Since starting our Better Call SolFed campaign at the end of 2014, we have seen a massive amount of effort being put into door-to-door leafleting publicising Newcastle SF as a small, radical union that fights on its own terms. The response has been fantastic - we have been as equally busy answering calls asking for advice and support from workers in the North East; we also kept in regular contact with someone as far away as Liverpool!

As well as regular contacts with disgruntled workers, we have also taken on new members in Teesside and Wearside. And with this new growth, we have began extending our door-to-door leafleting beyond Tyneside (here's a photo of some our members in Teesside today). Keep an eye out for coming newspaper ads!

If you are interested in becoming a member and live in the North East, or know anyone who has a problem at work - give Newcastle SolFed a call today!

Film showing -

'Cuitat Morta' [Dead City]
(documentary, with english subtitles)

Sunday 7pm, 8 February 2015
The Banshee Labyrinth, 29-35 Niddry Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LG

No Charge event, see the whole film on youtube

[see also: Fri 6 Feb 12noon - Edinburgh Solidarity Protest - Drop the Charges against the Anarchists detained for their beliefs by ‘Operación Pandora’ in Spain]

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Solidarity Protest
MEET: Spanish Consulate, 63 North Castle St, Edinburgh EH2 3LJ
FRIDAY 6 Feb – FROM 12:00noon

HARASSED! CHARGED! IMPRISONED! FOR BEING ANARCHISTS! by ‘operación Pandora’  in Spain

‘Un movimiento que olvida a sus presos está condenado a la derrota’
‘A movement that forgets its prisoners is doomed to defeat’

We are calling a communications blockade against Manpower employment agency who our Polish sister section is in dispute with. See details here and don’t forget to call and email. 

The action has been called as part of a week of action in support of our sister section, the Polish ZSP, who are involved in taking action within two Polish Amazon dispatch centres that Manpower hires workers for. The workers in these centres are paid 1/4 of the wage of workers in Germany carrying out the same job, are denied paid breaks during 10 hour shifts and receive no extra pay for working evenings and weekends. In addition there have been a series of late or incorrect payments from Manpower whilst pay varies between different centres and between directly employed and agency workers.

South London Solidarity Federation is calling a communications blockade against Manpower employment agency on Thursday 29 January.

The action has been called as part of a week of action in support of our sister section, the Polish ZSP, who are involved in taking action within two Polish Amazon dispatch centres that Manpower hires workers for. The workers in these centres are paid 1/4 of the wage of workers in Germany carrying out the same job, are denied paid breaks during 10 hour shifts and receive no extra pay for working evenings and weekends. In addition there have been a series of late or incorrect payments from Manpower whilst pay varies between different centres and between directly employed and agency workers.

On Monday January 26th, members of Manchester SF picketed outside Manpower's office in Manchester city centre in solidarity with Amazon workers (many of them hired by Manpower) in Poland. A week of action has been called by the ZSP, Polish section of the International Workers Association, who are organising among these workers. For details of the dispute see below.

This Manpower office is above a hairdressing salon, on the 1st floor of a building shared by a number of companies, and is therefore not very visible from street level. Despite this, and after handing in our information leaflet at Manpower's reception, our presence ruffled the feathers of management inside, who tried to have us moved on by the building managers. Of course, we stayed put and ignored the usual claims that we were creating a health & safety hazard / trespassing on private property / embarrassing Manpower management [delete as appropriate].

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January 16th saw 4 SolFed Locals out on the streets in support of the anarchist prisoners arrested in Operation Pandora. Here's round-up's from two of our Locals:

From Brighton SF "..comrades & friends gathered around a 'Free Anarchist Prisoners' banner at a central Brighton landmark, handing out the dedicated flyer and an article written for the occasion. Around 20 attended in a good atmosphere while a busker provided music!"

From Bristol SF "Around 20 people marched to the Bristol International Brigades memorial Plaque in Castle Park for the event."

Protests also took place by Edinburgh SF (see previous article) and Belfast SF - as well as many more around the world.

Solidarity Protest - Free the 7 Anarchists detained for their political beliefs by ‘Operación Pandora’ in Spain

MEET: Spanish Consulate, 63 North Castle St, Edinburgh EH2 3LJ
FRIDAY 23 JAN – FROM 12:00noon-2pm
We will begin handing out flyers and raising awareness about the prisoners before and after - please get involved and join us!

Solidarity Protest - Free the 7 Anarchists detained for their political beliefs by ‘Operación Pandora’ in Spain

MEET: Spanish Consulate, 63 North Castle St, Edinburgh EH2 3LJ
FRIDAY 16 JAN – FROM 10:00am

On 16/12/2014 the Mossos, a specialist police squad in Spain stormed 14 homes and community centers, destroying and stealing everything they could find of value. Without making any specific accusations and acting in complete secrecy, 11 anarchists were transferred to the National Court. 4 were released two days later - and 7 have ended up in prison, one is a member of the CNT-AIT Union. They all facing secretive Court proceedings.

We want them Free!

On 16th December 11 anarchists were detained in Barcelona, in what is known as “Operation Pandora”.

All 11 detainees are anarchist activists. 4 of them were released on December 18. One of them is a member of the CNT union from Sabadell and is still imprisoned.

His lawyer says they are being held because they are organised. They haven’t been accused of anything more than being active anarchists that spread and publish our ideas and fight for them.

It’s clear that this operation took place only to persecute and criminalise the libertarian movement and to in still fear in the rest of the population so they don’t fight against this system’s injustice.