National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts
A coalition of students and workers fighting against tuition fees and education cuts
10am-5.30pm, Saturday 25 June
The Star and Shadow, Stepney Bank, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Gathering for anti cuts activists, with workshops, debates, and skillshare. For all groups and activists across the region. Called by Anti Cuts Network and supported so far by Newcastle Free Education Network (Newc Occupation), Tyne and Wear Left Unity and activists from many groups...
Facebook event Facebookhere. For more details ring Ed on 07740 099 479.
7-9pm, Monday, June 20
Bloomsbury, central London – venue TBC [Read more...]
Making session for the 30th June strike @ Uni Arts London, 272 High Holborn WC1V 7EY 1-11pm Saturday 18th June – all very welcome.
After weeks of debate and controversy about the politics of Slutwalk the London march on 11 June was positive and full of a feeling of solidarity. The crowd of 5,000, marching through London shouting “Whatever we wear, wherever we go; yes means yes and no means no!”, was diverse: people of all sexualities and genders, not overwhelmingly white (which had been a particular concern). It was, however, mainly a demonstration of youth!
In contrast to movements like Reclaim the Night – men, transgender people and sex workers’ organisations were not only “allowed in” but actively invited. Two NCAFC women spoke to Irish sex worker-led campaign Turn Off The Blue Light who said the Slutwalk organisers had called and asked them to come to London — “We would like to thank Slutwalk London…all too often sex workers are excluded in society”.
Speakers at the end of the march included representatives from Black Women’s Rape Action Project, Gender Action for Peace and Security and the English Collective of Prostitutes who received a good reception from the crowd when they advocated complete decriminalisation of sex work.
With others from anti-cuts groups including Westminster Women and Royal Holloway Feminism Society, NCAFC Women stood in solidarity with the message that that rape is about power not sex: we need to challenge the routine placing of sexual violence alongside the diversionary and offensive idea that men “just can’t resist” a woman in a short skirt.
We also highlighted that we need campaigns to defend and extend women’s services, sex education and the social provision to make liberation a reality. Our placards read “stop shutting safe havens for women and children”; “equality for women”; “a rape crisis centre in every town”. We also had an NCAFC Women banner highlighting that over 50% of women’s services face closure.
The left was there but the majority of banners and placards were homemade. Organised by university undergraduates and college students, Slutwalk motivated many younger women to get involved – new to activism and feminism but eager to make their voices heard and declare their right to dress and behave how they like without being attacked or blamed.
Politically Slutwalk remains broad and difficult to define —this could be a good thing but it also needs continued discussion. Feminist activist group, Feminist Fightback distributed a leaflet on the day highlighting a key debating point — how do we move on from “subverting” “slut” to a fuller anti-capitalist feminist politics about violence against women.
Organisers in Toronto have already begun to plan another march for next year and London organisers are establishing a “Slut means speak up” campaign around various issues. Their first action is a petition on the fact that 90% of rapes go unreported, and only 6.7% of those result in conviction.
What will Slutwalk become? Where will it go from here? We don’t know, but a 5,000 strong march is a good starting place: as one placard put it, “feminism: back by popular demand!”
Photos here please upload more and share experiences from Slutwalks around the UK!
The government attacks on education continue – so must our resistance.
WHY JUNE 30?
June 30th will be a day of action for students and education workers to fight back against the cuts: walkout, strike, occupy!
Around 600,000 teachers and lecturers will be taking the first co-ordinated strike action the education system will have seen in years on the 30th June. They will be striking over government plans to attack their pensions – leaving those who work in our schools, colleges and universities paying more, receiving less, and retiring later.
This is not just an attack on the living standards of education workers, this is a part of the broader attack on education itself. The government is reshaping education in the interests of profit.
With EMA scrapped, and the trebling of university tuition fees – teachers are being viewed, like students, as cash-cows – easy targets to milk dry in order to line the government’s coffers. And all the while, Britain’s richest thousand individuals saw their wealth increase by more than £60bn in the last year.
This has to stop.
A BRIEF TO-DO LIST
WHY WALKOUT? WHY STRIKE? WHY OCCUPY?
If these plans are to be stopped, we need to show the government and local authorities that we won’t accept these changes. Polite petitions and quiet words in ministerial offices won’t halt the cuts they’ve got lined up for us.
By walking out of class for the day, we will give confidence to our teachers and support assistants to take action. We must send a strong message of solidarity: we will fight this together, and together we can win.
Some people say that it’s counter-productive to opt out of a day of the very education we are fighting to defend. To them we ask: how will you stop this devastation? In every fight sacrifices are made. We should be prepared to sacrifice one day of education or one day of work against reforms which will only damage the education system as a whole.
NCAFC
This is a discussion piece by a number of NCAFC activists on the June 4th Conference in Birmingham. As such, it does not necessarily represent the views of the NCAFC. Alternative views are available in the comments below it.
We have grave concerns about the recent Ncafc conference – both how it was organised and the outcome of the conference, which imposed a new set of structures that undermine the unity and inclusivity of the national organisation.
NCAFC Women will be marching against cuts to vital women’s services this Saturday 11 June at Slutwalk London.
“Whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no” – no person should ever be subject to rape, sexual, physical or emotional abuse or other assault.
We’ll also be marching against the Tory attack on our welfare state, jobs and public services. Not only will women be hardest hit by the cuts, this is an attack on our liberation:
• The “Big Society” is Tory-speak for pushing women back into the home where their work goes un-valued, un-waged and un-supported
•Vital women’s services like Rape Crisis Centres and refuges for people experiencing domestic abuse will be cut, alongside cuts to sexual and reproductive services, benefits, libraries and education
These cuts, coupled with the sexist attitudes encapsulated by the Toronto policeman who sparked the SlutWalk marches, by telling a group of students to avoid being raped “women should avoid dressing like sluts,” work against women’s fight for liberation symbiotically.
We’re calling on other feminist, trade union and women’s anti-cuts groups to join and form an anti-cuts contingent on the march.
Bring banners, bring anger, bring feminist solidarity! All genders, sexes and ages welcome.
Slutwalk London Saturday 11 June, 13:00
Meet at the top of piccadilly, near the Hard Rock Cafe
For more info check facebook, ncafc-women@googlegroups.com or call Jade on 07595738396
As NCAFC Women prepare for our Fighting Against Cuts contingent at the London Slutwalk, this Saturday 11 June, we’ll be taking part in this discussion at the London Feminist Library on Thursday, which follows on from the useful discussion organised on Wednesday 1 June by Feminist Fightback.
There will also be a banner making workshop after discussion – bring materials!
Feminist Library, 5 Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7XW closes tube Lambeth North on the bakerloo line.
09 June, 18:30-21:30
If lost or for more info call Esther 07883520852
After this year’s NUS conference, several newly elected student union sabbaticals and anti cuts groups began discussing how we could get the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts active again. [Read more...]
A dayschool organised by London Metropolitan University Students’ Union. [Read more...]
