Letter to Bradford City fanzine on Di Canio

Letter to City Gent, Bradford City fanzine  

I like reading your magazine, but it’s just as well The City Gent includes a disclaimer for ‘any responsibility for the accuracy of anything reported’ in it after reading John Watmough’s article in Issue 189 about Paolo Di Canio and the brief period in which the fascist was in charge at my club, Sunderland.

It starts with him agreeing with the T&A’s Simon Parker about the national media ganging up to ‘have a pop’ when Di Canio arrived at Sunderland when they had remained largely silent at Swindon. Ignoring the fact that Sunderland have an average gate five times that of Swindon, Watmough fails to recognise that it was ordinary fans who objected so strongly to Di Canio’s appointment that the national media was forced to take notice. It was ordinary fans who made contact with Labour MP David Miliband in the hours following the appointment of the Italian and persuaded him to quit his role at the Stadium of Light. Fans like former soldier Jim Fox, who appeared on Sky Sports to denounce Di Canio’s arrival and hand back his already paid for season card for 2013-14. 

It was fans like myself - someone who until Di Canio pitched up had hardly missed a match at home or away for 30 years plus - who made clear their objection to Di Canio’s politics and who I believe almost pushed owner Ellis Short into sending him packing even before his first game in charge. It was fans who pointed out that Di Canio’s hero, Benito Mussolini, was a hard core racist and as such how could Sunderland participate in anti-racist campaigns. It was former miners, some who had worked at Wearmouth Colliery on which the Stadium of Light now stands, who felt it was a stain on the fight by local soldiers in the Second World War to appoint a fascist. 

It was anti-fascist fans who pointed out that Di Canio’s style of management would be a disaster because, quite simply, his politics excludes an approach that includes other people in his thinking. It is Di Canio first, second and third. What that means is he is always right and can brook no criticism and certainly winning League Two does not make him a genius. Di Canio’s attack on John O’Shea was only meant to deflect attention away from his crass tactics. As regards his comments on Ji Dong-Won then why did the Italian just days earlier turn down a bid for £4 million for him when any sensible Sunderland fan would have taken such a sum for an ordinary player?

I could make many more points on a similar theme but will end by saying I have viewed every game since Di Canio left and have hardly met anyone who feels Sunderland should not have sacked him after his on pitch farce at WBA. 

Mark Metcalf, Halifax 

07952 801783 

Freelance journalist, football historian and author. 

Unite education courses given 'thumbs up'

Experienced Unite reps in Manchester have given Unite Education courses a ‘thumbs up’ for helping them develop skills to win improvements in working conditions for their members.

 

Hundreds of free training courses for reps are organised across the UK and Ireland and in 2012 a total attendance of 12,000 students raised the total teaching days to 54,000 days. This was a significant achievement so soon after the merger of two unions into one.

 

Underpinning all courses is a three-pillar strategy of organising, international solidarity and politics. A greater political understanding of a fast altering inter-locked world where working people are increasingly being denied a decent income, good working conditions and democratic rights strengthens skills development.

 

Manchester City Council mechanical road sweeper Graham White became a safety rep after he was badly injured at work due to the combination of a workmates mistake and a badly designed garage depot. The latter has been significantly improved due to Graham’s efforts.

 

He does not want others to suffer his fate and says, “anyone considering becoming a rep at their workplace should know they can access relevant training to assist them fulfil an important role. I have learnt negotiating skills, how to gather and file information and where to access the Law to back up any issues I take to management on behalf of members”.

 

According to Stagecoach bus driver Mike Woods, who is an elected workplace and safety rep, the benefits of a Unite course include  “meeting reps from other workplaces, giving a greater understanding of the wider union movement and from whom you get invaluable ideas to take up at your own workplace”. Mike also praised the Unite Education department for its back up services that include ongoing support in helping him locate information for workplace negotiations on both safety and employment matters.

 

“The courses help build self-esteem and place you on an equal footing with management in negotiations,” said Sharon Chawner, a Unite workplace and safety rep at the Royal Bank of Scotland.

 

Union representatives have a statutory right to reasonable paid time off from work to undertake trade union training.

 

Most courses are for workplace and safety reps but there are also courses for branch officials, equality and union learning reps as well as weekend schools and ones on pensions and dealing with redundancy. For more information see:- www.unitetheunion.org/growing-our-union/education/

Terrorism Act used to 'harass'

From the current issue of the Big Issue in the North magazine 

Bedfordshire Police has denied it is using the Terrorism Act 2000 to gather information about activists who challenge state interests or the behaviour of corporations.

Corporate Watch (CW) is a not-for-profit collective of journalists founded to research the social and environmental impact of corporate power. It was formed in 1996.

CW researchers Therezia Cooper and Tom Anderson* have been stopped and questioned under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on five occasions at UK airports while travelling to Egypt and returning from research trips to Palestine.

The organisation states that it is “documenting companies profiting from the Israeli occupation as part of aiding the global boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israeli apartheid, occupation and militarism”.

Released without charge

On 5 February, Cooper was held for two hours of questioning at Luton Airport by Bedfordshire Police, which later undertook the same exercise with Anderson. Both were released without charge. Other locations where CW researchers have been stopped include Gatwick Airport and the port of Dover.

Schedule 7 allows travellers to be questioned to find out if they might be terrorists. Interviewees have no right to remain silent, cannot access legal advice and can be detained for up to nine hours. In 2012/13, 61,145 people were examined under Schedule 7 and 2,277 were stopped for over an hour.

In August, David Miranda, the partner of Glenn Greenwald, the former Guardian journalist who first revealed America and Britain’s mass surveillance programmes, was held for five minutes short of nine hours.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill currently being discussed in Parliament will reduce the time a person can be detained without charge under Schedule 7 to six hours.

Anderson was stopped for around an hour at Luton Airport. He claims he was questioned about a wide range of anti-capitalist activities he is involved in, including the International Solidarity Movement, which supports Palestinian non-violent resistance to the Israeli occupation. Police were particularly keen to know why the groups he is involved with do not inform the authorities in advance of their protest activities.

“Unrelated to terrorism”

On the conclusion of the interview, Anderson was informed that he had been stopped under Section 7 because the police wanted to find out if he was involved in violence or terrorism. Anderson replied: “Your questions are unrelated to terrorism and I don’t believe that is your real interest.”

Anderson said: “Schedule 7 helps the police to build up profiles on activists so they can undermine political movements. The questions were unrelated to rooting out terrorism and the movements they were interested in have never been involved in such activities. They do, however, pose a threat to state interests and the profits of private companies. The police’s role is to protect the powerful against public discontent. 

Grassroots campaigns

“CW is not surprised at the harassment, especially following the success of some of our grassroots campaigns such as the one against G4S, which has challenged the world’s largest security company’s ability to gain further contracts.”

Anderson has contacted his MP, Caroline Lucas of the Green Party. She has provided him with a letter to be given to the police if he is again stopped under Schedule 7 when visiting Palestine. The letter outlines the purpose of Anderson’s visit and requests that the police do not stop him or confiscate his research equipment.

A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Police said it couldn’t discuss individual cases but officers had always used it in a “lawful and proportionate manner”.

“If someone believes they have been detained improperly they have the right to contact our Professional Standards Department or the Independent Police Complaints Commission to raise their concerns,” the spokesperson said.

* names have been changed 

Which? calls for action on premium rate lines

From the current issue of the Big Issue in the North magazine 

Which? is calling on the government to get its act together over premium rate phone lines after a crackdown on expensive calls to GP surgeries was delayed until next year.

The consumer campaigning charity spoke out after GP practices were given extra time to fall in line with guidance originally issued in 2011 by the Department of Health to help end the costly numbers.

Gaps in the guidance

The government has also recently issued proposals to force companies to offer customers who call to complain normal landline prices. However, they do not cover the government’s own departments or the finance and transport sectors.

Which? wants the government to drop its own premium rate lines and to force all companies to provide cheaper phone numbers for customers.

Premium rate numbers were introduced in 1998. Today, the 084 and 087 numbers can cost up to 41 pence a minute and nearly £2 billion annually is spent by consumers on them.

Benefit claimants in particular are badly affected by the charges. For example, crisis loans to people on low incomes are only accessible through an 0845 number.

Last year, there were 130 million calls to government departments that charged premium rates. Telephone giant Cable and Wireless made a £1 million profit in 2012 by providing 0845 lines to HM Revenue and Customs.

Growing anger at the costly charges forced the government to promise action in 2011.

“All reasonable steps”

Now, GP practices have been told they must take “all reasonable steps” to end their use of premium
rate numbers within a year. Currently, one in 12 practices continue to force their patients to use 084 numbers when making an appointment.

Under the new guidelines, patients will be offered cheaper geographical rates.

Jo Swinson, the consumer minister, has also issued draft proposals to force major companies to offer customers who wish to complain normal landline prices. But the Liberal Democrat MP for East Dunbartonshire excluded government departments as well as the finance and transport sectors from the proposals.

Most banks, building societies and credit card companies use premium rate lines, although both RBS and Barclays have recently announced that they will stop doing so.

Petition

Which? has persuaded more than 60,000 people to sign its Costly Calls campaign petition calling on the government to ban premium rate lines for customer and complaint lines and it wants all companies to provide customers with cheaper phone numbers.

A Which? spokesperson said: “This practice has been costing cash-strapped customers millions. The Cabinet Office should lead by example by acting quickly to end premium rate calls to the government and public bodies and then revise their proposals to ensure the law bans costly calls to companies.”

CULTURE IN MANCHESTER book Q@a review

CULTURE IN MANCHESTER 

Institutions and urban change since 1850

Edited by Janet Wolff with Mike Savage 

Manchester University Press 

This book looks at how industrial and architectural changes, art education, religion, popular theatre, pleasure gardens, clubs and societies have all played a part in Manchester’s contribution to modern cultural life, from which some of the city’s residents continue to be excluded.

Why did you both compile this book?

It originated in a year-long seminar in 2008-09 at the University of Manchester, convened by myself under the auspices of the ESRC Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change. We decided to put together a collection that would continue the work of challenging any lingering idea of Manchester as lacking real cultural value, in the past or in the present. We also wanted to show the interactions between so-called high culture and more popular forms of entertainment.

What made a place like Belle Vue Gardens culturally attractive to different classes?
It was the sheer range of entertainments within one area – the garden, the zoo, rides, concerts and sport. The Gardens appealed across the classes with the garden and the zoo being particularly attractive to middle-class visitors, and sport appealing to the lower classes. Before Belle Vue, similar ventures, directed only at the middle classes, were unsuccessful, and for such an enterprise to thrive it needed a much wider appeal.

How important was industry for art education in Britain?
Art education in Britain began in the 1830s because, faced with French competition, there was a need for better design in industry. Manchester’s input related to cotton manufacturers and particularly the calico printers. James Thomson and Edmund Potter, two such printers, were actively involved in the development of art schools in Britain.

How was the Italian Renaissance employed to refute charges of cultural philistinism in the 19th century? 

The philistine charge was the main motivating impulse for the great Art Treasures exhibition in Manchester, which the city’s leaders staged in 1857. This featured numerous Renaissance masterpieces plus Michelangelo’s Manchester Madonna, now in the National Gallery. The wealthy new middle classes were often great supporters of the arts and music in Manchester. Some of the most impressive architecture of 19th century Manchester, particularly the palazzo-style warehouses, was modelled on the buildings in Renaissance Florence too.

Did theatre’s architectural changes reflect the changing aspirations of the theatre owners and city fathers towards the end of the 19th century?
Demolishing the People’s Concert Hall was an attempt to remove what was perceived as the most rowdy element of the theatre world. The new theatres – the Palace, the Hippodrome and the Opera House – reflected the cultural ambitions of the managers. Such theatres were quite grand and opulent, designed to attract middle-class audiences.

INTRODUCTION TO CHILE - republished 37 years on

INTRODUCTION TO CHILE

(A cartoon history)

By Chris Welch

First published in 1976 and now – thanks to Unite the union - reprinted by Chile40YearsOn.

Foreword by Richard Gott, who as the Guardian correspondent witnessed events in Chile before and after September 11, 1973.

Visual propaganda in the form of political cartoons is an ancient art. High levels of illiteracy meant those who sought to lead truly popular (mass) movements saw cartoons as part of an effective strategy as the images would reach a large amount of people and ensure the greatest possible amount of understanding.

Although much less well used today, good political cartoons can still retain the ability to convey complex social problems and historical events to large numbers of people with very different educational backgrounds.

Introduction to Chile covers the period up till 1976. This was three years after General Pinochet ousted Chilean President Salvador Allende in a US-supported coup in which he was murdered.

In the aftermath Chile became the first testing ground for neoliberalism whereby Chilean students – titled the Chicago Boys for having received their education in the US – were enlisted to restructure the economy. Privatisation, deregulation and cuts to social spending followed. The rich got a lot richer and the rest got a lot poorer as inequality was intensified. If that sounds familiar, it is, as a watching Margaret Thatcher subsequently brought these policies to Britain in the 1980s and they remain in place today.

In a country dominated by large landowners and major foreign multi-nationals, Allende had become a symbol of hope for many during his brief time (1970-1973) in power in which he legally recognised the trade unions by bringing them into government and the management of nationalised industries. He provided half a litre of milk to every child per day, vital in reducing malnutrition. A large-scale public housing programme was instituted and public services were extended to the vast shantytowns. His government nationalised the copper industry, which continues to provide the bulk of Chile’s income.

Allende said that the world was plagued by poverty, injustice and exploitation and since governments across the world had failed to deal with these issues, they must be caused by capitalism. Allende and his generation proposed to move away from capitalism.

Forty years on, left governments are back in power across parts of Latin America. It is thus appropriate that this book of witty drawings and accompanying text by Chris Welch (a cartoonist since the mid 60s) is being reprinted.  It means a modern audience seeking solutions to an exploitative, unequal, undemocratic world that is wracked by war and poverty and ruled by a tiny elite can examine ‘the Chilean Road to Socialism.’

Free to Unite members – contact Unite education at http://www.unitetheunion.org/growing-our-union/education/contact-us/ to collect your copy.

Unite education is at http://www.unitetheunion.org/growing-our-union/education/contact-us/

Keep it Dark is a bright read

Keep it Dark

Will Jonson

Red Axe Books

This is a very impressive debut novel by Unite community member, Will Jonson. Keep it Dark articulately brings to life some momentous 20^th century political events such as the Spanish Civil War, the Battle of Stalingrad 1942-43, the Holocaust, the Soviet Union invasions of Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan and the shipyard occupations, strikes and riots in 1970s and 80s Britain.

Just eight, Tommy embarrassingly catches his Uncle Jack, often the butt of family jokes for having served in the Merchant Navy during the World War, sobbing his heart out. Tommy grows up loving books. Jack has lots of them. Young and old become close friends.

As Tommy develops an understanding of why Jack was so distressed he is transported back to the 1930s when his uncle left Britain alongside his best friend, Robbie, to join the International Brigades and fight against Franco, and his fascist allies, in Spain.

Both fighters forge intense, brief, relationships with two Russian female crack snipers, whose socialist beliefs are ultimately crushed by a combination of fascism and a Soviet system where the working class was unable to establish its authority over the state bureaucracy.

If the tale itself is therefore heavy, and ultimately tragic, the telling of it is certainly not. All the main characters have real loving warmth to them and as the tale moves across Europe, Jonson’s successful combination of the personal with the political is highly emotive. The scene descriptions are also believable and there is sufficient of a twist to the tale to keep the reader seeking answers. Keep it Dark is certainly worth reading.

http://www.redaxebooks.co.uk/

To order a copy of the book go to:- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Keep-Dark-Will-Jonson/dp/0957338414

The author – Will Jonson is a pseudonym for David Wheeler, who worked for many years as a teacher before retiring on ill-health grounds. Born in 1957 in London, David now lives in Lincolnshire and joined Unite community because (unlike the NUT) it is affiliated to the Labour Party and he was impressed by the number of Unite members on an anti-cuts march he attended in London. He is currently working on his second novel but in the meantime he has started publishing out of copyright books by famous writers such as Jack London and William Blake. See for example:- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strength-Strong-Other-Stories-Complete/dp/1494706474/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388494206&sr=1-6&keywords=jack+london+and+will+jonson