This page displays *all* news items from General, Legal, Public Interest, and Financial Office Workers Industrial Union 650.
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Submitted on Thu, 11/16/2006 - 6:34am
As Christmas approaches, eleven workers at the Scottish Parliament face broken contracts and unemployment in the new year, courtesy of self-proclaimed champions of the Scottish working class, Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne. They are both MSPs, Sheridan being the only candidate for the Scottish Socialist Party elected when the parliament was founded in 1999, and Byrne one of five more who joined him after the second election in 2003.
Their party has been torn by a bitter dispute, centred around Sheridan's leadership, and a legal action he took against the News of the World when the paper made allegations about his private life. The rancour ended in Sheridan and Byrne's resignation from the SSP, and their founding of a new party called Solidarity.
Submitted on Sun, 10/01/2006 - 1:28pm
September 28, 2006
To Whom it May Concern,
We are writing you in light of the unjust and reprehensible raids made against the Korean Government Employees Union by your government. The brutality and suppression of workers' most basic rights is offensive, and must be corrected. We demand that you immediately recognize the right to the Korean Government Employee's Union's existence, and allow it to operate freely and legally. Additionally, we ask that you fix any damages you have caused to the union and its members.
We eagerly await your response.
The International Solidarity Committee of the Industrial Workers of the World.
Submitted on Thu, 03/30/2006 - 2:09pm
Disclaimer - The following article is reposted here because it is an issue with some relevance to the IWW. The views of the author do not necessarily agree with those of the IWW and vice versa.
By Julie Hyland - From wsws.net, 29 March 2006
Thousands of schools, local government facilities and transport services across the United Kingdom were closed or partially closed Tuesday as almost 1.5 million local government workers took strike action to defend their pension rights.
But from the outset, the leadership of the 11 unions involved in the dispute sought to demobilize any active participation by workers. In the main, pickets were at a minimum and any visible signs of protest were patchy and kept limited. In Manchester, England’s third largest city, the regional trade unions called off a lunchtime rally at the eleventh hour.
Submitted on Sun, 01/29/2006 - 8:13pm
The New York City General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World stands in solidarity with falsely accused environmental and social justice activist Daniel McGowan (http://www.supportdaniel.org/).
Daniel's efforts in projects such as the demonstrations against the Republican National Convention as well as support of political prisoners have enriched our progressive communities here in New York City. He has been a friend to us and now we must stand with him. An injury to one is an injury to all.
Submitted on Tue, 09/06/2005 - 3:47am
ACTION ALERT - Please send a variation of the following letter (in your own words) to: [email protected]
Dear Mr. Reid,
As a supporter of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in the British Isles, I am appalled that the Scottish Parliament intends to suspend the pay and benefits of 15 parliamentary workers, including members of parliament. This suspension will affect our members' pay, access to their workplace and benefits, including contributions to their pensions, and allowances which are primarily used to pay staff salaries.
By threatening IWW members' livelihoods, the Scottish Parliament is violating their dignity and security.
By excluding the Scottish Socialist Party and union representatives from the meeting that made this decision, the Scottish Parliament sought to silence our members and strip them of their right to defend themselves.
We condemn the Scottish Parliament for its severe reaction to a harmless protest for free speech and free assembly in Scotland during the G-8 meeting. As a result, workers now face punishment for their association with the SSP. This is unfair.