Privatisation Follow

AROUND 450 workers at the Qaliub ESCO textile factory began their second strike on Sunday 13 February in protest at the privatisation of their company.

The changes that New Labour is proposing to the NHS pension scheme have provoked real anger among health workers.

The government is to hand £1 billion of NHS money to private companies to provide scans and medical tests to the health service. Health secretary John Reid announced the privatisation of diagnostic tests, including the MRI scans that are important in diagnosing serious conditions, as part of measures to reduce NHS waiting lists last week.

The government's plans for 'independent treatment centres' (ITCs) - privately run units that carry out routine hip, knee and cataract operations for the NHS - have run into trouble.

THE POSTAL workers’ CWU union has received information that Catford and Lewisham Crown post offices in south London are being considered for privatisation. The prospective buyers have visited the offices to measure them up and assess the viability of the proposed sale.

AN ALLIANCE of two major unions, and support from the mid-level leaders of major political parties, has come together to increase the power of workers fighting against privatisation.

Tony Blair has promised that Labour’s election manifesto will "drive through the market based reforms in the health service". But the privatisation of our NHS isn’t simply a threat for the future—it’s happening now.

IN THE past year, the movement against war and corporate globalisation has continued to grow, especially at the national level, where movements are directly defending workers’ and farmers’ livelihoods by reclaiming land and campaigning against privatisation and trade liberalisation. In many parts of the world, from Bolivia to Thailand, social movements have successfully pressed their governments to reconsider or change economic policies.

MATTHEWS NDLOVU, a South African activist fighting against privatisation, has been sentenced to two years in jail for "malicious damage to property".

TWO PROTESTS in Pakistan have shown growing opposition to the privatisation policies of General Musharraf’s military regime.

PARENTS AND pupils were on their way to a protest against the privatisation of their east London school under the government’s city academies’ scheme when they discovered the main sponsor was pulling out.

MEMBERS OF all the unions at Glenbrook Primary School in Lambeth, south London, have voted unanimously for a ballot for strike action against plans to turn it into a city academy for five to 19 year olds.