Workers Solidarity Movement

On Wednesday 22 October, something over 10,000 students marched in the centre of Dublin to protest the proposed introduction of fees. The student members and supporters of the WSM were in attendance and distributed thousands of leaflets which discussed the origins of the attack and argued that students will need to build a mass movement across the education sector to defend and improve equality of access to education.

During March and early April a wave of protests and occupations gripped France. On March the 7th over one million people protested against the French government’s attempt to introduce the C.P.E., a new law that reduced the rights of young workers.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH: Students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the largest and historically the most prestigious university in Latin America, were engaged in debate over the slim chances of achieving effective negotiation with the University Council. This was to enable classes to restart after a lengthy strike which had seen the occupation of all the university buildings, the erection of barricades around the campuses and monster marches through the streets of Mexico City.

STUDENTS from low income backgrounds are having to drop out of their studies. If you are doing a Post-Leaving Certificate course you get no grant. Nothing at all. A survey in Ballyfermot Senior College found that 48% of these students have to work long hours after lectures to find the cash to keep them in college. 97% said that their jobs interfered with their course work. Not everyone can burn the candle at both ends. Some students are finding it impossible to study and then work twenty or more hours each week.

THE FIGHT between SPUC and the student unions over the provision of abortion information has entered a new phase. SPUC's solicitors, are now seeking costs from the student unions for the earlier stages of the case. This is despite the fact that the legal case is ongoing. In fact this is the first time in the history of the Irish state that one party has been awarded legal costs over the other while the case is still being disputed. Talk about impartiality!

IN 1983 anti-choice campaigners pushed the government into holding a referendum on abortion. The Eight Amendment was then passed by 33% of the electorate (the turn out was 54.6%). Abortion was already prohibited under the 1861 Offences Against the Persons Act. The Eight Amendment copperfastened this ban preventing any reforming legislation.