[OccupySheffield] The new union

[Anna Harris]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for this. It's defintely a project I would support.

Though I'm not sure how much change can be achieved by putting pressure on
this government. This is the traditional method of trying to bring changes,
and it has had very little success. I do see that we would have to get
massive membership to really have an effect, which could take several years.

I would see the role of this movement slightly differently, I see its
members as the pioneers of the future society that we want to build. Rather
than putting pressure on the government to change, we build the
alternatives ourselves. Actually this has already begun. There are already
cooperative ventures, community gardens... as Em wrote to the list:
*Workers' and housing co-operatives; co-housing and eco-villages; food
growing and box-schemes; skill-shares and labour exchanges; reuse and
upcycling; squatting; alternative dwelling-places (tents, caravans, huts,
treehouses); truly ethical businesses only (that means ones which give
something to the community and put people and planet before profit);
community-controlled micro-renewable energy sources; sustainable forest
management...*

So I would see the prime task of this union to connect up with these
projects and give them the support they need to flourish and to seed new
ones. This could start straight away, it doesn't have to wait until the
membership has swelled. It would give meaning and purpose to many who are
now for whatever reason, not in paid employment, and it would be
contributing to a creating a future for ourselves and our children.

Let me know your thoughts.

Anna

PS would you allow mw to post this conversation on the Sheffield forum?
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On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 1:01 PM, Rick B <soisthesun at gmail.com> wrote:
Hi again Anna,
I said I would get back to you in a few days, a few days ago, so I am!

The more I think of a union of people, the more I like it. The powers that
be seem quite willing & able to deal with our small bands of dedicated
occupiers, the crap keeps on coming, but how would they cope with a
mass-membership movement representing the un-represented? Anyway, I wrote a
few words on my vision of such a union:

*Union of un-Represented (UuR)*

*
*

Bring together a mass membership

Challenge government policy

Challenge media

Challenge social norms


*Core-membership:* un-Employed, Pensioners, dis-Abled, ethnic minorities,
immigrants, poor in work, homeless, down-trodden, forgotten…


*Core-themes:* Poverty & greed eradication, social norms, equality, decent
employment & training opportunities for all, living wage, free higher
education, withdraw private sector from health & social care services,
national minimum income guarantee for all (based on living-wage)…


*Funding:* Free to join, free to attend, donations encouraged, invite TUC
to provide financial assistance & resources, stage events for fund raising…


*Tools:* Mass-membership, multi-media, bringing-together of minds, claiming
the moral high-ground, challenge social norms, direct [peaceful] action,
mass-picketing, targeted disruption, education…


…to be continued


Not much, but I only have one mind, so bring on the national conference.


Cheers


Rick
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