Europe
Britain’s Conservatives outline plans for an “age of austerity”
By Chris Marsden, October 10, 2009
The Conservatives’ annual conference saw the party campaigning to win power in next year’s General Election with a message directed to the wealthy and the business elite.
Workers Struggles: Europe & Africa
October 9, 2009
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
Prosecuted for saving the lives of refugees
The case of Cap Anamur president Elias Bierdel and his crew
By Stefan Steinberg, October 9, 2009
The scandalous treatment of Bierdel and his crew is a direct result of the criminal immigration policy adopted by the EU aimed at turning Europe into a fortress.
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.
