Archives

The
bosses are trying to use the current economic crisis in Ireland to
reduce wages and living standards. That is not a secret, but they claim
that it is in the interest of the workers. The story goes like this;
Irish companies must become more competitive than companies in other
countries. In that way there will be more exports and more jobs will be
created. If workers don’t accept cutbacks jobs will be lost. To
challenge those ideas the labour movement need to return to Marx

Workers are
digging their heels in and continuing to occupy the Vestas site based in the
normally sedate Isle of Wight.
Vestas
Blades UK is set to close its Newport site  with the immediate loss of 600
jobs. Despite all the talk about renewable turbine energy from the government,
it seems incredible that the only wind turbine blade manufacturer in the
UK is set to shut up shop
and transfer its business to the US in the interests of profit.

Postal
workers and their unions are under attack. About six weeks ago, Royal
Mail management took executive action – meaning cuts – 40 duties
from the Mount Pleasant office and 100 from the West End delivery
centre, without any union negotiation. This was in breach of the 2007
phase four pay and modernization agreement and is just one of the
many grievances behind the recent strike action taken by Royal Mail
postal workers.

On Wednesday 13th July, the Burley Sports Club in Leeds played host to only the second
public meeting hosted by Socialist Appeal supporters in West
Yorkshire. People came from as far away as Scunthorpe to hear Mick
Brooks, editor of Socialist Appeal, speak on the unfolding and
ever-deepening crisis afflicting capitalism on a world scale.

Ian
Kerr, the despicable quisling behind the construction blacklist
appeared in court today (Thursday 16th July) and was fined a measly £5,000 – small change for someone
who supplied construction companies with the blacklist data of over
3,000 construction workers to any company that wanted and charged
£3,200 a time.

Here is part one of Alan Wood’s article on the history of the French Revolution, first published in1989 to mark the 200th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14th.

Today is the 220th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. Celebrated as a national holiday in France, the 14th July marked a decisive first stage in the French revolution. We are therefore republishing a series of articles first written in 1989 to coincide with the 200th anniversary.

The reign of terror unleashed by the
Iranian government against the demonstrations in the aftermath of the
rigged elections did succeed in keeping people off the streets the last
11 days. But last Thursday this combustible material ignited once again, as
thousands once more took to the streets in a collective show of
defiance.

Bus drivers in Doncaster are employed by First held a successful one
day strike on Friday 10th June in pursuit of the pay claim to bring
their pay in line with First’s Leeds drivers who presently receive £10 per hour

Ireland: The TEEU strike that started Monday might well represent a new
sharp turn in the course of events. The 10,500 electricians punch well
above their weight; they have industrial power beyond their numbers.
They can stop constructions sites and factories nationwide. They
deserve the full backing of the whole of the Irish labour movement.