A trip to Dundee today on a two-fold errand. Firstly, to attend the May Day Rally (in this case four days after May Day) and secondly to pick up a fiddle bow which had been in for rehairing.
Attempting the latter before the former was a grave error as Vintage Strings in the Perth Road does not open till 11am. So I parked up in the Wellgate Car Park and walked up the Hilltown to the starting point of the rally.
Those of you who know Dundee will know that the Hilltown is a very steep hill out of the centre of town. The rally was beginning from the top of that hill. I strode up and surprised myself by not collapsing in a wheezing heap on the pavement. This weight loss is fairly helping.
Arriving at the Hilltown Park in plenty of time I had a quick pint in the Shakespeare Bar. A fine wee pub. Good service and friendly customers and staff. Considering they had only been open ten minutes by the time I got there it shows what a popular bar it is. Justly so it seems.
Justine was a very friendly and efficient bar tender. Thank you.
And so to the rally. The ever usual promptness of the left meant that at the advertised move-off time of eleven thirty, the cops outnumbered the marchers. The usual assortment of brit left grouplets were there selling the papers. I've often wondered how does selling a paper actually defend the working class? Builds up party funds I guess.
The Dundee Anarchists were out in force. A group of UNITE civilian police staff were marching. The local NUJ branch. Dundee Trades Council. The Dundee Pensioners Forum and the campaign against the Bedroom Tax had a prominent presence.
There were some bonny looking puppets about ten feet tall which looked right artistic. I'm not sure what they were supposed to be.
The Dundee Labour Party banner carried the slogan "Workers of the world unite". I can't help but think that if the workers of the world actually DID unite, the Dundee Labour Party would shite itself.
That's an unworthy thought of course. There was also a contingent from "Radical Independence Dundee". I took the liberty of marching with them as they looked like they could use all the help they could get.
My mates Dave and Jim were also in attendance so at least I knew a few folk. Apart from that nobody spoke except to try and sell me a paper.
We walked (calling it marching would have been stretching things a bit) down the Hilltown towards the centre of town. My mate Dave and I being older and deafer than many present couldn't actually make out the shouted slogans and I got some young whippersnapper with good hearing to tell me what they were.
"They say cut, we say fight, social housing is our right". Now that I could make out what it was I was happy to join in.
Cops on mountain bikes stopped the traffic at junctions for the few minutes it took to allow the parade to pass and after about twenty minutes or so we had arrived at Albert Square across from the Courier Building and beside the statue of Robert Burns.
Dundee Trades Council are to be congratulated on having a functioning public address system. This is a rare occurrence in my forty years experience of leftist demonstrating. I could actually make out what the speakers were saying. A great novelty in itself.
The speaker for Dundee Pensioners Forum was the first up and he was a pal of my mate Jim. A cracking speaker who knew how to make a point and Dundee Pensioners Forum should be proud of him.
A speaker from the Dundee Branch of the NUJ made the point that unless Journalists know about local struggles they will not be able to report these to the public. I'll be frank. I felt my credulity was more than a little strained. This doesn't sound like the Journalists I know.
An official from the UNITE trade union spoke about the difficulties being faced by civilian police staff on the changes brought about by the move to national policing.
A speaker from Dundee Association for Mental Health made good points about the funding crisis facing the Voluntary Sector.
A speaker from the anti-bedroom tax campaign spoke eloquently.
The keynote speaker was from the PCS Union. By this time I had recognised a friend in the crowd I had not seen this century so I am afraid I paid little attention as we renewed our acquaintance.
None of the speakers mentioned the upcoming Independence Referendum which probably offers up one of the most profound opportunities for real social change we will have in our lifetimes.
One or two of the speakers could look to the 2105 "General Election" in order to "get the Tories out."
Always good to celebrate May Day. International Workers Day.
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