The fast food workers' fightback

In America, fast food workers employed by chains like McDonalds, Burger King, and Pizza Hut have struck back against low pay and bullying managers. Regional strikes in November 2012 and April 2013 were followed by a nationwide strike on 29 August.

The workers’ headline demand is a $15 per hour minimum wage (most currently earn slightly more than $7). Workers also want union recognition and an end to management bullying. The fast food workers’ movement followed a similar, and ongoing, struggle of Walmart workers, the world’s biggest private-sector employer.

Collins: a slippery report

The “interim report” from Ray Collins, presented to Labour Party conference on 22 September, emphasises the role played by trade unions in founding the Labour Party.

It says that the federal structure of the Labour Party “should remain”. It promises an ongoing “collective engagement” and “collective relationship” between affiliated unions and the party.

It says that if the Labour-union link did not exist, then it would be necessary to invent it.

A Lesson of the Revolution: The Working Class vs The Totalitarian Myth

The Hungarian Revolution, temporarily defeated by Russian military force, has nonetheless already accomplished outstanding wonders and recorded magnificent victories, and that by virtue of its occurrence alone. It has dealt shattering blows to Stalinist barbarism as a world system, erecting a mighty barrier to Russian and international Stalinist aspirations to global domination.

Miliband and murmurs of revolt

At a Q&A in the Labour conference at Brighton, Ed Miliband was challenged by an activist: “When will you bring back socialism?” “That’s what we are doing”, Miliband replied.

Ed Miliband has, at last, promised to repeal the “bedroom tax”.

Miliband’s obscure and unpopular plan not to count trade unionists as affiliated to Labour unless they complete a form to “opt in” was soft-soaped at the conference, rather than blazoned as a sign of his will to confront the unions.

Labour's Bedroom Tax promise: keep up the pressure

That the Labour Party have finally announced they would repeal the Bedroom Tax if elected at the next election is very welcome, but not before time.

That Labour have adopted this is down to pressure from tenants, campaigners and the Labour left.

Much more meaningless was a vote by Lib Dem conference to oppose the Bedroom Tax at the next election. That pledge is worthless while the parliamentary leadership of the party is supporting policies like that are destroying people’s lives now.

Challenge Islamist ideas, don’t “tolerate” them

I agree with Cathy Nugent (“No absolutes in niqab debate”, Solidarity 296, 18 September 2013) that there must be debate of the issues surrounding the decision by Birmingham Metropolitan College and of Judge Peter Murphy to back down over the wearing of the niqab in college and in court.

I am surprised that the left went along uncritically with the student protests supporting the challenges by the women involved. Claims to wear the niqab in such places are made, and supported by others, on the basis of “a woman’s right to choose” and of promoting religious “tolerance”.

How fair is Fairphone?

I recently attended the London launch of Fairphone — “a seriously cool smartphone that puts social values first”.

Fairphone is a Dutch initiative to create an alternative to the decidely “unfair” phones that are being made and sold today.

Their phone, prototypes of which were available at the launch, is in some ways an improvement upon the mass-manufactured phones most of us carry around today.

Those phones are usually made with little or no concern for the environment or the well-being of the workers who make them.

Syria: regime calls for negotiations, buys more time

Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil has raised the prospect of a ceasefire in Syria.

Jamil is seen as Russia’s man in the Assad Government, but says he is giving the regime’s view. He says forces were at a deadlock on both sides and that negotiations should begin.

Such negotiations could stall the drive to get a UN resolution authorising force. They will also help Russia to continue backing Assad without getting into conflict with the US.

Remembering Paul Fyssas

Paul Fyssas, killed by a fascist in Piraeus on 17 September, grew up in the working class neighbourhoods of Keratsini.

The son of a shipyard worker in Perama, he in turn went to work in the yard.

From his school years he loved hip hop and from a listener quickly he turned into an artist. He continued to work from time to time in the yards, was a member of the Piraeus metal workers’ union, and consistently participated in its mobilisations.

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