Articles from the Socialist, issue 546

2 September 2008

Major struggles are inevitable – trade union action needed to protect our future. Picture: PCS Passport workers on strike in Belfast, photo Peter Hadden

“The economic times we are facing are arguably the worst they’ve been in 60 years”, blurted out chancellor Alistair Darling in an unguarded moment on his summer holiday, writes Dave Reid.

Russia / Georgia war exposes limits of West

Trades Union Congress: Building a real leadership against the bosses

PCS is calling for public-sector trade union unity. Birmingham Council workers on strike, April 24, photo S. O Neill

This year’s Trades Union Congress promises to be more interesting than in previous years. The main resolutions reflect issues such as the battle in the public sector over the government’s pay restraint…

London buses: Strikers pack picket lines

Fight threat to Ford Transit plant jobs

Coastguards strike over bank holiday in pay protest

Building a new workers’ party: trade unionist initiative needed

John McInally, vice-president of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), photo Paul Mattsson

A number of left trade union leaders have recognised that the Labour Party in councils and in government is not going to stop trying to push through privatisation, writes John McInally, vice-president of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), in a personal capacity.

Poland: Biggest workers’ demo since the 1990s

WARSAW CAME to a standstill for many hours as over 50,000 workers demonstrated in torrential rain last Friday (29 August), writes Paul Newbery, GPR (CWI, Poland).

Terry Fields memorial meeting

“TERRY FIELDS was a great comrade, loved and respected by many socialists, trade unionists and political activists, writes Clara Paillard.

Opposing the far right

Winners and losers at the Beijing Olympics

Water quality threat to health

Adding colour to The Socialist

School and college students fighting back!

Six months before New Labour came to power in 1997, Blair famously claimed that his three main priorities for government were “education, education, education”, writes Kat Jayawant, Sussex Downs College International Socialist Resistance (ISR).

Inside Egypt: the land of the Pharaohs on the brink of a revolution

A new book describing the disintegration of Egyptian society claims it is a country on the brink of revolution. As if to prove the author’s point, the government has banned its sale…

NHS: Save our casualty unit!

SWANSEA’S SINGLETON Hospital casualty unit is threatened with yet another downgrading. The Trust proposes to replace this important minor casualty service with just a single GP and nurse team!, writes Alec Thraves, Swansea Socialist Party.

Swollen profits, suffering patients