Great to have some time with trade activists from across Scotland in Dundee yesterday (Sat 25 March). We’ve all spent a lot of time and energy over the last few years campaigning against horrible corporate power-grabs like TTIP, CETA and TPP, so it’s really good to be able to talk about positive alternatives. We need to push our elected representatives to think about positive trade deals that puts environmental protection and workers’ rights before corporate profit. It’s not going to be an easy campaign to win, but it has to be worth it…
Take Back Our World
Of the 100 largest economic entities, 69 are corporations. Big business has a grip on our lives like never before, undermining democracy and acting like an anti-Robin Hood – taking from the poor to give to the rich. Come along to the Take Back Our World conference being organised by Global Justice Now and the Radical Independence Campaign this Saturday – find out who really owns and runs Scotland, how to challenge corporations and what it all means for the debate around independence.
Saturday 28 January, 9:30am – 5:30pm
Charles Wilson Building, Kelvin Way, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Find out more and book your tickets here
Loads of great speakers from around the world, including Larry Sanders (the one with the famous brother, not the one with the sitcom), Dorothy Grace Guerrero from Focus on the Global South, Nick Dearden from Global Justice Now and others from La Via Campesina, the Transnational Institute, Red Pepper, OpenDemocracy and more. Plus workshops to get you thinking and get you campaigning…
Dump Trump
Really good to join the Dump Trump demo in Buchanan Street at the end of last week. And brilliant to see hundreds of people out on the streets despite the cold weather. He might not be listening to anyone other than himself, but it’s still vital that we stand together around the world to limit the damage he can do. As one of the speakers said, the time for mourning is over – it’s time to take action and work together for a better world.
No racism – protecting rights, defending communities
We’ll be heading along to join the STUC’s St Andrew’s Day Anti-Racism march on Saturday. In the world of Brexit, Trump and post-truth politics, we all have to unite to stand up against racism and bigotry. So the march seems more important than ever this year – come along and join in.
Saturday 26 November
10:30, Glasgow Green (rally at GFT at 12)
Stopping CETA at the SECC
Great Stop CETA action at the SNP conference on Saturday, with activists from right across Scotland. Those dastardly corporate rats came along, with their pro-CETA message, but we made sure that delegates to the conference all heard the truth about this terrible corporate power-grab. Let’s just hope the politicians were listening too – we need the MEPs to vote against CETA.
And when Nicola Sturgeon is telling her party about the importance of inclusion, the Scottish Government should be developing alternative approaches to international trade, not signing up to deals written by corporations in their own interests. We need a people’s trade deal, not CETA!!!
When Two Worlds Collide
We’ll be at the ever-marvellous Take One Action film festival this Sunday, for a screening of ‘When Two Worlds Collide‘, the immersive film about clashes in Peru over the Free Trade Agreement with the US. And if that isn’t enough for one day, we’ve got a fringe event afterwards about developing a fairer trade system.
6-7:30pm, Sunday 18th Sept, CCA, Sauchiehall St
Join us to hear from Dr Patricia Oliart of the UK Peru Support Group, Nick Dearden of Global Justice Now and Ruth Bergan of the Trade Justice Movement about the trading system we need to work towards, rather than the crazy corporate trade deals like TTIP and CETA.
