BADACA Bulletin – 29/06/12
By admin | June 29, 2012 | Categories: Weekly Bulletin
BRISTOL & DISTRICT ANTI-CUTS ALLIANCE BULLETIN – 29th June 2012
The Veil Is Drawn Away
Those of us fighting the cuts and austerity should take heart from the latest revelations that banks like Barclays have been blatantly rigging financial markets for years. The idea that these markets are somehow ‘unbiased’ and can’t be ‘bucked’ is at the heart of the propaganda used to promote the austerity agenda. Now the reality is there for all to see.
At a well-attended BADACA open meeting last Monday, it was agreed to issue a statement opposing the EDL march in Bristol on 14th July, and affiliate to ‘We Are Bristol‘ who are organising a counter-demonstration. Standing up to the EDL and its backers is closely linked with the fight against cuts and privatisation. In our fight against the cuts, our unity is our strength – unity between races, religions and communities. The EDL aims to divide people along religious and ethnic lines, weakening us in our campaigns. The statement will be sent to the local media and publicised widely through the city. You can read the full text here. Please pass it on via any networks you have available.
BADACA is urging supporters to join the counter-demonstration on the Centre at 11am on July 14th. Flyer here. There are also plans to blockade Temple Meads station, where many of the EDL will arrive in Bristol. “We Are Bristol” has a statement to sign – details on Facebook here. If you are involved with campaigning against the EDL march and want BADACA to publicise your activities, please email admin@bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk. For full information see our website here.
The Evening Post has carried a number of articles this week on the EDL – an example is here. Please add your comments on line and send letters to the Post at epletters@bepp.co.uk The Post has an online poll asking if the EDL should march in Bristol. Please vote – go here and scroll down towards the bottom on the right hand side. It takes seconds.
Anyone interested in learning about how to film demonstrations before the EDL march is welcome to go along to training event on Wednesday 4th July at 7.30pm at the TSSA offices in Baldwin Street. Full details and how to register here.
Signatures are still needed on BADACA’s e-petition opposing the closure of Bristol City Council’s remaining care homes and day centres for the elderly and vulnerable. Please sign as soon as possible and forward details to anyone you know who may sign. The aim is to get more signatures than the council will get for any of the their bogus ‘options’.
You can sign it here. The full link is http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/1904
We will submit the petition at a lobby of the city council Cabinet on 26th July at 6pm. Full details of the lobby soon but please try to come along and encourage others to do the same.
Please help us to distribute the new edition of BADACA’s NHS pamphlet as widely as possible. It’s available online here. You can get printed copies by emailing admin@bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk.
Bristol UnCut are holding a Cardboard City protest on Saturday June 30th against Cameron’s latest proposals to slash benefits for young people, single mothers and the unemployed. Full details on Facebook here.
The first of what are sure to be many events and meetings around November’s mayoral election comes on Wednesday 4th July when George Ferguson (the man who wants to pretend he isn’t a LibDem) invites people to hear his plans for Bristol – odds-on it’s the same agenda of cuts carried out by his friends currently running the city council. Details of the event are here. Get there if you can to let him know what Bristol thinks of cuts – 6.00pm, by Temple Quay entrance to Temple Meads.
More details should be available soon about the TUC’s ‘A Future That Works’ demonstration on Saturday October 20th. Over the next few months we all need to do everything possible to make this a huge demonstration against the government’s economic policy – Put the date in your diary now and watch out for more details as they become available. Facebook here. Information on TUC website here.
The National Union of Students is also organising a national demonstration against fees, cuts and privatisation on November 21st. Full details soon. Current information is on Facebook here.
Last week we gave details of a planned strike by NUT members at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College on Thursday 28th June. The strike didn’t take place because the school’s management gave in and dropped the planned cuts. A clear victory for united trades union action.
Earlier in the month saw the National Shop Stewards Network conference. Report here. Last Saturday was the Unite the Resistance conference. Report here.
Please try to get involved in as many of the activities below as possible and pass the information on to others who may be interested.
If you want more information about anything below, email admin@bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk
More information on BADACA and events can be found at our website www.bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk and via the link to Facebook from there
Twitter - http://twitter.com/BrisNoCuts.
If you have events you would like included in a future bulletin please email details to admin@bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk. Our aim is to send out a bulletin every Friday. The deadline for inclusion of events is 5pm on Thursday.
BADACA Steering Committee Meeting – Monday 9th July
Papers will be sent out to affiliated organisations and other members of the steering committee soon. For more information email admin@bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk
BADACA Open Meeting – Monday 23rd July
Venue: Friends Meeting House, Champion Square (River Street), Bristol, BS2 9DB
Time: 7.30pm
Map: Here
Full details soon. For more information email admin@bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk
Other Events
Stand Up For The Right To Asylum – Demonstration – Saturday 30th June
BADACA is supporting this demonstration called by local refugee and asylum-seeker groups. Government policies restrict access to benefits, education, jobs, legal advice & health services. The threat of deportation is always there. The current swingeing cuts in public spending make the situation worse as vital services are cut. Asylum seekers & refugees say “Enough is Enough! We ask you to join us, to say these Home Office policies, are not happening in your name.” Please join us in supporting this demonstration. Flyer here.
MEET Stapleton Road Station, by Eastside Roots Garden Centre at 11am
MARCH together, passing some of the places that help tell our story
SHOUT OUT against these injustices
GATHER at Queen’s Square, City Centre to eat, drink together & plan next steps
********STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO ASYLUM! *******
****JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND DIGNITY FOR ALL *****
More information here
BADACA Admin
BADACA links…
Website: http://www.bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BristolAntiCuts
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BrisNoCuts
Forum: http://www.bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk/wordpress/bbpress/
Affiliate: http://www.bristolanticutsalliance.org.uk/affiliate-to-us/