A-Infos (en) Ireland Report on the Fall 2008 National Conference of the anarchist Workers' Solidarity Movement (WSM)

Report of the National Secretary for the Fall 2008 Conference held at the 
Teachers Club in Dublin on the 25th and 26 of October. ---- Lisbon Campaign
During the period since the Spring conference the WSM was involved heavily in 
the campaign for a No vote to lisbon. This involved distribution of 50,000 
leaflets and 2000 posters in addition to the 20,000 issues of workers 
Solidarity. ---- Rossport ---- The situation around Rossport also saw increased 
activity with the re-formation of the Rossport Solidarity Camp on the 16th of 
August 2008. A big campaign centred around stopping the laying of pipes in 
Glengad. Eventually the Solitaire, a pipe laying ship left Glengad without 
successfully providing the pipes for the project. Shell decided to temporarily 
suspend this aspect of construction.

Health Care

The WSM also took part in several marches in opposition to cutbacks and 
privitisation in the health service in both Dublin and Cork. Over a thousand 
people marched in Dublin on October the 11th 2008 and at the Cork march on Oct 
the 20th of 2008 we saw more than 3000 people attend.

Membership

The current membership has decreased slightly due to a few resignations and a 
number of members moving overseas. At the same time there has been a decrease in 
the number of new recruits. This is probably reflective of a climate of 
decreased struggle.

Strategy

The conference saw the adoption of a strategic plan. This includes an aim to 
grow the membership of the WSM more actively, to promote the development of 
libertarian networks in industry and to help to create libertarian neighborhood 
centres.

Bank Collapse

The climate has changed significantly in light of the bank collapse and there is 
a renewed feeling of excitement around organising. We have decided on a 
sustained campaign to offer libertarian viewpoints to the economic situation. 
This will include country wide public meetings, a large postering campaign and 
the distribution of 50k leaflets.

Red & Black

The theory journal "Red & Black Revolution" will be discontinued soon and 
replaced with a new, free, journal, "Ideas & Action". The journal is intended to 
get wider participation of the WSM membership in producing articles and contact 
a wider audience.

Delegate Council

Members also agreed to make structural changes to the mechanism of decision 
making in Delegate Council. We encountered difficulties in making decisions in a 
timely fashion due to the entirely mechanical function of delegate council. 
Motions that had been voted on in parts or were slightly different could not be 
effectively voted on at delegate council and would have to be taken back to the 
membership and voted on at the next delegate council. This ment that some 
important decisions could take months. Delegates now have a more open mandate 
such that these differences can be reconciled in Delegate Council. In the event 
of a decision that does not reflect the wishes of branch members a new motion 
can be put forward to remove the prior decision and if need be delegates can be 
recalled.

Queer Oppression

We adopted a new position on Queer Oppression 
(http://www.wsm.ie/news_viewer/835). The old position paper was quite old and 
much of it was outdated. The current one should be more relevant to current 
struggles.

Travellers' Rights

A new updated position paper on Travellers' Rights 
(http://www.wsm.ie/news_viewer/831) was adopted. The paper outlines the struggle 
against oppression and racism and manifestations of the struggle historically.

Statement from the National Secretary

I'm making this report as the incoming National Secretary having been elected by 
the membership in the Autumn 2008 National Conference of the WSM. This is a 
critical time for the WSM but more so for the working class. The current 
situation requires quick decisive action to prevent the bankers, the politicians 
and the rich from raising taxes and cutting public services while paying 
themselves out of the public coffers. As National Secretary I put forth the hope 
that we in the WSM and the working class in general can make ourselves as 
effective as possible for the coming task.
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A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
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