THE MEDIA is whipping up hysteria over crime and ignoring three simple facts:
A strike and demonstration by over 40,000 teachers in and around London on Thursday of last week was the biggest for 30 years. It marked a turning point. "I feel we are laying to rest the ghosts of 20 years of demoralisation," said one experienced teacher as she sped by with a group of recent university graduates.
Judith Mora, a Spanish journalist working in London, has been going along to Marxist forums in Brick Lane, east London. She tells us why:
Ballots are now under way in Birmingham and Glasgow. Britain's two biggest council landlords are asking their tenants to say yes to transfer to housing associations.
The women's TUC conference in Eastbourne last week saw anger at New Labour. Alongside the leading figures who spoke out against the government many ordinary delegates also echoed the feelings of anger at New Labour. Nancy Coull from Unison said, "This is my message to the government.
Drivers on ScotRail struck on Tuesday of this week as part of an escalating campaign over pay. Management arrogance in refusing to come up with a serious offer for the drivers has hardened the mood of strikers. Mick Rix, general secretary of the Aslef union, which represents most ScotRail drivers, has authorised 11 more one-day strikes.
The boss was praying for rain. He claimed, "You won't last. Once it's cold and raining you'll be back at work." But defiant medical secretaries at Sunderland hospitals rubbished their boss's predictions.
Postal Workers could hold a national strike on Wednesday of next week. It would be about pay. Postal workers are fed up with poverty pay-a basic of just £250 a week. Many work six days a week and start at around 5.30am. The executive of the CWU postal workers' union believed it had secured agreement over pay with Royal Mail. CWU deputy general secretary John Keggie said the deal would mean £300 a week pensionable pay by October 2003.
More than 1,500 workers at the Airbus plant in Flintshire, North Wales, walked out of work unofficially on Thursday of last week. Hundreds of staff walked out at lunchtime. They were then followed by the entire afternoon shift and the majority of the evening shift. They were protesting against pay bonuses for managers while workers' pay is being cut.
The Socialist Alliance is gearing up to challenge New Labour in hundreds of council seats in the local elections on 2 May. The deadline for nominations is approaching fast. This means that Socialist Alliances are selecting candidates over the next few days.
"I THINK there is a mood of change in the country." So said Derek Simpson, who is challenging Blair's favourite union leader, Ken Jackson, for general secretary of Amicus. Derek came to the Socialist Alliance's trade union conference to speak to members of Amicus, a union made up of the old AEEU and MSF.
