Spirit of revolt is alive in London

 
THE spirit of resistance to neoliberalism is alive and kicking in London, despite the attempts of the British state to stamp out dissent.

More than 150,000 people marched through the capital on Saturday October 20 to protest against the punitive austerity measures being imposed on the population by the coalition government.

And, off the official route of the TUC-organised demo, angry protesters took to Oxford Street, storming several businesses and forcing others to close.

They were reacting both to the foul workfare scheme, which sees the unemployed served up by the state to big business as slave labour, and to the blatant injustice of those same capitalists being allowed to avoid paying taxes, while the people are bled dry and public services slashed.

The protest began at Oxford Circus at about 2.45pm, when a small group took the centre of the road junction and staged a brief sit-down protest.

It then set off down Regent Street as a wildcat march, quickly attracting hundreds of others, as well as a samba band, as it snaked back up to Oxford Street and headed west towards Marble Arch.

A whole stream of businesses, notably including Boots, Starbucks and McDonald's, were targeted by fast-moving breakaways from the march - on several occasions protesters managed to get inside before the shutters came down or police lines prevented them.

Oxford Street traffic was brought to a standstill and the protest left in its wake a string of closed businesses - police were still protecting the capitalist outlets when the protest later returned along the same route.

The British state clearly hoped that, by handing out punitive prison sentences not only to the 2011 rioters but also to non-violent protesters like boat-race swimmer Trenton Oldfield, it could crush the spirit of rebellion in a British public numbed into conformity by the media circus of the Jubilee and Olympics.

But the enthusiasm and energy of  the "unauthorised" Oxford Street demo suggests it has failed in its repressive aim - the spirit on display bodes well for the resistance to the G8 meeting to be held in the UK in the summer of  2013.

Neoliberals panic over workfare revolt

BRITAIN's neoliberal slavemasters are panicking over the public rejection of their workfare scam.

They are calling on police to "clamp down" on protests ahead of a national day of action on Saturday March 3.

And they are using right-wing newspapers like the Mail and the Telegraph to launch a McCatheyite smear campaign against activists and journalists who exposed the scandal.

The establishment clearly thought it had got away with bringing in 'work experience' schemes which amount to providing state-backed slave labour for private business.

But massive disgust and anger has spread across the country in the last week or two and a swathe of firms have pulled out of the arrangements in the face of public opinion.

The response of the British government, denying there is any real public opposition and calling for its police thugs to physically attack dissidents, confirms the convergence between capitalism and totalitarianism which is now being dubbed 'plutofascism' - rule by the rich imposed by force.

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Workfare protests spread across UK

 
MORE protests are being organised across the UK against the workfare scheme that forces people to work for nothing and subsidises wealthy corporations.

The news comes after a high-profile protest in London on Saturday when the Westminster branch of Tesco was forced to close.
 
Says Boycott Workfare, which has called the day of action for Saturday March 3: "So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice – Tesco's, Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, and Topshop to name but a few. Get a group together, make a plan, and head to the streets.

"Workfare means that those who need welfare are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of a living wage, they receive only JSA – a tiny £53 a week for the under-25s – far below minimum wage.

"Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?

"We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones, Sainsburys and TK Maxx have all recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation.

"We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all! If you continue to exploit us we WILL shut you down!

"Let us know what you’re planning. The campaign is UK-wide!"

Details of March 3 actions:

• Birmingham – 11.30am outside Poundland on Union Street. Facebook event.
• Brighton - Brighton has already established an anti-workfare group which in January targeted Poundland. Join them at Tescos on James St from 11.30am-1pm. More info
• Bristol – 12 noon at College Green. More info.
• Cardiff - 2pm Outside Poundland on Queen Street. See Facebook event.
• Leeds - See Facebook event. And join the Tesco demo on Monday 20th Feb.
• Liverpool – Take action with UK Uncut, 1pm until 4pm. Meet Next to Nowhere Social Centre, Bold Street, Liverpool. More info
• London – Meet outside BHS on Oxford Street, 11:30am. More info and download a leaflet.
• Sheffield – Meet Devonshire Green, Sheffield, 1pm. We will meet at 1pm and decide on a target. See Facebook event.
• Tunbridge Wells – Meet at the Millennium clock in Tunbridge Wells at 12 noon.

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Revolt over UK slave labour scheme

OUTRAGE is growing in the UK over a government-sponsored slave labour  scheme.

Not only does the workfare project mean people working for nothing more than their benefits and other workers losing out on overtime and potential paid employment, but it also acts as a giant tax-payer hand-out to profit-making corporations.

As details of the scheme have become known, particularly regards the Tesco supermarket chain, there has been widespread anger and now a national day of action is being called for Saturday March 3.   

Says the Boycott Workfare site: "In solidarity with Liverpool Uncut’s action against workfare on Saturday 3rd March, Boycott Workfare has called a national day of action against workfare.

"We’re planning a Boycott Workfare action in Central London on this day and encourage people all over the UK to take action on their high streets.

"So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice – Tescos, Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, TK Maxx and Topshop to name but a few. Get a group together, make a plan, and head to the streets.

"Workfare means that those on benefits are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of the living wage – they receive £2.25 an hour in benefits for 30 hours of work.

"Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?

"We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones and Sainsburys recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation.

"We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all!
If you continue to exploit us we WILL shut you down!"

John Harris wrote on The Guardian's website on February 16: "The crucial point is that unpaid work – bad enough when it applied to supposed 'interns', but grim beyond belief when used on the unemployed – is now being built into what some people call The New Normal.

"Given the thousands involved, it clearly represents a boon to the kind of multinational giants whose profit margins must be creeping upwards thanks to the plentiful supply of people – and please, all you free-marketeers, read this bit slowly – effectively paid a pittance to work for them by the taxpayer."

Protest details so far for March 3 are:
 
Liverpool. 1pm until 4pm. Meet Next to Nowhere Social Centre, Bold Street, Liverpool. More info. 

London. Meet ouside BHS on Oxford Street, 11:30am. More info.

Leeds. City centre. 12-3. More info

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