Bankrupt British Steel is to be bought up by new Chinese owners. But this latest takeover will solve none of the problems facing the UK steel industry – nor its workers. The labour movement must fight for nationalisation.
Privatisation in Britain has been a horror show. Corporations have raked in profits and shareholder payouts at the expense of us all. When these industries fail, only the losses are nationalised. Instead, we say: Nationalise the lot! For workers control!
Miles Todd was one of ‘the 250’ – the stalwarts of our organisation, who swam against the stream for thirty years. Miles spoke daily about the Party, particularly the International, and paid his last dues from hospital, surrounded by his favourite Marxist texts. Rest in peace, comrade.
The fate of Britain’s steel industry – along with the lives of those working class communities reliant on it – hangs in the balance as Tory ministers continue to flail in response to the news that Tata Steel is exiting the UK. Cameron and the Tories have shown themselves to be impotent in halting the decline and downward trajectory of British capitalism.
Thousands of jobs are under threat in the UK’s steel industry as a result of British Steel’s collapse. We need immediate nationalisation – with no compensation to the capitalist vultures.
Unite has announced indefinite strike action at Port Talbot. Other steel unions must follow this lead – downing tools in unison, and organising to spread the struggle. Above all, the labour movement must demand nationalisation, without compensation.
The strengthening of the inquiry into Unite union officials colluding with bosses to blacklist construction workers is to be welcomed. Now Unite members must continue the struggle to fully democratise the union
Tata, the giant Indian-owned conglomerate, has announced the closure of its steel plants in Britain, with a resultant 1,200 jobs to be cut. This latest episode in the crisis of the British steel industry is yet another stark reminder of the decrepit nature of British capitalism and of the contradictions within the wider world economy.
The emergency takeover to prevent the collapse of British Steel has raised the question of ‘who owns Britain?’. This is also the case in Scotland, whose economy has been carved up by international capital. The SNP leaders’ empty talk about ‘national sovereignty’ is a farce.
Thousands of jobs are on the line at the Tata steelworks in Port Talbot. Comrades across South Wales are mobilising and organising to fight this jobs massacre. We say: Strike and occupy! Nationalise the industry! Put the workers in control!
The result of the last general election was an expression of the deep anger in society. The Tories will quickly find themselves unable to quell this anger as they continue to carry out cuts, laying the basis for major upheavals.