tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57473857459109733312024-03-19T03:52:43.174+00:00sheffield swpSheffield swp, socialist workers party are an anti capitalist revolutionary socialist organisation for the self emancipation of the working class from the chains of capitalism.politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-87866525836519051592012-02-21T13:59:00.001+00:002012-02-21T17:38:48.553+00:00VICTORY IN BUS DISPUTE<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">VICTORY FOR THE BUS DRIVERS</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAXo085n5AI06SpscxR4fzyUpFngLlZRn7IxQRCEirVfi5MFBpWfKu-UGmA3rDnVA4bn7Uu9nvAMhyKygjILgPrJ-otTo7Pc0uCaZ3Lp6bmCDed2fB7TC7MlYVHJooE9oKZMeNOgMYHag/s1600/bus+drivers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTAXo085n5AI06SpscxR4fzyUpFngLlZRn7IxQRCEirVfi5MFBpWfKu-UGmA3rDnVA4bn7Uu9nvAMhyKygjILgPrJ-otTo7Pc0uCaZ3Lp6bmCDed2fB7TC7MlYVHJooE9oKZMeNOgMYHag/s400/bus+drivers.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">This weekend bus drivers at stagecoach in Rotherham and Barnsley voted to accept the improved offer of £9.05p/h </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> and a backdated lump sum of wages owed by the company at the improved rate from the companies last pay review.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Stagecoach have been forced to make this offer after 12 days of strike action by the drivers. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The scabbing operation run by stagecoach managers was costing the company more in hotels and overtime for the opportunistic scabs and managers, than the pay increase the drivers where asking for. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0qpJTEHPi6ig2sRy0GLvv8N1HSjd6EdJ2Fz69RJk-Lxy4h0T0QkrjNIOj9-03aOs2bYhyphenhyphenyXfAlUIMyZcMHhEer3XdXIXUvHGAim1WsQrf6PTytMdGfbRmBbgWzFHtjZumOR_lL8T2_AH/s1600/stagecoach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0qpJTEHPi6ig2sRy0GLvv8N1HSjd6EdJ2Fz69RJk-Lxy4h0T0QkrjNIOj9-03aOs2bYhyphenhyphenyXfAlUIMyZcMHhEer3XdXIXUvHGAim1WsQrf6PTytMdGfbRmBbgWzFHtjZumOR_lL8T2_AH/s1600/stagecoach.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Threat of further strike action and solidarity from local trade unionists who raised substantial amounts of money for the drivers The general public also offered support, with many refusing to catch scab buses, This has forced managers to back down.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This is not just a victory for the drivers themselves this is a victory for every working class person in South Yorkshire struggling with falling wages and high inflation, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The bus workers victory shows that if we stand together and fight together with solidarity and determination we can improve our conditions and take a larger piece of the bosses profit which we slaved to earn.</span></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-65359844156217013902012-02-21T12:43:00.000+00:002012-02-21T12:43:49.667+00:00FIRE<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">MASSIVE CUTS TO FIRE SERVICE MEAN JOB LOSSES AND A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmap_-yKkagGXtLjxdiKTTsPWcFZCWXccKi7JVN8yh3OpJX-egrkYCoVcc03O4BcUIT63fNAGESLgvwvvVOriffQAM6rgd1ZTSP7ayjvencN7SBl8ednoo3i52ShSGF6I8kN12ur9bqpYC/s1600/firefighters1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmap_-yKkagGXtLjxdiKTTsPWcFZCWXccKi7JVN8yh3OpJX-egrkYCoVcc03O4BcUIT63fNAGESLgvwvvVOriffQAM6rgd1ZTSP7ayjvencN7SBl8ednoo3i52ShSGF6I8kN12ur9bqpYC/s1600/firefighters1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBE5-LD3WXaGeXK2e8skJWjaXeAGJujBgLjQV6Qkdj8UcZUCE8riXVgJ85vN5P2h8tZPMScNZFFUZUNP9fjVTJTW2pZ3ZOHFxCpu_lu_YeqcpANc3SAnBnA_sGny1-65Ebkxr8QxxAlgS/s1600/Yorks-Banner-150x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBE5-LD3WXaGeXK2e8skJWjaXeAGJujBgLjQV6Qkdj8UcZUCE8riXVgJ85vN5P2h8tZPMScNZFFUZUNP9fjVTJTW2pZ3ZOHFxCpu_lu_YeqcpANc3SAnBnA_sGny1-65Ebkxr8QxxAlgS/s200/Yorks-Banner-150x150.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">South Yorkshire fire and Rescue service faces massive cuts having to slash £10 million from it's budget by 2015. The cuts will mean 140 fire fighters lose their jobs and 4 fire stations will close being replaced by 2 resulting in slower attendance times and a danger to the public.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Speaking on the FBU website John Gilliver, FBU brigade secretary said: “These are slash and burn cuts with frontline crews being targeted once again. Politicians of all parties promised no cuts to the front line, but that is precisely what continues to happen.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">“We’re going to end up with even more cuts to firefighters, fewer appliances and fewer stations. Frontline crews will be spread even more thinly than we are now.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">“We were over-stretched by major flooding a few years ago, if anything like that happens again we’ll be over-whelmed. It is difficult enough coping since the last round of cuts and these are a step too far.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">“How can they expect us to cope with all the 999 incidents we have to deal with, after cuts of this magnitude? It is simply unreal to expect us to be able to do so no matter how dedicated we are to serving our local communities.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">“These cuts would clearly increase risk to the public and </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">fire-fighters</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">."</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">sheffield swp have a petition send your name and email to sheffield.swp@gmail.com to sign </span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-38706178875699571242012-02-14T15:13:00.001+00:002012-02-14T15:16:22.515+00:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/50481_300270813362409_1629147254_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/50481_300270813362409_1629147254_n.jpg" width="294" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Why Marx was right</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Arts tower Lecture theatre 6</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Sheffield University</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Monday 27th of Feb</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">7pm-9pm</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">
<em>by Gareth Jenkins</em></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
How many times have you been told the following? Marxism is irrelevant.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
It only leads to tyranny. It reduces human beings to cogs. It ignores human nature because it’s utopian.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
It is against democracy because it believes in violence. It wants everything run by the state.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Why Marx Was Right answers these, and other, criticisms with both wit and passion.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
This is absolutely not a po‑faced defence of Karl Marx, with great slabs of quotations to back its case up.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
It is undogmatic, yet committed.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Disarmingly, Terry starts the book by saying how great it would be if Marxism really was finished. That would mean that capitalism itself had disappeared and human beings could get on with other things.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Terry points out that the real utopians are not Marxists but those who believe that capitalism “works”.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Of course, Marx himself celebrated the wonders of capitalism. But its greatest wonder is that it produces its own gravediggers.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Workers are its victims but have the potential to transform its riches into well-being for all.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Terry deals with other misunderstandings about Marx. People often claim he was a determinist, who thought the victory of the working class was inevitable.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
But if that was true, why would he have talked so much about struggle determining outcomes?</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Marx did not see revolution and democracy as opposites—quite the opposite. He wanted an end to the state, with public functions under the broadest, popular control.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
As for individuality, it’s capitalism that reduces everyone to the same. The purpose of socialism for Marx is for individual personality to flourish—on the basis of cooperative development.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Does Marxism have a concept of human nature or morality? What is meant by the relationship between base and superstructure? Terry illuminates these tricky issues.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
This is a wonderful book that every socialist should have on their bookshelves<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/300270813362409/">FACEBOOK</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-36260889800354440362012-02-12T14:24:00.000+00:002012-02-12T14:24:01.860+00:00<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>STOP PRISON GUARDS HOUSING ASYLUM SEEKERS</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>SAY NO TO G4S!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>DEMONSTRATION</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Wednesday 15th Feb</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>12.30pm</b></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="color: red; font-size: xx-large;">Sheffield Town hall</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x0Pzse8uel1fbCddhnKZ4eN5qcDOgKLC_lKhh5ZRIYcS6JaBsUyUBjgYgfknu5lzHwLsgpMO-zy-DpQvRw3D-ueMAX7wpj1VeVfutRn47jixO1ZbZNUo1c989oKGVls3Rje-NDFKRgz_/s1600/group+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x0Pzse8uel1fbCddhnKZ4eN5qcDOgKLC_lKhh5ZRIYcS6JaBsUyUBjgYgfknu5lzHwLsgpMO-zy-DpQvRw3D-ueMAX7wpj1VeVfutRn47jixO1ZbZNUo1c989oKGVls3Rje-NDFKRgz_/s400/group+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">DEMONSTRATION called by SYMAAG (South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Seekers Group) and supported by UNISON, and UCU leaders</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Speakers from asylum rights groups, church leaders, and asylum seekers</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">STOP G4S taking over and privatising Sheffield,and South Yorkshire asylum seeker housing</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Over 500 asylum seekers in South Yorkshire face eviction from council accommodation into private sector houses if G4S the biggest security army in the world is allowed to sign a contract on February 29<sup>th</sup>.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">G4S are the world’s largest private security firm. UKBA maintain that the housing contracts are going to partners with a proven track record.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en-US">G4S lost the UKBA contract to supply escorts in forcible deportations after the death of an Angolan deportee</span><span lang="en-US"> Jimmy Mubenga.G4S</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: large;">Asylum seeker tenants already feel intimidated and threatened by the prospect of G4S as their managing landlords.G4S manages four detention centres. In 2010 there were over 700 allegations of mistreatment in G4S centres and there is history of brutality and neglect under G4S management.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Asylum seeker tenants already feel intimidated and threatened by the prospect of G4S as their managing landlords</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Further details on G4S and asylum seekers at</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><u><a href="http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/john-grayson/asylum-seeker-housing-managed-by-for-profit-prison-guards-why-not">www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/john-grayson/asylum-seeker-housing-managed-by-for-profit-prison-guards-why-not</a></u></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><span lang="en"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Facebook</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-size: large; line-height: 22px;"><span lang="en"> event </span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/343804948985438/" style="line-height: 22px; text-align: center;">http://www.facebook.com/events/343804948985438/</a><span style="line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"></span></div>
</div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-87038345604848390082012-02-09T17:29:00.000+00:002012-02-09T17:29:08.338+00:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>STRIKES BACK ON AS PCS AND NUT AGREE TO BALLOT FOR STRIKE ACTION</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eT6ca4XkdljfRy8pIZW3_MKZXc2vwaBLPV-7N8qe_PWP5rjTPwnjYZXRXJakZzKzOA4X6FKAA_EbsDy_aMNQhvmda4cdM4J9ZxNZ1eriiwT2PNhHswCfQvTxVT69ABgQNbc-BnHvnUyJ/s1600/strike+brum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eT6ca4XkdljfRy8pIZW3_MKZXc2vwaBLPV-7N8qe_PWP5rjTPwnjYZXRXJakZzKzOA4X6FKAA_EbsDy_aMNQhvmda4cdM4J9ZxNZ1eriiwT2PNhHswCfQvTxVT69ABgQNbc-BnHvnUyJ/s400/strike+brum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Public services union PCS and teaching union NUT today agreed to set a date for the next round of public sector strikes to defend pensions. According to union sources the executives of both the NUT and the PCS agreed unanimously to ballot members for strike action on the 28th of march.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> This follows yesterdays announcement by Unite's committee for civil service that they would co-ordinate action with other unions over pensions. This is a huge step forward in the on going battle between the government and public sector workers.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Many workers hope the decision by the NUT and PCS to ballot members will lead the way to other unions taking action to defend there members pensions. This is a matter of great urgency as members will start seeing money taken from their pay packets very shortly.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/news_centre/index.cfm/id/4E2CA539-C3A5-4560-BBA35F446122608E">further details pcs website here</a></span></b></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-11641310380093187382012-02-08T09:27:00.000+00:002012-02-08T09:27:29.048+00:00<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">CLOSE THE GATES</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">WHEN WE </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">BEAT THE TORIES </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">40 Years since the 1972 miners strike</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11TH AT 1PM</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">COOPER GALLERY CHURCH STREET</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">BARNSLEY</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SPEAKER</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">RALPH DARLINGTON</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">EX MINER AND PROFESSOR</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TdkHzgMHqzk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The battle of Saltley Gate is one of the high points of working class struggle in Britain.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
On 10 February 1972 some 30,000 engineers walked out of factories in Birmingham in solidarity with striking miners.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The action was unofficial and organised by rank and file workers.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Around 15,000 marched to join the miners’ picket at Saltley Gate coking station.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Police had fought viciously with pickets for days to keep the gate open and protect the supply of coal.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
But now they were vastly outnumbered—and had no option but to close the gate.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Miners were striking over pay at a time when the Tory government, led by Edward Heath, wanted to impose pay restraint across the whole working class.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Saltley Gate was a turning point. Two weeks later miners voted overwhelmingly for a new deal.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
They had forced the government to offer much more than they’d wanted to and given the Tories a bloody nose.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The victory gave confidence to other workers and led to an escalation of class struggle.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The government was broken. Two years later, the miners struck again. Heath called a general election under the slogan, “Who runs the country, the unions or the government?”</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The government lost. Workers had forced out a hated government. We can do the same again today.</div>
<div id="footer" style="border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">
<br /></div>
<div id="floating" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<a href="http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=27436">From Socialist Worker</a><br /><hr />
</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-163876849729601552012-02-07T22:05:00.001+00:002012-02-07T22:06:48.502+00:00<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Barnsley supports the striking bus drivers</b></span><br />
<br />
<i style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=27445">From Socialist Worker</a></i><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Bus drivers in Barnsley and Rawmarsh staged a town centre demo last Saturday to mark the start of four more days of strikes in their battle over pay.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Some 120 Stagecoach drivers, trade unionists and other supporters marched from Barnsley bus station to a rally in the town’s main shopping area.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Union representatives from Barnsley trade council, Unite, GMB, Unison and NUT spoke at the rally pledging their support and solidarity for the drivers.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Shoppers applauded the drivers as they marched briskly through the town, braving freezing temperatures.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Saturday was the ninth strike day for the Stagecoach drivers. They also struck on Monday of this week, and plan to walk out on Wednesday and Friday too.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Pickets have remained strong and lively. Over 90 drivers picketed Barnsley station on Saturday and over 70 joined the picket on Monday.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The drivers want a pay rise of 26p an hour to bring them up to £9 an hour, backdated to the start of June last year.The company is refusing to fund the back pay—choosing to spend money on funding scab buses instead.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/3R5U_HCVxUI/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3R5U_HCVxUI&fs=1&source=uds" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3R5U_HCVxUI&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span class="crosshead" style="font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Hotels</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
These are driven by Stagecoach managers shipped in to Barnsley from around the country and put up in hotels overnight.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
People in Barnsley are avoiding the scab buses, despite the reduced £1 fares.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
“We have regular passengers refusing to catch the scab services,” said Unite branch secretary Tony Rushforth.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Passengers are catching services from other bus operators or even walking in to town, he added. One supporter at the rally said eight people at his bus stop that day had refused to board a Stagecoach service.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The Stagecoach drivers in South Yorkshire are paid significantly less than other bus drivers in the region and other Stagecoach drivers nationally.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Drivers told Socialist Worker how their bus services had been run by Yorkshire Traction until December 2005, when the firm was sold to Stagecoach. Pay has risen by a mere £1.26 an hour since then.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
One driver said, “I can see that passenger turnover is up, but the money is going straight to Stagecoach’s profits. We’re not seeing any of it.”</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Stagecoach can easily afford to meet the drivers’ claim. The group reported a 52 percent rise in pre-tax profits last year.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
But instead it is lashing out against the drivers, refusing to give overtime to strikers.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
National and regional Unite union officials pledged financial support for the strikers at the rally. But the drivers still urgently need solidarity from across the union movement.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<em>by Anindya Bhattacharyya in Barnsley</em>
</div>
<hr style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Bus drivers have started discontinuous action against a below-inflation 1.3 percent pay rise at Rossendale Transport in east Lancashire.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Meanwhile, passengers, bus drivers and anti-cuts campaigners protested on Tuesday of last week against plans to slash rural bus services in Cambridgeshire.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div id="footer" style="border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">
Send messages of support to <a href="mailto:a-rushforth@sky.com" style="color: #330033; text-decoration: none;">a-rushforth@sky.com</a>. Cheques should be made payable to TGWU 9/9 Barnsley and sent to A Rushforth, 45 Tune Street, Wombwell, Barnsley S73 8PX</div>
<div id="floating" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<hr />
</div>
<div class="small" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
© <em>Socialist Worker (unless otherwise stated). You may republish if you include an active link to the original.</em></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-87297235574443367782012-02-04T20:45:00.001+00:002012-02-04T20:45:24.107+00:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 12px;">STAGECOACH WORKERS ON THE MARCH AGAINST BOSSES</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Stagecoach bus drivers in Rawmarsh and Barnsley had their 9th day of strike action today, Saturday 4th of February. Todays strike was just the first day of 4 days of strikes planned for the 6th, 8th and 10th of February.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b> The drivers are fighting for fair pay. Bus drivers in Barnsley and Rawmarsh are the lowest paid drivers in south Yorkshire, they are striking for a pay rise to £9 an hour but the bosses are reluctant to budge, despite stagecoach boasting a record 50 percent rise in profits this year.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b> This strike was also supported with a march and rally in Barnsley town centre. The march was called by Barnsley trades council and supported by trade unionists from across south Yorkshire. Workers ploughed through freezing temperatures in the town centre chanting: ‘the workers united will never be defeated’ it was clear that the community was behind them. As the march went on you could feel the workers confidence grow. </b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzo4hBpgYYetEIp_wY4noMUuMIJwXWdv8IA4Zmb7s5KTPr7Tk46bnTMGsq8FnZVp8vSQSDQC9Nh0pjGFDCRCSlRZNzTAcDRsiP-CzHaLYc19huexXnXS1L23kKLE7wO1FdWuOf-_h3poS/s1600/bus+strike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzo4hBpgYYetEIp_wY4noMUuMIJwXWdv8IA4Zmb7s5KTPr7Tk46bnTMGsq8FnZVp8vSQSDQC9Nh0pjGFDCRCSlRZNzTAcDRsiP-CzHaLYc19huexXnXS1L23kKLE7wO1FdWuOf-_h3poS/s1600/bus+strike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGzo4hBpgYYetEIp_wY4noMUuMIJwXWdv8IA4Zmb7s5KTPr7Tk46bnTMGsq8FnZVp8vSQSDQC9Nh0pjGFDCRCSlRZNzTAcDRsiP-CzHaLYc19huexXnXS1L23kKLE7wO1FdWuOf-_h3poS/s400/bus+strike.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">There was a multitude of banners present on the march from various unions across south Yorkshire including: NUT, GMB, UNITE, UNISON and NAPO as well as the Barnsley trades council banner. The drivers had strong picket lines of over 90 people outside the bus depo, one of the strongest pickets of the on-going dispute. The strike has been consistently solid with only a small minority of workers crossing picket lines. They are still confident that if they hold out they can win. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can tell from the immense scabbing operation that the company is still intent upon running (paying scabs £150 on top of the normal wage) Its clear that this dispute is less about money and more about smashing the union and the rights of workers. That is why it is ever more important that the drivers win and that is why it is even more important that they link their struggle with many of the other struggles taking place across the country, it is important that the wider trade union movement back this fight. If the drivers in Barnsley and Rawmarsh win it will send a message to stagecoach and other bus drivers across the country that workers have the ability to challenge the profit driven multinationals that degrade and exploit people on a daily basis. It will give workers elsewhere the confidence to say that we won’t take this shit. We will fight for every penny, every job and every hour you try to steal from us.</span></span>
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 12px;">Jack Hetherington </span></span></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-22246318178541726742012-01-30T23:35:00.000+00:002012-01-30T23:35:24.691+00:00<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://artsandsciences.colorado.edu/magazine/images/news_ibrahim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://artsandsciences.colorado.edu/magazine/images/news_ibrahim.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GIGI IBRAHIM BOTTOM RIGHT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">The face of the Egyptian Revolution Gigi Ibrahim to speak In Sheffield</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">4pm Occupy Sheffield</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">7pm Quaker meeting house</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Tuesday 31st of January</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">NOT TO BE MISSED</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/At53dCTw9p4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">GiGI IBRAHIM</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">at</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk/">Marxism festival book today</a> </span>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-52470355965102814622012-01-29T21:34:00.000+00:002012-01-29T21:48:46.113+00:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Tax Office Workers To Strike In Sheffield</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Tax office workers will stage a one day strike in opposition to HMRC bringing in private companies to do their jobs.The strike will take place Tuesday the 31st of January. The 31st of January is a significant date in tax circles, as its a deadline for self assessment returns and is the offices busiest day of the year. The private companies sitel and teleperformance, are to run year long trials in call centres at Lillyhall in Cumbria and Bathgate in Scotland. This is clearly the beginning of an attempt to privatise call centres around the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
PCS General secretary Mark Serwotka said: "When jobs in HMRC are being cut in there tens of thousands it is entirely wrong to start handing contracts to private companies."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Mark went on to say: "Instead of privatising ever more of our public services, the government should be investing in its own staff to ensure they are equipped and trained to provide the essential services they are proud to deliver."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUEtXhi0rScC28tXsHWjFGqT-j6SkJQw2NDzF_pyCgezHoRfHwve-N3JG2UqEduaoPJPPDqBn7a9nZQWxV_u2S2DYC2tqfIxaybILOrYnNlcQFTILcJ-461JopP6xDym0uX-cfv3pxDE3/s1600/pcs+yes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUEtXhi0rScC28tXsHWjFGqT-j6SkJQw2NDzF_pyCgezHoRfHwve-N3JG2UqEduaoPJPPDqBn7a9nZQWxV_u2S2DYC2tqfIxaybILOrYnNlcQFTILcJ-461JopP6xDym0uX-cfv3pxDE3/s400/pcs+yes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It is scandalous that at a time when major companies such as Vodafone are being let off with £6 billion in unpaid tax,. when the governments capitalist cronies hide money like its chocolate eggs at Easter avoiding tax by the billion, The workers who could actually collect the unpaid tax are being attacked. It's plain to see who's side this government is on. It's on the side of shareholders and big business and will do anything to protect them.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Support</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
pickets start early trade unionists and members of the community should get down and support them.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
HMRC (behind the moorfoot building) bottom of the moor Sheffield.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-18089514276043910072012-01-27T00:53:00.000+00:002012-01-27T20:27:08.140+00:00Bus strike<br />
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">SUPPORT FLOODING IN FOR BUS DRIVERS</span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;">Stagecoach bus drivers have stepped up their action in the fight to improve their wages. A mass meeting rejected Stagecoach's offer which refused to back pay any increase to June 1st 2011 and voted to strike on 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th February and to follow this up with further strikes if management do not produce a reasonable offer. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Other bus driver Unite branches are recognising the importance of this dispute. A Barnsley union representative said, "We are expecting delegations to our next strike from other areas, as far away as Ayrshire."</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVAapi6KXnHHIOqzGlj6qRajVgU9-LPCMFBXxJg_C0znP_CvE8P6LF5Utx8ul8IzB9AmKrBlppjWf69jYAwC7MzCnjnSpJpJ03xNiKovhgjJ4uUeEoqvLD9MdIlHs1oGBSIyqWq7tx92L/s1600/_57364633_busstrike_161211_oov_0625ls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVAapi6KXnHHIOqzGlj6qRajVgU9-LPCMFBXxJg_C0znP_CvE8P6LF5Utx8ul8IzB9AmKrBlppjWf69jYAwC7MzCnjnSpJpJ03xNiKovhgjJ4uUeEoqvLD9MdIlHs1oGBSIyqWq7tx92L/s1600/_57364633_busstrike_161211_oov_0625ls.jpg" /></a>Bus drivers attended a meeting of Barnsley Trades Council on Wednesday to explain details of their case. Delegates were shocked to hear how Stagecoach had refused to negotiate over the wages until after eight days of strike action. A driver said, "Stagecoach took us over six years ago and we've had very little increase in our wages." Delegates were disgusted when the Unite representatives explained that they did not want their names mentioning because of the harassment they had suffered from management. Managers have caused a number of arguments with pickets over minor issues and have attempted to tell union officials how they should report issues to the members.</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
A bus driver said one of the few good things about management turning up was that they looked very tired at five in the morning. "They hate it when we strike on a Saturday, it spoils their weekend."</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Barnsley Trades Council delegates pledged support to the drivers. An FBU rep told how he had boarded a Stagecoach bus by mistake on the first strike day. He asked the driver why he was scabbing. "He told me he wasn't a scab, he was a manager. I told the rest of the bus passengers that the driver was a scab, that I would not travel on a scab bus and was getting off. A load of other passengers got off with me!" It has been noticeable that on strike days very few passengers are using Stagecoach buses. On routes where other companies run as well there have been many examples of passengers ignoring Stagecoach and waiting for rival buses. A number of people have been to the picket line and said that they were in the miners' strike and would never use a bus driven by a scab.</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
The UCU rep told the Trades Council that Barnsley College lecturers had given money to the hardship fund because they had been through a hard dispute themselves. "When we had to fight to save a job at our college we were boosted by support we received from other unions. That gave strength to our members to fight on until we succeeded. We want the bus drivers to see that they can win like we did."</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
A Unison convenor said, "We in the public sector have had a strike over pensions. We have lots of other fights facing us. But we need to link workers in the public and the private sectors. Your fight is important to all of us."</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIlAbS77cKcDB284V9p7AyiWrY6R0Ha25DeVmayTV5CEy3SyMSMkskbR4doCe3Df9CxuDr0YoLcmDN-FNLw4Eaj1Ehey1O4TC1Jt7GXtnp1n9WPUEohtipEO4raG8EBlrWGNCgQCr0Bms/s1600/bus+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIlAbS77cKcDB284V9p7AyiWrY6R0Ha25DeVmayTV5CEy3SyMSMkskbR4doCe3Df9CxuDr0YoLcmDN-FNLw4Eaj1Ehey1O4TC1Jt7GXtnp1n9WPUEohtipEO4raG8EBlrWGNCgQCr0Bms/s400/bus+2.jpg" width="400" /></a>The Trades Council voted to organise a demonstration in Barnsley on the next strike day, Saturday 4th February. Supporters are asked to assemble at 10.30am at the Jumble Lane crossing end of the bus station where the pickets stand during the day. It is hoped that all the local unions will turn out in support and that there will be union branches from around the area turning up with banners. After a rally at the picket line there will be a march through Barnsley town centre and a final rally in Peel Square. The Unite reps were keen to see this support.</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Money to the bus strikers' hardship fund is coming in from a number of workplaces and unions. This is helping to support those members who are struggling to make ends meet with the frequent strikes.</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br />
Messages of support should be emailed to Barnsley Unite branch secretary Tony Rushforth at <a href="mailto:a-rushforth@sky.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">a-rushforth@sky.com</a>. Cheques should be made payable to TGWU 9/9 Barnsley and sent to A Rushforth, 45 Tune Street, Wombwell, BarnsleyS73 8PX</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">George Arthur</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
</div>
<div class="yj6qo ajU" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 22px;">
<div aria-label="Show trimmed content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Show trimmed content" id=":e0" role="button" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; clear: both; line-height: 6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; position: relative; width: 20px;" tabindex="0">
<img class="ajT" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/images/cleardot.gif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/ellipsis.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; height: 8px; opacity: 0.3; width: 20px;" /></div>
</div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-69358215960428725802012-01-26T08:36:00.002+00:002012-01-27T20:27:30.290+00:00Remploy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">REMPLOY WORKERS ON STRIKE </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">AGAINST PRIVATISATION.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZUzxPDNcvpQwckiLUsnxhA64k_Wq6zoGg4H2lPkXNjE27lUdv9PjQupXsWyy09MF66V3ZgD5YnsSmVTlUOYge3jDh1m1Zab4FtHc5hzHA1Krk_0SPiBTn0w1AhS2yq8HAslgB3qORnBk/s1600/remploy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZUzxPDNcvpQwckiLUsnxhA64k_Wq6zoGg4H2lPkXNjE27lUdv9PjQupXsWyy09MF66V3ZgD5YnsSmVTlUOYge3jDh1m1Zab4FtHc5hzHA1Krk_0SPiBTn0w1AhS2yq8HAslgB3qORnBk/s200/remploy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Disabled </span>workers at a Chesterfield Remploy factory are striking today against the part privatisation of the factory. Remploy have formed a partnership with a private company called Websters, who make artificial aids like braces. Together they have formed R healthcare. This has lead to the management appointing non disabled workers on much lower terms and conditions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> This is clearly an attempt at pushing disabled people out of employment through the back door.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remploy was founded in 1945 under the 1944 Disabled Persons (Employment) Act introduced by Ernest Bevin. The then minister for labour, as a response to the number disabled ex-miners injured underground and Disabled World War Two veterans Returning from The front. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>STRIKE</b></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisA8doun2Oyvc3MvgrITtloiA1FG1SanSQtO09UCD9UKNtNa64b-NSwAFtuoC-QtTsDJc75k8M20gJAD0ghrsYI_ppI3UpQHT1XRN-TlZdaNQk9UL4EXH48VhkXS5rfq_rYkjdUbcAxgB9/s1600/remploy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisA8doun2Oyvc3MvgrITtloiA1FG1SanSQtO09UCD9UKNtNa64b-NSwAFtuoC-QtTsDJc75k8M20gJAD0ghrsYI_ppI3UpQHT1XRN-TlZdaNQk9UL4EXH48VhkXS5rfq_rYkjdUbcAxgB9/s320/remploy.jpg" width="320" /></a> pickets start from 5.30am and will go right through till 4.30pm </div>
<h4 style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: left;">
Remploy Ltd</h4>
<h4 style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: left;">
Sheffield Road Chesterfield S41 8NJ</h4>
<div>
<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">messages of support should be sent to</span></b></u></div>
<div>
<h4 style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: left;">
James Stribley Regional Consortium member Yorkshire jamesstribleygmbyorkshire@hotmail.co.uk </h4>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-56541135483336015882012-01-25T11:26:00.001+00:002012-01-27T20:27:52.383+00:00Royal scum<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">ROYAL SCROUNGER VISITS BARNSLEY </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnilBZnYGQ_nsiitYTE7refQeFw0TN1coDAwgUN3aOahjZjU52einCl9ieHq8Aq2IyWmdsxnYdMGkXxNpyeYpqX7DxMaOWyYT2ZiF1lWnW4QheuCqjJmhNWFmpW9kiPJk-EFiKdMphyAg/s1600/Prince+charles+of+wales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnilBZnYGQ_nsiitYTE7refQeFw0TN1coDAwgUN3aOahjZjU52einCl9ieHq8Aq2IyWmdsxnYdMGkXxNpyeYpqX7DxMaOWyYT2ZiF1lWnW4QheuCqjJmhNWFmpW9kiPJk-EFiKdMphyAg/s320/Prince+charles+of+wales.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> T</span>his Monday Barnsley hosted one of Britain's biggest benefit scroungers. Charles or (Charlie) as he likes to be called when being poked with a stick. Charlie visited Wentworth castle to help open some miniature curtains by pulling a bit of string to reveal something shiny.Whilst at Wentworth castle Charlie spoke briefly to several bramble bushes and promised a nettle he would return in the spring to meet his friends. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Charlie then moved on to pull another bit of string to reveal a statue of Barnsley umpire Dickie Bird. Hundreds of people clapped and cheered as Charlie Britain's most gifted benefit scrounger made his way through Barnsley town centre. One concerned royalist onlooker said "he should be more careful. working and signing on. If social catch him he'll have to pay it all back. Our Andy got caught up a ladder in 1997 and we are still paying it off". The big crowds in Barnsley reflect how the town holds the Royal family in such high esteem. We spoke to Sheila Perkins who actually spoke to his majesty. Sheila said "its amazing anyone who can get £40 million a year out of those tight sods at the social deserve to have children waving flags at them". She went on to say. "I asked the prince how his father was after his recent illness". The prince said. "O he is much better thank you daddy passed his ATOS test with flying colours".</div>
<br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-16923311126118471042012-01-23T17:12:00.000+00:002012-01-27T20:28:11.904+00:00drivers fight on<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">BUS DRIVERS FIGHT ON.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">B</span>arnsley and Rawmarsh Stagecoach drivers voted this Sunday to escalate industrial action, with day on day off strike action. The strikes will start on the the 4th of February and continue on the 6th, 8th and 10nth of February. With further strikes planned should Stagecoach refuse to back down. Drivers feel confident of victory after local trade union branches, activists and members of the public made donations and offered support. Bus drivers feel they can force stagecoach to pay back pay which the drivers are owed right the way back to june. Pressure is now mounting on stagecoach as the strike is costing them thousands bringing in scabs from outside the area and paying overtime and hotel expenses, as well as up to 60% of lost services. A victory for the bus drivers is a victory for us all. It will show that if we fight we can win.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5c0HUvH2e_XjAZ5SaOEkqMJSnxI7Em4nCM0EoHdjxb-ydetOqwOW_7nywc-Ai6Gahm1BXlgpKqI2XvyDVRCe9IPj4GfrWYw4IlatkloraSJjJaGcjObWFS3nsHHC4BRAsAzUX9aLndcv/s1600/Barnsley-bus-strike-Jan-2011-2-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5c0HUvH2e_XjAZ5SaOEkqMJSnxI7Em4nCM0EoHdjxb-ydetOqwOW_7nywc-Ai6Gahm1BXlgpKqI2XvyDVRCe9IPj4GfrWYw4IlatkloraSJjJaGcjObWFS3nsHHC4BRAsAzUX9aLndcv/s400/Barnsley-bus-strike-Jan-2011-2-sm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">Messages of support to</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">Tony Rushforth a-rushforth@sky.com</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-59331647716693075972012-01-20T00:26:00.002+00:002012-02-08T09:53:37.483+00:00James poem<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-indent: 36pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">A poem by Sheffield poet James Oliver</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-indent: 36pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-indent: 36pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;"> UK Titanic- all in it together</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-indent: 36pt;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">We understand your concerns</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">But find where we ever wrote</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Any cast iron guarantees, that we’d hit no icebergs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">And we don’t know who gave you the impression</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">That this ship was unsinkable</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">or the captain sane</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">So the house we said was your nest egg</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Is now the millstone dragging you under</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">And the job we let you take loans against</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Floated off when the engines failed</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">We would love to help</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">But we’re too busy playing ftse with the captains of industry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">We would love to help</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">But you can’t escape the free market</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">This ship will right itself in time:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">This is only a downturn</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">We must all remain positive</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">talking this ship-down</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Is just what’s causing it to sink</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Our safety-advice is this-</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">stand on your own two feet</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">And keep your chin up</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">No sir the winding-up allowance is not a wind-up</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Yes that’s correct sir</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">it applies to the political-class package only</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">And comes with safety-winch included</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">We continue to be optimistic that the SS USA</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Will arrive at any moment to tow us away</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">No madam, I assure you</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">That can’t be what you saw towing us here</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">No, these bonus-lifeboats are reserved</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">to attract the top people</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">who are best equipped to search for help</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">they’re lined with bank-notes</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">for quantitative-easing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">It’s you we want to rescue</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">We’ll come back for you shortly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Meanwhile</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">Get on in:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt;">the water’s bracing</span></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-8130942714209015582012-01-19T11:06:00.001+00:002012-01-27T20:29:11.097+00:00unemployment<span style="font-size: x-large;"> Unemployment on the rise</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemCtXN8oiOnoxBOnLSl7vQDBlvzCOlOeJoBnhoi5UeHy2MYsG3wyIDFIRi7eQfM9bZbyORnFV_OuxxDKOMJQOWuZoYc1y8rPEhCRv0u4LWMd1dXMLjGkqRNGwIx4JWoj1Rihd_tyhr8k4/s1600/job-centre-415x423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemCtXN8oiOnoxBOnLSl7vQDBlvzCOlOeJoBnhoi5UeHy2MYsG3wyIDFIRi7eQfM9bZbyORnFV_OuxxDKOMJQOWuZoYc1y8rPEhCRv0u4LWMd1dXMLjGkqRNGwIx4JWoj1Rihd_tyhr8k4/s320/job-centre-415x423.jpg" width="313" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> The number of people claiming job seekers allowance has increased in South Yorkshire over the past year well above the national average. The figure increased to 42,435 this is 5,277 more than the same time last year. This figure is a gross underestimate of the problem as it fails to include the many young people who are not claiming the benefit. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Prospects for the area look grim as the department for work and pensions gave workers Yule tide news of a thousand job losses in the city. This comes after</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Sheffield city council </span><span style="font-size: large;">announced</span><span style="font-size: large;"> in November plans to cut a further 700 jobs. Job losses are a real blow to our communities and lead to other social problems such as crime, mental health issues and increased suicide rates. In order to defend our communities from unemployment we need to fight to save every job.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-3463890881569804152012-01-18T13:55:00.002+00:002012-01-27T20:29:49.692+00:00Campbell for UCU<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mark Campbell UCU NEC and general secretary candidate calls for unions to name a day for strike action to defend pensions. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://uniteresist.org/">UNITE THE RESISTANCE</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nF3GQqrD5jg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5747385745910973331.post-5451175408104657542012-01-17T22:14:00.001+00:002012-01-27T20:30:16.134+00:00bus report<br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<em>by George Arthur</em></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Bus workers at Stagecoach in South Yorkshire walked out on Monday of this week—their eighth strike day. The strike followed a decision last week to reject a management offer in their pay dispute.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The workers, members of the Unite union, voted 206 to 89 against the offer. They want to fight for a top pay rate of £9 an hour plus back pay. Stagecoach had offered them £9.05 an hour but no back pay.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The picket lines were significantly larger on Monday with some 70 pickets at Barnsley depot and 20 at Rawmarsh. The mood was positive.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsCBAou82kePyp0uFQ7mz32zab9hXRoUMzE1j7OAvPJZMx3AthbrA44Pt5wJZSHH0eBaLXDmG7r__1q4rjcTUomyzy_dAFOpobv5W90dfHce4bsuf-DjNvNr5SNEDhoKjBnQUlIec4Tgu/s1600/chimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsCBAou82kePyp0uFQ7mz32zab9hXRoUMzE1j7OAvPJZMx3AthbrA44Pt5wJZSHH0eBaLXDmG7r__1q4rjcTUomyzy_dAFOpobv5W90dfHce4bsuf-DjNvNr5SNEDhoKjBnQUlIec4Tgu/s1600/chimage.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
The workers will hold a mass meeting on Sunday this week to decide their next step. There is a strong mood for more strikes.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Management unsuccessfully tried to stop union reps from arguing against their offer.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
And Stagecoach managers from across Britain are being shipped in to Barnsley to drive scab buses.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
But the drivers need financial support. Unite’s regional officials have written to Sheffield trades council appealing for support.</div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Last week a local GMB branch donated £200 and an NUJ chapel gave £50 to the strikers’ hardship fund.</div>politicohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601472463122654416noreply@blogger.com0