"Standing protesting outside Gap is a strange thing to do when civilians
are being killed in Afghanistan," Globalise Resistance's Guy Taylor tells a
fawning Andy Beckett (Guardian G2, Jan 17 'Has the Left Lost Its Way')
To that, we say "Bollocks!"
We think that, whatever the armed forces of imperialism are up to, the
struggle of workers across the globe against insulting and abusive
labour practices goes on and continues to deserve our full support. If
you agree with us, you might be interested in the following:
Friday March 8 - International Women's Day:
Originally proposed by Lenin, the date celebrates a hard fought strike
by women textile workers in the States. If you want to help us
celebrate it you can join us on a Tour of Shame down London's Oxford
Street. Meet 6pm, outside the Gap, opposite Bond Street tube. If you
are not in London and want to do something yourself, you can download
leaflets from the website - www.nosweat.org.uk or just get in touch and
we'll post you some camera ready artwork.
We will also be using the occasion to publicly launch our east END
SWEATSHOPS campaign with GMB London. This campaign is looking to
organise the sweatshops in London's East End, and to help the workers
there fight for better pay, conditions, health and safety...
Right now it means a long haul of getting out questionnaires round these
workplaces and trying to find out what the issues are and where we can
be effective. It is patient work - going in full throttle could get
someone sacked or even deported so talk to us first and use some common
sense. If you want to get involved email No Sweat admin@nosweat.org.uk or email
martin.smith@gmb.org.uk
One last launch for the day - Ethical Threads - a company set up by
Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Council, with our support, will be
launched at the 101 club in London with Billy Bragg. The company is
sourcing T-shirts from unionised shops - for the Billy Bragg tour, they
come from a women's co-op in Nicaragua - and some of the money goes back
to the union to organise more of the sweatshops in their area and stamp
out some of the crap faced there.
The company also looks to get the support of the music industry to pave
the way in a campaign to end sweatshops. More details will soon be
available at www.ethicalthreads.co.uk
News:
No sweat joined the GMB young members conference to picket Nike last
Friday. About 30 people got a great response from passers by and some
staff. A dozen people went into the store and stuffed fliers in all
their clothes. Training might be in order for Nike Security, who were
too busy telling those of us outside to "stand that side of the line,
this bit is our property", and only managed to throw one person out for
filling their boots with propaganda.
