Video: Imagining a world without borders
This is a simply brilliant talk by Bridget Anderson as part of the Migrants’ Rights Network TEDxEastEnd event.
“We won’t suffer in silence!” – Guildhall Cleaners’ Protest for a Living Wage
Guildhall Cleaners and Protestors
The Cleaners of Guildhall, many of whom are members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), are holding a rally and demonstration at the Guildhall this Friday at 9am. They are demanding respect at work and calling on the Corporation of London and its cleaning subcontractor to ensure they receive the London Living Wage which is currently set at £8.30.
In recent months, The Guildhall has shown “the power of London’s ruling elite”, is being used to discriminate and bully some of the lowest paid workers in the City. In July, non-English speaking cleaners at protested at The Guildhall with their English speaking co-workers and subsequently won back their pay for unpaid work. This included having their Annual Leave cut due to time off for the Royal Wedding!
Solidarity with Juan Carlos Piedra!
People who support migrant cleaners’ struggles in London may well know of Juan Carlos Piedra, an Ecuadorian worker victimised at University College London because of his trade union activism. He has also been active in the solidarity efforts behind UBS bank cleaners in the City of London.
Juan Carlos has been called to an interim hearing for his Employment Tribunal with LCC Services on Tuesday 25th May from 10 am.
UBS’ bonus claiming bankers cut migrant cleaners “Living Wage”
In March, what started out as just another workplace dispute inside one London office for Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) had escalated into an international campaign led by migrant workers. Today Friday 23rd April at 5pm outside UBS Capital, 100 Liverpool Street (see map)
UBS last week announced their highest ever pre-tax profits since the credit crisis began of US$2.3 billion and has fought criticism last month when London-based Carsten Kengeter was revealed to be UBS’ highest paid employee on £8.3 million, receiving a £7.8m bonus. Despite these eye-watering pay packets at the top, UBS has refused to intervene when their cleaning contractor Lancaster has given their lowest paid London employees a 10.75% pay cut on a full time cleaners’ weekly wage. The “Justice for UBS Cleaners” campaign is a response to the bank attempts through its contractors to drive down the cleaners’ 2008 victory of “Living Wage” pay and conditions.
Support the 1st March Immigrants Strike in France, Italy and other European countries against racism and exploitation
“1° Marzo, una giornata senza di noi” – “1 March, a day without us”
Protest at the Italian Embassy
Monday, 1st March ,1-2pm
14 Three Kings Yard, London W1K 4EH
Immigrant people in Italy, France and other European countries, led by African people, have called an Immigrant Strike on the 1st March 2010 to protest: racist murders and attacks; police harassment; immigration controls; severe exploitation and inhumane conditions in agriculture and other work. Whilst many of the agricultural workers are men, immigrant women, including sex workers, have also been targetted.
The day of action will include strikes from waged work places, from schools, universities, shopping strikes, and demonstrations in many cities. Second-generation immigrants and non-immigrant people are also part of the co-ordinating committees helping to organise this “day without us”. (For more info please go to: see this link: mainly in Italian but some info in English) http://www.primomarzo2010.it/2009/10/chi-siamo.html).
Please also see the statement “Tangerines and olives don’t fall from the sky” (below) from the Assembly of African workers of Rosarno in Rome, Italy, January 2010 who on 8 January, were shot at by racists and fought back.
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Migrant Stories: The story of my father, the story of myself
From Migrant Rights’ Network:
Mihir Bose speaking at TEDxEastEnd: