Rob Ray
Articles by East Anglia-based anarcho-syndicalist, journalist, ginger and editor of Freedom newspaper, Rob Ray.
It’s war in Royal Mail
As one of the most significant workplace battles of recent years comes to the boil, Freedom talks to a postal worker about how class warfare is in the post.
A battle between postal workers and managers over the future of the Royal Mail looks set to turn nasty following a litany of attacks on working conditions, staffing numbers and now wages.
Pat (the postman) stated:
Asda: part of the Wal-Mart spy ring
Following an admission from US supermarket giant Wal-Mart that the company has employed some of its estimated 400 investigators to spy on groups who stand against them, enquiries by Freedom have uncovered a similar story at UK subsidiary Asda.
During the most recent major conflict between Asda and an outside body, a dispute between the company and the GMB led to bug detectors being deployed by unionists during negotiations to avoid surveillance by managers.
Private Equity: a vicious new breed?
Rob Ray looks at the recent manoeuvrings of Private Equity and asks what relevance its growth may have
In scenes reminiscent of the 80s pre-stock market crisis, a major row has blown up over the attempted Private Equity takeovers of high-street giants Sainsbury’s and Boots.
Mobilising educators
A conference on education could bring together three out of the four major class struggle federations in the UK under one house this June, to discuss plans for organising across the UK.
This June looks likely to see a resurgence in organising for the education sector, with an anarchist networking meeting involving three federations and individuals from around the country.
Projectile: The interview
Freedom newspaper caught up with a member of the collective organising Projectile, the annual anarchist film festival in Newcastle.
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Freedom: You've done two previous festivals, how do you think this one will compare?
Asbo your neighbours!
A member of one of London’s most experienced community action groups has hit out against the ‘hidden agenda’ of a new measure to give ASBO powers to Tenant Management Organisations.
A member of Haringey Solidarity Group, speaking to Freedom Anarchist newspaper, has condemned the government initiative as a cheap attempt to head off a growing community movement throughout the UK resentful of relentless losses of and cuts to services. He said: “. From the community angle anti-social behaviour is a real issue and it’s true it can have a disproportionately large effect.
Caution warned over security of new 'Wikileaks' website
A strong warning has been sounded by both a security expert and journalists for Freedom Anarchist Newspaper over the much-hyped 'Wikileaks' website, which claims it will provide a safe online environment for the mass leaking of sensitive or incriminating governmental materials.
The concept of ‘wiki’, online documentation which can be edited by anyone, such as the huge and growing Wikipedia website, will take a new step this month with the launch of an online document ‘leaking’ service.
2006 in focus
2006 was a year for the state to forget there was ever a public sector. Rob Ray looks into the archives of the Freedom anarchist newspaper.
January
A second strike in two weeks sees the RMT shut down tube stations across London as workers demand private companies running the system provide enough cover to meet fire and safety regulations, after they try to impose cuts just a few months after the attacks on 7/7.
Dale Farm traveller reprieve
Hopes have been raised that Dale Farm, the largest traveller site in the UK, will gain a reprieve from eviction in the New Year.
Two appeals in the area at nearby sites have led to one yard on Cranfield Road given a five-year allowance for residential use, and three other sites, on Gypsy Hill, have won four years each.
Anarcho-syndicalism in the UK
Ahead of the International Workers Association congress in Manchester, Rob Ray interviewed Rolf Petter-Larssen, Secretary of the International...
