Socialist Worker

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Into battle for public services

Into battle for public services

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International Comment Features Reviews What We Think Other

News

Preston Respect is striking fear into New Labour's heart

Respect supporters from across the north west of England flocked to Preston last Sunday to get Respect councillor Michael Lavalette's campaign for re-election off to a buoyant start.

Debate at selection meeting for Birmingham Respect candidate

A packed meeting of south west Birmingham Respect took place on Tuesday of last week, in order to select a candidate for the May elections.

Fujitsu Manchester IT workers walk out on five-day strike

Workers on outsourced IT contracts at Fujitsu Services in Manchester walked out on Monday to begin a five-day strike as part of their long running campaign over redundancy rights, better pay and union recognition.

Vote for Roger Kline in UCU general secretary elections

The ballot papers for the general secretary and national executive positions in the University and College Union (UCU) are due to be sent out next week. The ballot runs from 7 February to 7 March.

CWU forces Royal Mail privatisation back down

The deep crisis of the government – and the strength of postal workers – have forced ministers to rule out issuing normal shares in Royal Mail to staff.

Southampton care workers' three day strike over contracts

Council care workers in Southampton will stage a three-day strike from Saturday of this week in a dispute over new contracts.

Hear ye, hear ye - even the town crier is angry!

Activists in the PCS civil service workers' union organised to make Wednesday's strike against job cuts, privatisation and unfair pay as hard-hitting as possible.

Reports round-up

Oldham unites for schools protest Shouts of "our schools are not for sale" rang out around Oldham town centre last Saturday.

More national action will be needed after this week

Many activists in the PCS union are pushing for more national strike action as the next stage in the campaign against the job cuts.

British Airways strike threat forces new offer from bosses

A strike by up to 11,000 British Airways (BA) cabin crew was called off at the last minute this week after the T&G union reached an agreement with BA bosses.

Key health activist Yunus Bakhsh needs your support

The attempt to victimise one of Britain's best known union activists in the health service gathered pace this week.

Fight for trade union freedom

The campaign to change the anti-union laws is moving forward. The Trade Union Freedom Bill is to receive its second reading in parliament on Friday 2 March.

Activists unite against war

People are gearing up around the country for the demonstration in London on 24 February against the replacement of Trident nuclear missiles and calling for troops out of Iraq.

US demo: half a million Americans say 'troops out now'

More than half a million people from across the US marched in Washington DC last Saturday, to say bring the troops home from Iraq now.

Workers ready to fight health service cuts

The momentum is building for protests across Britain on 3 March in defence of the NHS – with activists meeting, lobbying, petitioning and marching.

Manchester community health workers strike against cuts

Over 240 health workers at Manchester Community and Mental Health trust were preparing for strike action this week.

More 3 March protests after pressure from below

The trade union day of action for the health service on Saturday 3 March is a great opportunity to unite health workers and campaigners on rallies, protests and demonstrations.

Inflate the resistance

The Chancellor Gordon Brown is squaring up to union leaders. In a letter to Brown's cabinet colleagues, the treasury has reiterated the need for this year's wage round to be pegged to the current inflation target of 2 percent.

Notice given for national strike ballot in Royal Mail

Around 10,000 HGV drivers working across Britain for Royal Mail are to begin the strike vote process unless there is a new offer from management within the next seven days.

PCS strike: your reports

Civil service workers across Britain struck solidly today against New Labour's plans to slash 104,000 jobs. They are also angry about privatisation and unfair pay.

Pictures from PCS picket lines

Striking to defend the NHS in Manchester

Over 250 workers at Manchester's mental health and social care trust joined a one-day strike on Wednesday of this week in protest at proposed cuts that will mean job losses and decimation of the service.

Workers occupy Simclar factory to save their jobs

Workers are occupying a Simclar electronic components factory in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland, in protest at the company's plans to close the factory and asset strip the plant.

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International

Moroccan workers fight against global clothing giant Dewhirst

Striking textile workers in Morocco are appealing for solidarity. Their strike has become a major battle against a powerful multinational over the right to form a union.

Powerful strike wave in Egypt challenges neoliberalism

Rail workers in the Egyptian capital Cairo have struck for higher wages. Over 700 railway drivers went on strike at Cairo's Misr train station on Saturday of last week.

Plans in place for biggest Cairo Conference against war yet

Hamas and Hizbollah will be sending delegates to the next anti-war conference in Cairo, Egypt, from 29 March to 1 April.

Lebanon's opposition in crisis

The pro-US government in Lebanon is attempting to unleash a sectarian war to derail an opposition movement led by Hizbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).

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Comment

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Features

Judaism and antisemitism

Understanding the economic role of Jews in the Middle Ages is crucial if we are to understand the history of Jewish persecution, writes Beccy Reese

Africa's anger: WSF 2007 report

The people of Kariobangi are dignified, decent and desperate for peace and stability. But they live in some of the worst conditions on Earth.

Platinum mines spearhead scramble for Africa's wealth

A new "scramble for Africa" is taking place, which has many of the features associated with the 19th century carve-up of the continent.

Breathing new life into the struggle for change in Africa

In the 1960s and 1970s, Africa was symbolised by both colonial devastation and the national liberation struggles that swept the colonisers' regimes away.

The new art of making money

In 2003 the Investors Chronicle surveyed their readers about whether buying art was a good investment or not.

Backdoor Bolkestein: European workers face new attacks

New Labour wants to make the right to strike illegal under European Union (EU) law. At the same time it wants it to be legal to pay migrant workers less than the minimum wage.

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Reviews

Mark Wallinger: anti-war art and the state of Britain today

Every age has its defining political struggle, and the anti-war movement occupies this role today. Yet Britain's visual art scene has by and large avoided directly addressing the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the protests against it.

A day to celebrate the life of black socialist John La Rose

The poet Linton Kwesi Johnson wrote of John La Rose, "He was the most remarkable human being I have ever known."

4hero | Battersea Arts Centre | Phill Niblock

4hero: Play with the Changes CD out now

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What We Think

The real prisons scandal is locking up the poor and sick

Chief Inspector of prisons Anne Owers was right to warn this week that Britain's prisons are in "serious crisis". If anything it's something of an understatement about a system that sees more people locked up per head of population than any other country in western Europe.

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Other Categories

Philip Kunda

Philip Kunda, a socialist originally from Zambia and an SWP member, has died from liver failure at the tragically early age of 36.

Tim: Blending in

Letters

Letters

Meetings, events and demonstrations

Meetings And Events

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