National News
Food prices soar – highest level since the ‘70s
by Svetlana Ekimenko, Sputnik
UK food inflation reached its highest level in more than 45 years in February this year, as consumer prices spiked by 10.4 per cent. The Office for Nation- al Statistics (ONS) singled out particular increases in costs of some vegetable items, partly because of shortages, resulting in some supermarkets introducing rationing.
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No Depleted Uranium to Ukraine
by New Worker correspondent
NCP leader Andy Brooks joined demonstrators in Whitehall last week protesting against the British government’s decision to supply of depleted uranium shells to Ukraine. The shells are for the Challenger tanks Sunak is sending to Kiev to prop up the Zelensky regime’s fight against the Russians who intervened last year to defend the Donbas people’s republics and help the Ukrainian anti-fascist resistance.
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NHS Pay
by New Worker correspondent
There is mixed news about pay battles in the NHS, particular- ly in England. Whilst the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has voted to reject a poor pay offer, Unison members voted to accept it. In both cases the leadership urged acceptance. In the RCN the vote was a 54–46 per cent rejection on a 61 per cent turnout. Over at Unison the turnout was a lower 53 per cent but with a clearer result of 74–26 for acceptance. Unison’s voters were mostly ambulance workers
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Teachers and dons
by New Worker correspondent
Another group of workers who do not pay much attention to their union leadership are uni- versity dons and other university and college employees in the University and College Union (UCU), who voted by 56 per cent to reject a pay agreement with employers. At the same time they voted in favour of a deal that will restore to them guaranteed future retirement income which had been cut by 35 per cent last April.
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Off track again
by New Worker correspondent
Last month rail union RMT suspended its strikes after members voted to accept an offer that saw them receive a rise and guarantees of job se- curity. This was a hard-fought battle, and one with threats to ticket offices remaining and the introduction of driver-only trains not entirely buried.
Under
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Warehouse Wars
by New Worker correspondent
William Blake’s famous “dark satanic mills” were not, as popularly thought, the cotton mills of the north of England, but a south London grain mill that was the first major factory in London. Today there can be little doubt that warehouses of online retail companies are their modern equivalent .
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Scottish Political News
by our Scottish political affairs correspondent
Last week may have been a bad week for Scotland’s First Minister but this week was much, much worse for Humza Yousaf. The arrest of the SNP’s national treasurer over the party’s finances may not be the last nail in the nationalists’ coffin – but that could soon come if Nicola Sturgeon is asked to help the police in their inquiries into the financial scandal that threatens to tear the Scottish National Party apart.
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International News
East Meets West in London
by New Worker correspondent
The East literally met the West at a concert in London that combined Chinese and Western cultures and showcased brilliant cultural exchanges between China and the world. Some 800 people packed the Cadogan Hall in Chelsea last week for an East Meets West concert presented by the China Performing Arts Agency and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Honouring a great Korean revolutionary
by New Worker correspondent
Kim Il Sung was born on 15th April 1912, and his birthday has long been celebrated as the Day of the Sun in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and by everyone who stands by the DPRK. On that day last week solidarity activists gathered at the Cock Tavern in London to recall the outstanding achievements of the leader of the Korean revolution.
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French unions lead fight back
by G Dunkel, Workers World (USA)
Following the rubber-stamp approval of France’s Constitutional Council, President Emmanuel Macron signed into law on 15th April the unpopular ‘reform’ bill cutting workers’ pensions.
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Human rights: two worlds – one room
by Xin Ping, Xinhua
In Geneva’s Palais des Nations the 52nd regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) ended with dashed hopes of revitalising the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) – a milestone instrument marking its 75th anniversary this year – and energising the noble cause of human rights protection.
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Features
A healthy relationship with China makes sense for Europe
by Wang Zixuan and Li Aixin, Global Times
Mick Wallace is an Irish member of the European Parliament representing the Independents 4 Change party, part of the left group in the European Parliament (GUE/NGL). During a recent unofficial trip to China, Mick Wallace shared his views with Global Times reporters Wang Zixuan and Li Aixin.
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Margaret Thatcher: Symbol of Capitalist Barbarism
by Nikos Mottas , In Defence of Communism
The 8th April marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Margaret Thatcher, the so-called ‘Iron Lady’. Following the announcement of her death, on 8th April 2013, spontaneous celebrations erupted in numerous working-class neighbourhoods throughout Britain.
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Sweden: swapping Kurds for NATO
by Evgeny Glebov
NATO has a lot to gain from Sweden’s entry into the transatlantic military bloc. Sweden is one of the few Western countries that has maintained its own strong industrial manufacturing sector and its own military industry. Swedish weapons are modern and effective and are listed on the world market.
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Cuba: Fighting fire: Challenging prejudice
by Melissa King, Havana Reporter
Even when they were little girls Rosmerys and Rosabel Ávila Alonso wanted to do a job traditionally performed by men: firefighting.
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