Anarchic update news all over the world - 11 April 2017

Today's Topics:

   
1.  Sweden, anarcho synhdicalist service workers go on strike -
      gives notice of strike at Systembolaget [machine translation]
      (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
2.  Poland, rozbrat: Is the power UAM will continue to remain
      silent against racist incidents? Report from the meeting with the
      vice-rector of AMU [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
3.  Czech, afed: Clinic mutilate, deface city! -- Invitation to
      the clinic for a demonstration on Sunday 9 April at 14.30 in the
      square [machine translation] (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
4.  derry anarchists: International Prisoner Solidarity in Derry
      with Palestine (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
5.  wsm.ie: Richest 300 in Ireland doubled wealth in the crisis
      - if you earn 30k then 300 of you make the same in 11, 000 years
      (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)
   
6.  wsm.ie: Common Threads #1 - How to organise a meeting
      (a-infos-en@ainfos.ca)


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Message: 1




The syndicalist Section, DFSA, portends a week's strike at Systembolaget in Stockholm. The 
strike is in protest against the buyer's use of "involuntary part-time" combined with the 
requirement of being able to jump in and do extra work without compensation. ---- - We 
want the strike to attract attention on the deteriorating working conditions have become 
of such a large employers, says Emil Boss, representative of the DFSA. ---- 
Systembolaget's personnel policy leads to an "untenable situation for many workers," 
according to the syndicalist Section at Systembolaget, DFSA. ---- By setting different job 
insecurity on the part of the system has the right to go up in working hours been 
eliminated. Now portends therefore DFSA the employer on strike.

- The vast majority of working part-time and involuntary part-time. This makes it 
difficult to live on Systembolaget that job. At the same time the right to be the primary 
employers and employees to call in at short notice for the extra work without 
compensation. This makes it difficult to combine with another job, says Emil Boss, 
representative of the DFSA.

It exemplified the conflict on three members where the employer ignored the employees will 
go up in time. Instead, the company has hired new people on part-time contracts and put 
out extra hours and overtime on these.

In response portends therefore now DFSA about a week's strike over the Easter weekend and 
take out the members concerned in Stockholm.

- We hope that Systembolaget should agree to raise the contract because labor demand is 
obviously there. We want to strike attract attention on the deteriorating working 
conditions have become of such a large employers, says Emil Boss.

published April 7, 2017
Axel Green

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Message: 2



Today at 12:30 a press conference preceding the Saturday demonstration "Nationalism does 
not pass." The conference was held under the rector's office at AMU ul.Wieniawskiego. This 
place was chosen not accidentally. One of the reasons for convening the Saturday 
demonstration, a beating last week, an Indian student. The demonstration was also 
supported by two university institutes providing facebookowych on their sides invitation 
to the demonstration and declaration "Students, students and workers and employees of the 
University. Adam Mickiewicz against nationalism and racism " . Yesterday morning rector - 
as he admitted his subordinate, the voices of opponents demonstration, the nationalists - 
ordered the removal of these shares. ---- On-site conference there were two police 
officers and the civilian. When the delegation went to the conference building to hand 
rector position on this issue, uniformed police officers were also in the middle, breaking 
once again the autonomy of the university. The delegation was stopped at the entrance to 
the rector's office, the employees, who "advised" to send a document by mail (sic). But 
then came the vice-rector Prof. Tadeusz Wallas, to receive the letter, also marked the 
exchanges. Vice-Rector said that talks within the university community on improving the 
safety of foreign students. At the same time he claimed that the university as an 
institution can not take a position in the debate of a political nature. At the end, 
however, he stated that he will be prepared a letter condemning the attacks on racial and 
nationality.

We hope that the final declaration of the rector of the procedure will remain the media, 
and any steps the university to which the Contra growing wave of hatred and violence 
motivated by nationalist ideology will not be zagraniami wizerunkowymi. The institution of 
the university should stand against such practices which are, unfortunately, already 
commonplace in a categorical and unyielding. Thus, we invite you on a Saturday 
demonstration of the entire academic community. Start at 14.00 at the Old Brewery!

http://www.rozbrat.org/informacje/poznan/4525-czy-wadz-uam-nadal-bd-milcze-wobec-rasistowskich-incydentow-relacja-ze-spotkania-z-prorektorem-uam

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Message: 3




Anarchist Federation joins the call of the Autonomous Social Center Clinic for the 
preservation of this unique project. ---- If nothing changes, Clinic will likely be 
vacated in the summer. Let's change that! Come on April 9 demonstration. The clinic still 
throbs such relations, meetings and events that are in the rest of the city swept into 
dark corners and trampled into the pavement. ---- Self-cultivation of ramshackle house, 
open sharing of experience and knowledge, alternative culture and politics of radical 
organization that backs away prior to brownish authoritarian swoosh around us. ---- We 
will not overwhelm advertising amaze overview of organized events, not to convince you of 
your own diligence. We want to convey the experience we have gained over the last two 
years. Prague needs his clinic and people who are determined to fulfill her life, there's 
enough.

On each of the difficult road trips over and self-help building a social center has never 
been easy. If there is a fall, it will not, however, due to the unrealistic goals of our 
naivety, but because of the diligence of people who did not prepare Clinic nothing more 
than their time-honored ideas. State offices and RIA OGRPA ultimately jointly devised a 
plan to squelch the center of the country. Both government institutions own a number of 
empty houses, but it was a major squaterky and expel squatters. Although the office 
according to the zoning plan in place is not, but it solves the loop, which likes to use 
developers. A place of meeting for the temporary use of the building, Mr. Drmola us from 
RIA turned off the water, for which we paid. The goal is not to save money or improve the 
functioning of state institutions, but to destroy the seeds of another city than we know it.

At present, it seems that if nothing changes, Clinic will likely be vacated in the summer. 
But we will do everything to ensure that something has changed. To groove in the conflict, 
but we will not retreat to those who act like children who received too much power and 
destroy what they do not like a cake in the sandbox. We want to be a compromise with the 
authorities, we want the future of the social center which Prague needs.

Come with us to fill the streets and show that your space in will not let you take it! 
Come on April 9 demonstration. Meeting at 14.30 in the square.

Will be different manifestations of the people, the blocks (feminist, climate, etc.), will 
samba band and sound systems will march through Wenceslas Square on Tešnov, finished with 
afterparty, where the band will play Dude Whatever Wasted and North platform.

Enlarge, spread, come.

Více info:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1800694636850243/
https://radar.squat.net/en/event/prague/klinika/2017-04-09/dont-ruin-klinika-dont-ruin-our-city


https://www.afed.cz/text/6643/nenicte-kliniku-nenicte-mesto

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Message: 4



Many trade union, political activists and community activists took to the streets of Derry 
earlier this afternoon in a show of solidarity Derry political prisoners in Palestine as 
part of an international day of solidarity with Political Prisoners. ---- The event was 
organised by the Derry Branch of Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign who have to date 
carried out a number of successful solidarity actions with Palestinian Political Prisoners 
as well as the local BDS campaign. ---- A number of speakers during todays event spoke of 
the recent arrests of 4 Human Rights Defenders from Hebron and Palestinian student Kifah 
Quzmar ordered imprisoned for six months without charge or trial on Monday 3rd April 
highlighting the brutal oppression that Palestinians are living under every day of their 
lives. For more images please visit our Facebook page at Derry Anarchists.

http://derryanarchists.blogspot.co.il/2017/04/international-prisoner-solidarity-in.html

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Message: 5




The richest 300 people in Ireland have doubled their wealth from €50Bn to €100Bn in the 
last 7 years. That means the number of people who'd fit in a large pub have enough money 
to have paid the original bank bailout of €64Bn outright (and still be so rich they 
wouldn't have to work a day). ---- The Irish Independent have released their annual 
Greatest Hoarders List ('Rich List') for 2017. Tallying up the numbers, the 11 richest 
people in 2017 hold the same wealth which the top 300 had in 2010 - about a 27 times more 
concentrated wealth among the super-rich in 7 years. And yes Denis O'Brien is in the top 
11. Man of the people Michael O'Leary is just outside with a modest €1Bn. It's not unique 
to Ireland by any stretch either - the richest 8 hoarders on the planet own as much as the 
poorest 50%, or 3.7 billion people, and wealth is actually becoming more concentrated each 
year.

It goes without saying that the wealth of the vast majority of us has not doubled in the 
past 7 years. We have been living in another world entirely. Indeed we are just little 
ants with pocket money to these people. The fact that such insane wealth can accrue to so 
few people is a sign that this economic system is irretrievably flawed. What kind of 
bizarre glitch could allowed this to happen for centuries? And it makes you question how 
anything resembling democracy is supposed to work with this amazing inequality.

To put this wealth into context, consider the following. There are 2 more billionaires on 
Ireland's Wealth Glitch list than last year. A billion is €1,000,000,000. A billion euro 
coins weigh as much as 20 Boeing 747s, and would stack as high as 20 Spires. A billion in 
ten euro notes would create a red carpet which would run the length of the Great Wall of 
China and still have enough left to bridge between Galway and Nova Scotia in Canada.

But that's only one billion. The richest 300 in Ireland have 100 of these. 100 billion is 
1 with 11 zeroes. €100 billion worth of tenners would make 17 return trips to the Moon 
laid end to end. The smallest legally allowable apartment in Dublin & Cork is 45 metres 
squared. 100 billion would cover the floor space of 19,000 of these apartments. It would 
take about 14 years and 6 months of constant 14-hour shifts to count 100 billion euro 
coins. It would take 300 people on €30k/year 11,111 years to make it to €100 billion. If 
we started during the agricultural revolution, when agriculture was first discovered and 
used by humans, we'd be finished now. Just 11 thousand years of elbow grease and keeping 
the head down until the top!

Naturally the phrase ‘self-made' appears in this list, to which we suggest sending a few 
billionaires onto a desert island and seeing what great fortunes they concoct out of thin 
air without an army of wealth creators, A.K.A. employees. And of course each billion that 
those at the top of the Game of Life scoreboard get means less money in our pockets, as 
capitalism is largely a ‘zero-sum' game, a game of winners and losers.

Often we assume that year by year, the further we step into the modern world the better 
things will get. This is the idea of 'linear progress', like a straight line on a chart 
moving up. Sometimes this can be true, by accident.

For instance in the case of the steady and rapid decline of the Catholic Church's power in 
Ireland over the last 30 years. Contraception, divorce, decriminalisation of 
homosexuality, widespread disgrace at child beating and raping, passing marriage equality, 
ever fewer believers, and the abortion ban hanging on by its fingernails. Although it is 
absolutely driven by the tireless work of thousands, it's a trend we've become so used to 
that it almost seems like a natural process which happens by itself.

In the case of economic inequality, that illusion is easily shattered. Year on year the 
wealth divide is increasing, and our societies further come to resemble the savage 19th 
century rather than the progressive 21st century, as it is branded. This is especially 
unsurprising given that while our high technology is cutting edge, our social institutions 
are the same as those of the 19th century, and before, for example parliamentary 
'democracy' which developed as a fudge between absolute monarchy and actual democracy.

As innocuous as this idea of 'linear progress' might sound, it's crucial that we believe 
this in order for this society to stay the same - for instance, to keep the same economic 
model of private ownership, wage labour, and profit. It's a crucial ruse. The only real 
way of defending things as they are - apart from crying 'there is no alternative' - is to 
make the majority believe that ultimately life is improving. Each year society becomes 
more advanced and good - the story goes - progress continues, and so there's no need to 
fundamentally change anything. Gradually all these problems will work themselves out. It's 
very similar to the often ridiculed 'Invisible Hand' idea.

One clear lesson to be learned from this is that linear progress is a myth. In many ways 
in 2017 the leaves on the trees are turning yellow and dying rather than sprouting to new 
heights. This is only surprising if we see progress as a function of time rather than of 
the balance of power between the exploited and exploiters. Indeed there's no law of nature 
which says that history cannot go 'backwards', as we are seeing with the recent rise of 
the far right in several countries.

The point being that if we at all expect society to gradually become fairer of its own 
accord, by centrist, or even left, governments tweaking things here and there, we will be 
constantly surprised. It's in the basic nature of this economic system for property to 
gather into fewer and fewer hands. The only thing which has ever reversed this is people 
like you and me banding together so that the rich and mighty can't pick us off one by one, 
particularly in trade unions. And even then, big business swung back when the union 
movement declined because while the balance of power had changed, the system underneath it 
all was the same.

How long until one person in Ireland owns as much as the top 300 did? How long until 1 
person owns as much the poorest 50% on Earth? We can expect to be in the dark ages of 2200 
if we, the wealth creators, don't take charge of our destinies together.

http://www.wsm.ie/c/richest-300-ireland-doubled-wealth-crisis

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Message: 6



Organising requires getting together and making decisions, sharing information and 
organisational work.  It only takes a few informal chats among any group of people before 
it becomes obvious that some structure is greatly needed in facilitating group 
functioning.  Without structures and procedures people often forget what was agreed, what 
tasks were to be done and by whom, or when the next meeting is. ---- People often get 
frustrated that they never get to have their say, or that meetings go on for ages with no 
decisions made, not to mention people jumping from one topic to another.  Fortunately a 
long history of activism and anarchist organising has led to the development of methods 
for dealing with these problems and arranging meetings so that they can be effective.

Whatever meeting process your group agrees on will probably naturally end up being 
tailored to your particular group.  There are no hard and fast rules, just guidelines and 
suggested roles.  One of the most important, that immediately begins to bring order to a 
group's meetings is a rule that people raise their hands to indicate they wish to 
contribute, and then speakers are taken in order.

This requires someone to take on the role of facilitator and bring those whose turn it is 
to speak into the discussion.  In meetings of 8 or more people it's very useful to have 
the queue of speakers' names visible (on a whiteboard or similar) so that everyone knows 
when their turn is coming and how long they're likely to be waiting.

The facilitator's role is to help the group have a well run and inclusive meeting, 
encouraging similar levels of input from everyone, keeping the meeting focussed on one 
item at a time until a decision is reached by the group.  The facilitator does not direct 
the group or make decisions for them, and the role should be rotated through all group 
members, it is a skill that almost anyone can learn.

At the beginning of a meeting, figuring out what points are to be discussed and writing up 
the agenda in a prominent place creates a very useful tool.  It gives the group a good 
idea of the scope of the meeting, of how long the meeting is likely to take, and allows 
the items to be discussed to be ordered in a way that makes sense - usually moving the 
weightiest, most time consuming items to the end, and trimming some items if it looks like 
the meeting will run too long.

The facilitator should ensure that the outcome of each agenda item is recorded, this can 
be done by a separate minute taker, to relieve the facilitator of some of the effort of 
running the meeting.  Each agenda item will probably lead to a decision by the group.

How decisions are made is something that should be explicitly agreed upon by the group, 
most groups use consensus-based decision making (where all decisions are agreed to, or at 
least not disagreed with, by all members).

The outcome of each decision should be recorded by the minute-taker, this is quite likely 
to involve an action (i.e. a task to be carried out by one or more members of the group) 
and/or an agenda item at a later meeting - if further discussion or a report-back after an 
action is required.

If meetings tend to run too long, adding a time limit to each agenda item can help 
meetings to run to schedule.  Time limits do not have to be rigidly adhered to but it will 
help the group to be aware of how long the meeting will take, and decide whether or not to 
continue on a point if it's likely to make the meeting run longer.

As agenda items are discussed and dealt with, the facilitator should try to regulate the 
flow of conversation to ensure roughly equal participation from all members. Quieter 
members should be encouraged to participate in discussion, with no individual being 
allowed to dominate and more vocal members asked to hold back.

There are many tools available for aiding with this, the use of hand signals (see end of 
this article), a conch or talking-stick, if the group is large, breaking it up into 
smaller discussion groups, using go-arounds (i.e. taking input from everyone in turn) to 
get each attendee to express their thoughts on a point or issue.

As proposals are made the facilitator should summarize them for the group and make sure 
everyone agrees with what is proposed.  It can be useful to write proposals up where they 
can be seen by all meeting attendees.  If agreement hasn't been reached after a reasonable 
amount of time and discussion the item may be tabled until the next meeting.

The facilitator should try to keep the meeting moving forward but make sure each item is 
sufficiently discussed , ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to input, and not 
mistaking silence for agreement.

Vibe-watching is another important aspect of facilitation.  Meetings are necessary for 
getting things discussed and agreed upon but also for group-maintenance - ensuring 
everyone feels fully involved and empowered in the group and encouraging solidarity and 
connection between group members.

Vibe-watch includes keeping an eye on the atmosphere of the meeting, helping the groups 
deal with conflict and distress, and watching for members being affected.  If the group is 
becoming restless, bored or tired, the facilitator (or vibe-watcher if the role has been 
assigned to someone else) can call for a break or run a quick energising activity.

After all agenda items have been covered it's common practise to have an AOB section, 
where people can bring up brief items that either have come up during the meeting or were 
not thought of in time to make it onto the agenda.  Before the meeting ends the date, time 
and location of the group's next meeting should be decided on, along with who will take on 
the facilitation role(s).

There are some people who, for one reason or another, do not find they can participate 
well in meetings, or group settings.  If this is the case in your group efforts should be 
made to ensure they are included in other ways.

Someone attending the meeting can make sure any points or proposals the person would like 
discussed are brought up at the meeting.  They can be given the opportunity to have a say 
in decisions made at the meeting and can be briefed afterwards, along with having the 
minutes sent to them.

Meeting facilitation can be difficult and demanding, particularly with large groups 
(anything upwards of 10 or 12 people).  The role of facilitator should be rotated through 
the group with everyone who feels they can taking turns facilitating.  External 
facilitation training is often a good idea, groups like WSM, Seeds For Change and others 
are open to providing such training.

Anarchist meeting facilitation can be used effectively with groups of any size, even up to 
hundreds of attendees.  It should be kept in mind that the larger the group the more time 
will probably be required for each agenda item, and the longer it will take for the group 
to reach consensus on decisions.

Facilitating a large group is more difficult and the responsibilities can be shared among 
several members.  Some possible roles and the usual duties associated with each are 
provided below.

Your group may choose to adopt some or all of them, combine some of them, or think of new 
ones of your own that suit your group.  However your group decides to organise your 
meetings it is most important that each member feels meetings are an effective and useful 
endeavour.

Roles: Facilitator, Queue Keeper, Time Keeper, Minute Taker, Vibe-Watcher, Attendee
Equipment: Meeting room with seating, heating (if needed), whiteboard(s), markers & 
wipers, pens + paper and/or laptop

Facilitator
Prepare the agenda before the meeting

Make sure the meeting location is appropriate for all attendees: accessibility, 
temperature, etc

Send around any pre-meeting material you have

Explain at the beginning what the meeting is about and how it will run

Do a go-around to have everyone introduce themselves to the group (usually called a check-in)

Have the minutes of the last meeting with you (or get someone else to have them)

Look for agenda items from attendees at the beginning of the meeting

Organise agenda items into an appropriate order

Add a time limit/guideline for each agenda point

Keep the meeting running smoothly and on-agenda and try to keep agenda items to their 
stated time limits

If non-agenda items come up in discussion they may be added to the agenda, or moved to AOB

Make sure one person at a time speaks (back-and-forths can be ok sometimes but they should 
be the exception rather than the rule)

Point at and call the name of the person whose turn it is to speak

Discourage people talking out of turn

Encourage people to speak who haven't spoken or have been speaking less than others (or 
ask more vocal attendees to hold back)

Get the queue keeper to write down all proposals on a whiteboard

Engage the meeting on said proposals and try to get to consensus

Make sure people feel ready to make a decision on a proposal, they made need some more time

Use go-arounds where appropriate to get discussion flowing

Keep the numbers of direct responses down, 3 per person per discussion is a good rough limit

Ensure the minute taker has noted all decisions and actions and anything else that needs 
to be noted

At the end of the meeting check to see if the group would like any of the agenda items or 
decisions revisited at the next meeting

Have a closing go-around (a check-out) to check how the group feels the meeting went, if 
aims were reached, actions apportioned fairly, and everything discussed thoroughly

Time Keeper
Keep track of the time spent on each agenda item and alert the group, or facilitator, when 
the time limit allotted to an item is approaching

Negotiate extra time for agenda items or the whole meeting, if necessary

Queue Keeper
Write down the names of people who put their hands up to speak.

Cross/rub out the names of those who have spoken.

If you wish to speak yourself add your name to bottom of the queue.
If someone has a direct response or a technical point and the facilitator hasn't noticed, 
alert them

Write down any proposals that are announced (can also be performed by the agenda keeper)

Agenda Keeper

Write the agenda items up as they are announced.

Cross/rub out agenda items once discussion has finished.

Write down any proposals that are announced (can also be performed by the queue keeper).

Minute Taker
Write down the start and end time of the meeting.

Take down the names of attendees.

Record action items, proposals, decisions, agenda items for the next meeting, and any 
other important points such as volunteers or interesting bits of conversation

Minuting everything that's said is very difficult and is probably unnecessary, if this is 
required, consider recording the meeting, otherwise just write down the topics discussed

After the meeting distribute the minutes to group members

Vibe Watcher
Pay attention to the group dynamics and emotional atmosphere, listening carefully and 
observing body language.

Intervene, if it seems necessary, in situations of distress or conflict, perhaps 
suggesting one-on-one time-outs or smaller discussions

Suggest breaks or energising activities where they seem appropriate or required, meetings 
should be fun and enjoyable where possible

Attendee
Send around any pre-meeting material you have.

Put your hand up when you wish to speak, you will be called upon by the facilitator.

If someone has their hand up but the queue keeper or facilitator hasn't noticed, point at 
the person.

Similarly, if a proposal is made and neither the facilitator nor the queue keeper have 
noted it, indicate that you have a technical point and point it out.

Try to self-facilitate as much as possible: if you have been speaking often or for a long 
time try to let others in ahead of you, if you are called upon to speak but you don't 
think it's your turn point it out.

Where you feel it is necessary, you can actively participate in facilitation by making a 
technical point, e.g. when you don't think enough time has been given for discussion of a 
proposal.

Use the hand signals:
hand up = add me to the queue please
wavy hands pointing upwards = approval
wavy hands pointing downwards = disapproval
wavy hands pointing out from the body = ambivalence or not sure
T-sign = technical point - not related to the discussion but to something ancillary
two hands up (or a finger on each hand) = I wish to jump the queue to give a brief 
response to something just said

Further Reading

WSM, How to avoid Bad Meetings and hold a Conversation about Anarchism, 
http://www.wsm.ie/c/avoid-bad-meetings-training-report-back

Seeds For Change, Facilitating Meetings, http://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/facilitationmeeting

http://www.wsm.ie/c/howto-organise-meeting

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