The Olympics – What will be left when the Circus leaves town?
Posted on | January 2, 2009 | No Comments
Hear speakers, watch film and debate the Olympics at an event on Thursday the 8th of January 6.30 – 8pm at Stratford Circus, Stratford Circus, Theatre Square, Stratford (opposite Pizza Express)
Contact: londoncoalitionagainstpoverty@
What will the Olympics mean for the people of East London?
There have been a lot of promises. We’ve been told that the 2012 will create thousands of jobs, hundreds of houses and much needed investment to East London. However, some argue that the Olympics will create a handful of low paid, temporary jobs, worsen the housing crisis in the area and benefit only corporate sponsors and property developers.
The event will hear from a panel of speakers on Olympics issues such as:
- Displacement of local people due to increasing housing costs or development.
- The kinds of jobs that will be created
- The impact of heightened policing on communities
- What sports facilities will be provided for local people
- What has and is happening in other Olympic Cities around the world
Speakers Include:
- Cara Fisher from the Olympic Resistance Network and Vancouver Anti Poverty Committee who are opposing the 2010 Winter games held in Vancouver.
- A representative from Queens Market Newham, to talk about their campaign to save the market from development.
- A trade union representative from the Olympic construction site to talk about the reality of Olympic jobs (tbc)
- Julian Cheyne ex resident of Clays lane Housing Co op and member of Games Monitor.
- A youth representative from Newham Sixth form college to talk about their views on the Olympics.
Speakers and Films followed by a debate
Access information: The main entrance at Stratford Circus has wide automatic doors to provide easy access for wheelchairs. Lifts give access to all floors. There are wide corridors throughout the venue, to accommodate wheelchair users. Disabled toilets are provided on the ground, level 1 and in the level 2 changing rooms.
Supported by London Coalition Against Poverty / London Social Forum
Sponsored by Newham Sixth Form College
LCAP occupies RBS - people power, not bankers’ bonuses!
Posted on | December 23, 2008 | 1 Comment
On Monday 22nd, members and sympathisers of LCAP disrupted work at the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland. Dressed up as Santa Clauses, a group of people distracted the security guards while another group passed the security barrier and went upstairs to hand out flyers to RBS workers, including those on a trading floor. The flyers explained that, this year, city bankers will be getting large Christmas bonuses while four in ten children in London, and eight of ten in neighbouring borough of Tower Hamlets, live in poverty. With large cuts in funding to essential housing and welfare services, more and more poor folks are being turned to the streets and to charities for basic living supplies like food. The protesters were eventually pushed out to the street, where they handed out more flyers and held banners reading “Bonuses for the poor, not the rich”.
Media reports
Guardian article on bank bonuses anticipates LCAP action
Residents Demand Action
Posted on | December 15, 2008 | No Comments
On Saturday LCAP and residents of Alexandra Court , a temporary accommodation hostel in Hackney, marched to a local councillor’s surgery to demand immediate action. 25 people confronted their local councillor. They told her about the disrepair and unsuitable conditions that they and their families are living in.
Residents also brought the experience of those who couldn’t attend the surgery. For example one disabled man has been unable to leave his apartment for 5 weeks due to the building’s inaccessibility.
The councillor attempted to take each person’s experience individually to deal with on a case-by-case basis. Residents refused the individual casework and said that their demands were collective.
By acting together the residents were able to demand that the councillor go to the hostel immediately after the surgery so that the residents could show her the state that they were being forced to live in. She spent the afternoon going to each flat and hearing residents demands.
The residents gave her one month to make something happen. If the response is not satisfactory they promised further action.
DAN blocks Whitehall against Welfare Reform Act
Posted on | December 4, 2008 | 6 Comments
Yesterday (Wednesday 3rd December, International Day of Disabled People 2008) at 2pm, activists from the UK Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN) and London Coalition Against Poverty (LCAP) blocked traffic both ways on Whitehall, directly outside Downing Street, for over 45 minutes in protest against the new Welfare Reform Act, which replaces Incapacity Benefit with a much more punitive “Employment Support Allowance” and forces disabled people into “workfare” schemes which are effectively free labour for corporations.
Appeal dismissed: Friday picket & other actions for Amey/NPL cleaners
Posted on | November 23, 2008 | No Comments
Friday 28th November :
Protest outside Amey offices in central London against negative decision on appeal against dismissal. 1-2pm Meet 12.45pm @ Chancery Lane tube on the Central Line (Grays Inn Road exit)for protest at 1pm at Amey, 5th Floor, 1 Waterhouse Square, (Leather Lane entrance) London EC1N 2ST
On Saturday we learnt that the appeals against dismissal by the five cleaners represented by their union Prospect, were rejected by Amey PLC.
It now seems likely this case will go to a Employment Tribunal. If so it could be a drawn-out process of several months. We hope to keep the pressure up throughout and this initial action is our response to the company’s decision.
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