Solidarity 602, 28 July 2021

Kino Eye: A film from Georgia

Although a small country, Georgia has produced some brilliant film makers, Otar Iosseliani, Mikhail Kalatozov, Nana Jorjadze, Tengiz Abuladze and Eldar Shengelaia to name only a few. Shengelaia made Blue Mountains in 1983, an absurdist satire which lampoons Soviet bureaucracy and could be seen as a precursor to the “Glasnost” (“openness”) movement associated with Mikhail Gorbachev. Soso is an aspiring novelist who regularly visits the local publishing house, desperately trying to get someone interested in his latest writing. However, the staff are lazy, frequently out for lunch, boozing and...

Strikes against Rolls-Royce reneging

In 2020, strikes by workers at the Rolls-Royce plant in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, forced the company to abandon a plan to offshore work and cut jobs at the site. Strikes have now resumed after the employer reneged on commitments. Ross Quinn, a regional officer for Unite, spoke to Solidarity . At the end of April, it was reported that a senior manager announced the training school, which was part of the settlement that ended the strike, guaranteeing future jobs at the site, would be demolished after two years. It was also reported that the company would essentially be reverting to the original...

Organise for Labour Party conference!

Labour Party conference 2021 will take place from 25 to 29 September in Brighton, in-person unless a new Covid spike brings new curbs by then. This will be an important point for the left of the labour movement to regroup and halt its retreat and dissipation. Getting good rule changes through Labour conference is always a long and intricate process, so probably the best chances for political regrouping will be around motions and policy. The deadline for motion submissions is 13 September. Many local Labour Parties have already decided their motions. Others will decide in August or early...

Defeat NHS cuts, carve-up and wage-squeeze!

New figures from the TUC say that after the 3% pay rise the government is proposing, NHS workers will still be than 7.5% worse off than in 2010. Other figures have suggest the pay cut is bigger. Certainly for many NHS workers it will be much bigger. The Tories are also saying that 3% must come from existing NHS budgets, i.e. from cuts to services. We demand a 15% increase, and fully funded. Under pressure from NHS campaigners, Labour and the unions eventually spoke out against the Tories’ privatisation- and cuts-driving Health and Care Bill and the Parliamentary Labour Party voted against the...

Is socialist revolution possible? Is it desirable?

At the Workers' Liberty summer school, Ideas for Freedom , on 10-11 July, Ruth Cashman debated John Strawson on "Is socialist revolution possible? Is it desirable?" Ruth Cashman We live in a murderous system of inequality and exploitation. In sub-Saharan Africa, one in every 13 children dies before their fifth birthday, the vast majority due to health conditions linked to malnutrition. The number of child labourers stood at one hundred and sixty million at the start of 2020, which is an increase of 8.4 million child labourers in four years. From January to June 2021, it was estimated that 827...

Bolsonaro, Brazil and the left

Luiza Xavier spoke at Ideas for Freedom , the Workers' Liberty summer school 2021. I feel like people in the UK, especially people, are not really tuned into what's going on in South America, are a bit surprised by the mad figure that is Bolsonaro suddenly taking power in Brazil, especially after years of PT government led to massive social reforms. 2013, I think, is a good point to start talking about how Bolsonaro managed to get into power. In 2013 there were massive demonstrations in Brazil all over, and they got kick started because of some protests around the bus fares in Sao Paulo. In...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.