Socialist Appeal 175 out now!

 A new issue of Socialist Appeal is now out. Read more about it or to order your individual copy online . 175coversmall.jpg
 
Does Work Work for You? Print E-mail
By Dan Morley   
Friday, 27 March 2009
work.jpgIn one sense we welcome the TUC’s new pamphlet Does Work Work for you? A Young Worker’s Guide to their Rights and Trade Union Membership. A  key factor in favour of capitalists over workers is the fact that each new generation of workers often has the relearn the lessons of its ancestors, and as such each new worker generally enters the work place feeling isolated and overwhelmed. The employer can get away with a great deal that has already been made illegal as a result of previous worker’s struggles, without many workers realising. Therefore this pamphlet could be very useful, in that it explains the rights of workers in areas such as the minimum wage, working hours and breaks and agency work.
 
Ireland: “The last roll of the dice for Government, Ibec and unions” Print E-mail
By Séamus Loughlin   
Friday, 27 March 2009
This is how the Irish Times summed up the forthcoming negotiations between ICTU (The Irish Confederation of Trade Unions), the Government and Ibec (the employers). The talks follow an invitation from the Taoiseach Brian Cowen to the ICTU leaders, who have deferred the strike action planned for Monday 30th pending the outcome of the negotiating. The decision to call off the action reflects the fact that the trade union leaders have been very keen to pull off a deal, and are confident that they have a big mandate from the members.
 
The onslaught on the conditions of the European working class Print E-mail
By Mick Brooks   
Thursday, 26 March 2009
lindsey1.jpgUnder capitalism there is a steady unremitting pressure on workers’ living standards from the capitalist class, particularly as they compete with one another, and with bosses all around the world, to cut costs - especially labour costs. This need for employers to attack the wages and conditions of European workers has been intensified by the onset of crisis. There are huge discrepancies between national rates of pay within the European Union. Naturally bosses would like to exploit these differences. And the European Court of Justice is trying hard to help them.
 
Audio File: The Paris Commune of 1871 Print E-mail
By Greg Oxley   
Thursday, 26 March 2009
pariscommune.jpgSpeaking on the 1871 Paris Commune at the IMT Winter School in Berlin, Greg Oxley explained: "The history of the Paris Commune is not just history, but it is our history. It is really the beginning of the concsious struggle for socialism. The Paris Commune was the first time the working class rose up, took power, held on to power for ten weeks before it was brutally crushed in the last week of May 1871."
 
Pure evil, or the logic of privatisation? Print E-mail
By Mick Brooks   
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
hillary.jpgIn Pennsylvania last month judge Mark Ciavarella, and the judge of the juvenile court  Michael Conahan, pleaded guilty to having accepted $2.6m (£1.8m) from the co-owner and builder of a private prison where children aged from 10 to 17 were locked up.The cases of up to 2,000 children put into custody by Ciavarella and Conahan over the past seven years are now being reviewed in a scandal called "kids for cash".

 
Audio File: Trotsky's Writings of the 1930's Print E-mail
By Alex Grant   
Wednesday, 25 March 2009

[Audio] Trotsky's Writings of the 1930'sAt a recent meeting of the International Marxist Tendency in Canada, Alex Grant, editor of Fightback magazine, speaks on the writings of Trotsky in the 1930's. This period, encompassing the Great Depression and mass revolutionary movements, is a goldmine of ideas for today's youth and working class activists. Grant gives an overview of the flavour of Trotsky's writings of the period in order to encourage further reading and study.

 
Britain’s TV Industry in Crisis Print E-mail
By Will Roche   
Wednesday, 25 March 2009

itv.jpgBritain’s commercial television industry is in crisis. Channel 4 has announced plans to cut 150 jobs next year (from a total workforce of 1,000), and has reduced its programme budget by £25m, after already cutting £15m from last year’s budget. Britain’s newest Channel, Five, has announced 87 job cuts (nearly a third of its workforce). But one of the bleakest stories is that of Britain’s oldest commercial broadcaster, ITV. They have forecast the recent wave of job cuts to reach the 1,000 mark by the middle of this year, along with a £65m cut in their £1billion programming budget, putting an end to many popular programmes, including high-end costume dramas.

 
Unite-Amicus election: Vote for Jerry Hicks scares right wing Print E-mail
By A Unite member   
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
jh1.jpgThe result of the election for General Secretary in the Amicus section of Unite the union vindicates the challenge that was mounted by Jerry Hicks against the attempt of Simpson to cling onto office without election. Although Simpson won with a vote of 60,048 Jerry Hicks was well placed in second position, polling 39,307 and easily beating the right wingers Kevin Coyne, who only gained 30,603 votes and Paul Reuter who came fourth with 28,283.
 
Glasgow pickets the BNP Print E-mail
By Ewan Gibbs   
Tuesday, 24 March 2009

bnp.jpgMarch 23rd saw the BNP once again make another ugly appearance on the streets of Glasgow, the second time they have done so in three days. On this occasion they could only muster two supporters, seemingly their hardcore in the west of Scotland. As usual this pair carried out their Laurel and Hardy style act with the big intimidating one, complete with scary red bobble hat, remaining silent as the smaller overly confident character spewed out a range of contradictory positions and bigoted lies.

 
Waterford occupation ends: a bitter pill to swallow Print E-mail
By Seamus Loughlin   
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
water1.jpgAfter seven weeks of occupation UNITE, the union representing the Waterford Crystal workers, has done a deal with KPS, the American company that has bought out part of the company’s assets. The decision is a bitter blow to the workers, many of whom feel that the company was holding a gun to their heads -  the issue being the threat to withdraw €10 million of pension payments.
 
Twenty years on - the lessons of the 1984-85 miners' strike: Part Two Print E-mail
By Phil Mitchinson in 2004   
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
num1.jpgAn essential lesson to draw from the miners' strike is the vital role of leadership. The miners' leaders stood head and shoulders above the majority of British trade union leaders at this time. Arthur Scargill in particular demonstrated an unbending will to struggle in the face of the most appalling personal abuse and character assassination. In this sense the leaders of the union were a source of inspiration for the miners in the areas. At the same time these leaders were inspired by the courage and determination of the rank and file miners, of their wives and their communities. Unfortunately courage alone is not enough to win such titanic battles.
 
Audio File: Marxism and Darwinism’ at the ULU Marxist Society Print E-mail
By Josh Holroyd, ULU Marxist Society President   
Monday, 23 March 2009

marxsocdarwin3.jpgAt 6pm, on the 12th of March the Marxist society of the University of London Union met for a discussion on ‘Marxism and Darwinism’. The topic of this meeting was chosen in order to coincide with the recent exhibitions and publicity surrounding the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s masterwork, ‘Origin of the Species’ in November this year, and John Pickard, author of “150th anniversary of publication of Origin of the Species” led off for the first time (at a political meeting) for 15 years before a meeting of about fifteen people, comprising students, Socialist Appeal supporters and other interested people. Includes audio of the meeting.

 
Defeat for New Labour over statutory redundancies Print E-mail
By Socialist Appeal   
Friday, 20 March 2009
Further to our previous article the government has been defeated on their own attempt to stop a clear Labour Party manifesto commitment from gaining the force of law. On Friday 13th March a private member’s Bill moved by Lindsey Hoyle gained a second reading after being passed by 85 votes to 17. This is a small but significant victory, won against government skulduggery.
 
Darwin's Untimely Burial Print E-mail
By Stephen Jay Gould in 1976   
Friday, 20 March 2009
cd.jpgThis interesting article by Stephen Jay Gould was originally written for Natural History in October 1976.
 
Twenty-five years on – the lessons of the 1984-85 miners' strike Print E-mail
By Phil Mitchinison in 2004   
Friday, 20 March 2009
num.jpgTwenty-five years ago on March 5, 1984 the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) embarked upon the most important class struggle in Britain since the general strike of 1926. A ferocious battle ensued. Billions of pounds were spent by the ruling class to crush the miners’ militancy. More than ten thousand miners were arrested; two were killed on the picket lines and countless others injured. Decades of so-called consensus were obliterated and the real and ugly face of British capitalism was exposed for all to see.
 
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god-creator29small.jpgMarxism and Religion

Alan Woods talks to the ULU Marxist Society on the topic of 'Marxism and Religion'. Alan explains the materialist conception of the world, integral to the theory of Marxism, and contrasts it to the idealist perspective that gives rise to religion. Alan explains the nature of religion as a means of consoling the oppressed with a life after death, the tendency of the church to break down along class lines, as well as the trade union credentials of God.

Listen to part 1 and part 2.

 

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