Hello everyone,
Welcome to this week's update from Derby Socialist Workers Party.
In this week's update:
Next branch meeting - Pride, Politics & Protest: A Marxist Analysis of LGBT+ Oppression JOINT WITH NOTTINGHAM BRANCH
People's Assembly National Demonstration April 16th - get the coach and join in!
Junior Doctors - report from the pickets
Marxism 2016 - have you got your tickets yet?
Branch Meetings
The
SWP is a party of activists who know that we need to understand the
world to be effective in our actions. Our meetings have a discussion
about key issues: economic, political, historical and cultural; as well
as planning for events and activities.
Las week's introduction to Marxism and Religion will hopefully be posted on this blog in the near future. This week's meeting is a bit of an experiment for us - a joint meeting with our nearest sister branch, Nottingham. We hope to have joint events on a regular basis and build large-scale public meetings with a greater scope for broadening discussion and bringing fresh voices to branch events.
Our speaker at this week's meeting Pride, Politics & Protest: A Marxist Analysis of LGBT+ Oppressionwill be Laura Miles, who has literally written the book on this topic.All our meetings have great discussions but this week's should be especially big and fantastic, so come along this
Thursday 14th April 7 pm West End Community Centre on Mackworth Road (next to Britannia Mill).
All welcome. See you there!
People's Assembly Against Austerity - National Demonstration 16th April
In the wake of Osborne's budget and with the Junior Doctors fights now looking set to be joined by teachers, the Tories tearing themselves apart, now is the time to ramp up the pressure and bring them down! Join the national demonstration organised by the People's Assembly on 16th April.
The first peek at this year's Marxism Festival is out now.
Marxism festival is the biggest event of its kind in Europe - thousands of people attending a five day festival of ideas, with meetings on a vast range of subjects and loads of activities.
It is a fantastic event and anyone who wants to change the world should get down to it!
If you want to go but are worried that you will not be able to afford it please get in touch.
We will do everything we can to help you to attend this fantastic event. email derbyswp@gmail.com or find us on Facebook, Derby SWP or on Twitter @derbywsp
Can't make our meetings?
If you want to find out more about us, meet some of our comrades, sign up
to any of our petitions, find out about campaigns we are involved in,
buy our paper or get hold of some of our other literature, why not come
along to the campaign stall on Saturdays?
The Junior Doctors were out again this week as the government refused to back down over the new contract which, as well as being unfair to doctors would have a terrible impact on patient safety and pave the way for further break up and privatisation of the NHS.
As the government floundered, flopping around over an ever-expanding list of embarrassments, catastrophes and failures including expenses, tax avoidance, Europe, and u-turns on key welfare and education policies, it desperately tried to portray the dedicated staff of the NHS as selfish and grasping - but the public aren't fooled.
The pickets outside the Royal Hospital were well-supported not only by fellow trades unionists from other unions such as the NUT (itself about to ballot for industrial action over a similar privatisation agenda) but from the public visiting the hospital and driving past honking their horns in support. Many of the doctors were positive about building solidarity with other unions in turn. There is great potential for a united fightback against the government's attacks on working people!
The Junior Doctors are right to strike. All socialists must continue and step up support as the doctors step up their strike action next month.
Hello everyone,
Welcome to this week's update from Derby Socialist Workers Party.
In this week's update:
Next branch meeting - Religion: oppression and expression. What do Marxists say about faith?
Junior Doctors on strike this week - show solidarity!
People's Assembly National Demonstration April 16th - get the coach and join in!
Anti-Semitism and the Far Right
Marxism 2016 - have you got your tickets yet?
Branch Meetings
The
SWP is a party of activists who know that we need to understand the
world to be effective in our actions. Our meetings have a discussion
about key issues: economic, political, historical and cultural; as well
as planning for events and activities.
This week we will examine religion from a Marxist perspective at our branch meeting entitled Religion: oppression and expression. What do Marxists say about faith?Join us for a lively discussion on Thursday 7th April, 7 pm at the West End Community Centre on Mackworth Road (next to Britannia Mill).
All welcome. See you there!
Junior Doctors on Strike - Show Your Solidarity!
The Tories are still trying to press ahead with their plans to privatise the NHS, and part of this is the attempt to impose a new contract which will result in doctors working unsafe and unfair hours. Our doctors are determined to fight for our NHS and for fair working conditions - show your support on the picket lines this week!
There will be picket lines from 8 am outside the Derby Royal Hospital on Wednesday and Thursday this week (6th and 7th April). Join the doctors and show your support - their fight is our fight!
People's Assembly Against Austerity - National Demonstration 16th April
In the wake of Osborne's budget and with the Junior Doctors fights now looking set to be joined by teachers, the Tories tearing themselves apart, now is the time to ramp up the pressure and bring them down! Join the national demonstration organised by the People's Assembly on 16th April.
The first peek at this year's Marxism Festival is out now.
Marxism festival is the biggest event of its kind in Europe - thousands of people attending a five day festival of ideas, with meetings on a vast range of subjects and loads of activities.
It is a fantastic event and anyone who wants to change the world should get down to it!
If you want to go but are worried that you will not be able to afford it please get in touch.
We will do everything we can to help you to attend this fantastic event. email derbyswp@gmail.com or find us on Facebook, Derby SWP or on Twitter @derbywsp
Can't make our meetings?
If you want to find out more about us, meet some of our comrades, sign up
to any of our petitions, find out about campaigns we are involved in,
buy our paper or get hold of some of our other literature, why not come
along to the campaign stall on Saturdays?
Hello everyone,
Welcome to this week's update from Derby Socialist Workers Party. What's going on? Find out below!
Branch Meetings
The
SWP is a party of activists who know that we need to understand the
world to be effective in our actions. Our meetings have a discussion
about key issues: economic, political, historical and cultural; as well
as planning for events and activities.
In the wake of the killings in Paris and the attempts of the right
both within and without the ruling class to stir up anti-Islamic
sentiment and justify a further drive to the wars that created ISIS in
the first place, we have decided to change our next branch meeting to: After Paris killings: no to racism and war.
What
should our response to these events be? How can we prevent a drive
towards racism and war from the right and the ruling class? Join the
discussion and help plan our course of action!
Thursday November 26th, 7 pm, West End Community Centre.
It is becoming ever more clear that the ruling classes of the world, left to their own devices, will simply work in the short-term interests of their class - and that means untold destruction for the climate and the lives of millions, if not billions of people. There is another way: join the campaign for climate, justice and jobs. There is at least one coach going to London on the demonstration on the 29th November.
This has become even more vital as the French authorities have used the horror of the murders as a fig leaf to ban the demonstration planned for the 12th December.
Join us in London on the 29th!
Can't make our meetings?
If you want to find out more about us, meet some of our comrades, sign up
to any of our petitions, find out about campaigns we are involved in,
buy our paper or get hold of some of our other literature, why not come
along to the campaign stall on Saturdays?
Yesterday junior doctors in Derby petitioned the public to support them in their dispute with the Department of Health. Campaigners from 38 Degrees and the NUT joined them, as did comrades from the SWP. It was a very popular petition! At some points there were queues to sign or take selfies. There was a media presence too so it got a good amount of publicity.
On our campaign stall we also collected signatures to support them and presented them to the doctors to add to their collection. Comrades' support was warmly received by doctors present and it was generally a really positive event that showed what unity can achieve.
The strike ballot was really impressive. It would have allowed national action even under the Tories' new laws that attempt to repress trades unionists and suppress our efforts to take action to defend ourselves. At last week's Unite the Resistance conference, junior doctor and BMA activist Yannis Gourtsoyannis spoke to explain the reasons for the action and the urgent need for solidarity:
The campaign was very popular with the public and at times there were queues to sign and take support selfies for Twitter. Unless the DoH backs down, the junior doctors' plan of strike action is as follows:
Emergency care only – 8am, Tuesday1 to 8amWednesday 2 December 2015
Full withdrawal of junior doctors' labour – 8am to 5pm, Tuesday 8 December 2015
Full withdrawal of junior doctors' labour – 8am to 5pm, Wednesday 16 December 2015
It is important for comrades to show solidarity on picket lines if at all possible - details will be posted on the blog as soon as they are known.
This fight is only the latest provoked by the Tories as they seek to dismantle our public services in order to open them up to be run for profit - it is not enough for them that working people are paying for the crisis they and their class caused by having our wages held down, epidemics of underemployment and the cutting of the services which we rely on, they want themselves and their cronies to be able to profit from whatever services we are able to use. This is a fight that needs our full support - it will be a real victory for working people across the country and expose the weakness of this nasty party that managed to get the support of less than a quarter of the population in the election this year.
Unite The Resistance pamphlets are available from us - come to our branch meetings or find us on St Peter's St at our campaign stalls Saturdays from 12 pm!
Report back by Kieran, branch secretary.
This Saturday was the annual conference of Unite The Resistance (UTR). UTR is a united front organisation that aims to bring together trades union activists to fight austerity and the divisive, bullying Tory government. The conference shares success stories, perspectives on the Tory attacks on the working class and how to fight it.
I always look forward immensely to the UTR conference. There are lots of organisations which oppose austerity, and which we as a party are proud to be a part of, such as the People's Assembly and TUSC. What makes UTR special is that it offers us not only a concrete and powerful way to build an effective fightback, being based where our class has power - in the workplaces, but also welcome success stories. It can be easy to believe, if you rely on the mainstream media coverage for your news, that strikes are rare and ineffective, but in fact there have been some fantastic examples of solidarity and victories from across the various sectors of the economy. UTR is also a great way to learn about ongoing fights and how to support them.
Morning Session
Yesterday we heard from Candy Unwin and Sandy Nicholl, victimised reps who won reinstatement because of solid support from their members. Candy was one of the leaders of the fantastic strike at the National Gallery, which won significant victories in their battle with management against privatisation, and Sandy's colleagues took unauthorised strike action that had their management at SOAS backtracking almost immediately. Conference also sent support to Andrew Mootoo, victimised rep at Royal Mail in Bridgwater, whose managers again are frantically retreating after wildcat action when they attempted to sack him.
Speakers were from across the trades union movement, but there were also comrades from campaigning organisations such as DPAC (Disabled People Against the Cuts) (amazing speech - IDS should be very afraid of DPAC!) and political parties (most notably Natalie Bennett, the Green Party leader, who gave an excellent speech).
John Burgess, candidate for UNISON General Secretary, was brilliant about the need to fight the bill and break the law collectively.
Of course, the horrific events of Friday in Paris cast a pall over proceedings. Conference began with a statement of solidarity with the victims and many speakers also offered statements of support, particularly Natalie Bennett of the Green Party. The Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, who is a longtime supporter of UTR and was scheduled to speak was unable to attend as the Shadow Cabinet were in session following the attacks. The SWP has put out an excellent statement in response to the murders, which you can read here. After the initial session I and some other local comrades attended a session which we thought was especially relevant that day: Don't let them divide us.
This session included speakers on the Prevent agenda and the Justice for Cleaners campaign as well as the general drive by the Tories and other elements within the ruling class, particularly the right wing media, to use racist bile against Muslims and migrants to divide our class wherever they can.
I was struck by the Justice for Cleaners campaigner, who spoke of the ways that bosses try to divide migrant workers, trying to pit 'documented' against 'undocumented' and Spanish against Latin American. This is the kind of hatred upon which the bosses thrive.
Repeatedly speakers emphasised the need to unite now to prevent the right from trying to capitalise on the murders in Paris to promote their racist, Islamophobic agenda. UTR is about sharing ideas and success stories, not just listening to speakers, and there were some fantastic contributions from the floor. One point which was made more than once is that the right will attempt to use the murders to attack migrants, and we need to continue to say that migrants are people fleeing exactly the sort of horror which the people of Paris experienced. One practical thing which we will need to do is continue to defend migrants and promote the Stand Up To Racism campaign to welcome refugees, especially as winter approaches and thousands are in danger from the cold in makeshift camps in Calais and elsewhere. Find out more about Stand Up To Racism and donate to the Calais winter appeal here.
Afternoon Session
In the final session we heard from speakers on the environment and climate (or as David Cameron calls it: 'green crap') and the People's March for Climate, Justice and Jobs on the 29th November in London. From Derby there will be at least one coach going to this vital demonstration - come if you can!
For me there were two particular highlights of the afternoon session. The first was the speaker from the BMA who spoke very well on the dispute between junior doctors and the Department for Health.
He got a well-deserved standing ovation in his call for solidarity and his promise of solidarity in return.
Finally, Ian Hodson of the bakers' union BFAWU, who I always look forward to. He is a passionate and animated speaker, and I will remember particularly two lines. The first from the fallout when he compared Cameron's policies towards trades unions to Hitler's: "if you don't want to be compared to a fascist dictator, don't use policies out of Mein Kampf!" The second was one of my favourites, and I know one of his (it's not the first time he's used it :) ) and it's from Nye Bevan, architect of the NHS:
Hello everyone,
Welcome to this week's update from Derby Socialist Workers Party. What's going on? Find out below!
Branch Meetings
The
SWP is a party of activists who know that we need to understand the
world to be effective in our actions. Our meetings have a discussion
about key issues: economic, political, historical and cultural; as well
as planning for events and activities.
This week - the second part of our mini-series on the Russian Revolution of 1917:
after the incredible birth of the workers' republic in 1917, the cause of a revolution in rights not only in the workplace but in education, rights for women, LGBT people, religious groups and self-determination for the conquered peoples of the Russian Empire, what went wrong with the Russian Revolution? How was mass workers' democracy overthrown by Stalinist tyranny? Thursday 12th November, 7 pm.
Solidarity with Striking Lecturers
Lecturers in FE Colleges across the country will be out on strike on Tuesday 10th November. Lecturers in FE have seen large real-term reductions in pay over the last few years and now employers are refusing any pay rise at all.
There will be pickets at the Joseph Wright Centre and the Roundhouse - show support on the pickets if you can or send support messages to the UCU regional secretary alanbarker764@gmail.com
On Saturday November 14th it will be the national conference of Unite the Resistance, an organisation aiming to unite activists and workers from across the country. It is an opportunity to debate the national situation, hear success stories from workers who have organised to defend themselves from attacks by the bosses and the Tories, and share ideas. There will be some fantastic speakers, including John McDonnell, shadow Chancellor; Candy Unwin, the rep at the National Gallery whose colleagues have recently fought a successful all-out strike action, and Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party.
There will be a number of people going to the conference, so we would like to help organise transport if possible. Please get in touch at derbyswp@gmail.com if you are interested in sharing a car down.
Can't make our meetings?
If you want to find out more about us, meet some of our comrades, sign up
to any of our petitions, find out about campaigns we are involved in,
buy our paper or get hold of some of our other literature, why not come
along to the campaign stall on Saturdays?
Hello everyone,
Welcome to weekly update 53, Derby SWP's brief guide to the political week ahead!
Branch Meetings
This Thursday there will be no branch meeting as many comrades will be attending the community meeting in support of striking teachers at Merrill Academy (see below for details).
Our next branch meeting will be on Thursday 12th February, watch this space for more details!
Successful first Stand Up To UKIP and Hope Not Hate event!
Several comrades attended the first joint Stand Up To UKIP / Hope Not Hate event on Saturday. Literature from both organisations was distributed widely and there was a positive mood throughout the event. With such a brilliant start we hope that the campaign can continue to build as strong an opposition to UKIP as possible, especially in this election year!
Support striking teachers at Merrill
A community meeting to gain support for striking teachers at Merrill Academy next Thursday. The staff there have been on strike for 6 days so far and have committed to another 6 if management at the school does not back down over its implementation of impossible targets for staff. Show your support on Thursday evening at 6 pm, Boulton Lane Baptist Church, Boulton Lane, Alvaston DE24 0AY
Time to Act on Climate demonstration
On March 7th there will be a national demonstration demanding immediate action on climate change - a catastrophe which the current government has done even less to ameliorate than the last one. There will be a coach going from Derby - tickets can be obtained here:
On March 21st there will be a national demonstration marking the UN's anti-racism day. Last year a coach load of anti-racists from Derby joined the 10,000 who demonstrated across the country in a powerful, vibrant and positive display of unity with people from all of the races, ethnicities, nations and cultures which make British society today such an exciting and dynamic mix.
Here are some of the photos from last year's demonstration!
This year we want to send that message of unity again - and make it even bigger! We are supporting the Rage Against Racism demonstration in London and hope that there will be at least one coach going down to the big city on the day.
Contact us at derbyswp@gmail.com if you would like to come.
Can't make our meetings?
If
you want to find out more about us, meet some of our comrades, sign up
to any of our petitions, find out about campaigns we are involved in,
buy our paper or get hold of some of our other literature, why not come
along to the campaign stall on Saturdays?
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:
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
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).
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!
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?
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.
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!
Hello everyone, Welcome to your totes efficient weekly update. This is your socialist political week in Derby!
Branch Meeting
This week our meeting is on the relationship between art and protest, with our meeting Art and Protest.
Our
speaker is an expert on art and will give a presentation covering
protest in art from the death of Marat to today. So if you like art,
protest and lively debate, why not come down?
Thursday July 3rd 7 pm, West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road.
Marxism 2014
Two weeks 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 isnewly announced this week!
Sami Ramadani will join Judith Orr to speak on
“Crisis in Iraq: the bitter
fruits of Bush and Blair’s war”.
Sami Ramadani is an Iraqi-born lecturer in sociology and writes on
Iraq and Middle East current affairs. He was a political exile from
Saddam's regime but campaigned against US-led sanctions and the invasion and
occupation of Iraq.
Judith Orr is the editor of Socialist Worker.
This meeting will take place at Marxism on Sat 12th July at
2pm.
10th July: Build the Fightback
On
10th July there could be up to 1.5 million workers on strike - the
biggest since the November 30th public sector strike in 2011.
Unison, GMB, the PCS and NUT are committed to joint action on the day. Unite will almost certainly be out too. 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 your
union to demonstrate on the day!
Unison and the NUT will be holding a demonstration in the Market Place on Wednesday at 11.00. Be there!
Hello everyone,
Welcome to your slightly more timely weekly update. This is your socialist political week in Derby!
Branch Meeting
This week our guest speaker will be introducing the politics of the party, with the politics of the SWP.
So if you've seen us in town, signed a petition, maybe bought a copy of
Socialist Worker, and want to know more about who we are, what we stand
for and how we work, why not come down to the West End Community Centre
this Thursday?
Thursday June 26th 7 pm, West End Community Centre, Mackworth Road.
Marxism 2014
Our branch meeting this week is especially topical as Marxism 2014 is nearly upon us!
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.
My pick from the timetable this week is Why did the world go to war in 1914?, which Michael Bradley will be giving in the GC, Saturday 11.45 am - 1 pm.
This year being the centenary of the outbreak of WWI and it
being almost exactly 100 years since the assassination of Archduke
Ferdinand, why did the workers' organisations which had all pledged not
to take part in an imperialist conflict collapse and allow 4 years of
the most brutal war that the world had ever seen - and what are the
lessons for today?
There will be a public meeting on 25th June about the attacks
workers are facing as they organise to fight back against austerity.
The event is co-hosted by People's Assembly and the Derby
Area Trades Union Council (DATUC), and speakers will include the
Secretary of DATUC, Moz Greenshields, and Assistant General Secretary of
Unite, Steve Turner.
Obviously we want this meeting to be as big a success as
possible, so if you can attend do, and let people know about it!
10th July: Build the Fightback
On 10th July there could be up to 1.5 million workers on
strike - the biggest since the November 30th public sector strike in
2011.
If your union is currently balloting over strike action -
PCS, Unison, Unite or GMB, make sure you cast your vote and send a
resounding message of support for action over the attacks on our public
services!
The NUT is committed to action on the 10th July - make sure you are out on pickets and demonstrations 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 your
union to demonstrate on the day!
The FBU was out again on strike action yesterday. Their
determination to stand up to this government is fantastic and fire fighters deserve
our full support.
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