The Socialist 29 May 2013

767

Evict this millionaires' government

Campaign to stop bedroom tax evictions!

No to terrorism! No to racism! No to war!

Unite to fight racism!

Even the cutters say cuts aren't working!

This is what's 'not to like' about Free Schools, Boris

Nasty party exposed by equal marriage bill

Stop the NHS privatisation rip-off

Rotten greedy banks still threaten crisis

PCS conference sends defiant message to the government

PCS Land Registry delegates commit to action

Strike action needed to save Royal Mail

Wales TUC conference - a missed opportunity

No future with Future Directions

Fire service cuts

Workplace News in brief

Haringey TUSC: trade unions and communities prepare for 2014

'Brilliant' South West conference sees record turnout

Fund the fightback in the SP collectathon

Boosting South West Wales paper sales

Socialist Party youth organisers meeting Sunday 30 June, 10.30am-4.30pm, London

Oppose Kazakhstan regime's latest campaign clampdown

South Africa: Eye-witness to the developing struggle

Riots expose inequality in Sweden

Sri Lanka: Working class beginning to move forward

Salford Socialist Students help lead fightback against job and course cuts

London students fight union closure plan

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Sri Lanka: Working class beginning to move forward

Srinath Perera, United Socialist Party (USP - CWI, Sri Lanka)

A one-day protest general strike held on 21 May was a significant step forward for the working class in Sri Lanka.

It was called by the Coordinating Committee of the Trade Union Alliance as a warning shot against the huge hike in electricity tariffs by President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government.

Although the strike was not a complete success, it nevertheless sent a powerful message to the autocratic regime in this country.

In fact, the 21 May action was the first national token strike since the defeat of the historic July 1980 general strike.

In that respect it represents the beginning of a new era for the Sri Lankan working class.

Although the trade union alliance tirelessly worked round the clock to make the strike a success, its inability to reach out to important layers of the working class, mainly in the public sector and also in some private sector establishments, was visible.

The betrayals of the so-called radical, traditional trade union leaders of the LSSP and CP - who wavered initially and then tried to sabotage the strike - impacted on the majority of the working class who were bewildered by the government's massive anti-strike propaganda and frightened by various threats and intimidation from the bosses.

The different trade union leaders, linked to different political parties, are now being pushed to come together and take joint decisions to win the demands of the working class.

This unity must be consolidated by forming, at national level, a democratic workers' convention to discuss future plans, the problems faced by the working class, and to take common decisions on future action.