The Socialist

The Socialist 2 April 2008

End Labour's 'them and us' society

End Labour's 'them and us' society

Capitalism gambles with our lives

Editorial: For a 35-hour week with no loss of pay


Victory shows campaigning can save out NHS!

"Halve your expenses and save our post offices"


The devastating effects of biofuels

Airports: Expanding profits at our expense


ID cards: No to students being used as guinea pigs!

National Union of Students rejects constitutional changes


Fight back against the Unison witch-hunt!

Jaguar/Land Rover: Uncertain future for workers

Tube workers strike to defend network safety

Shelter staff ask for support

NUJ Members fight attacks on jobs and conditions

Teachers vote to strike

National Shop Stewards Network second conference


1848: year of revolution


USA elections: Break with the two parties of big business!

Kazakhstan socialist jailed for protesting


From Russia: French and Russian master paintings 1870-1925 from Moscow and St Petersburg

 
 
Socialist Party logo Socialist Party on the climate change demo December 2007, pic Paul Mattsson Socialist Party News
Socialist Party Policy statements
Socialist Party contemporary Marxist analysis

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In brief

Teachers vote to strike

Teachers' union NUT members have voted 3:1 to strike on 24 April over pay. The government are trying to force through a below-inflation pay rise, angering thousands of teachers.

More next week.

Sheffield hospital workers strike

A dozen bulk stores staff at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital (NGH) have voted to take indefinite strike action from Monday 7 April.

This action is in protest at the Trust management imposing 20% pay cuts through withdrawing long-established bonus payments from already low-paid workers. These workers have already taken ten days of strike action between August and November last year.

Since then, a time and motion study and talks have got nowhere so all-out action is the last resort. Support from other ancillary staff should be strong because only three weeks ago the Trust brought in private cleaning contractors who were forced out after only one week.

Alistair Tice

New Labour gives me a headache!

At a launch meeting of the National Shop Stewards Network in Newcastle on 29 March, Elaine Brunskill spoke to Shirley Winter, of the Magnet Women's Support Group. (This dispute started in 1996 when 320 workers were sacked from the Magnet kitchens factory. They were sacked for striking for a pay rise after a four-year pay freeze.)

"After more than a decade of a New Labour government - I've got a headache! A big headache trying to work out how they say they are trying to tackle poverty and why Thatcher's anti-trade union laws haven't been repealed. Also the war in Iraq - I can't believe a Labour government could support such horrific action.

"Basically I'm sick of New Labour sucking up to big business and forgetting their roots, no wonder so many people have resigned from the Labour Party.

"Now I can't see New Labour ever changing. We've got to fight for a new workers' party that understands the needs of ordinary people, and are willing to tackle the problems that face working-class people."

CNWP conference

Campaign for a New Workers Party conference. Sunday 29 June, 10am-5pm. South Camden Community school, Charrington Street, London NW1.

Birmingham council

A number of well-attended meetings of Birmingham City council workers have rejected the latest proposals from management under the single status agreement.

Although the council have offered some concessions, the scheme still involves pay cuts, performance-related pay and other attacks on pay and conditions.

The meetings have urged a return to industrial action and it is believed that the next strike days could be as early as mid April.

More next week

In this issue

End Labour's 'them and us' society

Capitalism gambles with our lives

Editorial: For a 35-hour week with no loss of pay


Socialist Party campaigns

Victory shows campaigning can save out NHS!

"Halve your expenses and save our post offices"


Environment

The devastating effects of biofuels

Airports: Expanding profits at our expense


Socialist Students

ID cards: No to students being used as guinea pigs!

National Union of Students rejects constitutional changes


Workplace news and analysis

Fight back against the Unison witch-hunt!

Jaguar/Land Rover: Uncertain future for workers

Tube workers strike to defend network safety

Shelter staff ask for support

NUJ Members fight attacks on jobs and conditions

Teachers vote to strike

National Shop Stewards Network second conference


Marxist analysis: history

1848: year of revolution


International socialist news and analysis

USA elections: Break with the two parties of big business!

Kazakhstan socialist jailed for protesting


Socialist Party review

From Russia: French and Russian master paintings 1870-1925 from Moscow and St Petersburg


 

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Related links:

Teachers:

triangleNUT and PCS launch consultative surveys to build for ongoing pensions action

triangleSave community schools - no to academies

triangleStand up to Tory bullies

triangleOfsted: "requires improvement"

triangleHaringey - Save community schools, No to academies

triangleLangdon school strike

Strike:

triangleThe battle of Saltley Gates

triangleBBC report: Unite may hold new NHS pensions strike ballot

triangleJet tanker drivers force employers to negotiate

triangleLondon - a tale of two cities

Birmingham:

triangleBirmingham Socialist Party: Socialism and religion

triangleBirmingham Socialist Party: Lessons of the Occupy movement

triangleDebate: Should socialists support the HS2 rail line?

Sheffield:

triangleSheffield Socialist Party: After 30th November, how can we defeat the cuts?

triangleJarrow March for Jobs: Sheffield protest, rally & meeting

triangleFight fees and cuts - join Socialist Students!

CNWP:

triangleCNWP extended steering committee meeting

triangleNew workers' party needed

triangleUnion activists discuss pulling the plug on Labour

Campaign for a New Workers Party:

triangleAfter RMT Conference: What Now for the Campaign for a New Workers Party?

triangleSocialism 2009 forum - can we build a party for working class people?

triangleCampaign for a new workers' party: Conference - Sunday 29 June, 11am - 5pm

National Shop Stewards Network:

triangleNational Shop Stewards Network 6th Annual National Conference

triangleShop Stewards' Network Meets in Preston

trianglePensions: the fight continues