The Socialist 3 December 2008

Fight back now against job cuts

Woolworths jobs threat

Fighting the threatened closure of Hoover factory

Our planet not their profit

India and Pakistan conflict

Terror mayhem strikes Mumbai

Judiciary challenged over the right to protest

Building a left wing political alternative

Southampton uni students fight fees

Liverpool: mobilising against the far right

In brief

Social workers demand proper resources

Secondary education: PFI's gloss soon peels away

Fighting homophobia

Crisis-hit capitalism fears prospect of revolution

Venezuela elections: Chávez wins victory but opposition gains ground

The Isle of Man general strike 1918: Workers' power paralysed government

Help fund the alternative to big business politics

Socialist women: Looking at the past to take action today

Stop the repossessions

New Labour's housing crisis

Vote 'no' to BT's pension cuts

A Christmas message from the Unite leadership




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A Christmas message from the Unite leadership

Good news of great joy: A message from Unite the union to its members: "The return of real Labour? A welcome move towards progressive politics and Labour's natural constituency."

Mick Cotter

Derek Simpson went on to laud prime minister Gordon Brown as a "man of action". Tony Woodley praised the government for "helping the people of this country weather the economic storm."

That's the Xmas message from the 'not very likely awkward lads' Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley, joint general secretaries of Britain's largest union Unite (at least it will be when they finally stop squabbling and finalise the merger). The real question should be are they blind or just plain stupid? Probably neither, but they probably think we are. £550 billion quid to the bankers, no guarantees, no control, and they can probably keep some of their bonuses; (don't forget this is not an investment but a bail out from the mess they've already got us in). A question for our two messengers: if a Unite member was as negligent at work as these bankers, would they support them at a tribunal?

What do we get? 2.5% off the standard rate of VAT, of course it doesn't include heating fuel or most necessities like food, and a few other crumbs thrown in to keep the gen secs quiet.

Difference is of course ordinary working people will have to pay it back in tax increases and other cuts in living standards in the future.

Nobody is fooled by the higher earners' tax increase. We all know they can afford to pay accountants to avoid paying it.

So perhaps Del boy and Rodney would like to ask the question again? Yeah, right, and this time next year we'll all be millionaires.

In this issue

Job losses

Fight back now against job cuts