Lead story

The US bugs the World

by Daphne Liddle

NINETEEN countries have joined an initiative from Germany and Brazil to draft a United Nations resolution to curb “indiscriminate” and “extra-territorial” surveillance and to ensure “independent oversight” of electronic monitoring.

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Firefighters announce further strike dates

THE FIRE Brigades Union has announced further firefighters’ strikes on Friday 1st November from 18.30 to 23.00 and Monday 4th November from 06.00 to 08.00 after Government and fire employers failed to offer any firm guarantees for firefighters facing “no job and no pension” as a result of pension changes.

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Editorial

Class war in Grangemouth

THE SWISS-based Ineos Chemicals Company in Grangemouth, on the River Forth upstream from Edinburgh is part of a large complex that includes a chemicals factory and an oil refinery that processes vital fuel supplies for Scotland and the north of England.

Jim Ratcliffe, known to some by his initials as JR, is the major shareholder and he decided a little while ago that, although he was making a lot of money from this company, he could make more if he could coerce the workforce to swallow a big cut in their wages and pensions.

But there was an obstacle — the giant union Unite, which has been playing a leading role in the fight against austerity cuts, putting money through trades councils into local community campaigns to save hospitals, schools and other social essentials and encouraging workers to get involved in their local constituency Labour Parties.

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