Archive for December 2012
5 December 2012
Pic: Paul Mattsson
TUC lobby 11 December to name date for 24-hour general strike to defeat ConDem cuts.
Chancellor Osborne has had to admit the humiliating truth - his policies to revive the British economy aren't working.
5 December 2012
Workfare schemes failing: We need real job creation
We will never be good enough. Millions strong and most of us young, all of us ready to work. We will never be good enough for Iain Duncan Smith, writes James Ivens.
5 December 2012
Hot air from Starbucks...: The ever-generous Starbucks has agreed to carry out a review of whether it maybe possible, at some point, to pay a little more tax...
5 December 2012
Mass action needed to save our health service: In England, NHS users face the relentless drive to privatise so that ruthless private bosses can make a fortune with no regard for the service they are supposed to provide, writes Claire Job, Nurse and Socialist Party member.
5 December 2012
Demo against South West pay cartel
A 24-hour general strike to defend the NHS: Over 2,000 trade unionists and their families marched in Bristol on Saturday 1 December to protest against the recently formed NHS employer, South West Regional Pay Consortium, writes Dominico Hill.
5 December 2012
Campaign to save Lewisham A&E continues
Saturday 24 November, defying cold driving rain, up to 10,000 residents and staff marched to defend Lewisham Accident and Emergency (A&E) and linked arms around it., photo Socialist Party
Around 10,000 NHS staff and local people demonstrated on 24 November against the closure of Lewisham hospital's A&E department and other services...
5 December 2012
Belgium: Defend Tamil activist from deportation
Tamil Solidarity activist Muruganandam Murugathas - Thas to his friends - was arrested in November and taken to a closed centre for asylum seekers in Steenokkerzeel, in reality a deportation camp...
5 December 2012
Bristol Socialist Party members were stunned by the untimely death of our comrade Suzanne Coombes on 10 November...
5 December 2012
November by-elections: Building an anti-cuts alternative
TUSC on the 28 March 2012 NUT London strike and demonstration , photo Socialist Party
"November was an unusual month. You can wait a long time for a byelection and then six come along in one month...
5 December 2012
Food banks without politics don't help
Nancy Taaffe on Waltham Forest anti-cuts protest, photo Senan
In a slightly shorter version of an article previously published on the Food Bankers' blog, Nancy Taaffe explains her severe misgivings about food banks...
5 December 2012
Yorkshire NSSN plans for future battles
The Yorkshire Shop Stewards Network conference held in Leeds on 24 November was attended by 45 delegates from 14 different trade unions from Hull, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, York, Harrogate and West Yorkshire...
5 December 2012
RMT cleaners: 'Prices are going up - but we get nothing extra'
RMT train cleaners from Churchill and ISS, who have taken strike action, protesting at Newcastle Central station, photo Elaine Brunskill
Train cleaners from Churchill and ISS, rail union RMT members, have taken further co-ordinated strike action against their unscrupulous bosses, writes Elaine Brunskill.
5 December 2012
All-out Christmas strike: After taking over 30 days of strike action over the summer, 20+ re-cycling workers, working at Sheffield's five Dump-it sites, thought they had secured an agreement to restore their working hours...
5 December 2012
Scottish referendum: What sort of independence should socialists campaign for?
Rallying for a yes vote in Edinburgh as thousands march for an independent Scotland, photo M Dobson
The 2014 referendum is going to take place against the backdrop of an unprecedented economic crisis. Tory Toff, David Cameron's Con-Dem government is attempting, and to a degree has already succeeded,...
5 December 2012
Nothing to lose - Tesco drivers vote for indefinite strike
180 Tesco drivers, members of Unite the union, at the supermarket giant's distribution hub in Doncaster have announced an indefinite strike from 7 December
5 December 2012
Health unions should take action to save our NHS: Proposals have been announced to close four accident and emergency (A&E) units in north west London: Charing Cross, Central Middlesex, Hammersmith and Ealing, writes Michael Wrack.
5 December 2012
Standing up to austerity on the south coast
Trade Union and anti-cuts activists from across Hampshire came together on 28 November at the invitation of Southampton RMT shipping branch to launch Stand Up on the South, a campaign of direct action and civil disobedience in opposition to the Con-Dems' austerity agenda...
5 December 2012
PCS: Action agreed to end pay freeze and defend working conditions
Press release from the Public and Commercial Services Union, PCS:
The union's national executive has agreed plans for a determined campaign for fair pay and working conditions, including a ballot for industrial action by more than a quarter of a million civil and public servants, writes (PCS).
5 December 2012
Kazakhstan: commemoration on massacre
Cultural commemoration on the first anniversary of the notorious massacre in Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, of unarmed men, women and children by state forces, Sunday 16 December.
5 December 2012
The rotten establishment - of a rotten system
Just as arrogant bankers flaunted their wealth while they helped crash the economy, so establishment politicians, press barons and some police have had their arrogance and contempt for 'the plebs' revealed.
5 December 2012
Editorial: Don't throw things at the telly - fight back! Working people face attacks on their wages, jobs, services or benefits.
5 December 2012
In October, the Lancashire Telegraph serialised former Labour cabinet minister Jack Straw's memoirs. Peter Harris, one of six Labour Party members expelled from Straw's Blackburn constituency party, wrote to the Lancashire Telegraph challenging Straw's version of events
5 December 2012
After revelations that the academies programme has run up a £1 billion overspend, which other schools are now being asked to pay for, anger against the government's flagship education policy is growing...
5 December 2012
We need decent jobs not benefit cuts!
In his Autumn Statement mini-budget, Chancellor George Osborne will attempt populist politics in his budget by scapegoating the unemployed and attacking benefits...
5 December 2012
Scottish Unison unanimously backs one-day general strike
Photo by Duncan Brown
All 200 delegates representing 160,000 Unison members working in local government, health, education etc have unanimously supported a motion from the Glasgow city branch calling for a coordinated industrial action strategy, beginning with a one-day strike across Scotland...
6 December 2012
Youth & students lobby Sheffield Council to Restore EMA - photos
Sheffield Youth Fight for Jobs and Socialist Students lobby Sheffield Town Hall before presenting petitions demanding the Labour Council restore EMA, photo by A Tice
Sheffield Youth Fight for Jobs and Socialist Students lobby Sheffield Town Hall before presenting petitions demanding the Labour Council restore EMA. Two photos...
6 December 2012
6 December 2012
Osborne's budget: more pain, more reasons for a 24-hour general strike
Photo Paul Mattsson
Osborne's autumn statement is yet another attempt to transfer wealth from the 99% to the pockets of the 1% elite...
6 December 2012
Doncaster Tesco drivers on indefinite strike - photo
Striking Tesco drivers on the picket line , photo by A Tice
See article: www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/15804/05-12-2012/nothing-to-lose-tesco-drivers-vote-for-indefinite-strike, writes Please send messages of support to Unite shop steward Trevor Cheetham: [email protected]
7 December 2012
Sheffield teachers' strike against 'mock Ofsteds'
Over 30 members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) took strike action on Thursday 6 December at Westfield Sports College, a secondary school in Sheffield, writes Alistair Tice.
7 December 2012
Demand the immediate release of Ramy Sabry and all activists in Egypt
The CWI condemned the organised killing of journalist Al Housseini Abou Dayf, and the kidnapping and torturing of activists by Muslim Brotherhood members during the recent mass protests
7 December 2012
Release political prisoners in Sri Lanka
Tamil Solidarity has launched a new campaign in protest at the arrest of students at Jaffna University by the brutal Sri Lanka regime...
10 December 2012
Socialist Women plan campaigning for 2013
On 5 and 6 January a Socialist Party national women's meeting will take place. In the lead up to this two regions of the Socialist Party report on similar meetings they have organised
11 December 2012
Kazakhstan - Vadim jailed for 12 years
On the second attempt, the authorities in Kazakhstan have jailed Vadim Kuramshin, a well-known campaigner for prisoners' rights and member of the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan, for 12 years...
11 December 2012
Tesco drivers successfully blockade distribution centre
Striking Tesco drivers on the picket line , photo A Tice
With confidence high after Saturday's march and picket, Doncaster Tesco drivers upped the anti on Monday in their dispute with Tesco/Stobarts, writes Alistair Tice.
11 December 2012
Trade unionists lobby TUC for 24-hour general strike
Video added 12/12/12. On 11th December, 100 trade unionists joined the National Shop Stewards' Network to lobby the TUC general council
12 December 2012
Condemning an anti-LGBTI bill in Uganda
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex activists, and human rights campaigners, protested outside the Ugandan High Commission in London on 10 December against a repressive bill currently going through the Ugandan parliament
12 December 2012
Brixton byelection, south London: We want a candidate we can count on
It may be cold outside but not as cold as George Osborne's heart and his brutal austerity measures. But he's not the only one...
12 December 2012
Striking against 'mock Ofsteds'
Over 30 members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) took strike action on 6 December at Westfield Sports College, a secondary school in Sheffield, writes Alistair Tice.
12 December 2012
Bristol postal workers fight bullying
Dressed in Santa hats and with spirits high, around 40 postal workers and their supporters joined the picket line on 10 December at the Bristol South East delivery office, writes Tom Baldwin.
12 December 2012
Defend the Four: The Hackney Unison branch committee has unanimously passed a motion welcoming the decision of Unison to withdraw its High Court appeal against witch-hunted Socialist Party members Glenn Kelly, Onay Kasab, Suzanne Muna and Brian Debus, which has probably saved the union £100,000...
12 December 2012
The Tories have been caught lying about spending on the NHS. They claimed that they have increased spending on the NHS in each of the last two years...
12 December 2012
South African miners' struggle
South African miners on strike 2012
'An historical faultline': The recent determined struggle of South African miners, who have braved bloody repression by state forces, has created political shockwaves throughout the country...
12 December 2012
Sri Lanka: Solidarity with Jaffna students
Protests outside Sri Lankan embassies against the brutal suppression of Tamil students in Jaffna, have taken place around the world...
12 December 2012
Fracking - gas profit dash could wreck climate
In his Autumn Statement, Con-Dem chancellor George Osborne announced a new 'dash for gas' including fracking, the technology used to obtain gas and oil trapped in shale rock, writes Pete Mason.
12 December 2012
Protesting against council cuts
Manchester: Greater Manchester Trades Council called a demonstration against austerity and Osborne's autumn statement, writes Paul Gerrard.
12 December 2012
Kazakhstan: Free Vadim Kuramshin!
Vadim Kuramshin, campaigner for prisoner rights and member of the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan has been jailed for 12 years...
12 December 2012
Merry Christmas from Starbucks
What a lovely Christmas present we've had from Starbucks this year! The company has generously volunteered to pay £20 million corporation tax over the next two years...
12 December 2012
Austerity UK: 'I want to live, not just exist'
20 October 2012 TUC demo against austerity, photo Paul Mattsson
An ambulance worker fighting the proposed closure of his ambulance station told me recently: "I want to live, not just exist." As a single mother, struggling to even 'exist', I understand this sentiment, writes a public sector worker.
12 December 2012
Gove goes to war on teachers' pay
We have to urgently announce a programme of escalating national strike action in defence of teachers' pay, writes National Union of Teachers (NUT) executive member Martin Powell-Davies
12 December 2012
Rob Williams, NSSN national chair, replied to an article "The British have no fight in them any more" by Nick Cohen in the 9 December Observer..
12 December 2012
A very Them & Us Christmas quiz
How much attention have you paid to the 'Them & Us' column in the Socialist? Try our 20 questions of 2012 to find out.
12 December 2012
Saturday 24 November, defying cold driving rain, up to 10,000 residents and staff marched to defend Lewisham Accident and Emergency (A&E) and linked arms around it., photo Socialist Party
Student nurse says: Give us the resources to provide care!: A recent report flagged up rising death rates and a chronic bed crisis in the NHS. The next day, the national press vilified nurses as uncaring and lacking compassion.
12 December 2012
Great offers from Socialist Books
We have many books which would make good presents for your family and friends - both political and less political - and we have selected just a few here.
12 December 2012
Blacklisting: 'we will fight for justice in every way'
National Shop Stewards Network chair, Rob Williams, recently interviewed Dave Smith, a blacklisted construction worker.
12 December 2012
United Socialists of America: A recent poll by Gallup in the US has shown that 39% of Americans now view socialism positively.
12 December 2012
Mass protests in Egypt against Mursi and his reactionary constitution
Big demonstrations have opposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi's attempt to seize new powers and railroad through a repressive Islamic constitution
12 December 2012
Prepare to resist austerity in 2013
photo Paul Mattsson
Millionaire Tory Chancellor Osborne began his Autumn Statement speech with excuses for economic predictions reduced from 0.8% 'growth', to -0.1%, a contraction, and lower forecasts for years...
12 December 2012
photo Paul Mattsson
When Tory Chancellor George Osborne presented his Autumn Budget Statement what he served up wasn't so much a speech as a load of lies spun together with well-rehearsed anti-working class hoopla. The Socialist unravels some of the Con-Dems' claims..
13 December 2012
'Grotesque Chaos' at Birmingham council cuts meeting
Birmingham council's ruling Labour party has quickly raised the white flag to the Con-Dem government, resolving to cut the city's remaining threadbare public services on its behalf
14 December 2012
Doncaster drivers give Tesco & Stobarts a bloody nose
From the National Shop Stewards Network website, www.shopstewards.net...
14 December 2012
2 sisters food workers fight back
Chants could be heard in English, Urdu and Polish as over 200 workers braved the icy weather for a mass picket outside the depot of 2 Sisters Food Group in Smethwick, Birmingham...
15 December 2012
Socialist Party members will be saddened to hear about the death of Robbie Segal on Thursday 13 December...
17 December 2012
Brighton & Hove lobby against council tax cuts
A petition of 700 signatures opposing cuts to council tax benefit collected from across Brighton and Hove was presented to Brighton and Hove council yesterday...
17 December 2012
Southampton - Newtown public meeting
Last week councillors and council officers were summonsed to a public meeting in the inner city of Southampton
17 December 2012
Last Tuesday saw trade unions at Coventry City Council hold a protest lobby of the Cabinet meeting. Around 80 workers attended in their lunch break, with support coming from others unions such as CWU,...
17 December 2012
Lobbying Carmarthenshire council for a 'living wage'
On 12th December, Unison members and Socialist Party activists braved the bitter cold to lobby Carmarthenshire councillors
18 December 2012
Campaign Kazakhstan: protests and Zhanaozen memorials
One year after the Zhanaozen massacre, memorials and protests have taken place in a number of countries
18 December 2012
Caerphilly council workers protest against bosses' pay hike
Over 600 council workers protested on Monday and Tuesday against the plan by Labour-controlled Caerphilly council to increase top managers' pay by over 20% while council services and jobs are cut by 10%
19 December 2012
Save Sheffield Early Years centres
Over 250 protested outside Sheffield Town Hall to save children's centres and nurseries
19 December 2012
Comet owners walk away with £ millions
Over Christmas and New Year 2008/2009, Woolworths, the long-established high street retail chain, folded - a victim of the capitalist economic recession...
19 December 2012
Support the Shrewsbury pickets
Ricky Tomlinson's announcement that the Justice for the Shrewsbury Pickets Campaign has launched a petition to secure the release of state documents, deserves maximum support...
19 December 2012
Northern Ireland: Widespread protests continue over union flag on Belfast City Hall
Protests have taken place across Northern Ireland since Belfast council voted through restrictions on flying the British union flag on the City Hall
20 December 2012
Nobody supports cuts in Birmingham council's sham 'consultations'
One of four cuts 'consultation' meetings across Birmingham took place in the in the Council House
20 December 2012
Robbie Segal
Robbie, a longstanding comrade in the Socialist Party and a leading activist in Usdaw, was at the forefront of workers' battles
20 December 2012
Victory for post depot cleaners and engineers
Cleaners and engineers who work on contracts for Royal Mail have secured a big improvement to the pay rise on offer from their bosses after threatening to strike tomorrow (Friday)
30 December 2012
Tyne and Wear Metro strikers tell bosses to end poverty pay
Churchill cleaners working on Tyne and Wear Metro have taken a further 72 hours of strike action over the Christmas holiday
31 December 2012
London Underground cleaners strike over New Year
"We will not tolerate low pay in this day and age" say tube cleaners
12/01/22 Obituary - Pauline Wall11/01/22 Corbyn's Peace and Justice Project
29 Jan West Yorkshire: Pauline Wall memorial meeting
1 Feb Cardiff West Socialist Party: Will the Johnson government survive and what will replace it?
2 Feb Gloucestershire & Swindon Socialist Party: The legacy of the collapse of Stalinism
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