South London

On Saturday 8th September, South London Solidarity Federation continued its campaign against Workfare, a collection of government "Back to Work" schemes that result in unemployed people being forced to work unpaid, undermining the conditions of all workers.

After our success in forcing Holland and Barrett to withdraw from the scheme, we decided on Poundland as our next target.

We held a picket at Poundland's shop in Brixton, We held our banners across the front of the shop, talked to its workers about our opposition to the Workfare programme, handed out leaflets, and dissuaded customers from shopping there.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) has been busy of late.  Following the Heathrow passports checks scandal of November last year – in which the agency was accused of ‘relaxing’ passports checks on incoming passengers from the European Economic Area, prompting convulsions of anti-immigrant rage across the political and media spectra – the UKBA has invested its time in presenting an image of a robust, strong and uncompromising deportation specialists. 

On 15th September SLSF took part in the international day of action in support of Domino’s delivery drivers in Australia.

The drivers have had their pay cut 19% overnight. As their trade union was complicit in the cut, the drivers have formed a new union, the General Transport Workers Association (GTWA), to fight the pay cut.

The GTWA is affiliated with the Anarcho-Syndicalist Federation (ASF), an Australian 'friend' of the Solidarity Federation's international, the International Workers' Association (IWA).

SLSF went to the Domino’s in New Cross and handed a demand letter to the manager, telling him why we were there and how we would be back. 

'What We Are Fighting For: a Radical Collective Manifesto' is a new book out by Pluto Press.

It features a chapter written by ourselves, titled 'Direct Action & Unmediated Struggle', as well as John Holloway, David Graeber, Mark Fisher, Franco 'Bifo' Beradi, Nina Power, and many more.

OUT NOW!

Una entrevista que se realizo con un companero del Centro General de Trabajadores y la Assamblea Llibertaria del Valles Oriental de Catalunya, Espana hace unos dias como parte de la nueva iniciativa de ambos Locales de Solidarity Federation en Londres para comunicarse en esa idioma:

http://www.ivoox.com/entrevista-amb-2-companyes-solidarity-federation-audios-mp3_rf_1391554_1.html

Invitamos a los castellano hablantes que actualmente se encuentran en Londres, incluso desde nuestra seccion hermana - la Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo de Espana - y otros, que se pongan en contacto con nosotros.

Ruth, Jess and Charlotte recently took up a rented property in Bethnal Green through the Shoreditch branch of Victorstone Property Consultants, paying £3,451 as rent and deposit. After they had only just moved into the house, Victorstone fell out with the landlords over the fees they would take, the landlords decided they wanted to get out of the letting, and changed the locks.

Ruth, Jess and Charlotte managed to get some money back from the landlady, but the landlady had never been transferred the full amount, because Victorstone had subtracted their fee. Victorstone initially tried to mislead Ruth, Jess and Charlotte, implying that all the money had been transferred to the landlady. In fact they intended to keep c.£1200 of their money for a completely failed deal.

Following enquiries from Solfed, Pizza Hut have confirmed they are no longer using workfare and do not intend to in the future. A spokeperson for Pizza Hut said “none of our restaurants currently take part in the workfare scheme, and haven't for the last six months, and we have no plans to change our hiring practices."

Five Pizza Hut restaurants had been using claimants from the work experience element of workfare but the company is keen to stress this was not national policy. In the middle of a pasta based makeover, Pizza Hut understandably wants to steer clear of association with the government scheme. With Holland & Barrett the latest in a growing number of companies to pull out, workfare is fast becoming toxic on the high street.

South London Solfed can help you fight back against the exploitative practices of landlords and estate agencies.

Our new "Stuff Your Landlord" leaflet lists some basic legal rights.

It can be useful to know the law because many landlords don’t follow basic legal requirements. But we also need to remember that the law is not going to be on our side most of the time. We shouldn’t rely on a court system designed to benefit the rich and powerful to make sure we’re treated fairly.

Re-posted from Johnny Void's blog:

Workfare campaigners staged a lively day of action in South London [on 19th May] following the call out from South London Solidarity Federation.

Snake oil salesmen Holland & Barrett, who have plans to replace around a quarter of their staff with unpaid labour, were the target on a day which also saw actions in Hackney, Brighton and Lincoln.

In Lewisham protesters met in the town centre and thwarted a heavy police and security presence outside Holland & Barrett in the shopping centre by heading to leafy Blackheath instead.

This statement comes from recent discussions within South London and North London Solidarity Federation locals, and in response to a recent case of sexual assault which took place in the wider activist community. Following the actions taken by North London, South London and Brighton Solidarity Federation locals, this statement was written by the South London Gender Working Group.

We want to state clearly a number of things.

We believe that in the event of sexual assault it is necessary to take action, and that it is appropriate to look towards processes of community accountability. In exploring how to deal with such situations, we have looked at the experiences of other activist and political communities, and the literature that has stemmed from these. We strongly support other groups who have initiated these processes; these enact a sense of responsibility and care we should have for and with each other.