Blog posts

I have been on many picket lines in my time but until today they have all taken place in the real world. Today saw the first ever strike and picket to take place in virtual reality. Second Life allows you to create a virtual person (or avatar) and go around doing the sorts of things you supposedly...

SWP chief mandarin Alex Callinicos has written a rather surprising volte-face on the Israel boycott debate in the UCU lecturers union.

In the latest Socialist Worker his assessment is a) much of the left opposes the boycott b) a membership ballot on the issue (proposed by general secretary Sally...

The Circle and Hammersmith & City lines and the District line's Wimbledon branch have come to a halt this evening as drivers refuse to go along with management's wish to operate trains that may be fatally unsafe.

'C' Stock trains seem to have a problem with the 'deadman's handle', the kit that...

King's Cross station closed due to overcrowding in the middle of the evening rush hour on the night that Arsenal played Newcastle. Euston became packed with their traffic so had to close as well. Fuming passengers took their aggression out on staff, refusing to evacuate, saying we 'don't deserve our...

Management have revealed their plans for the transfer of staff when LUL takes over parts of the Bakerloo and District lines from Silverlink.

We already knew that management were looking for a way to avoid levelling up their pay and conditions and thus save themselves some dosh. Now we know their...

Following management's decision to put back the implementation date for the ticket office closures, RMT's Executive has responded by ... suspending its dispute!

This is a mistake. Although the implementation date has been put back - probably as a favour to Ken Livingstone and his re-election...

Cleaners at Morden depot have prevented their management imposing anti-social new rosters.

The cleaners' union reps did not agree to the new roster, but ISS went ahead and imposed it anyway. The cleaners refused to work it, and management threatened to send them home. But the cleaners stood their...

In Queen's Park depot, chemicals are used to clean graffiti off trains in safe area 'A', but not in area 'B', where there is live electric current. It's a simple rule to protect cleaners' health and safety! But managemenst would rather order them to risk their safety by cleaning trains in B.

C...

At Upminster, the cleaners' mess room is cold and has no facilities. At Ealing Broadway, the mess room is more like a cupboard where you can't even stand up straight! At Euston, the room is so hot and airless you can't breathe ... and there are other stations where cleaners have no mess room at all...

Thousands of people have been scared that all their savings would disappear with the collapse of Northern Rock. The Government has now given guarantees to help the savers (and the shareholders!) But they couldn't know that would happen. No-one knows whether other banks will go bust, or which ones.

T...