Wildcat strikes at Walmart China
Some cursory thoughts on the imminent bombing of Syria / ISIS
An immediate and unthinking call to bomb a country following a terrorist outrage committed by individuals is the gruesome manifestation of the worst aspects of nationalism, patriotism, and revenge, from faux-strongmen who dress up their dick-swinging and reactionary positions to give the impression that they are the only people prepared to defend national security….
Brief response to '4 reasons working-class radicals should vote Labour’ on Novara
A brief response to the issues raised by AWL member, Daniel Randall, in his article (4 Reasons Working Class Radicals Should Vote Labour) that was recently posted on the Novara Media website….
The trial of Anthony Wedgwood Benn (information required)
Robin Williams, mental illness, and the stigma epidemic
NHS agency spend: the hidden truth
In 1997 the NHS spent over £700 million on agency nurses. This year the figure will have risen to over £2.5 billion. Why pay outrageous amounts of money to agencies when it is clearly cheaper to employ permanent staff? I will show that in actual fact it is not cheaper to employ permanent staff, and that increasing agency use is just more laying of ground work in preparation for the privatisation of the NHS.
Royal College of Nursing: the voice of the establishment
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) represents most of the nurses employed within the NHS and has a membership of over 400,000. It started life as a ‘professional’ organisation for nurses, promoting excellence in practice, before registering as a ‘trade union’ in 1976. Scratch the surface of this grubby, conservative, false-flag operation, and you will see it is not a ‘trade union’ by any understanding of the term.
Carol Malone, Benefits Street, and mental health
Christopher Alder: death in custody
In light of the recent ‘lawful killing’ verdict in the Mark Duggan case, and the increased interest around the conduct of police, deaths in custody, and corruption, I am re-visiting the case of Christopher Alder who died in 1998, face down on a police station floor in Hull. Christopher’s death was initially ruled to be an ‘unlawful killing’, but the decision was over-turned by a judge in 2000. Fourteen years of lies, cover-ups, and heartbreak for his family, have followed.
Pussy Riot released: a PR stunt of Olympic proportions
The last two incarcerated members of Pussy Riot, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolonnikova, were yesterday released from prison as part of an amnesty granted to around 22,000 prisoners. Whilst their release is obviously good news for everyone concerned, it is more of a public relations stunt by Vladimir ‘Bonaparte’ Putin, ahead of the Winter Olympics in early 2014 - than it is clemency, or a relaxing of Putin’s regime.
My Favourite Libcom posts / articles of 2013
Protesters clash with police at Rote Flora social centre eviction in Hamburg
Over 8,000 protesters have clashed with riot police as they protested against the planned eviction of squatters from a popular social centre, and against the eviction of hundreds of people from heir homes. The largely peaceful protest erupted following a baton charge, and use of teargas, and water cannons by the police. The protesters responded by building barricades, throwing stones, fireworks, and bottles. It is reported that over 500 people has been injured, and around 150 arrests made.
Brazil World Cup 2014: workers' deaths, racism, gentrification, and cultural terrorism
Nelson Mandela: some thoughts
Security guards murder locals scavenging for gold in Papua New Guinea
Private security guards employed by ‘Barrick Gold’, aided by local police have killed at least five miners at the Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea. The shootings came after mine security confronted a group of 300 locals who they deemed to be ‘illegal miners’ and ‘trespassers’. Barrick Gold – the world’s largest producer of gold - has a long history of using violence, gang rape, and murder against their workers, and local people in Papua New Guinea. Barrick founder and owner, Peter Munk, claimed that ‘gang rape’ is just a ‘cultural habit’.
As Argentinian police go on strike, the people go shopping
As police go on strike in Argentina’s second largest city, Cordoba, the people have gone on a huge shopping spree, emptying every supermarket in the city. Despite there being massive unemployment and poverty across the city, the media and government have claimed the the shopping spree has nothing to do with being poor, and everything to do with ‘common criminality’.
Indian workers shut down seven mines and destroy bosses' offices
Following violent clashes over the decision to dismiss hundreds of unionised workers and replace them with unaffiliated workers, locals in the Odisha region of India have forced the closure of seven large open cast coal mines, and two railway stations. 1,000 local workers ransacked the management offices and fought running battles with workers who remain loyal to the bosses.
Sussex and Birmingham Universities occupied
For the second time this year, Sussex University and Birmingham University have seen students occupy buildings on campus in protest against privatisation, outsourcing, lack of democracy, and tuition fees. The Sussex occupation will soon enter its fifth day, however, the students occupying the Aston Webb building in Birmingham have been forcibly evicted by the police and bailiffs, earlier today.
Chinese electronics workers win 20% pay rise after three week strike
300 Turkish miners barricade themselves underground
300 miners across two shifts at a mine in the Black Sea area of Zonguldak have barricaded themselves underground in protest at atrocious health and safety. Turkey has the worst mine safety record across all of Europe, with 2,554 miners losing their lives since 1991. They have vowed to continue their protest until the demands have been met.