Over 300 trade unionists, political activists, campaigners and people of Whitmore Reans celebrated the 1st May, Workers’ Day in Wolverhampton for the 15th year on Friday 1st May 2009. Speakers, entertainment, music, food, bouncy castle, face-painting and stalls at the Pegasus Function Room, Craddock Street.
The Jockey Morris Men of Birmingham who had performed at sunrise on the traditional day for morris dancing, performed an exuberant and exhausting set, with clashing sticks sending splinters everywhere. These were hastily swept up in time for Transit Trix breakdancers who had a standing ovation after their “battle” which had the crowd up cheering and straining for a view.
The Heart of England Jazz Band headlined and got the crowd up dancing, a feat only usually achieved by the ever present One Love International Sound Sysytem.
Matthew Collins from Searchlight, gave the evening’s main message of voting on June 4th in the euro-elections to help keep out the bnp and to help in the wolcerhampton day of Action on May 9th. Brenda Proctor of Women Against Pit Closures gave an empassioned speech ’25 years after the Miners Strike’ and Avtar Sadiq of the Indian Workers Association again. A local CWU activist also address the crowd about the anti-union victimisation by Carphone warehouse in Wednesbury. a presentation to Bob Deacon a local and national UNISON, WB&D TUC, LGBT & PSC activist who had retired as a council wage-slave. Dave Cole of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign had opened with a celebration of 50 years of the Cuban revolution.
CLICK HERE to view the 12-page souvenier programme Friday 1st May, Pegasus Pub,
Ken Purchase MP Wolverhampton NE has put down an EDM 1434 congratulating us on the recent May Day event.
EDM 1434
WOLVERHAMPTON AND BILSTON TRADES COUNCIL MAY DAY CELEBRATION 06.05.2009
Purchase, Ken 25 signatures
Campbell, Ronnie Caton, Martin Clapham, Michael Clark, Katy Cryer, Ann Devine, Jim Drew, David Flynn Paul Francis, Hywel Gibson, Ian Godsiff, Roger Hancock, Mike Hopkins, Kelvin Iddon, Brian Jenkins, Brian Jones, Lynne McCartney, Ian McDonnell, John Riordan, Linda Sharma, Virendra Kumar Skinner, Dennis Vis, Rudi Wareing, Robert N Willis, Phil
That this House congratulates Wolverhampton and Bilston Trades Council for organising yet another splendid May Day celebration for local workers and their families who enjoyed entertainments and buffet food free of charge; and expresses its thanks to all the exhibitors who displayed campaign materials from Latin American groups, Fairtrade, anti-fascist Hope not Hate workers and bookstalls offering socialist and Labour movement literature.
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7pm doors open: 25 union, political and campaigning groups were provided with free stalls, bar, bouncy castle and face-painting. Mehndi (henna) by Mrs P.Patel of Bilston.
music from One Love International sound system
7.20pm welcome from May Day Committee, Dave Cole: 50 years of the Cuban Revolution
Avtar Sadiq, Indian Workers Association:Capitalist crisis & the Socialist Alternative
Dave Salt, CWU Carphone Warhouse attempts at union busting
7.40pm The Jockey Morris Men of Birmingham
8.10pm Brenda Procter, Women Against Pit Closures:
25 years on from the Miners’ Strike
8.20pm B-Boys & B-Girls break-dancers
8-40pm interval & food – free Asian + Caribbean buffet
music from One Love International
9pm Heart of England Jazz Band
9.20pm Matthew Collins, Searchlight – anti-fascist magazine:How to defeat the fascist BNP
9.30pm Heart of England Jazz Band
followed by One Love sound system
CLICK HERE for details of our previous May Day events
Click Here for next year’s May Day Greetings cards – get prepared!
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