NUJ union members in Glasgow took three days of strike action last weekend, crippling the production of the Daily Record and the Sunday Mail. They struck against proposals for 70 redundancies and are escalating their action with a further strike ballot on a change to shift patterns.
After over 50 days in occupation , victorious workers emerged from the Prisme factory occupation having secured their future. Launching on May 1st will be a new company, Discovery Packaging and Design Ltd, which will be run as a workers co-operative.
A statement released by the workers said; “Our occupation began to secure our redundancy payments and other monies that were denied to us by our employer when we were sacked. However, during the occupation we also decided to fight to safeguard our jobs because we believed there was a viable business, even if our predecessors did not. It looks like we have achieved this aim.
This victory would not have been possible if it had not been for the support we have had from the general public, trade unionists, socialists and many others. This support and solidarity has been overwhelming and has helped give us the energy and determination to carry on for more than 7 weeks.We said at the beginning of this that we were little people who had refused to be little anymore. We are proud of what we have achieved and our dignity is intact. We showed we would not be walked over by an uncaring employer.
We want to thank all those who have supported our struggle over the last 51 days, your support has been invaluable. Thanks once again to you all.”
For more on the Prisme struggle click the following links here , here and here or visit the Facebook page here
Solidarity with Jim Bollan
Despite differences that exist between Solidarity and the leadership of The Scottish Socialist Party, Solidarity condemns West Dumbartonshire Council for the suspension of SSP councilor Jim Bollan.The council suspended Councillor Bollan after they accused him of breaching the councilors code of conduct at a meeting in March last year. The local paper, the Lennox Herald reported;
pic Lennox Herald
“The councillor insisted that the differing accounts of what happened at the heated council meeting undermined the case against him, however the three members on the hearing panel disagreed and imposed the nine month suspension after an hour of deliberating.” Speaking on his blog, Jim Bollan says;
"I was recently suspended from attending any Council meetings for nine months for defending my right to represent Council workers in struggle against an SNP Council The messages of support I have received from workers, tenants and activists has been tremendous. The four main Unions on the Council, Unison, GMB, Unite and the EIS have drafted a petition calling for my suspension to be quashed to allow me to continue my full range of Council duties as an elected Councillor. It is heartening there is so many individuals and organised local groups who see the injustice in my suspension and the need to defend free speech and rights of democratically elected Councillor's to support and show Solidarity with oppressed workers." You can post messages of support for Jim Bollan here
May Day Greetings
from
Solidarity,
Scotland’s Socialist Movement
“Workers of the world unite!”
Prisme Occupation Ends in Victory
After 51 days in occupation the Dundee Prisme workers have decided to end their occupation. The reason we have taken this decision is that it looks like we have secured funding to take our co-op venture forward and save the jobs that we thought had gone.
Our occupation began to secure our redundancy payments and other monies that were denied to us by our employer when we were sacked. However, during the occupation we also decided to fight to safeguard our jobs because we believed there was a viable business, even if our predecessors did not. It looks like we have achieved this aim. A new company Discovery Packaging and Design Ltd is going to be launched on 1st May 2009.
This victory would not have been possible if it had not been for the support we have had from the general public, trade unionists, socialists and many others. This support and solidarity has been overwhelming and has helped give us the energy and determination to carry on for more than 7 weeks.
We said at the beginning of this that we were little people who had refused to be little anymore. We are proud of what we have achieved and our dignity is intact. We showed we would not be walked over by an uncaring employer.
We want to thank all those who have supported our struggle over the last 51 days, your support has been invaluable. Thanks once again to you all.
The Prisme workers will be leaving the factory together and united at 5pm on Friday 24th April.
Inverness By-Election
George leafleting in Inverness
Today sees polling day in the Inverness West by election. Solidarity’s small platoon of activists have delivered our election leaflet to every house in the mixed ward – easily the best leaflet of the campaign and the only one to seriously outline policies on defending public services, scrapping the council tax, opposing expensive Public Private Partnerships and creating local green jobs.
George MacDonald, our candidate has established himself as the working class anti establishment candidate who’d be prepared to enter the council to rock the boat, not sit on the gravy train.
Tommy Sheridan today called on parents and pupils not to be despondent about the decision of Glasgow Council's Labour group to endorse the council's plans for mass closures of primary and nursery schools in the city. The former Glasgow Councillor said:
"Six of the Labour councillors voted against the plans, we have to make sure that those six are joined by more at the full council meeting next week. This can be won if the message is made clear - close our school and you will lose your job!"
There are 79 councillors in Glasgow, 33 in opposition parties SNP, Lib Dems, Scottish Green Party and Conservative. It will take a full united vote from the opposition and 7 Labour rebels to overturn the closure plans.
Parents and pupils will be joined by activists from across the city at a mass rally tomorrow organised by the city-wide Save Our Schools Campaign. http://sosglasgow.wordpress.com/
Media "Terror" Bias Against Scottish Muslims
Solidarity leader Tommy Sheridan condemned the BBC and other media as biased against muslims in it's coverage of stories regarding 'terror threats.' He said.
"Today we see another report on the BBC linking Pakistan and Terrorism. Even though the report is unconfirmed; and there are no details; and there has been no trial; they are quick to report the arrest of a Scottish muslim in Peshawar. And yet, still, we see no mention of the threats against the Central Mosque in Glasgow where the person who carried out the threats to bomb the mosque and behead Scottish muslims has already been tried and found guilty."
NUJ members at the Daily Record and Sunday Mail are continuing their action against redundances with a 24 hour strike this weekend and a 48 hour stoppage next Friday and Saturday. Over 200 union members have also passed a motion of no confidence in Trinity Mirror’s Scottish management.
A mass meeting in Glasgow expressed disgust about the way individuals were told they were compulsorily redundant. Union members called for the reinstatement ofthe 20 odd journalists selected forthe chop and demanded the union pursue every way at their disposal to challenge the dismissals.
Paul Holleran, NUJ Scottish Organiser, backed the call and told the meeting "We will step up industrial action, taking more strike action next week as well as pursuing all legal action possible, both collectively and on behalf of individuals.
“It is also time for the politicians to put more pressure on the people at the top of the table at the Record and Mail and demand reinstatement of our members."
Donations for the Record and Mail chapel should be made payable to the ‘Alan Hutcheson Fund’ and sent to NUJ Scotland, Third Floor, 114, Union Street, Glasgow, G1 3QQ.
Events Calendar
from 
Tommy Sheridan today called on parents and pupils not to be despondent about the decision of Glasgow Council's Labour group to endorse the council's plans for mass closures of primary and nursery schools in the city. The former Glasgow Councillor said:
Solidarity leader Tommy Sheridan condemned the BBC and other media as biased against muslims in it's coverage of stories regarding 'terror threats.' He said.
Thursday 15 April 
A mass meeting in Glasgow expressed disgust about the way individuals were told they were compulsorily redundant. Union members called for the reinstatement of the 20 odd journalists selected for the chop and demanded the union pursue every way at their disposal to challenge the dismissals.
