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What you want to say – 15th March 2023  March 15, 2023

Posted by guestposter in Uncategorized.
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As always, following on Dr. X’s suggestion, it’s all yours, “announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose”, feel free.

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1. Tomboktu - March 15, 2023

I have a few random questions this morning.

The first is about union songs. I suppose they are a niche art form, so my questions might not have clear answers. What is the most recent union song to have made it out of a small circle? The most recent one I can think of is Billy Bragg’s There Is Power In A Union, though it turns out that it is not actually entirely new. And has there been a rap or hip hop union song?

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WorldbyStorm - March 15, 2023

Calling our local wobbly… calling our local wobbly… who might well know. YourCousin, where are you?

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yourcousin - March 15, 2023

Me? I’m going on four hours three hours and twenty minutes of sleep before going back in for my Denver Fire Department Fire alarm final inspection in two hours. Good times.

As I only listen to both kinds of music (country and western) I’d be a poor choice for knowing (although I should).

Off the top of my head, Tom Morello formerly of Rage Against The Machine is an active member of the IWW.

Also ask and you shall receive,

https://jacobin.com/2019/10/general-motors-uaw-strike-songs

But that’s really just google working it’s magic.

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crocodileshoes - March 15, 2023

Not union songs, but chants. Are we ever going to find something to replace the formula: ‘What do we want? Blah blah blah. When do we want it? Well, you know the answer.’?
We were chanting that forty years ago and probably long before that.

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Tomboktu - March 15, 2023

Though I do like the civil service union’s version:
“What do we want?”
“A proper pay rise!”
“When do we want it?
“In due course!”

But yeah, the LGBTQ community moved protest chants up a level: “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going shopping”

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2. yourcousin - March 15, 2023

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3. yourcousin - March 15, 2023

There’s more out there, but America isn’t going to build itself.

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4. WorldbyStorm - March 15, 2023

I’m a bit freaked out that worked 🙂

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yourcousin - March 15, 2023

You just got lucky that I was sitting on the couch waiting for my 3am alarm to go off.

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5. muir - March 15, 2023

The current (38th) edition of the Little Red Songbook is available from the IWW, but I can’t find a copy online: https://store.iww.org/shop/little-red-songbook-38th-edition/

And here’s a copy of the 36th edition that included some newish songs for that time (1995): https://archive.org/details/TheLittleRedSongBook/mode/1up

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6. lcox - March 15, 2023

Nice piece from Fiadh Tubridy of CATU about the history of housing activism in south Dublin, going back to the 30s and then the 60s, 70s and late 80s. Shaped around an activist walking tour: https://notesfrombelow.org/article/organising-suburbs

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Mat - March 15, 2023

There maybe more out there in the non English speaking world.

Not a very helpful comment maybe as I am not aware of any other than the waiata (plural) that we sing in Aotearoa, which are mostly traditional Māori songs that fit unionism.

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7. Tomboktu - March 16, 2023

BTW, the question was prompted by the retirement of our branch secretary this week as she moves job. Instead of bread and roses, we got her red and roses (from the Rhone valley, and Cadbury’s).

I like this song because it combines the struggle with a vision of what it aims to achieve.

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yourcousin - March 17, 2023

Been a long week so far. But this song. Holy fuck. Been listening on a loop, and a few times it has certainly brought tears to my eyes. There is so much to say about the Patterson strike, musicology and the IWW and more. But at the end of it all it comes down to people and loving them. Wanting the best for all. Not in some grandiose ideological manner, but in a “I would want this for my grandma” manner. And this scene really conveys that. Thank you Tomboktu for sharing.

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8. Tomboktu - March 16, 2023

That Toy Show slot that is now free…

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Miguel62 - March 16, 2023

Many a true word spoken in jest! Panti would be an inspired choice and is a true national treasure. Unlike the overpaid prince of blandness who desperately tries to pretend he is.

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9. Tomboktu - March 16, 2023
10. sonofstan - March 17, 2023

My union proving that a cohort of highly educated people are way worse at this union thing than almost any other union. We’re staying out next week, despite having more or less accepted defeat, and without balloting members on a deal, despite a poll of members showing a majority in favour of a vote: as did a Branch Delegates Meeting, though narrowly. The e-ballot was a bad idea, but to then just ignore it is even worse.

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11. roddy - March 19, 2023

B&A has FF down 4,SF steadying the ship and SD not really bouncing at all.

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12. Paul Culloty - March 19, 2023

Big drop for FF in the latest B&A, and SDs on 4%, which is a notable rise on their usual 1-2% in that series:

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tomasoflatharta - March 19, 2023

In big picture terms – no significant change. FFFGGG would be returned to government on these numbers; personally – and my opinion is not backed up by the numbers! – I think the Green Party vote will collapse. Once a real General Election is called SF, LP, SD and PBP-S will pick up (or save) seats from vanished Greens. Let’s remember : the Taoiseach does not have to resign and go to the Park until February/March 2025. FFFGGG will not voluntarily dissolve – it will, if allowed, stay the full course. Perhaps a crisis looms? – John Meehan.

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WorldbyStorm - March 19, 2023

Yeah, big picture is the same. And yep, the coalition will be returned. Perhaps if the GP did collapse that might make a difference. I do see the coalition serving out its full time.

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James McBarron - March 19, 2023

On January 14th 2020 the B and A poll had
FG 20, FF 32, SF 19, LP 4, PBP 2, SD 1, GP 7, R 1, IA 3 and others 10

At the election on February 9th result was FG 20.9, FF 22.2, SF 24.5, LP 4.4, PBP 2.6, SD 2.9, GP 7.1, R 0.3, others 12.2

It appears to me that the calling of an election tends to focus minds and causes people to think more deeply about who they want in government and how that might affect them. I suspect that the results of a general will be somewhat different from the current polls and not in a good way for the current ruling coalition.

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WorldbyStorm - March 19, 2023

That’s very possible – and in the ground issues will likely be a factor too. Amazing that Ff poll drop in 2020 also to add the multiple issues facing the govt and their unwillingness to tackle them surely has to have an impact

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banjoagbeanjoe - March 20, 2023

It appears to me that the calling of an election tends to focus minds and causes people to think more deeply about who they want in government and how that might affect them. I suspect that the results of a general will be somewhat different from the current polls and not in a good way for the current ruling coalition.

100% agree with the first sentence. And I’d go pretty much with the prediction in the second sentence too… I’ll be more specific – SF in government north and south in 2025.

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13. roddy - March 19, 2023

The “big story” of recent weeks encouraged by the usual suspects was that “nice” Holly was going to give the “nasty” Shinners their comeuppance.It did’nt happen.

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WorldbyStorm - March 19, 2023

They’ve definitely gained support but not at SF’s expense and perhaps to a lesser degree than that 9% poll a week or two back.

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14. Paul Culloty - March 19, 2023

One wonders what more the Greens can actually do to Hourigan for supporting the SF eviction motion, given she’s already lost the whip on previous occasions.

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WorldbyStorm - March 19, 2023

Yes, at a certain point they have to concede that there’s only so much they can impose. I’m sure they know that, but interesting if there’s any other sanctions.

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NFB - March 19, 2023

Can they not expel her? Would they dare?

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WorldbyStorm - March 20, 2023

Losing a TD would be a big step wouldn’t it?

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Fergal - March 20, 2023

Deselect her from running in the next election … !

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WorldbyStorm - March 20, 2023

Can they afford that given the electoral headwinds they face into?

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irishelectionliterature - March 20, 2023

Will she lose the party whip? The big one though is the vote of confidence in the Government coming up. Would seem to me that if she votes with SF on the eviction ban Bill, the next day she can hardly vote confidence in the Government

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Tomboktu - March 21, 2023

But it’s Green Party policy to extend the ban on evictions…

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15. That latest B&A/ST poll | The Cedar Lounge Revolution - March 20, 2023

[…] As noted in comments at the weekend, another poll has dropped. […]

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16. Tomboktu - March 20, 2023

What level of support is there in the Green Party for Hourigan and her position? My understanding is that at the time when the government was formed there were three wings: Eamon Ryan’s, Catherine Martin’s, and the ‘other disaffecteds’, with many of the ‘others’ leaving Green Party since then.

(Also, has any other party had a Dáil spokesperson for a brief that they hold the cabinet position on? Brian Leddin must have fun holding to account the minister with responsibility for ttransport, climate action and environment.)

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sonofstan - March 21, 2023

Seems to be some support if this tweet is anything to go by

I wonder where she’ll go if expelled from the GP – SDs would seem a natural home, but there’s already an SD TD in Dublin Central and they’ll probably already be fighting for that seat given the likelihood of two SF quotas.

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17. Tomboktu - March 20, 2023

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18. Jim Monaghan - March 21, 2023

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