Monday 28 July 2014

Weekly Update #37

SWP Weekly Update!

Your political week in Derby

This week's update is a brief one.
Unfortunately, there is no branch meeting this week.

The next branch meeting will be on Thursday 7th August, 7 pm at the West End Community Centre, where we will discuss How can Palestine be free?

West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road, Derby (click here to go to location on Google Maps)
 
In other news:
  • Demonstrations against the Israeli attacks on Gaza have been ongoing. All the latest news here.
  • FORY YOUR DIARIES - a reminder about the People's March for the NHS. The People's March for the NHS is replicating the route of the Jarrow Crusade. The idea is to call attention to the Tories' plans to privatise and destroy the NHS. Trades unionists will join the marchers at various stages of their route, anyone who wishes to join them or support them be aware that they will be passing through:
     
  • Chesterfield 27th August
  • Mansfield 28th August
  • Nottingham 29th August

Friday 18 July 2014

Weekly Update #36

 Already, you say? Already, we say!

Branch Meetings
Next week's branch meeting, especially relevant after this week is: Can Trades Unions Change Society?
Thursday 24th July, 7 pm at the West End Community Centre (click here to go to location on Google Maps)

People's March for the NHS

 The People's March for the NHS is replicating the route of the Jarrow Crusade. The idea is to call attention to the Tories' plans to privatise and destroy the NHS. Trades unionists will join the marchers at various stages of their route, anyone who wishes to join them or support them be aware that they will be passing through:
  • Chesterfield 27th August
  • Mansfield 28th August
  • Nottingham 29th August

Tuesday 15 July 2014

24 Hours is a long time in politics ...

Heads seem to have rolled all over the place since the strikes last week, and so far the Tories have lost confidence ministers all over the shop. Those in education have been celebrating as the secretary of state with special responsibility for abolishing education has joined the former secretary of state for abolishing healthcare Andrew Lansley in obscurity.

There are rumours now that their minister in charge of abolishing local government may also be out.

The current spin from the Tories is that they're trying to present a more female-friendly cabinet, by replacing Gove with an equalities minister who opposed gay marriage and wants to restrict a woman's right to choose.

Other reports suggest that it's polling data that has Cameron worried. But the reshuffle comes four days after strikes which involved more than a million workers - and which all their propaganda couldn't persuade the public to abandon support for.

Today is a great day and everyone who values public services and opposes the sickly venality of this government should rightly be happy.

But let's not pretend that they have given up. We shouldn't either. If they can, they will continue with their agenda to attack the services that our class needs and narrow the opportunities for our kids further. But we have an opportunity here, to press forward and overturn the damage they have done. We mustn't let our union leaders back down.

Support for action isn't even and it isn't everywhere, but it is significant and we can persuade our colleagues where we're prepared to argue for it. The weakness in our class is subjective, not objective. Push for more action - we have a world to win.

Monday 14 July 2014

Weekly Update Extra (#35a)




As the old saying goes, 3 days is a long time in politics. Here are some things you should know:

Israel's Assault on Palestine

Gaza demo
Stop the War Emergency National Demonstration against the attacks on Gaza
The Stop the War Coalition have called for an emergency demonstration in London for next Saturday. On Friday an impromptu demonstration saw thousands protesting the Israeli attacks on the Palestinian population.

More here. Unfortunately we have no transport to London planned but we will update the blog with any changes. It would be great to hear reports from any comrades who are able to attend.

FBU Escalates Strike Action

Closer to home the Fire Brigades Union have announced a further 8 consecutive days of strike action, which is brilliant. Get your union branch to support them -  send messages of support to Chris Tapp here: chris.tapp@fbu.org.uk and visit pickets if possible.

Strike dates:
  • Monday 14 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm
  • Tuesday 15 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm
  • Wednesday 16 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm
  • Thursday 17 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm
  • Friday 18 July: 6am–8am and 11pm–1am on Saturday 19 July
  • Saturday 19 July: 11am–1pm and 11pm–1am on Sunday 20 July
  • Sunday 20 July: 5pm–7pm
  • Monday 21 July: 6am–8am and 5pm–7pm
Branch Meetings


Finally a reminder that this week's meeting is the postponed 'Art and Protest' - Thursday at 7 pm West End Community Centre (click here for map location).

Sunday 13 July 2014

Marxism 2014 Roundup

UPDATE - VIDEO OF OPENING RALLY NOW UP!

Opening Rally (pic from Socialist Worker)

Marxism is always a big event for anyone on the revolutionary left, but this year's was particularly good. Maybe it's because it's been a long year, maybe it's because we had a brilliant piece of national strike action the day before, maybe it's because there were some really brilliant talks and a high level of politics in the discussions.

In short, there are a lot of reasons Marxism 2014 was brilliant. In fact, it was a real wrench to leave before the end, but the world of exploitation was calling.
Running the Fringe Gauntlet to get to the picnics ...

Mmm, picnics
John Pilger, Darcus Howe, Gareth Peirce and Matt Foot prepare to discuss the legacy of our comrade Paul Foot

Branch Secretary's Picks of the Weekend

As always at Marxism, I only saw a fraction of the talks that I wanted to, but my top 5 highlights were:

  • Miners Shot Down, a film about the massacre of 34 miners by the South African police in 2012. Whilst harrowing the film does an excellent job of demonstrating how the capitalist class and the state colluded in creating the situation, without editorialising. Very powerful.
  • Still The Enemy Within, another film about miners, this time covering the 1984-5 Miners' Strike that almost brought down Thatcher. Lots of excellent contributions from miners and footage that is still disturbing 30 years on. A powerful indictment of the state, neoliberalism and the police.
  • What is happening in Ukraine? I knew very little about the situation in the Ukraine and its political context before this meeting, and after half an hour of Rob's talk I feel like I have at least a general idea and have scratched at the surface a bit. Here's the intro from the talk - the whole thing will be on the SWP Youtube channel soon (see the link in the 'Useful Sites' list to the right of this article).

  • Drugs, Gangs and Racism the speaker, Dean, did an excellent job of analysing the roots of gangs in our society and their roots in class society. There were excellent contributions from many people who work with vulnerable young people and even a surprise political rehabilitation of Ross Kemp!
  • Challenges for the left in Britain Today. Charlie Kimber gave an excellent analysis of the situation after the 10th July strikes and outlined a series of priorities for revolutionaries going forward, from standing up to UKIP, pushing for further strike action, encouraging confidence and militancy from activists prepared to fight and the need to be outward facing and working wherever possible with groups where we can establish common ground, from the Freedom Riders to the People's Assembly.
What were your impressions of Marxism this year? Were you able to stay all the way through? Comments below the line please!

Friday 11 July 2014

#J10 in Derby

Yesterday's strike felt very positive. Although picket lines were smaller many schools in the city were closed, council services were severely affected and the FBU were out in force.

The march by NUT and Unison members was lively and the rally in the marketplace attracted hundreds of people.

Reports from pickets indicate a high level of support from the general public, with lots of honks and thumbs-up from passers-by.

There is no doubt that the Tories are worried by the continuing opposition to their policies, or a party elected on 37% of a 64% turnout and forced into coalition with another party would not be even attempting to harp on about 50% turnouts for union ballots.

In the Derby Telegraph yesterday a Tory councillor complained "It's causing a huge amount of disruption" and he's right. Workers should be proud of exercising their power yesterday. What the Tories hate to be reminded of is that under capitalism where there are no workers nothing happens. They will try to browbeat us and tell us that we are weak or 'resented' by 'the public' and that we cannot win. But they have to tell us this, because they know that strike action is effective - it is the single most powerful tool that workers in the capitalist system can have.

The saddest part of the article was a woman who was against the strike because "I work in a supermarket and don't get paid well but we don't go on strike."

Yesterday public sector workers struck to defend public services, but we also need to win to show this worker that she has enormous power to improve her life, if she is prepared to work with her colleagues. One of the most powerful indictments of capitalism is that it manages to convince the people who generate the massive profits of capitalist enterprises like supermarkets that they don't deserve a decent share of the wealth they help to create.

We must carry on the fight, and we must win, and not only preserve the public services which we won through the struggle of our class, but give confidence to workers who don't believe in the power that they objectively have - the power to change the world!

Friday 4 July 2014

Weekly Update #35

Hello everyone,
Welcome to your weekly update from Derby Socialist Workers Party!


Branch Meetings

There will be no branch meeting next week due to the Marxism 2014 Festival.

Our next branch meeting on the 17th July will be the rescheduled Art and Protest meeting which unfortunately had to be postponed due to circumstances beyond our control

The following week, on Thursday 24th July we will be discussing the role of trades unions for revolutionaries, with Can Trades Unions Change Society?



Both meetings start at 7 pm at the West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road, Derby.



10th July - Build the Fightback!



Next week will see the biggest strikes since November 30th. Workers will be sending a powerful message to the Con-Dems, and the more visible we are on the day the harder we are to ignore, by the public, the media and the government.

Unison, GMB, the PCS and NUT, Unite and the FBU are all now committed to joint action on the day.

To make the strike as effective as possible we need to be visible, and doing everything we can to make sure the public understand why we are taking action and the threats we all face to our services! Push for members in your workplace to demonstrate on the day!

There will be a Rally for Public Services organised by Unison, NUT, Unite and GMB in the Market Place on Thursday at 11.00. There will be speakers, stalls activities and live music. Be there!

Marxism 2014

One Week To Go!


Marxism is the largest festival of its kind in Europe. Thousands of socialists from the UK and around the world will be attending a range of meetings and events covering all aspects of left politics.


Branch Secretary's pick of the week

My pick from the timetable this week is another newly announced meeting - hot off the press!

Ghada Karmi, a leading Palestinian activist, academic and writer will speak on “The Future for Palestine”
Thursday 10th July at 4.45pm
Check out her books at
http://www.bookmarksbookshop.co.uk/stockItem/searchIndex?q=ghada+karmi 

UPDATE: Thanks to the reader who pointed out that the rally will in fact be on Thursday, not Wednesday as originally written. That's THURSDAY THE 10TH JULY, comrades!