Privatisation Follow

A mass Europe-wide movement against privatisation and war is set to be launched in November. Tens of thousands of trade unionists and activists are preparing to gather at the European Social Forum (ESF) in Florence, Italy, to plan resistance. Many different groups are supporting the event.

SIX MONTHS ago left wingers like Tony Benn and Jeremy Corbyn MP looked very lonely figures in the Labour Party. They were barely tolerated by the leadership as quaint reminders of a long-gone era when people thought capitalism could actually be done away with and privatisation was a swear word.

WESTMINSTER council workers began an all-out strike on Monday against a major privatisation plan by their Tory council. The strike in the London council began with 77 workers in the Parking and Highways Licensing Departments striking and staging lively pickets. At least three people joined the Unison union on the picket lines in order to take part in the strike.

A HUGELY successful strike by London's tube workers last week has shown they have the power to stop New Labour's crazy PPP privatisation scheme. Members of the RMT union struck for 24 hours from 8pm on Wednesday. The same day hundreds of thousands of council workers walked out. The strike hit London Underground management hard.

UNISON MEMBERS working for London's Westminster council are set to start strikes next week over privatisation, attacks on their pensions and working conditions. The action is due to start with 77 workers in the parking and highways licensing departments coming out.

FRIDAY 5 July was the 54th anniversary of the NHS. To mark the anniversary Newcastle Unison petitioned against fat cat pay and creeping privatisation. They got a great response, with several hundred signatures collectedRAY SMITH

Hackney bins the profiteers HACKNEY LABOUR council in east London has carried out a humiliating U-turn over privatisation. It has announced it is taking the bins and street cleaning service back into council control. Serviceteam, the private firm that ran the services for the last 18 months, made up to £9 million "excess profit" from the cash-strapped council. While the privateers cashed in, crucial services have been shut down because the council has "no money".

AROUND 800 council workers are gearing up for a major battle against privatisation. They will be standing up against plans by Tory-controlled Westminster council to privatise the bulk of council services. If the council gets away with its plan every council will be encouraged to press ahead with similar privatisation plans.

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.

CRUCIAL DEBATES are going on in the Communication Workers Union about how to respond to the huge attacks postal workers face. At the union's conference last week they discussed what to do about job losses, privatisation and attacks on the union.

TUBE WORKERS took their fight against the privatisation of London Underground onto the streets last Tuesday. The RMT union's campaign for a yes vote in the ballot for strike action was kicked off by Bob Crow.

ANOTHER 17,000 job losses in the post and a disgracefully lacklustre response from union leaders. That was the bad news for postal workers last week. Workers are being asked to pay for mistakes by the bosses, and the government's crazed commitment to the market and privatisation. The bosses used gross lies to justify the job losses.