British Perspectives 2008
This is the final draft of the British Perspectives document worked out and voted on by the comrades of the British section of the International Marxist Tendency at their National Conference in April of this year.
April 2008
Ineos at Grangemouth – what are they up to?
The Grangemouth strikers are now back at work. They know
they may have to walk out again if management stick with their plan to trash
the company pension scheme. What’s their problem? Ineos is 75% owned by Jim Ratcliffe. Listed as the 25th richest person in the
land, his fortune is reckoned at £2,300 million. The ‘Sunday
Times’ thinks he was worth £3,300 million in 2007. He’s dropped a billion, poor
old soul. That must explain why he wants to nick the workers’ pension pot.
Britain hit by biggest wave of strikes in decade
On Thursday April 24th teachers, lecturers and
public sector workers staged a one-day strike. Teachers were out on official strike
for the first time for 21 years. They were joined by Further Education (FE)
lecturers organised in UCU and public sector workers from the PCS union who are
faced with a government imposed 2% pay rise limit. At last workers in the
public sector were taking organised, coordinated and united strike action
against pay offers that represent a cut in their standard of living.
Britain hit by biggest wave of strikes in decades
On Thursday April 24th teachers, lecturers and
public sector workers staged a one-day strike. Teachers were out on official strike
for the first time for 21 years. They were joined by Further Education (FE)
lecturers organised in UCU and public sector workers from the PCS union who are
faced with a government imposed 2% pay rise limit. At last workers in the
public sector were taking organised, coordinated and united strike action
against pay offers that represent a cut in their standard of living.
Workers’ Memorial Day
Workers’ Memorial Day is held on
28 April every year. All over the world workers and their representatives
conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to
mark the day.
Every year more people are
killed at work than in wars. Most don’t die of mystery ailments, or in tragic
‘accidents’. They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn’t that
important a priority. Workers’ Memorial Day commemorates those workers.
Student Power: A Microcosm of right-wing manoeuvres and how they were defeated by the left
Recently,
The University College London Students’ Union (UCLU) voted to ban The Officer
Training Corps (OTC) from recruiting at union organized events like Freshers’
Fair. The ban has caused quite a stir on and off
campus, making the front cover of the ‘Evening Standard’ with the banner
headline, "Students Ban Military". Speaking
about those in opposition to the motion, UCLU General Secretary, Samantha
Godwin, said: “they know that if replicated
elsewhere, it would become a really effective method of protesting against the
war."
Trade union work in a care home
Working in the private sector means rubbish pay
and rubbish conditions, such as no pension, no sick pay, long hours and
no lasting terms or contracts. It all looks great from the
outside, efficient, spick ’n’ span, clean as a whistle. Scratch the surface however, and
you will see a workplace run on the cheap, with lots of paper work and a poor standard of care. Poor staffing
leads to long hours, fatigue and poor performance, and the need to
comply with managers’ demands, or risk being identified as a
troublemaker are ever present.
Billions of unpaid corporate tax
Bob Crow, General Secretary of the RMT, states that the privatised rail industry “is profiteering on £1.3bn in unpaid tax, and is using a deferred-tax loophole intended to encourage investment to fund massive increases in dividend payouts to shareholders. This tax is unlikely ever to be paid, and is effectively a hidden subsidy that dramatically increases profit levels.”
Grangemouth: Workers Justified and Determined to Win.
A red and white Unite
flag hung out of a window of the union office. More
banners and placards were held by the pickets, their bright
orange overalls clashing with yellow fluorescent vests as they gathered for their
rally.
“Ineos has hit out at our members, that’s the truth, but
we’ll sit down with them at
any time. We will also, continue safety work and fuel would
go to those who
need it in all life critical situations. We will win!”
Mark Lyon (Unite Convenor)
Public sector workers take action throughout the land
Yesterday we reported on the strike rally in London, where teachers went on strike against Gordon Brown’s pay freeze. It was the first time the teachers had gone on strike for a generation. They were
joined by members of the public sector union PCS and the lecturers union UCU. The following article contains reports on local action around the country.
Which way out of the Zimbabwean nightmare?
The present impasse in Zimbabwe is a direct result of the
so-called Structural Adjustment Plans so dear to imperialism, imposed on the
Zimbabwean people in collaboration with Mugabe after he came to power. Now they
have turned against him, but he is a creature of their own making.
1968: Remembering the Spirit of Revolution
"…the French events
suddenly brought home to me the reality of socialist revolution and how we had
entered a new stormy period, which the tendency had predicted. Within a couple
of years, the Labour government had fallen and Britain entered a convulsive
period including a near general strike. The French events of 1968, after a
short delay, had even found an echo in Britain. Those days of 40 years ago will
return again. This time we can be better prepared. Without doubt, 1968 will be
forever remembered as a political turning point by all those who were touched
by those historic events. That was certainly my experience."