I just wanted to know peoples opinions about an initiative which is being planned by Manchester Solidarity Federation.
We are planning to start regular workplace advice, help and solidarity drop in sessions at The Basement every third tuesday of the month, 7.30 - 8.30pm.
As always, it is very difficult to know if there will be need for such service, but we wont know before trying it. Some social centres like Cowley Club in brighton have been running this kind of service succesfully, and there are many other places who have done the same.
The idea is to rely on the collective knowledge and experience and share that with people. The aim is to try to find collective solutions to problems people have and of course give advice from the anarcho syndicalist angle. Some legal adviuce can be given, but mostly this kind of questions would be directed elsewhere.
You reckon there would be demand for this kind of session? Would you benefit from it? Any other thoughts?
The Red & Black Club used to run these in South London, in the days when there was a social centre in Deptford. This is slightly before my time in London, so hopefully Jason C or Martin will be along shortly.
IIRC, the problem they faced was that workers would come along seeking individual solutions to what they saw as their individual problem. Often after they'd been through official union channels, and using the drop-in as a last resort.
This said, I still think it's (very) worthwhile, because you never know who's going to walk in the door. Perhaps one way of trying to make it better is to publicise these things in conjunction with the good old Stuff Your Boss leaflet -- i.e. if you're interested in doing something around what's in this leaflet, or if you've got a problem with any of the stuff in there, why not come along to.....?
It's also worthwhile for whoever's involved in delivering these sessions, since the way you learn about this stuff is by doing it.