Until 18 September there were only the opinion polls, now it’s a fact: the Left Party has become a political force in Parliament. It is no exaggeration to call it a small political earthquake.
The Winner is the Left Party-PDS
21 September 2005, byThe elections to parliament in Germany had a remarkable outcome - almost all parties lost votes massively. The Liberal FDP (hardcore neoliberals) increased their vote by 2.4% and the Left Party-PDS doubled its vote to 8.7% and re-entered the federal parliament, after failing in the last elections in 2002.
Thousands protest Greek government in Thessaloniki march
20 September 2005About 20,000 people demonstrated on September the 10th in Thessalonika against the neoliberal politics of the Greek right-wing government. It was the biggest national demonstration in Thessaloniki since June 2003 (EU summit).
Gate Gourmet - a political and industrial challenge
17 September 2005, byHundreds of mainly Asian women workers are fighting dismissal by the company which provides in-flight meals for British Airways. Alan Thornett explains the significance of their extraordinarily brave fight.
Oil Workers’ Union Confronts Occupation and Privatization
17 September 2005IV reproduces here a factsheet being circulated by the General Union of Oil Employees in Iraq about their important struggles and the need for solidarity.
LCR back with a bang
8 September 2005September is the time of the “rentrée” in France - the “coming back” when political life starts up again after the summer break. Though, this year more than most, the shock waves of the May 29th referendum have meant that the summer was not so quiet.
Pierre Broué 1926-2005
8 September 2005, byThe Marxist historian Pierre Broué died on July 26th after a long battle with cancer. What marked him out was that he wrote history, the history of the workers’ movement and of revolutions, as a Marxist educated in the Trotskyist tradition.
Northwest Mechanics Strike Against Deep Pay/Benefit Cuts, Layoffs, Outsourcing
29 August 2005, by ,Close to 4,400 mechanics, cleaners, and maintenance workers at the giant US air carrier Northwest Airlines (NWA) walked off the job August 20. The strike, called by the independent Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), is the first major airline strike since Northwest pilots struck in 1998.
Urgent Appeal for Solidarity
12 August 2005, byThe Scottish Socialist Party is under attack. Four SSP Members of Parliament and their staff have been issued with a month long ban without wages for defending the right to protest against the meeting of the G8 leaders.
22nd International Revolutionary Youth Camp held
1 August 2005The 22nd camp organised by youth organisations in solidarity with the Fourth International took place in Barbaste in south-west France in the last week of July. This initiative brought together over 400 young activists from all over Europe as well as a delegation from the Philippines, and representatives from South Korea, Ivory Coast and North Africa.