www.newworker.org | 24th July 2009

National News

The Tolpuddle spirit lives on

by our Industrial Affairs Correspondent

TRADE UNION and labour movement activists rallied in the small Dorset village of Tolpuddle last weekend to honour the Tolpuddle Martyrs: the six Dorset farm labourers transported to Australia for forming a trade union. The 175th anniversary commemoration last Sunday culminated in a march and rally of one of the largest attendances and finest displays of trade union banners since 1984, the 150th anniversary.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Corus workers march for jobs

AROUND 5,000 men, women and families of the Corus steel plant waved banners, flags and union placards, last Saturday; everything about the community they are fighting for surrounded them.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Unequal Britain

by Caroline Colebrook

THE TOP professional jobs in Britain in medicine, the law, the media and so on are going disproportionately to the children of the very wealthy and this trend is increasing, according to a report issued last week by former Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

£20,000 tax on growing old?

THE GOVERNMENT is considering introducing a charge of up to £20,000 on everyone at retirement age as a form of insurance to fund the cost of care in extreme old age.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Postal workers to strike this Friday

THOUSANDS of postal workers across Britain will be striking and demonstrating on Friday 17th July against continuing cuts and executive action by Royal Mail.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Wall death builder jailed for 3 years

COLIN HOLTOM, a construction work employer who was responsible through negligence for the death of a 15-year-old worker was last week jailed for three years.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Irish unity initiative launched in London

by Theo Russell

SINN Féin president Gerry Adams and Michelle Gildernew, agriculture minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, were in Westminster at Parliament last week to launch the party’s new initiative aimed at international debate on the question of a united Ireland.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

I o W wind-turbine factory occupation

WORKERS employed by Vestas Wind Systems at a wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight last week occupied the plant in protest at its imminent closure with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Council workers asked to sell their holidays

THE PUBLIC sector union Unison is advising council workers employed by shire counties not to take up an offer from their employers to forgo their holiday entitlement for up to £12,000 apiece.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Neo-Nazi terrorist convicted

NEIL LEWINGTON, a white supremacist, was last week convicted at the Old Bailey of planning a terrorist bombing campaign, while security services have warned of potential attacks by fascist extremists.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Features and International News

Accusations over Arafat’s death

by our Arab Affairs correspondent

NEW CLAIMS that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas collaborated with Israeli intelligence to poison Yasser Arafat has caused a furore amongst the Palestinian Arab community.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Robert McNamara: a dutiful servant of his class

by Rob Gowland

THE DEATH of former US Defence Secretary Robert McNamara on 6th July unleashed a stream of crocodile tears that would have been astonishing if they had not been so totally overshadowed by those that flowed for Michael Jackson.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Ireland - Remembering the past: Dr William MacNeven

by Mícheál Mac Donncha

THE SOCIETY of the United Irishmen drew support from a number of prominent people in the professional classes of Dublin. Among the foremost of these republicans was William James MacNeven, a doctor and scientist.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

The Madoff con - reparations for some, not others

by Dolores Cox

AFTER Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison for his Ponzi scheme, one of his victims was interviewed by a local television reporter while leaving the courtroom. She spoke about how justice was finally served; that he got what he deserved. And, she stated, “It was important that the damage be repaired”.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

DPR Korea : victorious 27th July

by Ri Song

JULY 27th comes round every year, bringing the Korean people the memory of the jubilant V-day in the Korean war (June 1950 – July 1953).

The Korean war, or the Fatherland Liberation War, was the one in which the Korean people inflicted serious defeat on the United States, boasting that it was the “strongest” power in the world, that had invaded the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

History-making aid for reaches Gaza

by John Parker in Gaza

THE LARGEST humanitarian aid convoy in history to travel from the United States to Palestine succeeded in crossing the Rafah border into Gaza on 15th July. After days of delay, the 218-person contingent of activists, buoyed by telegrams, emails and protests from many parts of the world, was finally allowed to pass into the besieged Palestinian enclave with more than $1 million in wheelchairs, walkers and medical supplies for the people of Gaza.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Nicaraguans celebrate Sandinista victory

Radio Havana Cuba

ON NINETEENTH July 1979, a huge crowd gathered in the Plaza de la Revolución in Managua to celebrate the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship. The Somoza family dynasty had devastated Nicaragua for more than 42 years, turning it into one of the poorest and most backward countries on Earth.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Honduran protests against coup grow

Radio Havana Cuba

POPULAR Bloc organisations are continuing demonstrations, which include road blocks in several regions of Honduras. They plan to call a general strike this week after the failed negotiations in Costa Rica to reinstate President Manuel Zelaya.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

Iceland’s parliament for EU entry

Xinhua news agency

THE MAJORITY of the Icelandic parliament voted in favour of launching membership talks with the European Union (EU) last week.

[Read the complete story in the print edition]

The Tolpuddle spirit lives on

by our Industrial Affairs Correspondent

Corus workers march for jobs

AROUND 5,000 men, women and families of the Corus steel plant waved banners, flags and union placards, last Saturday; everything about the community they are fighting for surrounded them.

More postal strikes to come

THE COMMUNICATION Workers’ Union last Friday staged a successful postal strike in London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Darlington, Stoke, Plymouth, Leamington Spa, Norfolk and Essex, then announced another three strike days to come.

Unequal Britain

by Caroline Colebrook

THE TOP professional jobs in Britain in medicine, the law, the media and so on are going disproportionately to the children of the very wealthy and this trend is increasing, according to a report issued last week by former Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn.

£20,000 tax on growing old?

THE GOVERNMENT is considering introducing a charge of up to £20,000 on everyone at retirement age as a form of insurance to fund the cost of care in extreme old age.

Postal workers to strike this Friday

THOUSANDS of postal workers across Britain will be striking and demonstrating on Friday 17th July against continuing cuts and executive action by Royal Mail.

Wall death builder jailed for 3 years

COLIN HOLTOM, a construction work employer who was responsible through negligence for the death of a 15-year-old worker was last week jailed for three years.

Irish unity initiative launched in London

by Theo Russell

SINN Féin president Gerry Adams and Michelle Gildernew, agriculture minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, were in Westminster at Parliament last week to launch the party’s new initiative aimed at international debate on the question of a united Ireland.

I o W wind-turbine factory occupation

WORKERS employed by Vestas Wind Systems at a wind turbine factory on the Isle of Wight last week occupied the plant in protest at its imminent closure with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

Council workers asked to sell their holidays

THE PUBLIC sector union Unison is advising council workers employed by shire counties not to take up an offer from their employers to forgo their holiday entitlement for up to £12,000 apiece.

Neo-Nazi terrorist convicted

NEIL LEWINGTON, a white supremacist, was last week convicted at the Old Bailey of planning a terrorist bombing campaign, while security services have warned of potential attacks by fascist extremists.

Accusations over Arafat’s death

by our Arab Affairs correspondent

NEW CLAIMS that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas collaborated with Israeli intelligence to poison Yasser Arafat has caused a furore amongst the Palestinian Arab community.

Robert McNamara: a dutiful servant of his class

by Rob Gowland

THE DEATH of former US Defence Secretary Robert McNamara on 6th July unleashed a stream of crocodile tears that would have been astonishing if they had not been so totally overshadowed by those that flowed for Michael Jackson.

Ireland - Remembering the past: Dr William MacNeven

by Mícheál Mac Donncha

THE SOCIETY of the United Irishmen drew support from a number of prominent people in the professional classes of Dublin. Among the foremost of these republicans was William James MacNeven, a doctor and scientist.

The Madoff con - reparations for some, not others

by Dolores Cox

DPR Korea : victorious 27th July

by Ri Song

JULY 27th comes round every year, bringing the Korean people the memory of the jubilant V-day in the Korean war (June 1950 – July 1953).

The Korean war, or the Fatherland Liberation War, was the one in which the Korean people inflicted serious defeat on the United States, boasting that it was the “strongest” power in the world, that had invaded the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

History-making aid for reaches Gaza

by John Parker in Gaza

Nicaraguans celebrate Sandinista victory

Radio Havana Cuba

ON NINETEENTH July 1979, a huge crowd gathered in the Plaza de la Revolución in Managua to celebrate the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship. The Somoza family dynasty had devastated Nicaragua for more than 42 years, turning it into one of the poorest and most backward countries on Earth.

Honduran protests against coup grow

Radio Havana Cuba

POPULAR Bloc organisations are continuing demonstrations, which include road blocks in several regions of Honduras. They plan to call a general strike this week after the failed negotiations in Costa Rica to reinstate President Manuel Zelaya.

Iceland’s parliament for EU entry

Xinhua news agency

THE MAJORITY of the Icelandic parliament voted in favour of launching membership talks with the European Union (EU) last week.