THE RIGHT wing coup in the PCS civil servants' union has been greeted with a storm of protest from the union's members. Two weeks ago the right wing majority on the union's national executive launched the coup when they tried to remove socialist Mark Serwotka as PCS general secretary.
CALLOUS BOSSES at Manchester airport sacked at least 16 security workers over the holiday weekend. Manchester airport management tried to impose new contracts, slashing pay and conditions, on 570 security staff earlier this year. Security workers had official strikes against these cuts.
Sinking Trident submarine plans LAST WEEK the Ministry of Defence scrapped plans to build a weapons-loading jetty in the middle of the River Tamar, despite having spent £15 million preparing the river bed. This is because of the growing campaign against the Trident base being put in the middle of Plymouth.
THE ELECTION for the leadership of Britain's second biggest union will start in less than three weeks. There is a fierce battle for the leadership of the AEEU section of the million-strong Amicus union. It was created this year after the AEEU merged with the MSF union.
SOLIDARITY. The dictionary definition is, "Agreement in aims or interest. Total unity." If ever there was total unity it was on the picket line of the first day of strike action outside the offices of the Spalding Guardian and Lincolnshire Free Press last Saturday.
SACKED WORKERS at the Friction Dynamics firm in North Wales are calling on all trade unionists to support their demonstration planned for this Saturday, 8 June. The workers were sacked during an official strike over a year ago.
THE conference of the Natfhe lecturers' union took place over the bank holiday, just a few days after a two-day strike by over 30,000 further education college lecturers. The campaign over the insulting 1.5 percent pay offer to further education lecturers dominated the conference.
LOW PAID rail workers on Arriva Trains Northern have stuck two fingers up to management. Union reps told Socialist Worker that last week's 48-hour strike by 360 retail and station staff over pay was solid, and strengthened by new recruits to the union. "That's in the face of management intimidation and claims that we are not getting anywhere," said one worker.
IS THE mood changing? There is a growing feeling for action among public sector workers. This feeling is sharpest over pay and in London, thanks to the crazy costs of living in the capital. In every area the feeling is growing for united action linking different fights and issues.
OVER 100 elected reps from branches of the Unison union in the south west of England met in Gloucester last week at the union's regional council. They voted overwhelmingly to support the European Social Forum. Representatives at the the regional council also agreed to send a delegation to Florence in Italy from 7 to 10 November.
