Marxist International Review out now!
Socialist Appeal is pleased to announce the publication of the first in the new series run of our journal of Marxist theory, the Marxist International Review.
May 2008
Londoners: watch out for Boris the menace
The election of Boris Johnson as London Mayor in May should be met with
foreboding. This is not good for train operators or working people in
and around London. Boris appears to be born not only with a silver
spoon in his mouth (having been educated in Eton), but also a foot. We
should not be taken in by the appearance of barmy Boris.
Police get angry with New Labour
Last year’s 2.5 % pay rise for the police, agreed by the iindependent
arbitration panel, was unilaterally slashed by Home Secretary Jacqui
Smith, to 1.9%, a real wage cut. This interference caused enormous
resentment among the police. Since the 1918 strike, it has been illegal
for the police to strike. Now they are contemplating strike action.
RMT ballot 17,000 Network Rail workers
The RMT has balloted more than 17,000 workers in a
dispute with Network Rail. The Union has been negotiating for months for the
harmonisation of terms and conditions for maintenance staff. Infrastructure workers voted 3 to 1 in favour
of strike action if necessary, though operations staff (such as signallers)
voted against a strike. The vote has brought Network Rail back to the
negotiating table. The talks are continuing.
ASLEF Conference: The way forward
Conference time always highlights the key issues that have
arisen in the last 12 months and the issues activists need to address in the
coming 12 months. This year’s ASLEF conference is no different. The biggest issue that could divide us is harmonisation of
wages and conditions. The basic principle should be that the hard fought-for
conditions that have been gained should not be given up. One driver should not pay to bring
another driver up to a better standard of conditions. This is just another way
for the railway companies to avoid paying and to improve their profits.
British trade unions’ militant traditions
I have recently read ‘In the Cause of Labour’ (a history of British
trade unionism) by Rob Sewell. I must say it is an excellent read, in
fact one of the best books I have read in many years. The book covers
the history of British trade unionism from its early beginnings in the
1800s right through almost to the present day…
Growing old disgracefully in Britain.
The wealth in the UK today is the product of the labour of
working people. The problem is that they do not control how that wealth is
distributed. The value that they have created over and above what they receive
in their pay packets is appropriated by the owners of industry who ensure,
through their State apparatus, that the lion’s share is creamed off to those
who already have more than enough for their needs. The present leaders of the Labour Party are tied hand
and foot to the interests of the rich, the capitalist class. A new leadership
of the Party is required that will harness social wealth to provide for all.
Crewe and Nantwich by-election: Brown government facing electoral wipe-out
The New Labour government is on the rocks. The wreckage of
Blairism, under the leadership of Gordon Brown, was dealt a further crushing
blow at the Crewe and Nantwich by-election. A 7,000 Labour majority was turned
into a 7,000 Tory majority in a swing of 17.6%. It was the Tories’ first
by-election gain in 30 years.
Catastrophe at Crewe
The Crewe by-election, with an 18% swing to the Tories,
confirms that they are on target for a landslide win in the next general
election. Railway workers and other working class people who have voted Labour
for generations have finally had enough. The betrayals and disappointments of
New Labour have caused these electors to break the habit of a lifetime. Make no
mistake about it. Mass working class abstentions have done for Brown and his
witless crew.
I’ll huff and I’ll puff…
There is no such thing as a natural disaster. That may come as a surprise to those of you who were wibble-wobbled out of bed over much of the south of England at the end of February by the UK’s largest ever earthquake, which went over 6 on the Richter scale in some areas.
Unison rally against imposition of Single Status
Thousands joined the Unison rally on April 24 outside Birmingham town
hall as the fight against Birmingham City Council’s attempts to impose
Single Status (which means big wage cuts for thousands of workers)
continues.
125 years since the death of Marx
On the 14th of March, at a quarter to three in the afternoon, the greatest living thinker ceased to think. He had been left alone for scarcely two minutes, and when we came back we found him in his armchair, peacefully gone to sleep — but for ever.