ANGRY FAMILIES demanded answers as they walked away from two court cases last week. They wanted to know if they would ever get any justice. A jury reached an "open" verdict in the inquest of Harry Stanley, who was shot by Metropolitan Police officers in September 1999.
Harry Stanley HARRY STANLEY was shot through the head by armed Metropolitan Police officers in September 1999, close to his home in Hackney, east London. The police claimed they thought he was armed. He was not. The only thing he was carrying was a coffee table leg in a plastic bag.
£500 bill after NHS treatment A DORSET woman's experience is a stark warning of the dangers of letting the private sector deal with NHS patients. The evidence comes from a shocking report from the official health ombudsman (watchdog) this week. The woman needed surgery on her back.
EDUCATION SECRETARY Estelle Morris declared a frontal assault on comprehensive education this week. Morris said that there were some comprehensives she "wouldn't touch with a bargepole", and slammed "off the shelf comprehensives".
THE NATIONAL conference of the giant public sector union Unison took place in Bournemouth last week, as 800,000 of the union's members in local councils in England and Wales balloted on strikes over pay. If that ballot, and similar ballots in the GMB and TGWU unions, are successful a massive one-day national strike of council workers could take place on Wednesday 17 July.
A POWERFUL Panorama TV documentary last week uncovered the shocking truth about the British establishment's bloody role in Northern Ireland. "A Licence to Kill" showed how the British army and security forces worked hand in glove with the most sectarian and violent Loyalist terrorists. It revealed that the top brass of the British army and Northern Ireland's sectarian police force, the RUC (now renamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland), colluded with Loyalist terror gangs to murder Catholics.
HUNDREDS OF civil servants met last week to defend democracy in their PCS union. Over 300 met in central London on Wednesday of last week, over 120 in Nottingham on Monday of this week and 50 in Bristol. They are protesting against the attempted coup by the discredited general secretary, Barry Reamsbottom, who wants to remove Mark Serwotka, the general secretary elect.
THREE THOUSAND people marched in Scotland's annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender demonstration-Pride Scotland-last Saturday in Glasgow. The joyous, celebratory march was made up of people of all ages from all over Scotland. Floats, banners and costumes made this one of the most colourful demonstrations Glasgow has seen for a while.
THE FIGHT against privatisation of London Underground reaches a crucial stage next week. Ballot papers are going out to build strike action among the RMT tube workers' union. London Underground is on the point of forcing workers, including maintenance staff from the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, into the private sector. Blair and London Underground have two aims-massive profits on the one hand and to weaken workers and trade unionists.
WORKERS ON Arriva trains have announced ten more strike days in their ongoing fight for decent pay. RMT members are setting the agenda with selected strike action. The 690 conductors will strike on 28 June, 13 July, 25 August, 21 September, 19 October, 9 November, 14 December, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Their next strike day is on Friday 28 June. Supporters are invited to their mass picket at Leeds station.
Bringing skies to a standstill AIR TRAFFIC control staff are calling for strike ballots. The government is terrified of strikes disrupting holiday-makers this summer. They are not officially involved in negotiations, but government officials have made it clear that strikes must be avoided at all costs. Air traffic controllers voted by over four to one to reject the latest pay offer.
