The Socialist issue 368
30 October 2004
Unite And Fight
Defend jobs and services: CIVIL SERVANTS across all government departments have voted to take part in a one-day strike on Friday 5 November…
Why We’re Going On Strike
ON 5 November, thousands of civil servants in the PCS union will be striking against Blair and Brown’s plans to cut over 100,000 jobs and in defence of pensions and sick pay.
Announcing the strike ballot result Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary said…
International socialist news and analysis
Money For Public Services Not War And Occupation: ALMOST TWO thirds of voters oppose the deployment of the Black Watch nearer to Baghdad. It is well understood that this action has more to do with Bush’s campaign to win the US election than any military strategy…
Israel: Sharon’s ‘Entanglement Plan’
THE ISRAELI Knesset [parliament] votes this week on Ariel Sharon’s "Disengagement Plan". Can such a plan bring the end of the Israeli-Palestinian bloodbath any closer?…
The White House For Sale
LAST MONDAY’S TV documentary – The White House for sale – gave a revealing, if none too surprising, insight into how big business dominates the US political system…
Ukraine: Galol Plant Workers Left High And Dry
ON 30 September, Ukrainian CWI members held a picket of the Ministry of Justice in Kiev in solidarity with the workers of the Galol plant in West Ukraine…
Opel Workers – Down But Not Out
WORKERS AT the Opel plant in Bochum ended their solid, unofficial six day walkout on Thursday, 21 October…
Life As A Refugee
The murder of a Kurdish refugee in an alleged racist attack in Swansea several weeks ago sent shock waves throughout Swansea and across Wales…
Socialist Party campaigns
Socialist Party Stands To Stop Privatisers
Louise Thompson, housing campaigner, is our candidate: THE SOCIALIST Party in Walthamstow, east London, is standing in a council by-election in Hoe Street ward on 18 November. We had 12 members out canvassing on Sunday – our first two canvasses sold 34 papers and we met three people interested…
How The NHS Is Being Taken Apart
Review: NHS plc: Allyson Pollock quotes Aneurin Bevan in her new book NHS plc…
Wythenshawe: Young People Need Decent
Facilities
Manchester: THE "WYTHENSHAWE Partnership" has now spent over £100 million in this area of Manchester. But more CCTV won’t solve the real problems. Our youth are bored, they have nothing to do and the council and police scapegoat them…
Four Weeks To Get All Pledges In
General Election Campaign: The general election could be just six months away. This will be an opportunity for the Socialist Party to stand candidates who not only oppose Labour’s policies but will also put forward a socialist alternative…
Workplace news and events
SOCIALIST PARTY member Roger Bannister is standing for election as UNISON general secretary…
Manchester Evening News Strike
JOURNALISTS WORKING for the Manchester Evening News (MEN) will stage two days of strike action on 31 October and 1 November. This follows a 83% ‘yes’ vote for industrial action after a ballot of all MEN journalists…
Support Jaguar Workers
27 November demo, Coventry: THE CAMPAIGN to keep the production of Jaguar cars in Coventry steps up a gear next month. Jaguar workers plan to hold the biggest march and rally ever seen in Coventry on Saturday 27 November…
Coventry Workers Fight Back
"STORM CLOUDS gather over council" was the headline in the Coventry Evening Telegraph after the announcement of the ballot results on the council’s single status deal…