Solidarity on the Streets and Airwaves of Scotland
Solidarity branches across Scotland will take to the streets this Saturday to highlight International Womens Day and to build support for the 'World Against War' demo the following week.
On Saturday morning at 10.00am three Solidarity members will join Tommy Sheridan on a special edition of his show on International Womens Day. Leah Ganley, a student activist and campaigner for womens rights, Sinead Daly, Solidarity member in Dundee and Women's Aid worker and Cheryl Gedling, a member of the National Executive of the PSC union at the forefront of equal pay issues, will discuss the history of the day and women's rights a century after the day of action was established.
Listeners outside of Lothians, Borders and Fife can listen online and take part by calling, texting or sending an email. Details at www.talk107.co.uk
Palestine Solidarity Codemn Parliament Visit
The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) today condemned the visit to the Scottish Parliament by the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Ron Prosor.
In a week where over 100 palestinians, including children, have been killed by Israeli miliraty and the siege of Gaza continues to deny Palestinians basic requirements such as power, heat and water, SPSC described the visit as "a stain on the Scottish nation".
In a press statement today they reminded Alex Salmond that the collective punishment being meted out on Palestinians is a clear breach of international law.
Earlier, SPSC had been celebrating a victory when a planned visit to Edinburgh Universirty by Prosor was cancelled due to a planned protest by supporters of the rights of Palestinian people.
Coastguards in the UK are staging their first ever strike. The coastguards have taken action following years of poor pay awards that sees some members of a highly-skilled and highly-trained work force make only minumum wage. The starting salary in the service is just £12k. 700 members of the PCS union will take part in the 24 hour strike across the UK.
Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said:
"Today's strike, the first in the Coastguard Agency's history, is not a step our members have taken lightly. They feel let down and betrayed by a refusal to pay them the same as other emergency services and by below-inflation pay rises which are cutting their pay in real terms.
Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne called on the party to join the workers on the picket line, she said:
"This is a vital service and the financial package is a disgrace. These workers should be given parity with other emergency services. Solidarity fully supports the strike action and we believe the workers were given no choice, our members will support the PCS members at picket lines across Scotland."
Solidarity with Shelter Workers
Union members at the housing charity Shelter have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over sweeping cuts to pay and conditions. These are the most serious attacks by senior management in the history of the organisation and this is why 72% of those balloted, voted "yes" to industrial action. This was on an impressive 65% turnout.
Solidarity condemns the latest police action against the Sheridan family. Police have now spent around a million pounds and over 40,000 police hours on this investigation, yet appear to be acting in a more desperate and vindictive manner with each passing day of this fiasco.
Today, across Scotland, Solidarity members will take to the streets in a day of action in defence of Tommy Sheridan, Rosemary Byrne, Jock Penman, Graeme McIver, Pat Smith, Gail Sheridan and Gus Healy.
Street stalls and petitions are taking place in every city and many towns across the country. We will ask the people of Scotland to join our condemnation of this vendetta being carried out with their money, in their name. We will ask all Lothians and Borders MSPs to table questions in parliament on the allocation on such resources, a first in Scotland following a civil case, and the nature of the police actions.
We call on the Crown Office to instruct Lothian and Borders Police to end this vendetta against Tommy Sheridan, his family, and his political allies.
End the Political Witch-Hunt, Defend the Sheridan 7, Stop the Police Vendetta.
Events Calendar
Union members at the housing charity Shelter have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over sweeping cuts to pay and conditions. These are the most serious attacks by senior management in the history of the organisation and this is why 72% of those balloted, voted "yes" to industrial action. This was on an impressive 65% turnout. 
