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June 2008

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What a load of scrap

Has someone been pinching your manhole covers? Basically any piece of metal that’s not screwed down is being slurped up. The opening up of the giant Chinese, Russian and Indian markets has
pushed scrap metal prices through the roof. Raw materials and new metal
production cannot keep pace with the demand, so they are begging,
borrowing and stealing anything that can be re-smelted to feed the
ravenous beast. Scrap metal prices have increased
by 95 per cent. Who is making all the money from this new boom? The UK scrap metal industry is now a staggering £1.1 billion.
Proof that where’s there’s muck there’s brass.

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Czechoslovakia (1968): Stalinism rocked by crisis – Part One

To mark the 40th
anniversary of the invasion of Czechoslovakia,
we are here reprinting an article by Alan Woods, first written on September 4,
1968, and published in the Winter edition of the Spark, in which he clearly
relates the momentous events that shook the Stalinist regimes and explains
their significance.

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The end of ‘the end of history’

In any historical period, the dominant ideas are those of the ruling
class. In 1989 the world was treated to the words of Francis Fukuyama,
who published an essay with the title ‘The end of history?’ His
argument was not that historical events had literally stopped happening
but that the collapse of so-called ‘communism’ in the Soviet union
meant that western liberal democracy had successfully established
itself as the ultimate and ideal form of government. Marxism lay totally discredited he declared, gloatingly.

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PFI con

PFI alert (part 1 million). The Audit Commission reveals that billions are wasted by the public sector on private contracts. It cost £4.26 to cut a key. Or then again it might cost £47.78. It costs £30.81 to change a lock in Halifax and £398.30 in Blackburn. An electrical socket costs £30.81 in Kirklees and £302.30 in Wirral. Ever got the idea you’re being had?

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A proper pay rise

The ‘Guardian’ (February 2nd 2008) did a survey, asking, “Do you trust your boss to give you a proper pay rise.” 71% said ‘No.’ Who are the 29% who said ‘Yes’?

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Tories on nationalisation

The Tories claim that the decision to nationalise Northern Rock (after endless dithering) adds £3,000 in national debt for every family in Britain. We prefer the example of Tory hero Margaret Thatcher, who took over failed Johnson Matthey Bank for just £1.

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Long hours on the up

The TUC reports that long hours’ working is on the up. More than one in eight of the workforce puts in more than 48 hours. In London it’s one in six.

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USA – 28 million people on food stamps

In the richest country in the world, the USA, 28 million people depend on food stamps just to feed themselves and their families. In Michigan it’s one in eight households. Food stamps are just supposed to supplement the cost of groceries. But now food prices are soaring and the value of food stamps is not keeping up.

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Why are so many people going hungry?

There are about 1 billion people in the world subsisting on
$1 a day or less. These people typically spend 80% of their income on food. For
them the present food price rises mean catastrophe. Why are so many going hungry? Why are food prices going up
all the time? These are the questions the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation has been asking at its meeting this June. So far it hasn’t come up
with any solutions.

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East Midlands senior conductors strike

THE FIRST of three
24-hour strikes by more than 130 East Midlands Trains senior conductors
began at a minute after midnight on Saturday 7th June after talks at
conciliation service
Acas failed to resolve a breakdown in industrial relations with the
company.

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UNISON Health Pay Deal Accepted

UNISON’s
425,000 members in Health have voted to accept the Government’s 3 year pay
deal, which will deal a significant blow to the chances of a generalised
campaign on pay across the public sector this summer. The deal offers 8.1% over
three years, with more for some members.

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