Stop the Harrassment of Activists in Kazakhstan

We have been informed of further arrests and repression of actvists in Kazakhstan, including the arrests of 3 activists in Almaty who have been given 15 days imprisonment. We urge letters of protest to be sent to the General Prosecutor - Gp-rk@prokuror.kz and the Kazakh Embassy – london@kazembassy.org.uk.  For more info see http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5727 and the Campaign Kazakhstan website http://campaignkazakhstan.org/

Dear Sirs,

I am yet again outraged by the treatment of dissenters in Kazakhstan. Not only have the leaders of the free trade union Zhanartu had to flee the country for their own safety, but you are also prosecuting prisoners rights activist Vadim Kuramshim (whose plight we have previously written to you about) as well as oil workers from Zhaozen. The common thread in all these cases is that your state is punishing them for the crime of fighting for an improvement in the conditions of the poor.

We are now informed that your government has arrested Larissa Boyar, Baxatjan Torevozhina and Kanat Ibragimov, snatching them from their homes and imprisoning them for 15 days. The fact that video footage of Larissa Boyar calling for support for the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan, a movement in opposition to the capitalist dictatorship your government is presiding over, was used as evidence in the trial confirms the political nature of their imprisonment and repression.

Activists in Youth Fight for Jobs stand side by side with all those fighting injustice and for a better future.

We call for the immediate release of Larissa Boyar, Baxatjan Torevozhina and Kanat Ibragimov as well as the dropping of all charges and an end to the harrassment of the ’Dissenters’

Yours,

Iain Dalton
Yorkshire Organiser of Youth Fight for Jobs

PRESS RELEASE: Lib Dems Savage Young Peoples Future But Candidate Claims to Support Youth Fight for Jobs

Dan and the Jarrow Marchers on their way through Wakefield

It has come to the attention of Youth Fight for Jobs that a Liberal Democrats candidate for the Wakefield Rural ward in this year’s council elections, Finbarr Cronin, has used the campaigns logo on his election material and is claiming he supports the campaign.

Whilst Youth Fight for Jobs seeks to build support for the campaign and publicity for issues around youth unemployment and education cuts, we campaign on a clear basis of opposition to all cuts, demanding real jobs at a decent wage and call for the reintroduction of EMA and scrapping tuition fees.

Unfortunately, this is the exact opposite of what the present coalition government including Liberal Democrats has done. The government has presided over savage cuts to public services, as well as scrapping EMA and doing precisely the opposite of Nick Clegg’s pledge to scrap university tuition fees by trebling them.

Iain Dalton, Yorkshire Organiser for Youth Fight for Jobs said, “Up and down the country the Jarrow marchers received huge support from ordinary people and trade unionists. Many of whom were angry at what they felt was a betrayal by Lib Dem leaders over issues such as increasing tuition fees which is likely to put large layers of young working class kids from attending university.”

“If Finbarr Cronin really supports the aims of Youth Fight for Jobs then he should resign from the Liberal Democrats and contest elections on a platform that includes the key demands of Youth Fight for Jobs. This is what Wakefield YFJ activist, Dan Dearden, is doing standing as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in Pontefract North ward.”

Notes

1)      Youth Fight for Jobs received the support of several organisations in the Wakefield area including the Red Shed (Wakefield Labour Club) who hosted the evening event and fed the marchers, Five Towns Brewery who donated a barrel of beer to the event, Ewan McLennan who performed for free at the event and 15^th Wakefield Scout group who allowed the marchers to use their hall to stay overnight in, Wakefield Socialist Party and Wakefield Coalition Against Cuts who promoted the march and evening event.

2)      The five key demands Youth Fight for Jobs put forward during the Jarrow March for Jobs 2011 were: Bring back EMA, Scrap university fees, Create decent jobs – not slave labour, Save youth services, Build good, affordable houses for all

Succesful Huddersfield Youth Fight for Jobs Benefit Gig

Joe Solo performing at the gig

Good Friday saw the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign host an evening of Live Music dedicated to raising awareness of the the campaign and of the current injustices being dished out to young people by the Government. The night featured 2 bands, 1 solo artist and a stand up comedian as well as Guest Speaker Iain Daltion – the regional Youth Fight for Jobs organiser. Held in The Parish in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire the night was well attended and enjoyed by all.

T Roberts, Halifax Youth Fight for Jobs

Joe Solo kicked the night off with a unique blend of Folk Musc and Spoken word venting fury at the current system. Stand out songs included a cover of Bankrobber by The Clash and his own song called “Better days will come”, for which the young can only hope! Iain Dalton then highlighted a series of current issues to raise awareness in the audience of why the event was being hosted. The privatisation of the NHS, record levels of youth unemployment, corporate greed, increased tuition fees and the discontinuation of EMA were some issues mentioned and were met with jeers and boos from an empathetic crowd.

Emmott & The Folkestra then took to the stage and played a Folk Rock set which featured songs about the industrial decline of the North and several other atmospheric numbers. Iain then followed following up his earlier speech by encouraging the young members of the audience to join the campaign and get involved with being a solution to the problems in todays society.

Poster publicising the event

Rob Bailey, organiser of the event and Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candiate for Brighouse then graced the stage and made an impassioned plea for people to join the workfare protest outside Primark in Huddersfield the following morning (hangovers permitting!) and also encouraged people to join the campaign against the expansion of Kingsgate shopping centre in Huddersfied. The Parish is the oldest pub in Huddersfield (trading since 1720) and is threatened with demolition if the shopping centre is expanded. The pub is close to the hearts of the youth of the town due to its reputation for supporting local bands, independent music culture, strong emphasis on freedom of expression, history and a fine selection of ales and drinks. Venues for young musicians are few and far between and youth cultural establishments are forever being closed down and abandoned by legislative and financial pressures so the proposed expansion of the shopping centre is a direct attack on the youth of Huddersfield to further line the pockets of the high street retailers. This issue will not be forgotten and expect to see the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign supporting this issue to all the way!

The Sail Pattern headlined the event with their own verisons of Folk Classics and some of their own material. Most of the band were under 21 so it was fitting to have a youngest band headlining the night. The event was a great success and raised awareness of both local and national issues in the consciousness of the audience. With young people today sometimes defining themselves based on musical and cultural associations rather than their social class or gender it is important that the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign continues to fully immerse itself in youth culture and raise awareness through the interests and enjoyment of music and cultural events like this. May this be the first of many!

Leeds YFJ Rallies the Resistance to Cuts, Workfare and the Budget

Part of the protest rally in Dortmund Square today

Leeds Youth Fight for Jobs organised a rally against workfare and the cuts as a counter to the further attacks announced against working people today. Over 50 people joined us in Dortmund Square in a protest supported by many local anti-cuts groups this evening, with many people passing by stopping to listen to the speeches being made.

Iain Dalton, Yorkshire Organiser – Youth Fight for Jobs

Speeches included Rhiannon, a YFJ activist currently on the Work Programme; Tanis, a student union officer at Leeds Trinity Union and I spoke as well about how workfare is exploiting retail workers too. We also heard speakers from CND, Keep Our NHS Public, UCU, Unison and PCS, as well as a speech in solidarity with workers facing repression in Kazakhstan (for more info see http://campaignkazakhstan.org/)

Youth Fight for Jobs activists also got a great response to our petition against workfare, with several people asking for more info about Youth Fight for Jobs and quite a few copies of the latest issue of the Spark (YFJ magazine) being sold.

YFJ Protest Against Workfare in Leeds and Wakefield

Protesting Outside Tesco in Leeds on Monday

Following the revelations online and in the media over companies participating in the governments workfare schemes having young people work for them who are recieving only their measly Job Seekers Allowance, activists from Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ) held protests in Leeds on Monday and Wakefield on Wednesday demanding real jobs where people get paid the rate for the job, with a guarantee of work at the end of any placements.

Iain Dalton, Yorkshire Organiser, Youth Fight for Jobs

In Leeds, YFJ activists targetted Tesco’s on Monday afternoon with young people stopping and discussing their experiences on workfare with us as well as joining in the protest. No-one we spoke to felt that working for these companies for free had done them any favours and agreed with our demands for real jobs paid at the rate for the job. After Tesco’s caved in and announced it would be offering the remaining 1,500 people, due to be refered to the company under the scheme, the offer of a four week, fully paid job, with a guaranteed job at the end of it (provided they complete the four weeks ‘satisfactorily’ – we await the defenition of this), we decided to move on and target another of the companies in the scheme. At short notice we moved our protest in Wakefield from Tesco to McDonalds and although due to the late change this was not the ideal time to hit this company, we still received a good response from those we spoke to outside the restaurant and interest in other people joining us on future protests.

For upcoming activities in the campaign, see our facebook group – ‘Yorkshire Youth Fight for Jobs & Education‘

Free Vadim Kuramshin

Campaign Kazakhstan is reporting the arrest of human rights activist Vadim Kuramshin in Taraz city on the Kazakh-Kyrghiz border (see – http://campaignkazakhstan.org/?p=227). We support the call for trade unionists and other activists to send letters of protest to the Kazakh foreign ministry (mid@mid.kz) and their London Embassy (london@kazembassy.org.uk). Our letter is below

Dear Sirs,

I am writing to you regarding the case of Vadim Kuramshin. We note once again the government of Kazakhstan is get again persecuting those who are standing up for the rights of the poor and oppressed. Whilst he is accused of extortion, his real crime in the eyes of the police and prosecutors is to try and defend traders in Taraz city from a prosecutor who had been demanding bribes to release property he had illegally impounded. He should be released immediately.

We note that it is only just over a month since the disgraceful attack on the peaceful striking miners in Zhanaozen, but not only did the government of Kazakhstan brutally suppress the valid strikes and protests of the workers there, but they also banned their candidates from standing in the elections. We also note the widespread arrests of opposition in Kazakhstan in the recent period.

We will be raising Vadim’s case in the course of our meetings and campaigns over the next period, as well as other attacks on the rights of workers and others whose only crime is to fight for a better society.

We call on you to release him immediately and drop all charges against him.

Yours,
Iain Dalton, on behalf of Yorkshire Youth Fight for Jobs

HMRC Workers Strike Against Privatisation

Keeping warm on the picket line in Bradford

Despite the bitter cold weather, verging on snowing, PCS members at Bradford Contact Centre maintained a strong picket line as part of their one day strike on 31st January against plans to introduce the private sector in contact centres.

Iain Dalton, Yorkshire Youth Fight for Jobs

The strike follows a series of days in December and January where more limited action took place. Although PCS members in Bradford succesfully held a short rally during the last strike (see http://yorkshireyfj.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/hmrc-workers-walkout-over-privatisation/), they reported that this action was much more widely supported.

Youth Fight for Jobs activists also visited the picket line in Sheffield.

Message of Support to Wincanton Oil Tanker Drivers

Since Tuesday 24th January, oil tanker drivers and UNITE members who currently are contracted from Wincanton to work on the ConocoPhillips contract to supply Jet fuel station are taking a weeks strike action against the possible breaking up of the contract and possible deterioration of terms and conditions. The union is demanding a guarantee to TUPE existing conditions onto future contracts as part of a campaign for a minimum standard of contract within the industry. We have sent this message to strikers in Immingham, North East Lincolnshire (strikes are also taking place at Kingsbury and Stockton-on-Tees)

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

We are aware of your current dispute with Connoco-Phillips over the security of your jobs. In our opinion it is a disgrace that employers feel they can chop and change how they operate with no consideration for those who have worked hard for many years for them and often have families to support. Some of us in Youth Fight for Jobs are in a similar situation working in the public sector, where the government feels it can cut or privatise our jobs without concern for how this affects us and people who rely on the service we provide, whilst others are unemployed being forced by the government to work for nothing or for jobs that pay peanuts (and if they get their way it will probably literally be peanuts). It is the interest of every unemployed person to defend the jobs, terms and conditons of those in employment, otherwise when we find work it we won’t be able to support ourselves or our families. We therefore send your our warmest support in your dispute.

We would like to be able to stand beside you and support you on the picket lines, but for now this message will have to suffice. Please let us know if there is anything we can assist with.

Yours in Solidarity

Iain Dalton (Yorkshire Organiser), on behalf of Youth Fight for Jobs

HMRC Workers Walkout Over Privatisation

Across the country today, HMRC workers have walked out for several half hour stints over the government’s plans to trial two private companies running call handling at two of its sites, which could lead to further attempts to privatise services. Youth Fight for Jobs offers its support to these PCS members taking action. Iain Dalton, spoke at a meeting of PCS members and reps outside Bradford Contact centre earlier today, below we reproduce his speech.

Thank you for allowing me to bring greetings from Youth Fight for Jobs in support of your action today against privatisation. I’d also like to thank you for the donation towards our funds for the Jarrow March for Jobs we have recently undertaken to highlight the catastrophe of youth unemployment in this country.

It’s important that we fight the government over all their attacks like this over privatisation, but also over unemployment and pensions like on N30. It’s actions like this, like our march and especially N30 that can act to draw people together to fight against the cuts.

But despite the governments attempts to divide you, and some trade union leaders to do a dodgy deal the fight goes on. Private sector workers are also taking action, particularly over pensions as they realise that rather than your pensions being attacked so they resemble the decimated private sector pensions, their pensions should be brought up to the level of yours. Everyone deserves a decent pension.

Later this week, I will be going and supporting members of my union, USDAW, taking action at Unilver, who are in the same position as yourselves over pensions. A few years ago they agreed changes that were supposed to make it sustainable, but now the company have come back for more attacks.

I wish you the best with your dispute and Youth Fight for Jobs will offer whatever support we can.

Occupy Bradford!

Occupy Bradford!

The occupy movement has spread to Yorkshire. On the back of Occupy London Stock Exchange (LSX), Glasgow, Nottingham, Bristol (and no doubt by the time you read this a few other places), a group has establish Occupy Bradford outside the City Hall on Centenary Square. With only a handful of tents at the moment, it is not on the scale of London or other high profile occupations around the world. But the solidarity from ordinary people (the 99%) remains the same.

Iain Dalton, Yorkshire Organiser – Youth Fight for Jobs

I visited them on the Saturday, the first full day of the occupation and I turned up right at the start of a 20+ strong general assembly for that day, which was a back and forth struggle between trying to organise the essentials to keep the camp going and a desire to discuss with people about why the occupiers were here and what is wrong with the world. And this was despite not yet finalising the camps ‘mission statement’.

In the few hours I was there, there must have been at least 25 people who came past to wish the occupation well, one person who had even been to occupy Wall St. came to say hello on their way elsewhere, and this was on top of people like myself who had turned up to discuss with the occupiers and support them. Several brought donations of food, including one guy who turned up to argue with the occupiers and went away supportive, saying he’d come back to discuss further the following day!

The occupiers also discussed who to draw in wider numbers of people into the occupation, but also how they could link up and support the wider struggles going on in society. I left them with leaflets advertising the 5th November Jarrow march demo, which was amongst a number of other events they would discuss tomorrow about supporting, and if the camp grows possibly sending people along to. At present though, the greatest threat to the occupation continuing is the bitter cold at present, which got mentioned several times in the meeting, and donations of blankets and other things to keep them warm as well as food would appreciated by the occupiers. But more than anything they want to discuss with people how to break the monopoly of the 1% over political and financial decision making and create a society that would benefit the 99%.