Another Country
The NHS is not another country Going to clinic’s not a trip abroad Its purpose is for treating not for hunting No frontiers from reception to the ward I have to cross the town not cross the oceans A hospital’s no … Read more
Issues and campaigns: Refugees and Migrants
Defending refugees and migrants against a nasty, deadly right-wing assault. No borders!
George Lansbury, Minnie Lansbury and Their Relevance to Modern Feminism
Text of the George Lansbury Memorial Lecture, given on 16 November 2016 at Queen Mary University, London. I’m working on the assumption that most of you know a fair bit about George Lansbury but rather less about his daughter-in-law … Read more
Kids in Crates
They keep children in containers Crate them and detain them Gate them and restrain them No watering or feeding The potted, planted seedlings In readiness for weeding They’ll live but they won’t grow Goaded, loaded, shipped to go With winter … Read more
Goliath vs David
Those migrant children shall not pass Let’s cause a huge furore That David Davies is an arse Even for a Tory
ETF Women’s Committee reports, campaigns and plans
COUNTRY REPORTS France – Women trade unionists have been concentrating on increasing women’s involvement in the unions, and on campaigning against violence against women. At Gare du Nord railway station, African women cleaners are often sexually assaulted by male bosses. … Read more
Babyface
You don’t look small and cute enough Your upper lip has grown some fluff You look quite tall and rather tough You show the scars of sleeping rough You look so foreign, feral, wild You don’t look like a child … Read more
From Alex, 6 Years Old
On 21 September, the White House published a letter that President Obama had received from six-year-old New Yorker Alex, offering a home to Omran, the Syrian boy whose photo had circulated widely. Please tell the boy in the ambulance To come … Read more
Brussels: Left Wing Mobilises Against Right-Wing Backlash
SpeakEasy: Spoken Word Brussels is an ‘open mic’ evening of spoken word (and a bit of music) in a basement in the Ixelles area of the city. Modelled on similar events in Paris and London, it has been taking place every two weeks since … Read more
Man in the Border Post
With a nod to The Jam’s ‘Man in the Corner Shop’ … Turns the closed sign does the man in the border post Rejects his last and says goodbye to her He knows it is a hard life But he … Read more
Report to RMT Women’s Conference 2016: ETF Women’s Committee
WHAT IS THE ETF? The European Transport Workers’ Federation, linking transport trade unions across Europe. RMT is one of several UK affiliates. Its Women’s Committee includes nominees from various countries and sectors. I am a member of the Committee for … Read more
Not Like Us
They’re not like us They spit in the street They fish for the plate And you can’t tell what they’re saying They’re not like us. They’re not the same as you and me Their food is bland They shout in … Read more
R-SOL (Rejection for Speakers of Other Languages)
David says if folk don’t speak the language They have to leave the country – go and pack! But how’s he going to deal with all the anguish Of monolingual ex-pats flooding back?
Sponsor Janine at Poem-A-Thon for Refugees
Please click here to read more and make a donation on Janine’s Just Giving page.
ETF Women’s Committee report part 2: EVG chair on opposing privatisation and supporting refugees
Alexander Kirchner, Chair of German transport trade union EVG, spoke at ETF Women’s Committee on 12 October 2015. His two key points were: 1. EU Fourth Railway Package This package of proposals is driven by the European Commission to promote … Read more
The Best-Laid Plans
Drifts here together with his buddy they pitch up with prayers and plans A stake for a patch where they can scratch out a living with their own hands The preacher says labour makes you holy your gold must be … Read more
Speaking at TUC Congress fringe on austerity and union rights
Janine giving a speech at the Sussex Labour Representation Committee (LRC) fringe meeting at TUC Congress 2015. The subject of the meeting was fighting austerity and defending trade union rights.
Haters Gonna Hate
Haters gonna hate Dictators gonna dictate Tyrants gonna tyrannise Rebels will rebel and rise Rival rulers gonna ride Rebellion’s discontented tide Bombers gonna bomb Pogromists will pogrom Fighters gonna fight Families gonna take flight Borders gonna rise Papers gonna scandalise … Read more
Waiting for a Train
I’m sure it really is a pain Waiting ages for a train But if you want a true ordeal Ask the “migrants” how they feel
Crossing
Written after going through the Thousand Island border crossing from Canada to the USA. Queue, crawl, window down, good day Who? How many? Where from? Which way? How long? What for? Been here before? Park, get out. Through those gates … Read more
Heroes and Hordes
If Nicholas Winton were saving the children today His Transport of Kindness would camp out in fear at Calais Compassion is easier cast back through history’s mist Abhorrence for migrants but Oscars for Schindler’s List No humans may cross here, … Read more