Workers Solidarity Movement

Thirty or so anarchists marched with the WSM and/or Organise! at the Belfast May day march this year. Initially the rally was addressed by trade unionists including John Maguire, Visteon union convenor.

Alan from the WSM described it as "A lovely sunny day with a good anarchist turnout." and reported that "several people I spoke to afterwards thought a minimum of 2,000 people were on the march, the majority of these from the unions with maybe 20% from different left groups"

Press release

Public meeting:

The Visteon workers have shown that we are far from powerless in resisting job and pay cuts. The discussion will focus on the Visteon/Ford workplace occupations, solidarity and the politics of direct action.

Interview conducted today at the plant. Workers remain determined to achieve their demands despite attempts by the administrators to evict them.

Solidarity is Strength!

The Visteon occupations show that we are far from apathetic when it comes to defending our jobs, wages and standard of living. Workers began occupying the Finaghy plant on March 31st, after administrators announced the loss of around 600 jobs at Visteon/Ford plants at Belfast, Basildon and Enfield in England. Davy McMurray, from the Unite trade union, said the way the job cuts were announced was "brutal." Workers were given six minutes notice of their sackings, being treated like mere commodities to be bought and sold, then discarded by our bosses when necessary.

Administrators KPMG will tomorrow morning ask the High Court in Belfast to order the Visteon workers out of the factory at Finaghy Road North which they have been occupying for the past month.

As part of this year’s activities the Anarchist Communist Discussion Group formed by the WSM, will be hosting a talk on ‘The roots of Mayday and its relevance today.” The talk will take place on Tuesday 5th May at 7pm in the Belfast Unemployment Centre, 45/47 Donegall Street in the city centre.

Mayday is a time of reflecting and renewing the proud tradition of working-class resistance and commitment to social revolution. The spirit of class struggle continues to burn in our class from the Visteon workplace occupations to the school occupations in Glasgow and beyond. As we continue to bear the brunt of job cuts, house evictions and police brutality, the powerful message of direct action and solidarity against the bosses and the state is as relevant and necessary as ever before.

Belfast City Centre was brought to a standstill last Friday lunchtime in a rally organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) against the latest job losses in the manufacturing and textile industry.

If truth be told, should we be surprised by revelations in recent weeks concerning the expenses of ‘our’ politicians?