Issue: 118 WORKERSA SOLIDARITY November / December 2010 Twenty-Seven Years of Irish Anarchist News 1% of the Population of the Countless walking34% tours make their way Wealth around daily; generally educat- ing the masses of tourists on the lives lived on these streets before us. It was a different kind of walking tour, com- prising around 200 people, that hit the streets around Stephen’s Green on Oc- tober 9th last.

Grainne Griffith

The ‘1% Political Walking Tour through the Heartland of the Golden Circle’, organised by the One Percent Network, was not about the battles of yesteryear or the celebrities of yore. Rather, it set out to both highlight the shock- ing statistics behind wealth distribution in Ire- land and to name and shame individuals who are living in decadent mansions in Dublin 2 & 4, while their debts are bought out by NAMA number of left wing groups in the aftermath the One Percent Walking Tour asked the par- since the poor darlings can’t afford to pay them of many less than successful marches and ticipants to question their own position on the back. One amongst them was Johnny Ronan, rallies initiated by unions, political organi- crisis and ask themselves what they were will- one of the co-owners of Treasury Holdings. sations and lobby groups. Protests have for ing to do to be heard. Would they be willing to Better known for his romantic exploits with ce- a long time been directed at the central po- carry out further actions or support a general lebrity models, Johnny has been building up a litical institutions in this country and, while strike, what do they think needs to be done? We considerable bill for Irish tax payers to pay off. the rationale behind this tactic is clear, they all need to ask ourselves the same question. have failed to show any real results. We have Also stopping at the houses of Dermot Des- The One Percent Network is keen to avoid the mond and Tony O’Reilly, as well as the pri- not seen any retreat by the Government in its policies of increased cutbacks across pub- usual marches and rallies and thus will continue vate banking headquarters of Anglo Irish its campaign with a Halloween Treasure Hunt Bank and Bank of , this tour side- lic services. For a lot of people, this seems to have left them with a sense of powerlessness in Ballsbridge. Further events will be planned stepped the Dail and Department of Finance around the Budget. If you would like to get in- and instead brought the public to the houses and disillusionment. So, maybe the time has come to question our tactics, to go back to volved you can contact the Workers Solidarity and institutions where real wealth lies. Ac- Movement for more information or you can cording to those financial experts, the Bank the drawing board and look for new and in- ventive ways to ensure that our position, and contact the One Percent Network directly by of Ireland, 1% of the Irish population own emailing [email protected] 34% of the wealth in our society, figures at that of most people in society, is heard. odds with the ‘accepted’ truth that we’re all On September 29th, an indebted builder drove broke. Clearly some people are not broke at a cement truck, painted with ‘Toxic Bank An- all, quite the opposite in fact. glo’, to the gates of the Dail. Morning radio The Workers Solidarity Movement is cen- was electrified and a facebook group entitled ‘A really big thank you to the driver of the ce- Find out more at: trally involved in the organisation of the One www.onepercentnetwork.org Percent Network, which was initiated by a ment truck at the Dail’ reached over 18,000 members within a couple of days. Speakers at

Brazilian Made in Dagenham Attacks on Dole Democracy A review of the film of the An interview with a work- Lula’s ‘Workers Party’ 1968 car factory strike. er at the coalface, trying goes to the polls. to help the unemployed. BRAZIL WORKERS SOLIDARITY 118 Democracy in Brazil Contacts Workers Solidarity Movement PO Box 1528, Dublin 8. www.wsm.ie [email protected]

Organise! http://organiseanarcho-syndicalistgroup. blogspot.com/ [email protected]

Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group (RAG) PO BOX 10785, Dublin 1. http://ragdublin.blogspot.com/

Indymedia Ireland Alternative user-generated Irish news. http://www.indymedia.ie

Seomra Spraoi Dublin Social Centre 10 Belvedere Court, Dublin 1. http://www.seomraspraoi.org As this issue of Workers Solidarity goes Haiti since June 2004. The role of MINUS- to print, Brazil is about to elect a new TAH is effectively to suppress any attempts by Solidarity Books president. After eight years, the Work- social movements to achieve equality and de- Cork Radical Bookshop & Meeting Space ers’ Party (PT) incumbent, Lula, must mocracy, while opening the country to further 43 Douglas Street, Cork. step down. His chosen successor, Dilma sweatshops, as has been outlined in previous [email protected] Roussef, is poised to become Brazil’s issues of Workers Solidarity. (REFS) first female president, as she holds a Just Books 46.9% to 32.6% lead over her closest ri- Radical Bookshop val after the first round of voting. Rous- One of the social movements that had 13-15 Clarence Street, Belfast. sef is a former urban guerrilla who was helped bring Lula to power was the MST [email protected] tortured by the western-backed mili- (Landless Peasants Movement). It is the tary dictatorship (1964-1985) before largest in Latin America, with an estimated Shell to Sea throwing her lot in with electoral poli- 1.5 million members organised in 23 out Campaign to move Shell’s gas pipeline tics, joining the PT in 2000. of Brazil’s 26 states. Fighting for the redis- offshore from Co. Mayo. tribution of land, one of its main tactics is http://www.shelltosea.com land occupations, a form of struggle that has been harshly repressed by the Workers’ Hands Off the People of Iran Party government, despite the MST always Anti-imperialist network for solidar- calling for a vote for the PT. Alan Morkan ity with Iranian trade unionists & the women’s rights movement. The murder of Elton Brum da Silva during http:// www.hopoi.org Lula’s term as president is held up by some a police operation to remove landless fami- as one of social and economic progress. Of- lies from a farm in Rio Grande do Sul was Choice Ireland ficial unemployment has dropped from over an example of this. This repression quickly Abortion rights action group 11% to 6.9%, while cumulative per capita spread. The Anarchist Federation of Gaú- [email protected] GDP growth has been 23% compared to just cha, who work within and alongside the http:// www.choiceireland.org 3.5% for the preceding term. Also, according MST, were active in a campaign to bring the to the UN, poverty levels have fallen. Much police murderers of Elton to justice, accus- Residents Against Racism of this economic growth has been due to ing the Governor, Yeda Crusius, of brushing Opposing racism and deportations. China’s appetite for foodstuffs and iron ore the issue under the carpet. For this, their 24 hour helpline: 087 666 2060 boosting Brazil’s exports along with discov- offices were raided in Porto Alegre onOc- eries of offshore oil fields. tober 29th last year, with most of their doc- Cork Palestine Link uments, computer hard disks, posters, etc. Part of the Free Gaza Movement that is sending a convoy of aid to Gaza. However, despite this economic growth, forty being seized. Six anarchist activists were ar- [email protected] million people still live below the poverty line. rested. Due to it being an election year, the 086 337 8146 1.6% of the landowners still control almost trial has been postponed since July. It is due half of the land on which crops can be grown. to now take place in December. The WSM Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign While inequality still abounds at home, Bra- calls for solidarity with our anarchist com- 01-6770253 | [email protected] zil leads the 9,000-member UN military and rades, against the state repression of Lula’s http://www.ipsc.ie police force (MINUSTAH) that has occupied so-called “Workers” Party. WorkersSolidarity112 TRADE UNIONS WORKERS SOLIDARITY 118

graffiti and his windows broken. The British National Party also hated him Sacking of Socialist for his role in getting a fascist sacked in 2005.

Under attack from his employer and Nurse Overturned badly let down by the union he had served for decades, and a disciplin- ary process that dragged on for nearly two years, Yanus sank into depression. He was too ill to attend his final hear- ing. His doctors asked for an adjourn- ment but this was refused and he was sacked.

In the meantime head office closed down the union branch. Members who showed support for Yunus were shout- ed down by union officials. Manage- ment were over the moon and began imposing changes on the workforce. Correctly, they saw that a union which would not defend its own activists was hardly likely to stand up to that same management.

In August of this year Yunus won his claim for unfair dismissal. He also won Yunus Baksh - sacked for his Trade Union activity a claim for discrimination as the hear- ing where his sacking was decided went Yunus Bakhsh, a psychiatric bullying and intimidation” at a staff ahead in his absence despite his being nurse from the north east of meeting. too ill to attend. The employment tri- England has won a four year bunal found him a “straight-forward battle against his bosses. Sadly Four months after this his own union, and credible witness”. The NHS trust’s his union, the public service gi- who he expected to defend him, sus- head of Human Resources, Elizabeth ant UNISON, was about as much pended him from membership. They Lathem was deemed “not credible”. It use as a tailor in a nudist camp. alleged he had been using the union was revealed that she had met in secret This should be of interest to the branch office for SWP activities. with a Unison regional officer, Eliza- beth Twist, to discuss the sacking. The 39,000 workers in Northern Ire- It was subsequently discovered that tribunal asked whether the NHS trust land who are in Unison. the allegations against Yanus came “found in Twist and Unison an ally and from two other members of his union a shared sense of purpose to remove branch, Peter and Kerry Cafferty. Were the claimant?” Joe King they credible complainants? Peter is chair of the union’s health division in There is something very wrong when Yunus had a 23-year spotless record in northern England. However his wife, union officials collaborate with an em- nursing. What annoyed his employer, Kerry, had some interesting stuff on ployer to rid themselves of a militant the local NHS trust, was his union ac- her Facebook page. She was a member trade unionist. Yunus is calling for an tivity and radical views. He was the of groups like ‘No more asylum-seek- independent investigation into his ex- union branch secretary and also a ers in Britain’ and ‘Make Britain Great pulsion from the union. member of the Socialist Workers Party Again’. There was also a photo of the (SWP). couple giving nazi salutes.

Just before his suspension from work The nazi website Stormfront was even he had really pissed off management by more informative. There were post- publicising their large salary increases ings about the allegations, but these while at the same time leading a cam- appeared before any complaint had paign to stop the closure of a local care been made. They were going after home. In 2006 he was suspended, but Yanus because of anti-fascist leaflets International Anarchist website management refused to give any clear the union branch planned to distrib- with news & discussion from all reason. They later claimed they were ute. His home was daubed with racist acting on “anonymous allegations of five continents. Find out more - Check out www.wsm.ie WELFARE WORKERS SOLIDARITY 118 Attacks on Welfare Continue We spoke with Vincent O’Malley, a community sector employee who advises and advocates for social wel- fare applicants and recipients, about the effect the recession is having on the operation of the social welfare system. WS: What changes have you noticed in how the Department of Social Protection is functioning? As has been well publicised, there have been long delays in processing welfare pay- ments and there have been both cuts in the rates of welfare payments and changes in the qualifying criteria for payments. These delays have eased somewhat but there has been a large increase in the number of dis- allowed claims. This has moved the bottle- neck elsewhere, namely the social welfare appeals office. So there are now huge de- lays in processing and hearing appeals, up to fifteen months in some cases. Also, away from the spotlight, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) has been taking a number of other measures to cut welfare.

WS: How has this affected welfare WS: What about those who have ap- who have returned to care for a sick relative applicants? pealed the decision to disallow their being refused carers’ allowance, as has also welfare claim? There has been a huge increase in the num- been covered in the mainstream media. ber of social welfare claims being refused The problems in the appeals office are The HRC condition is now being imple- on the grounds that the applicant does not compounded by the fact that, whether in- mented unfairly and incorrectly, mostly as satisfy the Habitual Residency Condition tentionally or due to the large volume of a result of a change of policy in the Depart- (HRC), which basically means that the ap- work facing staff in the DSP, a large part of ment. However, I have had the odd DSP plicant has to prove that their “centre of in- the delay is due to the files not being passed employee advise me that the decision has terest” is Ireland. This is a somewhat neb- on to the appeals office, which is required been made on the grounds that, as far as ulous concept and the guidelines that the before an appeals officer can deal with the they are concerned, “these people are not DSP use are open to interpretation. How- case. ever the HRC has been in place since May welcome here.” Furthermore, in the past, those who have 2004 and has been implemented more or WS: What about in other areas of appealed a decision have almost always less consistently and generally quite fairly. welfare supports? been granted an oral hearing if requested. Towards the end of last year, management There have been other cuts by stealth, such Statistically, there is a much better chance conducted what they somewhat euphe- as in the case of rent supplement payments of winning your appeal in this case as you mistically called “training” on the HRC in for separated people. In the past, commu- and an advocate get an opportunity to pres- social welfare local offices throughout the nity welfare officers, who administer these ent your case and sometimes question the country. From speaking to staff in social payments, would have generally approved officer who made the decision. However, welfare offices, I am aware that this “train- a rent supplement payment to a separated appeals officers have now been instructed ing” essentially consisted of edicts from on person with shared custody of a child for to make a decision on written submissions high to increase the number of refusals on accommodation suitable for that individual only wherever possible. People with literacy HRC grounds. to have their child stay overnight. However, problems and some other disabilities find it So, I have a variety of cases of clients who in general, they are now insisting that a le- much harder to make cogent arguments in have been refused welfare payments on gal separation agreement is in place before writing. Also, the opportunity to rebut the HRC grounds, amongst them people who approving such payments, forcing couples, submission of the social welfare officer who have been living in Ireland for up to ten who may have made amicable, voluntary made the decision is generally lost. While years, who have substantial work records arrangements, to go through the family we don’t have statistics to hand as yet, it is in Ireland, who have extensive family con- court system. In one of my cases, the judge my guess that there will be a large increase nections in Ireland, who have children who refused to issue a court order for a family in the number of appeals lost as a result. are Irish citizens and have no intention of who had a voluntary arrangement in place, living anywhere else but Ireland. The HRC presumably on the somewhat legitimate condition also affects returning Irish emi- grounds of wasting the courts’ time, which grants, with, for example, over 200 people left them in a catch 22 situation.

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Our view is that when we join a mass organi- Thinking About : sation like a union or campaigning group, we argue openly within that group for the value of our ideas and approaches, such as a focus on democratic decision making, self management and organisation, and direct Dual Organisation action rather than reliance on politicians and other “leaders”. Of course, we also take part Last year the Exchequer lost €7.4bn as a The society we live in is a long way as this relate to other organisations of the in the activity of the mass organisation just result of the tax break regime, over three off the kind of society that anarchists working class, such as trade unions, com- like everyone else; it’s not all about preach- times the EU average. According to the advocate. So the question that any- munity groups or campaigns? These are ing! What we hope is that anarchist ideas will government’s own Economic and Social one interested in creating a better actually two very different entities. The become popular within the wider member- Research Institute, 80% of the tax relief society has to answer is: how best to specifically anarchist organisation is a po- ship by virtue of their effectiveness. This is available on pension contributions goes act for positive change? The question litical group based on a shared ideology, sometimes referred to as being a “leadership to the wealthiest 20% of earners. of how anarchists should organise is while other groups such as those men- of ideas” as opposed to just trying to take one that has been debated over and tioned above are born out of immediate over the official roles and make decisions on Have you ever woken up in the middle over. It is clear that anarchism, root- conditions; all workers in a certain industry behalf of everybody else. of the night with a strong craving for... ed in ideals of equality, freedom and for example, or all people living in a certain gold? You can satisfy that craving democracy, needs to adopt organisa- area. The latter type of organisation will by We see the roles of the specific anarchist any time you want, day or night, with tional practices which foster rather its very nature be composed of people with organisation and the mass organisation a gold-dispersing machine. Gold to than stifle these ideals. different politics and ideas. These are the to be mutually enriching. If you have a Go machines are already in use in the mass organisations that will be at the fore- political organisation which doesn’t par- Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, front of struggle, and naturally anarchists ticipate in mass struggle and stays inward several spots in Germany, at the Wes- belong to these bodies as well. looking, then it is completely useless. Not tin Palace hotel in Madrid and the In- Bob Kavanagh only are you talking to no-one but yourself, ternational Airport near Milan, Italy. Within the Left in general, there are many but your ideas are likely to be well off the Anarchists need to form their own organi- different conceptions of how a political mark, as they have not been tested in prac- In the last ten years there have been sations on the basis of a common vision. group should relate to mass organisation. tice. Groups like this condemn themselves 3,183 people brought to court for wel- Acting in isolation, there is little one can Some favour entering these groups with to irrelevancy in the class struggle. As for fare fraud, adding up to €43 million. achieve. However, it is important for any a view to acquiring positions of power for the mass organisations, without a healthy Forty-eight of these were jailed for a group that anarchists form to base itself on their members, thus allowing their small injection of revolutionary thinking, it is total of twelve years. At the same time a shared conception of what they stand for, political group to dictate the actions of the easy to fall into opportunism and adopt a there were only 39 prosecutions for tax where they want to go and how they want larger group by direct control over decision narrow focus. This often leads them into evasion amounting to €2.25 billion. to get there. Otherwise, there is not enough making. Others see the wider organisa- compromise with their enemy, and can This saw six people jailed for a total of in common to allow the group to act coher- tions merely as a pool of potential recruits; often result in “winning the battle but three years and nine months. ently. Within these specifically anarchist in other words, the struggle you’re engaged losing the war”. A classic example of this organisations, members can share their was the adoption of social partnership in Peter Sutherland has been sounding in is unimportant as long as we get a few experiences and perspectives and thereby this country, based on the notion that the off about how the cuts in pay, pensions, new members out of it! Anarchists reject refine their political ideas. Such anor- capitalist class and the working class had education and health should be even such approaches as undemocratic and au- ganisation also allows for collective action, shared interests, and were all in it together more severe. And why not, it won’t af- thoritarian. Indeed, such manipulative tac- based on a democratic decision making somehow; a notion which was shown for fect him. The global businessman, Fine tics are totally counterproductive for the processes. Thus, anarchists can act more the nonsense it is when things got tough Gael veteran and former EU Commis- development of a socialist society, even if effectively by combing their efforts rather and as always, the majority were made to sioner is chairman of Goldman Sachs they are carried out with the best of inten- than acting in isolation. suffer while the rich are protected from all International, vice-chair of the Eu- tions. Their use has led to a deep distrust by many people of political groups, and a harm. ropean Round Table of Industrialists How then would an anarchist group such and director of companies in Germany, fear of “infiltration”. Turkey and China. His personal wealth is estimated at €128 million. But that doesn’t stop this scrounger picking up an annual pension of €51,138 as a for- mer Attorney General of Ireland. Anarchism & the WSM One retired boss from the Central Bank As the economic crisis goes from bad to well as the practical skills required in running is getting a pension of over €205,000 a worse, we have been active in a variety our organisation and other campaigns. In the year. Three others pick up more than of efforts to resist the attacks on our south, our Cork branch continues to operate €155,000 each. Bank governor Patrick living conditions. Together with Éirígí, Solidarity Books on Douglas St, which aims Honohan has said “pay cuts are essen- Seomra Spraoi social centre and the to spread the anarchist message in the city. A tial”, but presumably not for him and Irish Socialist Network, we organised successful fundraiser for the bookshop, “Cha- his class. the One Percent Network walking tour os Cabaret”, was held in September while we and Halloween treasure hunt. We also continue to participate in the anarchist forum, The Revenue Commissioners’ analy- helped organise a demonstration on an open discussion group, in Cork. sis for 2008 showed that 189 rich in- the reopening of the Dail on 29th Sep- dividuals with an annual income of tember, in conjunction with a Europe- Also, the Cork branch is running a weekly €500,000, or more, paid an average wide day of action against austerity series of talks on radical and revolutionary tax rate of just 19.86%. Of 234 individ- called by the European Trade Union politics and history during October and No- uals earning between €250,000 and Confederation (ETUC). 100,000 at- vember: €500,000: tended a similar protest held in Brus- • 19th October - Tadhg Barry & Revolution- sels while a general strike in Spain on • 54 paid tax at a rate of 0% - 5% ary Cork (1907-1921) the same day brought most of the coun- • 34 paid tax at a rate of 5% - 10%, try to a standstill. • 26th October - The Lost Revolution • 2nd November - The Spanish Revolution • 145 paid tax at a rate of 10% - 20%, At a more local level, we attended a commu- nity sector forum in Liberty Hall organised by • 9th November - Labour Militancy (1917 • Just 1 individual paid tax at 20% the unions to fight cuts in community services - 1923) and were present at the “Claiming Our Fu- • None of them paid tax at a rate in ex- • 23rd November - The Land War ture” conference held in the RDS in Dublin on cess of 25% Poster for ‘Winter Talks’ series October 30th. Finally, we were amongst those being held in Solidarity Books • 30th November - Kropotkin: The Anar- protesting warmonger Tony Blair’s book sign- chist Prince www.anarchistblackcat.org ing in Dublin, which persuaded him to cancel two similarly planned events in the UK. the farcical sight of Sinn Fein members join- With governments North and South now lec- ing protests against a bill drawn up by a joint turing us on the need for four years of further In July we reported on the Sinn Fein and DUP committee at Stormont, cuts, we need as many people as possible to bill which would have criminalised protests and introduced by a Sinn Fein and DUP coali- join the various campaigns against such mea- of over fifty people unless they gave police at tion Executive. sures if we are to maintain any type of civilised least thirty-seven days notice. We are happy to society on this island. WSM members are A friendly and respectful online discus- report that, after a short campaign by trades Within the WSM, twenty of our members committed to being involved in this process sion board for anarchists of all stripes unions and community groups, this part of attended a successful educational weekend and, if you are also, then we would love to hear and those just interested in seeing what the Assemblies and Parades bill has been in Tipperary, where we discussed strategies from you. anarchists think. withdrawn. Before it was scrapped we had for continuing the struggle for anarchism as REVIEWS WORKERS SOLIDARITY 118 Speeches from the 1% March

The Shelbourne (Louise Minihan) much of a gulper you are. So if you do save up a week and a half wages for a bottle, re- We had two reasons for starting at this spot. member to sip slowly and savour the experi- The first was that, as many of you will know ence. because you were here, this is where the anti-capitalist blocs marched from in the Also just around the corner is the Kildare Spring in reaction to the Gardai attacks on Street Club - membership was apparently people protesting at the bank bailouts at “over a grand” in 2008. Also here is the Anglo Irish Bank just down the street and at Shelbourne hotel where in 2008, thirteen the Dail. The Guards also tried unsuccess- businessmen paid €65,000 for a dinner fully to stop the first bloc marching. with Brian Cowen. The 13 included Brian O’Farrell, one of the six people named as The second though is directly related to the part of the ten strong Anglo Golden Circle, tour. Scattered around here are a few of the he described the dinner as “just like a nor- places where the 1% like to hang out and mal chat” do their dodgy business. Down the road you have the Stephen’s Green Hibernian 71 Merrion Square (Bernie Hughes) Club which calls itself ‘Ireland’s Premier This house was bought by Dermot Desmond Private Member’s Club’ and boasts “strong in 2000 for €6 million. He is estimated to be ing the site on behalf of the semi-state com- networking opportunities with over 1,500 worth more than €2 billion and is ranked 6th In January 1990 Desmond told semi-state pany. The report concluded that Smurfit members encompassing industry pioneers, on the Irish Independent’s Irish Rich List. firm Telecom Eireann that the best price was unaware of Desmond’s ”involvement’’. leaders and professionals from Ireland and He’s a tax exile in Gibraltar but, despite this, in he could get for the site was £9.4 million. abroad.” Members have included Peter Telecom agreed to pay this amount. He re- 2008 he was offered the Chair of AerLingus. Desmond is widely credited with being the Sutherland, Irish Times editor Conor Brady, jected all suggestions that he owned a com- inspiration behind the International Fi- Judge Declan Costello and aviation million- He was a very strong ‘financial supporter’ pany called Freezone, which was registered nancial Services Centre (IFSC). In 1996 aire Ulick McEvaddy. and friend of the corrupt Charlie Haughey in the Isle of Man tax haven. It provided he bought Baltimore Technologies for and paid €95,000 to have his yacht re- much of the financing for the purchase of £300,000 and then sold most of his shares Back in 2002 membership was €952 a year paired, which he described at the Moriarty the property and received £1.3 million in before the dot com crash, walking away with but don’t rush off to join, you have to find an Tribunal as “an insignificant financial mat- profit. A report for the Department of In- £50 million profit. Crashes are often not as existing member to propose you first. If you ter’’ but he claimed never to have witnessed dustry and Commerce, hotly contested by bad for the super rich as they have access to are what they call ‘new money’ then Resi- any corrupt practises. Desmond, found that the financier was the information that allows them to get our dence across the street here may be more among those who made over £5 million first, often with huge profits that they then suitable. Membership was €1600 a year At around the same time, in April 1989, from the sale of the Ballsbridge property. reinvest once prices have crashed. So in the in 2008 but has now been cut to €850. If Desmond reached an agreement with the According to this report, Desmond was last couple of years the global number of bil- you’ve had a good day at NAMA may I rec- Johnston Mooney & O’Brien liquidator to secretly behind the company that sold the lionaires has in fact risen. Desmond pulled ommend a bottle of Saint Estèphe, Château buy their bakery site in Ballsbridge, Dublin site to Telecom Eireann and was at the the same trick with Greencore in 2006. Cos d’Estournel 1990 for €561? That’s just for £4 million. The property was sold to a same time acting as an adviser to Telecom under €100 euro a glass, depending on how firm called Chestvale in September 1989. chairman Michael Smurfit, who was buy-

Review: Made in Dagenham Irish Anarchist Review The Workers Solidarity Movement is If you like ‘feel good’ films this is for very pleased to announce the second you. Leaving a cinema feeling both issue of The Irish Anarchist Review. entertained and optimistic is rare This magazine is dedicated to under- enough, and this film scores highly standing the contemporary political, on both points. economic and social situation that confronts us, and finding ways to advance alternatives. Alan MacSimóin

In 1968 there were 55,000 working at Ford’s Contact us with your postal address massive plant in east London. One of them if you would like to receive a copy or is machinist Rita O’Grady, who makes seat download a PDF from http://www. covers with 156 other women at the Dagen- wsm.ie/c/irish-anarchist-review-2 ham factory. Thinking that women won’t cause trouble, management regrades them as ‘unskilled’.

However Ford got it very wrong. Rita, en- couraged by shop steward Albert (Bob Money for Hoskins), decides that women should be paid the same as men. On one side are her fellow workers, on the other are not only the Nothing factory management, but Ford’s American top brass (The West Wing’s Richard Schiff) to be paid in full. It’s difficult to open a newspaper or turn on who threaten to pull out of England rather the TV news without hearing some ‘expert’ than concede equality. We don’t usually learn it in school but much tell us that we have to “reassure the bond- of what we take for granted was won through holders” that pay is being kept down and The Dagenham women’s strike is one of the workers’ struggles. That’s how we got paid cuts are being made to health, social welfare lesser-known events of 1968. Compared with holidays, the 40-hour week, equal pay and and public service jobs. the events of Paris, the civil rights move- more. It’s a myth that equal pay came cour- ment in the North or the Russian invasion of tesy of the European Union. Yes, the Treaty These bondholders are institutions that lend Czechoslovakia, it hardly seemed a big story at of Rome does say that women should be paid money to the Irish government at guaran- the time. But it gave a boost to other women the same as men for work of equal value, but teed rates of interest, currently 6.5%. The workers and to the early women’s liberation that didn’t stop both Labour and Tory govern- top lender is the Bank of Scotland, followed movement, which led to an, admittedly inad- ments in Britain from stalling equal pay until closely by Bank of Ireland and AIB. equate, equal pay law a few years later. the 1980s. In Ireland it took a national strike by night telephone operators to stop the gov- The taxpayers of Ireland have already had Solidarity Books is a radical bookshop in Cork Rita and her workmates spent three weeks ernment from ‘postponing’ equal pay. €7 billion taken from them and put into the open for the past year. It has a wide selection on strike and won 92% of their claim. Show- two Irish banks. Now these banks are lend- of books on anarchism, and Irish ing how committed is to equality, If you liked Bend It With Beckham or the ing that money back to the government at history. It also holds regular radical film nights it took another two decades for their claim Full Monty, this is definitely one to watch. higher rates of interest. and is a meeting space for progressive groups in the city. It is run by WSM.