audiovisual project on the relevance of the 'Liverpool 47', surcharged councilors in local government office between 1983- 1987. It is a joint project with a long-term collaborator, Lisa Lonsdale, who had suggested it back in 2006. Her main role has been as editor.

This whole project challenges the idea any created medium is objective and that objectively and fair distribution representing a variety of perspectives and stories is balanced across the media. I will refer to this more in terms of how I tried get screening I Liverpool and also marketing support.

The overall methodological process fits within the Action Research model as described by Whisker (256: 2001) “ an opportunity to try out an idea...to assess and evaluate effects. then move to apply it further” it also fits a collaborative & reflective method of working which requires “working with other people to discuss, plan, test, retry, ensure validity”. (Whisker: 256: 2001).

The methods and process are part of a multi-layered approach that is hugely time consuming but for me, each medium with which I work, or process, another overlaps, expands, develops and contributes. No one idea, or process is sufficient. This is continually expressed in how I am marked within this MA. In May 2011 I gave in 3 pieces as my practical production, including a 40-minute documentary style project - skeleton verbal narrative, a 2000 word document to explore where the project was, aesthetics, collaborative challenges and debates, plus a recording of an hour presentation and feedback event for Cultural Memory students. Each part of the process is important to the work, methods, my learning style and project development.

However, looking back I spent several weeks in the digital gallery on two occasions and had not requested I be marked on that as part of the practical manifestation of the research, nor images I had created in the period of the MA which I had used & continue to use. Why? Perhaps my ongoing self-consciousness about being some kind of 'artist' meant that I didn't feel I could or should be marked in that way.

Almost to challenge this I will reflect on a picture which I think expresses this project and themes and still speaks to others and me one year after it was taken (Front Cover of this evaluation). A question arises, maybe one image, was all that was needed? And it was a lack of confidence and editing ability to strip down the essence of the work, which alone was able to open up a discussion, engage in debate around the struggles against cuts that have been ongoing.

The picture has been read as a reflection to the student occupations, as mass mediated images of the taking over Millbank by those attending the gallery and in discussions. It can, and has been, read externally by others as referring to the riots and the damage to property, which was again the main focus of mass media representation and discussion. The image, for me, also speaks of the internal and external crisis of capitalism, and the shattering of illusions that over and over again exposed themselves in small and larger scale ways. It is now placed inside the film as one interviewee talks about what made her get involved and the shame of being unemployed, being broken.

In a book written about the Liverpool 47 campaign, ‘The City that dared to fight’, refers to Trotsky writings, on the Russian Revolution and 'great months of slander'. As a reference to the way in which the mainstream and local media represented the campaign. "When it comes to a threat against their material interests, the educated classes set in motion all the prejudices and confusions which humanity is dragging in its wagon train behind it. " (Trotsky: 322: 1988). With this practice model of creating a project, which also had a Trotskiest political leadership within the 47 councilors, how much of this is applicable now? And particularly with new technologies which I heavy rely upon for research, production and research.

Between May and December last year, in the evaluation period the documentary project was further reviewed using some of the feedback we had gained. We needed more relevance of today, more archives of the mainstream press, evidence, local cutaways and general ‘movement’. All of which most mainstream campaign or campaign documentaries include but without them, it could easily be read as 6 individuals looking back a small event. The mainstream media archive material added credibility to the arguments that the tools of the state, as Marxists and Trotsky refers to, were used against a Labour council challenging the ideas of Capitalism.

I returned to Liverpool in August, to access some archives around the project that had been provided to Liverpool Libraries by a group of the Liverpool 47 councilors and supporters several years ago. These archives were still not publicly accessible or had been categorized and I had been in touch for over a year to request access. This again expressed questions around who puts this material in the public domain.

I also met several of the participants, one reminded me of the fact this city had a one off event called "CITY OF RADICALS' (CoR) and the Liverpool 47 were not featured or programmed within that. For the ‘Liverpool 47’ and those who supported them, this was another example of how that struggle was not recognized, suppressed or represented. It was an important opportunity to test out the idea of whether the 47 campaigns were being consciously hidden.

From this I contacted CoR via their website and despite several emails over 9 weeks I got no reply. I finally got a reply from the Artistic director of the Bluecoat who were the main organizers of the festival, forwarding one of the first emails and asked how work was programmed and why my email had not been responded to. (APPENDIX 1) I was told it was a self-selecting program and no one was being censored. However I am aware several elements such as the ‘Democratic Promenade’ had artists chosen, funded and marketed – Is this really a democratic model of curation and distribution of ideas?

Over the same period I contacted several organizations including Unity Theatre and FACT to hire or access screening and discussion space. Only Unity got back in touch, and that was in largely to do with a past connection with a member of staff and it was still a paid hire so unlike many of the other CoR events. Representing and Performing Resistance on the 47 was not on a level footing with other projects.

It then took several emails (and conversations) to get the project information onto the CoR website and finally via their social networking sites including twitter. So whatever is said about a democratic, self-selecting project, without the same financial resources as other works had and without significant promotion, representing and exploring controversial working class history was again going to be bubble beneath the surface. For those involved in the 47 that I had been in touch with, they were extremely pleased that something, however small and however late, was on this program, was acknowledging that struggle.

As I had some years online marketing experience, I made some use of the CoR website link via emails, Twitter and Facebook. Through past relationships (which I would argue has assisted throughout this project from participant access through to venues) Sheffield Documentary Festival & the Trade Union & Socialist Campaign re-tweeted information, both with significant followings. Attendance was important but raising the profile of the 47 and the an alternative to cuts was paramount to me. CoR finally did add something to their social networking sites but only in the last 24 hours prior to screening and after emails expressing concern about why this project was not given the profile via project marketing that other pieces had. (APPENDIX 2)

Space and impact (& possibility) I added some props to the space. So visitors could feel and see some more layers to the work. One of the interviewees had a t-pot of Thatcher and was encouraged to allow it out and give it a place on set. Books from other participants and papers were added, a clock with one of the children of an interviewee born in the midst of the campaign was hung up and recent campaign t-shirts. It was commented upon by several attendees that that worked and made sense to them to have them there.

Some FEEDBACK from the screening itself - 49 paid attendees came to the theatre screening, several apologies by text and some people could not get away from work.

1. Discussion recorded at screening after November screening:
This was mainly a discussion about what was happening now and some elements about what happened then and some small film specific feedback. Most of the film participants were on the platform, bar one who was sick and could not attend and another who was the most uncomfortable appearing on screen, though she did contribute from where she was seated twice, developing confidence building and understanding of her role in the struggles past. (Fuller Comments in APPENDIX 3)

Further responses after the work in progress Screening on 17th November 2011 In the pub 10.20-1am - I should have arranged for all those who wanted to go, to go to the same pub, in a city so small we ended up in 4 different pubs and some of the newer people to the event were not at the pub I went to. (APPENDIX 3.2)

2. Emails from audience attendees that I did not know - I have chosen those as that gives some sense of wider audience engagement, this expressed an interest, some critical comments on imagery and also that it had inspired them. (APPENDIX 3.3)

3. More: I also got a text from one of 47 councilors "Thank you for a thoughtful and beautiful film& I am re- inspired', so much so she also offered to bring round some additional material and information the following day. Material from 'not the echo' the local campaign magazine about race and Liverpool, also who else could be interviewed about city council and socialism.

I did email all participants a questionnaire about the project and sadly no one responded to that, to other conversations and stating they were interested in its development. I will need to call or meet them, which seem to be the most effective way to gain feedback and create engagement.

4.Since then I have been challenged by political representatives over who is in it and who interviewed. This will just be the start of a challenging defense of the project, that I also have to prepare for inside and outside of academia.

Project ETHICS specifically representation: Class & Gender
Working class representation has been key within this project, not generally but how have working class people in a period of time taken charge political leadership with a socialist programe and what that meant. The recent examples of demonizing the working class, part manifested through the use of 'chavs' and those deserving and undeserving 'poor' is more than just play, it expresses an ideological intention to show a grouping, however loose, however contested, as incapable of functioning in society properly, least of all taking it over! This was in contrast to bankers taking bonuses and gaining huge pensions despite causing the recent economic crisis. Within this article there is reference to a report within The Telegraph, "Many people have use chav as a smoke screen for their hatred of the working classes' he goes onto to argue this is used to justify inequality (Douglas: 2011: 18).

I consciously and practically ensured that women were within this piece, noting that if I had left it to just those who were keen to speak, that would have mainly been men but is it enough? Does it really make any difference in how women see themselves, working class women and what influence could and does that make on any struggle or campaign? This is still to be fully extracted from the participants.

Even at the post screening discussion it was men who were clearly more confident at speaking publicly so I worked hard to engage those from the floor more quickly so they did not just hear from those who had practice at contributing in a public space.

There is an ongoing need I have, to understand some basic and more complex concepts of editing and spatial montage, and though the project has a few moments where it could be said that the work displays this, the exhibition format manifested this more strongly. The updated version shown in Liverpool in Nov 2011, had more split screen work, much of it was more of the show and tell, based visualization of the story but using archive material such as legal documents and media articles to evidence and express the factors that were within this debate and have also influenced why this project has been created - to re- raise a invisible struggle against thatcher ideology. There is also some shots just allowing music and some words and names of those involved there, to give space and time for work to be considered so its not a bombardment of idea and argument after argument. There is huge amounts of work and consideration needed on the graphics and sound too.

As it was decided to use documentary as more accessible than a gallery project for audience access and diversity what was missing by not providing actual objects re-assembled, collected and added to day by day? Installation allowed for evolving, engaging, developing conversations and tactile layers.

WHAT NEXT? Documentary or MA dissertation or can one be both?

The Documentary needs more moving image material past and present, Archives from mainstream TV which have a huge cost implication if to be distributed, distribution strategy and marketing support, another editor, sound mix, fundraising strategy such as what is used in the trade union and campaign movement, which Mclibel – Spanner films now call ‘crowd funding’. This is almost a full time project, if I move forward with it but it will be limited, rushed and basic. So perhaps it’s a chapter, and other could be around housing and the current housing crisis and the 47.

The question also is what will take for me to complete this MA? How to critically analyze the use of social networks to debate and develop discussions around the Liverpool 47, and more wider discussions around a new workers party and socialist ideas. Or what difference can a film make? Can a film make a difference?


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Douglas: K 'Writing off the working class?' (2011) In Socialism Today Issue 153 : Socialist Party: London
‘How Ed Miliband's cuts policy is dividing Labour's heartlands’

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/20/miliband-labour-cuts-liverpool-reaction?newsfeed=true (Booth, R) 20.1.2012
‘Labour’s embrace of austerity fails working people and their party’

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/labour_s_embrace_of_austerity.aspx Unite Press Release (16.1.2012)

Taafe, P & Mulhern T (1988) 'The months of great slander' in 'Liverpool City that dared to fight' Fortress books, London
The Postgraduate Research Handbook, G Whisker Macmillan 2011

‘What can Grounded Theorists and action researchers learn from each other?’ Bob Dick in ‘The sage book of grounded theory’ A Bryant, K Charmaz (SAGE)

Thain, M (2011) Art Mass Production’ Manny Thain in 'Socialism Today' Issue No. 153 Socialist Party, London
Williams, G (2011) Shafted: The Media, The miners Strike & the aftermath () Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
ORAL - in Person, observations and discussions. Ongoing process of attending meetings of trade unionists, anti cuts campaigners, socialists 2-6 times a week that are part of the huge and ongoing oral process of exchanging ideas and develop process. I could not begin to name and note which ones have influenced this work but the combination of them all and the ongoing need for collective discussions and actions to make change. There have also been huge amounts of industrial actions from picket lines through to wildcat strikes and roadblocks instigated. All of these actively feed into this, here and now. 





APPENDIX 1.
Correspondence with City of Radicals Director







APPENDIX 2

Another Email Request for City of Radicals to market the film


APPENDIX 3
Summary Feedback at he Q & A (recorded)

One young woman whose parents were involved said it inspired her, but that she also would be willing to help in whatever what that was to develop and distribute the project.

Another representative of the Free University in Liverpool - said it was moving - they could do to assist in it being screened and distributed.

Several remarked on the role of the media in not presenting the struggle audience member asked how we were dealing with the media.

One person asked for more moving image and images of the achievements.

2. Conversations as feedback
One woman said it had inspired her as much as seeing a Michael Moores film - she had no time but was willing to contribute money.

- Another Felt that the work did not go into the controversial side about the redundancy notices, Sam bond and role of militant in the leadership. Felt it was propaganda for the Socialist party (formerly militant). Wanted to collaborate on project but on the basis of those elements being at the fore. This person is a well-established photographer who has profile and standing and could do this alone.

- Several reflected on the timely nature of the project and getting it screened in more places.
Requested watching the project and how to share this was by 3 under 25's via Twitter, noting the use of social networks to engage a new generation. One other who also had an interest but wasn't able to attend.

3. Emails feedback from unknown audience
" are you planning to interview any more of the 47?á … would have liked to have seen some of the houses that were built …to hear from people who live or lived in them, or were involved in the planning meetings. A One (very minor) where there was a lot of text I found that I was trying to read it and to listen at the same time, so I missed both.á But that's very minor.á Other than that I thought it was great..Do you plan to do any more screenings any time soon? " (GW by email 18.11.2011)

"I was thinking about financing support for completing the film … Heritage Lottery Fund as they are quite into supporting oral history projects which this film definitely could fall under& Obviously the film has a great relevance for our time, but that is another plus in terms of what they might support. " (B from TT 21.11.2011)

"Thanks a lot for sharing your fantastic project last night. I really enjoyed watching your film. It is informative, passionate and humorous. And it inspires me with hope."

The talk was an interesting experience for me. It was like a volcanic eruption of political passion, inspiring at the same time as intensely overwhelming If you wanted to show at the Occupy Tent City University, just go to their website and sign up or write them an e-mail http://tentcityuniversity.occupylsx.org/?page_id=6 I think, it would be of great interest to them." (BJ; 19.11.2011)