Archive for November 2019

6 November 2019

Double-dealing Hackney council bosses face renewed strike action

Hackney council bosses have reneged on an agreement with drivers and passenger escorts, members of the Unite union, on school buses for disabled children

6 November 2019

PCS: "Under the right leadership workers are prepared to fight"

Socialist Party member Marion Lloyd, who is standing for general secretary of the civil service union PCS, spoke at the main rally at Socialism 2019.

6 November 2019

£1 million cuts plan: Peabody housing workers announce strike ballot

Peabody housing plan £1 million of cuts to housing management budgets by March 2020, with potentially devastating consequences to residents and workers. Unite members have voted overwhelmingly to start a formal strike ballot.

6 November 2019

Forbo Flooring Derbyshire strike

The strike at Forbo Flooring UK in Ripley Derbyshire has entered its third week.

6 November 2019

West Midlands Trains guards to strike

89% of senior conductors (guards) have voted for strike action over West Midlands Trains plans to downgrade the role and remove key safety responsibilities.

6 November 2019

TV: Crime and Punishment - this brutal watch is a damning indictment of cuts and capitalism

This compelling six-part documentary, filmed over two years, really underlines the deep crisis throughout the criminal justice system.

6 November 2019

Northern Ireland: Uniting the working class to transcend division

Donal O'Cofaigh is the CWI's first elected councillor in Northern Ireland and is pioneering the struggle for independent working-class political representation in the North.

6 November 2019

Preparing to shape events internationally

The packed international rally at Socialism 2019 was a display of the strength and determination to build the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI).

6 November 2019

End repression in Chile - freedom for soldier David Veloso

The following statement was issued on 4 November by members of Socialismo Revolucionario, CWI in Chile, and the Committee against repression in Chile

6 November 2019

Tony Blair launches manifesto to sabotage a Corbyn government

Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has laid out his general election strategy in the Financial Times: "Save Britain by supporting moderate MPs". As clear as day: prepare to sabotage a Corbyn government.

6 November 2019

General election 2019 round-up

The latest developments in the general election campaign

6 November 2019

Grenfell fire inquiry spin deflects blame from establishment

Press coverage of the Grenfell Tower inquiry's first report emphasised criticisms of the fire brigade rather than the important fact that it found that the cladding on the tower breached building regulations.

6 November 2019

Minimum wage debate: what should we be demanding?

The Socialist is running a debate. How we can end low pay and what minimum wage level should we be fighting for? In this issue, readers share their thoughts.

6 November 2019

Incompetent bosses use tech to bully us

Management at my warehouse uses new technology to harass the workers - and has even proposed a new pay deal which includes scrapping Christmas bonuses for most of the shopfloor.

6 November 2019

Elections, strikes and revolutions: Socialism '19 - daring to fight

"Just two words: At last!" This year's Socialism event - Socialism 2019, came as the parliamentary logjam finally burst apart into a general election.

6 November 2019

Tories out! Corbyn in with anti-austerity and socialist policies

Whose side are you on? That was the theme of Jeremy Corbyn's speech launching Labour's election campaign

6 November 2019

30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall: How a mass revolutionary movement for genuine socialism was diverted

The build-up to the official celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary have, as before, been dominated by anti-socialist propaganda.

6 November 2019

"This is going to be the biggest battle we've seen in Britain for a number of years"

says CWU branch secretary Gary Clark

6 November 2019

Pay, jobs, pensions... Vote for a fighting general secretary

On Thursday 7 November, ballot papers go out to PCS members in the election for general secretary.

6 November 2019

UCU votes for pay and pension strikes

The University and College Union (UCU) has decisively voted to back strike action in two separate ballots over pensions, pay and conditions in higher education.

7 November 2019

Call to Derby Labour members: Don't stand against Chris Williamson

Due to his suspension from Labour, Chris Williamson has announced he will stand as an independent

8 November 2019

Latest posters, leaflets & petitions

View and download recent Socialist Party posters, leaflets and petitions

8 November 2019

New book: In Defence of Trotskyism

Available now; Order from Socialistbooks.co.uk, £10.

12 November 2019

Determined to resist bosses' attacks

Postal workers are involved in 'the fight of our lives'

13 November 2019

Fighting for free education, jobs, homes, and a future worth living

"What kind of world are young people on track to inherit if another Tory government is delivered to Number 10 this winter?"

13 November 2019

RMT union members at SWR to walk out in December

Guards and drivers on South West Railway (SWR) will be taking an unprecedented 27-days of strike action in December in order to retain safety-critical guards on SWR trains

13 November 2019

Transport for London - Justice for cleaners!

The Mayor of London and Tory government have conspired to cut £1 billion from Transport for London's budget but tube workers are fighting back

13 November 2019

Readers' opinion: Twitter's banning of political ads threatens workers' voice

On 30 October, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, announced in a tweet that Twitter plans "to stop all political advertising" on its platform. His apparent reasoning behind this was his belief that "political message reach should be earned, not bought."

13 November 2019

Attacks show elite fear a Corbyn election win

A study into the press coverage of Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 by the London School of Economics media department has found, unsurprisingly, that is was overwhelmingly biased against him.

13 November 2019

Labour MP targeted by right wing stands as independent

Chris Williamson, MP for Derby North has announced that because of his ongoing suspension from the Labour Party, he has been forced to stand as an independent candidate in the general election.

13 November 2019

NHS in critical condition

"It was never-ending, there were more and more patients being wheeled in." This was the comment of a man whose 88 year-old mother-in-law spent six-and-a-half hours waiting to be seen at the A&E Unit at Queens Medical Centre (QMC), Nottingham.

13 November 2019

'McStrikers' demand £15 an hour

On 12 November, McDonald's workers at six restaurants in south London took strike action, and protests took place in towns and cities around the country, as part of the fast food workers' global day of action.

13 November 2019

Frimley NHS Trust strikes: Health workers walkout against privatisation

Facilities staff at Wexham Park and Heatherwood hospitals in Berkshire, and at Frimley Park in Surrey (members of Unite, Unison and GMB trade unions) will strike on 18 and 19 November, in an escalation of their campaign to stay in the National Health Service (NHS).

13 November 2019

Bradford libraries and museums: Unite members escalate action against cuts

Around 50 Unite members in libraries and museums across Bradford have entered their second round of strike action, escalating from two to three days of action this week.

13 November 2019

Kshama Sawant reelected in Seattle

Seattle socialist councillor Kshama Sawant has been reelected in the US city following a bruising battle with an Amazon-backed, big business Democrat candidate.

13 November 2019

Leicester campaigns to save our NHS

As the general election goes into full swing, so do the Tory lies about the NHS. Boris Johnson claimed at the Tory party conference that they would build "40 new hospitals" in ten years.

13 November 2019

Socialism 2019 rally: "Socialist change needed to end climate change"

The panel of speakers at the climate change rally at Socialism 2019 was introduced by chair James Ivens, part of the editorial team of the Socialist newspaper. He opened by saying that capitalism has failed to stop climate change, and change is essential.

13 November 2019

Trade union conference to force secret police disclosure

For decades, trade unionists, shop stewards and socialists suspected there was an active blacklist and that 'spycops' infiltrated trade unions.

13 November 2019

Barking: protest brings pledge to remove dangerous decking

Following our protest last month, covered by BBC London news, estate residents have received a letter addressing the most prominent fire safety issue.

13 November 2019

Help socialist ideas spread this election: donate!

Socialist Party members and supporters raised a record £42,445 at the Socialism 2019 rally on 2 November. This was a fantastic result, and showed determination to ensure we have the resources we need to produce campaigning leaflets, posters, placards and other materials as we go into the general election.

13 November 2019

We saved Chatsworth Ward - two years on

Two years on from the 'done deal, you will be closing' announcement, the Chatsworth Ward at Mansfield Community Hospital remains open!

13 November 2019

Theatre: On Bear Ridge - an examination of loss, set in a post-apocalyptic world

On Bear Ridge is the story of John Daniel (Rhys Ifans), his wife Noni (Rakie Ayola) and Ifan William (Sion Daniel Young), friend of the couple's dead son, and the trio's struggle to survive in a derelict butcher's and general store on a desolate mountain in Wales.

13 November 2019

Socialism 2019 - what you thought

The big annual weekend of discussion and debate took place on 2 and 3 November...

13 November 2019

Strike, Protest, Vote - to Kick the Tories out

As MPs move onto the general election campaign trail, increasing numbers of workers are moving onto the picket lines.

13 November 2019

Green Party offers no alternative for young people and climate change chaos

This election has been called the most important in generations

13 November 2019

General secretary election: Enthusiastic support for Marion Lloyd

The PCS union general secretary ballot has started

13 November 2019

Bolivia: Right-wing coup ousts Morales

A right-wing, US-backed attempt to overthrow the MAS government and to replace it with a vicious anti-working class regime, is under way.

13 November 2019

UCU strikes: Union means business in fight against employers

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) have backed strike action in two separate ballots - one over pensions and one over pay and conditions in higher education.

13 November 2019

I'm 90 and still a socialist

I'm coming up to 90 and have been a socialist since 18. I became an active socialist in the labour movement in the East End of London before moving to Buckinghamshire after the war.

13 November 2019

Save education - Kick out the Tories

Tory and Blairite attacks have devastated the education system, with baleful results for staff and students.

13 November 2019

High Court injunction: solidarity to the CWU - support the posties!

There should be an emergency national demo, support for the action CWU members decide on, and an immediate meeting of the TUC and Labour leaders

18 November 2019

Unite housing branch supports stand of Enfield councillor

19 November 2019

Socialist Party 20-City election tour

Come to the meeting in your area to hear a Socialist Party speaker and discuss how austerity can be reversed after the election

20 November 2019

CWU - ground laid for an almighty struggle

Socialist Party members have been visiting Royal Mail delivery and sorting offices all over the country and getting an excellent response to our leaflets and the Socialist

20 November 2019

Chile revolt continues: read eyewitness report

Mass social protests against inequality, injustice and state repression, continue to erupt in Chile weeks after an uprising was sparked by a hike in Metro fares in Santiago

20 November 2019

Major funding for flood risk management needed

The recent large floods in Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and other areas have resulted in damage to thousands of houses

20 November 2019

Save the NHS: kick out the Tories

Tory lies exposed - Labour's record and programme - how to rebuild the NHS with socialist policies

20 November 2019

Frimley NHS Trust: Strikers remain determined to defeat privatisation

Hospital support staff struck on 18 and 19 November against transfer to a 'wholly owned subsidiary'

20 November 2019

Broadband: privatisation has failed to deliver, time for a socialist plan

Labour's policy announcement to nationalise Openreach and BT broadband infrastructure, and provide free internet for all, has had an impact

20 November 2019

Bolton university fire: government inaction puts safety at risk

Fire ripped through a six-storey student accommodation block, with what eyewitnesses described as terrifying speed, on the evening of 15 November

20 November 2019

Wages flatline, while shareholders profit

Returns for top company shareholders have increased by 56% in just five years

20 November 2019

West Midlands Trains: guards strike to defend safety-critical role

On 16 November, senior conductors at West Midlands Trains took their first day of strike action

20 November 2019

Cleaners strike over low pay at Haringey secondary school

Outsourced cleaners struck at Highgate Wood School in north London to demand an end to appalling working conditions

20 November 2019

Bradford library and museum strikers enter third round of strike action

Library and museum workers in Bradford were holding firm as they entered their third round of action from 18 November

20 November 2019

Long hours in the world of security

He said he had started at 4am and would be working till 8pm, and then going on to work on the door at a pub

20 November 2019

NEU members' sixth-form walkouts

National Education Union members will strike at over 30 sixth-form colleges on 20 November over pay and conditions

20 November 2019

Secret police infiltration of workers' movement exposed

Trade Union Conference Opposing Political Policing: Up to 200 socialists, trade union activists and community campaigners took part

20 November 2019

150 protest against Leicester hospital downgrading attack

More than 150 protested on against cuts in the NHS nationally and locally

20 November 2019

Carmarthenshire union demands no-cuts budget

With both Labour and the Tories promising more spending, there is no excuse for any council to make more cuts

20 November 2019

Swansea: students protest against Hillary Clinton hypocrisy

Hong Kong demo brushes with pro-dictatorship students: Former US secretary of state and failed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton returned to Swansea University on 15 November

20 November 2019

Keep the National Poetry Library free

A fight is on to keep the National Poetry Library free to join and use by the public

20 November 2019

Selling the Socialist

Just a few of the events where the Socialist newspaper has been sold in the past few days. Seizing chances in Leicester, election action in Cleethorpes, CWU solidarity in York

20 November 2019

The Socialist Inbox

Do you have something to say? Letters to the Socialist's editors. Austerity kills, defend the CWU, no rape justice, disabled poor

20 November 2019

Amazon bosses defeated in Seattle - Kshama Sawant reelected

The attempt by bosses of Amazon and other companies to effectively buy control of Seattle city council was defeated by a city-wide reaction against their takeover attempt

20 November 2019

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

What policies are needed to end domestic violence and abuse?

20 November 2019

Pay and pension strike: university staff have had enough

On 25 November, striking university staff will be sending a clear message to management

20 November 2019

Elect Marion Lloyd!

The vote for the next general secretary of civil service union PCS has started, and it closes on 12 December