Archive for July 2011
1 July 2011
Next step: one-day public sector strike
June 30 in London, photo Paul Mattsson
After 30 June pensions walkouts: On Tuesday 28 June, two days before 750,000 public sector workers walked out against vicious pension cuts, Tory prime minister David Cameron said: "At a time when discussions are ongoing, I would say to you: these strikes are wrong" Rob Williams, National Chair, National Shop Stewards Network, discusses the next step.
4 July 2011
Socialist Party Malaysia facing brutality
Police in Malaysia have arrested around 30 supporters of Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) with the charge that they are reviving the 'communism' of the Malaysian Communist Party...
4 July 2011
Carlisle Socialist Party: How can we defeat the cuts coalition?
Monday 4th July 4th 2011:
4 July 2011
Fawley refinery construction engineers summarily sacked
NB Update appended on 5 July. Twenty locked out workers at the Exxon refinery at Fawley, Southampton, have begun a fight after being sacked without their redundancy rights
4 July 2011
Southampton council workers strike on same day as teachers, lecturers and civil servants
Photo Paul Mattsson
NB Update appended on 5 July. Last Thursday Southampton was covered by picket lines at colleges, universities and civil service offices. In addition, selective action at the council continued
5 July 2011
PCS criticises report on public/private pay as "meaningless"
Today's Office for National Statistics report about pay in the public and private sectors is so flawed it is rendered meaningless says the PCS union...
6 July 2011
Standing up to a weak government
Newcastle: 30 June
The magnificent strike by PCS and education unions the NUT, ATL and UCU was a game-changer in the battle to defend public sector pensions, writes John McInally, vice-president PCS, personal capacity.
6 July 2011
Merseyside Socialist Party - going forward with confidence
Up to 100 people crammed into last night's Merseyside Socialist Party public meeting, a fitting tribute to the 20th anniversary of Liverpool Militant MP Terry Fields being jailed for refusing to pay his poll tax
6 July 2011
Labour - condemned for condemning strike
"The Labour Party died on Thursday." This was how one letter to the Guardian on 1 July, the day after the biggest strike action in decades, summed up the feelings of millions about Labour leader Ed Miliband's condemnation of the strikes...
6 July 2011
The streams of people turned to rivers, and the rivers turned into a flood as delegations of striking trade unionists from all four corners of London converged on Lincoln's Inn Fields for the demonstration against pension robbery on 30 June, writes Martin Powell-Davies, NUT national executive.
6 July 2011
Walkout at Wormwood Scrubs prison
Over 100 staff from all sections of the POA, including governors, walked out of Wormwood Scrubs Prison, West London, on 30 June for a lunchtime protest meeting, writes Keith Dickinson, West London Socialist Party.
6 July 2011
No to McNulty: The annual meeting of rail union RMT has endorsed plans for a massive national campaign, including a cross-industry strike ballot if necessary, to resist any attempts by the government to roll out its McNulty Rail Review assault on Britain's railways...
6 July 2011
Special relationship: A ten-foot high statue of former US president Ronald Reagan has been unveiled outside the US embassy in Grosvenor Square, London to cement US/British relations...
6 July 2011
Time to defend abortion rights... again
The 1967 Abortion Act legalised abortion in Britain and went a long way in freeing working class women from dangerous and often deadly 'backstreet' abortion techniques - but not in Northern Ireland where the act has never been implemented, writes Shona McCulloch, Brighton Socialist Party.
6 July 2011
All workers: unite to fight for decent jobs
Dundee school students stage anti-cuts strike, photo Leah Ganley
Figures from the Association of Graduate Recruiters show there are 83 applicants for every graduate position, twice the figure in 2009, writes Paul Callanan, Youth Fight for Jobs national organiser.
6 July 2011
Socialist Students meeting prepares for new term
After an academic year which has seen hundreds of thousands of students and young people come to the streets in protest, the Socialist Students national meeting on 3 July was a brilliant opportunity for activists to come together to discuss the lessons of this movement...
6 July 2011
A Common Treasury by Gerrard Winstanly Verso
One of the false arguments against socialism and communism is that these ideas are 'foreign'. Karl Marx was a German Jew and a follower of the German philosopher Hegel. 'Revolution is something that...
6 July 2011
Review: In 2010, Rise Against's lead singer Tim McIlrath said the band's motivation to tour almost continuously for the past eleven years was to influence the social conscience, writes Hannah Bastow.
6 July 2011
Building the socialist alternative on 30 June
The 30 June strike was a huge success for the workers striking to defend their pensions and for everyone opposed to the Con-Dem cuts, writes Sean Figg.
6 July 2011
Day-Mer festival support for 30 June pensions strike
The 22nd Day-Mer Festival, organised by the Turkish and Kurdish community organisation Day-Mer, took place in Hackney, north London, on 3 July, writes Suzanne Beishon.
6 July 2011
No to cuts! No to discrimination!: Members of the Socialist Party's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) group and London party members took anti-cuts campaigning to Pride London on 2 July, writes Greg Randall, Socialist Party LGBT group.
6 July 2011
Socialist Party youth meeting: Successful and insightful
On Saturday 2 July over 50 young Socialist Party members met in London to discuss the political situation facing young people and how best to get more of them to join the party, writes Nick Hart, Winchester Socialist Party.
6 July 2011
24-hour public sector general strike as next step to beat the Con-Dems
Just over a year ago, the Tory/Liberal coalition took power, promising to 'fix' the country. How have they done?
6 July 2011
30 June pension strike reports
The 30 June coordinated strike action by the PCS civil service union and NUT, ATL and UCU teaching unions was a historic event
6 July 2011
Next time - strike together...
Thursday 30 June was a great day of action for UCU - on our second strike day this academic year...
6 July 2011
Alan Guest, Branch Chair of the POA at Send Prison, Woking, took the morning off work to support the pickets on 30 June. He sent a message of support...
6 July 2011
Successful NSSN meeting in Coventry
Following on from the inspiring national conference of the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN), supporters of the NSSN in Coventry called a meeting titled 'What next after 30 June?'
6 July 2011
Leeds Unison members decisively reject the council's final offer
Leeds Unison members have opposed the council's latest offer by an overwhelming 85% with only 14.5% voting to accept, out of a turnout of 31.3%.
6 July 2011
Leaked memo shows government lied over its homeless policies
Welfare cuts could make 40,000 homeless according to a leaked letter sent on behalf of Eric Pickles by his private secretary to the prime minister on the planned benefit caps
6 July 2011
Dilnot report: A disservice to disabled and older people
The 'independent' report, Fairer Care Funding, by the Dilnot commission has predictably failed to address the primary cause of the current crisis in social care - the underfunding of local authority social services by successive Tory and New Labour governments.
6 July 2011
East Belfast riots: Only united working class action can prevent further attacks
The rioting in the Catholic enclave in the predominantly Protestant east Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 20 and 21 June - the worst in recent years - did not appear from a blue sky
6 July 2011
Kazakhstan: Striking oil workers attempt to break news blockade
Further threats made against strike leaders and supporters: Oil workers' strikes in West Kazakhstan are now into their second month of taking strike action...
6 July 2011
The Irish ship to Gaza in Palestine, part of the Freedom Flotilla 2, has been sabotaged whilst sitting in Dublin harbour preparing to sail.
6 July 2011
Youth Fight for Jobs: campaign moving forward
On Sunday 3 July Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ) held an open steering committee where 30 young trade unionists, students and unemployed activists met to discuss the progress of the campaign.
6 July 2011
Durham Miners' Gala: Miliband pulls out
Ed Miliband has come under fire for pulling out of speaking at the Durham Miners' Gala. In a cowardly retreat it became clear he did not want to share the stage with Bob Crow, the militant leader of the...
6 July 2011
30 June strike, photo Paul Mattsson
Those who took part in the strike action are now walking a head taller. A new generation has been imbued with the confidence that comes from taking part in effective collective action.
After the superb 30 June strikes, Hannah Sell, Socialist Party deputy general secretary, addresses the question everyone is asking...
6 July 2011
News of World top executives force staff to pay price of scandal
Tommy Sheridan
Addition posted 8th July: Rupert Murdoch has called time on the News of the World. The venal phone-hacking scandal had turned the NoW into a toxic rag in the eyes of millions and threatened to undermine Murdoch's hopes of 100% control of BSkyB.
6 July 2011
Stop the racist and divisive EDL
Racists Out!
On Saturday 9 July, several cities are threatened with visits from the 'English Defence League' (EDL), writes Steve Simpson.
6 July 2011
High street job cuts: Jane Norman worker speaks out
Jane Norman, the high street fashion chain, has gone into administration leaving 1,600 people unpaid and jobless. Here a worker tells her story...
6 July 2011
Birmingham - the fightback begins
Photo S O'Neill
In Birmingham on 30 June, striking teachers, lecturers and civil servants were joined by thousands of local government workers who are fighting brutal attacks on their terms and conditions
6 July 2011
Fighting pension cuts and the anti-union laws
Joe Simpson
Interview with Joe Simpson, POA assistant secretary. An important part of the action on 30 June was the well-attended lunchtime protest meetings held outside many prisons by the POA...
7 July 2011
Bristol NSSN public meeting: Taking the struggle forward after June 30th
Thursday 7th July 2011:
7 July 2011
Strike against pay cuts and redundancies at Leeds College of Building
University and College Union members mounted a picket outside the Leeds College of Building site on North Street in Leeds yesterday, striking against jobs cuts, demotions and pay cuts
7 July 2011
Stop the jobs slaughter at Bombardier, Derby
Derby has been rocked by the announcement of the loss of more than 1,400 jobs by the train manufacturer Bombardier
10 July 2011
Tamil Solidarity Old Trafford protest
Tamil Solidarity demo
Tamil Solidarity (TS) organised a protest in front of Lancashire County Cricket Club when Sri Lanka played England on 9th July
10 July 2011
Kazakhstan riot police attacked striking oil workers
On Friday, a wave of Kazakhstan "COBRA" riot police entered the town of Zhanaozen, west Kazakhstan, in an attempt to end a permanent demonstration and hunger strike by striking oil and gas workers and their families...
11 July 2011
Southampton: Anger grows as workers face the sack
Southampton port workers
On 11 July, Southampton council workers faced the sack unless they signed new contracts cutting pay and enhancements. But at least 400 workers were yet to sign the contract...
11 July 2011
'Fire and rehire': Shropshire council sacks 6,500 workers
All 6,500 Shropshire county council employees have been sent 90-day redundancy notices last week, writes Sam Morecroft, Shropshire Socialist Party.
11 July 2011
Photo Paul Mattsson
* Nationalise the media to allow full and democratic freedom of discussion and decision-making
'Murdochgate', the News of the World scandal, is Britain's Watergate, writes Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary
12 July 2011
Leeds Hyde Park and Headingley Socialist Party: Social work/care and privatisation
Tuesday 12th July 2011:
13 July 2011
Nothing New in the World at Wapping
Sacked printworkers at the Wapping picket line , photo by Dave Sinclair
The police working for News of the World... phones hacked... what's new? The printers and their trade union supporters who fought Murdoch back in 1986 believed the police worked directly for News International...
13 July 2011
Support for Jarrow March at the Durham Miners' Gala
Support for Jarrow March at the Durham Miners' Gala
60,000 people descended on Durham on Saturday 9 July for the 127th annual Durham Miners' Gala. The Gala sees ex-miners and their communities join with other trade unionists to march through the city centre...
13 July 2011
Needed - a workers' alternative in London 2012 elections
30 June coordinated strike action by the PCS civil service union and NUT, ATL and UCU teaching unions, photo Paul Mattsson
Many trade unionists recognise that as well as using their industrial might to fight the cuts, and joining up with community campaigners in local anti-cuts alliances, there is also a political dimension to the anti-cuts movement, writes Paula Mitchell.
13 July 2011
Opposing the racist and hooligan EDL
On 9 July, the divisive, far-right English Defence League (EDL) planned to 'invade' several towns and cities to hold marches...
13 July 2011
Unison - name the day for action
Many members of Britain's biggest public sector union, Unison, were disappointed that they could not take action with fellow trade unionists on 30 June against the attacks on public sector pensions
13 July 2011
Theatre review: The Tolpuddle Martyrs story is one of enduring importance, especially in times like these. From a Spark to a Flame is a production dealing with the six farm labourers who, in 1832, dared to organise
13 July 2011
Leeds college strike, Fire service job cuts,
Staffordshire NSSN
13 July 2011
South Yorkshire journalists on indefinite strike from Friday
The South Yorkshire National Union of Journalists (NUJ) newspapers chapel voted unanimously for an all-out indefinite strike from Friday 15 July...
13 July 2011
BBC journalists to strike on Friday
Journalists at the BBC are to strike on Friday 15 July over compulsory redundancies
13 July 2011
Hidden by hacking scandal, Cameron seeks wholesale privatisation of services
A major attempted theft has been obscured from public view by the phone hacking scandal. On Monday 11 July prime minister David Cameron launched a White Paper, 'Open Public Services', writes Sarah Sachs-Eldridge.
13 July 2011
Con-Dems have no solution to unemployment: Merthyr Tydfil in Wales has the fourth highest level of youth unemployment in Britain with more than a third of 16-24 year olds unable to find work, writes Katie Simpson, Cardiff Youth Fight for Jobs.
13 July 2011
Greece's debt crisis: No way out for workers under capitalism
As the sovereign debt crisis in Greece deepens, Andros Payiatos from Xekinima (CWI in Greece), speaks about its effects and the way out for workers and the majority in society
13 July 2011
The media 'lie factory' exposed
The book Flat Earth News, written by Nick Davies in 2008, lifted the lid on the Murdoch press two years before the News of the World phone hacking scandal. Davies has since led the Guardian investigations into the scandal. The Socialist carries an extract from a review by Peter Taaffe of Davies' book
13 July 2011
Con-Dem 'reforms' promise misery for disabled people and must be fought!
Hardest Hit Protest, photo Paul Mattsson
Dignity denied: The Con-Dems' vicious cuts are hitting us all. This millionaire government is determined to make the working class and the most vulnerable in society pay for the bankers' crisis
15 July 2011
Voting starts for the National and Industrial executive committees of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) on 18 July...
15 July 2011
Strike solid at BBC Leeds office
With over 20 journalists attending the picket lines during the day and just a handful of managers and contractors putting out a skeletal broadcast, the BBC strike was fairly solid in Leeds
18 July 2011
Stop Swansea coastguard closure
Coastguards and the people of Swansea are reeling following the shock announcement that Swansea coastguard station is to close, with 28 job losses
18 July 2011
Renationalise Bombardier to save jobs
Thousands will march in Derby on Saturday 23 July in protest at the threatened 1,400 job losses at the train building firm Bombardier
19 July 2011
Southampton council workers' struggle continues despite imposition of new contracts
Up to 1,000 council workers and supporters marched through Southampton last Wednesday to protest at the Tory council's decision to dismiss its entire workforce and re-employ workers on worse terms and conditions
19 July 2011
PCS condemns closure of 20 Jobcentres
The planned closure of 20 jobcentres announced to staff this morning (19th July) by the Department for Work and Pensions is "unthinkable and irresponsible" at a time of high unemployment, says the Public and Commercial Services union...
19 July 2011
London NSSN meeting - a real debate on preparing for coordinated action
London Trade Union and NSSN meeting discusses way forward after June 30th
At a London NSSN meeting on 18 July, leading members of some of the most powerful unions in London came together to discuss the next steps in the fight against the cuts
19 July 2011
Bromley Unison reps resign in protest at union's disgraceful actions
Defend the Four protest lobby against Unison outside Congress House , photo by B. Severn
Bromley council Unison's officers and stewards have resigned from Unison and are to join Unite
20 July 2011
News International heads' grovelling adverts apologising for "the wrongdoing that occurred" will have done little to redeem them in the eyes of people outraged by recent revelations about phone hacking, writes Sarah Wrack, the Socialist sales organiser.
20 July 2011
Immigration Advice closure shows need for industrial struggle
One year after the closure of Refugee Migrant Justice (RMJ) in June 2010, the other main UK provider of free legal advice and representation to asylum seekers and migrant workers has now also been shut down, writes Eric Segal, former RMJ Unite rep.
20 July 2011
South Africa: Massive metal workers' strike
As the Socialist goes to press, the two-week strike by workers belonging to the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (Numsa) has been settled, with the union claiming to have won above inflation pay rises and concessions over the use of temporary workers though labour brokers...
20 July 2011
Labour takes axe to Sure Start in Liverpool
On 14 July I attended a meeting of Liverpool city council's Education & Children's Services select committee which was discussing the closures of Sure Start centres in four areas of the city, writes Fred Dobie, Liverpool.
20 July 2011
Privatisation and cuts undermine the NHS
Marching against NHS cuts and privatisation , photo by Paul Mattsson
The chief executive of UHL (University Hospitals Leicester) has threatened that staff will not be paid in August and September, if current spending rates continue at Leicester's hospitals
20 July 2011
Legal Aid Bill - Access to justice is under attack
For those of us working in legal aid, the initial government Green Paper - Proposals for the Reform of Legal Aid in England and Wales - heralded a massive attack not only on our jobs, but also our clients, the welfare state and the principle of justice, writes Paul Heron.
20 July 2011
The Work Programme: is it only chasing people off benefits?
I have been on Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for 12 months. I finished education last year and have found it near impossible to find a job, writes a job seeker in Coventry
20 July 2011
Defending state education - Brighton academy victory
School students and teachers protest against academies at Tile Hill Wood school in Coventry, photo Coventry Socialist Party
I was a governor at Varndean school for over four years because I passionately believe in a properly resourced comprehensive education system, open to all regardless of their background, writes Dave Richards, former Varndean governor
20 July 2011
Music review - "This place is coming like a ghost town..."
The prospect of mass unemployment and the threatened job losses at train-building firm Bombardier could lead to the midlands city of Derby being called a ghost town...
20 July 2011
'No cuts' budgets or 'parallel' budgets?
Unison strategy to fight council cuts: At the recent Unison national delegate conference in Manchester, Unison's Standing Order Committee declared that the union could not discuss 'no cuts' or 'needs' budgets because it could place the union "in legal jeopardy"
20 July 2011
TUSC: Building an electoral challenge to Con-Dem and Labour cuts
Over 60 Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) election candidates and agents from the May elections assembled in London on 16 July to discuss May's results and plan for next year
20 July 2011
'Maximum unity' needed to counter government's pensions attacks
The PCS and several education unions have reaffirmed that public sector unions need to consider further action in the autumn, as government ministers have confirmed they are to press on with cuts to pensions.
20 July 2011
Get rid of Cameron, Murdoch and all they represent
What we say: When long-rotten fruit finally falls, all manner of grossness oozes from it and all varieties of parasites can come crawling out...
20 July 2011
Capitalism stuck in a blind alley
Newcastle: 30 June coordinated strike action by the PCS civil service union and NUT, ATL and UCU teaching unions , photo Elaine Brunskill
Determination to struggle grows: On 14 and 15 July members of the National Committee of the Socialist Party met. This article is based on the introductory speech given by Socialist Party general secretary Peter Taaffe...
20 July 2011
A day in the life of a student nurse: Overworked - but happy to help
My alarm goes off at 06.15. The early starts don't bother me, I've become used to them. I take a quick shower and put on my uniform.
20 July 2011
South Yorkshire journalists start all-out strike
Twenty NUJ journalists at South Yorkshire Newspapers have marched out on a unanimous, indefinite strike over greedy owners Johnston Press's latest efforts to hack their jobs
20 July 2011
Tolpuddle says: 'step up the action'
This year's Tolpuddle Martyrs festival saw a record 10,000 people brave the rain to celebrate the victory of the early trade union movement against draconian attempts to stop workers from organising to defend their living standards, writes Tom Baldwin.
20 July 2011
Cameron - Cuts with a smile, photo Suz
Murdoch sleaze spreads: The News International (NI) phone-hacking scandal goes right to the top of society - and every day the crisis gets deeper and wider. NI's billionaire owner Rupert Murdoch's bullying tactics have already exposed the rotten deals and self-serving manoeuvres of Britain's ruling class.
21 July 2011
Kazakhstan - support striking oil workers
Kazakhstan oil workers in the west of the country working for the national oil company KazMunaiGas and some of its subsidiaries and contractors started strike action at the end of May which has been ongoing for over two months...
25 July 2011
Norway: Right-wing terrorist kills 76 at youth camp
How should the labour movement respond?
Right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik's horrific massacre at the camping island of Utøya outside on Friday is unique in its cruelty, with 76 dead and many wounded, and several more still missing.
What is behind the right-wing terrorism? How should the labour movement and socialists respond? Per-Åke Westerlund, Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna (CWI Sweden), writes.
25 July 2011
Coastguards campaign to save Swansea coastguard station
Over 200 people packed into Oystermouth primary school, Swansea on Friday evening (22 July) to hear coastguards and local campaigners make the case for saving Swansea coastguard station, writes Dave Warren (PCS South West Wales).
26 July 2011
Youth Fight for Jobs Jarrow marchers call for one combined demonstration 5th November
Press release from Youth Fight for Jobs
* Student activists confused by call for separate student demonstration four days after demonstration united with young workers and unemployed.
27 July 2011
Norway massacre and the English Defence League
Massive demonstrations of defiance and mourning in Norway show that Anders Breivik's terrorist atrocities have had the opposite effect to that he intended...
28 July 2011
NHS: Stop the job cuts at St Helier Hospital
Despite management intimidation, an inspiring protest took place outside St Helier hospital in south London on Wednesday 27 July
28 July 2011
Media spotlight on Rajapaksa regime's mass murder in Sri Lanka
Channel 4 News has uncovered further evidence of the mass murder and brutality committed by Sri Lankan armed forces against Tamil-speaking people
28 July 2011
Nationalise Bombardier to save jobs
10,000 marched. Photo Paul Mattsson
Train manufacturer Bombardier has announced the loss of 1,400 jobs following the government decision to award the Thameslink rail project to German company, Siemens. Around 10,000 marched against job cuts on Saturday 23 July in the biggest demonstration in Derby for decades...
28 July 2011
Surrey Library lobby a huge success
The Women's Institute joined 'Friends' groups, Library action groups, trade unionists and community anti-cuts campaigners on a mass lobby of Surrey County Council (SCC) on 26th July...
28 July 2011
HONDA - REINSTATE PADDY BRENNAN!
Paddy Brennan, photo Socialist Party
The National Shop Stewards Network has just received word that Paddy Brennan, UNITE Convenor at the Swindon Honda plant has been suspended from work...
25 Sep Liverpool Socialist Party: Who were Militant and why were they expelled from Labour?
25 Sep Birmingham South East Socialist Party: How would food production change under socialism?
27 Sep East London Socialist Party: The high street crisis - a socialist programme for retail
27 Sep Waltham Forest Socialist Party: What will happen in and outside British politics in coming months?
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