The Irish bailout is a scam to give money to Ireland’s government so that it can pass it on to Irish and international banks. The bailout even includes the government throwing £15 billion more of its taxpayers’ money into the pot to further help the bankers.
A huge general strike against austerity rocked Portugal on Wednesday of last week. Millions of workers took part in the action, which was organised by the CGTP-IN and UGT union federations.
Faced with the prospect of bankers, bosses and bureaucrats looting their country, the working class of Ireland is as bitter as the weather.
The new United Left Alliance—made up of the People Before Profit Alliance, the Socialist Party, the Tipperary Workers and Unemployed Action Group, and others—marched together. They attracted a huge number around them.
The anger on the march was not just directed at the banks and the government, but also at the inaction of the unions.
A political and economic crisis is sweeping across Ireland—and it threatens to engulf several other countries.
Workers’ resistance to austerity will take centre stage in Portugal on Wednesday of next week when hundreds of thousands of union members are set to join a general strike.
Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released this week after spending most of the last 20 years under house arrest. It’s welcome that she’s free. But hopes that this will be the start of a shift from a military dictatorship to democratic government are premature.
Over one million people took to the streets in 250 cities and towns across France last Saturday against president Nicolas Sarkozy’s attacks on pensions.
Regional elections in Greece last weekend showed the anger at the Pasok government’s austerity programme.
Anti-capitalists were gearing up for major protests this week at the G20 summit of world leaders in Seoul, Korea.
The French government and most of the world’s media have declared that President Sarkozy has beaten back opposition to his attacks on pensions.
