Archive for June 2018
4 June 2018
Congress shut down by staff walkouts
The UCU congress should have been a council of war for the struggle to come.
4 June 2018
Eyewitness report from Gaza: "Razan was killed in front of my eyes"
Razan, a medical volunteer, was shot dead on a protest in Gaza
6 June 2018
RMT special conference debates political strategy
Delegates to the RMT transport union's special general meeting (SGM) have voted to maintain the union's current political strategy and not to affiliate to the Labour Party.
6 June 2018
#NorthernFail: 250 rail services cancelled
Nationalise rail - don't delay!: Northern rail cancelled more than 250 trains entirely on 29 May. Where trains run at all they have been up to two hours late.
6 June 2018
Socialists defend Lush ad campaign against spy cops
Soap shop Lush dropped a bath bomb on 31 May with storefront displays highlighting abuses by undercover police.
6 June 2018
Donald Trump, in rebooting his presidential campaign slogan to "Make America Great Again" is attempting to do this on the backs of the rest of the world, by introducing tariffs on US imports.
6 June 2018
Jordan: Workers and youth remove prime minister and demand end to austerity
A general strike and huge demonstrations of an unprecedented scale have shaken the Jordanian kingdom, against the backdrop of a steep rise in the cost of living and government corruption.
6 June 2018
West Midlands firefighters vote to strike in massive numbers
West Midlands firefighters have voted by 90% to take strike action against exploitative conditions for new fire service workers. They are being introduced by the Labour-led West Midlands Fire Authority (WMFA).
6 June 2018
East London housing workers fight privatisation of pay
Tower Hamlets Unison members started strike action for fair pay on 4 June.
6 June 2018
Liverpool meeting remembers 47 councillors who fought and defeated Thatcher in 1980s
Three decades since the House of Lords surcharged the Liverpool 47 councillors, the Liverpool 47 group organised this event on 25 May in Liverpool city centre to remember the heroic anti-cuts struggle
6 June 2018
Yorkshire 1,000 for issue 1000
Thinking out loud about how to celebrate the forthcoming 1000th issue of the Socialist, I told the editors I thought the Yorkshire region of the Socialist Party could sell 1,000 copies of that issue
6 June 2018
People's Assembly event lacks understanding of task facing Corbyn
The People's Assembly met for its annual conference on 2 June, with a series of workshops and rallies, but with no democratic decisions being made.
6 June 2018
200 years since the birth of Karl Marx - come and walk in his footsteps!
2018 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx, who shaped much of 20th century history.
6 June 2018
Alt-right gains exposure - but tedious clichés betray lack of ideas
Nonfiction - 12 Rules for Life: an Antidote to Chaos: The publication in January of Jordan Peterson's '12 Rules for Life', with recent appearances on British and international television, represent an advance for tired but dangerous arch-conservative ideas.
6 June 2018
Rich, raw tale of financial crisis's impact on rural Ireland
Fiction: The Spinning Heart: I have only recently caught up with Donal Ryan's wonderful, inventive 2012 debut novel about the brutal and shattering effects on a rural Irish community following the financial meltdown of 2007-08.
6 June 2018
Letters to the Socialist's editors including jailed TUSC agent Chris Fernandez and the shallow liberal press.
6 June 2018
Italy's political crisis is reverberating through Europe
Three months after the general election of 4 March, Italy has a government again. On 1 June, the 'yellow-green' government was officially installed.
6 June 2018
PCS union launches strike ballot on pay
Workers in the PCS union, representing civil servants across all government departments, have voted overwhelmingly to ballot members for strike action.
6 June 2018
The official NHS England budget deficit is almost £1 billion - with some analysts putting the real figure closer to £4 billion. The ongoing NHS crisis shows no sign of slowing down. The Tories, Blairites and capitalist class want to see the NHS broken up and sold to privateers
6 June 2018
RMT rejects Labour affiliation - now step up the fight for workers' political representation
The special conference of the RMT transport union on 30 May was an important milestone in the battle to re-establish a political voice for workers after the bleak years of Blair's New Labour
6 June 2018
'Made in Dagenham' Ford machinists pay strike 50 years on
This year, 7 June marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the strike by women sewing machinists at Ford Dagenham in east London.
9 June 2018
PCS members in DWP say: Pay up now!
PCS members in the DWP were outraged that a previously-agreed pay rise was being delayed. UPDATE on 14.6.18: DWP senior management backs down!
13 June 2018
City vultures make millions from Carillion chaos
Workers left unemployed and NHS projects on hold: Accountancy and legal firms will make a killing, raking in £70 million in fees, while workers face the scrapheap
13 June 2018
Retail crunch: more giants on their knees - nationalise them now
House of Fraser plans to close 31 of its 59 stores, leading to the loss of 6,000 jobs, and Poundworld has appointed administrators, putting a further 5,100 jobs at risk
13 June 2018
Pay rises of 283% needed for most to afford London homes
Mass council house building programme needed now: I would need a pay rise to £134,000 a year to afford a mortgage in London - 283% more than the average London salary, or over 400% more than what I and many others earn
13 June 2018
It's one world for the super-rich, and anotehr for the rest of us. Tories' multiple 'jobs' and Russian money; jobs and benefits disappear for us; Brown v Corbyn; two-thirds back rail renationalisation
13 June 2018
NHS workers plan coordinated strikes across West Yorks against outsourcing
Four Yorkshire branches of health union Unison are balloting simultaneously for strikes against plans to transfer estates and facilities workers into separate companies - owned by NHS trusts, but outside the NHS.
13 June 2018
Transport for London to lose central grant: bus workers must prep for action
By 2020 there will be nil central government funding to Transport for London. To fight the cuts we need to use every means we can, including preparing for industrial action by bus workers across London, and coordinated action with other TfL unions.
13 June 2018
Housing strike against individualised pay enters week two
Tower Hamlets Community Housing workers are in their second week of strike action organised by public service union Unison. Their new pay structure is not negotiated with the unions, but based on 'market testing'.
13 June 2018
Vote Mike Rolfe for Napo general secretary
Napo is struggling to make a significant difference to the working lives of members. In five years, the incumbent, Ian Lawrence, has been unable to stop a decline in membership, and it is time for him to step aside.
13 June 2018
Venezuela: Neither the capitalists nor regime can solve the crisis
Measures which improved living conditions inevitably clashed with big business and the bureaucratic state. This had already led to a loss of electoral support in the last years of Chávez's presidency. After his death, and the turn to the right of Maduro, we have seen a total collapse of the economy and of the morale of the masses
13 June 2018
Don't delay, buy issue 1000 today
Stoke Socialist Party will be asking people if they want to pay for their copy of issue 1000 now and they will deliver it to them in that week.
13 June 2018
Sheffield Labour council "happy" to jail trees protesters
Since the new year there have been over 20 arrests of campaigners fighting privatisation-driven tree felling, for more and more farcical reasons
13 June 2018
In the words of Amber Rudd, "no one died at Orgreave"
The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign organises a march every year to commemorate what happened there and demand a public inquiry - join us for the 2018 march
13 June 2018
Health unions accept divisive NHS pay deal
The fact that 87% of voting members in GMB, one of the smaller health unions, rejected the deal shows what could be achieved had there been a united campaign to reject. Instead health unions have signed off for three years just as other public sector workers are gearing up to fight.
13 June 2018
Grenfell: still waiting for justice
The horror of the Grenfell fire happened a year ago, on 14 June 2017. The whole neoliberal housing model has failed. Time won't heal capitalism's crimes, but working class action can win safe homes for all.
13 June 2018
Build an anti-racist workers' movement
15,000 on far-right march: It is time for the left unions to act.
13 June 2018
How can we fight for trade unions that fight for women?
All measures to increase participation of women fighters in the unions are welcome. But being a woman doesn't automatically qualify someone to represent women.
13 June 2018
Civil service pay strike ballot: vote yes!
Interview with PCS assistant general secretary Chris Baugh: After years of real-terms pay cuts, the PCS is balloting to strike for a fully funded, above-inflation increase.
13 June 2018
For approaching 1,000 issues over 21 years, the Socialist has provided the most consistent analysis of events in Britain and internationally, reporting on the many struggles of workers and young people
13 June 2018
4,000 Rolls-Royce jobs at risk
Press leaks suggest Rolls-Royce in Derby is set to announce another 4,000 job losses. Immediate meetings of the entire workforce should be organised to discuss how to fight the proposed losses.
13 June 2018
Five reasons to walk out on 13 July
Trump's election campaign in 2016 generated anger across the working class internationally for his use of racist and nationalist rhetoric, including calling for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, and calls to construct his infamous Mexican border wall
20 June 2018
Elon Musk, the capitalist and engineer behind Tesla and SpaceX, has claimed he is a socialist - unlike Karl Marx who is apparently a capitalist. Because he "wrote a book about it."
20 June 2018
Miners demand end to pensions robbery
Over a hundred former miners lobbied parliament on 6 June, demanding the government stops its decades-long looting of their pension fund
20 June 2018
GMB union: NHS reps reject Tory pay offer
NHS and ambulance service reps in the GMB union from across the UK met on 15 June. This was held in response to GMB members rejecting the governments' NHS pay offer.
20 June 2018
McStrikers and young workers take centre stage at bakers' union 2018 conference
The 100th annual conference of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) was held in Southport from 10-14 June.
20 June 2018
Northern Rail strike reaches 21 days of action to save guards
Northern Rail workers in transport union RMT took their 21st day of strike action on 19 June. Train bosses want to implement 'driver-only operation' (DOO) - removing the safety-critical role of guards.
20 June 2018
Yorks NHS workers fight outsourcing
Mid Yorkshire Unison members and public supporters lobbied a Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust board meeting held on 14 June
20 June 2018
Unite agrees NSSN affiliation - come to the NSSN conference!
Unite the Union has agreed to affiliate to the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN)
20 June 2018
Organisers' school - an opportunity to educate and discuss
On 10 and 17 June Socialist Party branch organisers' schools were held in Leeds and Cardiff. Sofia Wiking of Leicester West Socialist Party reports on the Leeds event.
20 June 2018
Leeds: Disability campaigners force council to retreat
Parents involved in the Disability Empowerment Action Links (Deal) group have pushed Leeds City Council into 'pausing' its plans to cut special education needs transport to over-16s.
20 June 2018
Wrenford centre: Stop heartless Tory cuts
Heartless Tory-run West Sussex county council is proposing to close the much-needed Wrenford Centre in Chichester.
20 June 2018
Knowsley council pushed back on cuts and privatisation
The right-wing Labour group in Knowsley council, Merseyside, has been forced into a climbdown on two important measures.
20 June 2018
Orgreave - no justice, no peace
On the outskirts of Sheffield on Saturday 16 June, around 300 people assembled under the banners of the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign (OTJC); insisting that the government hold a full public inquiry into the events at Orgreave 34 years ago
20 June 2018
Letters to the Socialist's editors including water pensions, uni gender equality, and Trump's economics
20 June 2018
1000 issues of the Socialist: A vital weapon standing in proud traditions
To mark the 1000th issue of the Socialist, which was launched in 1997, we interviewed Peter Taaffe, Socialist Party general secretary and former editor of Militant, the predecessor of the Socialist.
20 June 2018
Greetings from readers of the Socialist
Greetings from readers of the Socialist and from campaigners and trade unionists thanking the paper for supporting their struggles.
20 June 2018
No to Trump's climate change chaos
Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the non-binding Paris climate change agreement was not only a major defeat for even this weak attempt at tackling global warming, but also an example of his continuation of protectionist and isolationist policies.
20 June 2018
DWP surrenders to union pressure - now vote Yes to smash pay cap for everyone
On 14 June senior managers in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) caved in to the PCS civil servants' union's demands that they pay the contractual 'employee deal' pay rise on time in July.
20 June 2018
Tamil Solidarity Day: intense, lively, thought-provoking
On 16 June in central London Socialist Party members took part in Solidarity Day 2018 - an annual event organised by Tamil Solidarity.
20 June 2018
Grenfell disaster: one year on, still no prosecutions, still no adequate housing..
A silent sea of people wearing green marched through the streets of Kensington and Chelsea on 14 June.
20 June 2018
Inspirational account of young Marx's political battles
Film: The Young Karl Marx (2017): Director Raoul Peck takes us on a voyage through the life of 'The Young Karl Marx'.
20 June 2018
Rousing, funny take on Marxism - from the man himself
Theatre: Marx in Soho: For socialists, a one-man show about Karl Marx might not suggest a night of revelations. But seeing Bob Weick performing Howard Zinn's play 'Marx in Soho' in Manchester on 9 June showed this was a misconception.
20 June 2018
Seattle council repeals Amazon Tax
Only days after passing a tax on Amazon and big business in Seattle, corporate politicians repealed the ordinance
20 June 2018
Universal Credit delivers claimant misery
Fight for liveable benefits, real support and decent jobs: The government's flagship welfare reform, Universal Credit, has been well and truly savaged by the National Audit Office.
20 June 2018
Recent reports show there is an increase in the number of suicides among refugees in the UK. The latest additions to that number are three teenage refugees from Eritrea who have taken their own lives in London.
20 June 2018
Desperate divisions in Tories - Corbyn and unions must act
Bitterly divided, chaos ridden, vulnerable to potential rupture: these are all descriptions that could, in many respects, be applied to the Conservative and Labour parliamentary parties
20 June 2018
Tory cash boost not enough
The scrapping of the 1% NHS funding increase limit reveals the pressure building from grassroots campaigns - and the dangerous position May and her infighting party of the super-rich find themselves in.
20 June 2018
Rolls-Royce: fight all job cuts!
The job losses announced at engineering giant Rolls-Royce are a massive blow to Derby. Like everywhere else, full-time, secure jobs have long been disappearing leaving largely insecure, low-paid work in their place.
27 June 2018
Turkey's 'strongman' Erdogan tightens grip on state power
Turkey's right-wing president Recep Erdogan has tightened his grip on state power following snap elections carried out under a continuing state of emergency
27 June 2018
Welsh Labour leaders have not even protested against Tory cuts to Welsh health spending - they have passively accepted the false argument that there is no alternative
27 June 2018
Gosport opioid deaths scandal: we need democratic control of our NHS
The families have the right to demand criminal prosecutions - but we should also demand greater accountability
27 June 2018
The gathering new world disorder
Trump's trade war, with other developments like the Russian regime reasserting its role in the Middle East and elsewhere, are opening up a new chapter in world relations
27 June 2018
Women's services, especially for those fleeing domestic violence, are under enormous threat from Tory and Blairite austerity - Socialist Party members share the lessons from campaigns to defend services in Doncaster and Derby
27 June 2018
Tottenham block evacuations a test for 'Corbynista council'
For a tenants' ballot and mass building of council homes: 200 families have been ordered to leave their homes on estates in Haringey, north London, by October
27 June 2018
Unite union conference - drive out the Tories!
The tasks facing this conference are how to transform Labour into a fighting, socialist party - alongside building the industrial strength which can force out this weak Tory administration
27 June 2018
East Dunbartonshire council workers strike to stop pay and leave cuts
A four-day council workers' strike took place in Scotland involving the Unison, Unite and GMB unions
27 June 2018
Unison union conference: delegates can't be cowed
The union's right-wing leadership sanitised the conference - but suffered several defeats at the hands of angry delegates
27 June 2018
NSSN conference, 7 July 2018: fighting back against the Tories and bosses
Come to NSSN conference: "The NSSN plays an important role in getting the word out and helping to build support and solidarity" - Len McCluskey, Unite union general secretary
27 June 2018
Fight to save Devon hospital services
"Where I come from people stand up and fight. It was our hospital and we want it back - we want it back and made even better!" That is telling it as it is!
27 June 2018
Fighting for rights for Windrush generation and other migrants
The working class in Britain has a proud history of fighting racism and there is an urgent need for trade unions to lead on this issue
27 June 2018
Hull unions organise 'Engage for Change' festival
Hundreds of local trade unionists and young people attended the second Hull Trade Union Council-organised music festival
27 June 2018
Huddersfield set to lose two town centre post offices
Huddersfield residents were shocked when news leaked that the 103-year-old building on Northumberland Street that houses one of two town centre Post Offices is earmarked for sale
27 June 2018
Prison: life inside a living hell
I was in a high-security prison for just over two months. I had never been in trouble with the law before. What I saw left an indelible impression on me
27 June 2018
Blairite cuts and restructures make social work dangerous
In Sheffield 'money-saving changes' the Blairite council is making are like a wrecking ball destroying a building when none of the occupants have been evacuated
27 June 2018
Do you have something to say? Letters to the Socialist's editors. Homelessness and housing costs; privatised rail chaos; Unison witch-hunter elected to council
27 June 2018
Walk out on 13 July against 'Kid Cager' Trump
The Trump White House reached a new low in recent immigration policy.
27 June 2018
NHS Mid Yorkshire strike suspended
Management has agreed to investigate keeping staff in the NHS pension scheme and direct employment, and suspended looking at inferior terms and conditions
27 June 2018
30 June NHS demo: prepare for a mass movement
NHS SOS: Let's defend our health service - organise to stop privatisation and cuts. The appetite is there for building a movement to fully renationalise and fund the NHS
27 June 2018
Pay strike ballot - win the vote, win the claim
The PCS is balloting 125,000 members and needs a strong 'yes' vote on a turnout of over 50%
27 June 2018
Socialist Party members have been out in force selling the 1000th issue of the Socialist
27 June 2018
The bosses are 'dishonest' - not Militant and its supporters
Michael Crick attacks forerunner of the Socialist Party: Crick is acting for the Blairites to undermine the left by drawing attention to past political associations and giving them sinister connotations
27 June 2018
Homes and Communities Agency workers vote to strike over pay cuts and inequality
Unite union members at the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have overwhelmingly voted for strike action in protest at years of real-terms pay cuts and pay inequality
27 June 2018
Support growing against incinerator in Washington
One resident said: "I can't understand how a Labour council can even consider allowing a company to build this type of plant only hundreds of metres from people's homes!"
27 June 2018
It's one world for the super-rich and another for the rest of us. £11bn tax cuts for them, austerity for us; £2.3m for private consultants, rail chaos for us; NHS underperforms while Branson mints it
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