Solidarity 295, 11 September 2013

Welfare not warfare? Yes, but...

Slogans like “Welfare not warfare”, “Fund education not war” or “Books not bombs” are good as “longer range” slogans. They sum up our advocacy of resources being spent on socially useful goals, serving human need, not the capitalist priority of militarism, and can help develop political consciousness and mobilisation. But used as slogans against a particular war or military action, they can confuse more than clarify. They can be depoliticising, parochial and nationalistic. Having explained or sloganised the political reasons why a war or military action is bad (it will cost many lives, promote...

PCS beats Pickles in High Court "check off" battle

On Tuesday 3 September, the High Court ruled that staff in the civil service Department for Communities and Local Government have a contractual right to have their union dues collected through payroll ("check off"), and that the Tory Secretary of State Eric Pickles had acted unlawfully in ordering in the cessation of check off for DCLG staff from the end of August, and awarded costs against him, landing the taxpayer with a total bill of £90,000. The cost of check off in DCLG is around £340 per annum! Pickles’ decision to halt check off was part of his anti-union drive that has included...

The British far left on Syria

After the government's defeat on a motion endorsing immediate military intervention was defeated in Parliament, the Socialist Party wanted to drive home how great an opportunity this was for the left. In an article in The Socialist, they wrote: “Cameron and Clegg could over the coming days and weeks be forced out. The government itself could be brought down. The trade union movement - particularly the TUC which meets in early September - should finish off this floundering cuts coalition by calling a national day of strike action - a 24-hour general strike - against cuts and austerity.” That...

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