Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 11:29:27 -0400 (EDT)
From: Spoon Collective <spoons-AT-jefferson.village.Virginia.EDU>
Subject: People's Charter for Social Justice (fwd)




---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 11:11:03 GMT
From: Keith Standring <itusc-AT-gn.apc.org>
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    Trade Union Studies <tus-AT-reid-kerr.ac.uk>
Subject: People's Charter for Social Justice

LIVERPOOL DOCKERS CALL PUBLIC MEETING - 31 May 1997, London
The March for Social Justice called by the Liverpool dockers on 12 April
expressed the high tide of feeling which has now swept the Tory Party out of
government in Britain.New Labour, the current political instrument of
capital, has been elected to govern Britain. We must have no illusions about
this; we in the workers' movement must begin to prepare  for the coming
struggles by attending the public meeting called by the Liverpool dockers to
discuss the People's Charter for Social Justice on 31 May 1997 at the Conway
Hall, Red Lion Square, London, 11am-5pm.
Despite a lack of support from the union leaders and a media blackout, the
Liverpool dockers together with the Women of the Waterfront, the Hillingdon
hospital workers and the Magnet strikers have won support wherever they have
gone for their stand against wage cuts, casualisation, sackings and the
destruction of workers' rights.
By taking their fight around the world, the dockers have made working-class
internationalism a real force, uniting and organising dockers
internationally and fighting for workers' rights in countries such as Turkey.
Liverpool dockers joined forces with young people (who politicians claim
aren't interested in politics) to occupy the Port of Liverpool last
September in united direct action against the destruction of jobs and the
environment.
The People's Charter for Social Justice has been launched by the dockers'
shop stewards for discusion. It is an important step towards uniting the
labour movement and all those in struggle against capital.The Charter is
incorporated at the end of this message.
Please make every effort to attend the meeting on 31 May and add your
support to the Charter.
Keith Standring
ITUSC

THE PEOPLE'S CHARTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
Launched by the sacked Liverpool dockers and Women of the Waterfront

WE, THE PEOPLE, demand social justice:

1)  Immediate reinstatement with full trade union rights of the 500 sacked
Liverpool dockers; the Hillingdon Hospital workers; the Magnet workers; and
all other unjustly sacked workers.
2)  The right to join a trade union, to strike ,to respect picket lines and
to take solidarity action. Immediate repeal of all anti-union legislation.
3)  The right to work and to job security. Reversal of the policies of
casualisation, privatisation and deregulation. Democratic planning to secure
full employment. No compulsory overtime. Acknowledgement of the value of
low-waged and unwaged work. Equal pay for work of equal value.
4)  The right to recreation and assembly. Repeal of the Criminal Justice Act.
5)   Defence of the Welfare State. Abolition of the Job Seekers Allowance.
Free education including nursery and university   provision; free health
care; adequate pensions and benefits for all. Equal rights and social
provision for
      people with disabilities, the sick, and for all minority groups.
6)  The right to a home. Emergency measures to house the homeless, including
occupation of vacant or underused properties. Defence of the rights of
travellers.
7)  Repeal of all discriminatory legislation. Defence of the right of
asylum. Equal rights for all, regardless of ethnic origin, nationality,
gender, sexuality or creed. The right of community self-defence against
racist, sexist or other violence.
8)  The right to citizenship within a democracy. Abolition of the Monarchy
and the House of Lords. Withdrawal of British troops from Ireland. Repeal of
the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
9)  The right to a future for our children. Emergency action to reverse
national and global pollution and devastation of the planet's resources.
Action to curb the private car and road lobbies and to reclaim our streets;
implementation of an integrated public transport system. The right to clean
air, water and food. Abolition of the nuclear power industry.
10)  The right of workers to organise internationally to resist injustice
and oppression, to reclaim the planet and put an end to war. Abolition of
the nuclear weapons industry. An end to all trade in arms and instruments of
torture.

   JOBS!                      HOMES!             A FUTURE!

Merseyside Port Shop Stewards Committee, 19, Scorton Street, Liverpool. L6 4AS
Tel: ++44 (0) 151 207 3388   Fax:  ++44 (0) 151 207 0696

To add your union or organisation to the list of sponsors, contact the Shop
Stewards as above, or phone the London Support Group on ++44 (0) 181 367 0021



  
________________________________________________________________
International Trade Union Solidarity Campaign (ITUSC) at:-
PO Box 18, Epsom, Britain KT18 7YR
Tel/Fax:  ++44 (0) 1372 817778
e-mail:  itusc-AT-gn.apc.org
URL: http://www.itusc.org.uk 
The ITUSC is an international and internationalist association of organised
workers and communities, dedicated to rebuilding the workers' movement and
to overcoming sectarianism and division in working class organisations.
________________________________________________________________





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