Tagged: IWW
Bristol Set for a VERY active couple of weeks
We were just about to bang away on the keyboard listing all of the demonstrations, festivities and events coming up in the fortnight. However, we spotted that our friends over at Bristol IWW had just done the same, and we hope they won’t mind us coping their homework. Cheers comrades!
Make it to as many of these as you can – we’ll certainly be there!
This Saturday, the 9th of September, there is an IWW contingent joining the anti-austerity march and rally called by Bristol People’s Assembly and Bristol Labour Party on College Green. Facebook event here. Look for the IWW banner [and the AFed one, probably next to it]
Sadly on the 10th of September, fascists will be descending upon our city from outside Bristol attempting to whip up Islamophobia and hatred. This time we’re dealing with Tommy Robinson front group ‘Gays Against Sharia’ who will be attempting to use the LGBT community to peddle known fascist speakers such as former BNP youth activist Jack Buckby, Paul Weston of Pegida UK/Liberty GB, figurehead of the EDL’s deluded LGBT grouping Tommy Cook aka Tommy English and wingnut fash-favourite, UKIP leadership candidate Anne Marie Waters. Bristol Queercaf have already called a counter demonstration and Bristol IWW encourages all members and supporters to go along. Fascist groups have never had much success at organising in our brilliant city but we need to keep opposing until they finally get the message. Again look for our banner or check Loomio for on the day plans.
On the 14th of September the IWW have their branch meeting, which will include a workshop with our FWs from the Incarcerated Workers’ Organising Committee (IWOC). Come and find out how IWOC supports prisoners to organise & fight back against prison slavery and the prison system itself. After the meeting we generally go for a drink in a local pub. [For more on the prison abolition movement see the latest issue of Organise! – which you can download for free or pick up from Hydra Books or Kebele Info Shop]
On the 16th of September we’ll be running our usual stall at the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair with pamphlets, badges and other merchandise. This year’s event has moved to St Werburghs Community Centre BS2 9TJ
Finally on the 17th of September Bristol Radical History Group will be holding a Radical History Festival at the M-Shed, which looks to be a really interesting event with some contributions from local Wobblies.
Whatever you’re doing have a lovely September and we hope to see you sometime.
Never Mind the Ballots: Eight Upcoming Radical Protests & Events
While most eyes seemed to be focused solely on the election and our political ‘leaders’, there are a lot of other events coming up to keep the anarchists and radicals of Bristol (and beyond) busy. Some of these are being organised by us, some by our friends and comrades. Others are just ones we’re going to and you should do everything you can to support or attend as well. Whatever your view on the election, make sure it doesn’t get in the way of the real politics!
Upcoming Events:
Dorset Radical Bookfair
Saturday 3rd June
10:30–23:00
Portfield Community Hall
Dorset’s first ever Radical Bookfair is happening this Saturday! There will be stalls, talks covering a range of topics (including two from us on ‘Capitalism, Anarchism & Mental Health’ and ‘Revolutionary Women’), and films on anarchism, rebellion, and the revolution. And it’s free entry!
To find out more, check out their Facebook event.
Hartcliffe Protest! Re-open the Rent Offices!
Saturday 3rd June
11:00-12:00
Symes House
Come on down to Hartcliff on Saturday to stand with residents as they protest the cuts their community has had to face and the closure of council facilities at Symes House. These are cuts we’re facing all over the city, so even if you don’t live in Hartcliff, go on down and show your support. Facebook event.
The Tories Are Back in, Here Are Your Choices (Or: Ten Ways They Will Screw Us over and How We Can Fight Back)
Cameron remains in Downing Street, now with a majority (having successfully cannibalized his former LibDem partners). A lot of people are understandably depressed by this, and now to top it all off Farage hasn’t even resigned. FFS politics, give us a break. We don’t have much say in what policies they try and force upon us – after all we had ‘Vote Tory for capitalism and austerity’ and ‘Vote Labour for the same, only a bit less and our heart isn’t really in it’. What we DO have a say in, is how we react to them.
Reaction One: Voter Apathy
Non voters are often accused of apathy, but if after going to the ballot on the 7th you are planning to sit back and do nothing for five years than you are being truly apathetic. Of course the same is true if ‘not voting’ is the sum total of your protest against the system. Maybe to kill time before the next general election you can try to change Labour from the inside, or help the Greens get half a dozen MPs early next decade. If you’re really inspired maybe you could put your energy into reforming how we vote for our ‘representatives’. Although many countries use other systems and they still aren’t socialist utopias yet either. Lets get one thing clear though, would Ed Milliband be screwing us over aswell? Hell yes.
Reaction Two: Fight for What We Have, Fight for What We Need
We are often presented a doctored version of history. One where the oppressed asked the government nicely for reforms, where they appealed to their ruler’s reason and conscience, or simply voted in nicer leaders.
A closer inspection reveals a very different narrative, where everything we have was fought for tooth and nail. Where workers faced down the army for the right to have the evening off rather than work 14 hour days, where women bombed pavilions and learnt martial arts before they were recognised as capable of decisions, where people faced down battalions of police who were trying to force a fascist march through the east end of London. It is the latter telling of history that should inform how we react today.
Everything we have we fought for, and everything we fought for they want back. As soon as we stop fighting – in our work places, in our communities, in the streets and in the fields – we will lose everything. The good news? If you want to take action there are plenty ways to do it. Here are just a few based on some Tory policies.
1. The Tories will ruin the lives of disabled people 
Not without a fight from the likes of DPAC! Continue reading
Santa Bloc : Spreading Anti-Capitalist Seasonal Cheer
On Saturday 13th of December, a group of spirited anarchists and other rebellious pixies, donned Christmas hats and Santa beards. Armed with several hundred leaflets, several dozen mince pies, and a handful of song sheets we set out to inject a bit of anti capitalist rebellion into the heart of the consumer season!
We’d decided that companies exploiting people via the governments ‘workfare’ forced labour schemes were particularly worthy of our scorn at this time of year. We set about demonstrating and partying outside and, despite the protests of a tag along PCSO, inside a number of serial offenders.
From a knife attack to free donuts, a range of reactions to the workfare demonstration
Last Saturday over 50 people gatherd in Broadmead for an anti-Workfare demonstration called by ourselves and Bristol Solidarity Federation. Aswell as friends from Bath Anarchists (BARF), the IWW and the Socalist Party there were plenty of new faces we hadn’t seen on previous demos.
First stop, Cabot Cirucs!
Before we had even set off our spirits were lifted by the news that Superdrug had already pulled out of workfare just before the demonstrations set to take place across the country, Result! The first stop on our tour of companies using forced labor under the workfare scheme was Dorothy Perkins in Cabot Circus. Its always good to reclaim spaces like Cabot that are technically no longer public but in the hands of private owners. The security were powerless to stop us due to our weight of numbers, and ability to resist their clever mind tricks such as saying ‘don’t you want to go that way instead?‘. Continue reading
UNISON did not win us the London Living Wage
TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL is the old saying and in that tradition this statement from St Georges, Univeristy of London Cleaners should be widely circulated: “We, the cleaners at St George’s are writing to inform you that the stories that UNISON are spreading about the cleaners at St George’s are lies. I am sure you were not aware of this, though.
UNISON did not win us the London Living Wage. In fact we won it not because of UNISON, but in spite of UNISON.
We are members of the IWW union. Only one of our colleagues is with UNISON. We are not represented by UNISON. The IWW, an independent union that’s managed by its members on a voluntary basis, has been with us right from the start. They represent us, and they won us the LLW. Continue reading
Bristol targets workfare, report from saturdays day of action
On Saturday dozens of Bristolians joined more than twenty towns around the uk and responded to a call out from local anarchist & left organisations to target companies profiting from the workfare scheme. Whilst many of the ‘usual suspects’ were absent (worn out from four demos on the Friday!), 36 people attended and it was no less loud, fun or effective than the last. Plus it was nice to see some new faces!
The demo arrives at Holland & Barrett (the UKs only healthfood company to use slave labour)
Workfare Leaflets and Target List
Here are our leaflets for todays anti workfare action. Thanks to Sol Fed, Boycott Workfare, and our own Bristol AFed reasearchers for the information and content!
Leaflet: Anti Workfare Leaflet
List of workfare providers in Bristol: Bristol Workfare Target List
New Issue of 1831, Hotter than a coffee shop in Athens
The fifth edition of 1831 – Bristols radical news sheet. This month looks at Work Fare, Vince Cable, Stephen Williams MP’s oppinions on squaters (spoiler: not a fan), upcoming council cuts and pizza.
You can read it here (PDF)
UCU Strike Support
We wish to express our support for, and solidarity with, those members of the UCU in England who will be taking part in the forth coming strikes, on the 22nd and 24th of March, with particular regard to members at the University of Bristol and the University of West England. We also wish to express our support for, and solidarity with, those UCU members who have or will be taking part in strikes in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland on the 17th, 18th, and 21st of March respectively.
It is perverse, in a time where students fees are being raised, that staff are being subjected to such an attack on their pension schemes. We see, reflected in this move, further evidence of attacks – justified in the context of a crisis we neither created nor facilitated – on the services on which millions of working class people depend, either for education or for employment.
Further more, we wish to plead with those members of staff who will take it upon themselves to undermine strike action by performing their duties on the day. As fellow workers we understand the cost of a days wages, and of the potential repercussions that supporting this action may entail, but also understand and whole heartedly believe in the power of collective action. It is only by standing together that – in any such struggle – objectives can be met.
Equally, we call upon the students of these institutions to support their staff, much as the staff supported them in the struggle against the rise in Tuition Fees. Support your staff in any way you can, by attending the picket lines or refusing to cooperate with scab staff, or through more inventive measures. Again, it is important to recognise the power of collective action.
Yours in Solidarity,
Anti-Cuts Action Bristol
Bristol Anarchist Federation
Bristol IWW
Bristol Anarchist Federation 
