Stop the SDL: Dumfries – 18th May 2013

In the unlikely event that the racist bigots of the SDL actually turn up on Saturday (18th May), there is a counter demonstration at the Greensands (the site of the old swimming pool). It starts at 10.30 and proceeds at 11.00 via Buccleuch St., High St, English St & Annan Road to Noblehill Park.

At Noblehill Park the rally will continue from 12 noon until we hear that the SDL Nazis have left Dumfries.

The counter-demonstration is organised by Dumfries Trade Union Council as such expect plenty of hot air from union bureaucrats and politicians. Though, there’s also music organised by a local youth group who have chosen as the theme for the rally Love Music – Hate Racism.

We’ll be joining the rally, as the organisers rightly say: ‘Experience here and elsewhere is that the best way to deter racists like the SDL and the BNP from returning is to turn out in large numbers in a positive protest against their message of hate.’

Dumfries: Anti-Racist Demo – Saturday 18 March 2013

The Scottish Defence League (SDL) the sadder and more pathetic ‘little brothers’ of the fracturing English Defence League (EDL) are threatening to visit Dumfries. Claiming only to be against ‘militant Islam’ – as though no one else was against the terroristic, misogyny and murderous savagery of extremist Islamism – the EDL and SDL attack Muslims of all and every stripe. Indeed, of all the many problems Dumfries faces (lack of resources, growing gap between rich and poor, environmental damage etc), the threat of Al Qaeda taking over the town isn’t one of them.

So picking on the local, small Muslim minority is not just vicious racism (associating wholly innocent people with actions they have no responsibility for), but serving to support the rich bastards (of all races and religions) who are responsible for the shit we’re in but never criticised by the SDL. So it;s no surprise that the EDL and SDL attack trades unionists and radicals too.
The local Trades council, have called a meeting on Wdnesday 8th May at 7.30pm at Dumfries Academy (Minerva Hall) to organise opposition to the SDL. With a speaker from the authoritarian socialist dominated United Against Fascism (it does include some non-Trots too). So akthough they’ve called a public meeting, like good authoritarians they seem to have already decided what action to take, because on…

Saturday 18th May, the day the SDL are supposed to turn up, there will be a peaceful counter-demonstration, well away from the SDL.

Two things to note, in the past the SDL have claimed they will turn up, but bottled out. There was a similar threat to demonstrate in Lockerbie a couple of years ago, but they bottled it. The Police and Council confirm that the SDL have not asked for a permit to march (and it is now too late to do so. Though the SDL can still hold a static rally. Second, there is no attempt to make the SDL directly uncomfortable. This might actually be good tactics on this occasion, though if the SDL are anything like their pished up football hoolie counterparts in the EDL, local people might wish to make plans to defend themselves as they do tend to be a bit narkie.

Local Wobs will be supporting the anti-racist action on the day. Even if the SDL don’t show, with UKIP and the BNP doing well in elections just over the border, it is worth reasserting that there are large numbers committed to popular, anti-racist politics.

 

 

Confederacy of Dunces

Thanks to the protests no one is left in any doubt about the mass dissatisfaction at the ruling elite’s attempt to sanctify and misrepresent Margaret Thatcher and her legacy. Such dissent does not gp unnoticed or unpunished. The state- and corporately-controlled media have run a co-ordinated campaign of marginalisation and denigration of dissidents.

Major protests against Thatcher and her state-funded funeral have taken place in most British cities and many towns. Dumfries was to have one too organised by local trade unionists…. But oh dear it’s the usual story of f**k up from the usual suspects of the Dumfries Trades Council.

The Trades Union ‘organisers’ having initially gone to the press and announced one date for the protest and its venue, they then changed it to an earlier date, leaving those who rely on local media for their information turning up on the wrong day. Not the best way to encourage participation.

But worst still they hadn’t checked with the venue that they would mind hosting the mock funeral. If the organisers had been honest with the bar staff maybe the pub wouldn’t have objected, but by being disingenuous the venue felt justified in cancelling the booking. Certainly in the past the IWW have put on events there and the pub did not object as we were straight with them as to what we are doing.

So even the re-arranged event did not run.

Worse still, and maybe out of embarrassment, there was little attempt by the organisers to inform anyone of the cancellation.

So whilst ten out of ten for the organisers for the idea. Minus several million for the execution. Let’s hope they (and indeed the rest of us) can learn from debacle: about the importance of good communication and honesty.

No wonder Thatcher was so successful if this is what she faced from opponents.

Ding Dong the Witch is Gone: Party Update

The party has been organised by local trade unionists and campaigners against the bedrrom tax. Itwill be held in the Tam o Shanter in Dumfries on the 15th April at 5:30pm. Note the date – regrettably it is not on the date of Thatcher’s actual funeral (17th).

All welcome…. The ale will be flowing….A local joiner has built a miniature coffin.

Further information from: John Dennis 07890444650

Here’s to more Top Tory Funerals…

Dumfries Targets of Workfare Exploiters?

Anti-workfare protestors blockade and occupy Superdrug and British Heart Foundation.

Followuing a highly successful blockade and occupation of the British Heart Foundation and Superdrug in Edinburgh on Saturday 8 December, in opposition to their participation in the government’s workfare schemes, activists are planning on targeting exploiters in other towns, including Dumfries and Carlise.

A huge banner declaring IF YOU EXPLOIT US WE WILL SHUT YOU DOWN blocked the entrance to the BHF furniture store in Leith’s Kirkgate
centre as demonstrators occupied the shop. Impromptu speeches were given inside and out, explaining that although BHF had claimed to be
“moving away” from workfare, they were still taking on new compulsory placements.

After half an hour inside BHF, protestors moved round the corner to blockade Superdrug. Many stopped to listen to spokespeople for the protest who gave speeches through a megaphone, stressing that this action was part of the wider resistance to the attacks by the rich
on the poor. Hundreds took leaflets denouncing workfare and in particular the new imposition of workfare on the sick and disabled. Many people came up to the stall outside the occupied stores and joined ECAP’s solidarity network for mutual support against the authorities.

Demonstrators then moved inside Superdrug, where a protestor gave a speech explaining that this action was against workfare and in solidarity with Superdrug workers whose wages and conditions were being undermined by the company’s use of workfare. In Brighton Superdrug are not taking on Xmas staff but are using workfare conscripts instead.

Although the police and the Kirkgate’s security guards were present
they did not attempt to stop the occupations. The demo, part of Boycott Workfare’s Britain-wide week of action, was organised by Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty (ECAP) and supported by Greater Leith Against the Cuts.

The protest, around 40-strong, was considered a real success by participants. Hopefully British Heart Foundation will now realise that they must withdraw completely from workfare or suffer continued disruption, and the anti workfare movement will grow and spread to effectively challenge all users of forced unpaid labour.

This was from an IWW internal report.

For more on potential actions against workfare in the Solway region contact iww_dg@yahoo.co.uk

It ASDA To Be Bullshit

So the planned ASDA store for Dumfries is being presented as an employment creation scheme, with 300 new jobs. This highly dubious official figure, cannot possibly take into account all the jobs in the smaller local shops that will go as result of yet another hypermarketopening outside of town. Whilst some small shops are worse employers than larger corporations, this unlikely to be case with ASDA, who are owned by the US WALMART company, a notorious union-busting, employee-intimidating firm. So the chances are jobs with some degree of autonomy and dignity will be replaced with ASDA jobs.

It is a common trait of any offically-supported unpopular cause or an unwanted blighting development to justfy it on the promise of ‘new jobs’?

Capitalist Cons Continue

Most families in Dumfries and Galloway have money problems: rising heating and grocery bill, kids who are or might be students with large loans to repay even if the Scottish government – unlike its English counterpart – doesn’t introduce upfront fees. On top of that there’s mortgages and rent to pay. For most families it takes a lifeime to raise the money to pay for a place to call their own. So how galling is that every single person in Britain has given the banks the euivalent of £20,000 each. For a family of 4 that’s basically a house each. If the 1.2 trillion (not billion) pounds went on free housing, helping the starving, education, giving better life chances to all etc there would be few complaints, instead its going to satisfy the greed of conmen and liars, whose only competence is trying to exploit the average worker for their own advantage. 20 million went to Bob Diamond alone.

If anyone wants to join us next Saturday 14th July at 11am in Dumfries and go to one of the banks that received the cash – and ask for our 20 grand back. If you are up for it (and it’ll only need a few of us to make the point) contact us at iww_dg@yahoo.co.uk or leave a message in the comments section.

Welfare Cuts and Homelessness in Dumfries: Meeting Monday 12 March

Dumfries Trades Union Council’s meeting will be addressed by Sue Irving, Chief Executive of Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service. She will speak about the impact of the Government’s welfare reform agenda on housing and homelessness in the region.

She will provide information about the single room rent and the “bedroom tax” and how this will impact on households in social housing deemed to be under occupying their properties as well as what this will mean for social landlords.  She will also talk about the likely impact of welfare reform on the Citizens Advice Service and how the organisation will respond to these challenges.

All Welcome

The meeting is on Monday, March 12th, 7.30pm at D & G Multicultural Association Building, Old Assembly Close, Dumfries (opposite the back entrance to Marks & Spencer)

Valentine

Here is a graphic illustrating an aphorism of the IWW’s own ‘Valentine’
- Matti Valentinpoika Huhta, aka ‘T-Bone Slim’! Enjoy!

My thanks to Mariane G. of Clydeside IWW for this

In the teeth of a coincidence

Three friends met up this week in Dumfries. All had visited in the last couple of a months the same dental practice in Dumfries for a check up for the first time (two had recently registered). All had no serious prior dental problems, nor expected any problems, yet all three were diagnosed as needing fillings. Is this an incredible coincidence or is there another explanation?