North London

Spain might become the next country in the EU to introduce its own workfare scheme. The government is planning to introduce a compulsory work program for the unemployed. The workers on the program would be paid the official minimum wage but the placements aren’t voluntary and don't have to be connected to the person’s normal trade. The work could last as long as the person has entitlement to claim the dole.

North London Solidarity Federation would like to extend our fullest solidarity to the anarchists who were wrongfully detained while returning from the St. Imier anarchist conference in Switzerland. These actions, executed by British anti-terrorist officers, at best constitute unlawful police harassment. At worst, they are illegal actions designed to intimidate and repress.

Although we are not at all surprised to see such blatant disregard for civil and legal rights by the British state, we are concerned that such actions indicate a turn towards a more aggressive policing of the global anti-capitalist movement. As such, North London Solidarity Federation pledges to stand in solidarity with not only these particular individuals and the organisations to which they belong -- the Anarchist Federation (UK) -- but to actively participate in defending anarchists who are victims of state repression.

North London Solidarity Federation reproduce a powerful statement by Ayanda Kota - a member of the militant South African shack dwellers organisation, Abahlali baseMjondolo, in protest at the murder of 45 striking miners by the South African police force and the role played by the ruling ANC party (once presided over by Nelson Mandela) in allegedly facilitating the police to carry out such acts of violence.

If you wish to express your anger at this, consider phoning the South African embassy in London at 0207-451-7299 and emailing them at london.general@dirco.gov.za .

For more phone numbers and emails, consider searching google for other relevant phone numbers and email adresses, including those belonging to the ruling ANC party.

Statement begins: 

During time spent in Berlin visiting friends and relatives, I decided to contact the Freie ArbeiterInnen Union (FAU) – the German section of the International Workers Association (IWA), of which I am a member of its British section; the Solidarity Federation.

Bournville School on strike next week. Worthing High out this week. Noel Park School, Haringey out.

Bournville School Strike
Bournville School in south Birmingham is set to face two days of strike action next week over plans to convert the school to 'foundation' school status. Workers at the school had successfully defeated plans to force an academy conversion less than a year ago after threats of joint strike action and a community campaign.

The latest action is set for Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th July in "protest at the failure of the school to enter into meaningful consultation regarding proposed conversion to Foundation status and in protest at the change of employer with resultant threat to terms and conditions."

The North London Solidarity Federation would like to extend our deepest solidarity to the John Lewis cleaners engaged in a struggle to secure the London Living Wage.  By exposing John Lewis' overt failure to live up to its proclaimed co-operative model, the cleaners have shown that company schemes are not the way to secure a decent wage.  Instead, only collective struggle can force bosses to provide us with decent working conditions and respect on the job.

Members of North London SolFed will make every effort to turn out to support the cleaners at their upcoming strike and will encourage all our friends and contacts to do the same.

London Living Wage for All Cleaners!  No Cuts to Hours!  No Speed Up!

The police have attacked the massive demonstration in Madrid today in support of the miners. They have fired rubber bullets out of vans, shot tear gas, hit people with rifle butts, beaten elderly miners and have injured a small girl with a rubber bullet. On the ground after a police charge you could see discarded walking sticks and miners’ helmets.

Going back a couple of days, despite a blackout in the national media, the excitement was tangible as the “Marea Negra” (Black Tide) march from the coalfields neared Madrid. In the towns near the capital, massive turnouts greeted the miners shouting “long live the struggle of the working class” and “champions, champions”. When the miners marched to Plaza del Sol in the night with their lamps lit, through huge euphoric crowds shouting “you’re not alone”, “struggle is the only way”, and “this is our national team” it was like The Beatles. The support for the Marea Negra across Spain was not only huge but noticeably working class.

As the Spanish miners march towards Plaza del Sol in Madrid with their lamps lit, huge crowds turn out to cheer them on. The miners have been on strike for more than forty days against pit closures.

The popular mobilisation in solidarity with the miners includes 15-M , Marea Verde (against education cuts), Sindicato de Metal CNT Madrid, Solidaridad Obrera, CGT Madrid, the mainstream unions CC.OO and UGT, and neighbourhood assemblies. 

The miners say they will stay in Madrid until a solution is reached. The right wing government of Madrid, who have been taking repressive measures against striking workers in the city, have said it is forbidden for the miners to camp in Plaza del Sol.

The struggle against pit closures in northern Spain continues with the miners marching nearly 400 kilometres to Madrid. The march from the coalfields is nearly at the edge of the capital, where there will be a mass protest against plans to close down the mining industry.

The "Marcha Negra" started on the 22nd of June from Asturias, Leon and Teruel, all marching towards Madrid. The march from Asturias left from Mieres with eighty miners, with thousands of people there to see them off. The march from Leon, also with eighty miners, set off from Villablino and Bembibre. The two columns from Asturias and Leon met in La Robla with a lot of emotion and then marched together as the Marcha Norte, while the Aragon column from Teruel marched to Madrid from the north east.