The Socialist 17 February 2009

Fight back now to stop job cuts

Anger as jobs slashed with an hour's notice

Car workers' jobs slaughter - begin the fightback!

Defend every job on the tube

Construction workers protest: Staythorpe power station

Isle of Grain picket

Meeting on Lindsey oil refinery dispute: Workers strike back

Why the bosses don't want an organised workforce

Stop fees

Students protest against attacks on Gaza

'Books not Bombs' at Nottingham

Concessions won at Queen Mary university

New Labour in blind panic

Regulators resign over financial meltdown

London Olympics battered by economic crisis

Yahya must stay Defend Saudi Arabian trade unionist from deportation

Coventry: Hands off our youth services!

Political vendetta against Tommy Sheridan

Wirral cuts: Fighting 'cultural terrorism'

Fast news

Defend the welfare state

Israel: Election results indicate a deepening political crisis

Costa Rica: Urgent solidarity action for unionists

Manchester Unison elections: Left candidates well supported

Usdaw presidential election: The campaign they tried to hide

Usdaw Activist public meeting

Fight the Unison witch-hunt

Launch of new broad left for Unite

Previous issues, etc

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Costa Rica: Urgent solidarity action for unionists

ON 30 January the board of Costa Rica's public Social Security Institute (INS) sacked Luis Salas Sarkís, general secretary of both the INS workers' union UPINS and the small, but combative and democratic union federation Central General de Trabajadores (CGT) of Costa Rica - in clear violation of International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. This follows the sacking of UPINS Women's Secretary Alicia Vargas in March 2008.

Victor Leon (CWI, Costa Rica)

The comrades were sacked for their active participation in the national campaign against the CAFTA (free trade agreement) with the USA, against the privatisation of social security and the rights of the INS employees, as well as against corruption inside the public institute.

The UPINS is also an exemplary solidarity organisation. It has supported - despite limited funds - many social struggles throughout the country. For this reason, many trade unions, social organisations and the students' federation of the University of Costa Rica have joined the national solidarity committee, which is organising a national and international campaign in defence of the comrades.

You can help in this struggle for trade union freedom and democratic rights by sending protest letters to the president of the republic, demanding the immediate reinstatement of Luis and Alicia Vargas, and by calling for solidarity.

Send the signed letter (with your function in trade unions, party, etc) to: Casa Presidencial al siguiente correo: mfernandez@casapres.go.cr or Fax: 00 506 2253 9078.