Solidarity 040, 6 November 2003

A little bit inaccurate

By Martin Thomas The debate about "Zionism" currently running in Solidarity was taken to a meeting called by the Weekly Worker group in London on 26 October. Sean Matgamna spoke, and he, Sacha Ismail and I from the AWL responded to the polemics against us from the Weekly Worker people. The Weekly Worker people put on the meeting to vent their outrage at the idea that any socialist should ever call themselves "Zionist" in any sense, but primarily disputed with the AWL on two substantive questions: the 1948 war which founded Israel, and the Palestinian "right of return" to the territory now...

Lessons from the post strikes

Solidarity works. Solidarity can win. That is the big lesson from the two and a half weeks of unofficial strikes by postal workers which ended on 4 November. Royal Mail bosses are under pressure from the New Labour government, as it drives towards opening the postal service up to capitalist competition and ultimately privatising it. Last month they thought they had the union on the run, after its members, in a ballot, rejected a recommendation from the leadership to take action for better pay. On 16 October London postal workers struck for one day, demanding increased London weighting. When...

Regaining a child's emotion

The Passions, an exhibition by Bill Viola, National Gallery, London The Passions is not all about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but it does take some of its inspiration from the iconography of early Christian religious art. Its subject is the nature of human emotion. Viola started the work in 2000 when his father was dying of cancer and this, according to the artist, accounts for the grief and sorrow in the work. Viola is a video artist. He makes big and small screens, usually using simple images, mostly of human beings. He is something of a religion-inspired artist - eclectic, as you'd...

Workers of the World: Round-up

by Pablo Velasco Oscar Olivera wins case Urgent appeal for Chinese workers' leaders P Diddy uses sweatshops Brazilian car workers walk out Korean workers' demonstrations Colombian Coca Cola worker visit Oscar Olivera wins case Bolivian workers' leader Oscar Olivera has won his fight against victimisation. Oscar is the secretary of the Federation of Factory Workers of Cochabamba, and works at the Manaco Footwear Company. He is a locally elected union leader who gets his regular salary and benefits from the company while performing full-time union work. He is also a leader of struggles against...

Industrial news

Heathrow hit by a 48-hour strike Vote yes! Strike for safety on the Tube! Remote sourcing - No to job losses! Yes to international trade union links Vote yes! Strike for safety on the Tube! By a Tube worker RMT is balloting all its members on London Underground for industrial action over safety. The union's demands are: an immediate return to 24-hour inspection of all Tube track; a return to a regime of immediate introduction of speed restrictions wherever track defects are discovered; a guarantee that there will be no changes in these standards or any reduction in maintenance staff without...

The writing on the wall

Dodgy Dame caught out Trust me, I'm Alan Leighton Debtors of the world unite Dodgy Dame caught out Dame Shirley Porter, the former Tory leader of Westminster council, is in the headlines again. Remember her? She epitomised 80s' Tory values. Westminster was the "flagship" Tory council. Lest we forget how revolting they were, here's a summary… In 1999 Dame Shirley Porter and her deputy at the time, David Weeks, were ordered to pay a £27 million surcharge for their attempts at gerrymandering votes for their party while in charge of the council. They ruled for 20 years but towards the end of the...

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