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Ireland: Smash Water Charges

The mobilisation, anger and direct action of working class people opposing water charges in the south has got the government on the run. Much is made of a brick thrown at Garda and Joan Burton being trapped by a ‘mob’ in her car during a water charges protest. Little to nothing is said about police violence against protestors or the devastating impact this charge will have on poor working class families. Families already devastated by attack after attack upon them by bosses and government in the name of ‘austerity’.

Reclaim The Night - Belfast

On the evening of 29th November Belfast Solidarity Federation took to the streets of Belfast with over 300 others to reclaim the night.
Set to become an annual event we all marched to demand an end to harassment and violence against women. There were speakers from Hollaback, Sex Workers Alliance Ireland, NUS USI Women’s Campaign, the Black and Minority Ethnic Women’s Network, Belfast Feminist Network and Gender Jam NI.
Somewhat at odds with the notion of taking direct action on our city centre streets the last speaker welcomed the police presence indicating they were there to “protect us” and without a hint of irony proceeded to announce we were reclaiming the night!

Issue 14 of Belfast local Bulletin the Leveller

The latest issue of the Leveller is out not. With articles on opposition to Belfast City Council privatisation of our leisure centres, 'On The Runs', crisis in the Ukraine and more...

Hands Off Our Leisure Centres

Opposition has succeeded in stalling Belfast City Council's moves towards outsourcing and privatisation of the cities leisure centres and facilities.
On the 22nd of February the council’s strategic policy and resources committee voted to hand our leisure centres over to a trust. In a move to offload essential, but underfunded, services city hall will be ditching 10 leisure centres (11 when the council expands in May).
The council are looking to shed the £8 million a year that it spends to barely maintain our underfunded and rundown leisure centres. 300 workers and thousands of working class families who use leisure centres across the city will be affected. DUP chair of the committee Gavin Robinson has refused to rule out closures. Similar moves in Magherafelt Leisure Centre resulted in the loss of 30 jobs.

Belfast Anarchy Cafe

Belfast SolFed is pleased to announce that we will be starting the first in a series of informal, relaxed meetings about anarchism and anarchist unions at the monthly Anarchy Cafe in the Centre (aka Giros), Little Victoria Street, Belfast.

The Anarchy Cafe will take place on the last Monday of each month.

We will be starting on Monday 29th of April with a discussion on anarchism and the struggle for a woman's right to choose.. There will be a book stall, refreshments and snacks. Kicking off at 7.00 pm hope to see you there.

The Northern Ireland flag protests: Politics of Distraction

A member of the Belfast local (in-formation) comrade has written this article to be read in conjunction with this piece we published last week.

Can't We All Just Get Along?: An apolitical response to political events in Belfast

A member of the Belfast local (in-formation) writes...

On 16th December 2012 about 1000 people gathered at Belfast City Hall in the wake of 2 weeks of demonstrations, some of them violent, by Loyalist protesters angered by the City Councils' decision to fly the Union Flag only on 'designated days' rather than the full 365 days a year as it has done up until now. The gathering at City Hall was billed as being 'about peace' and 'to show that Northern Ireland has moved on'. Leaving aside the facts that the approximately 1000 attendees were 1000 out of about 3500 who had proclaimed to be 'attending' on facebook, and the fact that a Loyalist demonstration the previous day at the same location was able to attract roughly similar numbers, we have to ask, 'moved on' to what?, and for whom?

The Northern Ireland flag protests: Politics of Distraction

A member of the Belfast local (in-formation) comrade has written this article to be read in conjunction with this piece we published last week.

On December 3rd Belfast City Council decided, by 29 votes to 21, to reduce the number of days the Union flag was flown above the city hall from 365 to 17 days a year.

Within minutes of the vote a protest of over 1000 loyalists broke through the rear gates and into the grounds of the city hall. One security guard and a number of police were injured.

Can't We All Just Get Along?: An apolitical response to political events in Belfast

A member of the Belfast local (in-formation) writes...

On 16th December 2012 about 1000 people gathered at Belfast City Hall in the wake of 2 weeks of demonstrations, some of them violent, by Loyalist protesters angered by the City Councils' decision to fly the Union Flag only on 'designated days' rather than the full 365 days a year as it has done up until now. The gathering at City Hall was billed as being 'about peace' and 'to show that Northern Ireland has moved on'. Leaving aside the facts that the approximately 1000 attendees were 1000 out of about 3500 who had proclaimed to be 'attending' on facebook, and the fact that a Loyalist demonstration the previous day at the same location was able to attract roughly similar numbers, we have to ask, 'moved on' to what?, and for whom?

Occupy and Defy: the Visteon workers’ struggle & their union

Over the spring, hundreds of workers at three car parts manufacturing plants across the UK were made redundant. In response, workers occupied the plants and, in doing so, demonstrated that any protection we might have from the ravages of this recession will come not from the generosity of employers, politicians or trade union bosses but from the action we take as rank and file workers.

In June 2000, Ford Motor Company outsourced production of some of its car parts to Visteon, an apparently independent company, but in reality one in which Ford retained a 60% holding. The relatively smooth changeover was negotiated on the promise that the ex-Ford – now Visteon – workers would remain on Ford terms and conditions, including pensions and redundancy packages.

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