immigrants
Demonstration against asylum bill - European Counter Network
Report on a demonstration against a proposed bill requiring fingerprinting of all asylum seekers, and removing their right to housing and appeal.
On Saturday 21st November 1992, up to 4000 people marched through central London to demonstrate against the government's Asylum Bill. The march was organised by RAHCAR (Refugees Ad-Hoc Committee for Asylum Rights), an alliance of refugee community groups in Britain.
Demolish Fortress Britain by The Red Menace
A 1989 description of immigrant raids and state xenophobia in the UK from the communist newsletter, The Red Menace.
At dawn on Wednesday 18th January 1989 police sledgehammered their way into the Church of the Ascension in Manchester and arrested Viraj Mendis. Viraj had spent two years in sanctuary attempting to avoid being deported; 48 hours after his arrest he had been expelled from Britain, put on a plane to Sri Lanka and an uncertain future.
Catalyst #17
Solidarity Federation freesheet, produced June 08
Illegal immigrants win unpaid wages in Stockholm
The syndicalist SAC union in Sweden has been campaigning for fair wages for illegal immigrants in the last few months, resulting in thousands of pounds in unpaid wages being paid to migrant workers.
The increasing organisation of illegal immigrants within the syndicalist union SAC have lead to more and more blockades to force the payment of unpaid wages, mainly from employment agencies in the restaurant, cleaning, hotel and building industry. Millions Kronor in unpaid wages have been have been won by the SAC.
France: workers strike, many win
Restaurant and tire workers have won strikes with a bus drivers' strike ongoing.
Michelin - Workers at the factory in Toul (Meurthe et Moselle) began strike action after plans were announced to close it down. As well as occupying and blockading the plant with pickets of burning tyres the 826 workers also confined two managers to their offices during the four-day strike.
Bahrain: construction workers strike
After a successful 750-strong two-day strike, 1300 workers at another site have also downed tools.
The first strike was by workers at the Almoayyed Contracting Group, workers were protesting at salaries ranging from 60 to 85 Bahrain dinars (£82-116) They initially demanded a rise to between BHD 100 and BHD 120. The head of the group countered that workers were in fact being paid 75 to 150 dinars a month, he also claimed that only 300 workers joined the strike.
It’s A Free World ..., dir. Ken Loach, Channel 4, September 24th 2007. Television review
Tom Jennings’ review of Ken Loach’s latest slice of social realism
Trading In Desperation by Tom Jennings
