Northern Ireland
Queens University pursuing compulsory redundancies
Queens University in Belfast is for the first time ever attempting to make staff compulsorily redundant. Following a meeting with UCU, these plans were dropped from the proposal to be tabled at a later date.
For the first time ever, Queens University is attempting to introduce compulsory redundancies for staff. Normally, voluntary means are used to resolve staffing issues, but Queens senior-management were attempting to rush-through the compulsory redundancy plan tomorrow at Standing Committee meeting.
Unite injunction against Belfast sacked shop stewards
The Unite union has served an injunction against protesting shop stewards, threatening them with fines and imprisonment.
“Unite are trying to deny us our democratic right to peacefully protest.” – Gordon McNeill
The dispute between the sacked airport shop stewards and their union, Unite, was dramatically escalated on Tuesday afternoon.
Unite hunger striker Gordon McNeill in bad shape
Gordon McNeill is now on the fourth day of a hunger and thirst strike outside Transport House in Belfast.
His health is deteriorating rapidly and visibly. A healthy person might expect to live a week or so without food and water. Gordon suffers from a heart condition and has not recovered from the previous five day hunger and thirst strike at the start of April. He has already reached a critical stage.
Gordon has made it clear that he will refuse medical treatment if he is hospitalised.
Politics Without Parties - The future of trade unionism?
The following report is from the National Union of Journalists Annual Delegate Conference fringe meeting 'Politics without parties - the future of trade unionism'.
The meeting took place on Thursday 3rd of April 2008 in the Ulster Peoples College in Belfast and was addressed by Donnacha DeLong (NUJ National Executive Council New Media Rep) Jason Brannigan (Organise!) and Chekov Feeney (WSM).
What is Socialism? An Anarchist Perspective.
The following is a piece written by Jason Brannigan from Organise! submitted in May 2007 as part of the James Connolly Debating Society's "What is Socialism?" discussion.
“Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice
Socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality”
Mikhail Bakunin
Socialism can be many, very different, things. For anarchists it must be libertarian, indeed class struggle anarchists often interchangeably describe themselves as libertarian socialists or libertarian communists.
Organise! Aims and Principles
Aims and principles of the Irish class struggle anarchist group, Organise!
Organise! is a working class organisation. We seek to secure for all workers a full and equal share of the wealth and social benefits created by the combined labour of our class. We aim for the abolition of all hierarchy, and work for the creation of a world–wide classless society: libertarian communism.
Against Capitalism, Exploitation and Oppression
Airport workers suspend hunger strike
Airport workers suspend hunger strike after union gives guarantees that their demands will be met.
The five day hunger strike by three sacked airport shop stewards, Gordon McNeill, Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer was suspended at 5.30 this afternoon after the workers received a letter from the union solicitors guaranteeing that their demands would be met.
Two hunger strikers now in hospital
Two of the three sacked airport workers on hunger-strike outside their union offices in Belfast are now in hospital. Earlier today Gordon McNeill was rushed to hospital only to be released, Gordon and 72 year old diabetic Madan Gupta are now both in hospital.
Just hours after addressing a solidarity rally outside Transport House in Belfast hunger striker Gordon McNeill was rushed to City Hospital for treatment. An ambulance was called to the scene at Transport House due to a deterioration in his condition. Gordon is on his fourth day without food and his second day without water. Also on hunger strike are Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer.
10,000 jobs to go in Northern Ireland
Almost 10,000 jobs could be lost across Northern Ireland's government departments.
Nipsa said the axing of 450 jobs by the Housing Executive was just "the tip of the iceberg". Thousands of public sector posts could go due to an efficiency drive aiming to raise £790m. The government say no staff reduction target has been set.
Pickets win re-instatement of migrant worker
Following three successful pickets of Delaney’s restaurant in Belfast Dasa Kacova has won all her demands and been offered her job back.
A young Slovakian worker was sacked on the spot from Delaney’s restaurant for asking why she had to remove her jumper at work on a cold January day. Delaney’s owners refused to meet with the worker or with her trade union representative.
