Archive for June 2013
3 June 2013
PCS tax and welfare strikes this week
A week of rolling strikes involving 135,000 workers from the two largest government departments kicks off today, 3 June
3 June 2013
Protests against repression of demonstrations in Turkey
Following the Turkish government's brutal response to demonstrators, solidarity protests are taking place
4 June 2013
The BNP was only able to assemble a small and heavily outnumbered group in central London
4 June 2013
Thousands attend anti-bedroom tax protest in Glasgow
Over 2,000 people attended an anti-bedroom tax rally in Glasgow's George Square on June 1 called by the Scottish Anti-Bedroom Tax
4 June 2013
Turkey: Mass movement challenges Erdogan government
Turkey's Confederation of Public Workers' Unions announced a national strike against police violence, with hundreds of thousands expected to come to the demonstrations
4 June 2013
Anti-fascists occupied Barkers Pool to stop the English Defence League from politically exploiting the death of Lee Rigby
5 June 2013
Minimum wage?: You might think the point of a minimum wage is to make sure all workers are paid at least enough to afford the very basics
5 June 2013
Crackdown on democratic rights
For the first time ever, Britain's home secretary Theresa May revealed on 2 June that since 2010, nearly 5,700 separate articles and websites have been taken off the internet by the UK government, writes Derek McMillan.
5 June 2013
Mass joblessness wrecks lives! Youth must fight for a future
Youth Fight for Jobs protest against Workfare in Stratford's Westfield shopping centre in London 25 February 2012, photo Senan
In Sweden, where youth unemployment is 24%, riots have struck the capital Stockholm. Rage has exploded onto the streets following police repression and racism and decades of neoliberal attacks and privatisation
5 June 2013
A day in the life of a Primark employee
Recently we were given the chance to fill out an employee survey to inform our bosses of our experiences in our time working at Primark
5 June 2013
Needed: new social housing NOT unaffordable rents
Newham council is currently housing 29 families outside the east London borough, including ten that have been shipped out to Birmingham, writes Helen Pattison, East London Socialist Party.
5 June 2013
Support the Fighting Fund collectathon!
Socialist Party members will be hitting the town centres and shopping arcades on Saturday 8 June for the launch of a fundraising collectathon fortnight, writes Ken Douglas.
5 June 2013
Equinox strike: Strikers on a noisy and well supported picket line at the New Cross office of Equinox Care were wearing stickers saying 'Equinox don't care', on 29 May
5 June 2013
NHS crisis: Turn anger into action
London march to save the NHS, 18.5.13 , photo Dave Carr
No cuts at Royal Glamorgan Hospital: A former GP wrote to the Independent last week saying that the National Health Service (NHS) "is being intentionally destroyed in order that the sick and injured can be fully exploited for private profit"
5 June 2013
Unison and Labour: Welsh government cuts are still cuts
Socialist Party members attending Unison conference tell me that there are motions on the agenda congratulating the Welsh government for supposedly protecting Welsh workers from the worst impact of the cuts, writes a Unison member.
5 June 2013
Lecturers' union UCU members vote to fight austerity
On 29-31 May, the University and College Union (UCU) held its national congress in Brighton. The congress took place against the backdrop of vicious Con-Dem cuts, which had provoked massive anger
5 June 2013
Standing for TUSC in Woolston, Southampton
Socialist and campaigner Sue Atkins explains why she is standing for TUSC in the Southampton Woolston ward byelection on 13 June.
5 June 2013
"To say a military tactic is legal, or even effective, is not to say it is wise or moral in every instance," said US president Obama in a major speech recently where he promised to scale back the use of unmanned drones to attack targets in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere
5 June 2013
Socialist Party national organisers' school
Ninety Socialist Party members from every region of England and Wales attended a weekend organiser's school in Staffordshire on 1-2 June. Siobhan Friel from Coventry reports.
5 June 2013
Save the Independent Living Fund
On 10 June, disabled people who use the Independent Living Fund (ILF) and their supporters are holding a 'party' in central London to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ILF and publicise the campaign led by Disabled People Against Cuts and Inclusion London to save it, writes Stuart Bracking.
5 June 2013
Legal aid cuts: Justice in the balance
Scales of injustice
The new proposals will seriously undermine access to justice. Opportunities, through judicial review, to hold the government to account will be severely curbed
5 June 2013
1983: A political voice for the working class
Terry Fields and Dave Nellist - two Militant MPS, photo Dave Sinclair
Thirty years ago, on 9 June 1983, the gloom cast by Thatcher's re-election as Tory prime minister was partly offset by the election of two campaigning supporters of the Socialist's predecessor Militant, Dave Nellist and Terry Fields, as Labour MPs.
5 June 2013
Continued deterioration of the Labour Party
The Labour Party, having blatantly accepted capitalism and the need for cuts, is incapable of even pretending to be in opposition
5 June 2013
NSSN conference: Unite to fight all the cuts
Pay cuts, jobs cuts, pension cuts, low pay, high rents, Bedroom Tax... The National Shop Stewards Network conference on 29 June will bring together trade unionists and anti-cuts campaigners to discuss action over the coming months.
5 June 2013
Food bank Britain: Con-Dems turn the clock back
Pic: Jim Halfpenny
At anti-bedroom tax meetings many people report that they are going without food as they try to pay their rent, writes Steve Score
5 June 2013
Campaigning against the bedroom tax
Over 2,000 people attended the anti-bedroom tax rally in Glasgow's George Square on 1 June
5 June 2013
Thera: Campaign moves up a gear
Following the strike on 18 April, Unison members at Thera East Midlands struck again on 29 and 30 May
5 June 2013
On 3 June, a week of rolling strike action in the two largest government departments began
6 June 2013
Condemnation of racist destruction of Muswell Hill Islamic centre in London
The daubing of "EDL" on one of the burnt walls indicates that the forces behind this are supporters of the far right
6 June 2013
Derby Telegraph reports on new bedroom tax campaign
"Ms Herbert, of Gerard Street, says she cannot downsize as she needs a room for her son and that she is struggling to plug a £14 weekly rent deficit..."
6 June 2013
6 June 2013
Victory on University of East London unfair attendance policy
Following a year of opposition organised by the Socialist Students' initiated 'Scrap the Unfair Attendance Policy' campaign (SUAP), the attendance policy at the University of East London (UEL) has been scrapped.
7 June 2013
7 June 2013
Michael Gove effigy chained to school gates
An effigy of Michael Gove was chained to the gates of Sir George Monoux College yesterday in a protest against the Education Secretary's suggestions of lengthening the school day
9 June 2013
Solidarity event - a great success
Organised by Tamil Solidarity and the British Tamils Forum, the 'solidarity day' brought together people from the Tamil community trade unions, the student movement and others
10 June 2013
Demonstrating against Turkish police brutality
On Saturday Leicester Socialist Party members joined forces with local people protesting against the violent actions of Turkish police
10 June 2013
College lecturers strike against redundancies
Chesterfield College lecturers were supported by students in a one-day strike against compulsory redundancies
11 June 2013
Union condemns arson attack on Bromley school
The Unison branch secretary who represents school workers in the borough of Bromley issued this press statement
11 June 2013
NUT members strike to defend teaching assistant posts
'Things are getting serious' a NUT member told me on the picket line at Uplands Junior School. (Updates added on 13 & 18 June)
12 June 2013
Brighton: Green council continues to carry out Con-Dem cuts
Real anti-cuts opposition needs to be built: The Green Party won control of Brighton and Hove council as a minority administration in 2011, with voters looking for an alternative to the pro-cuts main parties, Brighton Socialist Party members report.
12 June 2013
Cullum McAlpine of McAlpine Ltd giving evidence to a Commons Select Committee investigating the illegal activity of blacklisting, photo by BBC Panorama still
TV review: "Unfortunately there are people in this life who do cause trouble. I can't say whether people on that list caused genuine trouble but certainly I know some of them would have.", writes Neil Cafferky.
12 June 2013
Hard times: Many people are struggling in these recessionary times, but spare a thought for our hard-pressed MPs
12 June 2013
Mid Yorks health workers win important concessions
Three-day strike of Mid Yorkshire Unison NHS staff against pay cuts and mass downgrading, photo Iain Dalton
The dispute between admin and clerical staff and the Mid Yorkshire Health Trust has ended with the Unison and Unite members accepting an improved pay protection deal, writes Adrian O'Malley, Unison branch secretary, Mid Yorkshire Health, personal capacity.
12 June 2013
MoJ privatisation victory + rolling strikes across civil service
Following a successful campaign the post and stationery functions in the Ministry of Justice headquarters have been saved
12 June 2013
Scotland: Council workers strike ballot
During July and August, Scotland's council workers will be balloted by their trade unions on industrial action over the local government employers' (CoSLA) pay offer of 1% for 2013/14 and the introduction of the Scottish Living Wage (SLW) of £7.50, writes Brian Smith, Glasgow Unison, personal capacity.
12 June 2013
Teachers vote for action on workload and pensions
The biggest Scottish teachers' union the EIS has voted at its conference to ballot its members for industrial action over Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) workload and to protect teachers' pensions, writes Jim Halfpenny, EIS member and conference delegate.
12 June 2013
Leeds O2: Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) held a protest outside the Leeds O2 call centre on 5 June, opposing the company's plans to outsource four UK call centres to Capita, writes Iain Dalton.
12 June 2013
Unison conference - time to reclaim the union
Defend the Four: protest against Unison witchhunt, 2009, photo Suzanne Beishon
How socialists fought off the witch-hunt: After six years, Unison's national leadership has thrown in the towel over a vicious witch-hunt against four Unison activists, all Socialist Party members
12 June 2013
Unison NEC elections - Socialist Party position strengthened
Socialist Party members on Unison's National Executive Council (NEC) now number five, one more than was the case on the old NEC
12 June 2013
Far-right EDL march in Sheffield: class-based response needed
A small group of BNP supporters gathered heavily out-numbered by anti-BNP protestors in London's Whitehall , 1 June 2013,, photo Paul Mattsson
On 8 June as many as 2,000 local people turned out to oppose the far-right English Defence League (EDL) marching in Sheffield, writes Sam Morecroft and Chaz Lockett.
12 June 2013
Falkirk West: Labour bureaucracy blocks left Unite union candidate
Len McCluskey addresses TUC demonstration, photo by Paul Mattsson
New Labour has suspended its parliamentary selection process in Scottish constituency Falkirk West for the byelection to replace disgraced MP Eric Joyce, writes Kevin Parslow, Unite 1/1228 branch secretary (personal capacity).
12 June 2013
After Woolwich killing: Time for unions to lead anti-racist fight
In the aftermath of the Woolwich killing, a minority has been involved in an increased number of racist attacks
12 June 2013
Historic event as Tamils and trade unions forge vital links
A 'Solidarity Day' event organised by Tamil Solidarity and the British Tamils Forum (BTF) on 8 June brought together up to 150 people from the Tamil community, the trade unions, and a number of other campaigns. Tamil Solidarity members write.
12 June 2013
How students beat unfair attendance policy
Students on the NUS national demonstration 12 November (Kyle 3rd left) against the government attacks on university education, photo Paul Mattsson
University of East London: A year of opposition organised by the Socialist Students-initiated 'Scrap the Unfair Attendance Policy' campaign has forced the University of East London (UEL) to ditch its draconian attendance policy, writes Kyle Williamson.
12 June 2013
End the rule of big business, poverty and war: The leaders of the most powerful nations in the world will soon descend on Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, for the 17-18 June G8 Summit, writes Niall Mulholland, Committee for a Workers' International (CWI).
12 June 2013
Labour crosses the Rubicon - again
In a series of speeches last week, the Labour leadership crossed the Rubicon and completely betrayed the poor and working class
12 June 2013
Syria threatens sectarian middle east war
Urgent need for independent working class socialist organisations: The capturing of the strategically important city of Qusair by pro-government forces, including Hezbollah and Iraqi Shias, marks a new stage in the bloody quagmire of Syria and is likely to have wide ramifications, writes Peter Taaffe
12 June 2013
London protests 8 June 2013 in support of the Mass movement in Turkey which challenges Erdogan's authoritarian government , photo Paul Mattsson
Erdogan seeks trial of strength with mass protests: On Monday 10 June, Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to talk and listen to protesters. Early Tuesday morning, the same prime minister sent in riot police to brutally clear out protesters from Taksim Square
12 June 2013
Build for mass anti-cuts action
National Shop Stewards Network demonstration and lobby of the TUC 11 September 2011 , photo by Paul Mattsson
Come to the National Shop Stewards Network conference 29 June
The National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) annual conference is only two weeks away! On Saturday 29 June, trade unionists and anti-cuts campaigners will come together in a vital meeting
12 June 2013
When Tory Foreign Secretary William Hague says law abiding citizens have nothing to fear from government intelligence gathering, then be very afraid! Dave Carr writes.
12 June 2013
Southamption byelection: On the TUSC Against Cuts campaign trail
It's not every day a Labour council leader gets up, says he's quitting and walks out of the council chamber, handing anti-cuts campaigners an unexpected byelection
14 June 2013
Protest at closing of Hayat TV in Turkey
Hayat TV, a progressive Turkish TV channel, has received a closure order from the Turkish broadcasting regulator RTUK, Radio & Television High Commission, in effect from 12:00 p.m, writes Oktay Sahbaz, Day-Mer Community Centre
14 June 2013
Post Office strikes number 6 and 7
CWU has served notice for a further two rounds of strike action next Thursday 20 June and Saturday 29 June in its ongoing dispute over closures, job security and pay
16 June 2013
Twice in the last few weeks, the BNP has been prevented from holding public meetings in Salford
16 June 2013
Turkey's security forces launched a brutal attack on a peaceful concert and protesters in Istanbul
17 June 2013
Bin workers strike for seven days
Hundreds of people rallied in support of Brighton CityClean workers as they began a 7-day strike. Demo report added 18.6.13
17 June 2013
18 June 2013
Strike ballot leads to agreement over O2 outsourcing
An eleventh hour deal has been reached over plans to outsource thousands of jobs from Telefonica O2 to Capita, writes the CWU
19 June 2013
Fight the Tories for right to a decent education system
Fewer holidays for students, worse pay for teachers, Ofsted tyranny, forced academisation, Free School privatisation - it appears that Tory minister Michael Gove comes up with a new way of whacking the right to a decent education and a decent job every day
19 June 2013
Wales campaigners fight for NHS
Campaigners from Ystrad Fawr Hospital and from other areas have come together to call for support for 'Option 5' in the current NHS Wales consultation, writes Mariam Kamish.
19 June 2013
Home care: Cuts and outsourcing equal abuse
Two Socialist Party members - a disabled activist and a support worker - explain the effects of cuts, outsourcing and 'personalisation' of care budgets
19 June 2013
As part of the 'year of the paper', Greenwich Socialist Party members held a successful meeting on increasing sales of and writing for the Socialist
19 June 2013
Unison Local Government conference: Leadership faces delegates' anger
The local government Unison conference met on 16-17 June. Although the agenda was largely uncontroversial, it couldn't stop the concern and anger of delegates surfacing
19 June 2013
Support for socialist alternative to pro-cuts New Labour at GMB conference
On 2-6 June, Plymouth hosted the annual GMB union conference. Socialist Party members, who set up a stall outside, were generally met with a very positive response from GMB delegates
19 June 2013
Budding trade unionists and passionate Chartists
Rape of the Fair Country by Alexander Cordell
The Rape of the Fair Country by Alexander Cordell is a novel set in the turbulent times of the industrial revolution in 19th century Wales
19 June 2013
BBC 'unbalanced' on Liverpool 47
Dave Walsh, organiser of the 'Liverpool 47' events celebrating the 30th anniversary of Liverpool's socialist Labour council from 1983 to 1987, wrote to BBC Northwest recently about their coverage of the events
19 June 2013
Student loans threat: Action needed on student debt mountain
'Keep calm about university fees' was the slogan of a government funded advertising campaign aimed at mitigating the effects of fee hikes on application numbers in 2011, writes Claire Laker-Mansfield.
19 June 2013
Fire cuts - public will support strike action
Response times for fire engines in Bow East and Bow West wards in Tower Hamlets, east London, will nearly double if Bow Fire Station is closed
19 June 2013
Croydon/Bromley bins: An industrial action ballot of Unite members employed as refuse workers in Bromley and Croydon has returned a majority in favour of strike action in both boroughs
19 June 2013
Why we're going to the NSSN conference: Coventry communications workers
Seven delegates will be heading down to the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) conference from the two CWU branches in Coventry, writes Lenny Shail.
19 June 2013
As the first evictions related to bedroom tax arrears are heard in the courts, campaigners are organising to beat them, writes Campaign stops eviction in Manchester.
19 June 2013
Lowest living standards in a decade
It was no shock when it was reported recently that living standards had fallen to the lowest levels in a decade, writes Frankie Langland.
19 June 2013
That former TUC general secretary Brendan Barber is now 'Sir' Brendan will come as no surprise to any union activist who saw the pensions dispute destroyed in 2011, writes Alex Davidson.
19 June 2013
A façade, literally: In preparation for the G8 meeting in Northern Ireland, £2 million was spent on tackling dereliction. Not by building or renovating new houses or services...
19 June 2013
19 June 2013
Postal workers condemn privatisation
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has today (Wednesday) announced the result of its consultative ballot which closed yesterday
19 June 2013
Turkey: Eyewitness to Erdogan's state terror
Martin Powell-Davies of the NUT executive and Socialist Party member, was part of an international trade union delegation visiting Istanbul when a peaceful concert for anti-government protesters was brutally assaulted by riot police
19 June 2013
Southampton byelection: Labour vote halved
The Southampton Woolston byelection result made alarming reading for the Labour council and its backers in the trade union leadership
19 June 2013
Wales Shop Stewards' Network conference
At the WSSN conference on 8 June, some of the trade union movement's most determined leaders discussed the austerity onslaught and what we're going to do about it
19 June 2013
Housing support workers say 'enough is enough'
Housing support workers in Unite voted to take three days' strike action this week against pay cuts by One Housing Group
19 June 2013
TUC demo, 20 October 2012
Trade unions - call a 24-hour general strike: The People's Assembly on 22 June has attracted considerable support, which shows the widespread anger against government cuts. It should express unequivocal support for a 24-hour general strike to indicate the way to success in defeating the cuts
19 June 2013
We can beat the bedroom tax - Guide
A 'know your rights' guide printed as a supplement in issue 770 of the Socialist
20 June 2013
How mental health carers and service users took on Salford council
.
Fighting against cuts to drop-in sessions
20 June 2013
Bristol council opposes 'bedroom tax' evictions
'No eviction' for bedroom tax victims is now the official policy of Bristol City Council
20 June 2013
Post Office strike closes hundreds of offices
Crown post offices across the country closed this afternoon as staff walked out on strike at 2pm in the sixth round of strikes in an ongoing dispute over closures, jobs and pay
24 June 2013
Scandal of attempt to denigrate Lawrence family
The news that an undercover police officer tried to find out information that could discredit Stephen Lawrence's family is terrible and shocking, but unfortunately not surprising
26 June 2013
Labour council introduces zero-hour contracts
A Welsh Labour-led local authority has announced plans to put existing workers on zero-hours contacts, writes Ronnie Job.
26 June 2013
Farage's tax scandal hypocrisy
"Frankly, the world has changed, things that we thought were absolutely fair practice ten years, 20 years ago, 30 years ago aren't any more." So said Ukip leader Nigel Farage, when quizzed about his off-shore tax account in the Isle of Man
26 June 2013
On 23 June papers were littered with headlines revealing the news that Starbucks had paid UK corporation tax for the first time since 2009. £5 million was handed over - half of this year's tax bill for the coffee giant.
26 June 2013
2012 London bus strike victory showed potential for militant union fightback
A year ago - on Friday 22 June 2012 - London bus workers held a successful one-day strike across the capital, writes A London bus driver.
26 June 2013
Having a fine time? Not if you're a courier driver
Van drivers fined for late deliveries, unable to take holidays for fear of being fined - this is the reality of working life for a workforce in Cardiff, writes A South West Socialist Party member.
26 June 2013
Cuts until 2020? We need councils that fight for us!
As the Socialist went to press, Tory Chancellor George Osborne was due to announce more deep cuts to public services, writes Dave Nellist, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition national chair.
26 June 2013
Lessons for today from an anti-poll tax bailiff buster
During the mighty anti-poll tax campaign I was a Bailiff Buster. In Gateshead most of us were feisty woman who were determined not to let any bailiff get past us - and they never did!, writes Elaine Brunskill, Newcastle Socialist Party.
26 June 2013
Brazil: A victory for the mass struggle
Brazilians in London protest on 13 June 2013 in support of the struggles in Brazil, photo H Pattison
An estimated two million people in 100 cities took to the streets of Brazil in a gigantic protest movement on 20 June
26 June 2013
Deadly long distance weapons of war
Drone Warfare by Medea Benjamin
Geoff Jones reviews Drone Warfare by Medea Benjamin (Verso Books, 2013)
26 June 2013
The Annual General Meeting (National Conference) of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT) opened on 23 June in Brighton
26 June 2013
Chesterfield college: Lecturers at Chesterfield College have taken two more days of strike action against 70 compulsory redundancies
26 June 2013
Action needed to stop Royal Mail sell-off
Workers in Royal Mail have finally had a say on privatisation, after years of listening to MPs tell us what's best for us and the services we deliver, writes a postal worker
26 June 2013
Jack Straw forced to retract lies about Militant
In his book Last Man Standing, Jack Straw, home secretary in Blair's government, claims to have made every effort to ensure factual accuracy. He has now been forced to admit publicly that some of his allegations were totally untrue. Peter Harris exposes some of the dirty tricks
26 June 2013
Conference anger with Unison leadership, and Labour
There were signs at the recent Unison conference of a step change in delegates' views.
26 June 2013
Police dirty tricks - a threat to democratic rights
Lois Austin on YRE lobby of the Home Office to close down the BNP HQ 25-6-93, photo Tim Bolwell
The revelations that an undercover police officer was asked to dig for 'dirt' that could discredit the family and friends of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has caused mass revulsion.
26 June 2013
Teachers strike to defend education
Education secretary Michael Gove is launching further attacks on teachers' working conditions and workload. The strike in the North West on 27 June must be just the beginning of the action
26 June 2013
PCS: members discuss next anti-cuts action
PCS members have been involved in action every single week over the course of the last three months. Cuts and privatisation are continuing and a massive drop in living standards
26 June 2013
People's Assembly: Thousands opposing cuts... but leaders sidestep strategy for victory
The message from the top tables was strongly anti-austerity, with examples given of the suffering being caused by the government's cuts
27 June 2013
Seventh post office strike this Saturday
Staff in the country's network of 371 Crown post offices will take a seventh round of strike action this Saturday
28 June 2013
28 June 2013
Trade union action urgent to stop Osborne's spending plans
This week's government spending review continued war waged against us - all of us not part of the super-rich 1%. George Osborne announced a further £11.5 billion of cuts. By 2017-18 government spending is expected to be down a third from when the Con-Dems took office.
2 Dec Hackney & Islington Socialist Party: 100th year anniversary of the founding of the CP in Britain
9 Dec Hackney & Islington Socialist Party: Mental health and socialism
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