Draft legislation published by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the 20th April 2010 ostensibly to deal with the issue of contentious parades, will outlaw all public demonstrations, protests etc that have not given the police 37 days notice. So, trade unions, women’s groups, anti-racist groups, community organisations, political activists – any campaigners – can forget about calling emergency protests if this law goes through.
The notes attached to the Bill give as an example that “if a group wanted to protest against the closure of a local sports facility….the group’s activity would fall under the definition of a public meeting and would therefore be subject to the notification procedures for a public assembly”.
If the Bill becomes law, ALL gatherings involving 50 or more people, and which take place in any “public space” will be required to give 37 days prior notice. “Public space” is defined as “any road or footway or any other place, apart from a building to which the public or a section of the public has access”. This definition would include the grounds or entrances to workplaces, schools, hospitals, government and council offices etc.

It is no accident that this law is proposed now – major cuts in public spending are already underway. This will mean the loss of thousands of jobs, the closure of schools, hospital wards and day centres, cuts to the community and voluntary sector and to all kinds of services and the introduction of water charges. There will be a vital need to resist the cuts.

People Before Profit Alliance candidate Eamonn McCann has congratulated Derry postal workers for their victory against discrimination.

Eamonn McCann said “the postal workers did everything that they could through negotiation and polite lobbying to get their rights, but without success. It took industrial action to win – that is the lesson of this victory for all workers.”

The Chief Electoral Office for the North has refused to intervene in the Derry postal dispute which may prevent free delivery of election material in the Foyle constituency.
Answering a letter from People Before Profit candidate Eamonn McCann, electoral chief Douglas Bain said that: “The entitlement of a candidate to have election literature delivered free of charge for postage is not a matter for which I have any responsibility.”
Mr. McCann said that he was “very disappointed” by the response.
Derry postal workers have voted not to deliver election communications because they have been offered less money for the job than workers elsewhere. Said Mr.McCann: “My argument to Mr. Bain was that the dispute put parties committed to trade union principles at a disadvantage and that this went against equality laws.
“We will not cooperate with Royal Mail’s plan to hire a private firm using casual labour to do the disputed work. I am now asking for an urgent meeting with Royal Mail management in Belfast to discuss the implications of their stance for the election in Foyle.
“If there is no change, we will refuse to have our material delivered under an arrangement which undermines the CWU workers. People Before Profit will be calling on other parties to join us in taking this stance.”

Eamonn McCann, People Before Profit candidate in Westminister elections, speaks in Dublin. from Paula Geraghty on Vimeo.

We are told that the credit crunch means we have to tighten our belts. But the bankers who brought on the crisis are pocketing billions in bonuses. If these resources were properly used there’d be no need for cut-backs and closures. We’re up for a fight to make this happen.

This view of the world is behind our radical vision for the development of Derry. We challenge the consensus that basing everything on attracting private investment is the only way forward.

We stand for the interests of the working class, the marginalised and oppressed. We believe that it is through organising in communities, workplaces and colleges that we can best advance. We will use the platform of a Westminster seat to support and speak up for grass-roots organisation.

We go beyond Orange versus Green to speak for the common interests of all who have been left behind by the peace process. We are united with People Before Profit in the South. Campaigning for progressive change across the island is the all-Ireland dimension we believe in.

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If elected, I will use the position of MP to:
* campaign to transform Derry into a vibrant city that is focussed on its people and on public services.
* help organise united action by communities to solve common problems, instead of competition between communities which can flare up at any time.
* encourage grass-roots resistance to the spending cuts imposed by Stormont and Westminster which hit hardest at the most vulnerable. And expose parties which vote for the budgets behind the cuts and then protest against the cuts when they come.

The Campaign Song for Eamonn McCann for Westminster.

The campaign song for People Before Profit Alliance in Northern Ireland - Performed by Paddy Nash- People Before Profit.

The chorus is as follows: "put the people before the profit/ put the need before the greed/ and we'll find a new direction beyond the Orange and the Green".

Listen to song HERE

Download the song for FREE here:

http://paddynash.co.uk/web/music.asp

VOTE Eamonn McCann No 1 Eamonn McCann, People Before Profit Candidate in Foyle We are told that the global crunch means we have to tighten our belts. But the bankers who brought on the crisis are pocketing billions in bonuses. If these resources were properly used there’d be no need for cut-backs and closures. We’re up for a fight to make this happen. This view of the world is behind our radical vision for the development of Derry. We challenge the consensus among the other parties that basing everything on attracting private investment is the only way forward. We stand for the interests of the working class, the marginalised and oppressed. We believe that it is through organising in communities, workplaces and colleges that we can advance. We will use the platform of a Westminster seat to support and speak up for grass-roots organisation.

We go beyond Orange versus Green to speak for the common interests of all who have been left behind by the peace process. We are united with People Before Profit in the South. Campaigning for change across the island is our all-Ireland dimension.