Workers Struggles
The Ford vote and the UAW’s defenders
By Jerry White, November 9, 2009
Last week’s defeat of the UAW-Ford concessions contract by the rank-and-file has not diminished the claims by various middle class organizations that all opposition should be channeled through the UAW.
See also:
The way forward for Ford workers
By Socialist Equality Party, October 29, 2009
With votes tallied at factories employing more than a third of Ford’s 41,000 US workers, the concessions contract being pushed by the UAW appears headed for defeat.
Mass opposition grows: Ford workers speak out against contract
By our reporters, October 28, 2009
Mass opposition to Ford-UAW concessions contract
By Andre Damon, October 27, 2009
Recent Workers Struggles
Opel workers in Germany protest threatened mass redundancies
By our reporters, November 7, 2009
On Wednesday, thousands of Opel workers took part in protests throughout Germany directed against the massive job cuts to be implemented following General Motors’ decision earlier this week not to s...
Australia: Qantas aircraft engineers vote for industrial action
By Terry Cook, November 7, 2009
About 190 professional engineers at Qantas voted by 98 percent to take industrial action after seven months of negotiations for a new work agreement failed to resolve issues over pay and working condi...
Fire Brigades Union capitulates to South Yorkshire management
By Simon Whelan, November 7, 2009
With just two hours to go before the next in a series of strikes by South Yorkshire firefighters, the Fire Brigade Union capitulated to management demands and called off the stoppages.
Britain: Communication Workers Union sabotages postal strike
By Chris Marsden, November 7, 2009
All strikes by Britain’s 120,000 postal workers were called off until at least the New Year, on the evening that two days of action were about to begin.
Philadelphia transit worker killed as SEPTA strike enters third day
By a reporting team, November 6, 2009
A Philadelphia transit worker was struck and killed by a train Thursday morning as the strike by 5,000 SEPTA workers entered its third day. As the day ended, union officials met with Pennsylvania Gove...
The Opel-Magna fraud
A betrayal of GM employees in Europe
By Ulrich Rippert, November 5, 2009
The refusal of German and European trade unions to organise a common defense of jobs and wages has encouraged GM to impose restructuring measures in Europe along the lines of the American model.
Video: Ford workers speak on contract rejection
November 4, 2009
The WSWS spoke to workers at the Ford Dearborn Truck plant in Michigan on the rejection of contract revisions backed by the company and the UAW.
Transit workers strike in Philadelphia
By Bill Van Auken, November 4, 2009
More than 5,000 Philadelphia transit workers struck early Tuesday morning over wages and benefits. The action was denounced by Democratic officials, who invoked the economic crisis and rising unemploy...
A socialist perspective for public sector workers in Sri Lanka
By Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), November 3, 2009
Two public sector industrial disputes have erupted in Sri Lanka over pay and conditions fuelled by widespread discontent among workers over the government’s austerity measures.
Video: Ford workers speak out against concessions contract
October 31, 2009
The WSWS spoke to Ford workers in Michigan as they prepared to vote on contract revisions agreed by the company and the United Auto Workers.
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
October 31, 2009
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
Canada: Vale Inco continues provocations against Steelworkers
By Carl Bronski, October 31, 2009
Management at Vale Inco’s mine, mill and smelting complex in Sudbury, Ontario are expanding their attempts to restart production in a bid to break a 110-day-old strike against the company’s rapaci...
No compromise possible in UK post strike
A political and industrial offensive against Labour government is required
By Socialist Equality Party (UK), October 31, 2009
Striking postal workers in Britain are involved in a fundamental political struggle, against not just Royal Mail but also the Labour government.
Britain: Three days of post strikes under way
By our reporters, October 30, 2009
Yesterday saw the start of three more days of postal strikes after days of talks failed to broker a deal.
WSWS speaks to workers who exposed GM payoff to Canadian auto union
By Jerry White, October 30, 2009
The WSWS recently spoke with two auto workers at a General Motors transmission plant in Windsor, Ontario, who have been involved in campaigning against a secret agreement between GM and Canadian Auto ...
Bridgestone closes plants in Australia and New Zealand
By Terry Cook, October 29, 2009
The Bridgestone closures, which end tyre production in Australasia, are part of a global restructuring of the auto industry, in the wake of the worldwide financial crisis.
Sri Lanka: Petroleum unions call off work-to-rule bans
By W.A Sunil, October 27, 2009
Unions called off a work-to-rule campaign by petroleum workers in the expectation of talks yesterday over wages. However, the Sri Lankan president rejected outright any pay rise before next year.
Britain: Post workers speak to SEP during second day of national strike
By our reporters, October 26, 2009
The second day of national strike action by postal workers on October 22 involved 76,000 postal delivery workers.
German building cleaners strike against wage cutting
By Ludwig Weller, October 26, 2009
On Thursday of last week 96.7 percent of union members active in the building cleaning branch voted in favor of the first national strike in the history of the industry. The response of the union, how...
South Korean government cracks down on workers’ rights
By Terry Cook, October 26, 2009
Following the suppression of the 77-day occupation of the Ssangyong Motor plant at Pyeongtaek in August, the government has broadened its offensive against the rights and conditions of the working cla...
Britain: Postal strikers speak to SEP campaign teams
By our reporters, October 24, 2009
Postal workers yesterday staged their second of two 24-hour strikes, the first major national strike since 2007.
UAW says key local passed Ford contract by 51 percent
Many workers call vote a “fraud”
By Andre Damon, October 24, 2009
Local media reported that United Auto Workers Local 900 narrowly ratified the latest concessions contract. The vote passed by only 51 to 49 percent, prompting allegations of fraud from workers intervi...
Unite Michigan teachers, students, workers to stop school cuts!
By Statement Socialist Equality Party, October 23, 2009
This statement, calling for opposition to the attack on public education and cuts in school funding, is being distributed to teachers, students and workers in Michigan.
Opposition mounts to UAW-Ford concessions contract
By Jerry White, October 23, 2009
Opposition from rank-and-file workers is mounting to the concessions deal reached by the United Auto Workers and Ford Motor Co.
Britain: South Yorkshire firefighters threatened with mass sackings over new shift patterns
By Simon Whelan, October 23, 2009
At 18.00 hours (GMT) today, firefighters in South Yorkshire, England, will carry out the second of two 24-hour stoppages.
Britain: Leeds refuse workers vote to continue strike
By Barbara Slaughter, October 23, 2009
At a mass meeting on October 21, striking Leeds refuse workers voted by a massive 92 percent majority to reject the “final offer” from Leeds City Council and continue their seven-week strike.
