Workers Solidarity Movement

November saw WSM members gather for their national conference. These take place twice a year and all members can attend, submit motions and vote. The National Secretary reported that membership had increased by 25%. Although we are still a small organisation this was encouraging, as was the increased circulation of Workers Solidarity. A report is available at www. wsm.ie/story/3156.The closing weeks of 2007 saw WSM members who have been working with the Wheelock family’s campaign for an inquiry into the death of Terrence after his arrest by gardai from Dublin’s Store Street station help organise a public meeting, which saw 200 people fill the ballroom of the Royal Dublin Hotel.

November saw WSM public meetings about anarchism in Cork and Dublin, with 40 people at one and about 60 at the other. With the crisis and a growing employers’ offensive on wages there is a greater openness to radical ideas, and we will be holding more meetings around the country over the next couple of months.

Working all your life just to make ends meet; having no say in the decisions that affect you; try to do something about it and they'll lock you up. Yes, that's capitalism!

Μπορούν οι αναρχικοί να υποστηρίξουν τις εθνικοποιήσεις; Τι πρέπει να γίνει με τις εγκαταστάσεις φυσικού αερίου στο Rossport; (σ.τ.μ.: τοποθεσία με εγκαταστάσεις αερίου στην Ιρλανδία). Θα την αφήσουμε στα χέρια της Shell και οι παχιές γάτες (σ.τ.μ.: εννοεί τα αφεντικά) θα γίνονται παχύτερες; Θα προσπαθήσουμε να πείσουμε την κυβέρνηση Bertie να τις εθνικοποιήσει για να χρησιμοποιήσει τα κέρδη της προς όφελός μας;

In the last issue of Workers Solidarity we looked at how the causes of climate changes are deeply embedded in the economic and social structures controlled by the rich few. The increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases being pumped into our atmosphere are primarily caused by the capitalist model of 'economic growth' and its accompanying miseries for millions around the planet.

The self congratulatory waffle of business men, the press and politicians continues even though we are hearing a lot less about the “Celtic Tiger”. After almost fifteen years of economic boom we are able to look around and think about what we are left with. Access to decent and affordable housing, one of the most fundamental issues effecting working class people, is an impossibility for many of us. For most young people growing up in Ireland today the possibility of owning a house is outside our reach and keeps us at the mercy of rack renting landlords.

The 100th issue of the Irish anarchist paper Workers Solidarity for Nov / Dec 2007 

PDF of Workers Solidarity 100

What should happen to the €51bn gasfield off Rossport? Let Shell keep it and let the fat cats get fatter? Try to make Bertie’s government nationalise it and use the wealth for our benefit?

While Martin McGuinness was flying off to ‘sell’ the North to American investors with promises of low corporation tax, we are in the midst of wee bit of class war with classroom assistants and posties taking action to defend their interests against ‘the new era’ of the bosses. In the meantime, water charges are still coming through the backdoor by being added to our council rates despite the politicians’ promises made at the last election.

Anarchism has been growing in support over recent years. Old organisations have grown, new ones have been formed in countries as far apart as South Africa and Argentina, Turkey and Mexico.