Socialist Worker

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NHS cuts kill - strike to defend our health service

Nurse Stuart Beddows killed himself—and the ­pressure of work tipped him over the edge. 

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International Comment Features Reviews What We Think Other

News

Reports round-up

Anti-abortion bigots confronted in south London | Electricians picket T Clarke in Romford | London students protest at Mayor's Question Time | Hundreds protest against fracking in Ellesmere Port | Christmas party for Freedom Riders | Marks and Spencer ballot is off after workers reinstated | UCU retreats from a fight over FE pay

Scientists and safety inspectors set for strikes

Prospect union members at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have launched a campaign of industrial action against an imposed 1 percent pay deal. 

Holiday strikes called against privatisation at National Gallery

Workers at London’s National Gallery are set to strike over Christmas as bosses press ahead with privatisation plans.

Packaging workers take action over their hours at Sharpak in Yate

From 6am on Tuesday and Thursday of last week, the small town of Yate, just outside Bristol, saw cheerful and determined pickets waving Unite union flags.

Call centre staff plan walkout in Garston

Some 140 workers at Garston call centre in Merseyside have voted by a magnificent 92 votes to nil to continue their fight.

Women win victory in fight to save nurseries

A united campaign driven by parents has beaten off nursery closures in east London.  

SWP conference 2014: The main parties' crisis brings opportunities for the left

Revolutionaries debated the political situation and how to shape it at the 2014 Socialist Workers Party conference

Shelter strike halted after new offer

A three-day walkout involving around 400 workers at housing charity Shelter was suspended on Monday of this week.

Liverpool FC fans furious over blacklist firm and ticket prices

The Liverpool FC fan group Spirit of Shankly is dismayed to note the club’s recent contractual relationship with Carrillion regarding the rebuilding of the main stand.

Post Office cash handlers' walkout over job cuts is solid

Post Office cash handlers struck for 24 hours on Friday of last week.

Jim Murphy's leadership win will deepen Scottish Labour crisis

Blairite, Zionist and warmonger Jim Murphy has been elected the new leader of the Scottish Labour Party. 

MPs vote to back Tories' attack on firefighters’ pensions

MPs have now backed Tory plans to make firefighters work until they are 60 or face losing up to half of their pension.

Ed Miliband makes immigration pledge - again

Ed Miliband has made controlling immigration the second pledge of his general election campaign. 

Bosses of London’s buses can expect a bumpy ride

A strike ballot of 20,000 London bus drivers was set to finish on Thursday of this week.

World leaders take us closer to climate disaster in Lima

World leaders met for United Nations (UN) talks in Lima, Peru, last week—and took us closer to climate disaster.

Market caused plane chaos in Britain

A computer glitch caused chaos over Britain’s skies as flights were grounded. 

Escalation can win as DSG workers strike for 10 days

Defence Support Group (DSG) workers are making bosses sweat with their ten-day strike for pay, ending on Friday of this week.

Hillsborough boy was alive among dead, inquests hear

A leading ambulance worker pulled a boy out alive from a pile of dead bodies during the Hillsborough football disaster.

As Lambeth strikers escalate action UCU needs to put full weight of national union behind them

Workers at Lambeth College began a three-day strike on Monday of this week in the latest escalation in their battle against hated new contracts.

Jimmy Mubenga guards cleared of manslaughter

Three G4S guards were found not guilty of the manslaughter of Jimmy Mubenga.  

Reports round-up

Benefit cap; teenage homelessness; nuclear power plant failures; and court to rule on midwives and abortion case

Students protest at London mayor’s education cuts

Students protested outside City Hall in London today, Wednesday, over Tory plans to cut investment in education and youth services.

Health and safety workers strike

Over 1,200 workers at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) walked out of work for a half-day strike today, Thursday, in a row over pay.

Shock, grief and anger after Jimmy Mubenga verdict

Shock at the verdict of the trial into manslaughter of Jimmy Mubenga has continued as more information is released.

Defiant DSG workers kick back at bosses with plans for more action

Striking defence workers celebrated the last day of their ten day strike with a Christmas party on the picket line yesterday, Friday. The Unite union members are already gearing up for more action at Defence Support Group (DSG) in the new year in their fight for an 8 percent pay rise.

Campaigner says ‘Never stop fighting’ as George Stinney Jnr’s racist murder conviction overturned after 70 years

Annette Mackin spoke to Ray L Brown, one of the activists who has succeeded in getting black teenager George Stinney’s murder conviction quashed 70 years after his execution

Undermining democracy won't help union beat the Tories' attacks

The PCS union faces concerted attempts by the Tories to destroy it. 

Trade unionists back City Link workers in a fight to stop sackings

More than 2,700 workers face the sack tomorrow, New Year’s Eve, after parcel delivery firm City Link went into administration.

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International

Defying the bankers is the only solution to the crisis in Greece

The government that’s currently collapsing in Greece is a grand coalition between the Tory New Democracy party and the Labour-type Pasok.

International round-up

Hong Kong police clear last camps | Palestinian minister killed | Numsa union to challenge ANC | Nigerian oil workers walk out

Anger at police racism spreads across US

Tens of thousands of people protested in cities across the US last weekend to demand justice for victims of police racism.

Greece's government faces collapse as general strikes rock Italy and Belgium

The year that was meant to bring relief to the eurozone’s crisis is instead ending in strikes, stock exchange runs and political collapse on some of its key battlegrounds.

As Greek government falls, how can workers win?

Workers were celebrating outside the Greek parliament in Athens yesterday, Monday, as the coalition government led by Tory Antonis Samaras finally collapsed.

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Comment

Reclaiming Eleanor Marx for the rebels of today

Sadie Robinson says a new book on Eleanor Marx is a great introduction to both her ideas and political method

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Features

Tales of Grimm justice

Writer and translator Jack Zipes spoke to Socialist Worker about the enduring popularity of the tales of the Brothers Grimm, and how they appeal to our sense of hope

‘We won’t pay’ - pressure is rising in Ireland against hated water tax

A huge protest movement has erupted in Ireland over the introduction of water charges. Annette Mackin reports from one of Dublin’s largest ever demonstrations

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Reviews

Eastern Boys—bleak circumstances show up beauty of human struggle

Eastern Boys has harrowing scenes—but also shows that people aren’t simply good or bad, and have huge potential for change, says Michelle Adhemar

Great Coats for Goal Posts—an alternative to the First World War celebrations

“We’re doing this show because it’s important for socialists to push back against First World War celebrations. 

Reviews round-up

This brilliant new song is based on the South Yorkshire Freedom Riders’ fight to reinstate free rail travel. 

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What We Think

Profit drive makes low oil prices a problem

Oil prices have dropped by almost 50 percent this year to $60 a barrel.

Islamophobia and scapegoating over Sydney siege

The media went into Islamophobic overdrive at news of a gunman holding people hostage in a cafe in Sydney, Australia, this week.

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Other Categories

Lee Goergen 1947-2014

It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of Lee Goergen, a member of the Southampton branch of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) since 1993. 

Jim Cronin: 1942 -2014

Ian Birchall, Jack Robertson and Andy Strouthous remember Jim Cronin, a long standing International Socialist and Socialist Workers Party member, who has died.

Letters

My Basel banner shows we still want Justice For The 96, there's more to socialism than beards, and other letters

Things they say

‘Immigrants want to live and work in towns’

The rich go a little bit crackers for luxury Christmas gifts

As Christmas approaches, Troublemaker’s thoughts turn to what to give relatives and comrades. How about a small island in the Maldives?

Techniques of terror—the truth about state torture

Simon Basketter looks at how the US uses torture to punish those who challenge its power—and how the British state has backed it all the way

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