Casualisation / Workplace

from email, updated 3 January 2008: "There will be a talk in Stratford on the 8th of January 2009 which will discuss the realities of Olympic jobs, gentrification and policing. Hear speakers, watch film and debate the Olympics at an event on Thursday the 8th of January 2009, 6.30 – 8pm at Stratford Circus, Stratford Circus, Theatre Square, Stratford (opposite Pizza Express)..." more

from various sources, 20 December 2008: "The historic central offices of the General Confederation of Greek Workers in Athens have been occupied by militant workers. The action forms part of a strategy to counteract the designs of the union bureaucracy to distance its membership from the current revolt, and protest its management and mediation of workers' struggles in Greece. The occupants aim to create a space in which to facilitate a grassroots and self organised workers response to the crisis..." more

submitted 11 December 2008: "Here are some more snapshots of the debates and actions that are continuing across Italy. Also important is the discussion that comes from the Wave re: the murder of Alexis in Athens last weekend and Greek plans for education reform. Not only this but the actions around house occupations in Rome and the idea to re-occupy the recently evicted Horus social centre..." more

from email, 5 December 2008: "There is a massive student/worker rebellion in the Italian education sector. Many schools and universities are occupied. The slogan "we won't pay for your crisis' is at the forefront of the Anomalous Wave movement that opposes initially the Gelmini reforms of education, but more importantly, the creation of a new round of precarious workers in shit jobs joining the other thousands in the same boat. Last Friday 28th was another round of street demos and blockades..." more

from caic, updated 5 December 2008: On Monday 8th December 2008 at 11.00am there will be a noisy demo outside Amey PLC's Corporate HQ in Oxford (address below) called by the Campaign Against Immigration Controls, and The No Borders Network. In September this year 5 migrant cleaners were sacked by Amey Plc for "bringing the company into disrepute"... How were they damaging the company image? By belonging to a Trade Union and telling other staff at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in London where they work what was happening to them. Since them they have had their appeal against dismissal rejected... more

from email, 6 November 2008: +++ Agency Exploitation +++ The unions hailed the agreement on equal pay for agency workers “as a victory for union campaigning”. They must be joking. The agreement excludes sick pay and pensions and only guarantees the same pay as permanent staff after twelve weeks. The unions admit that around 50% of agency staff won’t be covered by the agreement as they are rarely employed for 12 weeks at a time. Nor do their figures include the thousands of staff who will be let go just before the 12-week entitlement to equal pay. The reality is that beyond TUC hype about “a breakthrough on workers’ rights”, the majority of agency workers will still receive less pay than permanent staff... more

from OCAP, 30 October 2008: "We are watching the greatest financial crisis since 1929 unfold before our eyes. Even if they manage to shore up their system for the moment, there is no doubt that a serious international downturn in the economy is getting underway. As this situation begins to impact the lives of our families and communities, we must understand and prepare to deal with what the crisis will mean to us..." more

from email, 29 October 2008: "Back in 1974, I was a student in Cornell University’s labor relations program, working during the summer for a union in New York City. The union’s education director (today its president) suggested that I quit university and go to work in a factory where I could organize workers... Today, factory owners are a mouseclick from knowing everything about each of us. The old strategy of blacklisting --employed so successfully against unions like the IWW for so many years--has now become infinitely more effective thanks to the Internet..." more

from email, 15 October 2008: As usual, the combined action of the States and international capitalism is helping to spread insecurity and poverty among the working classes, instability and terror among the peoples of the world, striking in such a way as to induce a state of perennial crisis that one aim only - impeding any sort of reorganization on the part of the anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist opposition and the development of any project for liberation and solidarity at national or international level. more

from LCAP, 9 October 2008: 17 years ago, cleaners on the Underground earnt £5.75 an hour. In 2008, many earn less than this. Cleaners on the Underground have taken three days of strike action this summer for a London living wage, pensions, sick pay, an end to third party sackings, 28 days’ annual leave and free travel to work. Join us for leafleting sessions at key stations. more

from imc-uk, 24 September 2008: 1st November will be exactly six months away from May Day, international workers day. Well we at the anarchist federation ain't got that much time to lose and want to shut down greedy scum like Manpower, RIGHT NOW! Why wait til May Day? Take control today! more

from email, 17 September 2008: Workers leaving the Factory by Harun Farocki followed by
The Working Class Goes to Heaven by Elio Petri.
Date: 19 September, 2008, Time: 7.00pm for 7.30pm start, Location: The Pullens Centre, Crampton St, SE17 more

from email, 1 September 2008: Text of a speech by S'bu Zikode at the Diakonia Council of Churches Economic Justice Forum - an audio recording of the speech, including the discussion afterwards, is available from Diakonia. more

from email, 15 April 2008: We invite everyone to the streets of Helsinki to celebrate with us on the eve of May Day. The city belongs to us who make living in it worthwhile! The Free Helsinki Carnival 30.4. at 18.00. Asa, Hosni, Jag, Julma-Henri, Liljan loisto, SuperJanne ja Tuomas Toivonen performing at Narinkkatori starting at 18.00. The parade sets of from Narinkkatori at 19.00. more

from imc-uk, 8 April 2008: A public meeting on the tenth anniversary of the death of Simon Jones, killed on his first day as a casual worker in a Shoreham dock. 8pm Thursday 24th April 2008, Cowley Club, 12 London Road, Brighton more