Socialist Worker

---

Carillion’s collapse puts thousands of workers’ jobs and pensions at risk

Carillion was Britain’s second-largest construction company, employing 43,000 people globally.

---

International Comment Features Reviews What We Think Other

News

Drama in Manchester as protesters block buses during drivers’ strike

There were dramatic scenes at First Manchester bus depot today as protesters stopped scab buses during a strike by drivers.

One million children in poverty to miss out on free school meals

New regulations under the Universal Credit regime will mean hardship for poorer families

Victory for anti-racists as Trump cancels his visit to Britain - now take on Tillerson

US president Donald Trump has confirmed he won’t be coming to Britain to open the new US embassy in February.

Anti-austerity protests erupt in Tunisia

Widespread demonstrations have erupted in Tunisia over mass unemployment, poverty and social inequality. They are also questioning the government.

Rail strikes bring lines to a standstill in a battle to defend safe, accessible travel

Train workers brought networks to a standstill this week as they resisted bosses’ plans to take guards off trains.

Fujitsu workers prepare for strikes as bosses dismiss Unite rep Ian Allinson

Unite union members at Fujistu have announced a series of strikes—as bosses dismissed victimised rep Ian Allinson. The first walkout will begin on Wednesday 24 January.

Mother of Becky Romero leads protest over her death - and backs 3 Feb NHS demo

The mother of Becky Romero, a 15 year old who died because of metal health cuts, has slammed underfunding of services as “utterly shameful”. And she called on people to join the demonstration for the NHS on 3 February in London.

Tens of thousands march against the Tory-fascist coalition in Austria

Around 70,000 took to the streets in Vienna - including refugees and trade unionists

As Carillion fat cats demand more state cash - stop outsourcing to save jobs

Bosses at Carillion have got their hands out. They have already taken billions of public money on the outsourcing and privatising gravy train.

Students protest at University College London over racist eugenics conference

Chants of, “Decolonise UCL” and, “End eugenics now” rang out in front of University College London (UCL) on Monday.

Report reveals fresh safety failings over Grenfell as 2,000 attend silent march

Seven months after the Grenfell Tower fire, the level of contempt for working class people felt by those responsible is still being revealed.

Corbyn caves in to pressure as ally Chris Williamson goes

The Labour Party’s left wing leadership has shown serious signs of accommodating to the right and big business in a bid to appear respectable.

Unite union calls on members to reject the pay offer in local government

The Unite union is calling on its members in English and Welsh local government to reject their pay offer in a consultative ballot.

Hundreds of Birmingham care workers set to strike over cuts and rotas

Hundreds of vital workers in Birmingham are striking to save a home care service from cuts.

Reports round-up: Glasgow equal pay campaign

Also, anti-fracking protest in York, Bradford children's services at risk and more

Massive vote for strikes by postal workers has forced concessions from Royal Mail

 

A big protest in London on 3 February can help push back Tory attacks on the NHS

An urgent call to resist the Tories’ attacks on the NHS went out from a health campaigners’ meeting in London on Thursday of last week.

Vote for pensions strikes in the UCU union to stop attack on USS scheme

A ballot of UCU union members for strikes over pensions was set to end on Friday. Workers at some 68 universities across Britain are balloting to stop an attack on their USS pension scheme.

---

International

Trump attacks migrants and the planet - and increases the nuclear threat

The explosive revelations of The Fire and the Fury book on US president Donald Trump has dominated headlines over the past week.

Tens of thousands join metal workers’ strikes in Germany over pay and hours

A series of strikes by tens of thousands of metal workers are showing the potential power of the German working class.

Transport strike in Greece cancels flights and brings trains and buses to a standstill

Thousands of transport workers in Greece struck on Monday of this week against the left wing Syriza government’s plans to bring in harsh new anti-union laws.

Mahienour el-Massry and Moatasem Medhat released from jail in Egypt

Lawyer and revolutionary socialist Mahienour el-Massry and trade unionist Moatasem Medhat have been acquitted on appeal by a court in Alexandria, Egypt.

---

Comment

Labour should not back single market

Jeremy Corbyn is under increasing pressure from the Labour right to shift his policy on Brexit. This would mean—at the maximum—supporting a second referendum and—at the minimum—backing Britain staying in the European single market if it does leave.

---

Features

Winston Churchill - a brutal bully and racist who was rightly hated by many

US right winger Mike Huckabee emerged from the latest Churchill film, Darkest Hour, to declare, “Churchill was hated by his own party, opposition party, and press."

Karl Marx showed why workers have the power to change the world

This year marks 200 years since Karl Marx’s birth. Sadie Robinson explains why workers are central in the first of an occasional series

Donald Trump’s first twelve months in office - a year of horrors and resistance

Cowardly, sexist, racist US president Donald Trump has lurched from crisis to crisis since his inauguration a year ago this Saturday. His attacks have been relentless—but the resistance has been inspiring.

---

Reviews

Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, paints a dark picture of US society

This film is a dry, dark satire which pulls questions about the nature of humanity, good and evil, redemption and salvation out of its cowboy hat.

Kiri veers into cliche but is still a worthwhile watch

But it does show what social workers face whenever something goes wrong—with an underlying political row

---

What We Think

Carillion crash is the product of a failing system

Politicians and bosses rushed to denounce failed firm Carillion as the latest in a long list of companies described as the “unacceptable face of capitalism”.

Donald Trump’s cancelled visit to Britain shows that protesting works

Donald Trump won’t visit Britain next month because he is too scared of protesters

---

Other Categories

LETTERS - We can build a campaign to make life in Scarborough fair

As a resident of Scarborough—Britain’s low-pay capital—I was uplifted to learn of Jeremy Corbyn’s plans to get Labour campaigning in “left behind” communities.

The things they say

‘I’m still left with more than anybody else, and that seems to me entirely just’

Troublemaker - judge concerned that pigs get a fair cop on collusion

There were dramatic scenes in Belfast High Court last week.

---