Watch
My favourite comedians Laurel and Hardy and support a local independent cinema. Stockport Plaza is a glorious art deco building. It was opened in 1932 as a super cinema and variety theatre with fabulous surroundings and a superior cafe restaurant dining experience. This weekend they are celebrating the golden age of Art Deco in their ‘Anything Goes – Putting on the 30s at The Plaza’. Further info see
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Read
The French Intifada: The Long War Between France and its Arabs by Andrew Hussey. A fascinating account of the history of colonisation by France in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia and the way in which this has affected modern day France. Some of the most interesting films produced in France recently have merely scratched at the surface of this turgid history. These films include 35 Shots, Hidden and recently Girlhood showing the pain and suffering experienced by the excluded Arab populations living in France. Andrew’s book gives us an indepth history of France’s adventures in the Arab world.It is a horrendous book to read, particularly the torture meted out by the French colonisers on the Arab communities, and the cycle of violence that has sprung from the occupation of these countries. It is extremely well written and readable my only concern is that as a journalist should be he attending British embassy social occasions and why would someone who seems to be left wing accept an OBE? Buy it from
Go
To a play…Marx in Soho by Howard Zinn. “Karl Marx is back! Karl Marx has agitated with the authorities of the afterlife for a chance to clear his name. Through a bureaucratic error, though, Marx is sent to Soho in New York, rather than his old stomping ground in Soho, London, to make his case. The play introduces us to Marx’s wife, Jenny, his children, the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin, and a host of other characters. It is a brilliant introduction to Marx’s life, his analysis of society, and his passion for radical change. And in an era of savage austerity cuts and an ever-growing disparity between rich and poor this play is more relevant than ever”. Looks fascinating and its on at the Kings Arms in Salford on 18 June see
And the Casa in Liverpool on the 20 further details see
Support
Yet another victimised trade unionist. NUJ activist, Phil Turner, of the Rotherham Advertiser has been targeted by the management for compulsory redundancy. Phil has worked for the company for 30 years and is a long-serving trade union representative. He is the only person who has been dismissed from the editorial staff and was told on Wednesday 27 May. The union is appealing this decision and demanding the company withdraw the threat of redundancy immediately. The company have claimed the union has agreed to a selection skills matrix for redundancies but the NUJ has strongly refuted this assertion.
The union is urging NUJ members and supporters to contact the company in protest:
Please send respectful messages of protest to Rotherham Advertiser chief executive Nick Alexander and copy in the editor Andrew Mosley and HR officer Debbie Commander.
nick.alexander@garnett-dickinson.co.uk
Andrew.Mosley@rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk
debbie.commander@garnett-dickinson.co.uk
Send messages of support and solidarity to Phil Turner:
Email the chapel and copy in the NUJ campaigns and communications department:
syorksnuj@hotmail.co.uk
campaigns@nuj.org.uk
lipstick socialist 