South London

Kinder, Pay Up

Lydia worked 30 hours for Kinder Sports between the 6th and 22nd of October. Kinder Sports have repeatedly tried to weasel out of paying Lydia fairly and promptly for the work she undertook for them.

Lydia and South London Solidarity Federation are now calling for a communications blockade on Twitter against Kinder Sports for unpaid wages. Kinder Sports, run by Matt Longhurst, provide after-school sports activities and some school hours provision at locations around Dartford in Kent.

SLSF take to the streets of Lewisham in anti-workfare demo

On Saturday South London Solfed's roaming anti-workfare picket targeted businesses on Lewisham High Street exploiting unpaid labour.

Despite autumn choosing Saturday to finally arrive, a determined group took to the streets in support of Boycott Workfare's week of action. Marks & Spencer, Primark and Poundworld were all picketed, as well as Iceland who have reportedly signed up to the new 'Help To Work' scheme, the newest and most punitive version of workfare yet, involving six months' unpaid traineeships. Information leaflets were distributed to the public, including know your rights advice for those facing workfare placements. Despite the rain there were plenty of positive responses.

SLSF calls anti-workfare picket in Lewisham for Saturday 4th October

Join the South London Solfed roaming anti-workfare picket in Lewisham this Saturday, 4th October, in solidarity with Boycott Workfare's week of action.

Meet us at Lewisham Clocktower at 1pm.

We will be targeting a number of organisations on Lewisham High Street who continue to exploit unemployed people as free labour.

Workfare is an attack on us all. It does not save money, does not create jobs and does not help the unemployed. The government is trying to divide us by pitting those in work against 'scroungers' who supposedly need to forced into work. But workfare is as much an attack on those with jobs as those without. It drives down wages and disciplines those in waged work not to rock the boat lest they be replaced by workfare labour and end up unemployed themselves.

Strike and boycott as Ritzy workers continue their fight for the London living wage

The Ritzy cinema in Brixton was again closed yesterday, 7 June, as workers called another one day strike as part of their ongoing campaign for the London living wage.  Workers at the Ritzy, who are members of BECTU, have organised well and shown great solidarity, the cinema has had to close every strike day.  The only workers who crossed the picket line yesterday were some painters hired by the Ritzy to do some work for the day, who went in despite being told about the strike.

The Ritzy workers were joined by some of the many local residents who have been very supportive of the strikes, and by Cinema Workers Solidarity,  who have been helping with the campaign.

Ritzy cinema strike enters second day of action

On Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th of April low-paid workers at the Ritzy cinema launched a second wave of strike action, demanding the London Living Wage (LLW) from their bosses. The current rate for the LLW is £8.80 an hour; the current hourly rate for most Ritzy staff is £7.24, some 18% below the London Living Wage.

The strikes by members of the Broadcasting Entertainment and Cinematography Trade Union (BECTU) have now shut down the popular south London cinema on two occassions, during their busiest trading days. Workers are planning a third strike on the 1st and 2nd of May.

Report from the Ritzy

A North London SF member was down at the picket line for the strike at Ritzy Cinema yesterday over the firm's refusal to pay a living wage to staff. Below is their report:

"I got to the Ritzy at about 8pm. I believe there had been a picket line of some form since 9am in the morning. Even though it was at the end of a long day there was still quite a sizeable presence with others probably joining them after work was over, perhaps around 40-50 people.

"For the last hour the samba band Rhythms of Resistance played, the band and a lot of chanting for the living wage drew quite a bit of attention from people passing by (the Ritzy is in a great place if you want to grab
peoples attention). They even marched up and down Brixton High Street a bit. It was a good atmosphere, a lot of energy, quite festival-like with a young crowd.

Anti-workfare picket of Lewisham Marks & Spencer Saturday 7th December

South London Solfed has called an anti-workfare picket of Lewisham Marks & Spencer in solidarity with Boycott Workfare's week of action this Saturday, 7th December at 1pm.

M&S's use of workfare made news in June when they announced 1400 new 'work experience' placements for young unemployed people would be made available. These positions are unpaid. Indeed, M&S have set a benchmark of 2% of their workforce to be unpaid. More info via Boycott Workfare here.

Let’s step up the pressure on companies who still think they can profit from unpaid work. Show M&S that exploiting unemployed people is not good for their business.

There is more information on other actions taking place this weekend on Boycott Workfare's website.

Police "obstruction" case dropped in South London

This summer, Jason, a young black man from South London, was assaulted by police officers in an unprompted attack. He had been using a public telephone when officers interrupted him and demanded he submit to a Stop and Search. When he refused, arguing the search was unjustified, officers pepper sprayed him, assaulted him and beat him to the ground. After this attack Jason was charged with obstructing a police officer.

In response, Jason and his family and friends called a number of protests outside Walworth Police Station, and Camberwell Magistrates Court, both in south London. Realising that the case of Jason was not an isolated incident, but part of the systemic criminalisation and harassment of black people by the police, these protests developed into the London Campaign Against Police and State Violence (LCAPSV).

Solfed en espanol: entrevista con 2 afiliados de Solidarity Federation en Londres

Una entrevista que se realizo con un companero del Centro General de Trabajadores y la Assamblea Llibertaria del Valles Oriental de Catalunya, Espana hace unos dias como parte de la nueva iniciativa de ambos Locales de Solidarity Federation en Londres para comunicarse en esa idioma:

http://www.ivoox.com/entrevista-amb-2-companyes-solidarity-federation-au...

Invitamos a los castellano hablantes que actualmente se encuentran en Londres, incluso desde nuestra seccion hermana - la Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo de Espana - y otros, que se pongan en contacto con nosotros.