DEREK SIMPSON, the left challenger to Sir Ken Jackson in the election for AEEU union leader, spoke to over 70 delegates at a fringe meeting before the start of MSF conference. "Whoever wins the election will be the general secretary of the whole Amicus union," he said.
THE BATTLE for democracy in the PCS civil servants' union is continuing. The right wing dominated national executive launched a coup three weeks ago to remove the elected general secretary, socialist Mark Serwotka. They wanted to replace him with discredited general secretary Barry Reamsbottom.
LANGWORTHY Socialist Alliance and local residents took direct action to the doorstep of Salford's New Labour council on Thursday of last week. With a tipper truck covered in Socialist Alliance posters and John Lennon's "Power to the People" blasting through a PA, local activists dumped over half a ton of rubbish on the steps of the town hall in front of workers, shoppers and a BBC TV crew.
EVERYONE WHO wants to organise against the war drive is invited to attend a Stop the War Coalition activists conference. Speakers include writer and broadcaster Tariq Ali and Jeremy Corbyn MP. There will be workshops on Iraq, Palestine, South Asia, Afghanistan, producing publicity and using the media, building local groups, fundraising and much more.
IN A disgraceful attempt at union busting, Glasgow's Labour council has hired scab labour to break an official strike. Last weekend council officials hired the private firm Scotia Security. Along with senior managers, they were used to break the strike by 140 low paid Unison staff who work for the city's leisure and recreation service. The strikers asked council workers in other unions to respect their picket lines on Saturday and Sunday.
Good lessons in taking action SOUTH BANK University lecturers in London were set to strike as Socialist Worker went to press. They will be out for three days this week, from 11 to 13 June. Lecturers will also be withholding marks as part of their action against 128 proposed redundancies.
NINE THOUSAND London Underground workers are to vote on industrial action. The RMT union ordered a strike ballot over safety and privatisation as the Labour government's moves to sell off London Underground suddenly moved forward last week. Despite earlier talk of the process being tangled up in legal manoeuvres till next year, maintenance workers now face privatisation at the end of this month. RMT members are to be balloted from 14 June. Voting will end on 24 June.
POST OFFICE bosses plan to announce another 17,000 job cuts this week. This is on top of huge job cuts earlier in the year. The cull is based on huge changes to deliveries. These include the "Starburst" plan, which involves groups of three to five workers sent into towns with a van full of mail and then "blitzing" areas. Other changes mean extending rounds from two and a half hours to four hours without a break.
THE NEED to build a united mass campaign to counter the rise of the far right was the central theme of the Scottish Anti Nazi League (ANL) conference held on Saturday. A total of 130 anti-racists took part.
TRADE UNIONISTS from across the country met in London last Saturday to discuss the threat posed by the Nazi BNP. Speakers stressed the crucial role trade unions play in combating the far right. However, delegates expressed their anger at how New Labour has fanned the flames of fascism through its racist policies towards asylum seekers.
