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Alstom’s success in France owes much to the fact that railways there are nationalised
[Houss 2020 / Creative Commons]
by Nana Backland, Merseyside Morning Star Readers & Supporters Group
The Tories introduced the 50% strike ballot threshold to make industrial action harder. MATT WRACK argues that a Labour government has no justification for leaving it on the statute book
In the wake of Ann Widdecombe’s murder, JOHN GREEN wonders whether the government will really get to grips with the root cause of these attacks on our MPs
The new PM’s opening addresses offered hope, council homes and reform — but little detail on how any of it will be delivered, warns CLAUDIA WEBBE
Nature as well as society works dialectically, asserts the Marx Memorial Library and Workers’ School
ONCE again the future of railway engineering in Derby – and the whole of Britain – is under threat, as Alstom, the current transnational corporation (TNC) owners of this vital national asset, set about slashing 1,300 workers from its 2,000-strong workforce, making future operations unviable.
But a public community campaign has been launched by the Derby People’s Assembly to back up trade union efforts to prevent the job losses and potential closure. A People’s Assembly petition – supported by the trades unions’ social media – has attracted 1,500 signatures in just a few days and continues to pick up momentum. https://chng.it/xBK9wjp8zK
Back in 2011 the industry faced a very similar threat when the then owners, Bombardier – another TNC – took a similar position when the Tory government placed a contract for trains with its TNC rival, Siemens.
The HS2 debacle exposes what happens when public infrastructure is handed to private contractors – especially when set against China’s state-led high-speed rail success, says CARLOS MARTINEZ
The biggest strike in global history is a template for our future. The silence tells you all you need to know, writes CLAUDIA WEBBE
On the eve of the 157th Trades Union Congress, MICK WHELAN, general secretary of Aslef, the train drivers’ union, celebrates victory in his campaign to get dignity for drivers at work
This strike is about pay and conditions, says CAMERON HARRISON – but it also shows workers have the power to disrupt the mightiest war machine on Earth