KEN COATES MEP spoke to demonstrators in Leicester last weekend

Anti-war movement

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UNISON, the biggest union in the country, is calling for an end to NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia. The union's executive last week passed a motion that calls for a "halt to all military action, including air strikes". The decision means all those organising council workers' or health workers' meetings against the war should ask for local, regional or national officials to come and speak.

Last week's activities against the war included:

• SOME 350 people joined an angry anti-war march through Leicester city centre last Saturday. There was a big contingent from the Indian Workers' Association and the rally was chaired by the chair of Leicester City UNISON. The speakers included Ken Coates MEP.

• AROUND 25 people attended an anti-war meeting called by Pontypool Trades Council last Thursday. Among the speakers was Phil Williams, a Plaid Cymru assembly member.

• SOME 30 people attended an anti-war meeting addressed by Labour MP Tam Dalyell in Blackwood, south Wales.

• A SERIES of six local meetings against the war was held across Leeds last week. Around 12 people attended each of the meetings. A local demonstration, called by Leeds Committee to Stop War in the Balkans, is now planned on Saturday 19 June, assemble 12 noon, outside Leeds Art Gallery.

• AROUND 100 people attended an anti-war meeting in Ilford in Essex last week, called by Redbridge Committee for Peace in the Balkans.

• NEARLY 300 people attended Oxford Stop the War Coalition's public meeting last week. Over £300 was collected. The platform included Bob Wareing MP, Socialist Worker's Mark Steel, TV journalist Anna McGoldrick and Mike Woodin, the Green Party's national spokesperson.

• OVER 60 students heard Mark Seddon of Tribune and Lindsey German of Socialist Review debate the war at Poplar College in east London last week. Another 30 people also attended a Poplar public meeting against the war.

• TEN PEOPLE attended an anti-war public meeting in Barking.

• AROUND 20 people attended the launch meeting of Newham Teachers Against the War in east London last week and another 20 attended the nearby Tower Hamlets Teachers Against the War meeting.

• AT THE London Hospital last week 16 people attended a workplace meeting against the war.

• AROUND 25 people attended an anti-war public meeting in Glossop, High Peak, last week.

• MORE THAN a dozen anti-war meetings were held across Hackney, east London, last week. They included 15 people at a Homerton Hospital meeting, 40 people at a Hackney Central meeting, 16 at Cambridge Heath, and ten on the Northwold estate.

• TWELVE TEACHERS at Holloway School in north London met to hear a CND speaker and an SWP speaker, an ex-pupil from the school.

• SOME 160 people went to an anti-war rally that was to be held at Newcastle University last week, only to discover the university police had been told not to allow them into the room they had booked. Undeterred, an excellent rally was held outside in the street!

• OVER 40 people attended an anti-war meeting in Winchmore Hill, north London.

• THIRTY protesters in Carlisle blocked a roundabout in the centre of town last Friday night.

• DESPITE HALF a million Manchester United fans pouring into the city centre, 120 people still managed to come to the Mechanics Institute for a media workers' rally against the war. Also in Manchester 30 health workers, representing 14 different workplaces, met to launch Health Workers Against the War. Bob Oram from North West UNISON described the Guardian as the "Bombers' Bugle". Another 30 attended the first Teachers Against the War meeting, representing 18 schools across the city.

• SOME 45 people were at a public meeting in Bolton, another 20 in Bury, 11 in Rochdale, 11 in Ashton and 12 in Stretford.

• AROUND 25 lecturers heard Jeremy Corbyn MP speak at City and Islington College in north London.

• THE ANNUAL conference of trades councils across Britain last week voted against the war.

• TWENTY PEOPLE attended the first anti-war meeting in Chester.

• AROUND A dozen people attended a council workers' meeting against the war in Liverpool and heard Kevin Nelson, the north west regional secretary of UNISON, pledge the region's support for Saturday's national demonstration.

• SOME 40 people attended a public meeting in Lancaster and organised leafleting and petitioning in the town. Another 50 students attended a debate at Lancaster University.

• TEN PEOPLE met in Darwen near Blackburn to organise against the war.

• SOME 15 people attended an estate meeting in Speke last week with Bob Wareing MP. A local speaker from the FBU could not make it to the meeting but sent an excellent statement against the war.

• AN ANTI-war meeting in Perry Barr in Birmingham drew 20 people last week to hear speakers from the IWA and Handsworth Labour Party. At Broadway School, also in Perry Barr, 30 sixth form students heard two of their teachers debate and then voted overwhelmingly against the war.

• TWENTY FIVE people attended a public meeting in Erdington, Birmingham.

• NEARLY 100 people heard Mark Seddon from Tribune debate the war with John Rees of International Socialism in Lambeth, south London.

• 50 PEOPLE attended a debate at Wolverhampton University.

• ON THE Arleston estate in Telford 12 people went to an anti-war meeting and organised local activities.

• AROUND 20 students attended an anti-war meeting at Sir George Monoux's Sixth Form College in Walthamstow, east London.

• AROUND 35 students attended a debate on the war at Derby University.

• THIRTY ATTENDED a debate between NATO and Julie Waterson of the SWP at Anglia Polytechnic University in Cambridge.

• THE OFFICES of Falmouth Camborne Labour MP Candy Atherton were taken over by anti-war protesters last week.

• SIXTY PEOPLE attended a vigil in Bath.

Please phone or fax reports of local activities to Socialist Worker, phone 0171 538 0828 or fax 0171 538 0140.