September 2008

Book Review: Sweatshop Warriors: Immigrant Women Workers Take On The Global Factory

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The book seamlessly alternates between the direct testimony of the ‘Sweatshop Warriors’ themselves and analysis of the growth and spread of globalised capitalism. This book was published in 2001 but 7 years later its strength still lies in its simplicity.

It gives voice to “immigrant women workers who are barred from rooms where deals get cut…who get punished for telling the truth; who are asked to speak only as victims…” And by giving a platform to these too often unheard voices, the book demonstrates that self-organisation is the key to successfully fighting back against the exploitation and abuse faced by those at the bottom of the economic ladder.

As the Solitaire arrives (2008) - interview with WSM member in Rossport

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This is an audio interview recorded by a phone with Cormac, a WSM member who is in Rossport. He reports on the latest developments in the campaign.

Dept of Social Welfare misleads regarding "welfare fraud" over payments

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On 8/8/08, The Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) issued a press release entitled “€238 million saved in first six months of this year through Welfare anti fraud crackdown.” A closer look at the operations of the DSFA reveals a slightly different story however. According to the 2007 Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) Annual Report, 46% of appeals to the SWAO were successful. The chief appeals officer, Brian Flynn, is critical of social welfare deciding officers “applying the ‘fraud’ applications of the legislation in all cases involving overpayments”.

Successful Belfast anarchist bookfair

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The 2ND Belfast Anarchist Bookfair recently took place building on the success of the previous year. Stalls were provided by the WSM, Choice Ireland, Just Books, Organise! and Revolutionary Anarcha-feminist group(RAG) as well as groups from as far as England and Scotland including Solidarity Federation giving the bookfair an international flavour. The Bookfair provides a healthy platform for constructive debate and discussion from past to present struggles. To exchange experiences, to reflect and agitate are all essential ingredients for a stronger, more vibrant class struggle anarchist movement in the future. Below are some of the audio recordings from of the public meetings which took place on the day.

Dublin Rossport Solidarity protest at Shell HQ 2008

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Around thirty people took part in a protest at Shell HQ on Lesson street last night. Here are some photos and audio recording from the event.

Cork vigil for Erris people struggling against Shell

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Shell to Sea activists and friends gathered at Daunt Sq. for a candle-lit vigil tonight to show their support publicly for Shell to Sea, and to show support for local anti-Shell activist Maura Harrington, whose hunger strike against the pipe-laying ship the Solitaire being in Irish waters continues.

Red and Black Revolution 14

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The Spring 2008 issue of Ireland's anarchist magazine Red & Black Revolution is now available. Articles include “No Justice, Just Us” Interview with Larry Wheelock, Financial Weapons of Mass Destruction, How free can you be if you can’t even control your own body?, Book Review: “Sweatshop Warriors: Immigrant .

Download the PDF of RBR 14

Belfast: Demonstrate Against Shell Oil

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As you are all aware, events in Mayo have taken a turn for the worse in the last week. Several people have been arrested in their efforts to prevent Shell laying their pipeline and local school principal Maura Harrington has taken the decision to go on hunger-strike.

WSM at London Anarchist bookfair

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The WSM will have a stall as usual at the London anarchist and one of our members will speak on 'Anarchism in North America' based on a recently completed 44 city speaking tour

The March That Never Happened - Action needed to build a proper campaign on class size

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In June of this year the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) wrote to its members in all primary schools in the Republic announcing that a National Rally on the issue of class size would take place on Saturday 4th October. Posters were included for display in schools and staff reps were urged to begin the process of building a delegation of teachers and parents to represent their school at the rally.

Last week another communication arrived in schools from INTO head office. This informed members that the 4th October rally “will not proceed… as previously indicated.” Here Gregor Kerr, a member of the Dublin City North Branch of the INTO (writing in a personal capacity) analyses why the union leadership have backed off from the rally, asks whether they really have the bottle for a fight on this issue, and urges a grassroots campaign to deliver victory on the issue.

Workers Solidarity Distro - This Sat.

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Turn up the heat (as capitalism goes into meltdown) .... in Cork city centre.

Maura Harrington Ends Hunger Strike - Solitaire Gone From Irish Waters

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This afternoon, the Shell to Sea campaigner Maura Harrington ended her 10-day-old hunger strike after confirmation that the Solitaire had indeed left Irish waters. She read a statement to the press and the public outside the gates of Shell’s compound at Glengad in Erris, Co. Mayo, and then announced that her hunger strike had come to an end.

Belfast: March for Houses

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SUNDAY 5TH OCTOBER

FROM CARRICK HOUSE HOSTEL (carrickhill assemble1.30pm)
to
customs house square(Belfast city centre)

PSNI District Policing Partnerships- A template for police accountability?

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Hugh Orde, current Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland often refers to the force as the ‘most democratic, accountable police service in the world’. Despite its retention of a heavy arsenal of lethal weapons including Tasers, and a litany of repressive 'anti-terror' legislation including ‘dip-lock courts’.

Sunday Independent's hatchet job on Shell to Sea

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At this stage its unsurprising in the least to read Royal Dutch Shell propoganda being presented as "journalism" by the Irish Independent and its stable mate, the Sunday Indo. Most readers of this site will be only too aware that the paper's owner 'Sir' Tony O Reilly has a very practical and profitable interest in the vast amounts of oil and gas of the West coast of Ireland.

However even by the hack standards of journalism, and right wing opinions, that grace the paper, yesterdays piece by Maeve Sheehan suggest not just the usual biased and unnuaced 'presentation of facts' but has an almost willful ignorance of the facts on the ground. Combined with a willingness to present Shell and Police PR without any simple background checks or colloratory evidence over such an 'extensive' (read: its got a big word count) this article would be most useful for any who sought a practical example of what Noam Chomsky describes as the 'manufacturing of consent'

Anarchism and the Kibbutz movement - Audio

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An mp3 talk on the Kibbutz movement in Palestine / Israel focusing on the radical and anarchist elements of it.

Anarchism & the Chinese Revolution - video and audio

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A 60 minute recording of a talk and discussion on the Chinese revolution and the Chinese anarchist movement. It's available here as google video, mp4 and mp3 formats, the first two are preferred as the viewer will then be able to see the images referenced during the talk. The talk covers the period from the 1840's to the victory of the CCP in 1949.

 

The Student Movement

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Workers Solidarity Movement postion paper on the Student Movement as amended at Autumn 2008 National Conference.

Dublin: Choice Ireland social

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Following the successful pickets over the summer on the WRC Choice Ireland are having a social get together for pro-choice activists in the Teacher's Club this Friday at 7pm.

Navy Called in as Corrib Protest Escalates

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The Irish navy gunboat, the LE Orla has been mobilized in the latest escalation of the standoff between Shell, the Irish state and Shell to Sea campaigners in County Mayo. The standoff comes after a relatively quiet period in the campaign and centers on attempts by campaigners to halt Shell's pipe- laying work in Broadhaven Bay and on Glengad beach, where Shell intend to bring their high-pressure gas pipeline ashore. The Irish navy gunboat has been called in after a request by Gardai and will support Garda facilitation of the Shell's works in the bay.