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The news headlines in Scotland today were dominated by the
strike of 1,200 workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery in the west of
Scotland. This is one of only nine refineries in Britain. The plant
processes 210,000 barrels of oil a day. Announcement of the strike has
triggered panic buying of petrol. Management have to start closing the plant
down nearly a week before the walk-out is due.

Last weekend the Socialist Appeal held its national
conference, the proceedings of which revealed important steps forward in the
development of the tendency in both the youth field and the trade unions. The
mood was one of enthusiasm and determination to build even further on the past
year’s successes.

New Socialist Appeal leaflet available

Over 100,000 Members of
the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) are on strike together with up
to half a million other public sector workers including teachers and lecturers.
We are all protesting at the government’s policy to cap public sector pay below
inflation which has resulted in cuts to living standards across the civil
service. 

The immediate cause of the sliding dollar
is not far to seek. It’s the US
deficit with the rest of the world. Last year the USA imported nearly twice as much
as it exported. Their current account deficit stands at 6% of national income.
If a country is spending more than it’s earning, then it has to pay for the
difference.

This is a really valuable book for socialists. Ironically its
strength, as well as its weakness, is that it’s not written from a ‘political’
position. Nick Davies is an established and excellent investigative
reporter. He writes from the point of view of a practitioner defending
professional standards, seeking to explain, within those terms, why so much
British journalism is so wrong.

We will work an average of the first 70 days of this year just to earn the money needed to pay interest charges on our debts (not to repay the debts). We collectively pay £1.5 billion on interest each year.

Cheatneutral is a spoof website that takes the mick out of the idea that we can save the planet by trading carbon emissions. Here’s the comparison. “At Cheatneutral, we believe that we should all try to reduce the amount we cheat on our partners, but we also realise that fidelity isn’t always possible. That’s why we help you neutralise your cheating…By paying Cheatneutral, you’re funding monogamy-boosting offset projects – we simply invest the money you give us in monogamous, faithful or just plain single people, to encourage them to stay that way.”

For those unacquainted with Marxist philosophy, dialectical materialism may
seem an obscure and difficult concept. However, for those prepared to take the
time to study this new way of looking at things, they will discover a
revolutionary outlook that will allow them an insight into and understanding of
the mysteries of the world in which we live. A grasp of dialectical materialism
is an essential prerequisite in understanding the doctrine of Marxism.
Dialectical materialism is the philosophy of Marxism, which provides us with a
scientific and comprehensive world outlook. It is the philosophical bedrock –
the method – on which the whole of Marxist doctrine is founded.

American insurance group Marsh has demanded that 12 contract cleaners be suspended from duty in their City of London office after they held a protest demanding better pay and conditions. As one of the (mainly Polish) cleaners said, “We just wanted to be treated like human beings.” Too much to ask?

As part of their
bi-monthly meeting, the Greater London Labour Representation Committee (LRC)
invited the Hands Off Venezuela campaign to lead a discussion on the recent
events that have taken place in Venezuela. The LRC, originally formed in 1900
to fight for political representation for the Labour Movement, was re-formed in
2004 to secure a voice for socialists within the trade unions, the Labour Party
and Parliament. Will Roche from the HOV campaign gave a summary of events
dating from the re-election of President Chavez in 2006, in particular, the
development of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

Whether you are a nurse
who’s been offered a 3 year deal starting with 2.75% or a council worker with
2.45%, you are on the receiving end of Gordon Brown’s pay restraint squeeze. As
threatened last year the government is desperate to try and stick to its 2%
target for pay costs. At the moment UNISON, the GMB and other unions are
consulting and despite the down beat mood of the UNISON Local Government
Service Group executive, there are a lot of reasons why members will vote to
reject the offers.

Marks and Spencer boss Stuart Rose comments, “the West End can’t get enough diamonds”. But the poor are getting poorer. The Institute of Fiscal Studies found 47,000 citizens had incomes over £350,000. They sum up by saying “income inequality is currently at its highest level since the late 1940s.”  Is this what you’d expect after ten years of Labour government?