Cost of Living Crisis: Enough is Enough Campaign

[LDC]

I've not heard anything in Unison, been off work this week so not checked my emails in a while but just had a quick look and not seeing anything. My guess is the NEC majority would be supportive, as would the leadership of a lot of branches (including mine), but then the Unison bureaucracy are incredibly good at dragging their heels and generally being obstructive, so who knows?

Tbf, if it's happening in central London, it wouldn't be that surprising to get a metropolitan crowd?

And he is/was apparently quite popular among the "youtube poop" subculture, although think that was a while back so everyone involved is probably at least pushing thirty by now?

I was going to say I quite like their graphic design (is it maybe a bit vaporwave? Semi-soft-vaporwave or something?), but then looking at their website:
View attachment 338303
I'm guessing that this is something playing up with my browser and there's not really meant to be all that white space there, but either way it's not looking great, since if it does that with my browser I'm guessing it might also be affecting other people's?

Honestly, black-framed big specs are soooo mid-2010s. Nah, graphic design is one of those things like admin where you don't notice it when it's done well, but it is an issue when it's done badly. Like, obviously the content of this kind of stuff is mental, but even if you replaced the text with "a real pay rise, slash energy bills etc", would you want to be handing something looking like this out as EiE material? Cos if not, then you care about the design.
View attachment 338306

Anyway, does anyone know what other events they've got planned? The Sheffield thing they're doing on Saturday looks decent (as in, directly linked to the current strikes), but I only know about that cos of following the Orgreave campaign, have they announced any other local ones?
And does anyone know anything about Kwajo Tweneboa?

Tbf I love that kinda of hammer-to-the-head-up-the-revolution simple design. I do accept to most people it looks totally bonkers and unappealing though! And unfortunately it does usually goes hand-in-hand with equally dull people. All of us excluded, obviously....

 

[hitmouse]

It's more the lots and lots and lots of very small text with no pictures I was thinking of, but fair enough - I was just trying to find an example of bad lefty design without really putting any effort into it, and correctly guessed that googling "spartacist league" would give me something I could use.

 

[hitmouse]

Smokeandsteam, have you seen anything about this?

Unite's power in the workplace spreads to battleground seats to create a Workers' Economy

…

www.unitetheunion.org

I really, really hope that it doesn't mean that, instead of backing EiE, Unite is going to concentrate on running their own separate thing, but I have to say it does sort of sound like they might be about to do that?

 

[LDC]

Smokeandsteam, have you seen anything about this?

Unite's power in the workplace spreads to battleground seats to create a Workers' Economy

…

www.unitetheunion.org

I really, really hope that it doesn't mean that, instead of backing EiE, Unite is going to concentrate on running their own separate thing, but I have to say it does sort of sound like they might be about to do that?

FFS, a national billboard campaign?! Did they think rallies were a bit risky?!

 

[campanula]

Getting fucked off with this. We are not all workers! What is wrong with 'Working Class Economy'. There are bloody loads of us, struggling on various meagre benefits or pensions or student loans or dependent on partner's incomes...

A national billboard campaign - fucking toothless drivel.

I am treelover 2 aren't I. Gonna start moaning on about 'the left' any day now

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Tell em!

 

[hitmouse]

Also, I suppose trades councils might potentially be useful affiliates - I imagine their quality probably varies greatly from place to place, but at least in some places they probably have a good concentration of active unionists who're up for working across union boundaries, and might be a useful official route to affiliation for people in unions that are moving slowly/possibly about to launch a rival campaign?

 

[Karl Masks]

From what I remember of that video he didn't say to complain about price.

I did think this was a weakness and not something he explained as you would need to have something to make a legitimate complaint about and then just refuse to close the complaint. I think that was his suggestion. It's finding something to complain about that is vaguely legitimate that is the issue.

I'm pretty sure that was what he suggested complaints be about: being charged unreasonable prices.

 

[The39thStep]

Also, I suppose trades councils might potentially be useful affiliates - I imagine their quality probably varies greatly from place to place, but at least in some places they probably have a good concentration of active unionists who're up for working across union boundaries, and might be a useful official route to affiliation for people in unions that are moving slowly/possibly about to launch a rival campaign?

Had forgotten they still existed to be honest

 

[HoratioCuthbert]

So I ended up emailing a couple of GMB folk and a union rep from Inverness said he would raise the issue at the next meeting as he's on the committee. The local guy hasn't replied yet, I think I'll fire a message to GMB Scotland via the website too for good measure. But it doesn't seem like they have anything planned yet anyway, but this is really far north so who knows.

 

[Dystopiary]

And does anyone know anything about Kwajo Tweneboa?

Young housing rights guy, he's very popular on twitter.

 

[LDC]

So I ended up emailing a couple of GMB folk and a union rep from Inverness said he would raise the issue at the next meeting as he's on the committee. The local guy hasn't replied yet, I think I'll fire a message to GMB Scotland via the website too for good measure. But it doesn't seem like they have anything planned yet anyway, but this is really far north so who knows.

Been trying to PM you HoratioCuthbert re: local contacts but it won't let me.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Smokeandsteam, have you seen anything about this?

Unite's power in the workplace spreads to battleground seats to create a Workers' Economy

…

www.unitetheunion.org

I really, really hope that it doesn't mean that, instead of backing EiE, Unite is going to concentrate on running their own separate thing, but I have to say it does sort of sound like they might be about to do that?

Yes. I have unfortunately. I also agree that is how it looks: that we are splitting from the rest of the movement. The motion to the Branch meeting is being amended and I’ve also emailed the full timer.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

On a more positive note:

 

[LDC]

Unions that don't get on board with EiE are doing themselves no favours I'd have thought. I'm sure they want to maintain their identity, independence, etc. but they're going to look sectarian and possibly increasingly irrelevant if it takes off and they are left trying to copy it with some pale version a few weeks behind.

I have heard from someone in Unite offices that many of the branches are all in favour of Don't Pay and EiE, but head office is holding them back (and down). There's also rumour of this going moving towards a new political party - of course.

 

[hitmouse]

Does everyone else get the giant white space on their website, or is that just me? Do other people see something else that I'm not getting?

Spoiler: giant white space

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Unions that don't get on board with EiE are doing themselves no favours I'd have thought. I'm sure they want to maintain their identity, independence, etc. but they're going to look sectarian and possibly increasingly irrelevant if it takes off and they are left trying to copy it with some pale version a few weeks behind.

I have heard from someone in Unite offices that many of the branches are all in favour of Don't Pay and EiE, but head office is holding them back (and down). There's also rumour of this going moving towards a new political party - of course.

Sadly, it wouldn’t be the first time that our union has arrogantly assumed that our size means that we can dictate to/go our separate way to other unions. It happened all the time under Woodley and McCluskey.

I had hoped the election of Sharon Graham might bring an end to the puffed up, ludicrous arrogance. But, I’m conscious that she’s having to deal with the full and senior lay bureaucracy from the old regimes.

As for head offices/the full timers dictating the position of branches that is something that is embedded deeply in some parts of the union: our region historically being a good case in point.

Of course, perhaps the NEC has been swayed by the anarchists and is opposed to EiE due to it not following Don’t Pay on Twitter….

 

[LDC]

Does everyone else get the giant white space on their website, or is that just me? Do other people see something else that I'm not getting?

Spoiler: giant white space

View attachment 338405

There's a video clip above that for me.

 

[hitmouse]

Cheers, must be some browser setting blocking it then.

 

[The39thStep]

optimism of the will pessimism of the intellect chapter 3. Verse 5

 

[Shechemite]

I am treelover 2 aren't I. Gonna start moaning on about 'the left' any day now

And to think I’ve worked so hard to claim that mantle

Thing is, whatever people here think of TL’s style, the very things that he was posting about, and the despair (and I think legitimate resentment) towards the Left which weren’t exactly hidden in his posts, were the very things that scum like Chris Williamson and The Canary used to groom disabled people.

 

[chilango]

Of course, perhaps the NEC has been swayed by the anarchists and is opposed to EiE due to it not following Don’t Pay on Twitter….

Admirable gallows humour there.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Admirable gallows humour there.

You’ve got that right…

 

[oryx]

Inside Enough is Enough’s First Rally

Last night saw Mick Lynch, Zarah Sultana, Dave Ward and others address thousands of people at the Enough is Enough campaign launch in London. We spoke to attendees and speakers about how the moment to fight has arrived.

tribunemag.co.uk

Review of last night's rally in Clapham (linked on EiE's Twitter). Sounds like a mixed, and enthusiastic, group of supporters which is a good thing.

 

[Dystopiary]

Super Starmerite liberal: "Had a convo with political friends, our spidey senses are tingling, keeping an eye on it." Really doesn't like the left, or imo the working class.

 

[ska invita]

i mean no offence but can we park conversation about twitter no marks to a different thread, maybe the vs the commentariat one

 

[Dystopiary]

i mean no offence but can we park conversation about twitter no marks to a different thread, maybe the vs the commentariat one

Fair do's.

 

[MickiQ]

All in this together eh? I just love this bit.

“This is very much a decision that two parents have made to give their children the ‘most normal’ start possible.
“KP can be a little bit of a fishbowl. They wanted to be able to give George, Charlotte and Louis a bit more freedom than they have living in central London. It’s very much a decision that’s been led by the kids.”

William and Kate announce news with major change for George, Charlotte and Louis

Kensington Palace said the decision has been 'led by the kids'

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[magneze]

What about this bit "It will cost William & Kate £50k per year". Fairly sure it costs us £50k per year ...

 

[8ball]

What about this bit "It will cost William & Kate £50k per year". Fairly sure it costs us £50k per year ...

You don’t expect this when you rent off your Nan.