Europe
France: New Anti-Capitalist Party prepares “unitary” coalition with state parties
By Kumaran Ira and Antoine Lerougetel, October 9, 2009
The New Anti-Capitalist Party of Olivier Besançenot met with Stalinist and social-democratic parties and the trade unions to further declare its support for an emerging right-wing consensus in the Fr...
Britain: Postal workers vote for national strike
By Robert Stevens, October 9, 2009
Postal workers in Britain voted Thursday for national strike action in their ongoing dispute with the state-run Royal Mail.
Leeds refuse workers vote to continue strike
SEP (Britain) warns against sellout by union leadership
By our reporter, October 9, 2009
At a mass meeting of striking refuse workers in Leeds yesterday, the 300 strikers present voted to continue their five-week strike against attempts to slash wages by up to £6,000 a year.
Opel/Vauxhall takeover by Magna
Unions play off workers against one another
By Dietmar Henning, October 8, 2009
The German unions are doing everything to ensure the contract is finalised between Opel, Vauxhall, GM and Magna, while haggling has begun between the unions represented at the various European locatio...
Bosnia faces collapse
By Paul Mitchell, October 8, 2009
A number of reports have pointed to the increasing threat of Bosnia and Herzegovina collapsing, and even about the possibility of war breaking out.
British care industry using foreign students as cheap labour
By Ajantha Silva, October 8, 2009
Employers in privately run nursing homes, care homes, and care agencies are more and more dependent on foreign students as their main source of cheap, skilled and flexible labour.
Amnesty International condemns Spain’s Incommunicado Detention Law
By Marcus Morgan, October 7, 2009
A report published last month by the human rights group Amnesty International criticised the Spanish legal system for breaches of international guidelines on the treatment of detainees held “incommu...
Roman Polanski denied bail in Switzerland
By Hiram Lee, October 7, 2009
The Swiss Justice Ministry has denied Roman Polanski's request for release from prison while awaiting extradition. The media frenzy surrounding the case continues.
The new leadership of the German Social Democratic Party
Opportunists, lobbyists, careerists
By Ulrich Rippert, October 7, 2009
The latest change of leadership in the SPD has already made clear that the party is reacting to its recent defeat at the polls by maintaining its right-wing course.
IMF chief economist calls for drastic UK spending cuts
By Robert Stevens, October 6, 2009
The International Monetary Fund has said Britain must introduce radical spending cuts, including raising the retirement age beyond 65 and introducing charges for health care.
Greece: New PASOK government to move quickly to impose austerity measures
By Stefan Steinberg, October 6, 2009
Following federal elections on Sunday, the Greek ruling class is banking on PASOK and the trade unions to enforce the pro-business and anti-welfare policies that Karamanlis and his New Democracy were ...
Irish referendum endorses European Union’s Lisbon Treaty
By Steve James, October 5, 2009
The European Union’s Lisbon Treaty has been endorsed by Irish voters in Friday’s referendum by a majority of 67 percent of voters to 33 percent.
