Recently smart phones have been used at many actions by some of those able to afford them (the ’100% off summer sales’ may have been a help here).  They are valuable and versatile tools allowing users to photograph, film, tweet, message and update interactive real-time maps, but they are also a vulnerability mapping your location and even recording everything you do.

It is timely then that a friend of Bristol Afed has produced this guide to utilising them as safely as possible. We strongly recommend anyone with or wanting a smart phone checks it out. All technology carries risks, but used carefully the benefits can far outweigh them.

CAPITA specialise in buying up public sector contracts as they become privatised, they then rake in massive profits by driving down working conditions and wages for staff. Due to TUPE legislation management will initially have to keep all staff contracts the same, however they will quickly use every tactic at their disposal to lower conditions.

TVL workers have seen permanent staff replaced with agency workers at every opportunity, with staff on decent contracts encouraged to leave, meanwhile bellow inflation pay rises or pay freezes have seen their pay effectively reduced since CAPITA took over.  Whist CAPITA is using the current recession as an excuse for this, the argument simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny:

• CAPITA profits have increased substantially in the past two years, despite the recession.
• Profits currently stand in excess of one million pounds a day.
• The contract for TV licencing has been so profitable it has been used as a case study and recently been renewed for another 8 years.
• Whilst low paid workers have had bellow inflation pay offers, the CEO and senior executives have been given a 17% pay increase!

This is the reason workers have decided to demand the pay  they deserve and they know their bosses can afford (a 77% yes vote on strike action). It has already led to several days of strikes around the country, including on November the 30th dispelling the myth that only public sector workers are fighting cuts to their living standards. As CWU assistant secretary Andy Furrey put it “Both disputes are about fairness – fair pay for Capita workers and fair pensions for public sector workers. We both face powerful employers who say they can’t afford more. The truth is that these employers will use excuses to squeeze staff costs for fat cat strategies”.

Good luck to everyone on strike, fight ’till you win!

Heres our rundown of what you can get up to on the day:

• Strike  If you’re in a workplace where your coworkers are unionised and striking, even if you’re not in the union you can still strike(see last paragraph). You’ll have the same protections against being penalised as unionsed workers. Don’t cross those picket lines!

• Picket Talking of picket lines, make sure you’re on one! Extra support on picketlines is always warmly received, and class solidarity is one of our most important tools when fighting against the state. Pickets will be outside most government, council and educational buildings from around 7.30am.

• March  Starting at 11am on college green a mass demonstration will march through Bristol to castle park, it looks set to be the biggest since the start of the Iraq war and one of the most lively and enthusiastic ones we’ve had in a long time.

• Uncut!  A group calling itself  ‘Santa Uncut’ has promised to deliver coal to all the ‘naughty’ corporations in the centre of Birstol and has invited everyone who wants to do more than just march to keep their eyes peeled and get invovled.

• Occupy Your University/College to show support for striking lecturers and demonstrate their opposition to the cuts universities accross the country have been going into occupation. If yours is get down there and support it, if not get down there and occupy it!  The UWE occupation is now under way at St Matts campus.

• Occupy Bristol After their recent bank occupations there are  rumours that occupy Bristol will be get involved and up the ante on the 30th.

• Have a Break With the early start and hectic day, you may want to take up Hydra Books on their offer of a complimentary cup of coffee for every striker (scabs not welcome).

If none of the above has inspired you yet, then take a look at this on youtube (contains lots of swearing), and remember even if you’re stuck at home messages of support are welcomed!

Solidairty Forever,

Bristol Afed

click here to read

Includes:
-Bristol Council’s Plans to close care homes and day-centres for elderly.
-Bristol Uni’s links to the arms trade
-Local nuclear plans
-and more!

Listen to faintest idea here, 51st state here, and watch roughneck riot playing on youtube .
You can also let the CIA know you’re coming via facebook.

Click Here to Read

These austerity measures are hitting us, the working class, through cuts in the NHS, fast rising unemployment rates, rounds of redundancies, whether so-called “voluntary” or compulsory, wage freezes, cuts in disability benefits, and cuts in local services as well as an attack on pensions, which is a major reason for the June 30th actions. People will have to pay more for their pensions, will have to work longer, and at the end, get a smaller pension.

It seems exciting that so many workers are coming out at the same time. However, union leaders will not go far enough, and will seek to channel our anger and dissent into weak and tokenistic forms of protest. Those of us in the striking unions have been balloted for discontinuous action – giving us the option to stage multiple strikes. We need to make sure this happens, and that these strikes are as far reaching and militant as possible including further strike action in October. But not all public sector workers are striking, and the private sector is out of the equation.

This should not be an occasion to let this go by passively. The day of action can be made more effective by:

• Strengthening the strike pickets as much as possible. Everyone should support these by going to their nearest picket. This means not just workers in that sector but everyone who is affected by the cuts- other workers, school students, FE and HE students, pensioners, the unemployed
• Refusing to cross picket lines
• Joining the strike even if you are not a paid up member of a union
• Organising meetings in the workplaces in the run up to June 30th to get maximum support for the strike
• School students and further education students ( where they are still at school because many terms will be ending) should turn out to support teachers and lecturers and organise their own actions
• Most university students will have finished their academic year. However, where possible they should support the strike pickets and demonstrations where they can
• The widest possible solidarity has to be reached between teaching staff and support staff. In all sectors, whether education, the civil service or transport the greatest involvement of those not “officially” on strike
• Encourage those who feel they cannot take part in supporting the strike including workers in other sectors to phone in sick on the day
• On June 30th delegations from picket lines to visit other workplaces to encourage solidarity action. The organisation of local marches and assemblies where possible

June 30th has the potential to be a huge display of anger at the cuts that are being imposed. The more successful, the more who turn out to strike and to support, the greater the encouragement to carry on ongoing actions that don’t just involve one token day.

We have no faith in the trade union leaders to successfully “lead” the fight against these austerity measures. Neither should we place trust in the Labour Party. They were the ones who started many of the measures that this government has carried on. Where Labour runs local councils it implements the cuts packages. Labour tells us that cuts are necessary, it’s just that they will do it in a “kinder” way. How many Labour MPs have you heard justifying austerity measures?

No, we have to rely on ourselves, on our own organisation. We can carry on the fight through mass assemblies where everyone can put over their view, where any delegates are mandated and subject to recall. We can win this fight against these austerity measures. All over the world we have the example of ordinary working people suddenly discovering their own self confidence and their own ability to organise and to resist, no matter what the odds.

WE CAN WIN!

IN BRISTOL:

In Bristol Pickets will be going on across the city including schools and job centres.
At 10.00am there will the a Claimants Feeder March starting from King Square on Stokes Croft and marching to College Green.
At 11am everyone will gather at College Green for the main march organised by Bristol Anti Cuts Alliance which will arrive at Castle Park for a Rally at 12am. Bring placards, banners, noise, anger and humor. At the rally there will be a number of stalls and further actions against the cuts including a UK Uncut style Tax Collection rolling picket to begin at midday in Broadmead.

Download Claimant March Flyer

We hope to get it out in more cafes and bars this time too.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
* The June 30th Public Sector Strike
* Inside Apple’s factory
* Banksy at the Anarchist Bookfair
* Direct Action at Office Angels
* Fighting back against benefit cuts
* Wanker of the month award

Click to View

Hope to see you there, easton community centre 21st May (This Saturday!) 11:30 – 17:30.

(Also don’t forget its kilnaboy, spanner, anarchofolko, half boy half nachos, Dj Olifka and miss fit playing at the plough afterwards in aid of no borders).

Timetable & More info here