Anti-nuclear activists from across Britain and around the world met in London last Saturday to discuss the new US moves towards a missile defence system and how this is provoking a new Cold War.

Join the Respect campaign in Brent

Around 30 Respect supporters from across London joined local activists on the streets of the Stonebridge ward in Brent, north west London, last Sunday for the by-election campaign.

Stockline disaster: ‘Dangerously dysfunctional health and safety culture’

The disaster at the Stockline plastics factory in Glasgow on 11 May 2004, which killed nine workers and injured 40, was caused by years of neglect by the company that ran it and by the government watchdog meant to regulate it, according to a report published this week.

Stop Brown’s cuts at the HSE

Two of the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) four Scottish offices are earmarked for closure, with others also under threat.

Reports round-up

Strike against pay cuts at Northern General Hospital Bulk stores workers, who are members of the Unison union, at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield took their third day of strike action on Monday against a planned 20 percent pay cut.

Agusta Westland strike

Some 1,700 workers at helicopter firm Agusta Westland struck for 24 hours on Monday of this week over pensions.

Dock workers walk out over pay in Plymouth

Some 1,400 members of the Prospect civil service workers’ union at Devonport dockyard in Plymouth struck for half a day on Friday of last week against a "shoddy" performance pay system.

Big vote for striking at One

Members of the RMT rail workers union across One railway have voted by more than five to one to strike in support of a guard sacked following an incident with a violent and abusive passenger.

Tour turns up heat over Remploy cuts

Campaigners fighting to save the jobs of hundreds of disabled workers at Remploy factories across the country are continuing their tour of protest.

The British army was defeated in Basra, Mr Brown

The British army has been resoundingly defeated in Iraq – and the only person who doesn't know it is prime minister Gordon Brown.

Edinburgh school students shout it out against army recruitment

School students from across Scotland are stepping up their campaign to end army recruitment in schools.

Michael Rosen: 'resist the book bullies'

My trip to Sainsbury’s this week reminded me of something. On the shelf where the supermarket used to offer families a good variety of children’s books, full of stories, poems and interesting artwork, all that was on sale was a set of booklets full of maths and language exercises.

US gearing up to attack Iran

The US is planning a huge propaganda blitz to prepare the ground for a strike on Iran.

Stockport’s unofficial post strike against sacking

Hundreds of post workers at Stockport mail centre went on unofficial strike on Friday of last week to demand the reinstatement of a sacked colleague. They returned to work on Tuesday after agreeing to a ballot for an official strike.

Edinburgh schools campaign forces SNP retreat

A vigorous campaign by parents and pupils has put a stop to Edinburgh city council's proposal to close one in six schools.

Strike to defend Karen Reissmann: bosses’ strike breaking tactics come unstuck

Shocking evidence has come to light of the lengths NHS managers went to at Manchester community and mental health trust to try and break a solid three-day strike held by health workers last week to defend their victimised union rep.

£150,000 appeal: support the paper that's on your side

From the smallest local disputes to the biggest international campaigns, Socialist Worker stands at the heart of the struggle for a better world – and stands proudly on your side.

Metronet workers fight for their jobs and pensions

London was brought to a near standstill this week by a strike of some 2,300 engineering and infrastructure workers on London Underground that started at 6pm on Monday.

Brown might talk tough, but we can win over public sector pay

Gordon Brown's determination to hold down workers' wages continues despite growing anger against below inflation wage offers in the public sector.

Postal dispute mired in talks

The postal workers' CWU union was in talks with Royal Mail about a possible improvement to the company's 2.5 percent pay offer as Socialist Worker went to press.

Prison officers walkout tests the anti-union laws

Some 20,000 prison officers in England and Wales took illegal unofficial action on Wednesday of last week against Gordon Brown's public sector wage cuts and the disastrous overcrowding in prisons.

London Metronet tube strike wins guarantees

The powerful strike by tube workers on London Underground has forced management to offer the guarantees that workers in the RMT union have been demanding over pensions and job cuts. The union suspended the action on Tuesday evening.

Respect keeps up the pressure in Stonebridge by-election campaign

More than 30 Respect supporters were out canvassing in Stonebridge ward in Brent, north west London last Sunday for the council by-election taking place on Thursday of this week. By the end of the day the entire ward had been canvassed.

International

Angry protests and riots shake central Santiago in Chile

Rioting shook Chile’s capital Santiago on Wednesday of last week during a day of protest called by the CUT, the main trade union federation.

Resisting the new ‘scramble for Africa’ in Botswana

Some 300 people held an angry demonstration recently in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, against plans to build a major US military base and a new "spy" bill.

Comment

The real role models are not in the boardroom

There has been much talk recently about the need for black role models as the answer to the problem of gun and knife crime that has blighted so many lives this year.

Why the government's crime policy fails young people

The past few weeks have seen a moral panic being stirred up in the press following a number of horrendous crimes involving knives and guns committed by children.

Don’t be fooled by EU ‘reform treaty’

One of the few genuinely democratic moments of the past few years came in May and June 2005, when the European Constitution was thrown out by referendums in France and the Netherlands.

Features

Watergate, anti Vietnam war protests and US imperial failure

A US President losing a war abroad and facing an anti-war movement at home, while talking up troop withdrawal, extends his imperial adventure – leading ultimately to his downfall. That is what happened to Republican president Richard Nixon.

Eamonn McCann in Lebanon: 'There’s no profit in peace for Raytheon'

It was the sudden eruption at the back of the room upstairs at Sandino’s bar which brought us eventually to the burial ground at Qana. At the edge of the Lebanese village, pictures of each of the 28 victims were displayed on a wall around the canopied space where the graves are laid out in a precise, neat pattern by the spot where the building they were crushed under once stood.

Maps expose Israeli claims on Qana massacre

An aerial photo released by the Israeli army to justify their attack on Qana shows a rocket launch site in a field outside the village (bottom).

Reviews

Unite Against Fascism TUC fringe event with Jerry Dammers and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly

Unite against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism have teamed up to put on a fringe event to kick off the TUC Congress in Brighton next week.

Together We Are event

This event brings together live music, arts and speakers in memory of Mikey Powell, who died in police custody four years ago. There will be live performances by Capital X and The Welfare Poets from the US. Plus Princess Emmanuelle, Yaz Alexander and The Tribunes.

It’s A Free World

It’s a Free World is the latest film from award winning director Ken Loach. It will be shown on Channel 4 later this month, but Loach fans will have a chance to catch it on the big screen on Thursday of next week.

New beats from MIA

Kala is the latest album from British songwriter and rapper Maya Arulpragasam, better known as MIA. Her first album Arular was named after her father, a fighter for Tamil freedom in Sri Lanka. Now she’s back with a second album – this time named after her mother.

On Brick Lane: tracing East End history

Rachel Lichtenstein’s grandparents were Polish Jewish refugees who lived on Brick Lane in London’s East End before the Second World War.

Of Mice And Men: Friendship and alienation as the Depression bites

A classic of pre-war Hollywood – director Lewis Milestone’s 1939 film Of Mice And Men – is released on DVD this month. The film is based on John Steinbeck’s novella of the same name, and like the book it has suffered persecution by censors for most of its existence.

What We Think

We need class anger, not consensus politics

Gordon Brown says he wants a "politics of consensus, not division". He says, "Britain needs a new type of politics which embraces everyone in this nation, not just a select few."

Socialist Worker

Looking for an earlier issue?

News

International

Comment

Features

Reviews

What We Think

Other Categories

Get In Touch

Other SWP sites

Social Media Links