By Mick Sweetman

This past year has witnessed a renewed assault on unionized workers that should be seen for what it is: a co-ordinated attack on the right of workers to collectively bargain with their employers.

One of the opening salvos in this new wave of class warfare occurred immediately after the far-right ideologue Rob Ford was elected Mayor of Toronto on a platform of “stopping the gravy train”—none-too-subtle code words for attacking public sector workers and the services they provide.

By Gerard Lefebvre

In 1995, Mike Harris was elected Premier of Ontario, bringing an end to Bob Rae's five year NDP government. The province was ailing under a deep recession, which had seen many manufacturing and public service jobs threatened by what the governing NDP had referred to as “a new economic reality”. Elected into office by a population thoroughly dissatisfied with status quo responses to these economic maladies, the NDPs crafted a wholly inadequate response to the situation: a meld of traditional Keynesian anti-recession spending mechanisms and hard-line cuts to programs and services; Rae instituted a "welfare fraud" policing task force and new policies on student loans that ensured students would be saddled with debt years after completing their education. They also began what amounted to an attack on unionized public sector workers, demanding rollbacks and wage freezes.

An Interview with the organizers of Hamilton Cop-Watch

Copwatch is a network of activist organizations dedicated to the observation and recording of police interactions with the public. Formed in the 90's in Berkely it now has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Scott, a lead organizer of the new Hamilton branch has offered to answer some questions for us before departing to Israel-Palestine on academic research.

What was the impetus behind forming this group?

The motivation behind the formation of Hamilton CopWatch is, at base
level, the same drive which has given rise to CopWatch groups across this
continent and beyond for over the past 20 years: a deeply felt need
to construct cooperative sources of protection against police abuse. In
the face of a local police force whose daily operations threaten the
safety, well-being and dignity of our communities, we have been compelled

by Bruce 'the Bruiser' Darden

Before the Lockout

In the spring of 2011, during the rotating strikes and subsequent lockout of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), anarchists living in southern Ontario attempted to organize support and solidarity for their working class brothers and sisters. Specifically, members of Common Cause took an active role organizing community solidarity and fightback in Toronto and Hamilton. These members did not organize under the banner of Common Cause, but participated in the activities planned by the mass organizations that these members are a part of—especially Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP); the Greater Toronto Workers' Assembly (GTWA); Steel City Solidarity (a solidarity network in Hamilton); and CUPE Locals 3902 & 3907.

Solidarity with the Seattle Anarchists! One member of Seattle Solidarity Network & our sister organization the WSA has been arrested after police crashed an anarchist party arresting 7 people.

On July 24th at about 10:45, between 30 and 40 anarchists gathered outside the downtown jail for a noise demonstration in solidarity with the six still in jail from last night's arrests. (One of the seven arrested has been released.)

The noise demonstration proceeded around the jail for about 15 minutes, banging pots and pans, banging on road signs and walls with sticks, throwing fireworks, writing anti-cop slogans on walls, and blockading the streets around the jail.

At this point, cop cars came from all directions, including undercover cars and canine units. The demonstration attempted to disperse, but many people were chased down. At least fifteen people were arrested, and five more were detained and released.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Spanish Revolution, Common Cause Hamilton presents:

Libertarias: an anarchist film screening and social

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the nun Maria is forced to flee her convent. She takes refuge in a brothel, until it is liberated by a woman's anarchist group. Maria joins the group and eventually goes to the front. The women's group faces the problems of fighting not only the nationalists, but also factions on the left seeking to impose a more traditional military structure.

Tuesday, July 19 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Skydragon Centre, 27 King William Street, Hamilton

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=229615403736088

Hundreds march in Ottawa to oppose the Conservative Party national convention and Prime Minister Harper's keynote speech, his first major address since gaining a majority government.

The call to rally was to "make clear to the Conservative Party that we will not sit idly by while they attack our communities."

Speakers:
00:15 - Dan Sawyer, Take The Capital
01:25 - Brigette DePape, the 'rogue page' - more: http://youtu.be/kpAaFode3yY
03:13 - Lynn Bue, Canadian Union of Postal Workers - more: http://youtu.be/LDiRN2qYGKk
06:26 - Mohan Mishra, No One Is Illegal Toronto
09:32 - Mostafah Henaway, TADAMON!
12:36 - Bridget Tolley, Families of Sisters In Spirit
21:19 - Ben Powless, Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement - more: http://youtu.be/tlqud05PPIc & (written) http://bit.ly/l9vmJF