Refuse workers at Brighton Council's CityClean service launched a wildcat strike in response to a threatened pay cut which could see some of the council's lowest-paid workers lose up to £95 per week.

The death toll from the Rana Plaza factory collapse has now passed 700. It is one of the worst industrial disasters in recent history, and the worst ever in Bangladesh.

A government building inspector has confirmed that the building, which housed five factories, was built with inadequate, weak materials that could not withstand vibrations caused by electricity generators on the top floor. The building’s architect has said it was intended to house residential or light commercial properties rather than heavy industry.

On Friday 3 May, University of London bosses voted to shut down its students’ union from summer 2014.

Teachers at Bishop Challoner school in East London are balloting for strikes against management bullying.

The Department for Education has issued guidance to schools on how to implement the planned performance-related-pay regime from September 2013.

In mid-April 2013, I visited Istanbul to meet a group of socialist activists involved in building a workers’ support group, Uluslararası Işçi Dayanışması Derneği (Association of International Workers’ Solidarity, UID DER).

My visit co-incided with feverish campaigns to prepare for May Day celebrations.

In the run-up to its 19th congress, on 11-13 April, the Greek Communist Party (KKE) pleasantly surprised us by publishing much debate, mainly in its paper Rizospastis.

Chen Duxiu (1879-1942) was a founder of Chinese Communism and, later, a Trotskyist critic of Stalinism and Maoism.

Born into a wealthy family in Anhui, Chen participated in the Xinhai Revolution in 1911 which overthrew the Qing Dynasty and established the Republic of China. Like many intellectuals, he was dissatisfied with the dictatorial rule of President Yuan Shikai and was part of a new generation who proclaimed the need for profound cultural renewal in China.

Eighty years ago this week — 10 May, 1933 — organised book burnings took place in university towns throughout Germany.

As the weather improves, Workers’ Liberty members will be increasing the number of street stalls we organise around the country.