"Capitalism Attacks Democracy" by Ken Curran

 













When the Labour Party was formed at the beginning of the 20th Century it had a clear ideological message. It was united because the founders believed the economic and social structures of society needed to be altered in order for the benefits of our industry to be redistributed, so that the wellbeing of all can be improved.

There is great difficulty today when trying to find the ideological divide between today’s political parties. Although I still hold a Labour Party Card after spending 70 years in its ranks, its relevance is nil as far as many of our Parliamentary Labour Party are concerned. The role of the party member as far as most of the PLP is concerned is to work their socks off to get them elected. Cynical with good reason. It is sad to say, but many of members of the PLP do not want to listen to the opinions of Party Members. They expect Party Members to be apolitical to the point of subservience. These attitudes are killing off the very liberties and freedoms the founders of the Labour Party espoused in the late 1800s. The Labour Party is supposed to present a distinct alternative to those people who believe the capitalist system will always deliver.

As we have seen with the Banking scandals, of the recent years Capital has to have controls. The crisis of the Greek Economy has been brought about as a result of a lack of control by both borrowers and lenders. Therefore planning along with measured control of capital is desirable. But Neoliberalism constantly works to remove all constraints which inhibits its aim of total economic freedom. Capitalism attacks Democracy because it is seen as an obstacle.

Update

                          DRONFIELD LABOUR PARTY DISCUSSION MEETING


TOPIC  :          INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE  AT GUNSTONE'S, STUBLEY LANE, DRONFIELD.

SPEAKER :     DAVE SORBY and JOHN HIGGINS, both of the Bakers Union

TIME :             8pm to 9.15pm

DATE :            SUNDAY, 19 JULY

VENUE :         CONTACT CLUB, SNAPE HILL LANE, DRONFIELD

Dave is the Baker's Union Branch Secretary at Gunstones and John is their District Organiser.

There has been a 48 hour strike already at Gunstones. A last minute offer has now been made by the Management, so a further 48 hour strike planned from 16 July has just been placed on hold. Local members are being balloted. So our meeting will be held in the middle of this development. Dave and John will be updating us on the very latest situation. 

Important July Discussion Meeting

 


                          DRONFIELD LABOUR PARTY DISCUSSION MEETING


TOPIC  :          STRIKE ACTION AT GUNSTONE'S, STUBLEY LANE, DRONFIELD.

SPEAKER :     TO BE SUPPLIED BY THE BAKERS UNION.
                         (MORE DETAILS WILL BE GIVEN LATER).

TIME :             8pm to 9.15pm

DATE :            SUNDAY, 19 JULY

VENUE :         CONTACT CLUB, SNAPE HILL LANE, DRONFIELD

The following "Early Day Motion" along with the names of its supporters appeared on the Commons Order Paper on 24 June, during a 48 hour strike period called by the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU). The Union is commonly known as the "Bakers' Union". Our Discussion Meeting will be held near the close of a second 48 hour strike period. More MPs are likely to give their support to the motion, including Jeremy Corbyn. The motion explains the situation.    

INDUSTRIAL ACTION AT GUNSTONES BAKERY 24:6:15
John McDonnell
David Crausby
Ian Lavery
Louise Haigh
Richard Burgon
Justin Madders
Dennis Skinner,
Chris Stephens,
Ian Mearns
That this House notes that management at Gunstones Bakery, near Sheffield, having recently made over 400 redundancies, is now trying to impose a pay freeze on the remaining workforce; further notes that the Chief Executive of the parent company, 2 Sisters Food Group, Ranjit Singh Boparan, and his wife, are estimated by the Asian Rich List to enjoy a personal fortune totalling £1.35 billion; deplores the exploitative business model that has seen attacks on jobs, pay and conditions across the 2 Sisters Group; highlights the goodwill previously shown by Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) officials and members in offering to suspend pay negotiations whilst the redundancy process was conducted; believes that the company management is now being unreasonable in insisting that any increase in pay would need to be financed via reductions in existing terms and conditions of BFAWU members; recognises that BFAWU members have been obliged to take industrial action to protect their pay and conditions; and calls on their employers to enter into meaningful negotiations to resolve the dispute.

This further information is taken from the Union's Web-Site -   Press Release re: Strike Action at Gunstones Bakery.

The BFAWU strike at Gunstones (Sheffield) taking place from June 15th 2015 was called following the company’s decision to force through a pay freeze on staff at the site.

BFAWU members and officials had initially agreed with the company to keep any pay negotiations in abeyance due to over four-hundred redundancies being made. However, the company refused to offer staff an increase following the redundancy consultation period, citing the overall cost of the redundancies as a reason for non-movement on pay.

BFAWU members at the site subsequently balloted for industrial action, but gave the company a window of six weeks in order to negotiate further. Five days before the strike was due to take place, Union members at Gunstones met and made a proposal to the company that involved a pay increase of 4% over two years with no back pay.

The company refused this proposal and made it clear to BFAWU members and officials that any movement on pay would have to be ‘self-financing’, meaning that employees at the site may have to sacrifice existing terms and conditions in order to secure any increase. The BFAWU sees this as unacceptable and hopes that the company can review its position to avoid potential bitterness, resentment and the possibility of further action at the site.


More information will be provided nearer the date of our meeting