Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/616/9033
From The Socialist newspaper, 17 March 2010
News in brief
Ethnic targeting
A REPORT by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission shows, perhaps unsurprisingly, that the number of black and Asian people stopped and searched by police in England and Wales is 'disproportionately high'.
More than one in ten black people were stopped and searched by police in 2007/08. If black people were stopped and searched at the same rate as white people around 25,000 searches would be expected. Instead there were over 170,000.
'Ethnic targeting' by police forces has escalated as a result of the government's introduction of dubious anti-terrorist legislation.
Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 gives the police the power to stop and search on a "hunch". No reasonable suspicion is needed that an offence has been committed or that the person detained is carrying anything which might be used for terrorist purposes.
This power was used around 250,000 times in 2009, the highest on record and more than twice the level of 2008.
In January 2010 the European Court of Human Rights ruled that 'stop and search' powers given to the police by the Terrorism Act 2000 are unlawful.
Portugal strike wave
ON 4 MARCH, more than 300,000 public servants in Portugal struck for 24 hours, echoing recent workers' movements in Greece, Ireland, Spain and Britain.
It was backed by the public-sector trade unions, in opposition to the government's harsh austerity budget - an attempt by the ruling class to make the workers pay for the capitalist crisis.
Schools, hospitals and health centres, courts, municipal services, garbage collectors, transport, etc, were all brought to a standstill, with a significant layer of workers on strike for the first time.
The Partido Socialista government of José Socrates, tried to downplay the effectiveness of the walkout.
The government is about to announce to the EU Commission details of its mid-term 'stability' plan to tackle the country's record budget deficit. However, this plan will lead to a new downturn in economic activity.
Fundamentally, within the framework of capitalism, there is no way out of this crisis.
Report from Cedric Gerome, on www.socialistworld.net
Solidarity appeal
Socialist Resistance Kazakhstan (CWI), is appealing for solidarity for the workers at the 'KazMunaiGaz' company (and its daughter company 'OzenMunaiGaz'), who are on strike and whose leaders are now facing repression.
10,000 oil refinery workers have been on strike since 4 March 2010, and 20 are prepared to declare an indefinite hunger strike.
They are fighting for an improvement in living conditions and wages, and for the nationalisation of the plant (which formerly was state owned), with the introduction of workers' control over production.
See www.socialistworld.net for protest details.
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In The Socialist 17 March 2010:
BA workers, civil servants: Defending jobs and conditions
Socialist Party workplace news and analysis
Support British Airways cabin crew
'Winners' and losers in Royal Mail deal
The state
State infiltration - a warning to the workers' movement
Youth fight for jobs
Youth Fight for Jobs day of action
Unison witchhunt
Unison leadership's "scorched earth policy"
Socialist Party news and analysis
Coventry: Voters need socialist fighters - not service cutters
Socialist Students
Defending public education in the USA
International socialist news and analysis
Another general strike brings Greece to a halt
Socialist Party inteview
Iceland: 93% reject bankers' bailout
Marxist analysis: history
Thatcher's enemy within: 25 years after the end of the miners' strike
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Workplace news and analysis
Fighting the cuts at Leeds University
Unite to save Northcott Theatre
Socialist Party feature
Cuts mean poorest people priced out of the legal system
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