Issue 31, Feb 2012 *** Watch Trailer ***

Thanks to your support, the DVDs are now printed and ready to go out. We’ll send the preorders out before we leave for Greece. Check out the trailer, and see below to order. If you like it, why not take out a subscription?

ReelNews31 Cover

 

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1. Balfour Beaten! (Reel News, 17:02) Historic victory for the rank and file sparks in the most important industrial dispute for 25 years.
2. Blacklisted – new 2012 version (Reel News, 21:00) As the sparks go on the offensive, this will be one of the main demands – an end to the illegal blacklisting of building workers for trade union activities.
3. CHICAGO Schools: Shutdown at the CPS Board Meeting (Labor Beat, 22:00) A new regular slot on Reel News from Labor Beat in Chicago, this film is about the campaign to save community schools.
4. Banner Theatre: Fighting The Cuts! (Reel News/Banner Theatre, 8:00) An extract from their latest inspiring show. Banner’s survival is itself under threat from cuts, please help them out!
5. Jet tanker drivers dispute (Reel News, 3:45) Strike over a 20% pay cut from a firm making $3.2 billion profits.
6. BULGARIA Fracking Victory! (Climate Action Coalition Bulgaria, 9:00) Huge demos in Bulgaria force the Government to ban the dangerous process of fracking.
7. MEXICO Arte Urbano (Reel News/The Treatment Rooms, 23:10) The Treatment Rooms work with excluded youth in Mexico to make a beautiful ceramic mural.
8. MEXICO Zapatistas: March for Peace (Alaghom Films) The Zapatistas march against Calderon’s drug war.
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Reel News is going to Greece; help us get there

Reel News have been asked to go on a solidarity trip to Greece in two weeks time. The delegation trip will last three days, but we are planning to go for two weeks in order to report about different aspects of the Greek resistance on film and photo.

We need to raise £1,500 very quickly to cover the costs and to pay the bills we have this month before we go. We put together a newsletter, please share with anyone you think may be interested.

UPDATE: Thanks very much everyone for the amazing response to our appeal. We have now received £568 in cash, cheques and via Paypal, which means we’ve been able to buy our tickets out to Greece. Now we need the money to get home again! Another £560 has been pledged, but may not arrive in time before we leave on the 16th – and even if we include that money we’re still £372 short of our target. So if you or your union branch has promised money, please try and send it as soon as possible – and please keep sharing this appeal to anyone you think might help. Thanks again!

Greece general strike

We plan to meet up with:

  • Hospital workers who are occupying their hospital
  • The steel factory that has been in occupation for over three months
  • Media workers producing their own newspaper
  • Students occupying their universities
  • The electricity workers who refused to implement a supplement on electricity bills to pay the deficit
  • Migrant workers and the situation at the greek borders

Let us know if you know of anything else we should be covering.

Greece general strike2

Our first funding appeal by text message has raised £470 – some of which hasn’t come through yet. We need another £1,000 to make this trip happen! Help us by making a one off donation, buying DVDs or taking out subscriptions. We’ve got the flights covered, but will have other expenses for travel, food, phone bills and additional equipment.We will undertake to provide a full reportback on the trip to all trade unions or other organisations and institutions who can sponsor us, as well as of course producing a film of the trip.

In addition to the support we have so far gotten to go to Greece, we have raised the £350 necessary to produce the upcoming issue 31. The DVDs should be ready to send out by the end of this week, so if you haven’t got it yet, pre-order now.

 

ReelNews31 Cover
1. Balfour Beaten! (Reel News, 17:02) Historic victory for the rank and file sparks in the most important industrial dispute for 25 years.
2. Blacklisted – new 2012 version (Reel News, 21:00) As the sparks  go on the offensive, this will be one of the main demands – an end to the illegal blacklisting of building workers for trade union activities.
3. CHICAGO Schools: Shutdown at the CPS Board Meeting (Labor Beat, 22:00) A new regular slot on Reel News from Labor Beat in Chicago, this film is about the campaign to save community schools.
4. Banner Theatre: Fighting The Cuts! (Reel News/Banner Theatre, 8:00) An extract from their latest inspiring show. Banner’s survival is itself under threat from cuts, please help them out!
5. Jet tanker drivers dispute (Reel News, 3:45) Strike over a 20% pay cut from a firm making $3.2 billion profits.
6. BULGARIA Fracking Victory! (Climate Action Coalition Bulgaria, 9:00) Huge demos in Bulgaria force the Government to ban the dangerous process of fracking.
7. MEXICO Arte Urbano (Reel News/The Treatment Rooms, 23:10) The Treatment Rooms work with excluded youth in Mexico to make a beautiful ceramic mural.
8. MEXICO Zapatistas: March for Peace (Alaghom Films) The Zapatistas march against Calderon’s drug war.

We rely for our funding on DVD sales, subscriptions and donations. This allows us to maintain our independence and reflect the concerns of the ordinary worker. Although we are growing steadily, we still struggle to meet running costs, and can’t afford to pay ourselves more than expenses as yet.

To subscribe for 1 year (6 issues), send a cheque for £50 payable to Reel News to the address at the bottom of this letter; any additional donation you’d like to make would be very gratefully received. Individuals can subscribe for £30 a year, or take out a standing order for £3 minimum a month. You can download the standing order form here.


Issue 30, Dec 2011

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1. Sparks 1: Kings X (Reel News) 11:45

In the battle to stop a 35% pay cut and the tearing up of national agreements, sparks block roads and occupy Kings Cross station.  ***PLAY***

 

2. Liverpool: Fighting gentrification (Reel News) 10:04

The residents of Granby, Toxteth have come up with a novel way to stop their homes being sold off.

3. Sparks 2: London protests increase, power station walk out (Reel News) 12:50

Sparks walk out on unofficial strike at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, while the London protests get more militant.  ***PLAY***

4. Sparks 3: Rank and File Sparks & Occupy LSX unite (Reel News) 9:44

The two most significant movements in the country unite to shut down a Balfour Beatty site.  ***PLAY***

5. FOSBR: Unite the City! (Reel News) 6:20

Having won extra funding for Bristol railways, FOSBR are now campaigning to improve the service even more.  ***PLAY***

6. Sparks 4: National Day of Action (Reel News) 12:29

Mass pickets, direct action and occupations as the sparks run the police ragged all over London. ***PLAY***

7. November 30 (Reel News) 8:00

Millions of workers take action over pensions in the largest UK strike for 85 years.

8. Sparks 5: UK wide unofficial strike (Reel News) 10:00

Who needs a ballot? Sparks defy the law to pull off the most important unofficial strike in decades.  ***PLAY***

9. Argentinazo: Comienza la Revolucion (Ojo Obrero) 16:36

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Argentinian uprising when the economy and the banks collapsed, this brilliant film of the events of 19/20 December 2001 – rarely seen in this country.

 

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Issue 29, Sept 2011

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1. Rebellion in Tottenham 2011 (Reel News) 26:23

The police murdered an innocent man, then let Tottenham burn. The real story, told by local people who were there.  ***PLAY***

 

2. Emory Douglas on Tottenham (Reel News) 7.11

The great revolutionary artist of the Black Panther Party in the 60s gives his thoughts on the police murder.

 

3. Tottenham – after the shooting (Indefilms) 9:59

Includes footage from the Saturday night and the vigil the

day after.  ***PLAY***

 

4. Stokes Croft (South-Blessed) 5:18

Finally, footage of the rebellion in Bristol against a new

Tescos store.

 

5. Despite the Sun (extract) (Spectacle films) 14:49

25 years on from the Wapping dispute, the story of Murdoch’s

vicious battle against the print unions that changed the face

of the British press.

 

6. June 30th (Reel News) 9:14

Four national unions take coordinated strike action over

pensions.  ***PLAY***

 

7. Southampton Council Strike (Reel News) 13:57

Binmen and social workers strike together against a

paycut as the dispute escalates.  ***PLAY***

 

8. Sparks of resistance (Reel News) 12:35

Huge electricians demos all over the country to build for

strike action as 8 major building firms plan a 35% pay cut.

 

9. Oi Mush! Fuck Off (Cosmo) 4:06

Great song and video from Cosmo, originally released in 2009***PLAY***

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Issue 28, June 2011

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  1. TUC demo March 26 (Reel News) 10:46 The second largest demonstration in British history as the anti-cuts campaign begins in earnest.  ***PLAY***
  2. Tower Hamlets joint strike action (Reel News) 11:30 Teachers and council workers coordinate strike action against the cuts.  ***PLAY***
  3. EMERGENCY! The battle to save the NHS (Reel News) 26:07 The government is trying to privatise the NHS, but the resistance is growing. Everything you need to know about Lansley’s bill, NHS cuts and how to fight back.  ***PLAY***
  4. Royal Cleaners fight for a living wage (Reel News) 11:18 While millions are spent on the Royal wedding, the cleaners in Buckingham Palace have to make do with poverty pay.
  5. London Met fighting for education (Reel News) 15:57 70% of courses and hundreds of jobs are being cut as London Metropolitan University becomes a testing ground for the Tories’ education policies.
  6. The Hardest Hit march (Reel News) 9:00 The biggest march of disabled people in history against cuts in welfare.
  7. Rubbish Action (Issy Harvey) 1:30 There’s not enough workers to pick up the litter in Haringey parks, so campaigners dump it on the civic centre steps.
  8. Guilty and Proud of it! Poplar’s rebel councillors (Janine Booth / Reel News) 16:16 From 1919 -1925, Labour councillors in Poplar went to jail for defending their working class communities – and won. A key episode of our history.  ***PLAY***
  9. Alabama 3 – Bad to the Bone (Reel News) 3:28 Recorded live in Manchester on last year’s Revolver Soul tour.
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Issue 27, March 2011

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1. One million climate jobs now!(Campaign against Climate Change TU Group/Reel News) 33:15
The start of a major campaign. Instead of cutting jobs, create a million new ones to lower carbon emissions and kick start the economy.
2. One million climate jobs now!  ***PLAY***
(10 minute version)
3. We are fucking angry (the King Blues/Matt Fleming) 3:19  ***PLAY***
Brilliant new track from The King Blues & a great video.
4. Haringey Council occupied over the cuts (Reel News) 10:05   ***PLAY***
One of many angry protests across the UK, as councils meet to set their budgets.
5. Camden Town Hall protest (Reel News) 10:05
When they are not let into what is supposed to be a public council meeting, protestors occupy the main road instead…
6. Sanasino Al-Yemen (Reel News) 4:00
Amazing new young poet from Yemen, performing live at a Democracy Movement meeting.
7. Stop the Blacklisting on the Olympics (Reel News) 7:55
Workers are being sacked on the Olympic site for being members of a trade union – Frank Morris exposed this and was sacked too. Reinstate Frank now!
8. ArteXParte: Public art in Argentina (The Treatment Rooms/Reel News) 13:49  ***PLAY***
52 artists from 20 countries produce 1,600 metres of public art in 9 days.
9. Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (Reel News) 13:53  ***PLAY***
FOSBR show that you can not only fight the cuts, but get more money for services, as they improve the train lines in Bristol.
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Issue 26, January 2011

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1. Tory Scum Here We Come! – Short version (Reel News) 13:36  ***PLAY***

The rise of the incredible student movement, in a short version for trade union and other meetings.
2. Tory Scum Here We Come! – Full version (Reel News) 66:03
Part 1: Day X1 8:49
The first national day of action against tuition fees and loss of EMA results in an 11 hour kettle.
Part 2: Occupations1 5:19
College occupations spread throughout the country, including in London: SOAS, UCL, UEL and Kings.
Part 3: Day X2 11:50
Thousands of students outwit police as the kettle tactic fails miserably.
Part 4: Occupations2 5:14
LSE and Slade join the growing occupation movement.
Part 5: Topshop Protest 3:29
Direct action against Topshop, who owe £1.2 billion of the £120 billion unpaid corporation tax.  ***PLAY***
Part 6: London Metropolitan Occupation 15:52
The most militant occupation so far…
Part 7: Day X3 10:39
Over 30,000 students lay siege to Parliament in an astonishing day of direct action.  ***PLAY***
Part 8: School Students speak out 4:50
14 year old schoolgirl, assaulted by police on day X3, speaks out.
3: Ireland: Trade Union March (Trade Union TV) 5:46
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions protest against austerity in November.
4: Ireland: Police Attack Student Demo (Trade Union TV) 5:11
Also in November – different country, same story!
5: London Firefighters Strike (Reel News) 14:17
Mass pickets leave the bosses’ strikebreaking tactics in tatters.
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Issue 25, October 2010

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1: Detroit: Rising from the ashes (Reel News) 32:30
Capitalism abandoned Detroit years ago, leaving it derelict and overgrown. Now, communities are being rebuilt through growing their own food in 1,300 urban gardens.
2: Detroit: Art explosion (Reel News) 17:48
Alongside the food growing is the start of an incredible explosion of art – much of it political.
3: Movement for Justice in El Barrio: Fighting Gentrification (Reel News) 16:50
Inspired by the Zapatistas and adherents to The Other Campaign, MJB are successfully resisting gentrification in New York.
4: Gulf: Trailer (Jason M. Parkinson) 13:31
A taster of the forthcoming film that will tell the truth behind the Gulf oil spill.
5: Save Our Schools (Jason M. Parkinson) 13:31
The Tories are threatening to turn every school into an academy. Made with the Anti-Academies Alliance.
6: RMT/TSSA strike (Reel News) 10:00
Historic joint action from the transport unions to stop 800 tube station staff cuts, with all the safety dangers that will come with them.
7: John Sinclair and friends: Live in Detroit (Reel News) 9:21
The Detroit legend performs at the Jazz Loft with The Milton Show – an incredible array of musicians.
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Issue 24, July 2010

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1: Gaza Flotilla Attack (Reel News/Palestine Solidarity Campaign) 29:42
Eyewitness testimonies and film from the Mavi Marmara tell the real story of Israel’s murderous attack on the Gaza aid flotilla. ***PLAY***
2. Blacklisted (Reel News) 16:00
The construction industry blacklists thousands of workers for their trade union activities, who then can’t get a job. It’s time this criminal practice was stopped.  ***PLAY***
3: UCU strike in London (Reel News) 10:00
On the eve of the election, CONEL lecturers strike to defend jobs and courses along with 13 other colleges in London.
4: Bolivia 2006: Start of the process (Reel News, 2006) 35:00
Bolivian social movements talk about their incredible struggles of the previous decade, and their thoughts on the new president, Evo Morales.
5: Decommissioners: Victory! (Schmovies) 11:00
Remember the people who caused £250,00 worth of damage to the EDO bomb component factory last year during the attack on Gaza? They’ve just walked free!
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Issue 23, April 2010

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1: Defend the Public Sector (Reel News) 26:00
The attack on the public sector has started…and so has the resistance. Reports from the civil servants strike, Kings College strike, pensioners demo, Whittington hospital demo and the Greek general strikes.  ***PLAY***
2: Vote for me (Jenny Cash, Reel News) 3:07
The best election song you’re ever likely to hear, from Mr. Jenny Cash.  ***PLAY***
3: Flashmob at Tory HQ (Indefilms) 5:34
Protest against homophobic statements by the Tories during the election campaign.
4: BA strike (Reel News) 9:44
A courageous strike by BA cabin crew to stop a nasty, union busting boss from wrecking the company.
5: EDL in Dudley (Indefilms) 8:41
Protestors gather to confront a demo against a new mosque in Dudley.
6: Youth fight for jobs (Indefilms) 3:23
March in Barking to give a positive message to youth, to combat the Nazi message of the BNP.
7: Staff Our Stations! (Reel News) 12:00
RMT activists start a campaign to stop 800 jobs being cut in London’s tube stations.
8: Alabama 3 – ‘Revolver Soul’ (avengin angel, Reel News) 28:44
Exclusive live footage and interviews from Brixton’s finest radical acidhouse country music band as they prepare to release their fabulous new album.
9: Can’t complain (Schmovies) 9:29
Hilarious film from the Schmovies archives of the Smash EDO campaign, featuring a serial police helmet tipper.
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