Archive for December 2019

2 December 2019

SWR strike: "We're up for the fight"

The RMT union is resisting attempts to axe the vital safety-critical role of train guards

4 December 2019

Royal Mail court ruling - national reps meeting and solidarity action essential

The High Court has dismissed the appeal by the Communications Workers Union (CWU) against the scandalous decision to stop the postal workers taking national strike action in Royal Mail, despite winning its strike ballot with an incredible 97% yes vote on a 76% turnout

4 December 2019

Jared Wood overwhelmingly elected to RMT executive

Socialist Party member Jared Wood won a resounding victory in the ballot for London Transport Region representative on the RMT union national executive committee

4 December 2019

PCS union general secretary election

There are just a few days remaining before the PCS civil servants' union general secretary ballot ends at noon on 12 December

4 December 2019

Selling the Socialist

Since the general election was called, Swansea Branch has been organising at least three city centre and one campus campaign stalls a week, usually comprised of a main Socialist Party campaign stall and a separate Young Socialist stall nearby

4 December 2019

Hillsborough justice eluded

In a second trial against David Duckenfield, after the first jury failed to reach a verdict, the former match commander stood accused of gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans in the Hillsborough football stadium disaster in 1989.

4 December 2019

News in brief

Short stories on some of the news this week.

4 December 2019

Solid support for guards on West Midlands Trains

There was an upbeat mood on the RMT picket line at Worcester Shrub Hill in the continuing dispute with West Midlands Trains over retaining the safety-critical role of train guards.

4 December 2019

Workplace news in brief

Short reports on some of the latest trade union struggles.

4 December 2019

Carlisle election meeting: Education - time to make the mega-rich and corporations pay

The Labour candidate for Carlisle, Ruth Alcroft, spoke at a Socialist Party public election meeting in the city on 2 December. It followed the handing over of a petition to her from 500 local parents and teachers against the Tory cuts to school funding.

4 December 2019

Why I joined: "Proud to be a socialist"

As a foreign national in the UK I felt disenfranchised and, many times, completely impotent about the country's convoluted political scenario. After years of frustration, I came to realise I had two choices; to remain a passive spectator or, somehow, to take action.

4 December 2019

Climate strikes: Students and trade unionists protest together

On Friday 29 November Parliament Square filled with striking school students. They marched off around central London before meeting up with the University and College Union (UCU) strikers as the latter's march was ending.

4 December 2019

The Great Big Socialist Party Quiz 2019

4 December 2019

Keep up to date with our election coverage

4 December 2019

Hong Kong's uprising

Legislation was recently passed in the US that could involve sanctions against China over human rights violations in Hong Kong.

4 December 2019

South African Airways workers win wage increase after strike action

The outcome of the South African Airways (SAA) strike is a victory. The National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (Numsa) and the Cabin Crew Association of South Africa deserve the applause of all aviation workers, and the working class, as a whole.

4 December 2019

UCU strikes: more determined than ever

At Cardiff University, every strike day UCU members have picketed over a dozen university buildings and held strike rallies of hundreds. Students have been involved on the strike committee

4 December 2019

Northern Ireland: Health workers take action

25,000 hard-pressed healthcare workers in Northern Ireland - including nurses, social care staff and support services - took action at NHS sites on 25 November, demanding that their longstanding concerns over safe staffing levels and pay parity be addressed

4 December 2019

Climate change election debate

Friday 29 November saw the broadcast of the first ever election debate over climate change - no doubt arranged in response to the global mobilisation of young people protesting for immediate action to be taken to save the planet.

4 December 2019

Social workers lobby Hull City Council

About 150 social workers lobbied Hull City Council on 21 November. They were campaigning for a more reasonable workload and an end to bullying by management, writes Mick Whale, president, Hull trade union council.

4 December 2019

Surrey firefighters to ballot on Christmas industrial action

Firefighters in Surrey are balloting on industrial action to commence on 24 December, after exhausting all other avenues to prevent dangerous cuts to their fire and rescue service

4 December 2019

Prepare now for the struggles after 12 December

While the week before, a You Gov poll pointed towards a 68-majority for the Tories, on 2 December an ICM poll put them on 42% and Labour on 35%, just seven points behind.

4 December 2019

It's a strike to ensure the safety of the travelling public

An historic month-long strike began on 2 December

4 December 2019

End profiteering from health - nationalise big pharma

The issue of allowing US corporations access to the NHS and the affect of that on the cost of drugs has featured during the election campaign.

4 December 2019

Students and workers united in struggle

The 2019 Socialist Students conference took place on 30 November.

4 December 2019

Fight for your future - join the socialists

Whatever the result on 12 December, for working-class and young people the fight goes on

9 December 2019

Millions strike in France

Last Thursday's strike in France against pension 'reform' was massive

9 December 2019

Swansea: Corbyn rally attracts turnout but many can't get in

At the end of the Swansea Corbyn rally last Saturday we had nothing left to sell or hand out!

10 December 2019

The Activist Issue 82 - for retail workers

10 December 2019

Pay Deal: ACAS sides with management

A missed opportunity to fight

10 December 2019

Come and discuss with us after the election

Socialist Party branches will be holding campaign stalls and meetings in the days after the election

11 December 2019

Undervalued gritters to walk out

Carmarthenshire council workers responsible for road gritting will be striking for three days

11 December 2019

Latest podcasts

11 December 2019

Avenue of trees saved!

Save Our Square campaigners have been battling for years against a 'redevelopment' plan

12 December 2019

PCS general secretary election

Standing for a national elected officers' position for the first time, Socialist Party member Marion Lloyd came second with 9,278 votes

13 December 2019

Stand firm for socialist policies to stop Tory attacks

* Trade unions must organise and plan to mobilise workers and young people to defend the NHS, public services, the environment, benefits and workers' rights.
* Blame the Blairites. Kick out the pro-capitalist saboteurs. Refound Labour as a mass democratic workers' party with socialist policies.
Join the fightback! Join the Socialist Party!

16 December 2019

Scotland: Scene set for explosion in the national question

Boris Johnson and the Tories' election victory will have angered and disappointed many workers and young people

16 December 2019

French workers determined to defeat Macron

France's working class is in a gargantuan struggle with its government and the hated 'president of the rich'

17 December 2019

Post Office workers - The long road to justice

Hundreds of former Post Office workers were falsely accused of fraud

17 December 2019

Socialist Party members out on the streets

Street stalls were held across the country on Saturday

17 December 2019

Anti-academy strike action in Newham

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at St Angela's and St Michael's Catholic schools in Newham were on strike on 11 December against being forced into becoming privately run academies

19 December 2019

Defend the right to strike! RMT and NSSN lobby parliament

French workers demonstrating in Paris on Thursday 16 January 2020; now over 40 days of strike action have been taking place against the governments attacks on pensions.

20 December 2019

Council concedes to striking winter gritters' demands

Plaid Cymru-led Carmarthenshire County has backed down in the face of determined industrial action

20 December 2019

2020: Class struggles and capitalist instability will intensify

Today's mass movements against the 'establishment' and capitalism will develop further around the world

20 December 2019

All we want for Christmas is a no-strings pay rise

RMT drivers on the Tyne & Wear metro are on strike on the Friday and Saturday before Christmas