Published by Organise!, 40 Bedford Street, , BT2 7FF

On June 8, the Euro Cup opened in a massive scale, there are cuts in social where many workers are not Warsaw. The city was full of football fans, services and exorbitant price increases. All, organized and are beaten with media, police, military police and even you guessed it, in the name of „austerity‟. defeatism in a country with conciliatory unions, is creating more some protestors. Our comrades from ZSP also pointed out and more social problems. Femen, the anarcho-syndicalist ZSP and the that the general contractor which built the Tenants Defense Committee organised National Stadium in Warsaw had just A guillotine was produced and the protests against the politics of the Euro. The declared bankruptcy. Leaving “a whole line demonstrators declared that if the ZSP and Tenants Defence Committee of subcontractors and workers” who have politicians continue protecting the interests protested about the huge amounts of money not been paid. of the rich and elites, at the expense of spent on the Euro. Who will benefit? Well, working people, they might have to use it: These workers: Titanic unsurprisingly, UEFA (tax exempt in Poland) Instead of more social cuts, the only along with a few businesses. Almost 26 threatened to block the opening of thing we want cut are the heads of the Euro, but didn't. The workers at billion Euro has been spent on this spectacle the government. and working people are footing the bill. the stadium for the Euro, who are Children go hungry as the city privatises being cheated and receive less money The protestors described the city: school cafeterias, schools and nurseries have than promised, threatened to strike - as one big Potemkin village, been closed, the poor are being evicted on but didn't. This sort of situation, decorated for the games and trying to hide its misery. And this misery is growing all the time. The Ukrainian feminist group FEMEN also staged a topless protest against the Euro 2012 championship in front of Warsaw's National Stadium. Within minutes, all four protesters, armed with fire extinguishers, Spectacle were arrested.

Top right: ZSP and the FEMEN is opposed to Euro 2012 because of Tenants Defense fears that the tournament will lead to an Committe picket the increase in prostitution in Poland and the opening of the Euro Ukraine, where the Cup is being co-hosted 2012. (for more on FEMEN see pages 7-9). Background photo: As capitalism continues to bite, our „betters‟ flegs and bunting with the rest of them. Not The Queen‟s Jubilee is a sickening advertising for the Members of the ZSP and the Tenants Euro 2012 on derelict Defense Committee joined protests at the have been treating us to a series of to mention the copious amounts of alcohol celebration of privilege, a hangover of housing in Warsaw. police station holding the FEMEN activists to expensive spectacles to distract us from our required to wash it all down. Besides we all feudalism in a time when capitalism is Bottom left: FEMEN had a good aul blow out for Ireland‟s wee reducing many of us below the position of demand their release. increasing misery. protest the opening of stint in Euro 2012 now didn‟t we. wage slaves to that of slaves plain and The Titanic centenary, the London Olympics, simple. While the poor and ill in our society the European Championship and the red, And yet some still have the temerity to raise are demonised as scroungers and frauds white and blue flag waving „pageantry‟ of their voices to declare „Capitalism has no this woman and her family actually are Always Crusaders the Queens Jubilee continue to bombard our clothes‟. real benefits scroungers (see pg 3). senses giving „national pride‟ a boost while Always Antifa the rich get on with the business of robbing While Sinn Fein wax lyrical about equality The Olympics have witnessed London, a city us blind. we see no equality. While Jackie McDonald marred by huge levels of inequality, turned asks us all to turn a blind eye to sectarian At the match where north Belfast team beat Derry City for the all into a police state with missiles installed on For those who prefer their patriotic commemorations we see no end to Ireland cup local Crusaders fans unveiled a banner behind the top of apartments by the MoD (see pg 3). distractions in different colours there is even sectarianism. nets reading Always Crusaders - Always Antifa. some sort of „cross community‟ element to all Behind the carefully choreographed „feel- Welcomed by the fans the response from some other anti-fascist this. The Olympic flame was paraded The truth is that all these celebrations, good factor‟ we find ourselves on the side football supporters was perplexing to say the least. Many through Dublin. The Titanic‟s heritage circuses and spectacles are a very thin veil of the begrudgers who aren‟t buying in. seemed a little upset that the Crues fans had an antifa banner on belongs to us all. Ach, and sure, anti- for the real nature of what is going on. We don‟t want to piss on anyone‟s excuse display. Something was perhaps upsetting their view of the monarchical sentiment is off the agenda for Behind the hype, the glitz, the „titanic for a piss-up but we really aren‟t feeling supporters of north Belfast‟s „prod‟ team as „fascists‟. even dyed in the wool republicans as thinkers‟, titanic restaurant awards, the real too good. From the Levellers point of view the waving of fascist flags at Deputy First Minister McGuinness rises to the story of the Titanic is one of wage slavery, Crues matches in the past is something that should make an antifa challenge of welcoming the „foreign‟ Queen exploitation and murder on a massive scale The pretty colours, flegs, big screens, proud presence all the more welcome. for the sake of peace. So everyone can just (see pg 12). It is a disaster that provides a heritage, royality, tradition nor pomp can We need more football fans, of all teams, and from all settle down, get back to all the pomp, chilling insight into the nature of capitalism. distract us from our very real circumstance. backgrounds taking a stand to kick racism, sectarianism and ceremony, nice distracting bright lights, One hundred years later fuck all has fascism off the terraces. changed. Jason Brannigan Millions ‘One Push Organise! And Youth Fight For Jobs Contacts

Anger In Organise! From Penury’ Take Action Against Slave Labour 40 Bedford Street, Belfast, BT2 7FF Challenging the coalition governments worker at Boots was not too impressed. [email protected] assertion that people are better off in work Dublin She repeatedly threatened the picket with Anarchists for Choice research (commissioned by the Guardian) police and told us we had best be on our has found that 2.2m children are living in [email protected] way “before they got here”. households on an “economic cliff-edge”. At Sick ‘Pro-Life’ The cops did arrive, checked out the picket Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist There are close to 7 million working-age and as there was nothing illegal about the Advertising Group (RAG) adults living in extreme financial stress, “one protest refused to move us on. The PO Box 10785, Dublin 1. small push from penury”, despite being in previously gobby security guard chose to employment and largely independent of http://ragdublin.blogspot.com skulk red-faced in the shop after that. Campaign benefits. Solidarity Federation Under the guise of „helping the unemployed Unlike the „middle-classes‟ these 3.6m British section of the anarcho- back into work‟ the government is rolling out Youth Defence have provoked anger with not being representative of women‟s households in Britain have little or no various workfare schemes that will provide syndicalist IWA savings, no equity in their homes: their new „pro-life‟ advertising campaign. feelings following a termination, and only PO Box 17773, London, SE8 4WX free labour for their rich corporate serving to increase the shame and stigma and struggle at the end of each month friends. Many charities and even trade The bill board adverts they have paid to [email protected] surrounding the issue of abortion. to feed themselves and their children unions – who should know better – have plaster all over the city claim “abortion Workers Solidarity Movement adequately. been hoodwinked into supporting these tears her life apart” and that, despite the Stephanie Lord said they had received: (Irish Platformist Group) schemes. evidence to the contrary, there is “always Unable to cope on their current incomes, A number of angry and offended a better answer”. PO Box 1528, Dublin 8. with no assets to fall back on, they are left emails about these billboards. [email protected] vulnerable to “something as simple as an The republic‟s advertising standards Some of the emails are from women www.wsm.ie unexpectedly large fuel bill”. agency has been flooded with complaints who have had abortions themselves about the hundreds of posters on bill Alliance for Choice Contrary to the notions of the work and and who object to the message the pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, the On 19th of May Organise! And Youth Fight boards, bus stops, buses and trams across Abortion Rights Group in Northern For Jobs picketed Holland and Barrett and the city. In an effort to increase the billboards convey. These billboards do Ireland findings prove that getting a job does not not speak for them. For a woman who ensure your children are not brought up in Boots to oppose the use of free labour by stigma faced by women in Ireland http://allianceforchoiceni.org has had one to walk past this every poverty. both companies. considering, or having had, an abortion Choice Ireland they have produced two styles of poster. day, it’s just horrible. The research has brought to light the Across the UK Holland and Barrett have Abortion rights action group in the One showing the face of a distraught Youth Defence plan to cover the whole of existence of what has been called “the new been using free labour to cut their staff young woman and the other a foetus the Republic in these offensive and mis- Republic of Ireland working class - except the work they do no costs. The picket was part of a day of sucking its thumb, both are emblazoned informed posters. We have a photo below [email protected] longer pays”. Having a job is no protection action against the company called by with the same slogan. of just what should be done with this http:choiceireland.org against homelessness and destitution despite SolFed (the British section of the anarcho- garbage just as soon as it is spotted! the spin from Cameron of a „fair‟ society in syndicalist IWA). As long as this practice is Choice Ireland have criticised the ads for Just Books Collective which „work pays‟. Austerity measures have continued pickets will continue to turn away Distributing radical books since 1978 created a new generation of working poor, customers from their stores across the UK. now developing a community and struggling with debt and fearful that they Afterwards Organise! joined the Youth Fight labour education programme called could lose the jobs they do have. For Jobs picket of Boots on Donegall Place. „Just Learning‟ Another report, by Oxfam, has found that The picket was to expose the rolling out of 40 Bedford Street, Belfast, BT2 7FF more people in poverty are working than a scheme across Britain and Ireland which Email: [email protected] will give young people the „opportunity‟ to are unemployed. The amount of people Libcom working and claiming housing benefit has work 9-4 every day for two weeks and double since 2005. The report also found receive only their dole money. Boots will not Libertarian communist online even pay for travel or any other expenses. “You‟d better be going before the police get here”. resource with forums, library and that more and more working people were The cops came, we stayed, the security guard turning to charities to help them make ends Both pickets were well received by the disappeared. global news meet. public, however the underpaid security http://libcom.org

Seomra Spraoi the right to strike is a choice, and in Dublin Social Centre Low paid to be punished for taking future benefit claimants will have to 10 Belvedere Court, Dublin 1. pay the price for that choice, as under http://www.seomraspraoi.org universal credit, we no longer will. Industrial Action Shell to Sea In an attack on the rights of the most strike action. Duncan Smith Campaign to move Shell‟s gas vulnerable workers to defend themselves intends to take that away, pipeline offshore from County Mayo Iain Duncan Smith plans to take money off pushing those forced to take http://www.shelltosea.com us for taking industrial action. action in defence of services, Solidarity Books The new Universal Credit model of benefit terms and conditions, and jobs 43 Douglas Street, Cork. payments, part of a massive overhaul of the into greater poverty. http://www.solidaritybooks.org/ benefits system, includes plans to restrict This is a blatant attack on the about/ payments to those who take industrial right to strike and organise. Email: [email protected] action. Struggles for better pay will see Warzone Collective Presently, workers who earn under £13,000 workers put into even greater are able to claim Working Tax Credit financial hardship than at The Centre, Little Victoria Street, (WTC) to top up their wages, workers can present. Thankfully some people have been taking direct action against the offensive and costly Belfast claim WTC against the first 10 days of Duncan Smith reckons that: Strike for a “living wage” and we‟ll stop your benefits - advertising campaign being conducted across the Republic by Youth Defence www.warzonecollective.com thats the message to the working poor from Ian Duncan Smith Email: [email protected] The number of women who are contacting Abortion Support Network Department of Work and Pensions Slaving for Women Need Access to because they are unable to afford the cost of an abortion, plus travel and Attempt to Gag Union Her Majesty Safe and Legal Abortion in Ireland! other costs, such as childcare, has been more than doubling each year. The PCS poster campaign is a response Unpaid jobseekers were bussed in hundreds The continued criminalisation of abortion in to what the union says is an insensitive of miles to work with-out pay on the royal Choice being held Ireland does not end abortion. It effectively management propaganda campaign river pageant during jubilee celebrations in this Saturday 7 July. makes abortion a class issue as it: aimed at people who take time off sick. London. simply makes it more difficult for poor Fran Heathcote, president of the PCS Thirty unpaid jobseekers and another 50 on In addition to the „apprentice wages‟ were bussed from thousands of women women and families to access DWP group, said Bristol, Bath and Plymouth and made to forced to travel to [abortions]. The continued economic crisis is making it even more of a This is as an attack on the union’s sleep under London Bridge before working England in order to independence. on the river „pageant‟ as part of the access a safe and struggle for women and families to keep their heads above water and The posters are no different in government‟s Work Programme. The legal abortion, there „apprentice wages‟ were £2.80 per hour! are the women who Ireland’s severe abortion restrictions content to those we’ve used before and we can see no Two jobseekers, who did not want to be access abortion in make it even harder for this group. justification for them being identified in case they lost their benefits, other European In response to this the ASN exists to help told the Guardian that they had to camp countries, and those banned. those women who cannot meet the costs under London Bridge the night before the Separately, PCS is to hold a consultative who source medical themselves: pageant. They had to change in public, had abortion pills from ballot on 25th June among some of its As long as there are women facing an no access to toilets for 24 hours, and were the internet. members in government call centres in a unwanted pregnancy who are unable taken to a swampy campsite outside London campaign over working conditions. At the same time, to afford the costs of travelling to Managers in government call centres have after working a 14-hour shift in the pouring anti-abortion England and paying privately for an been taking down union posters (pictured) rain on the banks of the Thames. activists continue abortion, ASN will continue to do our that expose the brutal way workers are told to treat people on benefits. As the £12m river spectacle of a 1,000- to promote stigma best to help them to exercise their boat flotilla and members of the Royal and shame around choice and rights. Claiming the notices were offensive and an family sailed by stewards, „employed‟ by abortion. A current incitement to take industrial action Duncan The ASN estimate that the cost of travelling the security firm Close Protection UK, were example of this is Smith‟s lackeys in the Department of Work for an abortion varies greatly: given plastic see-through ponchos and high- the advertising and Pensions (DWP) have been tearing the visibility jackets for protection against the campaign created depending on gestation, ranging from posters down. rain. by Youth Defence. £350 to £1,775. Women who travel The PCS posters were on union notice Their campaign from Ireland bear the total financial One woman, after being picked up with boards and highlight the real experiences other jobseekers in Bristol at 11pm on the slogan, “Abortion cost of the procedure, which is of workers in DWP call centres – including tears her life apart. available to women in Britain on the Saturday and arrived in London at 3am on one who was told off for wishing an Sunday said: There is always a NHS, plus the additional costs of an unemployed person “good luck” (pictured, better solution” often last minute plane ticket, child below). We all got off the coach and we were implies a link care and other associated costs. This is stranded on the side of the road for between abortion especially problematic for women While the posters do refer to the number of 20 minutes until they came back and and mental health without the necessary funds, or a callers who threaten suicide because of cuts told us all to follow them. We that is both passport or driver’s license, because to disability benefits they do not mention followed them under London Bridge factually incorrect they experience further delays and are industrial action. and that's where they told us to camp and intentionally forced to access a later abortion at out for the night … It was raining and misleading. A higher financial costs. freezing. recent scientific London The lack of any clear legislation permitting Told to get their heads down on the cold, study, published in women to control their own fertility in wet concrete under London Bridge they the New England Ireland means this is an issue that is Olympics were woken again at 5.30am. While the As „pro-life‟ bigots descend on Belfast on Journal of Medicine, clearly stipulates exported. The Catholic Church, other men changed under the bridge a female Saturday 7th of July they will not go that there is: evangelical Christian churches and sects, the Its not just all great mums and big screens in steward said: unopposed. A Rally for Choice has been city centres across the UK, its also about no increased risk of mental disorders „pro-life‟ lobby and our local politicians are They had told the ladies we were organised to counter the lies of the „pro-life‟ forced relocation of working-class and after first-trimester induced abortion. all happy that things continue this way. getting ready in a minibus around the movement and demand that women from Traveller communities, military manoeuvres across Ireland have the right to access full Volunteers at ASN know personally from For the wealthy among us this is not so much corner and I went to the minibus and and the installation of missile across London. reproductive rights without having to travel the hundreds of women they speak to each of a problem - for working class women it is they had failed to open it so it was to Britain or Europe. Organise! and year of the anguish and guilt caused by our all too often the case that they are forced Working conditions during building work locked. I waited around to find Anarchists for Choice have worked with current punitive laws which add to what is to carry on with an unwanted pregnancy. have been criticised, the London someone to unlock it, and all of the already a stressful and difficult time for Development Association has cleared out other girls were coming down trying to other pro-choice activists to build for this Abortion Support Network is an entirely event. women facing crisis pregnancies. The ASN: local residents using Compulsory Purchase get ready and no one was bothering volunteer-run organisation that was Orders and moved Travellers onto “leftover to come down to unlock [it], so some People are coming from all over Ireland to provides financial assistance, established in October 2009 to provide space” at Hackney Marshes. of us, including me, were getting accommodation and confidential, non- attend and buses have been organised accommodation and financial assistance to undressed in public in the freezing cold judgemental information to women forced women forced to travel from Ireland and Clays Lane residents were moved out while from Dublin and Derry. and rain. to travel to England to access abortion. in order to have a safe businesses being relocated got their legal Over 5000 women travel to England from We speak to women directly and hear expenses paid. Residents got no such She said: Ireland (north and south) each year to legal abortion. first-hand of the difficulties and distress assistance. „Redevelopment‟ has meant that access safe abortions. While official The Abortion Support Network is the only London was supposed to be a nice they are forced to endure because they local residents have lost green space and statistics report a slight decrease in numbers organisation known to be providing experience, but they left us in the rain. cannot access a safe legal abortion in free sporting facilities as it is this land that practical support of this kind. For more They couldn't give a crap … No one is of women travelling, calls to Abortion has been sold off to be developed. Support Network (ASN) from women in their own country. information or to support their work visit supposed to be treated like that, [working] for free. I don't want to be financial distress continue to rise Despite statistics showing the numbers of www.abortionsupport.org.uk The military have also installed missiles Missiles over London - installed by the MOD for the exponentially. ASN has urged support for women travelling to England for an across the city on top of flats and Olympics. treated where I have to sleep under a and participation in the All Ireland Rally for abortion are ever so slightly down: apartment blocks for the event. bridge and wait for food. - here, we actually need to do this: we need In industrial action reminiscent of the Austurias revolt of 1934 to sort out accommodation for us and miners have been taking on austerity and the Spanish state in the Organised Anarchy and Cooperative people like us.‟ region. Austurias Around 8,000 miners have been involved in ongoing strikes, Politics: Worker coops can fulfil purely practical occupations, militant protests and a general strike on June 18th, purposes or can be designed to serve wider after the government announced cuts to subsidies for the region‟s political agendas through a fundamental coal mines. Worker Owned Enterprises in Action emphasis on democratic and egalitarian In Revolt There are around 40 mines in the country, mainly in the north, processes. Brothers Jack and Hugh Corcoran where they provide vital jobs in an increasingly depressed are two of the seven members that make economy. The end of the subsidy will effectively mean the end of up Na Crosbhealaí Irish language those jobs, as Spanish coal prices will increase beyond those of café and social centre in Belfast city. cheaper imported coal. The strikers view winning the strike as Jack describes how the coop makes essential to their livelihoods and the survival of their communities. demands of members as well as providing them with benefits, and links Na images from libcom.org Croisbhealaí with a broader struggle against the privatisation of goods and services. „All of our members are signed up to the Independent Workers Union which we see as one of the more progressive unions in Ireland. We also expect our members to speak Gaeilge fluently or be actively learning the language. I‟ll be travelling to Cuba soon where I‟ll be working on a farm. We will also have lectures from different Cuban representatives and see Aine Carroll from Praxis attended the explore. Golden explains why he believes some examples of the revolution. I‟ll be Cooperate And No-one gets Hurt seminar in communities new to Ireland are particularly educating myself about coops because they Belfast that resulted in the establishment open to the idea. „The World Bank says that are starting to bring that into Cuba as of the Workers Cooperative Network this Nigeria, as an instance of an African a way of resisting privatisation.‟ June. We are reprinting her article from community, toes as easily to cooperation the latest issue of the Irish Left Review on as ducks toe to water, because it is Hugh describes how worker coops can be the event which includes interviews with fundamental to the way of life. Due to the hives of resistance to neoliberal ideology some of the participants. peculiar experiences they have had, by providing spaces for social engagement migrants have developed skills that enable and critical thinking. „We had been visiting The lack of jobs and services is forcing them to help themselves and there is a radical spaces in Cataluña and having communities to seek alternatives, and once stronger tendency among them to explore conversations about being the first again the cooperative model is being generation to come out of conflict and explored. Two weekends ago in these ideas.‟ witnessing the deconstruction of a social Belfast, a number of organisations met at Strengthening links between new and movement. We could see our generation the Cooperate and No One Gets Hurt existing democratic organisations will be growing up in a very individualistic seminar where the Workers Cooperative the key to developing the sector. society and we knew we wanted to build Network (WCN) was established. The cross- Cooperatives are reasonably well- towards this more collective idea by border initiative broadly aims to improve developed in the UK, naturally influencing working together and pushing progressive networking and learning opportunities the situation in Northern Ireland. Julie Mc ideas. So we started the social centre to among worker coops and to contribute Nerney and Jason Brannigan also attended promote the Irish language and promote to developing a greater understanding of the seminar and are both members workers control, directly challenging the sector‟s benefits and opportunities. of worker coops. Julie describes how neoliberalism through language, culture and Worker-owned coops are unique the model can serve flexible purposes as economics. We provide regular decent enterprises that demand a democratic she has learned through working at the lunches for working people five days a decision-making process and a system of radical education coop Just Books. week and free Irish classes once a ownership that has workers at the centre. „We didn‟t have a shop for selling books so week also. We have also just started Worker-owners are not just employees we are getting into online sales with political education classes aimed at creating but are more typically known as members the help of the Creative Workers Coop. political cadres through discussion and who democratically share ownership of the We are also setting up an education branch debate around theory and ideology.‟ business. While worker-owned coops are of Just Books called Just Learning thanks To find out more about the Workers subject to the same strains and challenges to a few people at the Ulster People‟s Cooperative Network and to sign up for as regular businesses, when well- College who have been a great resource of information on future events keep an eye on governed and subject to basic good knowledge and experience.‟ Jason is a the WCN website (http:// business practices they can deliver top- member of the North Belfast Housing Coop www.workerscooperativenetwork.org/). quality goods and services at affordable and describes how the meaning and The following worker coops were prices, as shown by the dramatic success of purpose of the organisation has changed represented at the Belfast seminar and MONDRAGON Corporation in the over time. „With the help of Radical currently make up the membership of the Routes, the North Belfast Housing Coop was Basque region. Workers Cooperative Network: Belfast initially set up by people who identified While coops in Ireland have traditionally Cleaning Coop, Na Croisbhealaí, Meitheal as anarchists who all had a sort had success in the farming and dairy Midwest, Just Books Collective, North Belfast of ideological commitment to the idea of sectors, in the true sense of the term “worker Housing Coop, Cooperative Support cooperative living. But with the attacks on -owned” such organisations are extremely Services, Bridge Street Coop, Dublin welfare and housing benefit, economic rare. Golden Anikweof Cooperative Community Television , CounterPunch/Dole reality kicked in leading people Support Services believes that „because TV, Creative Workers Coop, TradeMark into homelessness and hostel-style cooperation can be organised in virtually Belfast, Northern Ireland Cooperative accommodation. So it went beyond all areas of human endeavour‟, there Forum and PRAXIS. are lots of opportunities for communities to agreeing with an ideological idea to being Titanic’s Hidden History

Workmen on one of Titanic‟s huge propeller shafts.

First Class went down with the ship while less than a third of the children from Third Class survived. While men in First Class had a lower survival rate than women, compared to men from other classes they did remarkably well. At the time when most of the lifeboats from the First Class decks were launching, it was not certain among the passengers that Construction of the slipways for the Titanic and Olympic the Titanic was doomed, and many of the men from First Class who could have gone Powerful symbols of progress, capitalist course board Second Class deck lifeboats. aboard a lifeboat decided to remain success, opulence, and modernity, the Titanic First Class passengers had easy access to behind. Top left: a masked miner fires a catapult at police lines while a barricade burns and Olympic were launched in Belfast in the lifeboats while those in steerage All 30 of the ships engineers and electrical in the background. Beneath text: miners equipped with fireworks and a make- 1911 and 1912. Both represented a passengers had not. engineers died. They stayed below decks shift rocket-launcher. Below this: Miners firing rockets at police lines. Left and showcase of capitalism at the start of the until almost the end trying to keep the ship The steerage passengers who did survive above: armed cops have a heavy presence in the region. Top right: banner at a 20th century. Both were built, to satisfy the afloat and the electrical system working. dreams of the wealthy, by men who had did so only by scrambling for the last of the miners mass assembly reads „If our children go hungry yours will shed blood‟. lifeboats that were launched or by jumping Right: striking miners help an old woman pass a burning barricade. Below: hard working conditions and hard lives. Only lifeboat 14, not a "First Class" over board and climbing onto boats that workers remain defiant behind a burning barricade. Injury was commonplace, disease was had already been launched. lifeboat, went back to try and rescue caused by many of the construction people after the Titanic went under. It was techniques and materials used. During the Steerage passengers were separated, by only able to pick up three or four construction of the Titanic 8 lost their lives. law, from other passengers with lockable passengers from the water. gates! There were many reports of gates Of course the Titanic became the most being locked and passengers being The Sinking of the Titanic and the Current famous of the two and the most infamous stopped from getting above decks by „Crisis‟ maritime disaster in history when the armed guards. unsinkable ship sank after hitting an iceberg Annie Kelly, an Irish third class passenger, It is tempting to compare the sinking of the on 14th of April 1912. said that the stewards did not wake the Titanic with the current financial „crisis‟. steerage passengers with an alarm and told However it does not provide a very good A Harrowing Insight Into Capitalism worried Third Class passengers who came analogy. up to the deck to go back down as there For a start, capitalism has not hit any From inception to its tragic sinking the story was no danger. metaphorical iceberg. The ship is not of the Titanic provides a harrowing insight sinking. It is most definitely afloat, with its After the lifeboats had gone Colonel into capitalism. The open class bigotry of wealthy passengers swanning about Archibald Gracie witnessed a "mass of the times were reflected in the design of the enjoying ever increasing wealth and humanity" pouring onto the boat deck from ship, the access to lifeboats and ultimately opulence at everyone else‟s expense. in the fatalities themselves. steerage. What is happening globally with the The available lifeboats were launched from Women and children first? capitalist system today is more like the rich the First Class decks first, Second Class chucking half the crew overboard. The other decks second, while no lifeboats were While much is made of heroic myths about half, told there is indeed a crisis, must work dedicated to the Third Class. women and children first over half of the twice as hard to „keep the ship from Half the lifeboats, and all of the first six women in Third Class died. Who was sinking‟. In the meantime Third Class are launched, contained only passengers from considered a child was also dependent on starved below decks, to be dragged up First Class, plus crew members to do the class. 14 year old Lucile Carter in First Class only to be forced to work for the wealthy work. Although no one but First Class was considered a child, but 14 year old onboard for free. passengers could board a First Class deck Annie McGowan in steerage was Jason Brannigan lifeboat, First Class passengers could of considered to be an adult. Only one child in Which Queen do Assembly to Rubberstamp Homophobia - you want? Westminster’s Attack on the Vulnerable It Hasn’t gone He also suggested that workfare be rolled out even Away You Know further with claimants being forced to work in return for benefits after six months on Lord Ken Maginnis‟ is not alone in his the dole. As for those on homophobic bigotry. Edwin Poots is still sickness benefits his message denying homosexuals the right to donate is „heal thyself!‟. blood. The problem goes deeper though. While Its been reduced to a choice between a Single mothers with children the 2011 Equality Survey found that mythical „celtic‟ warrior goddess or Lizzie as young as three could be made to prepare for work by lesbian, gay or bisexual people were the Windsor. Despite McGuinness‟ handshake only group to see a decline in negative the Queens visit to Northern Ireland did not writing a CV in return for attitudes towards them - down from 21% in income support. go without protest. Unfortunately the 2008 to 15% in 2011 - this has not seen an protests were not quite anti-monarchist and His proposed reforms include increase in positive attitudes. People have did not have any hope of uniting working removing access to all housing increasingly indicated „neutral‟ opinions. class communities across the north in benefit for anyone aged opposition to an institution that is under 25! Such a move would While the most worrying and negative reactionary, privileged and symbolic of immediately increase attitudes continue to be towards members wealth and inequality. homelessness among the of the Travelling community people were Irish nationalists staged a visual protest on young and is little less than a extremely negative towards transgender the side of Black‟s Mountain with the slogan death sentence for many people. 35% of respondents would mind (a “Eriu is our Queen” and displaying a huge young people who would not little or a lot) having a Traveller as a work tricolour. „Outraged‟ by the sight of the be able to endure life on the colleague, 54% would mind having a Traveller as a neighbour while 55% would huge tricolour and the insult to their streets. „Britishness‟ a group of loyalists trekked up mind having a Traveller as an in-law. Ministers have signalled that the hill to remove it. Following a vicious Transgender was included in the survey for attack on a veteran republican that left him they are looking for a further £10bn in welfare cuts, and it the first time and 35% of respondents hospitalised a hardy bunch of republicans would mind (a little or a lot) having a resolved to defend the huge flag and a seems there are no better people to pay for these cuts transgender person as a work colleague, claim that some mythical warrior deity is while 40% would mind having a than the poor. their true queen. transgender person as a neighbour and Hundreds of Irish nationalists gathered on The Leveller has already had 53% would mind having a transgender the mountain that evening. One nationalist reports of single fathers person as an in-law. veteran said: With the likes of the Daily Mail, mainstream being made homeless as a the call has gone out to republicans media and the Jeremy Kyle show‟s ongoing result of new „under-occupancy‟ rules that In addition 21% expressed negative across the city to restore the visual demonization of poor working class people have seen housing benefit cut for attitudes to Eastern European migrant protest on the mountain even if it hardly a political feather was ruffled by accommodation needed for children staying workers. means clashing with loyalists from the Hours after Cameron announced his latest argued we had voted for them to represent Cameron‟s latest proposals. His latest plans with their fathers. The amount of housing Workers need to stand together in nearby Springmartin housing estate. for benefits cuts see a further escalation in benefit payable has already been solidarity, against the scape-goating of one attack on young people there were protests us not to implement cuts. And if they don‟t As anti-monarchists it is saddening that at Stormont against the introduction of the watch out we may vote for someone else, attacks on the working class, particularly the reduced. Many are having to make the section or another of our class. Bigotry and protests against the Queens visit are simply difference in the rent charged and the Welfare Reform Bill. anyone, just not them! working poor and the young. intolerance must be stamped out. We can protests against the fact that she is the lower amounts paid out in housing benefit all join in and visibly make our opposition to While members of the PCS Union took The faith our union bureaucrats continue to „British‟ Queen. In the context of the wee Payment in kind, a cap on housing benefits, no benefits for the young until after they up from their benefits. intolerance and prejudice known - a good industrial action NIC-ICTU and the Welfare place in our politicians is staggering and north this becomes an attack on a symbol of starting point will be to join the Belfast and Reform Group held a protest at the steps of betrays a deep misunderstanding of the Britishness that a sizeable amount of the have paid contributions and more Protests have already taken place - but we harassment for those signing on are among need to move from protest to resistance. Derry Pride parades on the 4th August and Stormont. Members of Organise! were nature of „representative‟ democracy. „Our‟ population see as an attack on them. That 25th August respectively. present alongside trade unionists from MLAs are not there to defend anyone‟s class this is ridiculous unfortunately makes it no the suggested „reforms‟ of the welfare Claimants need to build a union of our own. NIPSA, GMB, UNISON, Unite, PCS, the interests apart from those of the rich. less true. system. Belfast and District Trade Union Council, NIC-ICTU are busy trying to convince the The lefty cheerleaders of www.foylepridefestival.com ICTU Youth and women‟s groups such as the are keen to point out the „radical‟ nature of Assembly they can have a „useful‟ role in www.belfastpride.com Women‟s Resource and Development partnership with our rulers. The only role Irish republicanism. There is nothing radical Agency and Footprints Women‟s Group. that will be tolerated (one they are actually in it - from Sinn Fein to the various „dissident‟ groups there is no revolutionary Cameron‟s latest announcement threatens to very capable of) is one of lapdog. or class based opposition to monarchism. rob under 25 years olds of housing benefit. We need to move beyond empty protests It is an attack that has further angered This is a clash of nationalisms plain and More Grants Axed and photo calls. As long as there is no real simple. All the more disheartening at a time many working class people and which will resistance capitalism will continue its all out increase homelessness - with fatal when working class people and communities class war against workers, claimants and are on the receiving end of a all out class From next year the Department of consequences. the sick. war with benefits to the poor being cut Education and Learning will stop paying Unfortunately the protest was little more One friendly member of the CPI welcomed while the royals remain the biggest welfare £1,810 on behalf of every student from than a photo opportunity for NIC-ICTU and us to the protest with a greeting of “hello Northern Ireland who have chosen to study some opportunistic MLAs who implement cuts losers”. Funny? Not when we are all going in the Republic. Stormont seem to be intent with one hand while getting away with to continue to be losers while we follow on punishing students for choosing to study holding union banners in the other. failed „strategies‟ and failed unions that in the south and will replace these „grants‟, which cover the annual college registration Patricia McKeown had the politicians make up ICTU. quaking in their boots no doubt when she fee, with loans. Their activities have saw some Femen We Won’t Pay members spending time in jail and being harassed, beaten and kidnapped by the Frack Off! police. Particularly since the election of Twice For Floods President Viktor Yanukovych in 2010. There have also been cases taken against them You may find yourself questioning for „hooliganism‟ and „desecration of state why there is such a strong opposition to fracking wherever it symbols‟. is introduced globally, and it‟s with Oksana Shachko, a 24 year old Femen very good reason. Fracking is activist, faced a sentence of 5 years for linked to cases of water taking part in a topless protest during which contamination and health problems she told the Indian ambassador to kiss her in local inhabitants with illnesses ass. The protest was in response to a claim ranging from cancer to lesions in that the Indian Foreign Ministry accused the brain. Fracking causes massive women from former Soviet countries of carbon dioxide and methane going to work in India as prostitutes. Four emissions, with methane being the I hadn't heard of Femen until Derry They state that among their goals are: women from Femen stormed the building, Anarchists posted an image and link on more potent greenhouse gas. to shake women in Ukraine, making waving the Indian flag proclaiming facebook to a topless blonde woman, with Recent flooding in Belfast, Dunmurry, them socially active; to organize in “Ukranian women are not prostitutes” and With reports from bodies such as and Bangor saw hundreds of homes „Fuck Euro 2012‟ painted on her belly, shouting “kiss my ass”. Oksana was facing 2017 a women's revolution. The Environmental Protection damaged, flooded with sewage, roads tackling the UEFA cup off its podium. The jail again only days after her release from Agency in the US and the Tyndall were put out of action, and cars destroyed. woman was immediately tackled and Set up to challenge the subservient role of a Moscow prison. Jailed for trying to steal Report in Britain, why do our Thousands more homes were hit with power trailed off herself but not before creating a women in Ukranian society, the movement (while topless) the ballot box that contained politicians not place an immediate cuts. media storm due to her action. was founded in 2008, in Kiev, by Anna Putin‟s vote, during the 4th March ban on fracking? Well it‟s because Hustol, and two other women, after hearing Presidential election, she was imprisoned for they are desperate to continue stories of Ukranian women duped by false 2 weeks and banned from Russia for life. with providing the capitalists Northern Ireland Water received over 2,800 calls about localised flooding. promises of a better life abroad. Many of anything they need to make a these women ended up the victims of sex Oksana was in prison again for 5 days as a profit in return for what will be Emergency services received nearly 1,000 result of protests during the Euro 2012. call outs. trafficking. very few jobs, despite the Together with Anna and Sasha Shevchenko, propaganda from Tamboran et al Anna is an economist with a background in theatre, which Femen certainly put to good Oksana is one of the founding members of that they will supply 100s upon In a blatant attempt to force water charges Femen. After many discussions on Marxism, 100s of jobs! With the crisis of back onto the political agenda the Alliance use. At 28 Anna is slightly older than most of Femen‟s topless activists, most of whom feminism and the position of women in unemployment and no real Party have demanded we „get real‟ about Ukrainian society the women decided they solutions coming from our how our water service is funded. Other are university students and former students aged between 18 and 24. These activists would not follow the usual route of Politicians, they‟ll use anything to parties are skirting around the issue fearful marriage but that they would instead try to take the heat off. The jobs issue is of a backlash. So they should be - successful number about 30 and are a minority of the groups membership - estimated at around change society. Anna Hutsol told German one that will be a very potent issue campaigning by groups like the We Won‟t magazine Spiegel that when they began 300. for the anti fracking campaign to Pay Campaign against water charges has A Femen activist tackles the Euro Cup the movement she was 21 and had just deal with, but one that must be saw their defeat repeatedly over the years. The group has opposed prostitution, sexism, started reading August Bebel, the founder surpassed if we are to win. human trafficking, attacks on abortion of the social democratic workers‟ movement The group have generated huge publicity Water charges will simply heap increased rights. They have also protested political in Germany. Bebel had introduced a bill on Despite the efforts of groups like for their campaigns by staging topless poverty upon the misery of the working- corruption, internet pornography, equal rights for women to the German the Fermanagh Fracking protests. Making headlines around the class communities worst effected by the international marriage agencies, the World parliament at the end of the 19th century. Anti-fracking campaigners at Stormont Awareness Network (FFAN) and world by baring their breasts against flooding. The „debate‟ on water charges has Economic Forum, the Euro 2012 (co-hosted Looking at her own life and the lives of Belfast Not For $hale, Stormont prostitution, corruption and exploitation. Tyler McNally updates the Leveller on the been re-opened. It is essential that the by Poland and the Ukraine this year) and women around her Anna concluded that has been largely unresponsive to the Regarded by some as a new generation of campaign against fracking in the north. sewage system in the north is upgraded but the lack of public toilets in Kiev. The group nothing had changed and began demands for a ban, after a whole year feminism are Femen simply providing working-class people cannot be made to have also protested against politicians such organising. since this became an issue, a motion has images for a sex obsessed media? passed calling for a moratorium which has pay for this. It is simply not true that there is as Putin and former Italian Prime Minister In Ireland, we are familiar with attempts by They started a group called New Ethics that been ignored by the Executive, an not money available to upgrade our water According to their facebook page: Silvio Berlusconi. They have refused to Companies to exploit natural resources at organised discussion groups and organising executive with vested interests in having and sewerage system. support protests at the prison conditions the expense of both people and planet, Our God is woman, our mission is protests at the university. This group was to fracking go ahead in the North. DETI faced by former Ukranian Prime Minister with the issue of lignite mining in the North protest, our weapons are bare become Femen. From the start Anna knew Minister Arlene Foster‟s husband owns 54 The message is clear „we won‟t pay‟ and we Yulia Tymoshenko. They regard Tymoshenko and the infamous struggle against Shell in breasts! she: acres of land in an area of West can and will organise mass opposition if as part of a ruling class clique of oligarchs Rossport being very good examples. Now Fermanagh sought by fracking companies, at war with each other. ...didn’t want us to mutate into a however, we face a new and potentially proposals to implement this charge are she is set to financially benefit from typical feminist organisation. I didn’t more dangerous threat in the form of forced back onto the political agenda. Accusing the Ukranian allowing the process to go ahead whilst hydraulic fracturing (or fracking as its government of moving to other parties on the Executive make loud frequently referred to as). legalise prostitution prior noises outside but when push comes to shove to the Euro 2012 the Fracking is a process in which water mixed prove unable to perform. group asked the with sand and chemicals is blasted into For the anti fracking campaign to succeed, government and UEFA to shale rock formations underground to cause the groups need to mobilise the communities create a social program it to fracture releasing the shale gas and prepare them for the fight ahead. devoted to the problem trapped within it. It‟s been used widespread Whilst direct action isn‟t a sole winning of sex tourism and across the US and has been fought against tactic to a campaign, it can‟t be ruled out prostitution in Ukraine; to vigorously by people in communities where and if Stormont continues to ignore the will inform football fans that it is been used, in some places this resistance of the campaign; a case could develop prostitution is illegal in has led to fracking being banned as it has when local communities use direct action to Ukraine; and to take been in Vermont. Bans are also currently in fight against the installations. These must be additional steps to fight place in Bulgaria and France as well as backed and brought forward as part of a against prostitution and moratoriums (temporary bans) in South strategy to beat fracking. Femen activists protesting at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos at sex tourism. Will this hammer and half naked body be able to Africa and elsewhere. the start of this year smash patriarchy? women‟s rights organisation Not Whores, generated by the fact that bared breasts Not Submissive to bring media attention for are not „normal‟. a campaign for the „rights‟ of Muslim As an anarcho-syndicalist I also have other women. The women wore burkas that they concerns. The actions of Femen contribute to tore off to reveal naked torsos with slogans the demonization of prostitutes and demand like Naked War, and I am a woman not an that it is kept illegal, they demand that the object. Alongside Femen were Maryam state keep prostitution, and drive it further, Julie, an anarcho-feminist from Belfast, gives her opinion Namazie, an Iranian women‟s rights underground. Would it not be better to on Femen. campaigner and several French feminists. have decriminalised prostitution with some The protest was covered by over 40 levels of protection for the women involved? journalists. Do we deny prostitutes the right to organise Campaigning and protesting against issues such as; sex trafficking, Femen and their supporters believe that as fellow workers? This of course applies exploitation and sex tourism are important. And it‟s good to see that women they are using their naked breasts as only to adult prostitutes who have not been in eastern Europe, where women are generally not heard, are being active. „weapons‟ and contributing to feminism. trafficked. However, the way that Femen approach it; I‟m not sure to be honest. Femen Many of their critics feel they are Femen also relies on stunts as opposed to claim that the tactics they use are the only way of getting publicity. But I think reinforcing sexism, pornography and the building working class self organisation. An that always using this tactic plays to the stereotype that unless women are objectification of women. issue that is reflected in their desire to doing something „sexual‟ or provocative they aren‟t worthy of attention. A recent protest against prostitution in the become a political party and to: And I personally can‟t disagree more with their decision to fund themselves Swedish fan area during the Euro was lost build up the image of Ukraine, the by doing a „pick your favourite Femen protestor boob print!‟ on fans. Initially drunk male football fans country with great opportunities for cheered on what they thought was a Although not exclusively; women that appear on Femen demos and street women. spontaneous tabletop strip. Cheers turned to theatre are the stereotype of what, in our society, should equate an boos and one of the women was grabbed There can be no emancipation for women attractive woman. I know I‟ve never seen that many extremely thin, blonde by the arm and trailed off a table by a on the basis of stunts and little meaningful women at a protest before. want an organisation in which embassy to oppose the expected execution Swedish football fan. Security then moved change in the sphere of party politics,. For the most part I agree with what they are protesting. But their tactics and Women‟s emancipation, and men‟s women talk, talk, talk, while years of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. in and physically removed the two women messages are too one dimensional. go by and nothing happens. We from the zone and handed them over to emancipation, can only begin to be fully EMMA, a German feminist magazine have brought more extremism into police. One fan told the media he thought realised with the destruction of patriarchy carried a supportive article on Femen and capitalism. Femen many have drawn the women’s movement. the point of the protest had not got through written by feminist and anti-pornography as a direct result of the tactics used. important attention to the causes they Femen‟s first protest was in the summer of campaigner Alice Schwarzer. A bitter promote and campaign around but real Femen‟s justification of its methods has been 2008. Dressed theatrically as prostitutes opponent of media depictions of female change demands organisation. Stunts may they held up signs and shouted “Ukraine nudity Schwarzer claims: that: have a part to play but working class men isn‟t a brothel”. They created a scandal and The Femen women are catching the This is the only way to be heard in this and women must organise in their also attracted a lot of media coverage. In boomerang in mid-air and throwing it country. If we staged simple protests communities and workplaces to bring about August 2009 they staged their first topless back. The bare breast, which would with banners, then our claims would demonstration in Kiev‟s main shopping A truly revolutionary transformation of normally objectify them, becomes a not have been noticed. street, to protest against internet society. weapon for them. They use it to attract It is a justification they stand by, despite the pornography. attention, and to deliver their message lack of impact on the fans the stunt in the Since then Femen have regularly protested to men, namely their protest against Swedish zone certainly gained media 'topless', and have staged erotic street the exposure of women! Against attention across the world. theatre (that they have called rallies) at prostitution! Against trafficking in Femen as a movement leave me with more the offices of the Cabinet of Ministers, at women! I think that’s a good thing. Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the Turkish embassy questions than answers. Are Femen simply Femen were also brought to France by in Ukraine and in front of the Iranian about shameless self promotion? And if they Safia Lebdi, a founding member of the are does it matter? In their own terms they have certainly proven that the media will provide greater coverage to protests featuring bare breasts. Are they wrong to use this to their advantage? More importantly are Femen sex positive/ body positive feminists or do they reinforce the objectification and commodification of women? They certainly make commodities out of themselves. Following the Euro protests they have released prints of their breasts on their online shop. In order to „support‟ Femen, prints can be ordered of paint „boob prints‟ of your favourite Femen activists breasts - signed by the activist you‟ve chosen! Certainly the issues they seek to address are very real issues. Issues that perpetuated by patriarchal society and capitalism. In a free society the sight of topless women should be no more out of the ordinary, no more controversial, than the sight of topless men. Are Femen trying to „normalise „ things and enable women to go topless without the associated sexualisation? I think not, their protest thrive off the media attention Femen activists in Turkey protest the position of women in their society without going topless.