
The Socialist 8 January 2020
Climate change. Poverty. War. Capitalism must go - fight for socialism

Suleimani's assassination - Middle East thrown into turmoil
Trump attacks Iran - London protest: We need workers' action against war and austerity
Build union resistance to Tory attacks
Defend the right to strike! - RMT and NSSN lobby parliament
2020: Class struggles and capitalist instability will intensify
Capitalism must go - fight for socialism
Trouble ahead for Johnson: Brexit is far from 'done'
Tory minimum wage hike not enough
Northern Rail franchise in question: nationalise the railways!
Children need intensive care? We don't care!
Shell pays £0 corporation tax, and plans huge hike in fossil output
Ignore the hype - austerity goes on: organise to resist
International wave of revolt continues
What next after the general election, for PCS and the left
Council concedes to striking winter gritters' demands
West Midlands RMT guards jobs saved
All we want for Christmas is a no-strings pay rise
Anti-academy strike action in Newham
Socialist Party members out on the streets
£50,240 - a new fighting fund record
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Defend the right to strike!
RMT and NSSN lobby parliament
Socialist Party reporters
The Queen's Speech in parliament on Thursday 19 December included an outrageous attack by Boris Johnson's new government on the right to strike.
Johnson intends to introduce minimum service levels for the running of transport during industrial action - an attempt to stop transport workers from having the right to withdraw their labour.
Trade union members from the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers' union (RMT) demonstrated outside parliament in central London as part of this start of a fightback against this attack, alongside the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN), Socialist Party members and others.
The National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) had moved its planned 1pm demonstration to instead start at 12.30pm, to coincide with the one called by the RMT, in order to have maximum unity and turnout.
The protest was joined by John McDonnell and others in the Labour parliamentary campaign group of left MPs, a number of whom addressed the protest, including John McDonnell, Ian Mearns, Diane Abbott and Richard Burgon. Their message was the need to rapidly move on from the general election result, to turn to resisting the attacks of Johnson's Tory government.
RMT speakers included general secretary Mick Cash and assistant general secretary Steve Hedley. Mick Cash made it clear that the protest was just the beginning of the fight.
Speaking for the NSSN were its chair Rob Williams (who chaired the protest rally) and secretary Linda Taaffe.
Rob Williams stressed that no union should be left isolated and that joint action by the trade unions is needed, including a Saturday demonstration in London next year which should be called by the TUC.
Linda echoed this and pointed to the incredible mass NHS strike that took place in Northern Ireland the day before, as proof of the willingness of workers to take action if they are given a lead. Johnson's plan is "a strike-breakers' charter" and must be defeated, she said.
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This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 19 December 2019 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.
In this issue
Iran
Suleimani's assassination - Middle East thrown into turmoil
Trump attacks Iran - London protest: We need workers' action against war and austerity
Defend the right to strike
Build union resistance to Tory attacks
Defend the right to strike! - RMT and NSSN lobby parliament
What we think
2020: Class struggles and capitalist instability will intensify
News
Capitalism must go - fight for socialism
Trouble ahead for Johnson: Brexit is far from 'done'
Tory minimum wage hike not enough
Northern Rail franchise in question: nationalise the railways!
Children need intensive care? We don't care!
Shell pays £0 corporation tax, and plans huge hike in fossil output
Ignore the hype - austerity goes on: organise to resist
International wave of revolt continues
Workplace news
What next after the general election, for PCS and the left
Council concedes to striking winter gritters' demands
West Midlands RMT guards jobs saved
All we want for Christmas is a no-strings pay rise
Anti-academy strike action in Newham
Campaigns
Socialist Party members out on the streets
£50,240 - a new fighting fund record
Readers' opinion
Home | The Socialist 8 January 2020 | Join the Socialist Party
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