NSSN Bulletin 38 - Stepping up for acton

With unions such as the ATL now looking at strike action over pensions, the
battle to fight the cuts is now deepening & widening. We would like to
encourage supporters in branches, regions and anti cuts groups to consider what
they could do to support to develop national co-ordinated action against the
cuts.

NSSN NATIONAL CONFERENCE
The 5th annual conference of the NSSN will be on Sat June 11th this will work
well to link in with delegates attending to share information and develop
stronger links for action against the cuts and just prior to co-ordinated
action. We would also appreciate it if people could register for the
conference in advance http://tinyurl.com/6kdzycc

UPDATES:
National union conferences will also be taking place and we have a bulletin we
would ask all supporters to distribute. We are aiming to have fringe meetings
as well. http://www.shopstewards.net/news.73.htm

Our Health Service Not for Sale demo – Tuesday 17 May assemble 5.30pm
University College Hospital, march to Department of Health. As more and more
cuts are proposed such as those in Lewisham & adolescent Mental health services
of £500,000 it is crucial to step up the battle for our services.

SALTEND UPDATE: At a mass meeting of the locked-out workers today, Vivergo's
offer of cash was rejected and it was agreed to re-start the protest in the
morning. http://www.shopstewards.net/news.74.htm messages of support: Keith
Gibson: geminis@geminis.karoo.co.uk 07743135183

Lincolnshire county Council workers to look at strike action against the 900
post cuts. Union rep argues for a needs budget!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-13150339

NUJ Journalists at Tindle Newspapers in Enfield, North London, are currently on
strike until 5th May against cuts. Over one third of editorial staff that have
left has not been replaced, and the remaining workers are facing increasing
exploitation, with only 3 reporters producing 9 newspapers a week!
strikegazadpres@hotmail.co.uk or FOC Jonathan: 07917 871 421

RMT announced this morning that it is to ballot for strike action and action
short of a strike on Heathrow Express in a dispute over pay. In addition, RMT
today called for direct talks between the Mayor, unions and passenger groups,
and demanded an immediate halt to tube jobs and maintenance cuts, after what
the union described as 24 hours of tube hell this week.

AFFILIATE
Great to hear a few new affiliates come through this week including Coventry
CWU & Bolton Trades Council. You can now affiliate online so please do or post
us a cheque. http://www.stopcuts.net/affiliate.htm.

Other Dates for your Diary:

Thur 28th April - Workers Memorial Day - Remember the dead & fight for the
living!

Manchester: 9:30am to 11:00 am at Mechanics Institute. Rally at Peace Gardens
Chorley: 6pm Astley Park, Chorley
London Hazards Protest at DWP London, SW1H 9DA

Nuneaton Against the Cuts public meeting on Thursday 28th April 7pm Bentley
Road Sports & Social Club 23 Bentley Road, Nuneaton, CV11 5LR

MAYDAY - International Workers Day!
Fri 29th April
Dundee Mayfest 11.30 Hiltown Park, with anti royal wedding party from 1pm

Sat 30 April
Croydon Mayday 11am Croydon Trades Union Council march and celebration Elmwood
Road, West Croydon to Ruskin House (speakers and music from 1pm)

Leeds Mayday Assemble 11am @ Victoria Gardens (outside Leeds Art Gallery)

Swansea No to Public Sector Cuts – Defend Jobs and Services! Assemble 12:00,
at the Guildhall, marching to rally Castle Square

Sun 1st May - London Assemble 12:00 noon, Clerkenwell Green, London EC1
http://www.londonmayday.org/home.php

Ipswich- Demonstration 11am Giles Circus, Princes St & March to Alexandra Park,
with family events on till 6pm www.ipswichmaydayfestival.co.uk

Youth Fight for Jobs Jarrow fundraiser - 7 - 11pm sponsored by RMT and PCS
young members' network at Slaughtered Lamb Pub, Great Sutton Street, EC1V

11th May - The Hardest Hit demo, disabled people from across the country will
be coming to London to demonstrate their anger and lobby their MP about cuts in
benefits and services by the current government along with raising their
concerns about the welfare reform bill. Assemble 11.30am Embankment/Horse
Guards Avenue

Exhibition - Anniversary of Wapping
The Marx Memorial Library with UNITE and NUJ is hosting an exhibition to mark
the anniversary of the Wapping / News International dispute of the 1980s. The
exhibition starts on Sunday 1 May www.marx-memorial-library.org

Join – Affiliate – Get involved!

info@shopstewards.net
http://www.shopstewards.net/index.htm
http://on.fb.me/fNkaIo

NSSN Anti-cuts campaign:
http://on.fb.me/eolOEE
http://www.stopcuts.net/

Liverpool Archives

http://www.liverpoolinprint.org.uk/index.php - recoffice.central.library@liverpool.gov.uk 1.	The March Of Militant
2.	Militant tendency: newspaper cuttings. Title Militant tendency: newspaper cuttings. Repository Liverpool Record Office Class 324.241 CUT Notes Compiled in the library. v.1: 1982-1985, v.2: 1986. v.3: 1987-1989. Subject Local Government
3.	Merseyside Militant (Section 1)
4.	Rally: handbill, Monday, 9 April 1984, St. George's Hall Title Rally: handbill, Monday, 9 April 1984, St. George's Hall Repository Liverpool Record Office Class 322.42 MIL Author "Militant" Newspaper Pub Date 1984
5.	Liverpool : a city that dared to fight
6.	By any means necessary: militant, blacks and youth in Liverpool, 1970-1985 Title By any means necessary: militant, blacks and youth in Liverpool, 1970-1985 Repository Liverpool Record Office Class 322.42 WIL Author Williams, Susan Pamela Pub Date 2000 Notes MA in Labour history
7.	The Christian Militant: Lent With St Mark's Gospel
8.	The Racial politics of Militant in Liverpool: the black community's struggle for participation in local politics 1980 - 1986

NSSN bulletin 37 -NUJ supports national co-ordinated action

Excellent to hear that NUJ Conference calls for TUC to organise a
24 hour general strike and to support the National Shop Stewards as
well as other national anti-cuts campaigns. Dates for this may be June
30th as other unions are currently in ballots around various issues
including pensions. Unite have clarified they oppose ALL cuts and
support national co-ordinated action so any current or ongoing
disputes should consider holding actions on 30th June. This week has
also seen large protests against benefit cuts take place across the
UK. http://www.shopstewards.net/news.67.htm

This weekend sees the Wales shop stewards network conference on Sat
16th of April. This will be an excellent event to attend and develop
network links. http://on.fb.me/gS6zDy

The 5th Annual conference of the NSSN will be on Sat June 11th this
will work well to link in with delegates attending to share
information and develop stronger links for action against the cuts and
just prior to co-ordinated action..http://tinyurl.com/6kdzycc

Keep Our NHS Public will be confirming a date for a demonstration soon given
the massive cuts that are being proposed:
http://www.keepournhspublic.com/index.php

OTHER UPDATES:

PCS strike - PCS has called for a day's strike action in all the 37
Jobcentre plus call centres on Monday 18th April. Picket lines will
be held around 7.30 - 9.30am on the 18th April - trade unionists and
anti-cuts campaigners showing their support will be very welcome.
Donate to PCS hardship fund at PCS DWP Group Office, 3rd Floor, Town
Centre House, Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8LY.
http://www.shopstewards.net/news.69.htm

PCS EHRC vote for strike action over closure of the commission.
http://tinyurl.com/5rrc5w6

Fords workers call for strike action over attacks on pensions, whilst they made
$6.6 billion profit last year. - http://www.shopstewards.net/news.64.htm

Saltend - 400 workers are still locked out after action taken around the NAECI
agreement and TUPE rights. Add anything about the BP AGM protest...Send
messages of support to Keith Gibson:
geminis@geminis.karoo.co.uk 07743135183 http://www.shopstewards.net/news.68.htm

NUT Rawmarch Sheffield – 9 days of action already taken to stop redundancies.
Messages of support welcome: secretary@rotherham.nut.org.

RMT ballot closes 27th April RMT to ballot of all train operator and
instructor operator members for strike action in an escalation of on-going
disputes over the victimisation of union activists including
two-driver members -over their trade union activities.
http://tinyurl.com/6arzg7u

FBU – Congratulations to FBU members who have won two fantastic victories
against victimisation http://www.fbu.org.uk/?p=2344

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

Sat 15th April
Hastings anti cuts March – 12.30 Hastings Peir.
Poole march against welfare reforms – 11.30am Kingsland Crescent
PCS March outside civil service conference 9am ICC city Centre.

17th April - Tribute to Jayaben Desai - a film about the Grunwick strike in
tribute to Jayaben Desai, one of the leading figures in the strike, who died
last year. Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn, north London
2.30-5pm. http://bit.ly/eFfPlH

18th April – Save Barts & London Campaign launch meeting . 7.30 Oxford House.

28th April - Workers Memorial Day - Remember the dead & fight for the living!

Manchester: 9:30am to 11:00 am at Mechanics Institute. Rally at Peace Gardens:
12
London: 12.30 London Hazards Protest at DWP London, SW1H 9DA

MAYDAY
Fri 29th April Dundee Mayfest 11.30 Hiltown Park, with anti royal wedding party
from 1pm

Sat 30 April Croydon Mayday 11am Croydon Trades Union Council march and
celebration Elmwood Road, West Croydon to Ruskin House (speakers and music from
1pm)

Sat 30th April - Leeds Mayday
Assemble 11am @ Victoria Gardens (outside Leeds Art Gallery), The Headrow,
Leeds

Sat 30th April - Swansea No to Public Sector Cuts – Defend Jobs and Services!
Assemble 12:00, at the Guildhall, marching to rally in Castle Square

Sun 1st May - London Assemble 12:00 noon, Clerkenwell Green, London EC1
http://www.londonmayday.org/home.php

May Day Youth Fight for Jobs Jarrow fundraiser - 7 - 11pm Red Dirt music,
dancing, food, sponsored by RMT and PCS young members' networks Slaughtered
Lamb Pub, 34-35 Great Sutton Street, EC1V 0DX

Exhibition - Anniversary of Wapping
The Marx Memorial Library with UNITE and NUJ is hosting an exhibition to mark
the anniversary of the Wapping / News International dispute of the 1980s. The
exhibition starts on Sunday 1 May www.marx-memorial-library.org

Join – Affiliate – Get involved!

info@shopstewards.net
http://www.shopstewards.net/index.htm
http://on.fb.me/fNkaIo

NSSN Anti-cuts campaign:
http://on.fb.me/eolOEE
http://www.stopcuts.net/

Orwell that ends well, 47 steps in 47 seconds..

Yesterday I finally began reading 'Why I write' by Orwell. He is such a sharp and inciteful writer but also self reflective of himself and his own journey, what developed and what changed him. From why he needed to write and the challenge of aesthetics and content. Whilst writing 'Homage to Catalunia' he added a chapter he was critised for, which read more like a news report as it related to how some people felt trotskyists had colluded with Hitler.

No-one did he see this properly and accessibly challenged. To provide a balance, expose a lie... He also argues against the concept of objectivity and for a concious understanding of ones own political persuasion, which then allows the political and aesthetic to better flow as he is aware, of what and why he is motivated. His intention does not deny his ego.. but also layered within that is to expose, explore and open up a discussion. At times, conciously to 'serve the revolution' as Breton would say, in his fight against totaliarianism and for democratic socialism.

All of these speak to me, but I not a writer, but I do like to write. Reflecting on the 47 project which is coming out there, with the skill and energy of Lisa Lonsdale as she edits into the night, as her 6month old child sleeps.

I ran into a city at an incredible time, and now I see it, more than I ever did, no wonder it was hard to fatham what else should or could go on.. And I want to celebrate that experience, what did it mean then and now and to each of those people involved.

I've left so many things so late and slow, can I move this faster forward or too slow too slow..No. It will have a rough cut screening before the 5th of May. Just spoke to FACT for a rough cut and they have said £600 for 2 hours..! As its bank holiday monday, she will get back to me on whether they can do anything else though. Will also try static, Black-E, Friends meeting house. Casa is provisionally booked but no access, it is owned by the ex Liverpool Dockers, a perfect venue in so many respects. But I want you all in... even if there is so few of you who know, right now.

What will they mark me on>>>? What do I mark myself on?

So then today I have to say what will I do for MA. Will that be ?

a) Twenty minute rough cut with Q & A relevance of the 47 and why through film? With rough cut shown at 3 locations relating to the local elections - what else? Process? Distribution?

b) Discussion of role of art in a crisis new manefesto Suz Muna and Tony Garnet and maybe Dave sinclair with his photos too? (the last one that was written mostly by trotsky and breton was whilst he was in Mexico)

c) The walk - a pilot using sound for ipod for a walk from locations with speaches and interviews of the 47 group... indespersed with other sound. Send people on a walk but have them feedback and come back together.

Posters placards and signs that we are here!

Just saw this link about 100 best placards in Wisconcin - and it made me think, we all want to try and say something, well some of us. Its not enough to march but trying so say what we are connected to. Is the frustration of the mass media not representing the full picture of anti cuts actions and ideas permeating through a wider group part of the reason?

Noticed that many press photographers like to take the diy version, the individual response, rather than the pre printed, pre discussed and agreed slogans. Why? They want us to be individualised? Want it to look random, leadership, without ideological ideas within them. That we see the ideolgical game that is being played and have our own ideas that we wish to promote.

Its a battle beyond posters, placards and slogans.. but they are all important and symbols, sometimes suggesting one version of events and truth.

Madison protest with Radio head

I often want to film parts of protests that I am on.. but sometimes the camera gets in the way of conversations and I let go. I also end up taking pictures of the ground and feet and skylines which isn't always what I think they expect of me, whoever they are..

Anyway some dropped this link through and I love it. Time lapse, great sound, and movement..

Tax the rich. (Shared on NSSN facebook pages and others have in build up for the 26th March)