Workers' Liberty

By the FNPBI

The governments of England and the US were the first to introduce neo-liberal economic policies, thanks to Thatcher and Reagan. This exploitative policy subsequently became what's been called "globalisation". Developed countries have succeeded in putting pressure on countries in the third world to open up their markets, implement trade liberalisation to the fullest and cut off subsidies for the poor. This process has been sustained despite the enormous misery ordinary people have to suffer.

Local firefighters support groups

Battersea
Contact: aiden@respectwork.org.uk or 0208 682 4224.

Birmingham
The Birmingham Fire Fighters Support Committee has divided its activities into constituency support groups. To find the contact for your local group ring Jim on 0121 771 0871.

By Janine Booth, Political Officer, RMT London Transport Regional Council

Tube activists are gearing up for a last-ditch battle to stop privatisation, as the Government expressed its determination to press ahead.

By Charlie McDonald, PCS DWP East London branch secretary

Over 1,000 PCS members across 18 locations in London are currently balloting for strike action in defence of victimised union rep, Chris Ford who has been sacked.

By a Unison member

UNISON members in West Yorkshire Fire Authority are facing a dispute with their employers, in what could be the start of an employers' offensive in the fire service strike.

By Olivier Rubens

On 3 October, 80,000 workers from EDF-GDF demonstrated in Paris against the privatisation of their company and attacks on their rights. This was followed on 17 October by a national strike in the education sector. The two strikes were in opposition to the neoliberal attacks of the Raffarin government on public services and its questioning of workers‚ rights.


On 26 November it was the turn of the rail workers. A national demonstration of 100,000 people was held in Paris at the call of all the rail trade union federations. It was a rallying point for other sections of the civil service and public services who want a united front of all workers against the attacks of the bosses and the government.

By Yassmine Mather

Iranian students have called for a rally against "despotism and outdated concepts of religion" this Saturday despite a government ban on all student demonstrations. Tehran university students have said they want to press on with a rally to mark national student day on 7 December.

Survey: the civil service
Over four percent but still low paid
By a civil servant

In the case of the firefighters the Government say that there can be no increase in the local authorities' pay budget above 4% unless there are significant (in their case drastic) changes in working practices.

New talks, but is the Government listening?
Jock Munro, FBU Scotland

We have great hopes that ACAS can help sort out this dispute. But the Government has played a poor role so far and it is hard to believe it is now serious about settling the matter in any reasonable way. They want to give the FBU a good kicking. We just want a fair pay deal, one that reflects the work we do and provides a decent wage for us and our families.

Where there's oil...

By Gerry Byrne

"Where there's muck there's brass" used to be the slogan of manufacturing capitalists. You might equally say: "Where there's oil there's blood." With threatened war and continuing destabilisation in the Middle East, global capital wants to keep an eye on the next largest oil-producing region, Latin America.

All of the media misrepresented, some of it with gross lies, Andy Gilchrist's speech to the Socialist Campaign Group conference on 30 November. They said he wanted to bring down the Government. In fact it was a "loyal" appeal to activists in the labour movement to fight for a change in the political direction of the Labour Party. As a service to the movement, we print a straight transcript of the speech here.

Dave Parks reports on a conference of independent members of the SA, held on 30 November

• plus No expulsions from the Bedfordshire SA By the Bedfordshire Platform

Prepare Solidarity

• Back the FBU

• Link the struggles
• Solidarity is key
• Recall TUC and Labour conferences
• For a workers' voice in politics

"Fire Strike Crumbles" crowed the headline of that repugnant, anti-working class rag, the Sun "newspaper", on 3 December, the day after the Fire Brigades Union suspended their latest eight day strike action.

Bush's war is not the answer
By Clive Bradley

Since September 11 it has often been said - and it is believed, it seems, perhaps by a majority in parts of the Muslim world - that the attacks on the World Trade Centre were not really the work of al-Qaida, but of Israel. As evidence, it is claimed that Jews who normally work in Manhattan had been forewarned.

By Amina Saddiq

Several things happened on 4 December. Twenty thousand students marched through London on the biggest NUS demonstration for years.

Speakers from ongoing industrial disputes and the left wing of the labour movement addressed the marchers as they gathered in Kennington Park. And Tony Blair did a U-turn on top-up fees. Shurely shome coincidence?