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
Thursday, 23 April 2009
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
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
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."