By Stephen Jolly

Many trade unionists and workers will be attending the October meeting of Yarra Council on Tuesday to hear and contribute to the debate on workers’ rights. Two months ago Councillors voted unanimously for a motion moved by me and seconded by ALP Councillor Paul D’Agastino to pledge to continue to offer only collective agreements to directly employed council staff. (more…)

Despite concerted attempts by the leadership of the ANC-led Tripartite Alliance (with the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions) to downplay the event, and a boycott by the SACP and governing African National Congress (ANC), 1 300 representatives from 70 organisations came together to form a new coalition to fight job losses and poverty on Monday 22 August.

Report by Weizmann Hamilton, Democratic Socialist Movement (CWI in South Africa) (more…)

After the recent report confirming that the IRA has ‘decommissioned’ its arms, NIALL MULHOLLAND looks at the approach taken by socialists to the IRA’s campaign after the ‘Troubles’ re-emerged in the late 1960s. (more…)

CAPITALISM IS screwing up the world! Scientists say that because of global warming, land and sea species are dying out faster than previously predicted, the polar ice cap is melting, glaciers are rapidly retreating and the permafrost is thawing - releasing more greenhouse gas emissions….

Dave Carr reports (more…)

In recent weeks governments all over the world have used the London bombings as an excuse to strengthen so called ?anti terror? laws. The Australian government has been no different; Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has announced measures which include greater powers for the federal police and ASIO as well as more security cameras, tougher jail terms for inciting violence and fines for leaving bags unattended at airports.

By Anthony Main, SP National Organiser (more…)

For workers’ unity across ethnic and religious divides
The Indonesian tourist resort of Bali was, yet again, the target of a horrific spate of terrorist bombings. The bombings took place almost exactly three years to the day, when 202 people were killed on the island, on October 2002.The first bomb exploded on Saturday night, at Raja’s restaurant on Kuta Beach. Ten minutes later, a further two bombs hit open-air restaurants at the beach resort on Jimbaran Bay. Indonesian police have said that three suicide bombers detonated back packs filled with ball-bearings in the busy restaurants.
By Anthony Main, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

The recent talk of tax cuts raised by various members of the Liberal party has seen a whole lot of media talk about the burden of tax on the well off.

Editorial taken from the October issue of ‘The Socialist’
(more…)

An online news source, ?rediff.com?, called India?s 29 September general strike the “mother of all strikes”. The strike was heeded by workers in most parts of the country. This was the first general strike since the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, headed by Congress?s Manmohan Singh, came to power. M K Pandhe, leader of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which is controlled by the Communist Party of India, CPI (M), referred to the strike as “biggest ever, since globalisation”. According to major news sources, the total participation was around 40 million, though the leadership of the unions claimed it was over 50 million.

By Jagadish Chandra, New Socialist Alternative (CWI-India) (more…)

The city of New Orleans lies in post-apocalyptic ruin. Hurricane Katrina has created the biggest refugee crisis since the US Civil War. It is a natural disaster. But the death, destruction and misery that followed in its wake was preventable. It was the poor, the old, the sick ? overwhelmingly African American ? who had no means to flee the storm that bore the brunt of the suffering.

By Greg Bradshaw, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

The Socialist Party utterly condemns the latest bombings that have taken place in Bali. Twenty two people have been confirmed dead after bombs exploded in three packed tourist restaurants on the small Indonesian island last night. Almost 100 others were also injured.
SP National Office (more…)