Monday, Bloody Monday - ER In Attack Plan As Thunberg Calls Strike

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• Monday, Bloody Monday - ER In Attack Plan As Thunberg Calls Strike

15 August 2019

Plans are underway for a global strike - centred in the UK - of union workers and concerned citizens to call for action on climate change while Extinction Rebellion have vandalised embassies and plan an attack on Westminster in October.

 

The University and College Union will put a motion to the TUC and thus all affiliated unions, that all workers in all walks of life should down tools on September 20 in a 30-minute national strike to demonstrate support for action on climate change.

The University and College Union (UCU) represents millions of school students across the globe. As part of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) the union can call on other member unions to offer their support. Those unions include UNISON, Unite and PCS, many of whose members work in the FM and support services sectors.

 

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg is behind the call to make the student climate strike global and for adults, workers and trade unionists to join in. The UK School Climate Network has supported the call and is encouraging trade unionists to offer support in the form of strike action that will initiate a week of climate action - Friday 20-27.

 

Motion

In line with motions passed at the recent UCU Congress, the union is submitting a motion to the forthcoming TUC Congress which takes place from September 8 to 11 in Brighton.

The motion reads: 'We are calling on all the TUC affiliate unions, student unions throughout our colleges and universities and politicians and community groups, to support the call for a 30-minute workday stoppage in solidarity with the global school student strike on 20 September'.

A UCU spokesperson said: "Climate is a trade union issue. Trade unionists must play a central role in shaping the way society's economic and social organisation meets the needs of future generations and the planet."

 

Likelihood

The TUC has indicated that is will call for the workday solidarity stoppage, as have similar organisations in Belgium and France.

 

Get involved

The UCU spokesperson continued: "You can talk to people in your workplace about why this is so important. Think about holding a meeting to discuss what action you can take. If you can, invite a school striker or climate activist. Be creative and imaginative. Tell your employer about the strength of feeling in support of backing the young people."

 

Brazilian Embassies trashed by Extinction Rebellion

Extinction Rebellion have daubed red paint over the front of Brazilian Embassies in 11 countries, including the UK, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Spain and Chile.

The acts of vandalism started on Tuesday August 13 in the build up to protests by thousands of Indigenous women against the violence they and their families suffer at the hands of farmers and paid hands as rainforests are turned over to agriculture. Extinction Rebellion organisers say that they are 'openly challenging the Brazilian government over state-sanctioned human rights abuses and ecocide'. International Extinction Rebellion groups have stated that further disruption will occur until Indigenous demands for land, rights, health and justice are met

 

London

At 8:00am in London, members from an Extinction Rebellion affinity group known as 'the Snowflakes' blockaded the main entrances to the Brazilian Embassy on Cockspur Street near Trafalgar Square.

In a continuing escalation of a #PaintTheStreets campaign, the Rebels used paint and cardboard stencils to cover the walls and windows of the Embassy in messages of dissent. They then doused the building in red paint.

 

Stuck

The Rebels attached themselves to the building by supergluing their hands to the windows. Others fastened bicycle locks around their necks and the door handles to maintain the blockade. They were then surrounded by more activists taking part in a nearby march. This prevented Embassy workers from entering the building for the morning’s work.

 

Boomtown

Boomtown is an immersive, theatre-style festival experience held in London where the attendees get to take part in 'real-life' scenarios. At the close of the experience, at 5:00pm on Sunday, Extinction Rebellion 'actors' stormed the palaces of powerful bankers and tycoons, (bolstered in numbers by newly initiated and well trained rebels).

Old and new recruits will be putting their skills to the test when they storm the Palace of Westminster in October 7.

 

Coming apocalypse

Festival guests took part in a quest, investigating over 50 challenges around the festival, culminating in collecting a blueprint of the bankers’ and tycoons’ plans to build a dome over their opulent stronghold of Paradise Heights, to save themselves while the rest of the world is engulfed by the coming apocalypse. They were then directed to Extinction Rebellion’s Rebel Rebel Hideout to be trained up in non-violent direct action so that they could join the Rebellion, march on Paradise Heights and take it over.

Picture: Monday August 12 saw Extinction Rebels attack and vandalise the Brazilian Embassy in London.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 15 August 2019

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