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Migration

Laters!

28/11/2021 by GJM

As you probably know, we are “resting” the group pending the growth of new shoots. (“Putting to sleep” sounds too veterinary / sinister.) Stephen aspires to move to Sheffield in the new year for family reasons and our ethos has been that collective ways of working were preferable.

However this does NOT mean Global Justice need cease to be a strategically important voice in the Greater Manchester. We encourage you not only to take actions as an individual but to claim them as GJ actions, strategically introducing people to the organisation that provides not only important levers for change but high quality research which is listened to and sought by parliamentary committees, national and international media, and the like.

We also encourage you to actively seek partners and to support others with kindred concerns and ethos. We’ve gained far greater impact through this, both in terms of bods on the street and authority in argument. Thanks to our comrades pictured herein. Collaboration works.

And we encourage you to (re)form as an organic Manchester group as having that local identity opens doors and gives opportunities to speak. As an individual you can’t claim an audience with any MP other than your constituency’s; as a Manchester group you can, claiming (with some justification if you’ve spoken with people in the area) to give voice to local concerns.

This may seem a little intimidating at first, but you can gain experience with others and support from GJN.

So, at the risk of boring or being felt to boast here are some pics. of our activities over the last 16 or so years showing the sort of thing you can do to get an image for a post and arrest attention. You may recognise yourself, friends or local scenes and politicians herein.

As Wellington’s motto has it: Virtutis Fortuna Comes- Fortune favours the bold!

And as the young say: “(Siya) laters!

If you are interested in helping out on Global Justice Now campaigns in Manchester, even if only occasionally, please let Guy Taylor at the GJN office know: guy.taylor@globaljustice.org.uk

P.S. Does anyone know the whereabouts of the massive white rip-stop nylon Climate Change Kills banner (now with WDM logo cut off) in its blue mail sack?

Filed Under: Events, Migration Tagged With: International Trade

Big Brother and post-Brexit trade deals

20/12/2020 by GJM

“Big Brother is watching you 68/366” by Skley is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

We’ve been campaigning hard to stop the US-UK trade deal, but it is not the only threat to post-Brexit sovereignty, as the Government rushes to smuggle a whole raft of dangerous deals under the radar while the country is distracted by coronavirus lockdowns and the EU negotiations.

“big brother” by Vince_Lamb is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The recent deal with Japan is a prime example – it lacks many of the privacy protections that we are used to. The Government calls this ‘improving data flows’, but what it really means is that your private details can be traded on the open market.

And Parliament has little control over the process. The Trade Bill is stuck in a ping-pong match between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as the latter attempts to introduce an element of democracy into a Bill that essentially gives Government Ministers the power to do whatever they want with no effective oversight.

The Japan deal itself has little immediate effect, as the trade in data with Japan is currently minimal. But it is the thin end of a very thick wedge, as it sets precedents for the much bigger deals which the Government is edging towards with the US and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Selling our birthright

“Baby getting injection” by vaccinesstockphotos is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

A major focus of UK-US post-Brexit trade negotiations will be the NHS patient database. It is probably the biggest, and most complete, collection of personal medical records in the world – an extremely valuable resource which can be used to improve healthcare provision. It can also be a source of massive profit for private companies – and a threat to the privacy of individual patients.

Google is already working with US healthcare companies to find profitable ways of exploiting such data, and they have already grabbed 1.6m patient records from the NHS, through an illegal collaboration with the Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust.

Would you want a website to know your ethnic background?

“Heathrow Border Control” by Ungry Young Man is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Another danger posed by unregulated data flows their use by racist and other discriminatory algorithms. Recently, the Home Office was discovered to be using such an algorithm for ‘streamlining’ visa applications. Not only did the algorithm discriminate against applications from citizens of certain countries, it also used its own decisions as data for rating countries, thus creating a feedback loop of ever strengthening prejudice.

Both sides of the Atlantic have seen a growth in supposedly ‘predictive’ policing, based on machine learning. In the US, campaigners have been attacking the use of facial-recognition technology which ‘predicts’ the criminality of suspects, based on their appearance.

Insurance companies and credit agencies are also investing heavily in this kind of technology.

‘The public-private partnership from hell’

“Cory Doctorow” by Ian Muttoo is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

The business model of internet giants Facebook and Google is based on harvesting personal information about us to use for commercial purposes.  These companies want to be able to move that information freely about the globe, passing it from company to company in search of profit. Much of this data will inevitably end up in the countries with the loosest legal regulation on its use

Cory Doctorow describes the current regime of data governance in the US as ‘the public-private partnership from hell, as corporations collect data for commercial purposes and share it with government agencies under the Homelands Security Act. It is a model that is no doubt being eyed by repressive governments everywhere.

The ‘internet of things’ and perpetual surveillance

Increasingly, everyday things are controlled by computers connected to the internet: electric meters; cars; fridges; computer games; TVs; stereo speakers; watches… You name it, it will

“Big Brother 2009 Italy” by _mixer_ is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

soon become part of the internet of things. And it will all be capable of collecting data and sending it to a central database. To be used… for what? Some of the potential uses may have great benefits for humankind. Others may just enable vast profits to be made. Some may be sinister, encroaching on our freedom or perpetuating injustice.

Who is to decide what will be permitted? Secretive corporate courts, held under the auspices of trade treaties outside democratic control? The next few years will decide this question.

John

Filed Under: Events, Migration Tagged With: adequacy, Big Brother, Big Data, Corporate Courts, credit, data flows, free trade agreement, immigration, insurance, International Trade, NHS, privacy, protection, racism, surveillance, treaties

Come and join the fun

17/05/2018 by GJM

May 1868 saw the beginning of the TUC in Manchester and to celebrate a week of activities was put together under the hashtag #TUC150 with Global Justice Manchester invited and represented.

180428_JulieWard
Julie Ward MEP supports free global movement at the TUC 150 Anniversary Festival

First up was an indoor festival at the Mechanics’ Institute on Sunday 29th. Apr. We had booked a Heidi from GJN in London to speak, but with only one non-group member having signed up to speak cancelled her presentation.          Unfortunately this cancellation wasn’t known to some people at the Mechanics’ and several turned up and were disappointed. We pledged to looking to reschedule a speaker. We got a dozen or so cards signed for the Trade and Pharma campaigns and distributed a few, but a disappointing total given the potential. Against that our old friend Julie Ward came along and was only too happy to be photographed with our new Bridges not Borders booklet.

The following Monday night (May Day itself) saw a #McStrike at McDonald’s Oxford Street. We had been invited through War on Want and had a presence at both the post-midnight and 07.00-08.00 protests and were able to distribute a score of cards, though some seemed more interested in McBashing than considering the wider threat, even when explained to them. At least we got a photo of erstwhile Green Leader Natalie Bennett with one of our cards!

180501_Natalie Bennett & Liam Fox card at McStrike 1May2018
Natalie Bennett says ‘don’t give Liam Fox a blank cheque’

A third event was the annual TUC May Bank Holiday Sunday march, this time in Salford. As before we had a presence (this time with a small flag). Some there had already been spoken to at the previous events! We had a nice stroll in the sunshine round some leafy back streets (in Salford!) and ended up at Sacred Trinity for some mutual massaging of passion at which it was not the done thing to be heard to be too hostile to the Labour Party, though some may have thought their policies of the recent past not dissimilar to the Conservatives. This saw a few more cards dished out and got us mentioned in the Salford Star. The MEN didn’t cover the festival or march, but did cover the protest- using photos that had been tweeted by those present, their not having turned up. Better coverage was given by the Salford Star http://www.salfordstar.com/

During the year we get and find invitations to a number of events where we meet like-minded people who are likely to be amenable to supporting an card action. Some of these may be at an indoor stall, others peripatetic, talking to people on a march or at a rally. But, valuable as they may be, these are “the usual suspects”. There are also chances to have a presence at community events such as carnivals. These give us a chance to spread our campaigns to people who wouldn’t call themselves “activists”, but are concerned when we discuss the links between their immediate concerns and global issues and injustices. Although the fruit of these exchanges may seem to be just one or two signatures, they may lead to their recalling us later and taking action through a website or independently.

180428_DangerousDeals
A trade unionists shows support for the ‘dangerous deals’ campaign

The success of all this indirect campaigning- multiplying petitions- depends on a number of issues, including the weather and other stories that may dominate the news. But it is linked to the number of people spreading the word and conversations had.

During the #TUC150 events we had no more than three present and only harvested a handful of cards. Could you join us on another occasion? We all have family commitments and other demands and so can’t make every event, but we have the props, can share tips based on experience, and nobody has to be an expert.

Keep an eye on our postings to find dates for your diary- we have Envirolution in Platt Fields happening on Sat. 2nd. June (- write a couple in, come along and feel the satisfaction of multiplying your effect on decision-makers.

Filed Under: Actions, Events, Migration Tagged With: Big Pharma, International Trade

Stop funding hate campaign continues

28/02/2018 by GJM

Marks and Spencer were hoping that they had successfully brushed off calls to withdraw their advertising from racist newspapers such as the Daily Mail, but it looks as if they were mistaken.

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Global Justice Now cards calling for an end to M&S supporting anti-immigrant propaganda and hate journalism are still appearing in their stores, as they were throughout last year.

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In fact, those pesky little cards keep turning up everywhere!  And they seem to be mulitplying…

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Can’t even get a drink in peace!

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Filed Under: Actions, Migration Tagged With: Daily Mail, immigration, immmigrants, Marks and Spencer, media racism, racism, responsible advertising

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Kate Green (Labour)

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