PRECARIOUS WORKERS BRIGADE

FRIDAY 12 November 2010
18.00 – 20.00
Goldsmiths, University of London: Main Building
Room 142 (follow signs from main entrance)
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A DEMONSTRATION? / I OCCUPATIONS
Discussion and workshop with students from Sussex, Byam Shaw and other recently occupied universities.

SATURDAY 13 November 2010
14.00 – 18.00
Goldsmiths, University of London: Main Building
Room 142 (follow signs from main entrance)
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A DEMONSTRATION? / II ORGANISING OTHERWISE
Workshop on co-operatives with Calverts, Cycle Training UK, ArtZone and the Co-operative Assistance Network.

SATURDAY 4 December 2010
13.00 – 18.00
Goldsmiths, as part of the Arts Against Cuts Long Weekend
MEDIA TRAINING WORKSHOP
Workshop, led by Shiv Malik, on how to deal with the media, staying on message, avoiding traps, blogging and more. Journalist and co-author of Jilted Generation: How Britain has Bankrupted its Youth, Shiv Malik has worked with Climate Camp and other groups on how to deal with media coverage of social movements, protests and actions.

In response to the recent intensification of neoliberal attacks on the welfare state and public sphere in the UK, precarious workers in culture and education are organising and taking action. In the context of the Fund Our Future Demonstration against cuts to higher education, the Precarious Workers Brigade are targeting institutions and individuals who have made false promises about the future. A party of individuals donning donkey masks ceremoniously deposited the large papier-mache carrot as “a classic symbol of empty promises posed as incentives”. They declared: “We are returning the Graduate Job Carrot to Tory HQ with a thank you for abandoning us and the message that this carrot actually means £40k+ education debt and 18% youth unemployment.” The Precarious Workers Brigade demands include Equal Pay (no more free labour), Free Education (end student debt), and citing Lord Browne the former CEO of BP who led the recent Review of University funding, they call for Democratic Institutions and an end to unelected and un-mandated leaders. Confronting the proclaimed ‘Big Society’, the Brigade demands common ownership of public space, resources and ideas.

Workshops and actions continue throughout this week & beyond.