Class Struggle Not Social Partnership!

The collective nature of the British trade union movement is gradually disappearing. Where as in the past unions saw strength through unity as the means to confront the boss class, increasingly unions are now turning to the idea of union rights enshrined in law as the way to protect workers. These changes date back to the 1980's when union leaders, faced with rapid economic change, collapsing membership and a hostile Thatcher government, decided to abandon "outdated" notions such as class struggle and replacing capitalism with some form of socialism, in favour of social partnership.

Tyranny in the Middle East

On the 12th of July the Lebanese militia group Hezbollah executed a raid on an Israeli army patrol in northern Israel, killing a number of Israeli soldiers and capturing two others. The raid occurred whilst other Israeli units continued their attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip following the abduction of an Israeli soldier by Hamas. During Israel's incursions into the Gaza Strip they demolished bridges, Gaza's main power station and killed approximately 50 civilians. The attack by Hezbollah was used as a pretext for the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) to unleash an orgy of destruction and death upon the Lebanese people.

Taking Health Care Back!

The recent months have seen an acceleration of cuts in the NHS which have been covered fairly comprehensively in the capitalist media. They have totalled at least 8,000 so far, with observers estimating far more to come. All over the country people are being informed that their local health services are to be reduced in some way. Workers are being laid off, trainee health workers are being informed that there may be no jobs available for them when they qualify, and the wider public are bracing themselves for ever longer waiting lists. Look a bit closer and you will see a raft of pro-market reforms that amount to privatisation by stealth accompanying the cutbacks, including PFI schemes, outsourcing and switches to foundation status.

Lose the Labour levy

Many on the Left, including those who constantly advised us all to “vote Labour without Illusions”, are now convinced that there is no difference between the Tories and the Labour Party, in this, they are wrong. One difference is that the unions still fund New Labour to the tune of millions of pounds.

There are, however, growing signs that trade unionists are growing increasingly angry at handing over their money to such an openly anti-working class party as Labour. In a number of unions, campaigns have been launched aimed at breaking the link with Labour.

When We Fight Back!

Older readers may remember those far off days of the 1970s when attacking greedy militant trade unionist was all the rage. A rain forest's worth of print was produced arguing that organised workers were grabbing all the wealth, causing economic havoc and creating a more unequal Britain. The low paid, less well organised workers, were supposedly left behind in the wage race by their unionised brothers and sisters.

Anarcho-syndicalism

The Solidarity Federation seeks to create a militant opposition to the bosses and the state, controlled by the workers themselves. Its strategy can apply equally to those in the official trade unions who wish to organise independently of the union bureaucracy and those who wish to set up other types of self-organisation.

Rank and File Control. Decisions should be made collectively. This means they are made by mass meetings, not by officials in union offices. These mass meetings include all those in the workplace, regardless of union membership. It will not, however, include scabs or managers. Anyone we elect to negotiate with management should have a mandate from the workforce that gives them clear guidance on what is and is not acceptable. Mass meetings of workers need to be able to recall all delegates.

Wont Get Fooled Again?

Few can still harbour any illusion about the Labour Party. Hardly any brain cells are required to see that Labour is just a continuation of Thatcher's vicious free market polices glossed over with a touch of caring concern. This says much about the reasoning capacity of boneheaded trade union leaders who still insist on handing over millions of pounds to Labour.

Working For Free!

Workers in this country do an average of seven hours six minutes extra work a week, and should take home an extra £4,800 a year if they were paid the average wage for those unpaid hours.

The response of the TUC since 2005 has been to declare one day in February ‘Work Your Proper Hours Day' and on that day calls on employees to use it to remind bosses of their extra unpaid work by taking a proper lunch break and going home on time for this one day a year. Employers should also use the day to say thank you to staff for their unpaid work, perhaps by buying them lunch or an after-work coffee or cocktail.

IWW Under Attack!

"A number of Solidarity Federation locals have been mobilising to support our comrades in the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in their struggle to defend their members in the US who are facing victimisation and sackings due to their union organising activities.

The list of workers sacked so far for their union activities is:-

  • Joseph Agins, sacked December 12th 2005
  • Charles Fostrom sacked July 11th 2006
  • Evan Winterschiedt sacked July 18th 2006
  • Daniel Gross sacked August 5th 2006
  • Isis Saenz fired November 1st 2006

All sackings so far have taken place in New York.

Work Until Your End!

Bosses' pay has more than doubled during the past six years while workers wages have remained virtually static. It has been calculated that for every £100 earned by directors in 2000, they now earn £205 after allowing for inflation. But for employees their £100 has climbed to an average of £106.

In the City this year bonuses are expected to reach a record £9 billion. At Goldman Sachs alone, about 4,000 high-flying investment bankers are expected to receive £1 million each and those in the top grade are likely to get £10 million each.

Goldman Sachs was the centre of the recent cleaners' fight for better pay. The cleaners, many of whom are paid the £5.35-an-hour minimum wage, occupied one of the bank's most prominent sites in the City waving placards reading “Goldman Sucks”.