Archive for November 2002

1 November 2002

Editorial: Firefighters Must Fight For The Full Claim - With No Strings

NOT FOR many years have the preparations for a strike been so closely followed by the media, government, employers and trade unionists

1 November 2002

Firefighters Speak To The Socialist

Steve Godward, FBU West Midlands, who spoke at the Socialism 2002 rally reacted to the news that the strikes had being suspended by warning that the full claim must be met in any talks taking place between the union and the employers

1 November 2002

Brazil: Workers' Hopes Raised By Lula's Victory

BRAZILIANS TOOK to the streets to celebrate the overwhelming election victory of the Workers Party presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, better known as Lula

1 November 2002

Over one hundred dead in Moscow hostage crisis

The Theatre Of War: PUTIN'S 'WAR against terror' has brought terror to Moscow itself. A group of 50 heavily armed Chechens drove through Moscow in two minibuses and seized a theatre full of people in the middle of a popular

1 November 2002

Socialist Party Leaves Welsh Alliance

AT A special all-Wales meeting on Sunday 20 October, Socialist Party Wales members unanimously agreed to withdraw from the Welsh Socialist Alliance (WSA)

1 November 2002

Stop The War Machine

"In just one year, the President has somehow squandered the international outpouring of sympathy, goodwill and solidarity that followed the attacks of September 11 and converted it into anger and apprehension aimed much more at the United States than at the terrorist network..."

1 November 2002

Stand Firm Against Low Pay

Firefighters wages' battle: AFTER MONTHS of ignoring the firefighters' justified pay claim, the New Labour government has been forced - under the threat of strike action - to take it seriously, writes Ken Smith.

1 November 2002

Socialism 2002 - An Inspiring Weekend

Steve Godward, a Birmingham firefighter introduced the opening rally with a resounding call to support the firefighters' strike action

1 November 2002

The power of protest: How The Anti-Vietnam War Movement Grew

PRESIDENT GEORGE W Bush is still defying widespread international opposition and trying to mobilise support for US imperialism's war with Iraq

8 November 2002

No To War With Iraq

31 October thousands say...: FOUR THOUSAND protesters marched to 10 Downing St on 31 October as tens of thousands staged demonstrations across the country against war with Iraq, writes Ken Douglas.

8 November 2002

Top-Up Fees Will Increase Society's Class Divisions

IMPERIAL COLLEGE London plans to introduce top-up fees. That highlights the growing divide within the education system. At present all universities charge £1,050 a year - a rate set by the government, writes Colin Wray.

8 November 2002

Fight For The Full Claim

THE FIREFIGHTERS' union has suspended another strike, while at the same time declaring a 48-hour strike to start at 6pm on 13 November

8 November 2002

Turkey's Ruling Parties Routed In Elections

TURKEY'S ELECTORATE passed judgement on the governing coalition's handling of the country's economic crisis by voting them out of office

8 November 2002

Building The Action Against The War

FOLLOWING ON from the massive 400,000 strong anti-war demonstration of 28 September, the Stop the War Coalition called for a day of action against war with Iraq on 31 October

8 November 2002

Brazil: Will The Workers' Party Live Up To Its Name?

NOW FORMER metalworker Lula, leader of the Workers Party (PT) has won the election for Brazil's presidency, a new era of class struggle is opening up

8 November 2002

Rob Williams - Standing For Socialism

Socialist Party Wales has selected Rob Williams to stand in the Aberavon constituency for the Welsh assembly elections 2003

8 November 2002

Israel's Governing Coalition Splits

THE ISRAELI 'national unity' government coalition has collapsed following the withdrawal of six Labour ministers. Elections have been called for early next year, writes Judy Beishon.

8 November 2002

True Spies

DAVID SHAYLER has been given a six-month prison sentence on charges that he acted illegally in blowing the whistle on the undemocratic and murderous activities of Britain's secret state, writes Ken Smith.

8 November 2002

Fight Poverty Pay

THE FIREFIGHTERS have postponed their action for the moment but there is no let-up in the struggles against low pay, writes Bill Mullins.

15 November 2002

The World Steps Closer To War Against Iraq

BUSH HAS interpreted the mid-term election results in the US as a support for war. In fact only 37% of the population voted and opposition to war is increasing

15 November 2002

Asylum Laws: Blunkett's Vicious New Restrictions

HOME SECRETARY David Blunkett has added vicious new proposals to the government's Asylum Bill, causing a rare rebellion by New Labour backbenchers, writes Naomi Byron.

15 November 2002

Build The Anti-War Movement

MANY as one million people took to the streets of Florence, Italy, on 9 November to show their opposition to war on Iraq

15 November 2002

US mid-term elections Bush (And Cash) Beat Off Bankrupt Democrats

BUSH HAS won a stunning political victory. Never in living memory has a sitting president strengthened his party's position in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in mid-term elections.

15 November 2002

Support the firefighters

"The government don't want to pay us": AS WE go to press, firefighters are starting their first national strike since 1977. Workers in every area will want to see the firefighters win. STEVE WOOTON, Bristol, spoke to Phil Jordan, South West FBU regional chair.

15 November 2002

Florence anti-war demo

SATURDAY 9 November, saw the biggest protest so far against the threatened war against Iraq. Up to a million marched and sang through the streets of Florence, Italy, in protest at Bush and Berlusconi's policies

15 November 2002

Support the Firefighters

THE GLOVES are off in the FBU's battle with the government for decent pay, writes Bill Mullins.

22 November 2002

Firefighters - Their Fight Is Our Fight

FIREFIGHTERS HAVE won widespread support in their struggle for higher pay. Workers understand that Tony Blair has taken on the firefighters to try and 'teach a lesson' to others in the public sector

22 November 2002

All Out To Win On London Allowance

SCHOOLS ACROSS London will close on 26 November as thousands of teachers join the one-day strike and march to the joint union rally at the Oval cricket ground, writes Martin Powell-Davies, secretary, Lewisham National Union of Teachers (NUT).

22 November 2002

Firefighters - A Decisive Struggle

NOT SINCE the miners' strike has there been such an important struggle as the national firefighters' strike for decent pay

22 November 2002

Why Capitalism Brings Famine

THE UNITED Nations says that 30 million Africans are facing starvation. That's three times as many at risk as in 1984 when the Live Aid famine relief appeal was launched

22 November 2002

Top-Up Fees - Build A Mass Movement Of Action

NEW LABOUR'S ministers clearly intend to increase the cost of university education. Higher education minister Margaret Hodge says that students could pay as much as £15,000 for a three-year degree, writes Kieran Roberts.

22 November 2002

Firefighters Strike "Nothing will ever be the same"

AN OFFICER at Lambeth station in south London summed up the strike's importance as he walked out on 13 November:

22 November 2002

ISR - Fighting For Socialist Change

The past year has seen hundreds of thousands of young people take to the streets alongside other workers and trade unionists across the world, writes Clare James.

22 November 2002

Capitalism With Chinese Characteristics

THE SIXTEENTH Congress of the Chinese 'Communist' Party has reinforced the country's transition to capitalism, writes John Reid.

29 November 2002

Liar Blair!

TONY BLAIR is waging war on the firefighters. He's refusing to finance their wage claim but his arguments are backed up by lies:, writes Lie No 1 - The firefighters' claim will wreck the economy.

29 November 2002

Blair Declares War On FBU

"THE GOVERNMENT has completely lost control of the agenda. This is no longer just a dispute between the FBU and the government: it has descended into a fight between the government and the whole union

29 November 2002

Recession Hits The Capitalist System

NOT LONG ago, Chancellor Gordon Brown suggested that Britain could be isolated from the problems of the world economy, writes Kevin Parslow.

29 November 2002

No Fees: Fight for free education

THE NATIONAL Union of Students (NUS) demonstration on 4 December will show the anger of students at New Labour policies to make them pay even more for education, writes Colin Wray, Sheffield University.

29 November 2002

Miners' strike: When Maggie Did A Blair?

ON 22 November The Sun's exultant headline was "Blair's done a Maggie." Tony Blair had earlier described the Fire Brigades Union's leaders as "Scargillite", writes Roger Shrives.

29 November 2002

Teachers, council workers: Marchers Demand United Action

THOUSANDS OF striking teachers and local government workers joined the 26 November demonstration calling for big increases in London weighting allowances