Socialist Worker

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Striking health workers say: We're out to save the NHS

As NHS workers prepare to strike, health workers told Tomáš Tengely-Evans that funding cuts and privatisation are driving deep anger across the service—and a greater willingness to fight

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International Comment Features Reviews What We Think Other

News

Campaigners slam police spies

Organising to fight state repression was the theme of the Defend the Right to Protest national conference last Saturday. Some 200 people came to the event at the Soas university campus in central London.

Cleaners are wiping out poverty wages

Cleaners in the RMT union at London’s Waterloo station struck for 24 hours, outsourced cleaners in the Unison union at Birkbeck University won better terms and conditions

HMRC tax office bosses reveal plan to isolate PCS union

A leaked memo has revealed that bosses in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plan to seriously undermine the PCS union, which represents 50,000 HMRC workers.

1,000 people rally in Tower Hamlets to defend mayor Lutfur Rahman

Around 1,000 people came to a meeting in Tower Hamlets, east London, on Wednesday of last week.

Anger at union leaders after pay ‘betrayal’ in local government

The rotten pay proposal cooked up by leaders of the Unison, GMB and Unite union leaderships has now settled the dispute with local government employers.

From the archive: Fake Sheikh’s connections with crooked cops exposed

With the 'Fake Sheikh' in the news, this article from our 2014 archive is well worth re-visiting

Defence Support Group workers escalate pay strikes

Defence support group (DSG) workers struck at Ministry of Defence (MoD) bases across Britain this week.

Escalating strikes could still rescue the fight for firefighters' pensions

Tory fire minister Penny Mordaunt sent out a letter last week attacking firefighters’ strikes and refusing to change her position over pensions.

New Era housing campaigners fight fresh eviction threat after victory

Residents of the New Era housing estate in Hackney, east London, could face eviction before Christmas, because landlords plan a massive rent hike.

Ukip racists hope for win in Rochester by-election

Ukip hopes to win its second MP when a by-election takes place in Rochester and Strood, Kent, on Thursday of this week.

Abuse victim claims Tory MP murdered boy in ’80s

Did a Tory MP murder a young boy during an “abuse party” in the 1980s? A victim of sexual abuse, who claims to know of three murders linked to an establishment child sex abuse ring, has made the shocking allegations.

Cops dismiss 1 in 4 rapes

One in four rapes goes unrecorded by police in England and Wales, an investigation into crime figures has suggested.

News in brief

Only 62 percent of jobs full time | Charity probes target Muslims | Council passes boycott motion

Hillsborough cop denies policing was 'shambles'

A former superintendent on duty during the Hillsborough football disaster has denied that he could have done more to help fans trapped in a crush.

Building networks of struggle and solidarity at Unite the Resistance conference

Some 550 trade unionists and anti-austerity activists attended the Unite the Resistance (UtR) conference in central London last Saturday.

No let up in Scotland's political crisis

The political establishment is still reeling from the turmoil created by the Yes campaign in Scotland.

Tories, Labour and SNP agree on austerity - Fight the cuts now!

Up to 500 people protested outside Glasgow City Council on Wednesday of last week to defend the Glasgow Association of Mental Health (GAMH).

Strike vote over rosters at Ayrshire College

Lecturers at the north Ayrshire campus of the recently merged Ayrshire College struck on Tuesday of this week following an 86 percent vote for action.

Students march on parliament demanding free education

Thousands of students marched on parliament to demand free education today, Wednesday, on a noisy demonstration against fees and cuts.

Solid strikes put pressure on Defence Support Group bosses

Defence Support Group (DSG) workers took their fourth consecutive day of strikes today, Thursday, demanding an 8 percent pay rise.

In pictures: solid strikes as Defence Support Group bosses reveal privatisation plans

Workers in the Unite union struck for four days this week at Ministry of Defence bases around Britain. They work for the Defence Support Group, repairing and maintaining military equipment.

After Ukip win in Rochester - a call for the left to unite

Now there is no doubt. We have to take the threat of Ukip very seriously and the left has to get its act together. We need more resistance to Ukip and austerity, and a united left.

In pictures: NHS workers strike across England

NHS workers in nine different unions across England walked out on strike from 7am to 11am this morning, Monday.

NHS strikers take on the Tories

Up to 500,000 health workers struck for four hours across England today, Monday.

Reports round-up

Orgreave campaigners picket IPPC | Solidarity protest with Palestinians | Debates at Left Unity conference | Hull march against NHS privatisation | Ballot at Anglian Water | Protest against cuts in Trafford

Indefinite walkout halted for Sheffield refuse workers

The GMB union suspended an all-out strike by recycling workers in Sheffield, south Yorkshire, for two weeks on Tuesday of last week. 

Four-day strike at refinery

Workers at the Phillips 66 oil refinery in South Humberside walked out unofficially. Also: HTC Plant crane drivers vote on new offer, Blacklist protesters block Carrington building site

Fresh strike date set to be announced at Lambeth College

Also: Fight to keep the pressure on university bosses in USS pension dispute

Big turnout against the Nazis in Rochester

Some 40 Britain First fascists were humiliated in Rochester, Medway last Saturday. 

Defend Haringey teachers' union rep Julie Davies from bosses' attacks

The right wing press has attacked union rep Julie Davies. 

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International

Israeli repression lies behind Jerusalem violence

An attack on a Jerusalem synagogue today, Tuesday, provoked outrage among politicians and in the media.

US fast food worker: 'The rich want us to be slaves - but they are the few and we can win'

Alvin Major is a KFC worker from Brooklyn, New York City. He spoke to Socialist Worker about the wave of resistance he has been organising with other fast food workers for better pay and rights at work.

World leaders trade hot air as a new economic crisis looms

World leaders shook hands a lot last week, with the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) conference in Beijing, China.

Union anger deepens over Cosatu expulsion of Numsa in South Africa

The crisis caused by the expulsion of South Africa’s biggest union, Numsa, from the Cosatu federation continues to grow. 

Civilian rule returns in Burkina Faso

The military in Burkina Faso, west Africa, handed control to an interim civilian government on Monday of this week. 

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Comment

Young offenders have been pushed to the brink by the system

Youth worker Dean Ryan looks behind the headlines to show how capitalism pushes young people to crime

Election turmoil lies behind Labour crisis

Alex Callinicos looks at the reasons for the electoral crisis Labour and the other main parties have found themselves in

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Features

Is the left breaking through in Europe?

We should celebrate the radical left’s breakthroughs in Europe, argues Dave Sewell. But we still need to organise to change not just the politicians, but the whole system

Up against the clock - the truth about night shift work

Shift work is putting the health of millions of people in danger with regular reports detailing the risks. Raymie Kiernan spoke to workers whose body clocks are driven haywire by relentless rotas

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Reviews

The Imitation Game—breaking Britain's conservative codes in wartime

The film of The Imitation Game describes Alan Turing’s struggle against the British state to break a code and conceal his sexuality, writes Nick Clark

Dapper Laughs’ gross sexism is part of a bigger trend

“Lads’ comedian” Daniel O’Reilly—better known as Dapper Laughs—specialises in a particularly disgusting brand of sexist comedy.

Reviews round-up

Salford alternative band Shoshin are releasing a new single, All for US; and new play United We Stand looks at the story of the “Shrewsbury 24” pickets.

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What We Think

Economic recovery has only benefited the few

Where has all the talk of recovery gone? David Cameron says “red warning lights are once again flashing on the dashboard of the global economy”.

A bird flu time bomb set by capitalism

The current outbreaks of bird flu in Yorkshire and the Netherlands may or may not develop into a threat to humans.

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Other Categories

Letters

Readers' views on the Scottish left, the offensive Bob Geldof, freedom riders on trial, Catalan independence and protesting students

The things they say

The week's news in their own words

The banker serial criminals strike again and again and...

The Troublemaker looks into banking, Downing Street, politically correct spies and criminal choc theft

How the right has twisted migration figures to whip up racism

A new report has exposed how ‘facts’ about immigration have been twisted to paint migrants as a burden

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